Carlos Shaw rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries against
Boise State Saturday night.

It might not be the one you want to hear, but the University of Hawaii tailback isn't afraid to speak his mind.

Last year, after Bob Wagner was let go as head coach of the Rainbows, Shaw said, "I think they should have fired the athletic director, instead."

In his first meeting with Don Lindsey, the defensive coordinator said, "If anybody in here doesn't want to play defense for me, there's the door."

Shaw, who competed in the secondary last year, didn't let it hit him on the way out.

"I wanted to play running back," Shaw said. "I saw it as an opportunity, so I took it. I honestly think it hurt the team last year for me to be in the secondary, instead of at slotback"

UH running backs coach Don Dillon won't beg to differ. After being slowed by injuries early on, Shaw returned to the lineup last Saturday night at full speed.

He carried the football 24 times for 103 yards to become the first UH running back to exceed the century mark since Brett Washington did it last Nov. 4 against Fresno State.

"I want to be more involved in the passing game this week," the 5-foot-9, 184-pounder said. "I'm more durable than people might think. I want to touch the football at least 35 times a game."

That's a pretty bold statement from a player UH head coach Fred vonAppen once described as "A guy with a steamboat mouth, but a rowboat ass."

Granted, Shaw has talked the talk since coming to Hawaii via Fresno City (Calif.) College in 1995. But the Memphis, Tenn., resident finally walked the walk in the 20-14 win over Boise State.

Dillon has said since fall camp that when healthy, Shaw and fullback Tony Thomas make up his best combination. Last week, Thomas added 53 yards on the ground and caught four passes for 30 yards, including one for a touchdown.

"We're back and we're bad," Shaw said. "I'm just glad to finally get an opportunity to play and show the people what I can do.

"I was born to play tailback in an offense like this one. I love it. If run right, it's tough to stop. In our minds, beating Boise State was just the first win.

"We can keep it going, now that it's all coming together. It took more time than people thought it would to recover from that Boston College loss. This win gives us some confidence and belief in ourselves that we can do it."

Shaw has never lacked confidence. Despite his reluctance over being shifted to the secondary, he still had 10 tackles and one interception in 1995.

At tailback, he has the speed to turn the corner on the pitches, and the quickness to zip through a hole between the tackles.

"He has that ability to get up in there and make people miss," Dillon said. "He also sees the field really well. It hurt us when he was down with a bad ankle. Having him in there makes a difference."

Shaw likes being called a difference-maker. This week he returns to Fresno, Calif., a place where he spent two years of his life before coming to Hawaii. He wasn't recruited by the Bulldogs because of his lack of size and believes he has something to prove.

"I want them to know that I'm definitely a Division I running back," Shaw said. "It's extra motivation for me, but it won't take me outside the game plan.

"I don't want to do anything to hurt this team. The most important thing is winning, and the rest should take care of itself."

That's the kind of talk vonAppen prefers. Since fall camp, he has heard all about Shaw's potential, but didn't see it on the field.

"He proved to me that given the opportunity he can produce," vonAppen said. "But I don't want to sugar-coat anything. Like the rest of our guys, he still has improvements he can make on the field."

Shaw is the first to agree, but his self-confidence has a way of coming through.

"I didn't have the grades to play at Memphis State, but I felt I was good enough to play at that level," Shaw said. "In high school, I played cornerback and tailback.

"So when I got to Fresno, they tried me out at both, before putting me at running back. That's where I belong. That's where I'll make some history."

Teams: Hawaii Rainbows at FresnoState Bulldogs
When: Saturday, 4:07 p.m. Hawaii Time, Bulldog Stadium.
Weekend update: Utah whipped Fresno State, 45-17, in Salt Lake City.
Facts & figures: The Bulldogs couldn't stop Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, the former St.Louis star from Hawaii, who ran for 169 yards. Utah's Juan Johnson tied a school record with four rushing touchdowns and quarterback Mike Fouts completed 18 of 23 passes for 214 yards and two scores.