2006

Dave Reardon has a couple articles reviewing the 2006 season. This article also has mini-recaps of all 14 games this year. The last part of the article says it all.

While the 2006 Warriors enjoyed an abundance of talent and experience, their greatest attribute was character. All successful football teams become so because of camaraderie. Guys play hurt (and guys who don't play hide their hurt) more on winning teams.

"I think these kids just understood that it's not 'me.' Everybody plays hard for each other," Jones said. "They understand putting the other guy first, all that kind of stuff."

They played for each other, and let the rest take care of itself.

"I really wanted to hand it off with a win," Alama-Francis said after the Hawaii Bowl.

Dave also asks if this was the best UH football team in school history. He interviews former head coach Bob Wagner about the 1981 and 1992 teams.

"First of all, I want to congratulate the 2006 team and June (coach Jones) and his staff. Colt Brennan had a great year, very positive and humble and a class act," Wagner said. "However, I think it comes down to winning percentage. (A record of) 11-2 is better than 11-3. And 9-2 (the 1981 team's record) is better than 11-3. Also, the conference was tougher then."

Wagner added that the 1992 team won two big road games, at Oregon and Air Force, as well as the Holiday Bowl against Illinois in San Diego.

Jones -- whose team came within eight points of winning at Alabama and seven points at Boise State -- conceded that point.

"Different eras, different schemes. A whole lot of differences," Jones said. "But what Bob said is correct. They beat Oregon on the road, and beating Illinois in a bowl game on the mainland was large. That says a lot right there."

And the best is yet to come!

Jeff D'Alessio of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes about a junior wide receiver from Georgia named Brice Butler who is showing a lot of interest in UH.

Norcross junior receiver Brice Butler figures to be one of the top 2007 prospects at his position and he’s already landed one SEC scholarship offer — from Mississippi State.

Auburn, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Clemson have also shown interest.

The leaders for Butler — if they should offer — would be Louisville and Hawaii, he told the AJC’s Bill Sanders.

“My dad has talked to [Hawaii coach] June Jones and sent him a tape and he liked what he saw,” Butler said. “And they throw it like every time. Louisville throws it a lot too out of the spread.”

Butler hopes to make a couple of official visits as early as this spring, he said.

Winning and exposure are doing wonders for UH. The 2008 recruiting class is already being lined up!

And finally, I'd like to let you know that I'm psychic. From an August 21st post from this blog, with my psychic prediction in bold:

Keane Santos of Ka Leo O Hawaii has a rundown of the Warrior offense. Here's a quote from wide receiver Ross Dickerson:

“We haven’t done nothing yet. We have to produce in the game to be the best,” Dickerson said. “[But] our offense will be one of the best in the nation; you can quote me on that.”

I think he's just being modest. If the Warriors remain healthy, I think they'll have the number one offense in the nation this season, both in scoring and yardage. And if we can have a decent defense to go along with it, this team will be unstoppable!

I'm glad the Warriors were able to make my predictions and Warrior fans' dreams come true! And the best is yet to come!

GO WARRIORS!!!!!
UPDATE: Here is the Warriors' final 2006 record taken from the sidebar.

2006 Hawaii Warriors (11-3)
Football Final Record

Date	Team/Record	Results
09/02	@ Alabama (6-7)	L 17-25
09/16	UNLV (2-10)	W 42-13
09/23	@ #5 Boise St. (13-0)	L 34-41
09/30	Eastern Illinois I-AA (8-5)	W 44-9
10/07	Nevada (8-5)	W 41-34
10/14	@ Fresno St. (4-8)	W 68-37
10/21	@ New Mexico St. (4-8)	W 49-30
10/28	Idaho (4-8)	W 68-10
11/04	@ Utah St. (1-11)	W 63-10
11/11	Louisiana Tech (3-10)	W 61-17
11/18	San Jose St. (9-4)	W 54-17
11/25	Purdue (8-6)	W 42-35
12/2	#21 Oregon St. (10-4)	L 32-35
12/24	HAWAII BOWL vs Arizona State (7-6)	W 41-24

Riley Wallace, Blog Parties, Combines

First of all, UH basketball coach Riley Wallace just announced that he'll be stepping down at the end of this season.

"There's no one to blame for this day," Wallace said. "It's time to move on ... I'm not being fired by any means. I'm stepping down as head coach of the University of Hawai'i."

Wallace said he met with the current Hawai'i players after Thursday's 66-53 victory over Tennessee-Martin.

"I met last night with my team and said we're not playing this season for Riley Wallace," he said. "We're playing for this team."

It'll be sad to see him go. Sounds like he'll end up coaching somewhere else. Let's hope Bob Nash will take over.

Moving back to football news, through Stephen Tsai's Warrior Beat, the participants of which had a blog party last night that I wish I could've been at, as I read Stephen Tsai, Leila Wai, Robert Kekaula, Catherine Toth, Bulla, Da Punchbowl Kid, Gigi, Al and others had lots of food and fun at, Tsai writes that quite a few Warriors have been invited to the 2007 National Football League Scouting Combine, the latest of which is Leonard Peters. Also invited are Ikaika Alama-Francis, Samson Satele and Dane Uperesa, with Nate Ilaoa, Melila Purcell and maybe Tala Esera expected to receive invitations as well. Congratulations to all!

And finally, lots of people watched the Hawaii Bowl on ESPN!

The Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl gave the University of Hawai'i football its largest television audience ever, more than 2.33 million households for its Christmas Eve victory over Arizona State.

The audience eclipsed the previous high of 2.28 million homes that saw UH beat Illinois in the 1992 Holiday Bowl, also on ESPN.

"We're absolutely excited ... ecstatic!" said Pete Derzis, vice president of ESPN Regional Television, which owns and operates the Hawai'i Bowl.

"The ratings just reinforce how the nation looks forward to watching the Hawai'i Bowl in prime time. It was a great platform for the two schools and, certainly, the UH program, Colt Brennan and his teammates," Derzis said.

I think UH will be on national TV a lot next year. Actually, I hope so since I'll probably be on the mainland a lot, again. Sadness!

The AfterGlow

Back from a family mini-vacation. I'm still all smiles about the Hawaii Bowl victory and what a great way it was to end a great season. Talk since I've been gone, on TV and in the newspapers, has been will Colt stay or will Colt go? Like Colt said on KITV, it's a good predicament to be in so he's not complaining. But it's still a tough decision. Stephen Tsai had an article yesterday discussing it.

"He'll make a decision on the 15th" of January, the deadline for underclassmen to apply for the draft, UH coach June Jones said.

Jones and Brennan had a meeting yesterday morning.

"I told him what I think," Jones said. "I have my opinion where he would go in the draft. I shared it with him. I'm not going to share it with anyone else."

Asked what he would do if he ran an NFL team, Jones said, "Yes, I would take him."

Brennan, who returned to California to spend the holiday break with his family, is expected to receive his evaluation in early January.

"After that, I'll sit down with my family and see what's up," Brennan said.

I'm sure he'll be hearing it from all sides leading up to the 15th. From his family, friends and people he doesn't even know. So with that, here's my short UH or NFL list.

Why UH?

• WAC Championship!
• BCS!
• Break more records!
• Already a 2007 Heisman front-runner!
• Lots of publicity for UH!
• Stay in Hawaii another year!
• More time to develop!

Why NFL?

• No reason.

Just joking. There's lots of reasons for Colt to leave early. I just don't want him to leave. Anyway, here are some reasons.

• He may get drafted high and get lots of money.
• NFL teams need QBs right now.
• Staying another year at UH doesn't necessarily mean he'll get drafted higher next year.
• Risk of injury.
• How the heck do you a top a year like this?
  
• He'll be 24 years old next year. That's like almost a quarter-century old!
  
• He can represent Hawaii in the NFL! Get an H logo tattooed on his face!
• He can donate money to UH!

Oh well. It's all up to him and his family now. He's already done a lot for this school and he's represented Hawaii well. Good luck to Colt!

The AP's Jaymes Song talks to various sports personalities around Hawaii about Colt Brennan's year.

Maui News sports editor Brad Sherman said Brennan being mentioned as a Heisman contender was impressive alone, especially because the Warriors face several obstacles to garner national attention such as “being dismissed as a product of a system and playing games that voters never see.”

Paul Arnett, sports editor at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, said: “Just to have somebody from the obscure Division I ranks make it into the Heisman Trophy race, plus be nominated for several other major college football awards, is truly remarkable when you consider where he was at the start of the season.”

KHON’s Kanoa Leahey said anytime a player is included among the college football elite like Brennan was, it’s a victory for all fans in the islands who are constantly told from the Mainland that Hawai‘i athletics are inferior.

“With Brennan’s success, there was an explosion of interest and fanfare, beyond anything else we saw throughout the year,” he said. “He is evidence to the fact that every once in awhile, Hawai‘i can taste what it’s like in the big time.

“The year 2006, in my mind, will always represent ‘Colt craziness.’”

Ferd Lewis writes that, hey, June Jones had a pretty good year too.

Indeed, in a year in which Chris Peterson led Boise State to the conference's first Bowl Championship Series appearance with an unbeaten team, Jones got the coach of the year nod from fellow coaches. In a season in which Tomey took the San Jose State program from rags to riches, Jones got the award in one of the WAC's most contested seasons.

It wasn't just the X's and O's, either, although if you glimpsed the Hawai'i Bowl sidelines a few times Sunday there was Jones scribbling routes and gesturing like an inventor possessed in coaching receivers and Brennan.

Rather it was the infrastructure. It was in recognizing before the 2005 campaign and in the course of it that things had to change. That more of a commitment had to be made to defense. That, blessed by the return of Nate Ilaoa, that UH had to make use of his rare abilities and run the ball more. It was in a dozen details. Most of all, not being resistant to change.

How can any UH football fan not appreciate what June Jones has brought to this program? Has Joe Moore offered his mea culpa yet? Hah! Anyway, a gigantic congratulations to June Jones and his coaching staff for a wonderful season.

From Tuesday's Star-Bulletin, Dave Reardon looks to next year and writes more about Colt leaving or staying.

It's debatable if spending next year on an NFL sideline would be more beneficial to his future than another season with Jones.

But athletic director Herman Frazier's mystery schedule (four nonconference openings) can't be viewed as one for the plus column.

Another season of throwing to Jason Rivers, Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins goes on the con-pro side. Rivers caught 14 passes for an astounding 308 yards Sunday -- a record for any bowl game.

"I don't know if our offense can be better, but I think it can be as good," receivers coach Ron Lee said.

Glanville has to replace three All-WAC players in defensive ends Melila Purcell and Ikaika Alama-Francis, and safety Leonard Peters. An upgrade at cornerback would help, too.

"All of a sudden in two years I have lost two outside linebackers, a strong safety, a free safety and two ends," Glanville said. "I hate college football. I'm going to go back to the NFL and try to get these 10 guys I'm losing."

Let's hope that Glanville comes back too! From Stephen Tsai's Warrior Beat post from Tuesday:

Jerry Glanville said he "problably won't know for a while" whether he will return for a third season as defensive coordinator.
"We'll see," he said. "Right now I have no plans."

Come back Jerry!

And from today's Warrior Beat post, some rumblings about the 2007 schedule.

There I was, sick as a dog, coughing out things that didn't look like any of the original 16 Crayola colors, when I got a call from a UH official yesterday telling me that UH was seeking to play USC in the 2007 opener. At home.
He also said a Division I-AA opponent was in the works, too. But I'd take the 2-for-1 if it meant I could hold my index and middle fingers in the V shape while playing the "Fight On" CD I bought at the USC bookstore. I don't even care for USC, but it irks the UCLA fans in the office, and sometimes it's good to start an office civil war.
And then I get this voice message from USC athletic department spokesman Tim Tessalone:
"We received a query from ESPN about the possibility of playing that game. Very preliminary talks. We haven't even addressed it here and don't plan to address it for a while. I would tell you it's probably 50-50 at best that something like this would happen. It's way, way premature to go down that road."

Well, it's still preliminary, but let's hope UH plays USC next year! And get well soon Stephen! I feel your pain.

And finally, here's some final 2006 season statistics from the Star-Bulletin for future reference. Years down the line, when your kids don't believe you, visit this link to show them what kind of numbers UH put up in 2006.

Hawaii Bowl Newspaper Wrap-Ups

June Jones and Jerry Glanville say it all. From Stephen Tsai's article:

"This is so unbelievable," said Jones, his voice reduced to a whisper. "For what these kids did this year, for what they did in this game, it's so awesome. I'm kind of speechless."

He then turned, spotting one of his closest friends in football, defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville.

"Jerry," Jones said, "they did it."

"I'm so proud of them," Glanville said, as the two embraced.

"This is just a great group of kids, just great," Jones said. "The staff did a great job, too. What happened this season ... it's just a real powerful time. I'll never forget this moment."

And then Colt Brennan says it all.

"It was national TV, not at midnight (Eastern time), like the Oregon State game, but in prime time," Brennan said. "We showed what we were all about. We gave all of the reporters their rough drafts in the first half to knock us off. Now they have to delete, and give us the love we've been waiting for."

That's right!

In Dave Reardon's wrap-up, he highlights Jason Rivers' record breaking performance with 14 catches for 308 yards.

As for his favorite target yesterday, well, maybe they need to change the name of this game to the Jason Rivers Hawaii Bowl.

In three Hawaii bowls, Rivers has 32 receptions for 599 yards and six touchdowns.

"When the stage gets big, he gets big," Jones said.

The old record for receiving yardage in a bowl game was 299 by Fresno State's Rodney Wright in the 2001 Silicon Valley Classic. The previous UH mark was 285 by Ashley Lelie against Air Force, also in 2001. Also, the 14 catches tied the school single-game mark shared by Chad Owens and Davone Bess.

"Where's June hiding these receivers? No one was talking about him," Sun Devils coach Dirk Koetter said of Rivers. "(No.) 84's as good a receiver as we've seen."

The kind of performance Rivers turned in yesterday begs the question of whether he would consider turning pro early. He said he'll stick around for his senior season.

"It's always on my mind, but you know, I want that (WAC championship) ring on my finger," said Rivers said. "I wanted to leave as a champion."

Another reason for Colt, Jason, and everyone to come back! And as Ferd Lewis writes:

If he ends up bypassing early entry into the NFL draft — as you would hope he might unless the NFL advisory panel certifies the prospect of a big-money first-round selection — then Brennan launched his 2007 Heisman Trophy candidacy with a flourish on ESPN.

Brennan's long-awaited arrival into the NCAA record book for single-season touchdown passes, shattering David Klingler's 16-year old record of 54 by four, came in a second half where the UH quarterback threw five of them and passed for a career high 559 yards overall. Two touchdowns each going to Ryan Grice-Mullins and Jason Rivers, who, by the way, are eligible to return and complement Brennan again next year just in case the thought has slipped his mind.

Excellent reminder, Ferd!

If Brennan does leave though, Kalani Simpson has a great column about Brennan's perhaps final game.

And Brennan. Brennan, most of all. Brennan has always been excitable, emotional. This is a man who throws up at the drop of a hat. But this was different. You could feel it. This was a guy who was -- well, he usually leaves his guts on the field. But this was more. This was different. You could feel it.

