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Silver isn’t golden
for announcers

APPARENTLY, there are a number of problems with Hawaii's road uniform -- the numbers themselves. We won't even get into the practice of prominent players sharing numbers (did you see all those tackles Ryan Grice-Mullen made?). This is about UH's silver digits, and how hard they are to see on white jerseys.

But are the Warriors in violation of any rules? Can coach June Jones be forced to change Nike-supplied shirts?

The answers, according to Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson: Maybe and maybe.

"Technically, they don't comply with the NCAA rule that the colors contrast," said Benson, who will discuss the issue with UH officials this week. "But the rule is to make sure the officials can see the numbers, and the officials have not brought this to my attention as a problem."

Others have. Broadcasters, spotters and statisticians, from Hawaii, Michigan State, Idaho and ESPN.

"It's simply very difficult to get the players right," KKEA-1420 play-by-play man Bobby Curran said. "I think I gave Ross Dickerson a catch and it turned out to be Andre Taylor. It's a problem."

Jones said if it's up to him he won't change the uniforms this season.

"Some of those decisions are out of my hands. But it won't happen this year," he said. "Maybe next year we'll have black numbers."

One solution is to wear home uniforms on the road if the opponents agree to wear their light away jerseys.

Happy returns: When a team gets touchdown returns from more than one player, it indicates a culture of emphasis on special teams play as much as individual brilliance.

Utah State's Kevin Robinson was first-team Sun Belt last year after he took three kicks to the house.

Robinson's still around, but Tony Pennyman scored on a 92-yard kickoff return in the Aggies' 31-24 win over UNLV.

USU coach Brent Guy said it's easy to get the team to buy into the kicking game.

"It's real easy to sell when they see how Penny changed the complexion of the game," Guy said. "Those are the plays where the biggest amount of yardage can exchange hands."

Guy said he uses a lot of starters on special teams.

"We have to worry about wearing some guys out," he said. "(Jarrett) Bush plays corner and on three teams."

Pennyman, who also caught 10 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, was named WAC special teams player of the week.

Strange stat: San Jose State was 0-for-17 on third-down conversions in its 52-21 loss at San Diego State. But the Spartans moved the chains on all four of their tries on fourth down.

"That's crazy. I guess we have to go for it on every fourth down," coach Dick Tomey said. "We had some misreads, misfires and dropped balls (on third down). We gave ourselves too many long situations."

Don't forget: It's Tuesday. That means Fresno State's playing Toledo. Of course.