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Record runs through
Saint Louis
It was a moment to savor. A moment to reflect. A moment for family.
When Tim Chang finally became the NCAA's all-time passing-yardage leader in the first quarter of Hawaii's 34-23 win over Louisiana Tech last night, he decided to share the spotlight with an often-overlooked figure on the sideline.
Chang jogged over to the makai sideline and handed the ball to his father, Levi Chang, who has worked as the "red hat" on the sideline for a decade.
"I didn't know he was coming over, it's just a thrill," Levi Chang said after the game. "It's just a bond between father and son. He took me off-guard. He just said, 'Here, Dad, I love you.'
"I was just relieved, especially for Tim, to get the monkey off his back. There's many pros and cons about the record, but I'm just glad that it's over with and now he can go on with his life."
Chang's record-breaking pass went to fellow Saint Louis graduate, Waipahu resident and carpool partner Jason Rivers.
The 7-yard touchdown pass was Rivers' first score of the season. He then gave the ball to Chang, who passed it on to his father for safekeeping.
"It was a pretty big thing," said Rivers, who often caught rides into town with Chang when he started attending UH. "At first I didn't realize it because that was my first (touchdown) and I was so excited, but after 2 seconds I realized that I did catch the (record-breaking) pass and I'm going to be a part of history from now on."
Chang's next TD pass went to former Saint Louis teammate Gerald Welch in the second quarter.
"They're all Saint Louis guys," Levi Chang said. "The Saint Louis family did well tonight."
Line holds: Hawaii's patchwork offensive line somehow found a way to stick together last night, despite the loss of starters to injuries.
The linemen started the game without Uriah Moenoa, and had practiced all week with Brandon Eaton in Moenoa's right guard spot and Jeremy Inferrera in Eaton's usual position at right tackle.
"But in the beginning of the game Jeremy Inferrera splits open his chin and gets 28 stitches in there," UH line coach Mike Cavanaugh said. Bingo, enter Phil Kauffman at guard, Eaton back to tackle.
It didn't end there. Later, center Derek Fa'avi went down with a knee injury.
"It doesn't look good," Cavanaugh said.
Kauffman would go to center.
"To me," Cavanaugh said, "that guy gets the game ball."
Even after its second shuffle, with players playing two positions and two regular starters out, the line held. No sacks.
"Tough," Cavanaugh said. "One word: tough."
Inferrera would later return to action.
Engaged: Ty Detmer's congratulations message to Chang wasn't the only novelty item on the Jumbotron screen last night. Hawaii running back West Keli'ikipi proposed to Kanani Villanueva after the game, in bright lights.
Thankfully for all concerned, she accepted.
"She told me she wanted something romantic, but I was tired of the whole hands and knees thing," said Keli'ikipi, who rushed for 38 yards on six carries last night.
SI in the house: Sports Illustrated senior writer Austin Murphy covered the game. He said he is writing a story on Chang and Hawaii football as a one-page lead-in to the college football section.
Injury list: Cornerback Abraham Elimimian left with a re-aggravated hamstring, but only after scoring a touchdown on a 21-yard fumble return for his second TD of the season. Defensive end Tony Akpan left the game twice with a recurring shoulder strain.
Fa'avi left in the third quarter with a sprained right knee; he will undergo an MRI to determine the severity. He was replaced by Kauffman, since starting right guard Moenoa, normally the backup center, was already out with a hamstring injury. Moenoa's team-high 47-game playing streak came to an end.