Sports Notebook
Star-Bulletin staff
|
WARRIOR FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Colt Brennan completed 30 of 49 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns in yesterday's 48-20 win over Idaho.
|
|
Pilares picks it up
MOSCOW, Idaho » With quarterback Colt Brennan struggling with unusual passing accuracy problems yesterday at Idaho, the Warriors running game became more important than usual in their 48-20 victory over the Vandals.
Kealoha Pilares responded with 85 yards on 10 carries in a steady performance for a freshman.
Pilares also caught two passes for 15 yards. His longest gain was 29 yards.
"I was just trying to make the first guy miss and get in the open field," Pilares said. "The field was kind of soft and hard to cut on."
Pilares repeated the UH running backs' mantra that their first job is to block -- that's especially true now with Brennan dealing with rehabbing a sprained right ankle.
"All week we were preparing for the worst -- blitzes, all kinds of looks," Pilares said. "As the game went on, it was usually just three- or four-man rush, not bringing any linebackers like we thought they would.
"Our running game is just to help him out, keep them honest."
Sophomore Leon Wright-Jackson had more than 50 family and friends from nearby Pasco, Wash., in attendance. He carried seven times for 20 yards and caught two passes for 13.
Hawaii out-rushed Idaho, 91 yards to 90.
Team first
Brennan was asked about how he thought yesterday's performance would affect his chances for the Heisman Trophy.
"It's an overall thing, so I've got some games to bounce back. If we can roll to 8-0, 9-0 ... I have to have my best games the last three games of the season."
Those will be against Nevada, Boise State and Washington.
After yesterday's five interceptions, Brennan's TD-to-pick ratio is still a respectable 15-6.
"Colt wasn't 100 percent physically," defensive tackle Mike Lafaele said. "But we still have a lot of confidence in all our quarterbacks."
"Take away the tipped balls and (Brennan) played pretty good," UH coach June Jones said.
Running Lane
With senior left wide receiver
Jason Rivers out with a sore back, sophomore
Malcolm Lane started his second game. He caught five passes for 70 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown pass from Brennan with Lane getting behind All-WAC cornerback
Stanley Franks on a streak route.
"I got tackled in the end zone and almost bit my tongue off," Lane said. "But I hung onto the ball."
WAC nominees
UH nominated slotback
Davone Bess (12 catches, 162 yards, touchdown), cornerback
Myron Newberry (two interceptions, including a 76-yard touchdown) and kicker
Dan Kelly (two field goals, seven PATs, 69.5 yards per kickoff) for WAC Player of the Week honors.
Give him the ball
Junior linebacker
Adam Leonard now has three touchdowns on interception returns in the past two seasons and two in the last two games.
Is there offense in the future for the high school tight end?
"I've been talking to JJ about getting some goal-line time at fullback," Leonard said with a big grin.
The Warriors have now scored seven defense and special teams touchdowns in five games this season.
Short yardage
Sophomore linebacker
Blaze Soares saw his first action after missing the first four games with hamstring and shoulder ailments. ... Cornerback/kick returner
Ryan Mouton, who suffered a bruise to his right knee in last week's game, suffered what appears to be a slight injury to the left knee. ... Brennan's five interceptions tied the individual team game record set by
Tim Chang against Rice in 2000. ... The Warriors were scheduled to return to Hawaii late last night. They are off today and begin preparation tomorrow for Saturday's home game against Utah State.