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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, November 15, 2009

Moniz says injury 'not serious'


By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich talks to Bryant Moniz after Moniz left the game in the fourth with an apparent bruised rib. Moniz said he should play next week.

NORMAN SHAPIRO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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University of Hawai'i starting quarterback Bryant Moniz suffered what is believed to be a bruised rib in last night's 24-6 win over New Mexico State and said he should be able to play in Saturday's game at San Jose State.

Moniz exited the game after the first play of the fourth quarter and did not return. He said the injury is "not serious at all" and that it "happened early in the game.

"I played with it and then it got worse," Moniz said. "I pulled myself out for the better of the team."

Moniz finished with 294 yards on 20-of-38 passing with one interception on a deflected pass. He did not throw a touchdown.

"Moniz played a good game, but he bruised his rib, hopefully it's not a crack," Warriors' coach Greg McMackin said.

WRIGHT-JACKSON IN THE (END) ZONE

While he didn't break the century mark last night, senior running back Leon Wright-Jackson did score twice in last night's win.

Wright-Jackson, who ran for a career-high 167 yards and three scores against Utah State last week, capped UH's first offensive drive with a 3-yard TD run with 7:03 to play in the first quarter.

"Everybody was doing their jobs and when I got the ball, my job was to get in the end zone," Wright-Jackson said. "The linemen blocked, the receivers held their blocks and I got in — it was because of those guys, that's the reason why I scored."

On UH's second play from scrimmage, Wright-Jackson scampered for a 19-yard gain and a first down. Three plays later, on third-and-3, he hauled in a shovel pass from Moniz for 16 yards. Later in the drive, Wright-Jackson picked up seven yards on first-and-goal from the NMSU 10 to set up his TD run on the next play.

After an Aggies three-and-out, the Warrior offense went back to work. UH picked up first downs on three consecutive plays, the last coming on a 13-yard swing pass from Moniz to Wright-Jackson, who scored on an 11-yard run two plays later. Scott Enos' PAT with 3:39 left made it 14-0.

STRUGGLING ENOS TO KEEP ON KICKING

Despite missing four of his last five field goal attempts, junior Scott Enos will keep his job as the No. 1 placekicker, UH special teams coach Chris Tormey said.

Enos, who did convert on a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter, missed his only other kick last night: a 22-yard try later in the period. The ball was aligned on the right hash mark and Enos missed it wide right.

"It was nothing mechanical, he just missed it," Tormey said. "He pushed it right."

When asked if he contemplated using backup kicker Brian Blumberg against NMSU last night, Tormey said: "We didn't get to that point ... Scott Enos is our kicker."

Enos averaged 67.6 yards on five kickoffs with one touchback.

KAHUKU REUNION AT MIDFIELD TOSS

Kahuku graduates BJ and Ka'ua Adolpho saw a familiar face when they met the Warriors' captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss last night.

Senior running back Inoke Funaki, a former Red Raider quarterback, was one of four UH captains against NMSU.

"Before the coin toss, we got out there and I was like 'Nokes! Howzit Brah?' It was good fun," said BJ Adolpho, a freshman defensive back.

"It felt like a class reunion over there," Funaki said. "It's always fun to run into guys you know from back home. Even though some of us didn't play together at Kahuku, we still share that same bond being from the same community."

Aggies' sophomore defensive tackle David Niumatalolo is also a Kahuku graduate.

NO TIME FOR SIGHTSEEING

It was a short, but not-so-sweet stay in the Islands for New Mexico State. The Aggies, which played at Ohio State last Saturday, arrived in Honolulu at 8 o'clock Friday night and departed late last night back to the Mainland.

NMSU hosts Nevada in Las Cruces Saturday before finishing up with games at San Jose State and Boise State.

NOTES

Hawai'i now leads the all-time series with NMSU, 6-0 ... UH wore green jerseys with white pants for the second consecutive game ... UH has committed at least one turnover in 34 straight games. The last time that UH went turnover-free in a game was at UNLV on Sept. 15, 2007 ... Senior John Estes started his 51st consecutive game at center yesterday ... Since 2006, UH is 12-1 in the month of November ... The officiating crew in last night's game included line judge Sarah Thomas, who is the only female official in major college football.