NorCal Warriors, Roberts, Fiesta, Etc.

Dave Reardon writes about the Warriors with Northern California ties making the trip to San Jose.

"San Jose's the closest road game to Hawaii, so a lot of the (local) guys' families are flying over," said junior receiver Davone Bess, who is from Oakland. "I've got about 50 or so people coming and I've only got 10 tickets."

J.P. Davis is from San Francisco. His mother bought 20 tickets for the sophomore cornerback's friends and relatives.

"I'm ready," Davis said. "There'll be a bunch of little scatter rats out there."

In addition to Bess and Davis, sophomore running back Mario Cox, senior defensive end Francis Maka and junior cornerback Calvin Roberts are from the Bay Area and making the trip. The homes of sophomore center John Estes (Stockton) and junior running back David Farmer (Santa Cruz) are also within easy driving distance.

Also from the article:

• Greg McMackin says the first-team defense performed pretty good against Utah State.


• San Jose State QB Adam Tafralis says he's not sick of hearing about Colt Brennan.


• Tyson Kafetnzis is also on the travel roster.


• And more!

Stephen Tsai profiles cornerback Calvin Roberts, who is making the trip and will get to see his baby daughter for the first time since August.

"It was pretty hard for me to leave, but I knew it would be a better future for her and a better future for me to finish my education," Roberts said. "It's in our best interest."

Also from the article:

• Mech Warrior Blaze Soares practiced with the first team and says he's fully recovered from his injuries. I feel sorry for all the unsuspecting fools he encounters.


• Jacob Patek talks about being a gunner on punt coverage


• Dick Tomey stands in the way of another UH school record held by... Dick Tomey.

Ferd Lewis writes that representatives from the Fiesta Bowl will be scouting Hawaii at Friday's game.

Team scout Steve Horrell said he will attend the UH-San Jose State game and meet with school and Western Athletic Conference officials tomorrow and Friday. "They are undefeated, we have to make sure we take a look at them," Horrell said of the 6-0, 16th-ranked Warriors. "That's what we do."

UH fans in San Jose, make some noise!

Regarding the Heisman, Ferd Lewis writes Colt Brennan still get chance.

And some would even tell you his chances of winning the statue haven't been totally extinguished, either. "I think he's got a great opportunity the second half of the year here to enhance his candidacy and, I think, he is still a viable candidate to not only get to New York but to win the thing," said ESPN's Sean McDonough, who will do play-by-play of the San Jose State game.

"I don't think anybody is way ahead of anybody else right now," McDonough said.

And finally, Laurence Miedema of the Vallejo Times Herald compares SJSU QB Adam Tafralis with Colt Brennan, and writes that both have a great opportunity to showcase their skills on Friday night.

"We're definitely excited to get out there and really show people what we are," Brennan said. "We haven't proven anything yet. The next six games will define us as a team and how we'll leave our mark."

Tafralis, on the other hand, can introduce himself to a TV audience that almost certainly has no idea that he ranked 11th in the nation in pass efficiency last season (he's at No. 18 this season) and is 14-7 as a starter since the end of the 2005 season.

"The biggest thing about Friday is that it's another chance to win," Tafralis said. "If I'm doing my job, then everybody is going to have to notice that our offense is something special and it's going in the right direction.

'If people really want to pay attention, they'll notice."

Gonna be a great game!