JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii receiver Ross Dickerson pointed to the sky after scoring a touchdown against Purdue on Saturday night.

Warriors are eager for Cav’s return

The former UH line coach will be back with Oregon State

Mike Cavanaugh just got done with the Civil War.

Is he ready for the Family Reunion? And to be booed at Aloha Stadium?

The former Hawaii offensive line coach laughed.

"I'm the enemy now," he said in a phone interview last night.

When Oregon State (8-4) comes to Hawaii (10-2) this week, it will be the second hugely emotional football game in the space of nine days for Cavanaugh. Oregon State beat Oregon last Friday in the rivalry game called the Civil War, and Cavanaugh's return to the islands figures to be just as intense for him and his former UH offensive linemen, whom he still considers family.

"The thing everyone used to say is Vincent (Manuwai, now of the Jacksonville Jaguars) is my son," Cavanaugh said. "And Sam is my grandson."

Hawaii tri-captain and starting center Samson Satele took it hard when Cavanaugh left for Oregon State two years ago, and he hasn't completely forgiven him. He said at one level he understands why the hugely popular Cavanaugh left UH after six years in Hawaii. But he still feels abandoned by his former position coach and mentor.

"I thought he'd stay until (fellow current seniors) Dane (Uperesa) and Tala (Esera) and I left, so I was surprised," Satele said. "But I know he had to take care of his family."

Still, Satele said he plans to take out the loss of his "grandfather" on the Oregon State players.

"Their whole defense is gonna get it," said Satele, a day after UH added a season-high 653 yards to its nation's-best total offense in beating Purdue 42-35. "From the beginning of the season we've been looking toward Dec. 2. This is going to be, I think, the best game our offensive line will ever play. It's for revenge. Hopefully Cav will be wearing a helmet and shoulder pads too."

It's great motivation, and it might sound like hate, but Satele said it isn't quite that way. He said he still talks to Cavanaugh -- but on his own terms.

"Sometimes I talk to him, sometimes I don't answer. He'll call this week, but I probably won't answer," Satele said. "He watches our games and tells us what we did right and wrong, he still coaches us. We talk mostly about football."

Cavanaugh -- except for this week -- remains a big supporter of Satele and the rest of the UH offensive linemen.

"It doesn't matter what happens. He's still my guy, and I'm very close to the family. He's a helluva player with a great future," Cavanaugh said. "The bonds will always be there with all those guys. Samson, Tala, Dane, Marques Kaonohi, all of 'em."

Their relationship began six years ago, when Cavanaugh recruited Satele while he was a junior at Kailua High School.

"He was a nice guy with a lot of good words, and he helped me a lot on the field," Satele said. "I feel like I would've learned more the last two years with him here. Coach (Dennis) McKnight is good, but Cav, he's the one who made up all the calls for the offense."

Satele said the Warriors won't have to change anything they do this week because of Cavanaugh's presence on the opposing sideline.

"Not really. They can bring anything they want against us. We've seen everything. They have to try to stop us," Satele said. "He made the calls. But things have changed. Like everything does in the world."

Cavanaugh helped former Warriors offensive linemen Manuwai, Adrian Klemm, Kaulana Noa, Kynan Forney and Wayne Hunter develop their technique enough to advance to the NFL.

"It was tough for me to leave, no matter what anyone says. I think everyone knows that," said Cavanaugh, who arrives with the rest of the Beavers on Wednesday.

His current players at Oregon State include center Jeremy Perry, an all-state player from Kahuku. Perry is one of 11 Beavers who list Hawaii as home.

"The bottom line is we gotta come ready to play," Cavanaugh said. "Not like that last group (Purdue) that came in there complaining about everything."

Warriors move up: UH climbed to No. 23 in the USA Today coaches' poll and the BCS Harris interactive rankings and No. 24 in the Associated Press poll.

Hawaii debuted at No. 25 in all three last week.

Another grand year for Bess: UH sophomore slotback Davone Bess went over 1,000 yards receiving for the second year in a row. He now has 81 catches for 1,039 yards and 13 touchdown receptions.

Bess caught six passes for 117 yards Saturday. He also returned two punts for 22 yards.

The good and the bad: When you look at the yardage and the two touchdowns, Nate Ilaoa had one of his best games. When you look at the two lost fumbles that were turned into Purdue touchdowns, it was something else.

Ilaoa rushed for a career-high 159 yards on 12 carries and caught seven passes for 52 yards more. He has 845 yards rushing on the season, and a chance to become the first UH 1,000-yard rusher since June Jones' brought his four-receiver offense to Manoa in 1999.

Travis Sims was the last Hawaii back to break the 1,000-yard mark, rushing for 1,498 in 1992.

Ilaoa did not return to the game after his second fumble. He said he tweaked a sprained ankle that had kept him out of the Louisiana Tech game two weeks prior.

Short yardage: UH linebacker Solomon Elimimian matched his career high with 14 tackles. He also had that many stops against New Mexico State.