On its way out of Las Vegas in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the University of Hawai'i football team passed by the signs in the McCarran International Airport that proclaim, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

If only it was that simple in football.

That's because what happened in the Warriors' 34-33 loss to Nevada-Las Vegas Saturday night will most assuredly get around the Western Athletic Conference in a hurry. As we speak, opposing offensive coordinators are no doubt taking keen interest in the developments.

"Obviously, we were exposed a little bit in the secondary," said head coach Greg McMackin.

Exposed? The Warriors yielded 460 yards total offense, 340 of which came by passing. The Rebels completed 65 percent of their passes, a big reason why they made good on 10 of 16 third-down situations and both fourth-down attempts that allowed them the double-barreled satisfaction of putting up points while keeping UH's offense off the field.

You can bet that kind of marksmanship and the results it produced won't go unnoticed around the WAC, not to mention UH's other non-conference opponents, where the Warriors' offensive firepower against Washington State and UNLV had undoubtedly raised concerns.

So, there is plenty of work to be done for the 2-1 Warriors in both shoring up their defensive secondary and ratcheting up the pass rush. It is a twinfold proposition because UH's inability to get to virtuoso UNLV quarterback Omar Clayton more than once (the lowering of the boom by converted defensive end Jake Heun) with a three-man rush helped put the secondary at risk for extended periods.

We can only wonder how things might have been different if the Warriors had been able to call upon Paipai Falemalu or Fetaiagogo "John" Fonoti, the injured defensive ends who sat this one out.

Their absences alone, however, did not cost UH this one. Nor will their return be an instant solution. There were enough breakdowns in other places to help a Rebel team that didn't need the aid. On one drive a needless personal foul and blown coverage in the space of three plays allowed UNLV a touchdown on a drive that should not have been permitted to go 72 yards.

The good news is that instead of the usual five days in which to attempt repairs, the Warriors have 10. That's thanks to the slotting of the game at Louisiana Tech to Sept. 30, a Wednesday, to accommodate ESPN.

Call it atonement Wednesday, then, because it will be UH's opportunity to show it can dig out from the disappointment of Saturday night and, hopefully, leave some of its failings in Vegas.