Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Thursday, November 2, 2000
Hobbled Warriors With one-third of the team living in the training room and another third waiting to get in, the University of Hawaii coaching staff will have to be creative as the Warriors prepare to leave today for a league game at Fresno State.
on the road again
The H-Men leave today for
Saturday's WAC game at
bowl-hungry Fresno State
Arceneaux demoted to backup
By Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinWarriors defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa waves off any talk about all the injuries his unit has suffered since fall camp. He doesn't recognize it as an excuse. But from Nate Jackson's broken foot in fall camp to Robert Kemfort's bruised ribs last Saturday night, after this weekend, the only defensive player to start every game at the same position will be right cornerback Flex Armstrong.
That may be one reason Hawaii's defense is rated near the bottom nationally of nearly every major category. Not only are the Warriors having to play hurt, but the continuity is destroyed each weekend with new players dotting the depth chart.
One game Mike Iosua is at one tackle spot. The next week he shifts to play the other. The same is true for defensive end Chris Brown, and fellow down linemen Miles Garner and Lui Fuga. It has been a way of life up front all season as six different men have started and nearly a dozen have seen some kind of playing time, including freshmen Houston Ala, Lance Samuseva and Brett Clowers.
This week, it's the linebackers who are battered and bruised. Kemfort will miss his first start of the season. His backup, Lonnie Williams, is also down with an ankle sprain. That means right outside linebacker Anthony Smith will shift to the left side. Senior Rinda Brooks, who is bothered with a sprained ankle and a nagging hamstring, will start in the middle.
"But if he can't go the entire way, then we'll turn to Pisa Tinoisamao," Lempa said. "It's an experience I wouldn't wish on anybody. But you've got to play with the ones who can and they have to do the job on the field.
"We had so many missed tackles in the loss to San Jose State and guys not following their assignments. That's been a problem for us all season. We have some really good moments and then moments that aren't so good. Injuries are no excuse."
Still, they are a part of the reason Hawaii is ranked 108th of 115 Division I teams in scoring defense, yielding 37 points a game. The Warriors are 109th versus the rush (221.9 yards a game) and 78th in total defense (386.6 yards). The secondary is also struggling with a pass efficiency rating of 133.2, good enough for 91st nationally.
"And now we face another good offensive football team," Lempa said. "I don't know if they're as explosive as San Jose State, but they are balanced with a very mobile quarterback, who can scramble around under pressure. He (David Carr) creates a lot of big plays when he gets outside the pocket, so we need to contain him."
In the past, the offense would be good enough to carry the Bulldogs through the season. This year, the defense isn't half bad, either. Led by one of the better linebacker crews in the league, Fresno State is second in the conference in scoring defense, yielding 21.4 points a game.
"They like to zone blitz and try to confuse you with different looks up front," head coach June Jones said. "They'll mix their coverages in the secondary and will use a lot of man. They'll try to use a lot of different kind of blitzes to see if they can confuse us. They have great team speed and can close on the ball in a hurry."
What has Jones really concerned is the availability of his quarterbacks. Tim Chang is down with a concussion, backup Nick Rolovich may have a cracked pelvis that will only get worse with use and sophomore Mike Harrison is penciled in for a redshirt year.
Kevin Gilbride has spent as much time at practice on the defense helping out at safety and also playing the scout team quarterback in the option, as he has running the offense. Jones remains hopeful Chang will undergo a miracle cure, but at this point, it all rests on Rolovich.
"Rolo has done a good job in practice this week, but when it counts the most is in the games," Jones said.
"You have to be ready to play at any moment because you never know what's going to happen on a football field."
If Chang remains behind, Rolovich will be starting his third game of the season. He has completed 37 of 92 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns.
"I've already started a game on the road, so I know what to expect," Rolovich said. "I hope Timmy gets to feeling better, but if he can't go, I'll be ready. I've been studying the tapes of Fresno State all week and have a good idea of what they like to do."