He was sky high. He was losing his mind. He seemed to be almost floating, after big plays.

Jason Kaneshiro writes that Brennan will be keeping his options open.

"I told everybody after the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl I'd answer that, the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl for me doesn't end for me until tomorrow," he said. "I'll talk to you guys sometime next week."

But in the next breath he continued, "I'm going to come back probably. It's just that there's things I have to do. I have to be smart and look at the best opportunity out there for me."

Good luck to Brennan in whatever decision he makes!

Stacy Kaneshiro highlights Brennan's performance. Senior Dane Uperesa has lots of praise:

"He likes to give the credit to a lot of different people but he has a special talent that we haven't really seen here in a while," tackle Dane Uperesa said. "I'm just proud to say I blocked for him and can say I helped him get a record."

David Klingler offers congratulations to Colt for breaking his season TD mark.

Klingler said he wasn't very familiar with Brennan until the end of this season. "I don't get to watch many games these days but I know what it takes to set a record like that," Klingler said. "I know how good of an offense you have to be to put up those kind of numbers. So, congratulations are certainly in order."

Kyle Sakamoto's story about Jason Rivers' performance has another good quote.

"I think (Colt) is a good quarterback, but I was more impressed watching the wide receiver. He gets open, makes plays and makes guys miss," Sun Devils quarterback Rudy Carpenter said.

Kalani Takase writes about the Warriors' amazing second half performance.

ASU held the nation's highest- scoring offense (47.3 points per game) in check in the first half, and entering the game, the Sun Devils were statistically better in the second.

Arizona State (27 ppg) had only given up 26 third-quarter points in 12 games, and never more than seven.

Nobody told Colt Brennan. The junior quarterback tossed three third-quarter scores in leading the Warriors' offense while the UH defense shut out the Sun Devils in the period.

Takase also has this amazing fact:

Hawai'i ran only one play in the red zone (inside opponent's 20) — a 7-yard touchdown pass from Brennan to Grice-Mullins in the third quarter. Arizona State ran only three plays in the red zone.

That's amazing. As Arsenio would say, "Long distance!

Nick Abramo covers the second half from the other side of the field. He talks to ASU safety Josh Barrett, who had a great performance despite illness.

Arizona State junior safety Josh Barrett was an up-close witness to the Warriors' third-quarter barrage that turned the seven-point lead into a 24-10 deficit and an eventual 41-24 loss at Aloha Stadium.

The Sun Devils recovered in the fourth quarter and got within three points, but that third-quarter lapse proved fatal. And despite his hustle and hard-hitting play, Barrett was powerless to stop the onslaught.

"That third quarter was bad in so many different ways," said Barrett, who had a first-half interception and finished with eight tackles, despite missing much of the second half with a stomach virus.

"I couldn't keep anything down for a while and was puking all over the place," he said. "I had to get IVs. It was a bad deal. I wasn't feeling much better, but I came back in."

Whether it was muscling down UH power back Nate Ilaoa or chasing down Rivers to save a possible touchdown on a sideline catch-and-run or making his team's only interception, Barrett was all over the field in the losing effort.

The Star-Bulletin staff highlight the performances of graduating defensive ends Ikaika Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell.

The senior defensive ends combined for three sacks to spark the Warriors defense in their 41-24 win over Arizona State in yesterday's Hawaii Bowl.

"This was our last game playing at Aloha Stadium and we were just telling each other, 'every snap you just have to play 100 percent, play like it's our last snap and that's what we did," Purcell said.

Purcell closed his Hawaii career by recording six tackles, including two sacks of Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter. He was also credited with four quarterback hurries.

Alama-Francis also had a sack among his three tackles and recovered a fumble in the third quarter as the Warriors battled back from a 10-3 halftime deficit to end the season with the program's fifth bowl victory.

Congratulations again to them and to all the seniors!

And finally, Gene Park talked to several Warrior fans about attending the Hawaii Bowl.

Yesterday gave Ed Kokubun an opportunity to have a gift exchange with his regular tailgate tag-alongs. The 56-year-old Mililani resident called the Warriors' performance this past season "their gift to us."

"The season has exceeded expectations," the season ticket holder said.

Waipahu resident Rick Santana, another season ticket holder, planned his holiday shopping and activities around the Hawaii Bowl.

"We got everything out of the way and done because we knew the game was coming," said Santana, father of four.

Usually he and about a dozen of his friends would get together and bring random foods for their tailgate parties, but they turned out to be a little more prepared. Every game, they camp out at the same spot at the back of the parking lot.

Richard Corpuz's usual holiday plan -- big dinner with the family -- was thrown out on account of the game. His family usually gets together for a Christmas Eve dinner, but everyone opted to go to the game instead.

What a great game for the fans. I'll be away from the computer for a couple of days doing family stuff and just relaxing. For continued UH football coverage, you can check out the newspapers, or The Warrior Beat, and the amazing Sportshawaii.com, especially the football forum. Be back on the 28th! Merry Christmas!

Hawaii 41, Arizona State 24

What an amazing game! I haven't been near a computer all day, but I'll try to get a wrap up done tomorrow morning before I have to be away from the computer another couple days. Anyway, I'm very happy the seniors went out with a great, exciting win over a very good ASU team. If Colt decides to go, this is the way to go out. Breaking a couple of records and passing for a crapload of yards. But I hope he doesn't go! Congratulations to the Warriors!

GameDay: Hawaii Bowl

The Hawaii Bowl is finally here! The Warriors will be taking on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a few hours. There will be no liveblogging today, but the game will be on ESPN and you can always follow the live stats online via GameTracker.

Stephen Tsai writes that the numbers are good.

Dan Morrison, who coaches the UH quarterbacks, has said Brennan's numbers don't make sense. A quarterback isn't supposed to lead the nation in passing yards and passing efficiency, Morrison noted, much like a basketball player isn't supposed to lead in 3-point attempts and field-goal accuracy.

"That's not supposed to happen," Morrison said.

And it hadn't happened previously at UH. Former UH quarterback Tim Chang's best pass-efficiency rating was 135.4 — 47.4 points lower than Brennan's rating this season. Chang, who holds the NCAA record for most passing yards in a career, threw for 4,474 yards in 14 games in 2002.

Former UH quarterback Nick Rolovich, who was widely praised for a breakout season in 2001, had an efficiency rating of 150.5.

"Colt's special," Morrison said. "He's just a very accurate passer."

Dave Reardon writes a great profile of Colt Brennan and writes about his draft chances.

Some scouts say Brennan would be picked in the first or second round of the draft. Brennan said he loves UH, but that would tempt him to leave Manoa a year early. "I love Hawaii, the season we had this year, the fun we had . I gotta make sure when this season's over I sit down and look at everything and I make the right decision for me and also the school.

"Who knows if it's going to be a tough decision? It might be real easy: 'I'm coming back, because they're not picking me in any of the first couple rounds.' You never know. ... I'll do all the things I need to do to figure out what's best."

Stay Colt, stay! No stay go! Listen to David Norrie. UPDATE: Actually, don't listen to Norrie. He was slandering the Warriors during the ESPN broadcast, implying that UH plays dirty and assuming the worst about the players and the team.

Quarterback Colt Brennan could help himself considerably by returning to the University of Hawai'i for his senior year, ESPN analyst David Norrie said.

Norrie, a former UCLA and New York Jets quarterback, will be the analyst on today's ESPN showing of the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

Speculation is that today's game against Arizona State could be the last college appearance for Brennan, a redshirt junior, who has the option of bypassing his senior year to declare eligibility for the NFL draft.

"I personally feel, after watching him play and also visiting with the coaches, that he would really benefit from an additional year (at UH) in terms of his draft status and also his development as a quarterback," Norrie said. "I think there are some things that he needs to get done physically. I think he needs to get stronger. The coaches talk about him continuing to work in the weight room to get an NFL body. It is a 16-game (NFL) schedule and you take a lot of pounding at that level."

Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes a great profile of Warriors backup receiver Mike Washington.

"Still to this day, I can't believe I'm here," Washington says. "The campus is so nice, palm trees everywhere. The sun's always shining. You can go behind campus, there's this little waterfall. ... A couple of people back home tell me they wish they were here. I rub it in their face a little bit."

A reserve sophomore receiver, Washington chose Hawaii over California because he loved coach June Jones' wide-open offense -- and because his recruiting trip to the university on Oahu made a mind-blowing first impression.

Oahu is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands, has 71 percent of the state's population and includes gems such as Honolulu and Waikiki. "Magnum, P.I." and "Hawaii Five-O" were filmed there. So is "Lost."

Born in Aliquippa the son of an Army man, Washington has lived in all kinds of places -- Germany, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, New Mexico and South Carolina -- but he'd never seen a place like this.

And Steve DeShazo of The Free Lance-Star writes a great profile of Nate Ilaoa.

While junior quarterback Colt Brennan (whose 53 touchdown passes are one shy of David Klingler's NCAA single-season record) gets most of the headlines, Ilaoa is more of an unsung hero.

He's 12th in the nation in all-purpose yards (139.5 per game) and ninth in scoring (9.0 points per game), with a shot at a 1,000-yard rushing season and Hawaii's single-season mark for TDs (18). In fact, Davis said their teammates voted Brennan and Ilaoa co-MVPs.

"Nate gives us one more big weapon," Davis said. "His ability allows us to be a better football team. He's done some good things for this offense. He makes the big plays. He'll make this guy miss, that guy miss."

Crap, there are a bunch more Star-Bulletin and Advertiser articles to read through, but I just realized I have to be somewhere 30 minutes ago. Click through to the stories to find more Hawaii Bowl previews, profiles, etc. My apologies! I'll come back to update later on.

GO WARRIORS!!!!

Klingler on Colt

Ed Williams III talks to former Houston QB David Klingler about his record and Colt Brennan.

Q: Needing just two touchdowns to break your record (one to tie), what do you think of Brennan's season?

A: They keep going to more and more games. (Jim) McMahon had the record at like 46 or 47, but BYU always had the extra game against Hawaii. So you get one more game and it was a 12-game season instead of 11. And if you went to a bowl game it's 13. We did it in 11. And with conference championship games, now you can get to 14 games in a season. As they continue to prolong the season and if there's a playoff system in the future, with the way they do overtime, these records are not going to stand. It's a different time. But even in 14 games, that's a lot of touchdowns.

And if Colt breaks it, he'll do it in less attempts too! Wonder if Klingler will do a video congratulations to Colt, like how Ty Detmer did for Timmy Chang.

Brian Kajiyama

Dave Reardon writes an excellent article about Brian Kajiyama, whose volunteer work for the UH football team has been a huge help.

Kajiyama, 30, is confined to the chair and can't communicate like most people because of cerebral palsy. But he has been an inspiration to the Warriors for several seasons because of what he has achieved despite his challenges.

...

"What Brian has done for us is basically fill the role of what a quality control guy would do. He puts us so far ahead of the game because he's willing to work. Sometimes he's the only guy working in the office," Reinebold said. "He breaks down tape and gets it ready for the kids when they come in. Why are we playing better defense? One more year of Jerry of course, but Brian's helping us prepare. He's an integral part of this program."

Kajiyama did such a good job the week leading up to a 44-9 victory over Eastern Illinois (the game after the Boise State loss), that Jones awarded Kajiyama a game ball.

Read the whole article. It's awesome and inspirational, plus Brian is pretty funny.

Glanville: "Brian asked me, 'Is anyone going to cover the tight end? Or do I have to go out there and do it?'"

Reinebold: "One day he told me we have to move the D-linemen next to Colt (Brennan) in the locker room, so they could at least get close enough to smell a quarterback."

Ouch! Sounds like Brian and the coaches are having a great time.

Stephen Tsai writes about the Warriors lifting weights, along with a funny anecdote about Desmond Thomas.

The highlight came from safety Desmond Thomas, who has earned the nickname "Half-Rep" because of his inability to bench press 225 pounds. Thomas is 6 feet 2 and 172 pounds.

To measure strength stamina, UH players are tested on how many times they can bench 225 pounds. Backup center Marques Kaonohi holds the team record with 42 repetitions.

In contrast, deLaura said of Thomas, "he never got 225 pounds one time. The players decided to rally around him."

With the theme song to "Rocky" blaring, teammates carried Thomas into the weight room.

Thomas then benched 225 pounds one ... two .... three ... four times.

"It was a record for him," deLaura said.

With teammates cheering, Thomas was presented with a "championship" belt.

He then was hoisted again.

"They certainly haven't been tight this week," defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said of the Warriors.

Sounds like the team is having a great time too!

Tsai also writes a profile of Kahai LaCount.

Last year, LaCount doubled as a wedge blocker on kick returns. This year, he is the starting nose tackle in the Warriors' "jumbo" defense, a short-yardage scheme.

LaCount said he is fortunate to be available for tomorrow's game. He missed the final three regular-season games after suffering a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

"I thought I'd never get to play one last time," he said. "I thought my career was done."

LaCount said he is on schedule to earn a bachelor's degree in May.

"I'm going to be the first boy from my family to graduate from college," he said. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done. There was so much reading and writing papers. I'm looking forward to finishing."

Congratulations to Kahai for getting his college degree and being able to play for one last game!

Cindy Luis writes about former ASU player Junior Ah You, as well as the current Arizona State players thinking about doing their own haka.

"All the Poly boys came together and agreed that it would be respectful to UH or to New Zealand," (Brandon) Rodd said. "We do have some culture on our team but not as much as Hawaii. And for us to perfect one, we would have needed a kahuna to help us on short notice.

"We decided it wasn't the right place or time, especially at Aloha Stadium especially against the Warriors."

Too bad. That would've been fun.

And another day brings another Colt Brennan profile. This one is from Chip Brown of the Dallas Morning News.

"We're in the worst facilities in the nation by far," Brennan said. "Six of our spring practices were in the baseball stadium on AstroTurf with no lines because our football field got flooded.

"People are real quick to take stabs at what we're doing, but if you showed up at our campus and videotaped our facilities and then did the same at Michigan or Ohio State, you'd have so much more respect for what we do."

Colt speaks the truth!

Brennan Profiles

Here are a couple more Colt Brennan profiles leading up to the Hawaii Bowl. This one is from Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com.

"It's a cultural shock," Brennan said. "They can spot an [outsider] about a mile away. It's just the way you act. They have a way about their culture and you've got to respect it. I'm a real big fan of Hawaii, just relaxing on the beach and not letting life get too fast. You get caught up in it really fast. The days really slow down and you just enjoy it."

That's why Brennan says he will probably return for his senior season at Hawaii. He will submit his name to the NFL's underclassman advisory committee to gauge where pro scouts and personnel directors project he'd be selected in April's draft. If Brennan isn't considered a potential first-round choice, he'll probably be back at Hawaii next year.

"He's going to have to show people that he's not a system quarterback," Mel Kiper, an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, wrote in a chat on ESPN.com earlier this week. "I think another year would benefit him."

Jones, who coached former NFL quarterbacks Jim Kelly, Jeff George and Warren Moon, disagrees with Kiper's assessment.

