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Warriors finish spring Don't let that 66-35 score fool you. Sure, the offense produced quite a few more points than the defense in Hawaii's 50-play scrimmage at Cooke Field yesterday to cap spring practice.
practice on a positive note
Some no-names make a name for
themselves in the final scrimmageBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comBut consider the scoring system. An interception is worth 25 points, 18 more than anything else, like a touchdown.
"It's sort of like the Stableford System in golf," UH secondary coach Rich Miano said. "It's one of those things where winning or losing isn't the main thing."
Matt Manuma almost hit the jackpot, as he picked off Shawn Withy-Allen about midway through the scrimmage. But the senior quarterback was judged to have been sacked, instead.
"To be quite honest, this is the first time the offense has won that I've seen with this scoring system in 20 years," coach June Jones said. "And this is the first 50 plays we haven't thrown a pick in a long time."
So, Manuma's interception -- though captured on tape the coaches will be perusing closely in the coming weeks -- never really happened.
Neither did a beautiful 38-yard completion from Withy-Allen to Bryant Stevens, a no-name who had the 2,500 in attendance scrambling for their programs. That play was also victim to one of the 12 maybe-sacks. We'll never know, because contact was not allowed on the quarterbacks, and the whistle was quick -- to avoid injuries.
"A guy like me, I'd prefer to be live," Withy-Allen said. "I'm kind of a bigger guy, I can take the hits. I love to run. But tonight the defense came really hard. Most all of them would have been real sacks. I asked Coach Jones if we could go live, but I understand why we don't."
Most of the so-called sacks occurred with the first-team offensive and defensive linemen watching from the side.
The thing about spring practice is that the coach can always find positives -- even though that means there is a negative on the other side of the ball.
Jones chose to evaluate the defensive front as strong rather than the offensive line as weak.
"Defensively, we're a blitz team and we didn't blitz tonight," Jones said. "The first group got pressure on the quarterback, a lot of sacks. We were no-hitting the quarterback, but when guys were free you could tell they would have made the tackle.
"It's always good to know you can rush four and get there, too. Our offensive line is a good offensive line, so I think defensively we're much improved."
A one-hand touch rule would have helped the defense against John West. The junior college transfer helped himself in the competition at running back with four carries for 48 yards. If he can pick up the pass protection schemes in August, West will give incumbents Mike Bass and Thero Mitchell serious competition for playing time.
"John West has had a great spring," Jones said. "He made some unreal runs in there today. He's kind of caught all of our attention. Players, coaches, everybody. He's a good player. I'm happy for him, and happy for us, too, because we almost didn't take him."
Withy-Allen did nothing to lose his status as temporary No. 1 quarterback (former starter Tim Chang's recovery from wrist surgery is the joker in the deck), completing 9 of 12 passes for 111 yards.
But junior college transfer Jason Whieldon threw the longest passes, hitting Justin Colbert for a 45-yard TD strike (every play started at the 45) and Kanale George on a 43-yarder.
Redshirt freshman Jeff Rhode finished up, completing 3 of 5 for 72 yards, including a 45-yarder to George.
"I have felt real comfortable with our quarterbacks all spring," Jones said.
"They all threw the ball well tonight."
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