Hawaii News Archive - Starbulletin.com

Boise State, Nevada on UH's horizon

POSTED: Monday, October 19, 2009

Times are hard for the Hawaii football team, and don't appear to be getting any easier.

The Warriors landed in Honolulu early yesterday morning to complete an overnight journey following a loss at Idaho on Saturday, lugging home a four-game losing streak with No. 6 Boise State coming to town later this week.

Despite falling a spot in the Associated Press poll, the Broncos (6-0, 1-0 WAC) will be the highest-ranked team to visit Aloha Stadium since top-rated USC opened the 2005 season with a trip to Hawaii. The Broncos checked in at No. 4 in the season's first BCS standings, positioning themselves for a big payday if they can avoid any stumbles through early December.

The Warriors (2-4, 0-3 WAC), meanwhile, hobbled home without one of their top receivers and in the midst of the program's longest winless stretch since its 3-9 season in 2000.

“;It's frustrating, but you can't think of what's behind you; you have to think about what's in front of you,”; safety Spencer Smith said. “;You just have to learn from the mistakes we make and use it in the next game. We can't be sulking over a loss. We have to use this loss as another steppingstone.”;

The complexion of Hawaii's season has shifted dramatically since the start of Western Athletic Conference play, with quarterback Greg Alexander and receiver Rodney Bradley suffering season-ending injuries in a three-game span.

Bradley, the Warriors' second-leading receiver behind Greg Salas, stayed in Moscow, Idaho, with trainer Eric Okasaki to have surgery after suffering a broken leg in the second quarter of Saturday's 35-23 loss.

“;His dad is flying in,”; coach Greg McMackin said last night “;They put a rod in his leg. It was a successful surgery. It's a heart-breaking injury 'cause he's put so much into this program and such a great kid. And he's from Texas so he's a long way from home. I feel terrible about it. He's staying in the hospital—he could be in there for up to a week.”;

The losses have piled up along with the injuries and the Warriors have two of the WAC's top offenses looming with Boise State and Nevada rounding out the October schedule.

After seeing opposing quarterbacks complete 28 of 34 passes over the past two games, the Warriors next face the nation's leader in passing efficiency in Boise State's Kellen Moore. Boise State also tops the WAC in total and scoring defense.

The Warriors racked up 444 yards in total offense with quarterback Bryant Moniz throwing for 360 against Idaho. But Hawaii enters the week tied for 116th out of 120 FBS teams in red-zone efficiency at 63 percent. The Warriors' 27 drives inside the 20 have yielded 10 touchdowns and seven field goals.

“;We keep leaving stuff on the field so much on offense,”; Salas said. “;We felt we were moving the ball well. We just have to finish. We have to put together a complete drive and not stall out when we have opportunities in the red zone.”;

Hawaii settled for a field goal in the first quarter after moving to the 5. They later came up 2 yards short on a faked field goal in the second quarter and trailed 14-10 at halftime.

“;It's a work in progress,”; running back Leon Wright-Jackson said. “;It was Mo's first start last week and I think he made quantum leaps today.”;

More praise for Moniz

UH head coach Greg McMackin and quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich echoed Wright-Jackson's assessment of Moniz's second career start.

The sophomore completed 30 of 42 passes for 360 yards and a touchdown. His lone interception came on the last play of the game. He was sacked four times, one resulting in a fumble, but made several plays with his legs, including a 15-yard scramble for a score. The Warriors also converted 10 of 15 third-down attempts, their best showing of the season.

“;I thought he played courageously,”; Rolovich said. “;He's everything we need on offense as a leader, accurate, smart. He's composed. He's got a leadership quality where the team will follow him. I couldn't be happier with him.”;

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOOTBALL STATISTICS

Team Statistics

	Hawaii	OPP
SCORING	142	178
Points Per Game	23.7	29.7
FIRST DOWNS	124	136
Rushing	26	69
Passing	91	61
Penalty	7	6
RUSHING YARDAGE	431	1,203
Yards gained rushing	568	1,331
Yards lost rushing	137	128
Rushing Attempts	127	255
Average Per Rush	3.4	4.7
Average Per Game	71.8	200.5
TDs Rushing	5	17
PASSING YARDAGE	2,228	1,231
Comp-Att-Int	159-259-7	109-168-5
Average Per Pass	8.6	7.3
Average Per Catch	14.0	11.3
Average Per Game	371.3	205.2
TDs Passing	12	7
TOTAL OFFENSE	2,659	2434
Total Plays	386	423
Average Per Play	6.9	5.8
Average Per Game	443.2	405.7
KICK RETURNS: No.-Yards	32-726	23-432
PUNT RETURNS: No.-Yards	15-128	2-8
INT RETURNS: No.-Yards	5-22	7-3
KICK RETURN AVERAGE	22.7	18.8
PUNT RETURN AVERAGE	8.5	4.0
INT RETURN AVERAGE	4.4	0.4
FUMBLES-LOST	17-10	14-8
PENALTIES-Yards	33-260	30-259
Average Per Game	43.3	43.2
PUNTS-Yards	16-612	21-870
Average Per Punt	38.2	41.4
Net punt average	36.5	35.5
TIME OF POSSESSION/Game	27:44	32:16
3RD-DOWN Conversions	35/69	41/79
3rd-Down Pct	.51	.52
4TH-DOWN Conversions	1/7	7/9
4th-Down Pct	.14	.78
SACKS BY-Yards	8-54	19-106
MISC YARDS	0	67
TOUCHDOWNS SCORED	17	24
FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS	8-10	4-6
ON-SIDE KICKS	2-3	0-0
RED-ZONE SCORES	17-27	24-27
RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS	10-27	20-27
PAT-ATTEMPTS	14-15	22-22

