UH vs San Jose State Wrap-Ups

HawaiiAthletics.com has a game summary, with links to a box score, post-game notes and quotes.

Jason Kaneshiro has stats and scoring summaries in his game wrap-up, titled Picks and pans.

More from Kaneshiro in his article focusing on all the turnovers.

"You can't win a ballgame when you turn the ball over six times," Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin said, the frustration ringing clear in his voice following the Warriors' 20-17 loss to San Jose State last night at Aloha Stadium.

He repeated the phrase, or a variation, several more times after the Warriors' inability to hang on to the ball proved telling as they saw a 17-7 halftime lead evaporate in a hail of giveaways.

Here are some quotes from Stephen Tsai's wrap-up, titled Self-destruction:

"We kept putting our defense in bad positions," Estes said. "Our defense played (its) ass off. They (the Spartans) had the ball at the 20-yard line, the 30-yard line, the 10-yard line."

UH linebacker Solomon Elimimian said: "We have no excuses. That's our motto. We love the challenge."

"I couldn't get it done," Graunke said. "I got put in a situation to get it done, to win the game, and I didn't. My hand had nothing to do with it. I felt fine."

Funaki, who was sitting next to Graunke in the locker room, said: "I take responsibility for it. The ball slipped out of my hand (on the fumble). The picks, so many. It doesn't matter who you play, you turn the ball over that many times, and then you give your defense no rest ... it was a tough loss."

Brian McInnis has more from Graunke and Funaki.

"I had to read every throw and made a couple bad ones, a couple good ones, but ... we were in field-goal range, then I took a sack, and that kind of messed us up," Graunke said. "I'll take the fall for that because half the linemen heard the wrong call and that's my fault for not speaking up in the huddle."

"I feel like a big part of it was me, all the turnovers," Funaki said. "Our defense did all that, our defense came out firing. We turned the ball over, too many turnovers in that second half. ... You turn the ball over that many times ... you can't win."

Michael Tsai has an injury report from the game.

Junior defensive lineman Rocky Savaiigaea reinjured his left triceps in the second half and was put in a sling.

"They said I tore it again," he said. "I won't know anything until I get it looked at tomorrow, but I heard it pop."

Wide receiver and kick returner Malcolm Lane left the game in the first half with a concussion. Linebacker Adam Leonard and running back Kealoha Pilares, who scored both of the Warriors touchdowns on rushes in the first half, both left the game with undisclosed injuries.

Quarterback Tyler Graunke and defensive back Ryan Mouton were nursing sore ribs on their right sides after the game.

Also from the article, Colt Brennan's parents talk about attending the game and cheering on UH.

The Star-Bulletin's Warriors Football Notebook highlights UH sniffing out a fake punt, the offense's 3rd down conversion rate, Malcolm Lane's concussion, etc.

Michael Tsai writes about the re-emergence of the UH defense.

"I think we finally woke up to the fact that we play a big role in this team's success," said left tackle Keala Watson. "You play how you practice, and we've been practicing with a lot of emotion and intensity these last couple of weeks. That's what we brought out there on the field."

"Our defense has got to lead this team, and that's what we're going to do," Elimimian said. "Tonight, the team fed off of us. The crowd had our back the whole night. It's fun playing with love for each other. This team grew as a team tonight. We might not have won in the stats, but we earned a lot of victories in other areas tonight."

In his Further Review column, Dave Reardon takes a look at the defense's performance, the role the turnovers, penalties and special teams had in UH's defeat, and what needs to be done going forward.

But regardless of how well the defense plays at Fresno State next week, another performance like this from the offense will result in something like the 70-14 hurting the Bulldogs put on the Warriors in 2004.

It's my job to point that out, but the coaches and players can't even think it. Their first task is to not allow the team to fall apart from within; that can happen when one part has to try to carry another part and is unsuccessful.

Leonard and Elimimian got a start on the bonding right after the game.

"No pointing fingers. Unless you played a perfect game, don't dare look at anyone else's performance," the captains told the team. "We've all got to evaluate ourselves."

Kalani Takase talks to Spartans coaches and players about their victory.

It was the most forced turnovers for a Tomey-coached SJSU team.

"We have a good defense and we have some guys that can make plays," Tomey said. "We have some secondary guys who have some good instincts and we have a real disciplined team."

Ferd Lewis writes that Dick Tomey's mantras rang true in SJSU's victory.

And Billy Hull writes about SJSU kicker Jared Strubeck's big game.