UH football to open with Florida Atlantic

By Stephen Tsai and Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writers

University of Hawai'i football players yesterday were admittedly stumped in their game of "Name That Opponent."

"Florida Atlantic?" linebacker Chad Kapanui said when told of UH athletic director Herman Frazier's announced choice for the Sept. 4 season opener at Aloha Stadium.

"That's our opener?" Kapanui said. "Are you serious? I don't know nothing about them. It's a surprise. I thought we were going to play a big-time school."

Offensive lineman Phil Kauffman added: "I'm assuming — and this is a big stretch — I think it's in Florida. ... I've never heard of it."

The signed agreement ends Frazier's search for a replacement for Sacramento State, which had asked out of its commitment to serve as the Warriors' season-opening opponent. Sacramento State competes at the NCAA Division I-AA level.

Florida Atlantic, which competed as a Division I-AA team last season, ascends to Division I-A this coming season. The Owls will join the Sun Belt Conference in the fall.

But FAU media relations director Katrina McCormack told The Advertiser on Feb. 3 that the Owls will be a "probationary member" for the first two seasons, meaning they will be considered a Division I-AA opponent in regards to the Warriors' victory requirement for bowl eligibility. The Warriors need seven I-A victories this year to qualify for a postseason bowl.

In a news release, Frazier acknowledged learning in November he would need to find a replacement for Sacramento State. Frazier had said he was pursuing an opponent from the Big East Conference. But last month, The Advertiser contacted every Big East school and was told none was available or interested in playing the Warriors in 2004.

UH also missed a chance to play Grambling, a Division I-AA school with a rich football history. Grambling wanted to play a three-game series against UH — in Hawai'i this year and in Japan in 2005 and 2006. But Frasier did not pursue the offer, and Doug Williams, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who spearheaded the proposal, recently resigned as Grambling's head coach.

UH turned to Florida Atlantic, which is coached by Howard Schnellenberger.

Schnellenberger, who led Miami to its first national football championship in 1983, started Florida Atlantic's football program from scratch in 1998. The Owls played their first game two years later, as a Division I-AA team.

Last season, the Owls went 11-3, becoming the youngest start-up program to advance to the I-AA playoffs. The Owls then won two playoff games on the road before losing to Colgate in the national semifinals.

But that did not help the Owls' name recognition.

"They're a new team, aren't they?" said UH punter Kurt Milne, who was raised in Georgia. "Shoot, I talked to somebody, and I can't remember if it was about Florida Atlantic or Florida International. It was something like that."

After the Sept. 4 game against Florida Atlantic, UH's next home game is Oct. 2 against Tulsa. The Warriors' other home games are against Nevada (Oct. 9), San Jose State (Oct. 23), Louisiana Tech (Nov. 6), Idaho (Nov. 20), Northwestern (Nov. 27) and Michigan State (Dec.4). The Warriors play road games against Rice, Texas-El Paso, Boise State and Fresno State.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051 and Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.