"Jim Kelly was a product of our system, too," Jones said. "I think that's kind of overrated. I think the reason that's been said is a lot of quarterbacks have played in pass systems, but weren't good enough to play in the NFL. The reason they didn't play in the NFL is they weren't good enough. It had nothing to do with the system."

This profile is from Jeff Metcalfe of The Arizona Republic.

ASU knows what it's up against and that Brennan also can scramble from trouble (79 carries/351 yards/five rushing touchdowns).

"Brennan is a real athletic guy," defensive end Jordan Hill said. "He can throw on the run really well and he can tuck it and run. I don't think people give him enough credit for what he can do on his feet. We've got to keep him in the pocket and not let him run free."

This article also has a quote from Tyler Graunke, who you can tell is itching to get on the field. I'd like for Colt to come back for a WAC title run and who knows, maybe much more, next year. But if he goes, we'll be in great hands with Graunke, who's super-competitive, runs like a running back and throws some of the prettiest passes I've ever seen. One day, The Graunke shall emerge like a Phoenix... out of Arizona!

Defensive Linemen

Stephen Tsai profiles incoming defensive lineman Ray Hisatake. Here are some excerpts with emphasis by me.

"Hawai'i is the place for me," said Hisatake, who is 6 feet 4 and 315 pounds.

...

"This is a big-time 'get' for Hawai'i," said Jeremy Crabtree, national recruiting editor for the Rivals.com scouting service.

...

"He's not perfect," Crabtree added. "He needs to get bigger and faster. But he does have all of the tools. Right now he's still a little bit of a white canvas. But he has the potential to develop into a better player."

Bigger??? In any case, I'm sure coach Reinebold and Glanville, along with Mel DeLaura, will help him develop to his full potential. The UH defensive line is looking good for next year!

There's also good news in the Notes and Updates section at the end of the article.

• UH outside linebacker Brashton Satele, who is recovering from a pulled left hamstring, practiced yesterday and said he expects to play on Sunday.
  
  "It's still a little tight, but it's the last game, so I'm going to go all out," Satele said.


• UH running backs Nate Ilaoa and Reagan Mauia have declared themselves physically fit. Ilaoa was suffering from a bruised left heel, and Mauia has been wearing heavy wrapping on his injured right elbow.

Good to hear there will be a lot of healthy Warriors playing in the Hawaii Bowl!

Dave Reardon and Brian McInnis look at Ikaika Alama-Francis' draft status.

The Hawaii defensive end appeared on draft analyst Mel Kiper's "Big Board" yesterday, at No. 24. That doesn't mean Alama-Francis will be drafted that high (there are still tons of players to be analyzed after the bowl and all-star games and juniors to declare draft eligibility). But Kiper also said he thinks Alama-Francis will be picked in the first two rounds.

An NFL scout who has seen him play several times this year agrees.

"I turned in a second-round grade on him. If he goes to the combine and works out well, I may be too low," the scout said. "He's one of those guys you know what you see. The sky's the limit. He's big (6-6, 285), strong and athletic. And he's only going to get better and better."

This should be awesome news for the Ikaika Alama-Francis Fan Club, which is a really great looking site. And they link to this blog, so thanks to them! Go check out the site.

Reardon and McInnis also talk to incoming defensive lineman Chris Leatigaga.

He said his best football attribute is his intensity.

"Just playing until the whistle. From the snap to the whistle. That's what they emphasize here. Finish the drill, finish the practice. I'm always running, trying to put myself on the screen."

Leatigaga will visit UH next month. He graduates in the spring.

Sounds like he'll be a great fit in the Glanville defense.

Kalani Simpson has some random thoughts and notes about the Hawaii Bowl and other things. Here's one of them.

I continue to get a kick out of the story of Steve Chinen, the rascal Army chaplain stationed in Iraq who is "in trouble" for using his televised holiday greeting to wish the UH football team good luck against Oregon State rather than saying hi to his wife and daughter. (Now that's a fan.)

But I told Steve, eh, no worry. I've seen these "holiday greetings" from Nebraska servicemen and they ALL do what he did. Yes, EVERY one of them goes like this: "Hi, I'm lieutenant So-and-so in Afghanistan and I just want to say Go Big Red! Go Huskers! We're No. 1! And -- oh, try wait, what? My family? Oh, yeah, I also love my family. Sure. Of course I do. Go! Big! Red!"

But when just one "bad boy" does it, it's hilarious.

» And here is Steve's latest on the 657th's plans for the upcoming Hawaii Bowl: "Da boys (and a few gals) are gearing up for the 0400 kickoff (Iraqi time). We'll be meeting at the motor pool (where vehicles get repaired). They got a big-screen TV there." I don't know if the Hawaii Bowl is good for the whole state, but early on Christmas morning, far from home, it's definitely good for a little corner of Camp Anaconda in Iraq.

Great story.

Former Warrior punter Mat McBriar talks about being named to the Pro Bowl.

Returning to Hawai'i — where he was an all-Western Athletic Conference first-team punter in 2002 — makes the experience even more special.

"I'm looking forward to it," McBriar said. "I feel proud that I went to school there and am coming back. Hawai'i football doesn't generate that much attention. Anything that draws attention to it is great."

And here's a Q&A with McBriar by Tom Curran of NBC Sports.

TC: How much of an influence has fellow Aussie and former Chargers punter Darren Bennett had on your career?
MM: He was the first one I called when I found out I made the Pro Bowl. We usually talk a couple of times a week. He's back in San Diego doing radio shows -- he's got a personality quite suited to that. But we have a great friendship. He's my mentor and the reason I got involved in this at all because he's the one who called (University of Hawaii head coach) June Jones for me.

Hisatake Commits

The Advertiser reports that:

Defensive lineman Ray Hisatake of the College of San Mateo today accepted a football scholarship from the University of Hawai'i.
Hisatake, who is 6 feet 4 and 315 pounds, turned down offers from San Jose State and New Mexico.

Great news! Lots of guys will be competing to replace Ikaika and Melila.

Leatigaga Commits

Stephen Tsai writes that Chris Leatigaga has committed to becoming a Warrior.

An All-America junior college defensive end has accepted a football scholarship offer from the University of Hawai'i.

After consulting with his family last night, Chris Leatigaga of Foothill College in Los Altos, Calif., said he agreed to join the Warriors for the 2007 season.

Leatigaga will earn an associate degree in March — Foothill is on a quarters schedule — and have three years to play two seasons for the Warriors.

"I can't wait to get out there," Leatigaga said. "I've got family out there. I'm Polynesian, and that's a big Polynesian school. I'm going to feel right at home. I'm going to enjoy living there for the next two or three years. It's a comfortable place for me."

...

"Reinebold was watching the other guy's tapes when he noticed me," Leatigaga said. "Reinebold called my coach and said I caught his eye."

Leatigaga said Reinebold visited his home two weeks ago. "We talked, and he said he was going to make me an offer," Leatigaga said. "I like (Reinebold). He's a good guy."

Excellent news! Welcome to Chris! And it's another reason why Jeff Reinebold can't be allowed to leave.

Tsai also writes about the Warriors' tenacious D, highlighting the guys Leatigaga will be competing to replace.

Glanville said the three down linemen — nose tackle Michael Lafaele and ends Melila Purcell III and Ikaika Alama-Francis — not only occupy blockers, but can break free to make tackles. Lafaele often is assigned to the running back sneaking into the flats.

"The guys up front have been the Bermuda Triangle for opposing offenses this year," defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said. "Running backs go in there but they don't come out."

Head coach June Jones said he was not surprised by the Warriors' improved run defense.

"Wherever Jerry's been, we've stopped the run," Jones said. "He gets the kids to take pride in stopping the run."

Another reason why Glanville can't be allowed to leave either!

Tsai also writes about Samson's endurance, Tala's new haircut, and some haole boys.

The Sun Devils were taught several phrases. Safety Josh Barrett, who learned to flash the shaka sign, has tried to use "da kine" in conversations.

Rodd said some of his Caucasian teammates refer to themselves as "haole boys."

"They're kind of proud of it," Rodd said. "It's kind of weird."

Dave Reardon profiles coach Dennis McKnight who, I must say, can't be allowed to leave.

"Dennis is a good football coach, one of the best one's I've had. He's made an impact just like (defensive coordinator) Jerry (Glanville) has. He coaches with a lot of energy and he has a good understanding of what we're doing," Jones said.

McKnight -- with the credibility of his 10-year NFL playing career -- imparted that wisdom on the Warriors' offensive line and special teams this fall.

Guards Hercules Satele and John Estes, who are completing their first seasons as starters, said they're glad he'll be around to aid in their transition to leadership positions.

"From the first game to this game, I'm much better," said Estes, a second-year freshman who moves to center after Sunday. "He shares his NFL experiences with us to help us out and open our minds to what we need to do, especially in practice. He basically lives in his office. So he's always around whenever we need to talk to him about anything."

Stephen Tsai has a great idea. Give the assistant coaches big fat bonuses.

Via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Sports Network has a Hawaii Bowl preview.

Unlike past seasons when Hawaii dominated with a passing attack, this year the squad had a legitimate running back to take some of the pressure off Brennan in Nate Ilaoa who gained an amazing 893 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. Even more impressive was the fact that Ilaoa (All-WAC First Team) averaged a shade under eight yards per attempt. Davone Bess, another First Team All-WAC performer, was once again a top receiver in the WAC as he posted 91 catches for a stellar 1,155 yards and 14 TDs. With barely half as many catches (53) as Bess, Ian Sample accounted for another 10 TD receptions for the top offense (549.9 ypg) and highest scoring program in all of football (47.3 ppg).

In this East Valley Tribune article by Dan Zeiger, Brandon Rodd talks about his reasons for attending a mainland school. But June Jones and his coaching staff have done a great job in showing local players UH is a great place to play.

With Hawaii posting six straight non-winning records from 1993-98, the school gave local players little reason to stay home. When June Jones arrived as coach in ’99, only 17 of the 105 players were of Polynesian descent.

Thanks to five winning records since then, the Warriors’ in-state recruiting fortunes have improved greatly. The retirement of BYU coach LaVell Edwards — who constructed the Polynesian pipeline to Provo, Utah — after the 2001 season did not hurt.

Now, 76 Polynesians are on the Warriors’ roster.

“We’ve been able to keep more of them,” Jones said. “I would say that, out of my eight years here, we’ve been able to keep 100 percent of the Hawaii kids we wanted probably five times, and the other years weren’t bad, either.

“Out of 20 kids in a class, there are always going to be four or five that want to go to the mainland no matter what. We try to identify them early, and then back off.”

And finally, Bob Keisser of the Long Beach Press-Telegram writes about the ten bowl games to watch.

9. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Honolulu, Sunday (ESPN). Hawaii (10-3) quarterback Colt Brennan is worth the price of admission and Arizona State (7-5) may get off its butt and play hard for outgoing coach Dirk Koetter.

Game day is getting closer! GO WARRIORS!!!!

Gearing Up

Dave Reardon writes about yesterday's Hawaii Bowl news conference. Some nice gifts for the head coaches.

At yesterday's news conference, executive director Jim Donovan announced that Koetter and UH coach June Jones will be given free trips to Tahiti as gifts from the Hawaii Bowl, pending NCAA approval. But Koetter doesn't care; he won't be under the college sports police's jurisdiction after Sunday.

If the NCAA approves it, June will put his trip to good use.

Hawaii coach June Jones is excited about the Hawaii Bowl's gifts to him and Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter of trips to Tahiti.
"I'm kind of shocked. The last two or three years I've been talking about going down there," Jones said. "I should go during recruiting time. I'll be looking around for rugby players."

Stephen Tsai writes about the press conference, mentions that Colt Brennan was tied for 2nd in AP Player of the Year voting, and has a profile on the versatile and selfless Chad Mock.

Last year, Mock became the starting left wideout after Ian Sample suffered a knee injury in the third game. This year, Sample moved to right wideout and Jason Rivers, who did not play last season, returned as the starting left wideout. That left Mock without a starting job, but with no complaints.

"We're a team," Mock said. "It's not all about one person. I want to go out there and do what I can for the team."

The pattern for Mock, who has 25 catches for 363 yards and three touchdowns, is to spell Rivers and then Sample. Sometimes, Mock will alternate between left and right wideout during the same drive.

"Chad is very unselfish," Brennan said. "He put his time in, and I'm glad things are working out for him the past two years. A guy like that you don't appreciate fully until you don't have him anymore."

Former Warrior punter Mat McBriar is coming back to Aloha Stadium for the Pro Bowl. Congratulations!

Ferd Lewis writes about Arizona State's future Rose Bowl hopes.

And finally, Jeff Miller of the O.C. Register writes a great article about Colt Brennan and the UH football program.

If people still think of the Longhorns' McCoy when the subject is QBing Colts, that's only because of geography not arithmetic. The numbers lean strongly in Brennan's favor, like the fact this season he has passed for 2.8 miles.

Working against this math magician, however, is playing so west of the West Coast. These days, there's a two-hour time difference between here and Honolulu, but it also can be a one-planet perception difference.

How out of mind is this school? When detailing Brennan's accomplishments, multiple mainland media outlets have referred to Hawaii's football players as the Rainbow Warriors. The school dropped "Rainbow" from its football nickname eight years ago.
See how tough it can be to establish your name in America when you're closer to Tokyo than New York City?

"We're on our own little rock out here," says Brennan, who played at Mater Dei High and Saddleback College. "This island is all ours."

Thanks mostly to Brennan, the Warriors (10-3) have thrown themselves - quite literally - into the country's conscience this season, during which they were ranked in The Associated Press top 25 for the first time since 1993.

They are averaging 47 points and have scored at least 32 in every game after the opener. Their season high is 68, a total Hawaii's men's basketball team already has failed to reach four times.

Check out the whole article. He even gives props to Stephen Tsai's great profile of Colt Brennan from November. Or at least I'm pretty sure that's the article he's talking about.

The Glanville

Had a bit of a computer problem, and then a power failure in the building, but it's all good now.

Kalani Simpson writes a great profile of Jerry Glanville.

GLANVILLE HAS worked miracles, these past two seasons. Hawaii is tackling again, hitting. UH brings the thunder now. You can feel it. You can see it. His presence has uplifted this program. His defense is the difference between UH being merely pretty good and having the season it has had.

He's made these guys better. Everybody knows that.

But there's something even better happening, in this story. Something beyond the surface, behind the shades. Are you ready?

"I'm really probably a better coach than I've ever been," Glanville says.

You see, it's happened the other way around, too. These people. This place. These players that he'd been stuck with, rather than been able to replace via the waiver wire, they've coached him, too. Grown with him. Made him better, too.

I hope he doesn't leave, but it sounds like if the right opportunity came up, he would. I don't think June should let him though!

Stephen Tsai writes about Colt Brennan winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy.

It was surprising that a Columbus-based award went to anyone other than the hometown quarterback, Troy Smith of Ohio State.

"That really is unusual," said Dan Morrison, who coaches the UH quarterbacks. "I thought they'd present it to Troy Smith. Colt is very deserving. He had a phenomenal year. I'm glad he's getting recognized."

