Wagner recalls magical '92 season

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

As the University of Hawai'i football team attempts to win a program-tying 11th game today, the coach of the record-setting 1992 Warriors offers this advice:

"Savor the moment," said Bob Wagner, whose UH team went 11-2 in 1992. "They don't come around that often. That was the advice that Stan (Sheriff, the late UH athletic director) gave me in 1992. It meant a lot to me. I'm happy for June (Jones, UH's head coach) and this year's team. They've done a good job."

Wagner, now the athletic director at Kamehameha Schools' Big Island campus, recalled the intriguing storyline in 1992, a season punctuated with the Warriors' first Western Athletic Conference title and a victory over Illinois in the Holiday Bowl.

Wagner recalled the season-opening 24-21 victory at Oregon, and then the following week's anxiety-filled road trip to the Air Force Academy as Hurricane Iniki approached the Islands.

"We left our wives and kids behind, and while we're flying over Pearl Harbor, we could see the ships were leaving," Wagner said. "Talk about mixed emotions. They're running for cover and we're leaving our families behind."

During the flight to Denver, it was announced the hurricane had changed directions and would miss the Islands. But at the boarding gate, the team was met by several reporters.

"They told me the hurricane is heading right at Honolulu," Wagner said. "That was one of the toughest interviews I ever did. It was like, 'holy smoke.' "

Quarterback Ivin Jasper, who won the starting job in training camp, was injured against Oregon, and Michael Carter suffered an injury during the Air Force game. But Rodney Glover, the third-string quarterback, led UH to a 6-3 victory.

That season, UH earned a comeback victory over Brigham Young, and outlasted a Fresno State team featuring quarterback Trent Dilfer and running back Lorenzo Neal. That season, the Warriors also faced future NFL players Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Kyle Turley, Kevin Hardy and Gus Frerotte.

UH clinched a share of the WAC title when it defeated Wyoming, 42-18.

UH went on to defeat Illinois, 27-17, in the Holiday Bowl, and Carter was named the Offensive Player of the Game. Carter is now a stevedore in Honolulu, Jasper is an assistant coach at the Naval Academy, and Glover is manager of Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant at Aloha Tower.