Chang's arm, and legs, provide Warriors a lift
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
For all the passing records Tim Chang leaves behind at the University of Hawai'i, it will be a run that defined the senior quarterback's final regular season game.
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Chang extended his record-setting collegiate career by leading the Warriors to a 41-38 come-from-behind victory against Michigan State last.
UH quarterback Tim Chang runs 22 yards for a first down on a key 3rd-and-11 play in the fourth period. It led to a touchdown.
Trailing 31-27 early in the fourth quarter, Chang engineered a 12-play, 80-yard drive that he capped with a 1-yard sneak for the go-ahead touchdown. But the play that sustained the drive was a 22-yard run on third-and-11 from the MSU 31.
Chang dropped back, then scrambled to his right, but still could not find an open receiver. He then took off, pumping his arm as if to throw, even though he had passed the line of scrimmage and used a baseball slide to the 9 for a first down.
"We had a lot of man coverage," Chang said about the play. "When you have man coverage, a lot of the guys are running off. I picked a spot where I could run and I was fortunate."
Said UH quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison: "He had the decision to throw it away or take off, depending on what he sees. He knew when to go. It's all part of his maturing process."
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In UH's run-and-shoot system, the quarterback has to be as patient as possible to wait for a receiver to get open and run only as a last resort.
UH slotback Chad Owens tries to break free from Michigan State's Eric Smith in the second period. Owens had four touchdowns.
"The running is not real high on the priority list in what we're trying to do," Morrison said. "But there are times when he has to go and he made the right decision."
After a 3-yard gain by Michael Brewster put the ball at the MSU 6, a false start penalty against UH backed it up to the 11. Chang threw incomplete toward Chad Owens, then hit Jason Rivers near the sidelines a yard short of the goal line.
On fourth-and-goal, big West Keli'ikipi lined up at running back, but Chang kept the ball. A surge by the MSU defense forced the center back into Chang, but the quarterback just followed his right guard into the end zone for the go-ahead score.
"There was a little pop," Chang said. "Uriah (Moenoa) or Samson (Satele) got popped a little back, so I got popped a little back, so I just tried to get in there and we made it happen."
Chang said he was confident at the start of the drive, which came after MSU padded its lead with a 49-yard field goal by Dave Rayner with 14:05 to play.
"I kind of felt like on offense that we had 'em," Chang said. "We had their number. It worked. Our O-linemen played so great. The running backs, West (Keli'ikipi) and Brew (Michael Brewster) when he got in (to play)."
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The rushing TD by Chang was his first for the season and fifth of his career, which will always be remembered for his passing. He wasn't too shabby in that department either, completing 29 of 49 for 416 yards and four touchdowns, all to Owens.
Tim Chang is all smiles after the game.
"He's grown so much as a quarterback," Morrison said. "There were a lot of things he did right, not just in the decisions. Some of the precision of his throws and the precision of where he needed to put the ball. Not too many quarterbacks can do those things."
Chang is just happy that his career will end with a bowl game.
"It's an awesome feeling," he said. "The underclassmen didn't want to send us out (without a bowl game). We pulled together as a team. I'm sure people doubted us out there, but we didn't doubt ourselves."
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