Told that he will be presented the award at a dinner in Columbus, Brennan said: "This is great. I met Troy (at an awards show). Maybe I'll call him up."

Tsai also talks about the future.

In a sneak preview for spring practice, quarterback Kiran Kepo'o put on an impressive display during yesterday's workouts.

Kepo'o, a 2006 Iolani School graduate, officially joins the Warriors in January. But because UH is not in session, Kepo'o is allowed to practice with the Warriors.

"It's really nice to finally be out here with these guys," said Kepo'o, who was enrolled as a part-time UH student during the fall semester. "It's been a long wait. I had to be patient."

Kepo'o is 6 feet 1 1/4 and 218 pounds. He said he wants to weigh 225 at the start of spring practice in April.

He'll learn a lot under Graunke and Funaki and Brennan.

Dave Reardon profiles Leonard Peters, who's been to the Hawaii Bowl a lot.

He also has a closet full of Hawaii Bowl shirts -- and Hawaii Bowl memories.

"My best is the triple overtime. I made the last tackle," Peters said, referring to UH's wild 54-48 win over Houston in 2003 that ended with a brawl. "They were all fighting and I was lying down on the ground. I was too tired to fight."

Peters has played most of his career hurt, and this year was no exception. He suffered torn rib cartilage in the season-opening game at Alabama.

"He's finally running like he's healthy," Jones said. "The time off (since the Dec. 2 regular-season finale) has a lot to do with it. He played hurt all year. This will be a fun game for him to play, close to 100 percent."

Erick Smith of USA Today calls the Hawaii-Idaho game the Blowout of the Year in college football.

Blowout of the Year: Hawaii 68, Idaho 10 – The Warriors started the game with a kickoff return for a touchdown and didn't slow down. Colt Brennan threw for five touchdowns, part of his astounding total of 53 scoring passes during the regular season.

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press has a bowl game preview with this little blurb on the Hawaii Bowl.

Hawaii, Sunday: Hawaii vs. Arizona State - Hawaii QB Colt Brennan finally gets to play before a national audience during normal waking hours. Watch close, he could be on your NFL fantasy team in nine months.

And finally, here's a really complimentary article by Ryan Finley about Colt Brennan that seems to have been published today, but talks about who might win the Heisman. Good reading nonetheless.

Never heard of Brennan? Then you have not been staying up late enough. Hawaii was a midnight-eastern staple on the four-letter network. And why not? Like any late-night HBO or Cinemax movie, the Warriors had the action, flash and, yes, sex appeal to keep us from spinning the dials or dozing off.

Too bad so many people have bedtimes. While Brennan received my Heisman vote, he failed to make the final three for Saturday's award ceremony.

Instead, the leather-helmeted statue will go to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn or Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden.

Samson

Stephen Tsai profiles Samson Satele as he looks to life after UH.

"If you play in June Jones' system, you know how to pass-block," said Jerry Jones (not related to the Cowboys' owner), who analyzes the NFL draft in his self-published Drugstore List. "That is not a skill for a lot of (college linemen). A lot of (prospects) are solid run-blockers, but they don't have an idea how to pass block."

Jerry Jones said many college centers enter the NFL as guards because of their inexperience in calling out blocking schemes.

"They'll move to center at a certain point," Jones said.

But June Jones said Satele, who moved from left guard this season, made all of the blocking calls as the center this season.

"He's very smart, and he knows what to do," Jones said. Although Satele was a three-year starter at left guard, Jones predicted Satele "would be a good center for us. He probably could play tackle, if we asked him to. He can do it all."

Dave Reardon writes about several ASU players who are coming back home for the Hawaii Bowl.

And finally, ASU coach Dirk Koetter talks about preparing for the Hawaii Bowl.

Do you feel that this game will be like an Arena Football League game, where whoever has the ball last will win the game?

“No. I don’t think we’re equipped like that, like we have been in other years. We have to play to our strengths and do the things we do. We’re attacking Hawaii like we would attack any other team. They’re a little bit different because what the

ASU QB Rudy Carpenter thinks otherwise:

Do you feel that this game will be like an Arena Football League game, where whoever has the ball last will win the game?

“I think it will be a shootout. We’re gonna try and stop that a little by playing defense. I think they’ll be a lot of points scored, which will be fun for the offense.”

Sample

Stephen Tsai profiles Ian Sample, who talks about doing something special for graduation.

In honor of this achievement, Sample will skip the graduation ceremony and instead serve as a volunteer at the 6th Foster Family Christmas Party in the Blaisdell Center.

"I could have walked (at the graduation)," said Sample, who was raised in New Jersey. "But, to me, it's more special when your family is there. They won't be there. (Not walking) doesn't make a difference. I've got the degree. I don't need to prove anything.

"But I really wanted to do something to celebrate my graduation," he added. "I'm lucky (the party) popped up on the schedule."

Can't say enough about the character of this team. I'm so glad Ian got his medical waiver this year. He's been great on and off the field. Check out his game winning touchdown against Purdue:



Dave Reardon talks to the UH players about the importance of the Hawaii Bowl.

"Coach (June) Jones, especially, he's taking this game serious. I think more serious than any other game we've had," junior nose tackle Mike Lafaele said. "It's going to be the seniors' last game. This group ... this is a real special class."

The opponent is Arizona State (7-5), and a win over the Sun Devils would even UH's record this year against BCS schools at 2-2.

"If we beat a Pac-10 school we get respect," sophomore outside linebacker Tyson Kafentzis said. "Hopefully all the WAC teams win and we get respect. Boise, San Jose, us ... we all have a great chance of winning our bowl games. And Nevada too."

A Western Athletic Conference sweep would help Hawaii regain the spot in the Top 25 it lost when UH fell to Oregon State to end the regular season Dec. 2. As Lafaele notes, that would give the Warriors a jump start headed into 2007.

"Hopefully we can do it. I think it would mean a lot to us for our momentum for next year," he said. "We have a lot to stand up for next year, for ourselves and our families."

Should be a good one!

And finally, lots of bowl previews around. Here's one from Lya Wodraska of the Salt Lake Tribune in an article titled A look at the 12 most exciting bowls this year

Arizona State (7-5) vs. Hawaii (10-3)

Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter gets fired and goes to Hawaii. That route has worked for Hawaii coach June Jones. Watch his high-powered offense give Koetter a few parting shots.

Academics

The Star-Bulletin staff have an article about the Warriors taking care of business in the classroom leading up to the Hawaii Bowl.

"We've been missing six, eight, 10 guys a day," Jones said. That's OK, he said. "We do what we can do."

"We are the Harvard of the ocean," defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said. "We've got guys taking tests and studying," ahead of coming to football practice.

Neither coach seemed to mind.

As Jones noted, Hawaii can't afford to be less than demanding when it comes to academics. In March, UH was penalized with the loss of five football scholarships and one baseball scholarship under new NCAA Academic Progress Rate guidelines.

It's also possible that Coach Mouse Davis may be retiring at the end of this season.

UH assistant Mouse Davis, Jones' longtime mentor and his coach at Portland State, isn't 100 percent sure, and won't make any promises or grand pronouncements. But he said yesterday he is leaning toward the Hawaii Bowl against Arizona State being his last game.

"In all likelihood," he said, "I'll be one of the seniors."

It would be his second (third? fourth?) retirement from coaching. After coaching Jones at Portland State, Davis embarked on a long and winding USFL, CFL, NFL and Arena career, before coming back to help his old quarterback at Hawaii. He's had a great time with the UH players, loves the other assistants and "June's kind of my boy," Davis said. It's been a lot of fun.

Still, though he's pretty sure, he won't make a final decision until looking at it after the season. He doesn't want to paint himself into a corner just yet.

"It's still golf season," he said.

Well, if Mouse does retire I think he might want to stick around as an adviser because of all the golfing he can do!

Stephen Tsai writes about a key part of the future offensive line. The graduating senior o-linemen have big praise for John Estes, who moves to center next year.

Flanked by Satele and right tackle Dane Uperesa, Estes received on-the-job training in identifying defenses and coverages.

"I didn't really understand the calls earlier this year," Estes said. "But from game experience and watching Sam make all of the calls, I'm understanding the basic rules."

Satele said: "We told him to listen to me, Dane and Tala (Esera, the left tackle). He's been listening. He's a coachable guy."

...

Satele added: "He knows the offense, and he'll have the spring under his belt (entering training camp). He'll be an awesome o-lineman. John knows what he has to do to be a great o-lineman. I think he'll be the greatest o-lineman to ever play in Hawai'i. He's unbelievable. He's got balance. He's got power. He's got everything."

And he's got three more years here! I think the O-line should be fine next year even if though UH is losing the big three.

And finally, Matt Becker of the AP has a Hawaii Bowl preview.

Don't Go, Reinebold

I don't know how I missed this article from the Advertiser this morning. Stephen Tsai writes that Coach Jeff Reinebold interviewed for the Idaho State head coaching job, but is not a finalist.

"If something was going to happen, it would have had to happen prior to these kids getting back here" to practice for the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, Reinebold said. "Right now my focus, other than recruiting, is to win the bowl game. ... I'm not Mao Tse-tung. He had a five-year plan. I've never done that."

UH coach June Jones said he served as a reference for Reinebold.

"There was some interest," Jones said. "He's been a head coach, and he's done a great job since he's been here. I would hate to lose him. He's very smart, and the players play hard for him, and he teaches them the technique that's needed to win games."

I would really hate to lose him too! I'm glad he'll still be around for now. No stay go, Coach Reinebold!

And in breaking news from today:

University of Hawai'i junior quarterback Colt Brennan was named to the CollegeFootballNews.com All-America second team.

...

Sophomore receiver Davone Bess was an honorable mention selection.

Da Bess is yet to come!

Back in Black

Jason Kaneshiro talks to UH players and coaches about getting back to practice this week.

Even with the stress of finals week still weighing on their minds, the Hawaii Warriors were eager to strap on the pads again yesterday.

"I'm not used to it," senior defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis joked. "It was forever."

The Warriors (10-3) went back to their customary morning schedule yesterday for their first full practice in preparation for their game against Arizona State (7-5) in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at Aloha Stadium on Christmas Eve.

After taking last week off following the regular-season finale against Oregon State on Dec. 2, the team had hour-long workouts on Monday and Wednesday before getting back into their normal practice routine.

"It's the same bowl schedule we've always used and it's worked so far," UH head coach June Jones said. "We're healthier and the kids were sharp."

"On Monday, we had a great practice and came out pretty much on fire," UH quarterback Colt Brennan said. "Today was the first day back in the pads and it was fun to get back into it. ... We're glad to be back. It's always fun to be playing in bowl season."

Lots more quotes in the article. Sounds like the Warriors will come out on fire in the Hawaii Bowl!

And over the past week or so, Stephen Tsai's Warrior Beat blog has EXPLODED with comments. I've done my part by not commenting at all. I wouldn't know where to start! But you should definitely check out the comments section. Sometimes Stephen's comments add more insight to his posts, and there's always great comments by Al, Da Punchbowl Kid, Bulla and a whole host of others. So go there for a lot of Warrior football talk. Just don't feed the trolls.

Wow, Lau Lau

Dave Reardon profiles hard-working, overachieving outside linebacker Micah Lau.

"I always had thoughts (about starting), but I never thought this would happen," Lau said after yesterday afternoon's practice. "It's been a great experience this year, being able to play a lot. It's been a pleasure playing with all these guys, because if it wasn't for them, I don't think I'd be in there."

Lau's stats aren't super impressive; he has 21 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a fumble recovery. But his attention to alignment and assignment prevents big offensive plays and allows other defenders to make the hits.

Freshman Blaze Soares has been getting more playing time in recent games, but Lau remains the starter.

"He plays hard and he's been accountable," UH coach June Jones said. "He completes his assignments and he's given us all he has. He's played well."

Outside linebackers coach George Lumpkin said Lau's work in the weight room allows him to play bigger than he is.

"He's always been a good player, a smart player. Tough guy. With his size, sometimes people think he's going to be overwhelmed, but he doesn't. He does his job and he does it well," Lumpkin said. "He's physical for a small guy and he's smart and he does things right. We thought we'd put him in there and see what he could do because he was always doing things right in practice."

What a Warrior!

Stephen Tsai has more good news on the injury front.

Running back Nate Ilaoa, who is recovering from a deep bruise in his left heel, participated in running drills during the University of Hawai'i football team's practice yesterday.

The Warriors, whose last game was Dec. 2, did not practice last week. Ilaoa did not participate in Monday's practice.

"I rested it a lot," Ilaoa said. "Getting off of it for a week was a real key."

Ilaoa said an MRI did not show any significant damage. "It's all good," Ilaoa said as the team prepares for the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl against Arizona State.

Nose tackle Kahai LaCount also did not experience any difficulty during 7-on-7 drills. LaCount missed the past three games because of a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Tsai also writes that Laupepa Letuli and Michael Lafaele have had time to heal as well.

I once said, without understanding what I was talking about, that the running back is underutilized in June Jones offense. That was before I realized how much blocking, and recently pass-catching, and other things the running back actually does. So I'm ashamed. But now I think, and I hope it continues to be the case, that the punter is underutilized in the June Jones offense. And I'm not ashamed to say it! From the end of Tsai's article:

It was fitting that in the corner of the soccer field, where the Warriors worked out yesterday, future punters were evaluated.

Kurt Milne, a fifth-year senior, completes his UH career following the Hawai'i Bowl. There is no apparent successor, said Mouse Davis, who coordinates the special teams. "It's a toss-up," Davis said, noting the candidates are freshmen Briton Forester and Kenji Hollaway, and sophomore placekicker Daniel Kelly.

Forester was used on extra-point kicks this season. Hollaway is redshirting.

"Kenji was behind, then he came on, then he got ahead," Davis said. In UH's two practices this week "Brit's come back."

In practices Monday and yesterday, Kelly punted.

"He could be a good punter if he spent some time on it," Davis said. "He has to work at it a little more. Right now he spends his whole time kicking. He'll be a good punter because he has a good leg snap, the same thing that makes him a good kicker."

The competition expands when Matt Mielke joins the team in January. Mielke, who is 6 feet 1 and 180 pounds, is enrolled at UH as a part-time student.

Whoever gets the job will probably need to take up crocheting or something to kill time on the sidelines. Give Boise's Ian Johnson a run for his money!

No Stay Go

According to Dave Reardon, there's a possibility that Colt Brennan may be graded as a first-round pick in the NFL draft, which just may mean he'll leave UH.

"I'm very happy here and there are plenty of good reasons to come back. Coming back would definitely be great for the program and for me," said Brennan, who was named a third-team Associated Press All-American yesterday. "But I would definitely have to consider it. That's a pretty big opportunity and there's no guarantee it would be there later. If they (the NFL advisory board) suggest it, I would have to take a step back and look at things."

Two veteran NFL scouts told the Star-Bulletin this week they believe Brennan could be a first-round pick if he went out for the draft. A third scout reserved judgment until he could view tape of Brennan.

