UH back in WAC chase

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

TULSA, Okla. — Cancel the get-well cards.

Tulsa quarterback James Kilian fumbles after being hit by Hawai'i linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who participated in a game-high 14 tackles. Associated Press

By winning their third in a row — all with quarterback Nick Rolovich starting in place of injured Tim Chang — the Warriors improved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.

They play their final three WAC games at home, starting with Friday afternoon's nationally televised production against currently eighth-ranked Fresno State at Aloha Stadium.

"We're back in the WAC," offensive lineman Manly Kanoa III said in the celebration of the UH locker room. "Tell everybody, 'We're alive and kicking.' "

Three weeks ago, the Warriors lost to Rice, dropping to 0-2 in the WAC. "I know everybody doubted us," defensive end Laanui Correa said. "But we believed in ourselves, even if nobody else believed in us."

"We give credit to Coach (June) Jones," said Rolovich, who passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns yesterday. "He helped make all of this possible."

Tulsa linebacker Jorma Bailey, left, stops UH’s Thero Mitchell for a short gain. James Gibbard • Special to The Honolulu Advertiser

"I don't remember any one of the catches he made when he set the record, but I remember him," Jones said. "I remember how he worked. I remember the type of guy he was. I remember how hard he worked to make it in the pros, how good he was to his family. I tell these guys" — he pointed to the UH players exiting the locker room — "they won't remember these games. But they'll remember the relationships they had with each other. That's what's valuable."

During the pregame speech, Jones paused several times, wiping away his tears.

"We knew that whatever we do, we were going to do as a team," Kanoa said.

"Everybody started feeling it," middle linebacker Chris Brown said. "Right then, everybody knew we would win the game."

But not every story has a once-upon-a-time beginning. The Warriors managed only a field goal following Mark Tate's opening 80-yard kickoff return.

Then Tulsa, running the ball on eight of its first 10 plays, took a 7-3 lead when wideout Donald Shoals chased down Josh Blankenship's fluttering pass, stepped around fallen cornerback Abraham Elimimian and scooted into the end zone to complete a 25-yard play.

"It was my fault," Elimimian said. "My feet slipped. I was really upset about it."

On the UH sideline, safety Jacob Espiau gathered the defensive starters, imploring them to, "shut it down."

"It wasn't Abraham's fault," Espiau said later. "He works hard. He just slipped. Things like that happen. We wanted to go back out there and take control."

Tulsa receiver Edmond Freeman is chased down by Hawai‘i safety Chad Kapanui in the fourth quarter. Kapanui caught Freeman at the 2-yard line following a 44-yard play. The Hurricane scored on the next play. James Gibbard • Special to The Honolulu Advertiser

"They did a good job adjusting to our schemes," said Tulsa coach Keith Burns, whose team fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the WAC.

With three defensive starters out with injuries, Burns wanted to use his offense to shorten the game by establishing a clock-milking running attack. He started two tight ends, book-ending them in a close formation.

"They were taking it right to us," UH defensive tackle Mike Iosua said.

The Warriors' defensive front usually shifts around to try to confuse offenses. UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa decided to move outside linebacker Matt Wright to defensive end, creating a five-man line, and then ordering his players to remain in a set position.

"We played them straight up," Lempa said.

UH's down linemen gained control of the trenches, freeing linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa (14 tackles) and safeties Espiau and Nate Jackson to hunt and peck Tulsa's running backs.

"Once we got some pressure on them, we knew we could do the job," Tinoisamoa said.

Soon, the Hurricane's offense was a mess, and the sloppiness became contagious. Punter Casey Lipscomb dropped a snap, and by the time he recovered the ball, he was sandwiched by Elimimian and Keith Bhonapha for a safety.

"When he dropped the ball, my eyes opened up," Elimimian said. "I was so happy. I wanted to make amends for the mistake I made earlier."

Rolovich then easily picked apart Tulsa's inexperienced defense, throwing two touchdown passes to Ashley Lelie and one to Justin Colbert. The Hurricane's starting secondary included a true freshman (free safety Jeff Thibodeaux), a walk-on (strong safety Max Kraus) and a 5-foot-10 junior college transfer (Don Gibson) responsible for defending the 6-foot-3 Lelie.

Tulsa abandoned its blitz package early, retreating into a prevent defense. Its three- and two-player rush gave Rolovich enough time to count to "five Mississippi" before throwing.

"They were a little bit scared of our speed vertically," Rolovich said. "If you're going to back up, there are going to be some openings underneath. We have great receivers, and they know how to get open."