StarBulletin.com

This night belonged to Alexander


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POSTED: Sunday, October 26, 2008

Can you bottle this kind of thing?

Is it perishable?

Does it travel well?

Is Greg Alexander this good, was this Malcolm Lane's breakout game?

Can you win with a QB du jour (or two, or three) and allowing 481 yards?

Are there enough blood and guts inspirational movies like “;The Patriot”; to show the team?

“;Mel Gibson grabs the flag and tells them not to retreat,”; Greg McMackin said. “;That's exactly where we were.”;

McMackin's moves worked last night, even the big unscripted one: Alexander to start the second half. That was supposed to be Tyler Graunke, but after the man who beat Nevada last year threw a first-half pick, McMackin decided to go with the third-string QB - who we last saw in significant action against Florida, missing a wide-open receiver for a sure touchdown.

Redemption? Fire away, buddy.

Apparently not his style. He now knows he wasn't ready in August.

“;You feel like you know the offense, but you really don't. After watching the last six weeks I feel very comfortable,”; Alexander said.

And that's what he's been doing a lot of lately: watching. Inoke Funaki got the first-team practice reps, Graunke the second-team last week. Leftovers for Alexander.

Amazing that he was so on target last night. Even the few incompletions were on the money.

The offensive line (six sacks) still needs work, but the Warriors overcame that, and Alexander scrambled for gains in key spots.

Moving Ryan Mouton to slot looked like a mistake early on, as the defense missed its best player and Mouton didn't do much on offense in the first half.

But he got comfortable later, and it was like the old days back at Katy High School in Texas when he dominated on both sides of the ball.

And the man he displaced, Aaron Bain, well he may have found a home at punt returner now.

Right now there is no starting quarterback - that's to be discussed today. McMackin says it won't be up for grabs every week; he really wants to settle on somebody long-term.

For now, how can you deny Alexander?

As for the defense, you knew it would give up chunks of yards to Nevada. But it, too, made the plays when needed. Like John Fonoti picking up that fumble caused by David Veikune and scoring. Fans had been waiting for a big play from Fonoti, now they have one.

But as tackle king Solomon Elimimian related, it was refreshing to see the offense bail out the defense for a change.

It was a lot like what Colt Brennan said two years ago, when the Warriors defense made a goal-line stand to beat Nevada.

Maybe now the Warriors are the kind of team that finds a way.

But can it be done this way every week down the stretch?