Brennan said yesterday a first-round evaluation from the NFL would be the cutoff on considering making a move to the pros.

"The draft people haven't graded me yet, so we'll see how that plays out," Brennan said.

I really hope Colt has a humongous game against Arizona State, even if it bumps him up or solidifies him as a first round pick. I don't want Colt to go, but if he does, there's The Graunke and The Funaki waiting in the wings to run the quadruple option.

But Ferd Lewis is looking ahead to Colt Brennan's 2007 Heisman campaign.

In Arizona State, the Hawai'i Bowl provides what UH needs most right now, a brand-name opponent, to validate the performance of Brennan and the Warriors. But after the Sun Devils, it is up to UH to fill out the 2007 dance card with the kind of opposition that will certify Brennan's efforts and enhance his Heisman standing. This is where UH can help out both Brennan's cause and its own. This is where the missing link, that third of the 2007 schedule UH has yet to announce, needs to play an important role.

One of the hurdles both UH and Brennan have had to overcome this year is the perception of a weak Western Athletic Conference schedule. The strong showing against Purdue helped. Just as another one against ASU would. But for 2007, for Brennan's Heisman candidacy to fly and the Warriors' bid for a place in the polls to take off, the presence of some brand-name opponents on the schedule is a must.

I agree 100%! Let's hope this Michigan State crap can be cleared up so Herman can finalize the schedule!

And finally, Stephen Tsai talks to Colt Brennan about being named to the AP All-American 3rd team.

"This team kind of set out to break barriers, to kind of change the perception of UH football," Brennan said.

"Whether it's winning on the road or achieving national notoriety, we fought through a lot this year. I'm glad to see, at the end of the year, we were able to get the notoriety that we deserved."

And QB coach Dan Morrison has more high praise for Colt.

But Dan Morrison, who coaches the UH quarterbacks, said Brennan is deserving of top recognition.

Morrison noted Brennan accomplished the "unheard of" feat of leading the nation in yards and accuracy. It was likened to a basketball player leading in 3-point attempts and field-goal accuracy.

"To throw for just under 5,000 yards and complete more than 70 percent of your passes, that's just unheard of," Morrison said. "Those two categories don't reconcile together. A high efficiency usually goes to someone who doesn't throw very much."

Wherever Colt is in 2007, he'll be representing Hawaii well.

Back to Practice

Stephen Tsai writes that the Warriors looked sharp as they resumed practice yesterday. The time off gave players a chance to heal.

Free safety Leonard Peters said he has healed from a broken rib cartilage that he suffered in the season opener.

"This is going to be the only game all season, hopefully, when I'm actually healthy," Peters said. "I feel good. (The pain) is gone. (The doctors) always told me I needed a week of rest, but I didn't want to rest because I didn't want to miss any games. Now, hopefully, I'm injury free for the last game."

Nose tackle Kahai LaCount yesterday received medical clearance to play in the Hawai'i Bowl. LaCount missed the final three regular-season games because of a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. He was injured in the final minute of a 61-17 victory over Louisiana Tech.

UH has three personnel groups for different defensive schemes. In the "Jumbo" package, LaCount is the starting nose tackle.

"I'm glad I can get on the field and play one last time for my family, for the team," said LaCount, who will graduate on Sunday.

Cornerback Kenny Patton, who missed the past six games because of multiple fractures in his right collarbone, participated in drills yesterday.

"Kenny Patton is still iffy, but he was out here," Jones said. "I don't think he'll play, but I'll leave it up to him."

After practice, Patton said: "There's always a chance. God does miracles. I'm trying to get in shape. I feel tired right now. I haven't run like that in a while."

Jones said defensive end Laupepa Letuli will be available. Letuli missed the past four games after undergoing a second arthroscopic surgery to repair a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Really good news for all!

Dave Reardon writes about academic All-American Dane Uperesa, who has been busy writing his final thesis.

"I've been writing my thesis paper and it's about 40 to 50 pages. I had to dedicate a lot of time to the computer."

Uperesa is among the Warrior seniors who graduate Sunday. Yesterday, he learned he was named to the District VIII All-Academic team. Uperesa, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.63, is getting a degree in communications.
His thesis deals with the effects of media exposure on body image for males.

"In the research we came across reverse anorexia. Some guys work out too much and it can cause problems," Uperesa said.

For example, big man boobies. That's an unfortunate sight. I'm pretty sure that's not in Dane's paper, but it should be. Later in life, you'll need a Bro, aka "the manssiere."

The opportunistic Dennis Erickson should remind UH football fans of how lucky we are to have June Jones. As Ferd Lewis writes:

Apart from some interesting scenarios, what this latest round of musical chairs in the coaching profession underlines is how remarkable and how well UH has had it. June Jones is finishing up his eighth and best season, putting UH way ahead of the national average in retention, something often gone unappreciated.

At Idaho, which is seeking its third coach in three seasons, that's something they only dream about.

Sounds like Kalani Simpson is taking it somewhat hard.

Yes, we knew Erickson would do this. But we didn't know Erickson would do THIS.

"Had we known that we were going to end up in this situation we would never have gone down that road," Idaho athletic director Rob Spear told the Associated Press (and pretty much anyone else who would listen).

Yes, it's tough to blame coaches for taking what they can when they could in turn be fired at any second after a bad year, on a whim. But he's not some hungry young coach on the make -- he's still got 49ers money coming in. This isn't his last best chance. No, the worst part is that he left just because he could.

And finally, the Star-Bulletin with the breaking news.

Hawaii junior Colt Brennan is the Associated Press All-American team's third-team quarterback, it was announced today.

Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith of Ohio State is the first-team quarterback, and Brady Quinn of Notre Dame is second team.

Congratulations to Colt! Again!

Leonard Peters and the Hawaii Bowl

Ka Leo O Hawaii's Kiyomi Ueda profiles Leonard Peters.

For someone who never planned to attend UH, Peters has shown his commitment to the Warriors, to his teammates and coaches.

“The fact that he is as good as he is does not surprise me,” Glanville said. “It’s just that he plays so hard, he hurts himself. This year, he hurt his knee, he hurt his rib cage and he self-destructs because he has such a big heart and tries so hard.”

Peters’ give-all style is a good show for his fellow teammates.

“As a player, he’s an animal,” said junior quarterback Colt Brennan, “a wild man on the field. He’s fun to watch and he kind of leads by example. He really inspires us just by the way he plays because he’s just 100 percent.”

Peters’ experience as a defensive back has allowed him to become familiar with the defense and become a leader for the team.

“He’s really a great leader on the field ... and he’s fast,” said junior strong safety Jacob Patek. “He can cover a lot of ground and he makes a lot of plays. He’s just a great player. He has a great head on his shoulders, he knows the defense really well and that’s what makes him a great player. That’s what I think will help him on the next level.”

Lots of praise from teammates and coaches. Let's hope he has a great final game against Arizona State!

Ka Leo's Scott Alonso previews the Hawaii Bowl.

ASU head coach, Dirk Koetter, in his final season ASU, is excited for his players to travel to Hawai‘i to play in the Hawai‘i Bowl.

“The players are ecstatic about making the trip,” Koetter said in a telephone interview last week. “They view this bowl game as a reward for their season.”

Koetter recognized that his defense will have to play mistake-free against Hawai‘i.

“We better [play good defense] if we have a chance to win,” Koetter said. The Sun Devils are 27th in the country in team defense and their defensive line has an impressive 31 sacks on opposing quarterbacks.

ASU’s defense has also stopped opposing teams from coming back in the second half, where they only allow an average of 7.9 points.

Koetter had nothing but praise for UH’s offense, something his defense will have to deal with all game long.

Should be a great battle.

Glancing Ahead

UH still has the Hawaii Bowl to play, so I don't want to take a full look ahead, but Colt Brennan has brought a lot of good publicity to the University of Hawaii this past week that should carry over into next year, if he stays. Or even if he doesn't. But stay Colt, stay. No stay go. Anyway, Stephen Tsai talks to Colt about his trip.

"That was a lot of traveling," Brennan said. "Except for that, it was a fun trip."

Brennan said the best part was learning that, according to a polling of fans, he finished second in the Heisman and first in the Davey O'Brien races.

"That means just as much as winning the awards," Brennan said. "I realize maybe the football analysts and so-called experts might not think I'm worthy, but people across America thought I was, and that's pretty special.

"Most of all, it was chance to put our program in the national spotlight. I'm glad I'm able to represent the team and Hawai'i."

He placed 6th in Heisman, so if he returns, he'll be on a lot of pundits Heisman 2007 watch lists, including the people who gave him a first place vote this year, like Stephen Tsai mentions in this Warrior Beat post.

There's also people who put him in their top 3 this year, including Jerry Ratcliffe of The Daily Progress:

I like Brennan more than Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn. I’ve stayed up a few nights to watch Brennan play and he executes June Jones’ offense to precision. You may not have heard much about him because Hawaii gets little pub with the lateness of their games, but he’s the real deal. He’s one touchdown pass short of an NCAA record 54 this season and leads the nation in five statistical categories, including 4,990 passing yards.

Bernie Lincicome of The Rocky Mountain News sounds like he'll have a vote as well.

And the best quarterback in college football is not any of the above. The best quarterback in college football is junior Colt Brennan of Hawaii, hardly a household name even in his own house.

And it also helps Brennan and the school when he's listed as a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, or even... the Cingular?

Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, Rutgers running back Ray Rice, and Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith have been selected as the four finalists for the Cingular All-America Player of the Year by a panel of ESPN college football analysts.

Fans can determine the winner by text messaging "VOTE" to "87654" on their wireless phone and casting their votes for the nominees. Fans who participated in the Player of the Week voting during the season will automatically receive a text message with the four candidates.

So start texting!

Awards Wrap-Up

Stephen Tsai with the news of Colt's experience at the awards show in Florida, along with quotes from the coaches.

"It was truly a great experience, hanging around some of these great, great players," (QB coach Dan) Morrison said of Brennan. "He should feel he belongs. The experience will make him better and lift him up. He was pleased people around the country knew about him. It surprised him, and made him feel good."

Morrison said the other players were aware of Brennan's accomplishments.

Brennan leads the nation in total offense (410.8 yards per game), passing yards (4,990), touchdown passes (53), pass efficiency (182.8 rating) and points responsible for (27.54 per game).

"The (other) players knew it," Morrison said. "They were basically telling him 'to keep going.' They were very respectful of what he had done.

"Players know and coaches know it's no fluke," Morrison added. "It's not tied to the (Warriors' four-wide offensive) system. He operates within the system at an extremely high level. But that's him. That's not the system. The system helps him, but you have to be very special to do what he did."

Morrison also said the trip should serve as the launch for Brennan's 2007 campaign.

"The thing that happened is once you've been here, and kind of laid the ground work, it helps you for next year," Morrison said. "You're better known to the writers and people who do the voting. It's like he belongs. He's not an aberration. He's for real."

He is for real. He's realer than Real Deal Holyfield.

Coach McKnight feels Samson should've gotten more recognition.

"It's a shame, really," Mc-Knight said. "Most people say, 'Well, he doesn't run-block enough.' Well, first of all, in the NFL, you get paid to pass-block. And second, he's an unbelievable run-blocker.

"I would be hard-pressed to find a better center in college football," McKnight added. "He's a complete center. Nobody's quicker. Nobody's smarter. Whoever they picked for the first team, I'm sure, came from a so-called, big-time conference or top-ranked school."

Not that the other dude isn't deserving, but Samson is the Emperor.

The Star-Bulletin has a wrap-up of the awards show with some quotes from the winners.

News from the Day

The Star-Bulletin wraps it up pretty nicely.

Hawaii junior quarterback Colt Brennan did not win either of the two awards he was up for yesterday at the Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show at Buena Vista, Fla. tonight.

But Brennan did attain Walter Camp Foundation second-team All-America honors.

He was also named an honorable mention, along with sophomore receiver Davone Bess, on Sports Illustrated's si.com All-American team. Senior center Samson Satele made the si.com second team.

Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, a heavy favorite for the Heisman Trophy, won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award.

From this Advertiser article, here's a link to the Sports Illustrated All-Americans.

Colt Brennan was also being a cool guy to all the Pop Warner kids from Hawaii.

University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan took time out Thursday morning to visit two Pop Warner teams from Hawai'i, participating in the Pop Warner Super Bowl festivities in Orlando.

Brennan was greeted by the Manoa Paniolo and Koloa Packers at the Disney All-Star Resort where he addressed about 75 players on both teams. Brennan spooke about having fun at the College Football Awards Festivities and asked the kids where the best place to visit in Orlando. The response was an enthusiastic "Magic Kingdom" from the youngsters.

After addressing the Pop Warner teams, Brennan stayed to sign about 200 autographs before returning to the Boardwalk Hotel, where he attended a hosted breakfast by the Walter Camp All-America Committee. Earlier this morning, Brennan taped a segment for ESPN's "Cold Pizza" from the ESPN Club.

If I was a kid, I'd be on cloud nine if Colt came out to speak to our team.

And finally, today Stephen Tsai burns with a righteous anger on the Warrior Beat.

I think somebody forgot to let the judges know that the Davey O'Brien award goes to the nation's best quarterback, not the best player on the best team. Notice when the winner, Ohio State's Troy Smith, was introduced, the talk was only about the intangibles. So I guess Smith led the nation in intangibles and "nobody meant more to his team" victories.
Want intangibles? How about Colt Brennan had to overcome the obstacles of playing for a program where there's no soap in the players' showers, the coaches' carpets were installed during the Reagan Adminstration, and the athletic director has to work out in dress loafers (see picture accompanying Catherine Toth's profile on Herman Frazier).

More at The Beat! There's so much condescending BCS BS WAC (and other non-BCS) players gotta deal with. If you play outside of the BCS, you're not supposed to be better than the players playing in the BCS, so you already have 10 strikes against you when it comes to getting any national respect, recognition or even acknowledgement. Anyway, that's my mini-rant. Can't wait for the Hawaii Bowl!

No Go

Stephen Tsai writes about Colt Brennan not being invited to New York, and what could've been.

"I was telling (teammates) how much I was going to give love and praise and just represent Hawai'i the way it should be represented," Brennan said.

National voting closed yesterday, and the finalists were invited to New York for the Heisman show on Saturday, when the winner will be announced.

"I was going to have fun with it," Brennan said. "If I got invited, it wasn't going to me going up there as a candidate. It was going to be me going up there and having fun and kind of showcasing what this Hawai'i football team is all about.

"I was born and raised in SoCal," added Brennan, a native of Orange County, "but Hawai'i's my home away from home. I love Hawai'i, and I was going to let people know what a great place it is and how great the people are."

He would've represented Hawaii well. The Star-Bulletin compiled staff and wire reports for this article.

"Everything that has been happening this year has raised the bar for next year," Brennan said. "We have a chance to start the season in the national spotlight next season and carry it out throughout the entire season. If we do everything right in the offseason, working out, recruiting, getting in the weight room, we have the potential to be a great football team next year with the experience behind it."

