WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
Warriors in search of breakthrough on road
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i football team's 55-28 victory over Fresno State on Saturday night came as no surprise to the home team.
"We're supposed to win at home," UH defensive tackle Lui Fuga said. "That's expected."
"Everything will fall into place once I start completing passes to my receivers," Tim Chang said.
Lui Fuga suffered a "twisted knee" but is expected to play this week, coach June Jones said.
For the 3-3 Warriors, this has been an uneven season. At Aloha Stadium, they are 3-0, averaging 45.3 points per game. On the Mainland, they are 0-3, averaging 23.3 points.
At home, they average 505 yards in total offense while relinquishing 333.3 yards. On the road, the averages are 416.7 yards on offense and 380 yards on defense.
Quarterback Tim Chang is the poster player for the Warriors' split personality. He has seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in two home games (he was suspended for the season opener), but his totals are four TDs and six picks in Mainland games.
"I'm not worried," Chang said of his road woes. "Everything will fall into place once I start completing passes to my receivers. Eventually, it will work out, and the wins will come."
The road ahead is filled with potholes. Three of UH's next four games are on the Mainland, starting with Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.
"We need to win one of them," Jones said, noting the Warriors must earn at least seven victories in 13 regular-season games to qualify for a berth in the Hawai'i Bowl. "Hopefully, we'll win the three."
Jones said the Warriors will adhere to a travel schedule similar to the one used for the game at Tulsa two weeks ago. They will depart on a nonstop commercial flight to Houston on Wednesday, practice Thursday evening and Friday morning in Houston, then arrive in Ruston on Friday afternoon.
"We think that's the best way to do things," Jones said, noting his players will remain on Hawai'i time throughout the trip in the Central time zone.
Jones said the Warriors need to focus better on the road, although he refused to disclose his pep talks with the team. As for his strategy, he deadpanned, "We need to score more points than they do."
Jones said road games are difficult for every team.
"That's the way it is," he said. "Fresno didn't look like they were playing at home. It's tough to win on the road, no matter where you are or who you are."
• Health report: Defensive tackle Lui Fuga, who started in place of injured Isaac Sopoaga, suffered a "twisted knee" but is expected to play this week, Jones said. Fuga missed all but one game during the previous two seasons because of shoulder and ankle injuries.
Jones said he expects Sopoaga, who missed the past two games because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, to be available against Louisiana Tech.
But the prognosis is not as promising for wideout Jeremiah Cockheran, who missed his second consecutive game because of a badly sprained right ankle. Cockheran, a team captain, participated in light workouts last Wednesday and Thursday. But he had difficulty making quick cuts and moving laterally.
Against Fresno State, Jones said, "I had no intention of playing Jeremiah at all. In practice he couldn't run (at full speed), not even in the warmups. It seems like it's still hurting him. We'll see how it goes."
Jones said he believes Cockheran will be included on this week's 60-player travel roster.
"Unless he picks it up in practice and shows me he can run and stuff, I don't think that he will (play this week)," Jones said. "I want him to be able to run the routes the way we want him to run them."
Britton Komine, who usually starts at left wideout, opened at Cockheran's position on the right side against Fresno State.
• Movin' on up: Chang, UH's starting quarterback, is playing at the next level. Although his image is used in the NCAA 2004 video game, he prefers to play the NFL's version.
"I'd rather play with the pros," said Chang, noting he has received mixed reviews about his virtual double. "Sometimes he's a Heisman candidate, sometimes he gets hit and is out for the season."
In the real world, Chang, a fourth-year junior from Saint Louis School, joined a select group of Division I-A quarterbacks who have amassed 10,000 career passing yards. In 32 games, Chang has 10,274 passing yards, nearly six miles.
"Thanks to coach Jones and his offense, I've had great opportunities," Chang said. "Instead of saying I'm at 10,000 yards, I think of everyone I played with as having a part of this.
"I think about guys like (Craig) Stutzmann and Channon Harris and Neal Gossett and Justin Colbert. There were a bunch of guys. Some contributed one yard, some contributed 500. And I've had great protection. I've had Vince Manuwai and Kynan Forney block for me. I watch NFL games all of the time, and I think about how those guys blocked for me."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
