Colt POW / Inspiration / Graunke / Aloha

Colt Brennan is the WAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Dave Reardon writes that the UH players were motivated by the Appalachian State-Michigan game.

"That was pretty much the talk of the (pregame) locker room," said slotback Davone Bess about the huge upset at No. 5 Michigan by ASU. "Coach McKnight (assistant Dennis) talked to us about it."

The Wolverines booked the Division I-AA two-time national champions instead of hosting the Warriors, and now, Michigan's hopes for a national championship are over after one game.

"Big ups to Appalachian State. That's a good example of how you can't take anyone lightly," UH captain and defensive tackle Mike Lafaele said.

Reardon also writes about Tyler Graunke's hand injury.

Backup quarterback Tyler Graunke injured his left (non-throwing) hand Saturday, but said he doesn't expect to miss any practice. Graunke hurt his throwing hand in spring practice.

"It's full of liquid and there's lacerations and swelling, but it's already going down. Nothing's broken," Graunke said.

Thank goodness it's not serious. The same link has Dave Reardon's reprisal of "Warrior Replay" which breaks down five key plays from the game.

Stephen Tsai writes that Colt Brennan, who went 34 of 40 for 416 yards with 6 touchdowns in the first half, doesn't feel he was completely on it during the Northern Colorado game.

Still, Brennan said, "I threw some bad balls. The football wasn't coming out clean. I probably did a good job of getting to the right reads. But for some reason, they didn't come out clean. I don't know why."

Quarterback coach Dan Morrison said: "Even he knows he could do better. He made some good throws, but he wasn't razor sharp.

Sheesh. He's gonna complete 90% of his passes this year. Tsai also talks to Graunke about how he got his injury.

Graunke suffered the injury when he was tackled at the end of his first play, a third-quarter scramble. He played the next three series.

"It happened the first play, then it (was hit) three different times," Graunke said. The swelling and pain "got worse and worse. By the last time, my knuckle and my hand really popped up, like two inches. I told coach (June Jones) I couldn't even go. I couldn't even take a snap."

Also from the article:

• Colt Brennan praises Inoke Funaki.


• June Jones addresses why some players were in street clothes for the second half.


• Greg McMackin talks about the dilemma of having so many good linebackers.

Ferd Lewis has a great column about Jo Ann Fukao, who writes about her experience as a flight attendant on UH football road trips.

They compelled Fukao to write: "I have had the pleasure of being on a few of our UH Warriors' charter flights to the Mainland. And from this former non-football fan of any team, I — and many of my co-workers — are now reading the sports page and looking up articles of any kind about 'our boys.'

Can't really excerpt it, gotta read the whole thing. By the way, Tsai writes that it's Ferd Lewis' birthday. Woot woot!