I think for Brennan to get an invite next year, UH needs to schedule and beat some ranked teams, and Brennan needs to pass for like 6000 yards and 60 touchdowns. I mean, if he doesn't get invited this year with his amazing stats, then that's what'll have to happen to overcome the biases.

Dave Reardon writes that Tala Esera has accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game.

Esera's stock rose steadily during Hawaii's 10-3 regular season, in which he helped anchor the nation's statistically best offense. One scout said Esera was graded a potential free agent before the season started, but is now considered a likely third-round draft choice.

"I don't know about that," the 6-4, 308-pound Esera said. "I don't really pay attention to it."

UH offensive line assistant Dennis McKnight does.

"He's the best offensive tackle I've seen on film this year. He should be at the Senior Bowl," McKnight said. "The East-West Shrine Game is a helluva opportunity and he is very deserving."

Congrats to Tala! Dave also writes that former UH football player Vincent Sides passed away in Los Angeles.

"It looks like a heart attack, but they don't know for sure," said UH outside linebackers coach George Lumpkin, who recruited and coached Sides. "He was doing well, a great guy. I guess God takes good ones, too."

R.I.P.

Colt and Ross

Ferd Lewis writes about Colt Brennan, who just might break David Klingler's season TD record. I wasn't able to use all of my awesome countdown graphics during the past liveblog, but I'm hoping I can use them for the Hawaii Bowl! Anyway, here's an excerpt from Ferd's column.

Klingler, whose probation-slapped Cougars were not permitted a bowl game that year, set his record in 11 games. But don't imagine for a moment that he got cheated on playing time or tosses. While Brennan has played more games, the Hawai'i Bowl will be his 14th, Klingler will end up having thrown more passes. Klingler's 643 pass attempts are 126 more than Brennan has launched so far. Brennan just made the most of his tries, completing 72 percent, compared to Klingler's 58 percent.

And here's a clip of team MVP Ross Dickerson scoring a touchdown by leaping over Davone Bess and a Purdue player.



Awesome Ross-ome!

And I think we'll find out if Colt is headed to New York or not later today. Check out the starbulletin.com or honoluluadvertiser.com for the breaking news. I'll eventually post it here too.

UPDATE: Brennan did not get the invite.

Accolades

Stephen Tsai talks to Coach Jones and some players who were named to the All-WAC first team.

Each day, Esera makes the long ride from the North Shore. A greater journey was going from an unheralded defensive lineman to one of the nation's best backside blockers. "He really turned it up this year," Jones said. "He hustled. He was an inspirational leader."

Esera, who is married with two children, credits his family. He said he receives "big time" support from his parents and in-laws. "I'm very thankful," Esera said. "All I have to do is show up and go to classes."

Esera and Peters, both Kahuku High graduates, coaxed Jones into allowing the team to perform the haka. Jones said the haka, which often brings him to tears, will become a "new tradition" for the Warriors.

Peters is playing — and performing the haka — despite a chipped cartilage in his rib cage and partially torn ligament in his right knee. "I can't imagine playing safety with a broken rib," Jones said.

"You get used to it," Peters said. "You try and focus it somewhere else."

Jones described Peters as "not just a great player, but a great person."

You can see video interviews of Nate, Colt, Tala, Leonard, Ikaika, and Samson on the top of that page. Or you can click here.

Dave Reardon talks to Colt Brennan, who heaps praise on the team MVP, Ross Dickerson.

"I really think that Ross deserves that. A lot of times behind the scenes, you wonder why guys persevere. It's because the team respects him and what he's doing and he really respects them. We saw that in Ross," Brennan said.

"And he brought that mentality into this year. It didn't matter what he was asked to do. He was going to learn it and be the ultimate team player. I can't imagine a better MVP on our team this year."

...

"A lot of times, a guy being covered and running the right route to be covered is what's setting his buddy up to be wide open. If you're not open and you try to get open, you might ruin the play for everyone," the quarterback said. "Ross fulfilled that to the maximum. And because he was a senior, it filtered on down to the younger guys, and I hope the guys who come back carry it through next year."

Ross-ome!

Dave Reardon also talks to June, who believes Colt deserves a trip to New York.

None has had a better season statistically this fall. That's why Brennan leaves this afternoon for Orlando, Fla., to participate in ESPN's college football awards show on Thursday, accompanied by his parents, quarterback coach Dan Morrison, and UH media relations director Lois Manin. He's up for the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award. Ohio State's Troy Smith and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn are the other finalists. Brennan is also a finalist for the Walter Camp Award that goes to the nation's top player, similar in qualifications to the Heisman.

Because Smith is probably a runaway Heisman winner, the Downtown Athletic Club might choose to bring just two others to the ceremony, diminishing Brennan's chances. He finds out tomorrow, after voting is completed at noon Hawaii time. (Star-Bulletin sports editor Paul Arnett e-mailed his ballot yesterday. It will be disclosed Sunday.)

I really hope Colt makes it to New York. It would be great for him and for the school. And it would give the critics who don't watch UH games but criticize UH anyway something else to cry about. Fun!

WAC Awards

Star-Bulletin with the news:

Hawaii junior quarterback Colt Brennan is the Western Athletic Conference offensive player of the year, and UH's June Jones is the league's coach of the year.

Also, nine Warriors made the first team in voting conducted by WAC coaches announced today.


Sophomore receiver Davone Bess, senior center Samson Satele, senior left tackle Tala Esera, senior running back Nate Ilaoa, senior defensive ends Ikaika Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell, senior safety Leonard Peters and senior special teams player Ross Dickerson join Brennan on the first team.


Junior receiver Jason Rivers, senior right tackle Dane Uperesa, junior nose tackle Mike Lafaele and sophomore linebacker Adam Leonard were named to the second team.


Boise State linebacker Korey Hall is the WAC defensive player of the year. He is one of seven Broncos named to the first team.


Kamehameha graduate Caleb Spencer (Nevada) made the second team as a receiver.

Stephen Tsai gets Colt's and Nate's reactions:

"That's awesome about coach Jones," Brennan said. "He did a great job. I'm so happy for him."

Brennan, who leads the nation in total offense and touchdown passes, called his award "a great honor. It's huge. I remember during the summer when they said I was going to be the preseason Player of the Year. I said then it only matters what happens at the end of the year. I'm glad (the voters) thought I did a good job.

"But again, this isn't about me. It's about our offense. We wanted to make a statement that we weren't one of the best offenses in the nation. We wanted to win the overall title. That's why this is a good honor for the receivers, the o-line and Nate. They deserve as much credit."

Ilaoa, who is Brennan's roommate on the road, praised Brennan and the rest of the offense.

"I'm happy for everybody," Ilaoa said. "It's a good thing."

Congratulations to all!

More Banquet

Stephen Tsai liveblogged last night's UH football banquet. Here's an excerpt:

Jones is announcing the offensive MVPs. Colt Brennan and Nate Ilaoa are announced together.
"I want to thank Nate Ilaoa, my roommate, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be standing next to him right now," Brennan says.
Ilaoa thanks Brennan "for giving me the ball," and thanks the fans.
Jones is introducing Ikaika Alama-Francis. Jones says he knew from Alama-Francis' first pass rush in practice that he "would one day be an unbelievable pass rusher." Jones says Alama-Francis weighed 205 when he moved from the basketball team.
Jones says the other devensive MVP, Melila Purcell III, weighed 208 as a freshman. Jones says Purcell and his family "have been an absolute joy to have here."
"We both want to thank everybody. This is a special moment for everyody. Thank you coach Jones for believing in 205-pound basketball player," Alama-Francis says.
"I guess Ikaika said thank you to everybody I was supposed to say thank you to," Purcell says, then thanks the fans.
Jones says Timo Paepule, the special teams MVP, "does it perfectly." Jones says Paepule looks a little like Henry Kapono. Teammates chant "Ti-mo...Ti-mo" as he walks to the stage.
Paepule thanks the other special team players, then adds: "Mom and dad, I love you, too."

Lots more at the Warrior Beat. Check it out!

Banquet

Stephen Tsai writes that JC All-American safety Erik Robinson has committed to becoming a Warrior.

Erik Robinson of Navarro Junior College in Texas said he will sign his national letter of intent Dec. 20, the first day of the early-commitment period.

...

Robinson's 115 tackles were the most by a defensive back in the nation this season. He also recovered three fumbles, returning one for a 60-yard touchdown, intercepted two passes and forced two fumbles.

Robinson was named to the JC GridWire Preseason All-America teams in 2005 and 2006.

Good to have him!

Tsai also writes that Ross Dickerson was voted the winner of the Alec Waterhouse MVP award at last night's team banquet.

Dave Reardon talks to Ross about getting the award.

"I'm very surprised, I had no idea I was going to win this," Dickerson said. "It could have been a lot of people. Leonard (Peters), Mel (Purcell), Adam (Leonard), Chad Mock. Everyone on the team is an MVP. We won because we played for each other."

Last year, unsung center Derek Fa'avi was the MVP.

Dickerson, a fifth-year senior from Saint Louis School, was often overshadowed by more well-known teammates on the nation's statistically best offense. But he is clearly the team's most versatile performer.

"Of all the years I've been here, this guy represents what we are trying to do as a team," Hawaii head coach June Jones said. "He never said anything, he just worked and fought through injuries. He gave up a lot to his teammates."

Other award winners were:

Scholar-Athlete: Dane Uperesa.

Ben Yee Most Inspirational: Tala Esera.

Captain's Awards: Samson Satele (offense), Leonard Peters (defense), Mike Malala (special teams).

Warrior Club: Colt Brennan and Nate Ilaoa (offense), Ikaika Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell (defense), Timo Paepule (special teams).

Scout Team: William Brogan (offense), Ryan Perry (defense), Jayson Rego (special teams).

A big congratulations to the award winners and a gigantic congratulations to all the seniors who played their hearts out this year!

Kiyomi Ueda of Ka Leo O Hawaii has quotes from the banquet as well as a list of the seniors.

Experience Playing For UH

Ikaika Alama-Francis: “It was incredible; I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.”

Reagan Mauia: “All around it was just a great experience; it’s been lovely playing here in front of Hawai‘i. To play, it’s been my honor, to play for Coach Jones.”

Dane Uperesa: “I’m just at a loss for words; the fans came out and to me, that’s Hawai‘i. The noise that they made and the support they showed, even after the loss they are still here to cheer us on. It’s just been a blast and is something I’ll never forget.”

Nate Ilaoa: “It’s been great overall, from beginning to end, just very special.”

Leonard Peters: “It was great, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Ian Sample: “It’s been great, it’s had its ups and downs, but this season has been spectacular.”

There's more quotes from that article. Those guys will be missed!

Hawaii vs Oregon State Newspaper Wrap-Ups

Dave Reardon recaps the game.

Stephen Tsai recaps the game and gets a quote from Colt Brennan regarding his last pass.

"If I could have it back, I would have it back," Brennan said of the pass that short-hopped Rivers with 2:08 remaining. "In a million years, I could have easily made the pass. I just rushed it. I threw it. I wasn't anticipating (Rivers) to stop.

Unfortunately, he was trying to get the guy off of him so he could really make sure he got wide open. I just threw it too early. If I put a little more air on it, we would have had a first down, and we probably would have won the game. It's a bummer, man. It's a game of inches."

The Kaneshiros, Stacy and Jason, who I'd like to believe are estranged twins, one good and one evil, working at competing papers, both highlight Davone Bess' performance last night. Stacy writes how Bess evaded the initial defender to break a long punt return.

"It was just a matter of me keeping focus," Bess said of fielding the punt despite having Lawson pretty much in his face. "He was right there."

But Lawson didn't faze Bess.

"In practice, we practice drills like that," he said. "One of the guys just comes in our face and just stays in our face the whole time. It's just a matter of focusing and concentrating. After that, it's about going out and trying to make plays."

Bess said it was an instinctive act and doesn't recall which way he moved.

"I pretty much went off of his movement," Bess said. "He came one way, so I just went the opposite way. It's all about instinct. That's the game of football. It was nothing I planned. I just went."

Jason writes that Davone's mom was in town.

"I loved it, it was awesome," Carpenter said. "He played really well. ... Just watching it on TV all the time, I was like, 'I've got to get there. I've got to get there.' Now I'm here and I enjoyed it. I loved it."

Said Bess: "It's real special. It's her first time being in Hawaii since I've been here, so it was really emotional for me. It was real fun to look up and see her cheering. I had a great time overall, but it would have been a lot sweeter if we would have won."

Nick Abramo interviewed some OSU players, including:

Beavers free safety Al Afalava, another Kahuku graduate, loved being back in Hawaii.

"I'm used to people cheering for me at Aloha Stadium, but they booed me and that was hard," Afalava said. "But this is the loudest crowd I've seen here at Aloha Stadium and it's one of the loudest at any stadium I've seen. Coach Riley always tells us to finish and we finished. We wasn't playing in the first half and in the second half we got motivated and all psyched up."

Kyle Sakamoto writes how UH didn't play their game, or the Beavers played UH's game, or both.

The University of Hawai'i football team — known for quick scores and plenty of points — did something it normally doesn't do — dominated the time of possession.

The big plays came from Oregon State last night in a 35-32 victory over Hawai'i at Aloha Stadium, ending the Warriors' nine-game winning streak.

The Star-Bulletin Sports Notebook discusses Ross Dickerson's position and number change last night.

Dickerson, wearing No. 37 rather than his customary 82, lined up in the backfield alongside quarterback Colt Brennan to open the game. Reagan Mauia, another senior running back, started in a slot as an extra blocker.

"I played a little bit of running back in high school (at Saint Louis)," Dickerson said. "We practiced it all week."

The outcome didn't turn out the way the senior class had hoped, as Oregon State held on for a 35-32 win before a sold-out Aloha Stadium. But they found some solace in that they'll have one more shot to go out with a win in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

"It's too bad we lost tonight, but we're looking forward to playing Arizona State and redeeming ourselves a little bit," Dickerson said.

He looked really good running the ball.

Kalani Simpson writes about the recruiting battle that may or may not have been taking place on the field.

And a win? How much is that worth?

"Kids are going to make their decisions based on how they feel about a school," former UH icon turned Oregon State villain Mike Cavanaugh said between hugs. "So I don't think it had anything to do with it."

No, of course not.

Gotta love him. Same old Cav.

...

But the Beavers have been up at Turtle Bay all week, making no secret of their intentions. Now, this game. To the winner goes the spoils?

"I don't think so," Reinebold said. It went down to the last minutes. It was a close game, a great game. Everybody realizes that. That's what the 17-year-old guys on the sidelines will remember.

And finally, Ferd Lewis writes a lament, and I can't blame him.

One second-half touchdown.

As the confetti whirled around a slow-to-empty sold-out Aloha Stadium and the tempered Senior Night celebration wound down, it was the incongruity of that lone second-half TD on the scoreboard that stuck with you the most in Oregon State's 35-32 victory over the University of Hawai'i last night.

It hung there hauntingly the way a full moon had for a brief moment earlier.

A dog barked in the distance. And then Vampire Lestat forlornly bit Ferd Lewis on the neck, but Ferd didn't care as he was resigned to his forlorn fate. Forlorn! I feel much the same way. Because of this, and unexpected visitors coming soon, I will not be posting any stats. But you can see them here.

