By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

Guess who put the run back into the run-and-shoot offense last night?

From University of Hawai'i's first offensive play — Michael Brewster's 18-yard bolt off left tackle — to its penultimate one — quarterback Kainoa Akina's 18-yard dash before taking a knee on the final play — the Warriors liberally sprinkled in the run.

So much so you sometimes had to check the sidelines to see if it really was June Jones calling the plays in the Warriors' 48-26 stampede of Nevada and not an imposter wearing the headphones.

On a night when the game sponsor was a Las Vegas casino, who would have put money on the Warriors not only out-running somebody but coming up with their first 100-yard plus performance by a running back in 39 games?

But the Warriors treated their smallest Aloha Stadium crowd, 30,476, in three seasons to their most productive ground effort in the six seasons of Jones' heretofore aerial circus: 251 yards, 150 yards of it in a highlight reel effort by Brewster.

The wonders never ceased. Here was the team that usually runs just enough to keep the cobwebs off its running back — about 22 percent of the time — nearly doubling it.

Here were the Warriors taking to the ground with both rare frequency and often bruising authority to help get to the .500 mark (2-2) for the first time this season. In the process, they out-rushed Nevada, 251-233, even if they were hard-pressed to stop the Wolf Pack's Chance Kretschmer, who gained 178 yards on 34 carries.

But, hey, if the Wolf Pack was going to dare UH to run the ball — and putting five men in the tackle box was almost an engraved invitation — then UH wasn't going to be too stubborn and pass up the opportunity.

For a team that entered the game last among 117 Division I-A in rushing offense, the Warriors both knew how to run the ball and actually looked good doing it on the way to two touchdowns and helping set up three more. At times, especially in the second half, the running game actually appeared crisper than the trademark passing attack when even Jones acknowledged, "I did not think we hit on all cylinders ..."

While Brewster became the first UH running back since Mike Bass in 2001 against Texas-El Paso to reach the 100-yard mark, the stage was not his alone. Not when West Keli'ikipi, Bryan Maneafaiga and Akina had their moments, too.

Indeed, on a night when quarterback Tim Chang celebrated his 23rd birthday and became only the second Division I-A quarterback to surpass 14,000 yards, one of the biggest rounds of applause was reserved for his ... running.

It came late in the third quarter when Chang pulled the ball in and scrambled 14 yards in a manner that might have sent shivers up the spine of his coaches, but inspired both his teammates and the crowd.

We probably shouldn't expect the Warriors to re-write their playbook anytime soon and strive for anything like a balanced offense. Though some can hope.

But for another night, at least, it was reassuring to note that the Warriors can run the ball when given the opportunity.

If they are going to be more than a .500 team this season, that ability figures to come in handy.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.