BOISE STATE
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii's Keao Monteilh broke up a pass intended for Boise State's Legedu Naanee in the first half last night.
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Colledge, Scandrick make a special team
The duo beats Hawaii on the other phase of the game, blocking two kicks for scores
If not for three huge second-half special-teams plays, Boise State most likely would have departed Aloha Stadium last night as losers instead of 44-41 victors.
Senior lineman Daryn Colledge and freshman defensive back Orlando Scandrick were major parts of two of those plays. Colledge blocked two kicks and Scandrick returned both for points.
The second Colledge-Scandrick combo with 3:03 left turned out to be the difference on the scoreboard. After the block of a Dan Kelly extra-point try, Scandrick picked it up and took it to the house for two points and the three-point winning margin.
The first time Scandrick returned Colledge's block -- a 69-yard romp after Kelly's 35-yard field-goal attempt -- the Broncos took a temporary 35-28 lead with 11:23 to go.
"One hit my forearm. The other hit my elbow," said the 6-foot-5, 298-pound Colledge. "Both were on my right arm. When I saw the ball, I put my hands out. Me and my teammates got a great push on both of them and I was lucky to get my hand out.
"We knew we could get in there. That was our mind-set. When we were up (42-35), we were saying that if they score again, we would get in there to block the extra point."
Scandrick had some past experience in scoring on special teams, just not in a real game.
"It's called scoop and score, and we practice it all the time," the 5-11, 175-pounder said. "I felt I needed to make a big play and make up for not playing nearly as well as I could have on defense.
"Strong special teams is a big part of our game. We feel you can make game-changing plays."
And Scandrick isn't making up stories, either. Past statistics back him up. The Broncos have blocked 19 kicks in coach Dan Hawkins' four-plus seasons.
"You guys stole that extra point," Hawkins told his players. "It showed a tremendous amount of fortitude and it shows what we're all made of."
The two blocks made it three this season for Boise State through four games.
The third key special-teams play gave the Broncos their first lead of the night.
Quinton Jones fled down the left sideline for a 92-yard punt-return touchdown for a 21-20 edge with 5:16 remaining in the third quarter.
"We put a lot of credence in special teams," Hawkins said. "We work the heck out of it, take a lot of pride in it and get the guys to believe in it. To score that many points (16) on it is obviously big. We had our biggest, strongest guys in there and they came up huge."
Boise State punter Kyle Stringer was fortunate to make another impact on special teams, although he did it on a broken play. He fumbled a punt snap, but was alert enough to pick it up and run 13 yards for a first down.
"When I went to catch the ball, it was more slippery than it had been previously," Stringer said. "It hit the ground and I picked it up and ran as fast as I could."
That was just one strange play among many.
"The game was a bit unusual," Hawkins said. "It was back and forth and nobody could break service. But hey, that's why football is such a great game."