Heretofore any description of University of Hawai'i senior slotback Jon Medeiros has usually begun with, "he's not spectacular, but..."

Spectacular has been Greg Salas making a head-shaking catch in traffic or tightrope-walking a sideline.

Spectacular was Rodney Bradley turning on the after-burners.

With Medeiros, meanwhile, coaches have paid tribute to his workmanlike qualities.

But Saturday — when the Warriors' vision of a bowl game was on the line, with Bradley out for the season and Salas limited by injury — Medeiros demonstrated a consistency that was spectacular in its own way to help them to a 17-10 overtime victory over San Jose State.

With first-time starter Shane Austin at quarterback, Medeiros' value was in his ability to get open and make plays in the tightest of circumstances.

When there was scant time to ponder all the options, there was always Medeiros.

Need 7 or 8 yards on third down? Medeiros was the man. Got to get rid of the ball in a hurry? Send it No. 2's way.

For somebody who was usually the smallest guy on the field, the 5-foot-9 (or so the roster has it) Medeiros picked the right time to come up with his biggest game. Someone who didn't crack the starting lineup until five weeks ago emerged as the "go-to" guy. And the Warriors went to him a lot.

The numbers, by themselves, were remarkable: 10 catches for 149 yards. Both career bests. They were more than the sum of his two-year "career" entering the season.

More revealing of Medeiros' worth to the Warriors, however, was how he advanced drives with 7 of his 10 catches good for first downs.

Maybe we shouldn't be too surprised with the way the former Kapolei High quarterback took this opportunity and ran with it since this is what he's done since walking on from Western Oregon. He has steadily moved up the crowded depth chart and won playing time through his performance in practice, one play at a time, one game at a time.

Nothing jaw-dropping but the kind of day-in, day-out consistency that coaches notice. The solid route running, good decision-making, ability to hold on to the ball and durability they come to admire. The reliability they reward.

On a night when the Warriors needed him most, Medeiros showed them spectacular can come in many forms.