Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

HAWAII FOOTBALL

Injuries keep on
haunting Warriors

THE injuries are piling up so fast around University of Hawaii head coach June Jones, he needs a program to know the names of the replacements.

The latest to hit the sidelines was offensive lineman Vince Manuwai, who played most of the second half with a hamstring strain that bordered on debilitating. Being the tough man that he is, Manuwai didn't want to come out and may have done more damage than good by staying in.

"We're a little banged up," Jones said after the game in perhaps the biggest understatement of the season. "Vince has a bad hamstring and (third-string running back) James Fenderson has sore ribs. We're hopeful Afatia Thompson (ankle) can play this week."

Jones also longs for the return of defensive linemen Joe Correia (broken foot) and Mike Iosua (shoulder). Correia didn't make the trip. Iosua did the trip, but didn't see any playing time.

Middle linebacker Rinda Brooks (hamstring) tried to make an appearance in his hometown of Houston, but was only able to last a few plays. Strong safety Dee Miller made his return for the first time in a month, and was promptly planted on a crack-back block.

Fellow safety Nate Jackson exited the locker room in more pain than anyone. He has so many things wrong with him right now, it's a wonder he can walk at all. His foot remains broken and his neck was whip lashed on a sideline hit of Rice wideout Gavin Boothe.

"I hurt all over," Jackson said. "Nothing feels good right now."

Especially pleasing

The one phase working for the Warriors these days is the kicking game. Eric Hannum nailed field goals of 30 and 31 yards, while punter Mat McBriar launched two kicks into the Houston sky for an average of 40.5 yards.

Hannum has missed only one field goal in six tries this year and had one extra point blocked. If it weren't for the Warriors struggling so mightily, his exploits would be duly noted by special teams coach Dennis McKnight.

Even Jake Huggins managed some effective kickoffs. Rice had four returns for a meager 71 yards. Cornerback Flex Armstrong also got into the act by returning a punt for 49 yards, setting up one of three scoring drives for the Warriors. The starting cornerback finished with two returns for 57 yards.

Sack attack

Hawaii yielded its first sack since the University of Tulsa game, but the Owls did manage to put consistent pressure on Timmy Chang throughout the game. Several times he was knocked off his feet after getting a pass away against a stingy Rice defense.

Still, the Warriors yielded only one sack in 44 attempts to keep its stellar average at around one in every 47 passes.

"We felt bad about giving up that one sack, we shouldn't have," offensive tackle Lui Fuata said. "But give Rice credit, they did a lot of stunting up front. They gave us a lot of different looks. We were prepared for them, but their defensive line was active."

---

Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin