ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hawaii players and coaches, including Dane Uperesa (72), Matt Faga (91) and head coach June Jones (lei and headset), left the bench as time expired to celebrate their win over San Jose State at San Jose, Calif., yesterday. Hawaii won the game 13-10.
Spartans’ mistakes
add up to more
than 6 inches
SAN JOSE, Calif. >> San Jose State coach Fitz Hill isn't into moral victories, but he pretty much has to take what he can get these days.
The Spartans' 13-10 loss to visiting Hawaii is painful to accept for him considering SJSU came within inches, and maybe one second, of victory.
"I was very proud of the effort," Hill said. After last week (a 77-14 loss at Boise State) the guys really came back and came together."
But Hawaii came together just a little bit better at the end, just enough to keep Courtney Anderson out of the end zone.
"I thought I was in," said Anderson, after he was stopped about 6 inches from the goal line on what turned out to be the last play of the game. "I reached out and saw the ball over the white line."
In a close view from behind the end zone, Anderson's outstretched arm clearly was not over the line, although he saw it differently.
From San Jose State's perspective, it was a game of missed opportunities. Although the Spartans led 10-6 at halftime, they were haunted later by generating zero points off of two interceptions by linebacker Mike Liranzo.
And though SJSU played well against Hawaii's vaunted run-and-shoot offense, the Spartans' defense dropped four passes that also could have been interceptions.
"We missed opportunities," San Jose State quarterback Scott Rislov said. "That's why we can't blame something like that at the end."
But that's what everyone will remember. The biggest downers for San Jose State came on the last two plays of the game.
Two weeks ago Hawaii beat Louisiana Tech 47-44 when LaTech coach Jack Bicknell decided to try a long field goal instead of going for a first down. This time, UH might have won because Hill decided not to kick a 23-yard field goal for a tie.
"Oh my gosh. ... I started getting organized for overtime, what we would do if we won the toss, talking to the other coaches," Hawaii coach June Jones said. "Because it'd been awhile since we'd been in an overtime game."
But Hill and his staff surprised him twice. First by going for it, then by the play selection -- tight end screen.
"I knew they were playing for the field goal there and thought they were going to get it. I thought when they burned the timeout that was poor clock management. But with 20 seconds left you only have one option," Jones said. "Kick the field goal for the tie. If you don't do that, you have to throw into the end zone. If it's not incomplete you don't have time for another play (if you don't throw into the end zone). That limited it at that point."
Actually, the Spartans' call turned out to be something that had a good chance to work against the Warriors' defense, according to UH players. But Hawaii's maligned defense followed one of UH's mantras by "adjusting midstream." They shed their blockers and cornered Anderson.
Right call or not, it didn't work and second-guessers will say Hill should've followed the axiom of playing for a tie at home.
"I approve all calls," Hill said, implying the idea of the play was from offensive coordinator Charlie Roche, or somebody else. "I'm responsible."
Rislov said the screen "was set up nice." He was shocked by the officials' waving off of his last-ditch attempt for another play.
"I can't believe it," Rislov said. "The clock showed a second, but the officials decided the clock wasn't right. That's the way it goes down."
This wasn't the Super Bowl. But now Anderson knows how the Tennessee Titans' Kevin Dyson felt three years ago when his arm wasn't long enough either.
"It was as close as you can get without getting in," Rislov said.