Darnell Arceneaux, who has been a starter at quarterback for the University of Utah for most of four seasons, will give way to a redshirt freshman. Arceneaux
demoted to backupBy Pat Bigold
Star-BulletinUtes head coach Ron McBride said he's making the surprise change because the Utes (2-6) are experiencing their worst season since he took over the program and he had to do something.
Utah, which lost to the University of New Mexico, 10-3, last weekend, has been sputtering on offense.
The Utes were 1-for-14 on third downs in the game.
"It's not really all the quarterback's problem," said McBride.
Arceneaux was replaced in the second quarter by Lance Rice. who completed 13 of 29 passes for 185 yards.
Rice, who will start when the Utes host the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Saturday, is the grandson of Rice-Eccles Stadium benefactor Bob Rice.
"He's (Arceneaux) done some great things for us," said McBride. "There's nobody I'd rather have at quarterback as a head coach but right now we're not getting the job done."
Arceneaux, a senior, had completed 86 of 155 passes for 1,260 yards and six touchdowns. He had been intercepted eight times. He also rushed for 242 yards.
"He's going to play wide receiver this week and he will still play some quarterback," said McBride, who had earlier agreed with Arceneaux to give him some chances at receiver to increase his pro football prospects.
University of Hawaii quarterback Tim Chang was under center in this morning's brief workout at Cooke Field. TODAY'S WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
Chang returns to practice
He threw the football well, but still can't put on a helmet and is experiencing headaches from the hit he took Saturday.
Still, Warriors head coach June Jones believes in the healing powers of an 18-year-old and steadfastly feels Chang could still see some playing time this weekend against Fresno State.
"It will be a game-time decision," Jones said today. "Like we said, Timmy was able to practice some today. We won't know until right before the game who will play."
Officially, Chang is being listed as day-to-day. Members of the medical staff said this morning that Chang hadn't been cleared to play by team physician Andrew Nichols, but game time is still 48 hours away.
Chang, Nick Rolovich and Mike Harrison are the three quarterbacks making the trip. If Chang can't go -- and that's still a likelihood -- then Rolovich will get his third start of the season.
"I'm excited about that possibility," Rolovich said yesterday. "But nobody has said anything to me yet. I think they're going to wait until right before the game to see how Timmy feels.
"I've learned a lot being around Timmy this year. He sees everything developing so quickly. And he's able to make good decisions based on what he sees developing down field."
Chang still feeling poorly
Chang said yesterday that he was still feeling poorly and didn't really want to make the trip. Jones, however, is very familiar with the effects of concussions, and said on Monday, "If it were his eighth concussion, there might be a problem. But this is only his first and it was mild."Don't tell Chang that. Five days after being knocked out of the game on a questionable hit by San Jose State middle linebacker Josh Parry, he is still feeling poorly.
"I feel a little tired and light-headed," Chang said. "But if the coaches want me to go on the trip, I will. But I would rather stay home and rest, and get ready for next week."
Chang's slightly upgraded status wasn't the only good news Jones received today. Offensive lineman Vince Manuwai will make the trip, despite nursing a nasty hamstring pull the last two weeks.
"I'm feeling a lot better," Manuwai said this morning. "I think I'll be able to play." number of starters on the sidelines for yesterday morning's practice nearly equaled those out on the field.
Up, up and away
Hawaii was scheduled to leave for Los Angeles today at 2:10 p.m. on Hawaiian Airlines. The local company will then charter a flight from Los Angeles to Fresno, Calif., for the team that's due to arrive tonight at 11."I think it will be a good experience for our players," Jones said. "And it's good for us, because we can leave when we need to, without having to be on as tight a schedule."
Hawaii will remain in Fresno after the game. The Warriors return home Sunday at 4:10 p.m. This is the final road trip of the season.The offensive line continues to perform at the highest level this season.
Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin
2000 UH Football Special
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
