Posted on: Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Jones finds 'positive' in road trip
• Slotback Ilaoa out for season
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i head football coach June Jones said he thought the Warriors' two-game road trip was "the most positive thing that ever happened to the school."
Never mind that the Warriors lost by a combined score of 94-54 at Southern California and Nevada-Las Vegas.
"It's the most positive thing because we took a step into the next arena," Jones said. "We have never walked into the (Los Angeles Memorial) Coliseum down the tunnel into a game like that. Even the Holiday Bowl (in 1992) was not anything like the Coliseum. We were in the big time."
Jones cited the exposure of national television and large audiences as the primary reasons.
The 61-32 loss at USC was played before 73,654 at the Coliseum and televised on Fox Sports Net. The 33-22 loss at UNLV was played before 34,287 — the third-largest crowd ever at Sam Boyd Stadium — and televised on ESPN2.
"We didn't win in the big time," Jones said. "(Next time) we'll know what to expect and hopefully we'll win."
Jones added that the mere scheduling of those road games was proof that the UH football program is "heading in the right direction."
He said that there are preliminary talks in the making to have the Warriors travel to other "national kind of people" in the next four to five seasons.
"If we go to an Oklahoma, if we go to a Florida, if we go to a Georgia, we'll get more money than we get for any bowl game we can play in," Jones said.
UH received more than $350,000 for participating in the Hawai'i Bowl last year.
• Rice watch: The Warriors (1-2) will open their Western Athletic Conference season on Saturday by playing host to winless Rice (0-3).
The Owls are coming off a 48-7 loss against No. 13 Texas last Saturday.
"All of the (games) are very important, but this is the start of our conference, so from that standpoint, it is like a new season," Jones said.
The game will feature a contrast in offensive styles. The Warriors' run-and-shoot offense ranks No. 3 in passing in the NCAA with 373.7 yards per game. The Owls' multiple-option attack ranks No. 7 in the NCAA in rushing with 239 yards per game.
"I don't think (Rice) is a good team to play at any time because of their offense," Jones said. "Their scheme is kind of like our scheme, but we throw it and they run it. We're going to have to play extremely well and play assignment correct."
• Not pleased: Jones said he was disappointed with the Warriors' lack of discipline in the road losses, especially in the UNLV game.
The Warriors committed six turnovers and were penalized 12 times for 129 yards in the loss at UNLV.
"I am concerned," Jones said. "I would say that we have not played very smart in the last two weeks in some areas."
• Akpan still here: Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan returned to Hawai'i with the team last weekend and said he may not travel to his native Nigeria for the funeral of his father, Robert.
Robert Akpan died last week. Tony Akpan is Robert's only son, and he said Nigerian ritual calls for him to bury his father.
"I'm still talking with my family about what to do," Akpan said. "There's school and football here, and I would have to take a long time off if I went back home."
• Injury report: Reserve linebacker and special teams player Anipati Mailo was the only player diagnosed with a significant injury on the two-game road trip. He has a sprained right knee and will not play this week.
Reserve receiver Daniel Inferrera (strained hip) and defensive end Mel Purcell (sprained elbow) are listed as doubtful.
