WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
'Woozy' Chang expects to play against Bulldogs

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i quarterback Tim Chang did not suffer a serious head injury in Saturday's 27-16 loss to Tulsa and is expected to start against Fresno State this weekend.

Tim Chang likely will play against Fresno State.

It's not decided whether Jeremiah Cockheran, who aggravated a sprained right ankle two weeks ago, will play on Saturday. Advertiser library photos

Senior Jason Whieldon completed that series and the next, although Tulsa already was out of reach.

Chang said after the game he would be OK, and yesterday, a UH spokeswoman said the medical staff did not list Chang on the injury report.

Jones said he is hopeful defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga, who is recovering from a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, will be able to play against Fresno State.

But Jones said he will wait on the status of right wideout Jeremiah Cockheran, who aggravated a sprained right ankle two weeks ago. He originally was injured in a moped accident during the summer.

Cockheran, a co-captain, was included on the Warriors' 60-player travel roster to Tulsa. Any chance of Cockheran playing in the game vaporized when he reported soreness that day.

"He wasn't looking too good on Saturday," Jones said. "He wasn't able to go last week and we'll see how it goes this week."

Sean Stennis, a second-year freshman, started at right wideout.

Middle linebacker Chad Kalilimoku suffered a rib injury, but vowed not to miss any games.

• Time in: Left slotback Chad Owens has completed his two-game suspension and will be activated for this week's game, Jones said.

Owens was suspended for providing misleading information about his travel plans after a road game against Nevada-Las Vegas Sept. 19. Owens had told the coaches he would miss the team's return flight to Honolulu because of a family problem. The coaching staff discovered Owens had made his own flight reservations four months earlier.

Jones said he will decide this week whether Owens reclaims his jobs as the No. 1 left slotback, kick returner and punt returner. Ross Dickerson, a second-year freshman, has started at left slotback. Michael Brewster has returned kickoffs and Clifton Herbert has handled punt returns.

"If he's the best guy, he'll play this week," Jones said.

• Same as always: During the summer, the coaches and players spoke of their goal of winning an outright Western Athletic Conference title and breaking into the national top-25 rankings.

But when asked about those expectations in light of their third loss, Jones, yesterday, said: "Your expectations are higher. Mine are the same."

Jones said his team's expectations are to "win on the road and maintain the home-field advantage."

This season, the Warriors are 2-0 at Aloha Stadium, but 0-3 on the Mainland.

Jones said he will not change his travel plans of leaving three nights ahead for a game in the Central time zone and two nights in advance for a West Coast game. UH also plans to practice in Houston before the Oct. 18 road game against Louisiana Tech, as it did for the game at Tulsa.

"I would say we've got to find a way to win on the road," Jones said. "It's nothing magical about it. You have to play harder."

Although the surprising loss to Tulsa dropped the Warriors to 1-1 in the WAC, "We talked about things, and we know what we've got to do to get in the bowl game."

The Warriors have an arrangement in which they will be invited to the Hawai'i Bowl if they finish the regular season with seven victories over Division I-A opponents. UH plays 13 regular-season games this season.

Under NCAA rules, to be considered "bowl eligible," a team must have a winning record against Division I-A competition. But once every four years, a team may use the exemption of counting a Division I-AA victory toward the bowl-eligibility requirement. That means the Warriors, if needed, would be allowed to include the season-opening victory over Division I-AA Appalachian State as part of their seven mandatory victories.

The Warriors did not need the exemption for their last bowl appearances in 1999 and 2002.

• Here come the Bulldogs: Although Fresno State lost to Colorado State Saturday, the Bulldogs still are considered to be a "team to beat in the WAC," Jones said of this week's opponent.

The Bulldogs have appeared in a bowl game every year since 1999, when the WAC was reconfigured following the secession of eight teams. During that span, the Bulldogs are a WAC-best 23-8 in conference games. The Warriors are 19-12.

"We know it's going to be a tough game," Jones said. "They're going to come to beat us. They have a lot of reasons to play their hardest. As a rivalry the last four years, it's created that."

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