Game Week: NMSU - Friday News

Here's Liz Chun's behind the scenes look at the UH staff, the unsung heroes who make the road trips happen.

Jason Kaneshiro reports that the UH offense has been working on their red zone execution.

"It comes down to little details," quarterback Greg Alexander said. "Like the option, I have to come more downhill and attack that end, just little things like that."

As painful as it may have been, the Warriors reviewed last week's game in preparing for a pivotal conclusion to their two-game road trip with UH and NMSU needing three wins in their last four games to become bowl eligible.

"I feel like our mind-set is different in the red zone," receiver Malcolm Lane said.

"After watching film we were disappointed in ourselves and we understand what we did and we have to work harder when we get down to that area, because the other team, they're working harder. That's crunch time, that's when you turn up the heat."

Ferd Lewis writes that UH has offered safety Darren Mickens a scholarship. He was actually teammates with Malcolm Lane in Germany.

Mickens stopped by practice Tuesday to renew his friendship with UH receiver Malcolm Lane, who mentored him at Hanau American High School in Germany, where they were both Army dependents.

Lane, then a senior, and Mickens, a freshman, played together on the football and basketball teams while their fathers were stationed together.

"Malcolm helped guide Darren and helped him a lot growing up," Toni said. "We're grateful to Malcolm."

Said Lane: "They looked out for me, too."

Ferd writes that it's been cold in El Paso, and reminds us that Viliami Nauahi is on Wheel of Fortune tonight.

Kaneshiro has news and notes about Mickens and Lane as well as the study halls the Warriors are attending on the road.

The team has had 2-hour study-hall sessions every day this week, with a double dose on Monday, supervised by tutors Courtney Tsumoto and Amber Tyndzik.

"They did a great job with study halls, they're pros," UH coach Greg McMackin said. "They made the kids feel like going there, not like they're going to prison or something."

Dave Reardon writes about the state ethics commission presenting some questions to Chancellor Hinshaw over the Sugar Bowl travel party and takes a look at the footing issues in last week's game.

I've been told Under Armour doesn't produce the best shoes in the world for football, not yet anyway. So was it the footwear that caused so many Hawaii players to slip and fall in the loss at Utah State?

Probably not, since this wasn't a problem in previous games.

Plus, Texas Tech is also under contract with UA, and the Red Raiders don't have any difficulties keeping their feet. Ask Texas.

All that slip-sliding away by the Warriors, though, does emphasize the importance of what is standard operating procedure for most teams, but not always UH: A walk-through at the stadium you're going to play at on the day before the game.

Ferd writes how playing along the offensive line can prepare you for life after football. Former UH offensive linemen Bernard Carvalho and Jim Donovan point out the lessons they learned:

Donovan will tell you that to play the offensive line positions in this day and age requires the kind of mental dexterity to learn and execute 60 to 70 plays and their various formations, plus what adjustments have to be made to counter shifts by opposing defenses, hundreds of combinations in all. Carvalho suggests that it also takes willingness to sublimate ego and work within a group for a common goal.

And Stephen Tsai bumps into someone at an aiport and finds out that a 2010 matchup between UH and SMU may be in the works.