Green Wave had many happy returns

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Tulane's Lynaris Elpheage scans for open spaces on a punt return. Elpheage returned a punt 60 yards for a third-period score and set up another touchdown by returning a punt 56 yards to the UH 17. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Elpheage's 60-yard punt return in the third quarter gave Tulane its first touchdown of the game. Later in the quarter, his 56-yard punt return to the UH 17 set up the Green Wave's first offensive touchdown, a one-yard run by quarter J.P. Losman that gave Tulane a lead (20-14) it would not relinquish.

"That really gave us a spark, gave us the momentum," Scelfo said of Elpheage's TD return. "I think it really settled our team down. We've had a lot of success on the returns. I think the wall was set up beautifully. He had a lot of help, but obviously he did a good job of getting to where he got to."

Elpheage's feat came after Tulane trailed 14-6 after the half. He said the team was anxious in the first half, being that this was its first nationally televised game of the season.

"That's what I tried to do in the third quarter, get us going," said the 5-foot-9, 170-pound junior from New Orleans. "First half, we were a little anxious. Second half, we came together as a team and did what we had to do."

He said all he had to do was follow his wall of blockers on both long returns.

"When I caught the ball, I saw the opening and I just followed my blocks," he said of his seventh career TD. "They led me all the way to the end zone, that's all. It was nothing special.

"The second one, same thing. The kicker (UH punter Mat McBriar) tackled me, but other than that, that was good."

It was his first punt return for a touchdown on the season. He also had a 42-yard kickoff return in a 34-13 win against Houston on an onside attempt and a 62-yard interception return in a 52-9 win against Louisiana-Monroe.

Elpheage is so versatile, he has been used on offense this season. He lined up as a wide receiver and scored on a 16-yard run to start Tulane's scoring in a 31-10 win against Southern Mississippi in the Green Wave's game prior to arriving here.

Elpheage said he watched last year's UH-BYU game and remembered how explosive the Warriors were, especially the special teams play of Chad Owens, who set NCAA single-game records for combined return yardage (342) and most yards on kickoff returns (249) and tied a single-game record by scoring on a punt and kickoff returns. Elpheage said he was inspired.

"You know they're explosive in all phases of the game: offense, defense, special teams," he said. "You want to step up to the challenge and meet their level of play."

Entering the game, Elpheage had 396 kickoff return yards and 320 punt return yards. His previous longest punt return this season before last night was 57 against Alabama-Birmingham.

Overshadowed was his play at cornerback for the Green Wave. The all-Conference USA first-team defensive back was tied for second on his team with six tackles against the Warriors, including one for a two-yard loss.

Elpheage, who broke up one pass, and the rest of the Tulane secondary kept the Warriors offensive output in check with tight coverage that aided in eight sacks. Elpheage's eight interceptions this season ranks second in the country and his 28 passes-defended leads the nation.

"This feels great," Elpheage said. "Hawai'i's one of the best teams in the country. We were fortunate to win this game."