Saturday, October 20, 2001
[ UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL ]
UH after winning TULSA, Okla. >> Don't look back. Don't look ahead.
record on road
The Warriors must be careful not
By Dave Reardon
to look ahead to ranked Fresno StateKeep your eyes on the prize. Today for the Hawaii football team (3-2, 2-2 WAC), the goal is a victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1-4, 0-3) so UH can complete its road schedule with a winning mark. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep out the clutter.
Easier said than done when you're coming off a 59-point victory and you play the conference's best team the following week.
"It's hard not to think about that game (against Fresno State on Friday)," UH senior slotback and team captain Craig Stutzmann said earlier this week. "Obviously it goes through our minds, but we've got to focus on Tulsa. If we don't beat Tulsa, that Fresno game isn't worth as much. But believe me, Fresno is on our minds, though."
The Bulldogs need to be tucked as far back into the Warriors' collective subconscious as possible by today's 9 a.m. HST kickoff at Skelly Stadium.
Where: Tulsa, Okla. Hawaii vs. Tulsa
When: Today, 9 a.m.
TV: Live on KFVE
Radio: Live, 1420-AM; pre-game show at 8 a.m.
So much for the future. The past? Forget about it, too.
UH is a 7-point favorite against an opponent with several injuries, who is coming off a bad road loss, and whose best player is a wide receiver.
Sound familiar?
That was the set-up for the Warriors' demolition of Texas-El Paso last week at Aloha Stadium. Tulsa looks a lot like hapless UTEP, except the Hurricane are playing at home.
But friendly confines hasn't made a difference the last two times these teams met. UH won here 35-21 in 1999, and Tulsa returned the favor 24-14 last season at Aloha Stadium.
Hawaii coach June Jones said, however, home field is still an advantage, especially with UH playing four time zones to the east.
"Every game we've played on the road so far has been a struggle," he said. "There's no difference. We know it's going to be tough. I'm just hoping we win, whether it's by 1 or 60 points."
Today UH might learn if beating UTEP 66-7 was a fluke and a function of the Miners' incompetence, or if Hawaii has truly arrived.
Nick Rolovich -- who has quarterbacked Hawaii to two consecutive victories since replacing injured starter Tim Chang -- will start, Jones said yesterday.
Earlier in the week, Jones said Chang would start if healthy. But yesterday the coach said Chang "isn't feeling 100 percent" recovered from his sprained right (throwing) wrist.
Chang can play if needed, Jones said.
It has the makings of a quarterback controversy, at least in the eyes of many fans. But Jones has tried to quell it by saying Chang is his starter all the way, if healthy.
As long as Hawaii keeps winning, it doesn't matter.
"We're still thin in some areas," Jones said. "But we've played hard, and that's what you really judge and evaluate. Guys are playing hard and know their assignments, even second- and third-team guys."
Tulsa coach Keith Burns sees it on Hawaii game tape.
"Whatever happened, it's a different team this year. They're playing with a great deal of passion and effort. That's what you're striving to get," Burns said. "In my opinion June is one of the best offensive coaches in the country. It's fun to watch unless you're getting ready for them. That style is fun for players.
"It must be enjoyable being part of their defense. They've gone back to playing hard."
Tulsa plays hard, but injuries to playmakers Chad Smith at bandit and Keithan McCorry at rover handcuff the Hurricane on defense.
"It's frustrating," Burns said.
The Warriors have forced five turnovers in each of the last two games.
"We've set some high standards," defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said. "We want five again."
The Hurricane have a lot of problems, but giving up the ball isn't among their worst. They've been intercepted five times and have lost only one fumble.
That's pretty good, considering that the quarterback Burns settled on, true freshman Tyler Gooch, kept getting hurt. Gooch is doubtful today because of a recurring deep lower leg bruise that defenders seem to have targeted.
But Josh Blankenship is an experienced replacement. He's a former starter and the QB who beat Hawaii last year.
"Blankenship is a passer," Jones said. "That scares me more because they like to throw the ball."
Donald Shoals is one of the best receivers in a conference loaded with them. He has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games and scored twice against UH last year, once on a punt return. Teams have been punting away from Shoals, so Burns had him return kickoffs last week.
"The offense is based primarily on him," Hawaii cornerback Abe Elimimian said. "A lot of screens. But they'll throw that a lot and they'll set you up for the fade. You have to respect the screen but be aware of the fade. That's the one they can get the touchdown with. But we have a couple coverages to try to give him some trouble."
Hawaii also needs to contain 6-foot-1, 247-pound running back Ken Bohanon. Bohanon has carried only 18 times for 58 yards and one touchdown this season, but is expected to play more because of injuries to top rusher Eric Richardson. Highly regarded true freshman Kevin McKenzie is expected to see action, too.
"Like usual, we're going in expecting them to run," Warrior linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said. "We still feel like we haven't gained that respect we want yet. So we're looking for the run first and work off of that."
Hawaii freshman running back Mike Bass proved last week he is a true open-field threat, rushing for 146 yards on 18 carries. He could be poised for another big game on Skelly's FieldTurf surface. Another key matchup is if Tulsa linebacker Michael Dulaney, the WAC's leading tackler, can contain Bass and backup Thero Mitchell.
"They like to mix up what they do on defense, disguise it a lot," Bass said. "We have to be as up for them as we were last week, bring it like we did against UTEP."
Said UH senior safety Nate Jackson: "You can never overlook a team. If we do we might get our butts kicked."
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