StarBulletin.com

Five big plays from Hawaii's 30-14 loss at Utah State


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POSTED: Monday, November 03, 2008

1. Borel passing

The Setup: Utah State 3, Hawaii 0, 8:57 remaining, second quarter, Utah State ball, first and 10 at Utah State 38

The Play: QB Diondre Borel slides out of the pocket to his right and finds WR Nnamdi Gwacham wide open down the right sideline. The ball is a little underthrown, but Gwacham has plenty of time and space to adjust and still score the touchdown.

The Impact: Hawaii, favored to win on the road and already having suffered the first of two blocked field-goal tries, gives up a big play for the game's first touchdown and never quite recovers.

Hawaii coach Greg McMackin: “;We put pressure on (Borel), we did everything we could do. But he runs around and we couldn't tackle him. He's quicker than anyone we've faced this year.”;

2. Dead zone

The Setup: Utah State 13, Hawaii 7, 12:51 remaining third quarter, Hawaii ball, first and goal at Utah State 4

The Play: QB Greg Alexander pitches left to RB Daniel Libre. Libre drops the less-than-perfect but catchable toss (which looks like it might have been thrown forward), and LB Paul Igboeli recovers at the Utah State 5.

The Impact: Hawaii loses a chance to take its first lead and seize momentum on the opening drive of the second half. It is one of three times Hawaii fails to score with first and goal to go.

Libre: “;That's the sad part about it. It's not like we were struggling to move the ball, we just couldn't close (drives). I take responsibility for that one, I should have caught it.”;

3. Borel running

The Setup: Utah State 13, Hawaii 7, 3:13 remaining, third quarter, Utah State ball, third and 13 at Utah State 47

The Play: Borel rolls out of the pocket right, then eludes LB Solomon Elimimian, the all-time leading tackler for Hawaii, near the line of scrimmage. Borel scrambles through the defense, covering 27 yards before Elimimian finally catches him.

The Impact: This sustains the drive that gives Utah State the eventual winning points. Three plays later, Borel throws a 23-yard touchdown pass to RB Robert Turbin and Utah State leads 20-7.

Hawaii linebacker Adam Leonard: “;I give them credit because when they had an opportunity to make a play, they made it. That's what football is about, making the most out of opportunities.”;

4. Stopped again

The Setup: Utah State 20, Hawaii 7, 11:05 remaining, fourth quarter, Hawaii ball, fourth and goal at Utah State 12

The Play: QB Inoke Funaki throws incomplete for WR Greg Salas in the end zone. Salas tangles with a Utah State defender, but it is not ruled to be interference.

The Impact: Another costly red-zone failure for Hawaii, as it comes up empty on a 13-play, 5-minute, 18-second drive starting from its own 20. Hawaii has first and goal at the 8, but a false-start penalty pushes it back to the 13, and Utah State allows just 1 yard on four plays.

McMackin: “;We left too many points on the field.”;

5. Through the heart

The Setup: Utah State 20, Hawaii 14, 6:47 remaining, fourth quarter, Utah State ball, first and 10 at Utah State 30

The Play: On a quarterback draw, Borel slips through the middle and sprints straight through the Hawaii defense for a career-long 61-yard run before he's dragged down by CB Calvin Roberts at the Hawaii 9.

The Impact: Hawaii had just gotten itself back into the game with a touchdown run by Alexander. But this play sets up K Peter Caldwell's third field goal of the game, making it a two-score difference with 4:08 left.

Utah State coach Brent Guy: “;If you had to pick one play that broke the heart of the defense, that was it.”;