Warriors need win BOISE, Idaho >> Don't let anyone tell you differently. This is an important college football game today for Hawaii and Boise State.
at Boise
The WAC title could be at stake
Schedule
as 2 contenders face off
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comCoaches Dan Hawkins and June Jones barely acknowledge that verbally, but they can't deny it. They will also tell you how this is just one game of 12 or 13 this season, and how they respect every opponent on their schedules.
But little things, like the way Hawkins checks his watch every five minutes, or the fact that Jones brought his team in nearly a day later than usual (one more practice at home, away from potentially prying eyes in Idaho?), tell you something else.
Both know that two months from now they might look back at this game as the one that decided the Western Athletic Conference championship.
It's the league opener for the Broncos (3-1). Their team motto this year, plastered on billboards around the City of Trees, is "Leave No Doubt." BSU lost to Louisiana Tech last year, knocking itself out of the WAC championship and a bowl game all at once.
For the Warriors (3-1, 2-0 WAC), motivation is two-fold.
After consecutive romps against conference have-nots Texas-El Paso and Southern Methodist, UH wants to show it can beat a quality opponent on the road and that it deserves to keep its perch alone atop the WAC standings.
Also, the Broncos are one of only three teams that beat Hawaii last year, halting UH's five-game winning streak at Aloha Stadium.
"Anyone who beats you, no matter how much or how little, they beat you," Warriors senior right guard Vince Manuwai said. "We felt like we should've won that game and it was just mistakes that we made that cost us. We didn't execute on a lot of plays."
Boise State is a four-point favorite, basically because the Broncos are so good at home. They have won 22 of their last 23 games here. The last time an unranked visitor won at blue-hued Bronco Stadium was when rival Idaho beat BSU 36-35 in 1998.
"I think we do have a very electric crowd, much like they do at UH," Hawkins said. "They're very into the game."
B.J. Rhode, who is the starting quarterback because of Davey O'Brien Award candidate Ryan Dinwiddie's broken ankle, said the home-field advantage is tangible here.
"This is a great place to play," said Rhode, the brother of UH backup quarterback Jeff Rhode. "When we get this place full, it really rocks. It bothered Utah State a few times, I think. It forced a timeout and a delay of game."
Not that it mattered that much. Boise State pounded the Aggies 63-38 last week as Rhode passed for five touchdowns and rushed for another.
But, like Hawaii, BSU has a poor turnover ratio. Rhode has seven touchdown passes, but he's also been intercepted three times -- an unacceptable number to Hawkins.
"We had a lull in the third quarter last week, and we did against Wyoming, too," Hawkins said. "I think things happen with (UH's) offense like ours. It is so prolific that people get disappointed if you're not scoring 50 every game, or every time you get the ball. Part of that's an expectation. The biggest thing for us is turnovers."
The Warriors have made opponents pay for their mistakes this fall. Last week, two interceptions, a fumble and a blocked field goal resulted in 28 points against SMU. After 12 opponent turnovers this season, the Warriors have scored 10 TDs. In Hawaii's only loss, 35-32 at Brigham Young, the Cougars committed no turnovers.
The Warriors have not given up a touchdown by pass in 10 quarters, and only one by rushing in two games.
Safety Hyrum Peters has three interceptions, and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa is a big-play machine. But the real key to UH's success on defense has been tackles Lance Samuseva and Isaac Sopoaga, and cornerbacks Kelvin Millhouse, Abraham Elimimian (out with a hamstring pull) and Kenny Patton (Elimimian's replacement).
The pressure by the tackles and coverage by the corners have given Peters and Tinoisamoa, linebackers Chris Brown and Matt Wright, and ends Travis LaBoy and La'anui Correa the freedom to make unmolested tackles for loss.
The Broncos, however, are loaded with skilled offensive players, including running backs Brock Forsey, who was a 1,207-yard rusher last year, and David Mikell, who leads the WAC with six touchdowns. Receivers Billy Wingfield, Jay Swillie, Lou Fanucchi, Rocky Atkinson and Tim Gilligan are also threats.