Hawaii 32, Oregon State 35

Oregon State played great tonight as Colt was under pressure all night long. He got sacked six times, and it would've been more if it wasn't for his mobility. Hawaii scored 30 points on offense, but in the end, the Oregon State defense, along with crucial turnovers, was just too much for Hawaii to overcome. If Peters makes that interception, or if Bess breaks that punt return, or a bunch of other things, it might be a different story. But that's the way it is in a close game. I really wanted this win for the seniors. At least there's one more game left for them to play, in the Hawaii Bowl. Congratulations to all of them. Here are some stats:

Colt Brennan was 37 of 50 for 401 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 2 interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.

Davone Bess had 10 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Adam Leonard had 10 tackles, including 1 for a loss.

LiveBlogging: Hawaii vs Oregon State

All Times Game Clock!

Final Score: Hawaii 32, Oregon State 35

1st Quarter:

15:00 - Warriors will receive!

14:55 - OSU kicks off and it's downed in the end zone by Ross Dickerson.

14:35 - On 1st and 10 from the UH 20, hand off to ROSS DICKERSON??? for a couple of yards.

14:00 - On 2nd and 2 from the UH 22, Colt Brennan hands off to to Dickerson again out to the 30 for a first down.

13:40 - On 1st down from the UH 31, Colt Brennan hits Davone Bess over the middle to the UH 35. Ross Dickerson by the way, is number 37 tonight.

13:00 - On 2nd and 6 from the UH 35, Colt Brennan hits Davone Bess over the middle to the UH 41 for a FIRST DOWN!!!

12:30 - On 1st down from the UH 31, hand off to Ryan Grice-Mullins who takes it all the way to the OSU 19 yard line!!!!

12:00 - On 1st down from the OSU 19, Brennan gets sacked back at the 22.

11:20 - On 2nd and 13 from the OSU 22, Brennan is sacked back at the 31. CRAP.

10:35 - On 3rd and 22 from the OSU 31, Brennan dumps it off to Reagan Mauia for a really short gain. 4th down.

9:44 - Dan Kelly's 50 yard field goal attempt is no good.

9:44 - UH just confused the hell out of me on that opening drive. Ross Dickerson with a different number, hand offs to Dickerson and Grice-Mullins. It was working! No sign of Nate Ilaoa yet.

9:20 - On 1st down from the OSU 32, penalty on Oregon State. False start.

9:10 - On 1st down from the OSU 27, Matt Moore throws deep to no one. 2nd and 15.

8:55 - On 2nd and 15 from the OSU 27, hand off is taken to the 29. 3rd down.

8:20 - On 3rd and 13, the screen pass is dropped! 4th down!

8:14 - OSU punts away and Davone Bess takes it on the 13, and he takes it out to around the 25! Timeout.

8:05 - On 1st down from the UH 26, Colt Brennan hits Ryan Grice-Mullins out to the 29.

7:15 - On 2nd down from the UH 29, Brennan's pass is dropped by RGM. 3rd down.

7:08 - On 3rd down and 7 from the UH 29, Brennan hits Ross Dickerson all the way out to the OSU 45 for a FIRST DOWN!!!!

6:45 - On 1st down from the OSU 45, Brennan scrambles out to the OSU 40 for a gain of 5 yards.

6:05 - On 2nd and 5 from the OSU 40, Brennan hands off to Ross Dickerson, who takes it to the 35. They're gonna measure for a first down.

5:39 - On 3rd and 1 from the OSU 35, Brennan sneaks it to the 32 for a first down!

4:50 - On 1st down from the OSU 32, Brennan gets hit and fumbles, but Reagan Mauia catches it in mid-air and TAKES IT TO THE 25 yard line!!!! WOW!!!

4:00 - On 2nd down from the OSU 25, Brennan hits Bess at the 20 yard line for a first down!!!

3:30 - On 1st down from the OSU 20, hand off to Mauia, who's stopped at the line of scrimmage.

2:50 - On 2nd and 10 from the OSU 20, hand off to Bess, who fumbles at the 23, but it's ruled down. I think.

2:44 - On 3rd down, Brennan's pass to Davone Bess is off his hands in the end zone. 4th down.

2:37 - Dan Kelly's 39 yard field goal attempt is no good. OSU will get the ball back.

2:30 - On 1st down from the UH 21, OSU's RB, Yvenson Bernard, takes it out to the 40.

1:54 - On 1st down from the OSU 40, Bernard takes it to midfield. Another first down.

1:35 - On 1st down from the UH 49, Bernard is stopped for a short gain to the UH 47.

0:55 - On 2nd and 8 from the UH 47, Bernard takes it to the 45. 3rd down.

0:18 - On 3rd and 5 from the UH 45, Matt Moore's pass is complete out to the UH 36. First down.

0:06 - On 1st down from the UH 36, Matt Moore completes a pass to the left sideline out to the 21. 1st down.

0:01 - On 1st down from the UH 21, Matt Moore throws for a touchdown to the tight end, Joe Newton.

0:00 - PAT is good. Hawaii 0, Oregon State 7


2nd Quarter:

15:00 - Oregon State kicks off, and it's taken by an uplineman and pitched back to Ross Dickerson, who takes it to the 35.

14:35 - On 1st down from the UH 36, Colt Brennan is sacked back at the 26 yard line.

13:59 - On 2nd and 18, Brennan pitches to Mauia, who takes it all the way to the 50 yard line for a first down!!!

13:30 - On 1st down from the OSU 49, Brennan hits Ian Sample, who takes it out to the OSU 36 yard line!

13:00 - Brennan swings it out to Ryan Grice-Mullins who breaks a couple tackles and takes it to the OSU 13 yard line!!!

12:44 - On 1st down from the OSU 13, Brennan hands off to Nate Ilaoa, who stiff arms his way to the OSU 5 yard line!!!!!

12:28 - On 2nd down from OSU 5, Brennan's pass is incomplete, but there's interference on Oregon State.

12:27 - Timeout taken by UH.

12:25 - On 1st down from the OSU 2, hand off to Ilaoa, who takes it to the 1. Ilaoa fumbles, but it's ruled down.

11:50 - Oregon State calls a timeout.

11:40 - On 2nd and goal from the OSU 1, Brennan hands off to Nate Ilaoa, who TAKES IT IN FOR A TOUCHDOWN!!!!

11:27 - Briton Forester's PAT attempt is good. Hawaii 7, Oregon State 7

11:24 - Dan Kelly kicks off and it's taken back for a TOUCHDOWN. Oh my goodness.

11:10 - OSU's PAT attempt is good. Hawaii 7, Oregon State 14

11:10 - Well, at least it gives the UH defense some extra rest....

11:05 - OSU kicks off, and it's taken out by an up-lineman to around the 37.

10:45 - On 1st down from the UH 39, Brennan dumps it to Nate Ilaoa, who takes it to the 45.

10:05 - On 2nd down and 3 from the UH 46, Brennan throws incomplete along the sideline. 3rd down.

9:52 - On 3rd and 3 from the UH 46, Brennan hits Chad Mock into OSU territory for a first down!

9:50 - On 1st down from the OSU 40, there's a flag before the play.

9:46 - On 1st and 15 from the OSU 45, Brennan hands off to Nate Ilaoa, who barrels his way to the OSU 36.

9:10 - On 2nd and 6 from the OSU 36, Nate Ilaoa takes the hand off to the 32. 3rd down.

8:30 - On 3rd and 1 from the OSU 31, Brennan's pass is batted away. 4th down. GO FOR IT!!!

8:23 - They're goin for it!

8:23 - On 4th and 1 from the OSU 31, Brennan on the keeper takes it all the way to the OSU 13 yard line!!!!

7:50 - On 1st down from the OSU 12, Brennan's pass in the end zone is JUST off of Ross Dickerson's fingers.

7:43 - On 2nd down from the OSU 12, Nate Ilaoa takes it to the 4 yard line, just short of the first down!

7:05 - On 3rd and 2 on the OSU 4, Brennan scrambles AND TAKES IT IN FOR A TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!

6:54 - Briton Forester's PAT IS GOOD! Hawaii 14, Oregon State 14

6:50 - Dan Kelly kicks off, and it's taken out to the OSU 24.

6:40 - On 1st down from the OSU 25, Matt Moore completes a pass out to the 33.

5:50 - On 2nd and 2 from the OSU 33, Bernard takes it to the 40 for a first down.

5:12 - On 1st down from the OSU 40, Moore completes a pass to Sammie Stroughter to the UH 46.

4:55 - On 1st down from the UH 46, Bernard takes it to the UH 36. Sheesh.

4:05 - On 2nd and 1 from the UH 37, Bernard takes it to the 30, for a first down. And an OSU guy shoves Adam Leonard, but no flag is thrown.

3:30 - On 1st down from the UH 30, Matt Moore completes a touchdown pass.

3:26 - OSU's PAT attempt is good. Hawaii 14, OSU 21. It's gonna be a shootout.

3:24 - OSU kicks a pooch, and it's taken by Blaze Soares out to around the 30.

3:00 - On 1st down from the UH 27, Brennan passes to Nate Ilaoa, and he's dropped around the line of scrimmage.

2:13 - On 2nd and 11 from the UH 26, Brennan completes a pass to Jason Rivers. He fumbles it but quickly recovers it, and then an OSU player hits him on the ground. Personal foul on OSU.

1:45 - On 1st down from the UH 47, Nate Ilaoa takes the handoff into OSU territory to the 46.

1:10 - On 2nd down, Brennan completes a pass to Davone Bess, who takes it to the OSU 34! First down!

0:55 - On 1st down from the OSU 34, Brennan hits Davone Bess at the 27.

0:41 - Hawaii takes a timeout.

0:39 - On 2nd down from the OSU 27, Brennan hits Davone Bess who gets the first down out to the 21!

0:30 - On 1st down from the 21, Brennan hits RGM, who takes it to the 11 yard line for a first down!

0:25 - On 1st down from the OSU 10, Brennan hits Davone Bess in the end zone for a TOUCHDOWN!!!!

0:20 - Penalty on Oregon State is declined!!!! So it's a real touchdown!



0:20 - Briton Forester's PAT attempt is GOOD! Hawaii 21, Oregon State 21

0:20 - That's right, I have a Colt Brennan touchdown graphic!

0:18 - Dan Kelly squibs it, and Oregon State downs it around the 38.

0:04 - On 1st down from the 40, OSU hands off and time runs out. END OF HALF.

0:00 - Hawaii 21, Oregon State 21


2nd Half

3rd Quarter:

15:00 - Dan Kelly kicks off out of the side of the end zone for a touchback.

14:53 - On 1st down from the OSU 20, Matt Moore completes a pass to Stroughter out to the 33 for a quick first down.

14:22 - On 1st down from the OSU 32, Bernard takes it to the 39.

13:52 - On 2nd and 3 from the OSU 39, Bernard takes it to the OSU 47 for another first down.

13:20 - On 1st down from the OSU 47, Matt Moore is nearly picked off by Jacob Patek and Leonard Peters. Oh man!

13:10 - On 2nd and 10 from the OSU 47, Bernard takes it to the 50. 3rd down.

12:35 - On 3rd and 7 from the 50, Matt Moore's pass is incomplete! 4th down!

12:25 - OSU punts and it bounces out of bounds at the UH 1 yard line. Nice punt. Bastard.

12:15 - On 1st down from the UH 1, Colt Brennan throws out of bounds.

12:02 - On 2nd and 10 from the UH 1, Brennan hits Ian Sample on a screen to the 4 yard line.

11:25 - On 3rd and 7 from the UH 4, Brennan hits Davone Bess out at the 21 yard line for a first down!!!!

10:55 - On 1st down from the UH 21, Ross Dickerson takes the hand off, but he is dropped around the 19 yard line.

10:15 - On 2nd down from the UH 19, Brennan hits Jason Rivers on a short route, and he breaks a couple tackles and takes it out to the UH 40!!!

10:02 - On 1st down from the UH 42, Brennan hits Ian Sample, who takes it to around the 50. Nice.

9:43 - On 1st down from the OSU 48, Brennan flips it to Nate Ilaoa, who takes it to the OSU 43 yard line. 2nd down.

8:50 - On 2nd and 5 from the OSU 43, Brennan hits Ian Sample to the 36 for a first down!

8:25 - On 1st down from the OSU 36, quick screen to Rivers, who takes it to the 28.

7:50 - Hawaii calls a timeout.

7:45 - On 2nd and 2 from the OSU 28, Brennan hands off to Nate Ilaoa, who breaks a couple tackles and takes it to the 20 for a first down!!!

7:18 - On 1st down from the OSU 19, Brennan gets sacked back at the 25.

6:42 - On 2nd and 17 from the OSU 26, Brennan shovels to Reagan Mauia, who rounds the corner and takes it to the 14!

5:44 - On 3rd and 5 from the OSU 14, Brennan is intercepted in the end zone. Crap.

5:40 - Hawaii is challenging the play. Timeout.

5:40 - The play stands. OSU will have the ball on their own 20.

5:35 - On 1st down from the OSU 20, Moore hits Sammy Stroughter on a long bomb. Touchdown.

5:08 - PAT attempt is good. Hawaii 21, Oregon State 28

5:03 - Oregon State kicks off into the end zone. Touchback.

4:55 - On 1st down from the UH 20, Colt Brennan shovels to Nate Ilaoa who takes it all the way to the OSU 47, but there's a flag. But it's roughing the passer on Oregon State!

4:30 - On 1st down from the OSU 31, Brennan hits Davone Bess, who sprints to the 15 for a quick first down!

4:15 - On 1st down from the OSU 15, Ian Sample loses yards after he runs backwards on a screen.

3:20 - On 2nd down from the OSU 20, Brennan loses the handle on the football, and gets sacked way back past the 30. 3rd and VERY LONG.

2:34 - On 3rd and long, shovel to Nate Ilaoa, who takes it all the way back to the 14 yard line! But short of the first down.

1:54 - Dan Kelly's 26 yard field goal attempt is GOOD! Hawaii 24, Oregon State 28

1:50 - Dan Kelly kicks off and it's taken out to the 24. I think a UH player tried to do one of those kung fu tackles, but missed.

1:15 - On 1st down from the 25, Matt Moore scrambles past the 35 for a first down.

0:50 - On 1st down from the OSU 36, Bernard takes it to the 39.

0:10 - On 2nd and 7 from the OSU 39, Matt Moore swings it out to Bernard, who takes it to the OSU 48 for a first down.

0:00 - End of 3rd Quarter. Timeout.


4th Quarter:

15:00 - On 1st down from the OSU 48, Matt Moore completes a pass to the UH 28.

14:35 - On 1st down from the UH 27, Bernard takes it to the 24.

13:44 - On 2nd and 7 from the UH 24, Moore is hit as he throws and the pass is incomplete!

13:38 - On 3rd and 7 from the UH 24, Moore completes a pass to the UH 1 yard line. Again to that tall tight end.

13:25 - On 1st and goal from the 1, Bernard takes it in for a touchdown.

