Jones sorts out
QB questions
Hawaii football coach June Jones hardly seemed like he was coming off one of the program's biggest victories at his weekly news conference yesterday.
On Saturday, UH beat Alabama 37-29 at Aloha Stadium. But the game was marked by junior starting quarterback Tim Chang -- the school's leading career passer who was promoted as a Heisman Trophy candidate this fall -- being pulled twice for senior backup Jason Whieldon, who spurred UH with four passing and one rushing touchdown after Chang was ineffective. Chang was booed throughout the game.
Although Jones did discuss aspects of the victory, most of the questions during the 30-minute conference were about the roles of Whieldon (whom he named as the starter for Saturday's game against Boise State) and Chang.
He repeated that Chang will play at some point against the Broncos, and in the long term, the junior is still his No. 1 quarterback.
"He'll break the record (Ty Detmer's NCAA career passing yardage mark) that I said he'd break," Jones said. "There's no quarterback controversy. Jason Whieldon is starting. This week. There's no controversy. In my mind, I know what's best for our football team. That's why Jason Whieldon went in there."
Jones was criticized for starting Chang in the second half Saturday after Whieldon led UH to both first-half scores.
"Why did Timmy stay in in the second half? Guess what. We're playing good defense. If we weren't playing good defense I would have put Jason in there quicker," Jones said. "I know what it takes to get the quarterback through this deal. I've been in that seat, I've watched guys in that seat, I know he has to play to get through it. You don't stand over there with me and get through it."
The coach said Chang's problems are not physical.
"He's having trouble focusing right now," Jones said. "It's mental."
The solution?
"Play through it. Just like a putter. If you start missing putts, you putt through it. If you don't you're never going to get it solved," he said.
Jones said it's possible Chang could regain his starting position for the Dec. 25 Hawaii Bowl.
"It will be whoever does the best job," Jones said. "The best player that gives us the best chance to win will play."
He was disappointed by the booing of Chang.
"I was very surprised," Jones said. "I heard all this stuff about, 'We're booing, not booing Timmy, we're booing you for putting him in.' Well, guess what. Do you think he can distinguish that? That's a great answer."
Milne wins WAC honor: The coaching staff didn't expect much out of Kurt Milne when he showed up in Manoa in 2002. They'd seen a tape of him punting, and he was good enough to invite to walk on. But no one thought him a lock to replace three-year starter Mat McBriar. In fact, UH brought in a scholarship punter, Tim Wright, to replace McBriar this season.
But Milne won the job in fall camp, and Saturday he helped the Warriors upset Alabama, pinning the Tide within its 5-yard line three times.
He also had a punt blocked, but his overall performance was so key that Milne was honored yesterday as Western Athletic Conference special teams player of the week for his efforts.
"He was lights out. I couldn't be any more proud of him. He's just getting better and better every game," UH special teams coordinator Tyson Helton said. "He's a great guy with a great work ethic who just gives you everything he's got. He took a chance to come out here (from Roswell, Ga.). It was against the odds that he'd even get a chance to play."
Hawaii will go up against the other two WAC players of the week Saturday at Aloha Stadium. Boise State quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie and defensive back Chris Carr won the awards.
Dinwiddie completed 17 of 24 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for two more in BSU's 56-3 victory over Nevada.
Carr intercepted three passes and had four tackles.
Old school: Yesterday's announcement that Houston will be UH's opponent in the Hawaii Bowl disappointed some that were hoping for Louisville or Texas Christian.
But Helton is excited about facing the school for which he played quarterback from 1995 to 1999.
And he gets to coach against a former Houston teammate, Cougars special teams coach Terry McDaniel.
"He went off to coach at Kansas City last year with Frank Gansz Jr. and came back to Houston this year," Helton said. "It will be fun since we've always kept in touch with each other."