Injured Chang proved to be true Warrior in clutch

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

After last night, there is little doubt how much quarterback Tim Chang means to the University of Hawai'i football team.

UH quarterback Tim Chang is helped off the field after taking a late hit from Cincinnati linebacker Tyjuan Hagler. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The sophomore from St. Louis School came off the bench with a sprained left knee to throw the winning touchdown pass to Jeremiah Cockheran with 5:10 to play.

"He deserves a lot of credit just for coming back," center Lui Fuata said. "He showed a lot of courage, and that's why we're willing to do anything for him."

Chang left the game later in the fourth quarter after taking a late hit to his already-injured left knee by Cincinnati linebacker Tyjuan Hagler.

Chang was taken off the field in a wheelchair before the game was over, and his status was still unknown after the game. His knee was wrapped in a brace and he left the stadium on crutches, but did not want to talk to the media.

Several of his teammates said the late hit — which received a 15-yard penalty — sparked the ill feelings that led to a postgame bench-clearing brawl between the teams.

"We take a lot of pride in our quarterbacks, and to see Timmy get hurt on a flagrant foul (ticked) us off," Fuata said.

Chang initially hurt his knee early in the second quarter when he was stuffed on an attempted quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line. He played on UH's next three drives, leading the team to two touchdowns and a 14-10 halftime lead.

The injury was diagnosed as a sprain at halftime, and UH officials announced that Chang would not play the rest of the game.

Shawn Withy-Allen played quarterback in the third quarter and admittedly struggled against a Bearcat defense he described as "the most athletic we've faced all year."

Chang re-entered the game in the fourth quarter with Hawai'i trailing 16-14.

"It's always a boost to see a guy like that come into the game when everybody knows he's hurt," Cockheran said. "We looked into his eyes and knew we were going to win the game."

Wearing a brace on the knee, it was evident that Chang was not at full strength. He completed just one of his first nine passes in the fourth quarter.

"We never lost faith," Fuata said. "With this offense, we know we can score at any time."

True to form, the winning touchdown came on Chang's fourth drive of the fourth quarter — on a 33-yard strike to Cockheran in the corner of the end zone.

"It was designed to either go to the slot on a corner route, or to me on a deep post," Cockheran said. "I beat my guy up top and Timmy got it to me."

Chang was 3-for-3 for 51 yards on the game-winning drive. For the game, he was 23-of-42 for 219 yards and one interception.

According to head coach June Jones, Chang's most impressive play came later in the fourth quarter, when he scrambled for 11 yards and a first down on his injured knee. "It says a lot about him," Jones said.

The late hit to his knee came two plays later. Withy-Allen again relieved Chang and helped the Warriors run out the final two minutes.

"I went in the huddle and told the guys 'Let's do this for Timmy,' " Withy-Allen said. "We can't let that stuff happen. We wanted to stuff it down their throats."

As Cockheran put it: "Watching them carry him off the field like that, it was like losing a brother. He's our leader and he showed it tonight."