Inspired by the Michael Jackson documentary "This Is It," Hawai'i head coach Greg McMackin said his football team would live by the words of "Man In the Mirror."

Two weeks later, hold up a mirror to the Warriors and there will be evidence of a breath.

"We're still alive, baby!" McMackin said yesterday. "We're still kicking."

After the Warriors lost their sixth in a row to fall to 2-6, the obituaries were written, including two featured on the front page of this newspaper.

Soon after, McMackin declared the Warriors to be in a five-game "playoff." They needed to win five in a row to finish with a winning regular season and earn the accompanying berth in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

The Warriors have met 60 percent of the goal, defeating Utah State, New Mexico State and, this past Saturday, San Jose State.

"I'm proud of these guys for standing up," McMackin said. "We have a lot of guys who are playing hurt, like (slotback) Greg Salas. He was about 80 percent (against San Jose State). He wanted to help the team.

"(Defensive tackle) Tuika (Tufaga) made, really, the game-saving play when he stripped the ball (from running back Lamon Muldrow in the fourth quarter)," McMackin added. "He's playing hurt. It's that time of year. Almost all football players are playing hurt. I don't give them any sympathy because I hurt every day. I'm just kidding about that."

McMackin praised Shane Austin, who started the season as the No. 4 quarterback. Against San Jose State, Austin played in place of Bryant Moniz, who has bruised right ribs. Moniz was unable to throw without grimacing during Friday's walk-through practice.

"When the doctors told me Moniz wasn't going to play, we went right on to Shane, and believed in him," McMackin said. "He was our guy. He threw for about 290 yards, and he didn't have any turnovers. It's the whole thing about football. The next guy has to step up."

Moniz said he was held out of the game for "safety" reasons. He said he felt better yesterday morning, and was hopeful of playing in Saturday's game against Navy.

If Moniz is healthy, he will start, McMackin said.

If not, "we have confidence in Shane," McMackin said.

NEWS AND NOTES

• Slotback Jon Medeiros, who is about 5 feet 10, made several leaping catches against the Spartans.

"When the ball is in the air, hops come out of nowhere," Medeiros said. "My vert is not high at all. But when it's time to make the catch, make the big play, you have to put everything on the line, and get up for the ball."

• McMackin said he opted to go for it on fourth down twice in the first half because he felt the Warriors were out of kicker Scott Enos' comfort range.

"I didn't want to put him in a bad position," McMackin said. "I believe in him at a certain distance."

Enos made one field goal, but missed from 31 yards in the fourth quarter. Although the angle was difficult — it was on the right hash and he's right-footed — Enos said he should have converted. "I guess I hit it wrong," he said.

• Associate head coach Rich Miano was credited with the idea of showing the players the final six minutes of the Warriors' 2007 victory over San Jose State on the eve of Saturday's game.

" 'Chariots of Fire,' bro," Miano said. "You always look for something to motivate the guys."

Video coordinator Chris Williams spliced video from the ESPN telecast of the 2007 game.

"Unfortunately, we didn't have a good sound system," Miano said. "We should have gone to a movie theater and played it on surround sound."