Posted on: Sunday, September 7, 2003

Ex-UH QB Duva recalls the near upset of Trojans

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The capacity crowd at Aloha Stadium ... the smarmy football opponent ... the dropped pass ...

These are a few of Jeff Duva's favorite things.

"Even though we lost (21-5), that was a great football game," said former Hawai'i quarterback Duva, recalling the 1978 game against eventual national champion Southern California.

With the Warriors preparing for this week's road game against USC, memories have been stirred of that first meeting 25 years ago at Aloha Stadium.

Duva, 47, president and CEO of Collegiate Sports America and publisher of PrepStar magazine, is reminded daily of the game that "changed UH football forever."

"I have a picture from that game that sits in my office (and) I look at every day," Duva said.

UH entered the game with a 6-4 record, with two of the losses against Nebraska and Brigham Young. The Trojans were 10-1, coming off a victory over Joe Montana-led Notre Dame. With 10 current and future All-Americans on the USC roster, the 40-point spread appeared to be too conservative.

"I remember coach (Dick) Tomey telling us before the game that coach (John) Robinson of USC had made the comment that they planned to pull out their starters at halftime so they could get some rest before the Rose Bowl," Duva recalled. "He wanted to let his second- and third-string players have some fun and get some playing time in the second half. That statement really got us fired up, and we were determined to make him eat those words."

Despite losing two fumbles inside the USC 20, UH trailed 7-3 at the intermission and 7-5 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Later, on second down from the USC 35, Tomey called for the throwback-to-the-quarterback play. After pitching to tailback David Toloumu on a sweep to the right, Duva wheeled around and sprinted along the left sideline.

"I was wide open, and our tailback threw a high rainbow pass to me," Duva recalled. "All I knew I was wide open and all that went through my head was I had to get to the ball. I knew if I caught that pass we would win the game. There was no way USC would score on our defense, and we had all the momentum with a crowd that was going wild.

"I think I surprised myself by catching up to the ball, and when it came down it hit me squarely in the hands and bounced to the ground. To this day, rarely a day doesn't go by that someone isn't asking me about that play or I'm telling the story to someone."

Although UH then drove to the 5, the possession — and upset hopes — was abbreviated when "SC's future All-Pro defensive secondary" of Ronnie Lott and Dennis Smith forced a fumble.

"Our '78 team had nowhere near the talent level of the current squad, and nothing close to the high-octane offense that (UH coach) June Jones has installed," Duva said. "What we did have was a lot of heart and belief that we could do things that nobody expected us to achieve, and that when we stepped on that football field, we were going to leave every ounce of us on that field before we left for the final gun.

"There is no doubt in my mind that if this year's team, with all of their talent and offensive might, plays SC with the same heart and desire as the '78 team, they can walk away with a stunning upset and give us that win that we deserved and wanted 25 years ago."

Duva, who is married and has three children, visits the Islands once a year. He plans to attend Saturday's game at the Coliseum. He also keeps in touch with former teammates. Last week, he ran into Greg Cummins, a former punter who is now an actor in Los Angeles. The conversation turned to the 1978 game.

"Yeah," Duva said, "he teased me about the dropped pass."

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