RUSHING
	G	Att	Net	Avg	TD	Long
Wright-Jackson	6	26	149	5.7	1	45
Alexander	4	37	103	2.8	0	23
Green	6	24	99	4.1	2	44
Moniz	4	22	32	1.5	1	21
Rego	3	4	17	4.2	0	9
Funaki	6	6	16	2.7	1	8
Pilares	6	1	13	13.0	0	13
Dimude	2	3	11	3.7	0	7
Taylor	6	1	-3	-3.0	0	0
TEAM	6	3	-6	-2.0	0	0
Totals	6	127	431	3.4	5	45
PASSING
	G	Comp	Att	Int	Yds	TD	Long
Alexander	4	98	150	4	1,433	9	73
Moniz	4	60	106	3	788	3	42
TEAM	6	0	2	0	0	0	0
Funaki	6	1	1	0	7	0	7
Totals	6	159	259	7	2,228	12	73
RECEIVING
	G	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Long
Salas	6	42	791	18.8	5	66
Pilares	6	41	369	9.0	1	32
Bradley	6	31	575	18.5	5	73
Pollard	5	13	142	10.9	0	21
Taylor	6	10	115	11.5	0	35
Wright-Jackson	6	8	67	8.4	0	18
Medeiros	3	6	99	16.5	1	36
Avery	3	4	52	13.0	0	16
Green	5	1	4	4.0	0	4
Dimude	2	1	13	13.0	0	13
Funaki	6	1	4	4.0	0	4
Totals	6	159	2,228	14.0	12	73
TOTAL OFFENSE
	G	Plays	Rush	Pass	Tot	Avg
Alexander	4	187	103	1,433	1,536	384.0
Moniz	4	128	32	788	820	205.0
Wright-Jackson	6	26	149	0	149	24.8
Green	6	24	99	0	99	16.5
Funaki	6	7	16	7	23	3.8
Rego	3	4	17	0	17	5.7
Pilares	6	1	13	0	13	2.2
Dimude	2	3	11	0	11	5.5
Taylor	6	1	-3	0	-3	-0.5
TEAM	6	5	-6	0	-6	-1.0
Totals	6	386	431	2,228	2,659	443.2
SCORING
	TD	FG	1XP	2XP	Tot
Enos	0	8	14	0	38
Salas	5	0	0	0	30
Bradley	5	0	0	0	30
Green	2	0	0	0	12
Pilares	1	0	0	0	6
Wright-Jackson	1	0	0	0	6
Medeiros	1	0	0	0	6
Moniz	1	0	0	0	6
Funaki	1	0	0	0	6
TEAM	0	0	0	1	2
Totals	17	8	14	1	142
PUNTING
	No.	Yds	Avg	Long
Dunnachie	16	612	38.2	55
Totals	16	612	38.2	55
PUNT RETURNS
	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long
Ryan Henry	11	68	6.2	0	16
Salas	4	60	15.0	0	32
Totals	15	128	8.5	0	32
Kick returns
	No.	Yds	Avg	TD	Long
Pollard	13	287	22.1	0	47
Taylor	11	269	24.5	0	48
Pilares	6	136	22.7	0	32
Lolotai	1	13	13.0	0	13
Blount	1	21	21.0	0	21
Totals	32	726	22.7	0	48
TACKLES
	G	UT	AT	Tot
Smith	6	32	61	48
Soares	6	17	31	48
Kiesel-Kauhane	6	25	14	39
Paredes	6	21	15	36
Silva	6	19	14	33
Bryant	6	18	14	32
Tufaga	6	16	13	29
Purcell	6	9	12	21
Davis	6	13	3	16
Satele	6	10	5	15
Hopkins	6	8	6	14
Heun	6	9	3	12
Fonoti	3	5	6	11
Torres	6	3	8	11
Savaiigaea	6	4	6	10
Brown	3	7	3	10
Falemalu	5	4	4	8
Clore	6	2	3	5
Wadsworth	6	4	1	5
Meatoga	5	3	2	5
Hanohano	6	3	1	4
Ornellas	6	4	0	4
Correa	6	2	2	4
Rice	6	1	2	3
Walker	6	2	1	3
Lolotai	6	2	1	3
Enos	6	2	0	2
Ahmad	6	1	1	2
Black	2	1	1	2
Bradley	6	1	0	1
K. Estes	6	0	1	1
Gomes	3	1	0	1
Alexander	4	1	0	1
Funaki	6	0	1	1
Wright-Jackson	6	0	1	1
J. Estes	6	1	0	1
Totals	6	251	191	442

MISCELLANEOUS
Interceptions (No.-Yds.): Mana Silva 3-2, Richard Torres 1-17, Spencer Smith 1-3. Totals: 5-22.
Sacks (No.-Yds.): Corey Paredes 3-17, Aaron Brown 1-11, Jake Heun 1-9, Liko Satele 1-8, Tuika Tufaga 1-8, R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane 1-1. Totals: 8-54.
Fumbles (No.-Yds.): John Fonoti 1-5, R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane 1-0, Richard Torres 1-0, Paipai Falemalu 1-0, Mike Wadsworth 1-0, TEAM 1-0. Totals: 6-5.