Hawaii quarterback Tim Chang said an infection from a turf abrasion on his right leg won't affect his play Saturday as UH (4-2, 3-1 Western Athletic Conference) hosts Tulsa (0-6, 0-2) at Aloha Stadium. Chang says he’s
Tulsa hopes to get well here
good to go despite
infection on legBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com"I'm still taking antibiotics because you're supposed to finish them," Chang said. "But I'm OK."
Chang said he got the injury when he dived into the end zone for a touchdown against Southern Methodist three weeks ago. Inside receiver Chad Owens, who is out for a month with a knee injury, was also hurt at the end of a touchdown last week against Nevada.
"I guess sometimes there's a price you pay at the goal line," Chang said.
The sophomore's performance has improved each week since he suffered a two-game slump in the second and third games of the season, a loss at Brigham Young and a victory at Texas-El Paso.
"Things are finally falling together and it's only going to get better," said Chang, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's 59-34 victory against Nevada.
"On the plane ride home from Boise (two weeks ago, where the Warriors lost, 58-31) it clicked in my mind. 'No one can stop us, we only stop ourselves.' "
No trash talk: Whether they really believe it or not, the Warriors say they hold the winless Golden Hurricane in high regard.
Defensive lineman Houston Ala: "On tape they still come hard. It's how you come out and perform, not what the record says."
Running back John West: "We have to respect every opponent we come across. They're still a Division I team with Division I players."
Flying high: UH's newest star, inside receiver Britton Komine, recently received a football scholarship. He gets to keep his Army ROTC scholarship, which pays for tuition and books. The football aid takes care of room and board.
"I still want to be a pilot, eventually fixed-wing, but I'll probably have to start out on helicopters first," he said.
Komine caught eight passes for 238 yards, including two first-quarter touchdowns, in UH's victory.
Warriors coach June Jones said the sophomore realized his potential this year.
"He's earned the scholarship. When he first came in to the program it seemed like he thought things would just happen automatically," Jones said. "But he's worked very hard this season to make them happen."
Komine is slated to start at the right inside receiver spot (Y). Omar Bennett or Nate Ilaoa will start on the left (H) position.
Jeremiah Cockheran, who displaced Neal Gossett at right wide receiver (Z) last week, is slated to start there again.
With Owens out, left wideout (X) Justin Colbert will be the only receiver to start every game this year.
Colbert, who has started the last 30 games, is fifth on UH's career list with 2,028 receiving yards on 150 receptions. He has nine touchdowns in 37 games.
Colbert caught eight passes for 120 yards Saturday.
Receivers coach Ron Lee said his group is still finding its way.
"We've been kind of scratching here, scratching there to get by, but we're still far from where we want to be and where we're going to be," he said. "Britton had a good game, but we're not all together there yet. That's what I'm looking forward to, when we all have good games. Hopefully this week. Brit stepped up, did a great job, so did Omar. Justin is starting to get his eight, 10 catches a game. We need the other guys to contribute. We've been in the same system four years now."
UH Athletics