UH's Brennan impressing Jones

The Warriors' coach says his junior quarterback is one of the best he's worked with at any level

June Jones has tutored his share of talented passers in his travels, and the Hawaii football coach rates his current pupil near -- if not at -- the top of the list.

Although a couple of turnovers proved costly in last week's 41-34 loss to Boise State, Jones saw some next-level qualities in junior quarterback Colt Brennan in last Saturday's loss to the nationally ranked Broncos.

"Colt, this game, was about as good as I've seen him," Jones said yesterday during his weekly press conference. "Unfortunately, he's remembering the fumble and the interception, which to be quite honest shouldn't have happened, but he played almost a perfect game other than that."

Brennan completed 25 of 36 passes for 388 yards and five touchdowns against Boise State and enters Saturday's game against Eastern Illinois second in the nation in passing yards per game (344.7) and total offense (360.3 ypg). He trails only New Mexico State's Chase Holbrook in both categories.

The miscues Jones referred to were an interception in the second quarter that led to a Boise State field goal and a fumble in the fourth quarter that the Broncos converted into a touchdown to extend their lead to 41-27.

Still, in two games against Boise State, Brennan has passed for 814 yards and nine touchdowns while being intercepted three times.

Overall this season, he's completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns.

"I think physically he's the best (he has coached)," Jones said. "Jeff George threw the ball better, but he doesn't do all the things Colt does. As far as everything, he's the real deal."

Jones -- who said he doesn't know whether an early jump to the pros might be a possibility for Brennan -- pointed to his command of the offense during the Warriors' rally as an indication of his improved grasp of UH's system.

"He made throws under pressure in critical situations when you have to have the throws," Jones said. "We're trying to fight to get it to a seven-point game, he has two touchdown passes dropped, doesn't even let it faze him, throws the next strike for a first down, then throws another one for a touchdown. That's the stuff the great ones have and I'm seeing those things in him now. That makes him different than everybody else."

Though frustrated by the Warriors' second close loss on the road this season, Jones credited the team's resolve in battling back from a 15-0 deficit to get back within a touchdown in the second half.

"There's no question this is the best football team I've had since I've been here," Jones said. "I have no problem saying we're going to win games this year and we'll get it done because the guys I have in the room are character people, they've already shown it for three games.

"That 15-0 lead would have snowballed two or three other times I've been up there. The kids weren't going to let it snowball."

Lineup shuffles:

Along with backup quarterback Inoke Funaki getting a look at holder on field-goal and point-after attempts, injuries may necessitate other changes in the lineup this week.

Jones said he's not counting on having slot receiver Ryan Grice-Mullins available against Eastern Illinois.

Aaron Bain stepped in for Grice-Mullins after the sophomore suffered a sprained ankle on Saturday. Jones said Ross Dickerson, a starter at receiver, will play both outside and in the slot this week.

"He's played in there before for two years so he's pretty familiar with it," Jones said.

Grice-Mullins said he spent much of the day icing his ankle to keep the swelling down.

"It's a little better," he said. "It's still pretty sore since it just happened on Saturday. I'm just taking it day by day."

Jones said injuries to linebacker Tyson Kafentzis and defensive lineman Fale Laeli were still being evaluated.

Karl Noa is listed as a starter at outside linebacker after recording 10 tackles in place of Kafentzis last week.

Scouting the Panthers:

Although the Warriors returned home stinging from their Western Athletic Conference defeat, Jones isn't worried about the team's focus heading into this week's nonconference game against Division I-AA Eastern Illinois (2-2) of the Ohio Valley Conference.

"After a loss you never look by anybody," he said.

EIU running back Vincent Webb averaged 139.5 yards in the Panthers' first four games and is coming off a 208-yard performance in their 24-13 win over Samford.

"Their running back got it 29 times last game," Jones said. "They're committed to getting that guy 200 yards a game and he's done that so far. He's rushed for a lot of yards."

Hawaii is 2-0 against EIU, beating the Panthers 31-27 in 1999 for Jones' first win as UH head coach and 61-36 to open the 2002 season.

Weekly honors:

Boise State running back Ian Johnson was named the WAC offensive player of the week after rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns against UH. The Broncos moved up to No. 22 in the Associated Press and USA Today polls.

Nevada cornerback Joe Garcia was the defensive player of the week and San Jose State's James Jones claimed the special teams honor.

Receiver Jason Rivers and safety Leonard Peters were Hawaii's offensive and defensive nominees.