"I tell everybody I'm not the key to this offense. I'm just a part of it," Rhode said. "On a short throw a guy can go a long way or on a long throw a guy can make a great catch. You hand the ball off and make sure you do the little things, get the snap, hand it off and score.
"We'd love to go 20-for-20 for however many yards and touchdowns. But ultimately, the coaches will tell you, we just need to win. If we throw interceptions or fumble, we've got to battle through those times and come out with the victory."
The Warriors lead the WAC and are seventh in the nation in total offense, but they have problems with turnovers, too.
UH starting quarterback Tim Chang has thrown it to the wrong guys a lot: seven times, compared to five touchdowns.
Jones marveled and shuddered while contemplating winning 42-10 last week despite giving the ball away six times. He knows a turnover here and there is the cost of doing business with a wide-open offense like the run-and-shoot. But that doesn't mean he has to like it. He said there's no way the Warriors can beat the Broncos with half-dozen fumbles and interceptions.
"This is going to be a real test," he said. "We're going to have to play our best football game at a place where they don't lose very often. We've got to go in there focused and play harder and hit harder. We can't have an off night in any phase of the game. This is going to take everybody."
Everybody doesn't include sophomore running back Mike Bass, who injured his knee against SMU and didn't make the trip. Senior Thero Mitchell and junior John West pick up the slack for Bass, the team's leading rusher.
A key matchup is Hawaii's passing game against Boise State's secondary. Although the Broncos will be without backup cornerback Machtier Clay (suspension), BSU has a talented and experienced foursome of starters in rover Quintin Mikell, free safety Wes Nurse and corners Gabe Franklin and Julius Brown. All four contributed to allowing only two touchdowns against Hawaii in 2001 -- quite a feat last season.
After two off games, Chang improved last week and his broken pinkie is almost healed, and sophomore inside receiver Chad Owens broke out with 11 catches for 182 yards. But senior wide receiver Justin Colbert said UH's passing game needs to continually improve. He said mistakes on both ends of passes led to the four interceptions (two thrown by Chang, and one each by Shawn Withy-Allen and Jason Whieldon).
"We just need to get this stuff cleaned up," Colbert said. "We put up a lot of points. But, man, we should have scored more than what we did but we didn't take advantage of our opportunities. We're going to need to do that at Boise.
"It is an important game."
There, somebody finally said it.
BACK TO TOP |
Who: Hawaii (3-1, 2-0 WAC) at Boise State (3-1, 0-0) Warriors vs. Broncos
When: Today, 2:05 p.m., Hawaii time
TV: ESPN Plus (on Channel 5)
Radio: KKEA 1420-AM
Probable starters
Hawaii
OFFENSE
WR 18 Justin Colbert 5-8 170 Sr. WR 2 Chad Owens 5-9 177 So. LT 70 Wayne Hunter 6-6 299 Jr. LG 77 Shayne Kajioka 6-3 308 Jr. C 53 Lui Fuata 6-2 315 Sr. RG 65 Vince Manuwai 6-2 309 Sr. RT 69 Uriah Moenoa 6-3 327 So. WR 4 Nate Ilaoa 5-9 204 Fr. WR 88 Neal Gossett 5-10 177 Sr. QB 14 Tim Chang 6-2 191 So. RB 24 Thero Mitchell 5-10 210 Sr. DEFENSE
LE 58 La'anui Correa 6-5 264 Sr. LT 97 Isaac Sopoaga 6-3 315 Jr. RT 92 Lance Samuseva 5-11 290 Jr. RE 93 Houston Ala 6-1 250 Jr. LB 44 Matt Wright 6-1 225 Sr. LB 54 Chris Brown 6-1 255 Sr. LB 10 Pisa Tinoisamoa 6-0 218 Sr. CB 24 Kenny Patton 6-0 170 Fr. SS 33 Hyrum Peters 5-8 188 Jr. FS 17 David Gilmore 6-0 197 Jr. or 42 Leonard Peters 6-1 174 Fr. CB 3 Kelvin Millhouse 6-1 205 Jr. SPECIALISTS
P 49 Mat McBriar 6-0 221 Sr. K 47 Justin Ayat 5-11 205 So. LS 45 Tanuvasa Moe 5-11 218 Fr. PR 1 Clifton Herbert 5-8 157 Jr. KR 6 Michael Brewster 5-6 176 So. H 7 Shawn Withy-Allen 6-4 219 Sr.
