Ferd Lewis
Warriors came through with backs to the wall

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

DALLAS — When the University of Hawai'i defense lined up with its back to the end zone and Southern Methodist at first-and-goal from the 5-yard line in overtime yesterday, a deep breath was necessary for the Warriors, but words were not.

Not here and especially not now.

Behind them, emblazoned in lights on the stadium scoreboard, was a 38-31 lead. But who knew for how much longer.

In front was the outcome of a game, one the Warriors had come 3,804 miles to play.

After two weeks of being unable to close out opponents and nail down victories, here was a moment that would say a lot about this team. And, very likely, its season.

"At the hotel (on Friday) and in the lockeroom at halftime (yesterday), Coach (June) Jones had talked to us about not giving up," said linebacker Chris Brown. "We were determined not to."

As the meager Gerald J. Ford Stadium crowd of 12,082 rose to its feet and shouted, the Warriors stood their ground on four pass plays to win what might prove to be their biggest and certainly their most stirring victory since the 1999 O'ahu Bowl triumph over Oregon State.

During the three hours and 40 minutes it took to even their record at 2-2, the Warriors came together in remarkable fashion on a day that offered them every opportunity to unravel.

Twice they rallied from 14-point deficits. #Twice they shook off 90-yard plus scoring bursts — a 90-yard third quarter pass play and a 92-yard kickoff return that set the stage for overtime — by SMU that had seemed ready to signal their demise.

Five times the defense led by Travis Laboy, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Brown forced turnovers. Time and again new stars emerged from the shadows:

Quarterback Nick Rolovich throwing for 325 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Tim Chang, who did not make the trip; running back Thero Mitchell running for 116 yards and two touchdowns in stepping in for Mike Bass, and wide receiver Tafiti Uso catching two second-half touchdown passes. Robert Grant and Keith Bhonapha combined on the first blocked punt UH has returned for a touchdown in seven years.

This was more like the Warrior team we were expecting a month ago but, after numbing losses to Nevada and Rice, one we had begun to believe might not show up at all this season.

In the end, walking off the field after glancing at the scoreboard one more time as if to make sure it was all real, Jones marveled at the resilience of his team.

"Overcoming that (92-yard) kickoff return ... that was unreal. Holding them out at the end the way we did that was somethin'."

Yes, on this day when the Warriors needed it most, they really were something.