Friday, November 5, 1999
Rainbows hope to
stay in WAC chase
A win at San Jose State tomorrow
could set up a big showdown
the next weekJones coach of year semifinalist
By Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinSAN JOSE, Calif. - Most of the eyes of the Western Athletic Conference will be trained on the main event located a few hours down the road in Fresno, Calif.
There, at Bulldog Stadium, the league's two titans meet tomorrow night with title implications and the postseason parades that go with them. League commissioner Karl Benson will be there to congratulate the winner of the Rice-Fresno State game and console the loser.
Officials from the Las Vegas and Mobile (Ala.) bowls also will be there. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that these two teams will be at their respective games next month.
It's no secret the Las Vegas Bowl wants Fresno State and the Mobile Bowl would like nothing better than to have Rice, Texas Christian or Southern Methodist.
But before they start holding any celebration parties, folks would do well to pay attention to tomorrow's game in the Bay Area between Hawaii and San Jose State played that afternoon.
HAWAII AT SAN JOSE STATE
When: 10:30 a.m. tomorrow
If the Rainbows manage to win their third consecutive road game of the season against a team that has owned them of late, and if the Bulldogs pluck the Owls in front of a rabid home crowd, guess what happens next?
The game at Aloha Stadium next Saturday night between Fresno State and Hawaii may have Benson on a plane headed south for another "game of the week."
Of course, that's just one scenario. It could just as easily be Rice winning to earn at least a share of the WAC crown and Hawaii losing to drop not only out of the race, but off the map.
That's the possibility UH head coach June Jones is worried about as he held an afternoon workout today in San Jose in preparation for the most important game of this young coaching staff's career.
Does Hawaii respond as Texas Christian did last week when its back was to the wall or will it take a bad trip down memory lane at a place no Hawaii team has won in 41 years?
You decide.
In one corner, you have a Hawaii football team that has more conference wins at visiting locales than it does at home. The last time that happened at this point in a season, the Rainbows won a WAC championship and the Holiday Bowl as well.
This resurgence is led by quarterback Dan Robinson, ninth in the nation in total yards, averaging 299 a game. And yet, the Rainbows are tied for 68th nationally in scoring.
At times, the defense plays very well. UH coordinator Greg McMackin wields a wicked chess board. But here are the cold, hard stats. Hawaii is 92nd of 114 Division I teams against the run, yielding about 182 yards a game.
That lights up the eyes of the team in the other corner. San Jose State has the best back in the league in Deonce Whitaker. Jones said so after yesterday's practice, and he's not prone to exaggeration.
"He gets in there behind his offensive linemen and you can't see him," Jones said of the 5-foot-6 scatback. "He reminds me of Barry (Sanders). He's slippery and tough to bring down."
What had the Spartans down for the month of October was the ankle sprain Whitaker suffered in the fourth quarter of the game with Tulsa. Not since Sept. 25th has Whitaker been full speed.
Until now.
"I think Deonce is finally 100 percent," San Jose State head coach Dave Baldwin said. "He had a good game at UTEP last weekend, even though he fought through the flu. By this weekend's game, we expect him to be his old self."
If that doesn't leave the Rainbows a bit winded, then perhaps the passing game will. Quarterback Chris Kasteler has been much more effective with Whitaker behind him in the backfield. He has good receivers and a defense familiar enough with the four- and five-wide sets to make this a game.
"They are a different club with Whitaker in there," McMackin said. "What we have to do is quit giving up the long drives and try to give our offense as many opportunities as it takes to get it done."
Getting it done consistently has been a problem of late. So much so, Jones isn't about to keep his eye on the big picture.
Hey, Coach. Thought about that bowl game yet?
"Nope."
Not even late at night before you fall asleep?
"Nope."
Jones will tell you his thoughts are on San Jose State and that alone. And perhaps that's for the best. Because if the right scenario falls in place, Hawaii will not only be a step closer to being home for the holidays, next week's game with Fresno State could be its most important in years.
Jones coach
Star-Bulletin staff
of year semifinalistHawaii head football coach June Jones was named a national Coach of the Year semifinalist yesterday by the Football News.
Jones is among such elite company as Florida State's Bobby Bowden, Penn State's Joe Paterno and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer.
The list will be trimmed to three finalists Nov. 22, and the Coach of the Year will be named Dec. 1.
Other semifinalists are Steve Logan of East Carolina, Glen Mason of Minnesota, Tom O'Brien of Boston College, Jackie Sherrill of Mississippi State, Bill Snyder of Kansas State and Tyrone Willingham of Stanford.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Ka Leo O Hawaii