13:18 - PAT attempt is good. Hawaii 24, OSU 35 Flag after the play.

13:18 - Penalty was on Michael Lafaele, will be assessed on the kickoff.

13:18 - OSU kicks off out of the end zone. Touchback.

13:05 - On 1st down from the UH 20, false start on UH.

12:32 - On 1st down and 15 from the UH 15, Brennan scrambles out to the 25.

12:18 - On 2nd and 5 from the UH 25, Ryan Grice-Mullins takes the hand off to the UH 29, just short of the first down.

12:10 - On 3rd and 1 from the UH 30, Brennan sneaks it to the 33 for a first down!

11:55 - On 1st down from the UH 32, Brennan is intercepted at the 45. Geez.

11:24 - On 1st down, Oregon State tries to run a trick end around or something, but manages to get about a 7 yard gain.

10:44 - On 2nd down from the UH 36, Matt Moore is sacked by Jacob Patek back at the 43.

10:01 - On 3rd and 8 from the UH 42, Moore has to throw it away under pressure! But now there's a flag.

10:01 - Good, it's on OSU. 4th down!

9:59 - The OSU punter bobbles the ball and he's dropped!!! UH will have the ball in OSU territory!!!!

9:50 - On 1st down from the OSU 44, Colt Brennan swings it to Bess, who takes it to the OSU 33 for a quick first down!

9:18 - On 1st down from the OSU 33, Brennan overthrows Ryan Grice-Mullins.

9:05 - On 2nd and 10 from the OSU 33, Brennan hits Ross Dickerson crossing over the middle to the 26.

8:30 - On 3rd and 3 from the OSU 26, Brennan hits Jason Rivers, who makes a diving catch at the 15! First down!

8:10 - On 1st down from the OSU 15, Brennan shovels to Nate Ilaoa, who is immediately stopped at the 14.

7:25 - On 2nd and 9 from the OSU 14, Brennan on the keeper dives for the first down at the 5 yard line!!!

7:11 - On 1st and goal from the OSU 4, Brennan throws it out of the end zone.

7:07 - On 2nd and goal from the OSU 4, Brennan hits Ryan Grice-Mullins over the MIDDLE FOR A TOUCHDOWN!!!!!



7:06 - UH is going for 2.

7:06 - On the 2 point attempt, Brennan is tackled out of bounds. Crap! Hawaii 30, Oregon State 35

7:04 - Dan Kelly kicks off and it is downed in the end zone.

7:00 - On 1st down from the OSU 20, Bernard is dropped at the line of scrimmage for no gain!

6:10 - On 2nd and 10 from the OSU 20, Matt Moore is hit and FUMBLES!!! But OSU recovers back at the 13! CLOSE!

5:25 - On 3rd and 16, from the 13, Bernard takes it out to the 22, but SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN! Gotta punt!

4:50 - OSU punts and DAVONE BESS TAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE OSU 40 YARD LINE!!!! BESS!!!!!

4:00 - On 1st down from the 40, Brennan screens it out to Ian Sample, who takes it out to the 22 yard line!!!!

3:30 - On 1st down from the OSU 22, Brennan scrambles around for about 10 seconds, before dumping it to Reagan Mauia at the 19 yard line. Yikes.

2:58 - Oregon State takes a timeout!

2:55 - On 2nd and 7 from the OSU 19, Brennan is sacked back at the 27. 3rd down and long.

2:18 - On 3rd and 14 from the OSU 26, Brennan throws incomplete over the middle. 4th and long.

2:08 - On 4th and 14 from the OSU 26, Brennan throws incomplete. Turn over on downs.

1:44 - On 1st down from the OSU 26, Bernard takes it to the 30.

1:35 - OSU's Jeremy Perry has to be helped off the field.

1:32 - On 2nd down and 6 from OSU 30, Bernard is hit back at the 24. 3rd down.

1:00 - On 3rd and long from the OSU 25, Bernard takes it to the 29. 4th down, but clock is running down.

0:09 - Clock runs down and Oregon State calls a timeout.

0:02 - OSU's Sammie Stroughter takes the snap and runs it out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

0:02 - Hawaii 32, OSU 35

0:02 - Oregon State takes another timeout.

0:00 - OSU kicks it off, and UH tries to lateral it a couple times, but Ross Dickerson is finally tackled. END OF GAME

FINAL SCORE - Hawaii 32, OSU 35

Ways to Follow the Hawaii vs Oregon State Game

In Hawaii:

GO TO ALOHA STADIUM! (If you have tickets!)

Listen to it on 1420 AM


Everywhere:

Watch it on ESPN!

Streaming video from ESPN Gameplan Online

Streaming audio from Sports Radio 1420

Live stats via CSTV GameTracker

I'm actually not sure if I'll be liveblogging it. Sorry if I can't!

The game starts at 7:05pm Hawaiian, 9:05pm Pacific, 10:05pm Mountain, 11:05pm Central, 12:05am Eastern, 6:05pm Samoan, 6:05AM Dec. 3rd Central European (Denmark and Germany), 4:05pm Dec. 3rd Eastern Summer (New South Wales, Australia).

GO WARRIORS!!!!

GameDay: Hawaii vs Oregon State

According to Cliff Kirkpatrick of the Corvallis Gazette, Beavers don't want to be embarrassed.

“It’s going to be a big challenge for our secondary, and our whole defense,” safety Al Afalava said. “It’s the best offense we are going to face in the nation.”

...

“The quarterback for them is probably the best quarterback we’ve seen all year,” defensive coordinator Mark Banker said. “He’s very comfortable in the scheme he is in because of the repetitiveness of it. He’s functioning at a real high rate. He’s got strength and is extremely accurate.”

It would also be embarrassing if Brennan broke the TD record against them.

If the Beavers can’t get to Brennen, his success could lead to two NCAA records for a single season. He needs four more touchdown passes to surpass Houston’s David Klingler (1990), and the efficiency rating of Tulane’s Shaun King (1998) of 183.3 is in reach if Brennen plays steady.

“Of course you don’t want it against you,” safety Sabby Piscitelli said of the the TD record. “If he does, they are going to show that highlight for a very long time. We have to take that personal. We can’t let him throw, especially in the red zone.”

Should be a great game!

Stephen Tsai's gameday preview mentions Oregon State punt returner Sammie Stroughter.

Stroughter has three punt returns for touchdowns this season, including scoring returns in back-to-back games. He averages 15.4 yards per return.

It also mentions UH punter Kurt Milne.

Milne is on pace to set the UH record for fewest attempts in a season by a starting punter. Milne has 16 punts in 13 games. Eddie Davis attempted 28 punts in 1971.

I have mixed feelings. Kurt Milne is an outgoing senior, but I hope he doesn't play!

Dave Reardon's gameday preview highlights this key matchup:

Oregon State tight ends vs. Hawaii defense
...

Tonight's challenge may be even more difficult, as UH tries to stop Oregon State's Joe Newton.

The 6-foot-7, 256-pound senior is one of the best in the country at his position. He caught 28 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns -- relatively modest numbers, but good considering he is just one of many offensive weapons for the Beavers.

"He's about as good as I've ever seen," UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said. "He's big, but he moves well."

The Beavers like to throw to Newton on crossing patterns, especially near the goal line. They'll also use him often in combination with backup Jason Vandiver (6-4, 262).

There's a popular misconception that the strong safety is solely responsible for the tight end. For UH, it depends on the particular defensive call.

"Sometimes I wish it were that way," defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "Because I think Jake (Patek) could lock him up."

Man, those dudes are tall! I have confidence Jerry has something up his sleeve to counter this. Maybe Ikaika Alama-Francis will drop back into coverage more often. Should be a good matchup to watch.

Stephen Tsai has some good news regarding Nate Ilaoa.

The Warriors expect their leading rusher, Nate Ilaoa, to be available. Ilaoa did not participate in contact drills this week because of a bruised left heel. He was examined by a bone specialist on Wednesday.

"It'll be important to get Nate back and healthy because I know that will throw a real monkey wrench into what they want to do," Brennan said. "I expect him to be fine."

Ilaoa ran without limping yesterday. He competed in 11-on-11, slow-motion drills.

Ilaoa told observers yesterday: "I'm fine. I'll play."

Glad to hear Nasti's gonna get a chance to shine on national TV in his final regular season game.

And speaking of the seniors, Dave Reardon talks to some of them about finishing up their UH careers.

"It seems like yesterday I was a freshman watching Vince (Manuwai) and them do their walk," right tackle Dane Uperesa said. "So I anticipate it will be emotional for a lot of guys. I just look forward to the whole experience. It'll be a chance for me, as I walk around, to thank (the fans) for coming and supporting us, especially this year, how special it is. It's going to be emotional, but at the same time we have another game. So luckily we can play another one in our home stadium."

Defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis plays his regular-season finale against the school for which his father starred. Tailback Joe Francis, a Kamehameha graduate, played in the 1957 Rose Bowl for the Beavers and in the NFL before returning to Hawaii and a long coaching and teaching career.

"It's the first game he's going to be at this year. I'll hear him from the stands teaching me technique," Alama-Francis said. "He played in 1904, I think. Nah, he's still young. And from all the stories I hear, he was a fantastic player."

In addition to Alama-Francis and Uperesa, these players will also take the walk: wide receiver/kick returner Ross Dickerson, left tackle Tala Esera, linebacker Bully Fergerstrom, defensive lineman Renolds Fruean, running back Nate Ilaoa, offensive lineman Marques Kaonohi, nose tackle Kahai LaCount, defensive back Mike Malala, running back Reagan Mauia, punter Kurt Milne, wide receiver Chad Mock, cornerback Kenny Patton, safety Leonard Peters, defensive end Melila Purcell, wide receiver Ian Sample, offensive lineman Samson Satele and defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson.

"I think it's going to be real emotional," Mauia said. "I can't really tell you how I'm going to feel. A lot of tears will be shed. It's going to be special for a lot of guys."

This is a real special group. Let's hope they can go out with a gigantic statement!

GO WARRIORS!!!!

Seniors

Stephen Tsai profiles the graduating seniors, including senior team manager Marissa Bonilla. It's a nice tribute to all of them. Here's an excerpt:

RENOLDS FRUEAN

Position: Defensive lineman.

Hometown: Kapolei.

Schools: Waipahu High, Washington State.

Graduation day: May 2007 (sociology).

Fun fact: Earned the nickname "GEICO" after defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said his long hair made him look like a caveman.

Best UH football memory: "The road trips and the games."

Renolds Fruean: Dramatic recreation

Kalani Simpson profiles the special teams, specifically the kickoff team.

It's like jumping out of a plane, this job. It's exhilarating. It's insane. You will crash back to Earth. That's coming, and everybody knows it, they all do. The only question is how hard -- and who you're taking with you, along the way.

"We gotta go down with a vengeance," Saole says.

Yes, but then come the collisions, crazy ones, full speed, at the end of a 40-yard dash. Galdeira, he's -- what? -- 5-7, 163? (Maybe.) He's crushed and been crushed, been on both ends of it, both windshield and bug. Malala once spectacularly leapt over the return team's "wedge," flipping in midair, taking out the ballcarrier with a foot to the head on a flying kick. It's crazy, out there.

And yet they use words like "discipline," and "responsibility" and "job." Malala is such a nice, polite, pleasant young man. Galdeira was on the honor roll at Kamehameha. So was Saole at Waipahu -- he was in the Dr. Seuss Reading Club!

This is football. They are psycho and cerebral both.

In case you haven't seen Malala's kung fu tackle yet:



Dave Reardon writes a great profile of UH receiver Davone Bess, who nearly became a Beaver. Bess talks about his early season struggles:

He's one of the team's hardest workers, but Bess figured something out this year that goes against his rise-before-the-sun ethic.

It is quite possible to try too hard.

Nine games into this season, it seemed he was doomed to the sophomore slump syndrome. The normally sure-handed Bess dropped more than his share of easy passes and wasn't getting open as often as he did as a freshman All-American in 2005. Although he had three 100-yard receiving games early on, Bess had a four-game stretch in which his receiving yardage decreased each game, down to 35 yards on three catches at Utah State on Nov. 4.

It wasn't a major crisis because Hawaii was winning. Other receivers were emerging, and it wasn't like Bess was playing terribly. He was just trying to make a big play every time the ball came his way, and sometimes it led to drops or more sideways and negative yardage than positive.

After a talk with Jones, Bess began to relax and let the game come to him.

"I think it was just a matter of me concentrating on my routes and my reads in general. I think early in the year I was just a little anxious, a little overanxious, trying to do too much, trying to make things happen instead of letting things happen on their own," Bess said. "Coach sat down with me, had a talk and told me stop trying so hard. He told me just settle down, let things come to me. I did that in the second half of the season and I'm getting better."

Tombo's prediction: 125 yards and 2 touchdowns against OSU.

In today's edition of Dave Reardon's Colt Following, Dave finds a great quote from ESPN analyst Jim Donnan.

"I've been impressed not just with Colt Brennan, but the way that entire team has developed over the season.

"We hear a lot about the system. The system's good, but this guy has the ability to make it in any system and has a chance to go to the next level. We hang out and talk with guys like Ron Jaworski a lot, and he likes him.

"Every defense knows he's going to throw the ball, but they still can't stop him. If I'm another team, I don't want to play him. I've got him No. 3 on our Heisman Trophy watch. He's made a quantum leap from the start of the season.

"I think right now the short list for 2007 is (Arkansas running back Darren) McFadden, him, (West Virginia quarterback Pat) White and (West Virginia running back Steve) Slaton. "

Speaking of ESPN, Ferd Lewis talks to the ESPN commentators in town to cover tomorrow's game.

This will be their only national cable showing and they draw ESPN's "A" team, Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham and Dr. Jerry Punch, here to do it.

...

Seeing has been believing for Franklin, who concedes he's become a Brennan and UH admirer even before seeing them at UH practice yesterday for the first time.

"Like I told (analyst) Ed Cunningham, 'You know what? This is a very good Hawai'i football team. They're really fun to watch, on both sides of the ball,' " Franklin said.

Before yesterday, Franklin was probably like a lot of voters, unsure how much Brennan is for real. "I really didn't know what to think because you look at the system that June (Jones) runs and your first reaction (to the statistics) is you might say, well, it is because of the system. But this kid is not a result of the system. He's gonna be even better because of the system. I'm serious with you, I think ... if he's not the No. 1 pick next year (2008) as far as quarterbacks coming out, he won't be far from it."

Franklin said, "(Yesterday) was the first time to see Colt in person and, you know what, I can understand now why June said this may be the best quarterback he's ever coached.

"When he (Jones) mentions him in the same breath with (Jim) Kelly and Warren Moon, you know this kid is really special. He might be the most accurate kid I've ever seen throw. ... This kid, even at full speed, completes virtually everything. He's absolutely amazing."

The hope is that Heisman voters will stay up long enough tomorrow to come to the same conclusion.

Let's hope Colt and the seniors can lead UH to a big time victory over Oregon State tomorrow!

SELL OUT! GREEN OUT! LIGHTS OUT! WARRIORS!!!!