Game Week: SJSU - Wednesday News

Greg McMackin talks about closing practices this week.

As the Warriors prepare for their Western Athletic Conference opener, their remaining practices this week will be closed to the public. UH last closed its on-campus practices during its Sugar Bowl preparations last December.

"I don't normally do this, but I think it's just a very important ballgame," McMackin said.

Stephen Tsai writes about the decline in yards-after-catch among the UH receivers.

Stutzmann said the more experience a receiver attains, the easier it will be to get a "feel" for the defense, and where the openings will be after catches.

"It's a matter of getting comfortable with making plays, and not being (hesitant) to catch a ball and be creative with it," Stutzmann said. "You can coach guys to catch the ball. You can coach guys to run routes. You can emphasize runs after the catch, but, really, that's where your athleticism takes over."

Tsai also writes about Tyler Graunke's hand, Keoni Steinhoff's finger, and a "reunion" Calvin Roberts will have with SJSU.

Bay Area writer Jon Wilner doesn't think much of the Warriors.

Hawaii is one of the worst teams in major college football. It’ll be tougher on the Island than the Mainland, sure, but SJSU is better.

Jason Kaneshiro profiles Brashton Satele.

Having not played an every-down role in a while, Satele said acclimating to game speed has been the toughest part of the job so far. But being flanked by two veterans has aided in the adjustment.

"(In UH's loss at Oregon State) I didn't make as many plays as I wanted to, but it's getting better, I'm getting more confidence with the plays," Satele said. "At first I was kind of like hesitating, but now I'm playing full speed.

"Solly and Adam (Leonard) help me out a lot. ... (Elimimian) telling me how to play the gaps, how to play the pass, I'm learning a lot from him. He's like a coach out there for me."

Brian McInnis has a Sports Notebook, writing about the mutual admiration between Tyler Graunke and Dick Tomey, Dan Kelly hitting field goals in practice, Fale Laeli working his way back from an ankle injury, and Ryan Mouton and Rykin Enos making two interceptions apiece in team drills. Who is Rykin Enos? Here's his HawaiiAthletics.com profile.

Via the Idaho Statesman, here's a UH vs SJSU game preview from the Sports Network.

With Reed constantly under pressure, it should come as little surprise that the Spartans have allowed an average of 4.25 sacks per game already which is, not only last in the Western Athletic Conference, but also the worst number among all 119 of the Football Bowl Subdivision members. Yet even with the pressure, Reed is completing a ridiculous 79.4 percent of his pass attempts and leads the program with his four rushing scores. Running back Yonus Davis, who is averaging close to seven yards per carry, needs to get into the end zone more often (one TD) in order to take some of the weight off Reed's shoulders.

Midweek's Bob Hogue is all atwitter about the crazy "bloggers" ranting about the UH football team on the WSN message board. I do not think it means what he thinks it means.

Similarly, Midweek's Steve Murray says those crazy UH football fans should just "chill".