Posted on: Saturday, November 1, 2003

UH aims to stay in title hunt

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. — In preparation for today's game against host San Jose State, the members of the Hawai'i football team spoke of being focused, of blocking out the obstacles of the road, of imagining they were back in the Islands.

Then in defiance of the 50-degree temperature, several Warriors, led by strong safety Hyrum Peters, stripped to their green UH-issued gym shorts and jumped into the chilled water of the hotel's outdoor pool.

Later, during a 90-minute practice at nearby DeAnza College, the Warriors' precision passing game wowed the gathering of junior college players, seven National Football League scouts and former UH quarterback Nick Rolovich.

"This is a big game for us," said strongside linebacker Keani Alapa, an assessment that has little to do with San Jose State's recent struggles.

The Spartans are 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. Last week, they suffered a 77-14 loss to Boise State. Sixty-nine Spartans are on scholarship — 16 below the NCAA limit — and their best players on offense (running back Lamar Ferguson) and defense (rover Josh Powell) will spend the rest of the semester rehabilitating injuries.

But those shortfalls mean little to the Warriors (5-3, 4-1 WAC), who are in the hunt for the conference's regular-season title. The Warriors need to win their remaining three WAC games to claim the championship. At the least, they need to win consecutive road games here and Nov. 15 against Nevada to create a meaningful showdown against WAC leader Boise State on Dec. 6.

"All of these games are important," Alapa said. "We can't lose any games if we want to get to the Boise State game with a chance to win the WAC championship. We're still in the race. We have to take every game one at a time."

Quarterback Tim Chang and wideout Britton Komine said they have recovered from flu-like symptoms that required IV treatments during last week's 31-15 victory over Texas-El Paso. Komine has promised to play this week despite a partially torn tendon or muscle in his left calf. Freshman Jason Rivers, who did not play last week because of a pulled hamstring, has practiced extensively at Komine's position at left wideout.

Right wideout Jeremiah Cockheran also will start, although he raised some doubts earlier in the week. "After the (UTEP) game, there was a lot of pain," said Cockheran, who has a chronically sprained right ankle.

Cockheran said he shared his concerns with UH coach June Jones. "He told me to give it a shot and see how it feels," Cockheran recalled. "I had to take a day or two off to rest it."

Cockheran, who can run straight ahead without pain, will try to play today. With a bye next week, Cockheran will not run or practice for at least a week.

Still, the Warriors insist they will not have an easy time against the Spartans. Jones said the Spartans should be fired up after last week's one-sided loss.

"These games are the worst ones," UH weakside linebacker Ikaika Curnan said. "They're going to come after us. We can't think about what happened to them the last game."

Fitz Hill, in his third season at San Jose State, is trying to build a program with one of the smallest budgets in the WAC. He received a boost in February when cornerback Roy Lewis turned down offers from California and Nevada-Las Vegas to sign with the Spartans.

Hill told Lewis: "If you want to leave a trail, come to San Jose. If you want to follow a trail, go somewhere else."

Hill has plastered the walls of the football complex with printed slogans and goals. The "Spartan Promise" sets goals of winning the WAC, having fun, growing academically and making "the world a better place."

In particular, he favors this motto: "Manage change or you will be managed by change."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.