Wednesday, October 31, 2001
[ UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL ]
Stopping Spartans The Hawaii football team hasn't had to find the way to San Jose since 1999. But wherever the Warriors and Spartans play, UH can't seem to find the way to stop San Jose.
isn’t an easy task
UH and San Jose State have
combined for 208 points in the
past 2 years, with each
team winning 1 gameBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comSan Jose State gave up its home encounter against Hawaii this year in order to get an extra game on its schedule (teams that play at Hawaii can schedule 12 instead of 11 games). But it doesn't seem to matter; wherever they play, the Spartans put up points.
"They're scary on offense. We've not stopped them for two years so we've got our work cut out for us," Hawaii coach June Jones said. "They move the ball all over the place."
Last year Deonce Whitaker danced all over Aloha Stadium for a school-record 278 yards rushing and three touchdowns as San Jose State beat Hawaii 57-48. Two years ago, it was 62-41, Hawaii, at San Jose.
The Warriors are riding high with good reason, having won four in a row after last Friday's 38-34 upset of Fresno State. But all it's taken is some tape viewing to bring them back to Spartan reality.
San Jose State (2-5, 2-2 WAC) comes to Hawaii (5-2, 4-2) tomorrow for Saturday's game at Aloha Stadium after setting a school record for total offense with 746 yards in its 63-27 victory over Tulsa on Saturday.
Senior tailback Whitaker, battling a sprained knee, carried only four times for 57 yards before leaving the Tulsa game. But Jarmar Julien and Lamar Ferguson made the Golden Hurricane look silly; Julien carried 10 times for 126 yards and Ferguson ran for 196 yards on 10 carries.
Ferguson, a true freshman, is reported to be the smallest player in Division I-A this season, at 5-feet-4 and 143 pounds.
"He's a little guy with a big heart, a playmaker that adds another dimension to our offense," San Jose State coach Fitz Hill said. "He's probably the team's favorite player and he's producing on the football field."
UH middle linebacker Chris Brown said it doesn't matter that the Spartans' 103 points in the past two games were against Texas-El Paso and Tulsa -- two of the league's most porous defenses.
"I've been watching film on them and they're good," Brown said. "We're not taking them lightly at all. These guys are fast. Deonce was fast last year, but now there's like four of them and they all can run.
"They're all small, but they run behind a big offensive line. We're going to have to be able to find them. It's going to be hard finding the running back behind those guys."
San Jose State lines up four seniors, a junior and a sophomore up front. Right guard Joe Tatuaa (6-4, 365) and left tackle Chris Fe'esago (6-3, 328) are the biggest.
They also do a good job of protecting the quarterback. The Spartans have allowed only three sacks all season.
Since Clint Carlson took over at starting quarterback two games ago, he has completed 42 of 69 passes for 648 yards. He has thrown for five touchdowns and four interceptions. Carlson has rushed 11 times for 72 yards and a TD since becoming the starter.
"Let me tell you, the difference is this quarterback," Warrior defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said. "He's accurate, highly efficient. He doesn't throw interceptions and he can run, bootleg and get around the corner and run."
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