Utah State reviews, UH's improvement, WAC news

Dave Reardon reviews five big plays from UH's 45-7 victory over Utah State in this week's Warrior Replay.

Stephen Tsai highlights UH's improvement over last season.

Greg McMackin said the improvement can be traced partly to the maturation of the players and partly to Nick Rolovich and Dave Aranda being promoted to offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.

While McMackin still leads coaches' meetings and is involved in crafting game plans, Rolovich and Aranda have been given play-calling autonomy.

"I give complete credit to Rolo and Dave and our other coaches," McMackin said. "It's the job of the coaches to get the players in position to make plays, and our players are making plays."

Ferd Lewis writes about the Warriors' cohesiveness.

In the course of their five-game — and counting — winning streak, the 6-2 (4-0 Western Athletic Conference) Warriors have been all about helping each other out. All about jumping in and finding ways to win, whatever — and whomever — it might require.

You see it, for example, when slotback Greg Salas lights up a defender with a block to help spring a teammate downfield. And in the way they pick each other up, even when something has gone badly.

And heaven help the opposing team when things are going grand for the Warriors, because it must seem, as it did in the 45-7 victory over Utah State, that the Warriors are playing with many more than 11 on the field at one time, so thick and impenetrable is their bond.

Dave Reardon has the line of the day in an article about where UH stands in the national rankings.

Nevada must have had a great week of football practice.

While Hawaii was winning by 38 points on the road, the Wolf Pack had a bye — and still got more voting points than the Warriors did in all three polls.

KHON's Vanessa Stewart has a report on the recent increase in sales of UH gear.

Since the beginning of the UH football season, sales at Rainbowtique stores have increased--and sometimes even doubled.

"Definitely excitement has been building as we've gone along first few games it was hit or miss sort of thing but these past few games we just keep winning and winning," says Adam Beyer, Rainbowtique Manager.

And Lewis writes that a resolution is near regarding the WAC-stabbers.

Today is the 60th-day deadline by which the two were originally asked to pay disputed $5 million departure fees for their impending move to the Mountain West Conference. But asked if he expected the payments to be forthcoming on the deadline, commissioner Karl Benson said "no."

Benson did say negotiations that began Oct. 7 "are progressing" and a resolution on several areas, including payments and dates of departure, "might not be far off." He would not elaborate on the terms being discussed, but it is believed the two breakaway schools would pay significantly less than the $5 million the WAC is seeking.