Warriors step up in all phases to top Wolf Pack

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Blue Angels put on a breathtaking display of teamwork in an air show over Windward O'ahu yesterday afternoon. Last night, the University of Hawai'i football team did a better job of cohesiveness in a 48-26 victory over Nevada at Aloha Stadium.

Michael Brewster exploited Nevada for 150 rushing yards, becoming the first Hawai'i player to run for 100 yards in nearly three years. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Tim Chang, despite being intercepted for the first time this season — a streak of 200 consecutive passes dating to last year's Hawai'i Bowl — devalued the Wolf Pack's nickel defense by passing for 322 yards and two touchdowns.

Both scoring passes went to slotback Chad Owens, who also scored on a punt return — this time spanning 75 yards — for the second game in a row.

"It's such a great feeling, you can't compare it to anything," said Owens, who credited his Roosevelt High classmate Chad Kapanui for opening the way with a vicious knockdown block.

"No problem," Kapanui said. "I just worked my block, and Chad was gone. I thought I was watching a replay of last week."

UH's defense eventually slowed Nevada's running game. The Warriors amassed four sacks — including two during a momentum-turning defensive stand — intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble.

"We weren't perfect, and we shouldn't have given up those two touchdowns in the fourth quarter," UH cornerback Abraham Elimimian said, "but — aaaaaah — it feels so good to win."

Most of all, in improving to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the Western Athletic Conference, the Warriors should raise their helmets to their running game. The Warriors ran for a season-high 251 yards — out-gaining an opponent on the ground for the second consecutive game — and 5-foot-5 Michael Brewster became the first UH player to exceed 100 yards in a game since Oct. 13, 2001. He finished with 150 yards on nine carries, an average of 16.7 yards per handoff.

For the Wolf Pack, tackling Brewster was like trying to lasso the wind. "He's got good feet and quickness," Nevada safety Keone Kauo said.

"Brew's secret is he's about this big," UH right tackle Brandon Eaton said, pointing to his chest. "Everyone goes over him or he gives them a move and he goes by them."

Brewster credited the spinning moves he uses to escape would-be tacklers to "watching video games and watching (injured UH running back) Michael Bass. He taught me all of the moves."

The running game is the shortest chapter in the UH playbook, listing the draw, two stretch runs off traps and a slotback reverse.

"We want to keep it simple," UH right guard Uriah Moenoa said.

The Wolf Pack opened with a nickel defense, starting a fifth defensive back in place of a defensive tackle. With UH facing a three-man front, UH coach June Jones called for a running play on the game's first snap, resulting in Brewster's 18-yard gain.

"That livened the O-line up," Moenoa said. "We wanted to get more of those."

Eaton added: "We're so happy when we can run block. We love firing off the line and punishing somebody. It's fun to be aggressive."

Nevada's Kauo said the defense had its pick of poisons. "With their four-wide spread, we had to hold true to that," he said. "They were able to open the running game, and we weren't able to stop it."

Although Chang was able to find receivers at the end of deep patterns — Britton Komine had a 62-yard, catch-and-sprint play — Nevada's defensive alignment made it too tempting not to take advantage of the running lanes.

"We took what they gave us," Chang said. "It's good to turn it over to the running game. Those guys are awesome. They always come ready to play, even though they don't get very many touches. But tonight, they carried us. It's a credit to the running backs and the offensive line."

Brewster said: "Our running game is like Novocain. Give it some time and it'll work."

The same formula worked for UH's defense, which was caught off guard by the Wolf Pack's revived running attack. In the previous two games, the Wolf Pack gained 84 and 98 yards. But in its first drive, Nevada rushed for 68 yards, including 63 by Chance Kretschmer.

The Wolf Pack freed the running backs by "zone stretching," a blocking technique in which all of the linemen move in unison in one direction. For defenders, trying to break through is like stepping into a fast-moving revolving door.

"They kept running on us and we couldn't take it anymore," UH defensive tackle Matt Faga said. "We told each other, 'We have to step up.' "

The Warriors had a two-fold answer: the defensive linemen stepped into the gaps, forcing Kretschmer to run outside, and the linebackers repeatedly blitzed.

"That's when we slowed it down," defensive tackle Lui Fuga said.

After losing their first two games, "we're 2-2 and we're happier," Fuga said. "We're not satisfied. We think we should be 4-0, but we can't change the past. We have to look ahead."

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