Warriors ranked No. 25 in national coaches poll

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

For the first time in a decade, the University of Hawai'i has a nationally ranked football team.

UH assistant Mike Cavanaugh, who left a coaching job in the National Football League to join UH in 1999, said the ranking is a "great reward for the four years we've been here. The players have worked hard for (the ranking), and they've proved it on the field. Good things come from winning."

The Warriors (8-2) received 86 points to earn their first berth in a major national poll since 1992, when they finished No. 20 in The Associated Press' media poll.

That year, UH won its first Western Athletic Conference football championship and defeated Illinois in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

After six years of struggles, including an 0-12 record in 1998, the Warriors are enjoying a resurgence under fourth-year head coach June Jones.

They already have accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Day — their fourth bowl in school history and second under Jones — and by defeating Rice, 33-28, in Houston Saturday, they completed their best WAC season in 24 years of membership.

UH finished 7-1 in the WAC, and still can earn a share of the league championship if Boise State, ranked No. 21 in the coaches poll, loses to Nevada Saturday in Reno.

Because the WAC does not recognize tie-breakers in determining football titles, the Warriors, who lost to Boise State this year, would earn a WAC championship even if both schools finished tied for first. That would entitle the UH players to a championship ring, according to a policy established by the school's athletic department several years ago.

For now, Lempa is focusing on Saturday's game against Cincinnati, the first of three nonconference games to close the Warriors' regular season.

"We've still got a lot of work to do this year," Lempa said. "It's hard to think about Boise when we've got a big game against Cincinnati."

The Warriors returned to Honolulu yesterday, a day after beating Rice for the first time in four meetings. The outcome clinched a winning road record (3-2) for UH, as well as offered a preview for next season.

The Warriors might lose their three starting linebackers — Matt Wright and Chris Brown are seniors, and Pisa Tinoisamoa is considering applying for the NFL draft — but third-year sophomore Chad Kapanui and junior Chad Kalilimoku should challenge for key linebacker roles next season.

Kapanui, who moved from safety to play outside linebacker specifically for the Rice game, will continue to play outside linebacker, although Wright will return as the starter against Cincinnati. Kapanui, who has played four positions at UH, has considered the idea of reapplying for quarterback in spring practice. But Lempa has praised Kapanui's athletic ability and believes he has the talent to compete at outside linebacker next year.

"And he's got two more years left," Lempa said.

Kalilimoku made a key stop on a third-and-1 play at the start of the second half. Recruited as a run-stopper, he now plays often in passing situations.

UH has only one senior starting on the defensive line and none in the secondary.

One perk for playing in a bowl is a participating team receives what is regarded as a second training camp. When the Warriors qualified for the O'ahu Bowl in 1999, they used the extra weeks of practice to develop their younger players. This year, the Warriors will have 18 days between the end of their regular season and the Hawai'i Bowl.