Boise State
OFFENSE
SE 8 Billy Wingfield 5-10 176 Sr. or 87 Tim Gilligan 5-9 175 Jr. FL 1 Jay Swillie 6-3 221 Sr. or 84 Lou Fanucchi 5-11 195 Sr. LT 73 Daryn Colledge 6-5 288 Fr. LG 58 Matt Navest 6-4 297 Sr. C 56 Scott Huff 6-2 300 Sr. RG 78 Rob Vian 6-5 316 Sr. RT 61 Rusty Colburn 6-5 313 So. TE 86 Rocky Atkinson 6-3 237 Sr. QB 11 B.J. Rhode 6-5 231 Sr. TB 36 Brock Forsey 6-0 198 Sr. FB 33 Matt Strohfus 6-2 233 Jr. DEFENSE
LE 92 Julius Roberts 6-5 234 So. LT 69 Dane Oldham 6-3 265 Jr. RT 98 Bobby Hammer 6-2 269 Sr. RE 99 Ryan Nelson 6-1 247 Sr. LB 13 Travis Burgher 6-1 209 Jr. LB 55 Chauncey Ako 5-11 234 Jr. LB 40 Andy Avalos 5-10 213 Fr. R 9 Quintin Mikell 5-10 205 Sr. FS 21 Wes Nurse 5-10 190 Jr. LC 16 Gabe Franklin 5-10 177 Jr. RC 6 Julius Brown 5-10 167 Jr. SPECIALISTS
PK 19 Nick Calaycay 5-7 169 So. KO 85 Tyler Jones 6-1 188 So. P 37 Keith Shuttler 5-11 210 Sr. LS 33 Matt Strohfus 6-2 233 Sr. KR 3 David Mikell 5-11 204 Jr. 36 Brock Forsey 6-0 209 Sr. PR 87 Tim Gilligan 5-8 164 So.
Schedules
BOISE state (3-1, 0-0 WAC)
Aug. 31 Idaho W, 38-21 Sept. 7 at Arkansas L, 14-41 Sept. 14 at Wyoming W, 35-13 Sept. 28 Utah State W, 63-38 Today Hawaii Oct. 12 at Tulsa Oct. 18 Fresno State Oct. 26 at San Jose State Nov. 2 at Texas-El Paso Nov. 9 Rice Nov. 16 Louisiana Tech Nov. 23 at Nevada
HAWAII (3-1, 2-0 WAC)
Aug. 31 Eastern Illinois W, 61-36 Sept. 6 at Brigham Young L, 32-35 Sept. 21 at Texas-El Paso W, 31-6 Sept. 28 Southern Methodist W, 42-10 Today at Boise State Oct. 12 Nevada Oct. 19 Tulsa Oct. 25 at Fresno State Nov. 2 San Jose State Nov. 16 at Rice Nov. 23 Cincinnati Nov. 30 Alabama Dec. 7 San Diego State
Per-game comparison
UH BSU 41.5 Points 37.5 21.8 Points Allowed 28.3 472.3 Total Offense 461.5 148.5 Rushing yards 166.3 323.8 Passing yards 295.3 -1.00 Turnovers -0.50
Team leaders
Passing A C I Yards TD Tim Chang, UH 138 63 7 982 5 B.J. Rhode, BSU 88 57 3 822 7 Rushing A Yards Avg TD Mike Bass, UH 26 206 7.9 1 Brock Forsey, BSU 65 386 5.8 2 Receiving Rec Yards Avg TD Chad Owens, UH 23 313 13.6 0 Billy Wingfield, BSU 18 326 18.1 1 Scoring TD FG XP Pts Avg Justin Ayat, UH 0 4 20 32 8.0 David Mikell, BSU 6 0 36 9.0 Tackles Solo Assist Avg FL/S Pisa Tinoisamoa, UH 19 16 8.8 4/1 Chauncey Ako, BSU 15 30 11.3 1.5/1 Andy Avalos, BSU 20 25 11.3 1/1
UH Athletics
