How did the Warriors
get so good so quick?

HOLY cow. How did this happen? How did these UH football guys suddenly get so good?

>> They're playing Tulsa and Nevada, not Florida Atlantic and Rice.

That helped.

I said after each game that those latter two teams were just better than Hawaii, and that hasn't changed yet.

It would be closer now, sure, but Nevada showed that the Rice Owls could still do that voodoo that they do.

But this last win was a good one. Nevada was an underdog, but still a dangerous threat. This one might have been a few plays from heading the other way. And Hawaii made those plays (nice tackle, Kenny Patton). This game was good because Hawaii might have lost it, but should have won it, and did, decisively.

>> Hawaii is running the ball.

Did you see that? That is key. As the great Andre Ware said a few weeks ago (and when you win your first Heisman, I'll give you a "great"), the run-and-shoot should thrive on the run. It's a part of the offense that too many people forget. It makes everything go.

To voluntarily take the run out of the equation, out of philosophy or stubbornness or whatever, only does the defense a favor. (Isn't that when Hawaii's 'D' comes to life?)

Now, the defense doesn't know what's coming. Now, everything opens up. In fact, June Jones probably doesn't even have to run very much if he doesn't want to -- letting his counterparts watch that tape (and spend precious practice time, and have that threat lingering in the back of their minds) will be almost as good.

Besides, not only does it work, but the offensive linemen love you for it.

>> The blitz.

As the song goes about kung fu fighting, they did it with expert timing.

Every couch potato knows, live by the blitz, die by the blitz. But for the last two weeks UH defensive coordinator George Lumpkin has had enough ESP to help turn his beleaguered troops into world-beaters.

Those cats were fast as lightning. In fact, it was a little bit frightening.

Lumpkin is on an unbelievable hot streak.

Of course, that gets much tougher this week, against an offensive scheme like UTEP's, against a play-caller like Mike Price.

>> Coaching.

Jones is on his game like we haven't seen in a long time. Oh-and-two will do that to you.

We've seen several times in the past few years where UH could get away with a few things, having superior athletes, a tremendous home-field advantage, opponents who folded when the chips were down.

But now the game plan, play-calling, moves are sharper, thanks to the margin for error having shrunk. I mean, why not run the ball? Why not have your best punt returner returning punts?

>> Punt returns without penalties.

Do you have any idea how hard that is? You watch TV. How many returns have you seen without flags? As a former world-class clipper, let me tell you those other 10 guys are pitching shutouts (and when you let Chad Owens do his thing, games can change). Gentlemen, take a bow.

>> These past two games were at home.

Every little thing helps.