Rocky Mountain road trip
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — It’s a nice, cool day in Fort Collins, where the Warriors will conduct a toned-down practice at Hughes Stadium this evening.
The Warriors, who spent the night in Los Angles, are scheduled to arrive in Fort Collins at 4:30 this afternoon. The practice, which will be held after sunset, coincides with tomorrow’s game. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. MST.
* * * * *
If UH backup quarterback Beau Reilly plays tomorrow — or this season — partial credit goes to CSU coach Jim McElwain. Reilly signed with CSU in February 2011, then went on a two-year mission beginning that fall. After returning, he sought a release to transfer because the coaches who recruited him were no longer at CSU. McElwain, who is friends with UH coach Norm Chow, signed off on Reilly’s release, as well as a petition to allow Reilly to play this year without redshirting.
Hana!
Dool!
Set!
Go Warriors!
Go Warriors! Stay warm and play like heck!
Ah, the Rocky Mountains – time to go rent “Cliffhanger” again.
Go Warriors, kick da Rams!!
Aloha gangee! This one is for my across the street neighbor, hana-butta buddy, terrorizing the neighborhood with our skateboards, surfing Maili Pt after-school, former all-state Monarch, and 3-year starter for the CSU Rams—Todd Schmidt. Bruddha Todd we about to take you guys down—wink!!
I remember they filmed the basketball movie “One on One” at CSU back in the 70s. None of the Cali schools would allow them film on their campuses.
Colorado State’s weaknesses– defense, and particularly pass defense. Overall we are close on defense, but Colorado State has a weak pass defense. Our pass defense is ranked fourth in the conference, and CSU’s is ranked ninth. If we can pass the ball well we can compete with CSU and even beat them– pass D is that much of a problem for them. We need to run well enough to set up the pass– particularly our play action passing game. No errors and turnovers, and play the best passing game we have played this season and we have a chance.
cocobean: regarding midseason firing. Firing norm chow midseason doesn’t necessarily mean that UH is looking for a head coach from another school to leave almost immediately (or put in his job app immediately) and coach the team.
Midseason firings allow the school to comb through the current head coaching job market, vet the coordinators that they have now, create a wish list of coaches and coordinators that they feel would be a good fit for the program, and contact their agents and send out feelers.
It also enables those coaches to consider the job opening and to plan ahead their exit strategy if they do plan to work at UH.
Also important, it functions as a PR move to placate the fan base. So there are advantages to a midseason firing, if the current coach and state of the team is really that terrible.
We always gotta have our feet firmly planted in the present–that said, at times, our eyes need to peer into the future. So, how is this for out of the box, following the script of Chip Kelly and the FCS route…someone that has a proven HC record everywhere he has been, albeit in the lower divisions, Tim Walsh—see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Walsh_(American_football)
He looks, smells and feels like a sleeper…..
Good morning everyone!
ST has been very quiet lately. Must be a lot of secret play stuff underway besides Iosefa up the middle on offense….or so I hope. 😐
Colorado State student of the month:
http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/bad-molly-takes-colorado-state-student-on-insane-mastu-1655993298/+billyhaisley
4-P. Like I said I understand what you’re saying. I just don’t agree because while there may be a plus side to an early firing there is also too many unknowns. The first thing the comes to my mind is how will the players react? Will the players feel it is justified? Will it influence anyone to move on? No one really knows. One coach who deserved to be fired was Von Appen. He was let go at the end of the season. A lot of players were unhappy about it. Didn’t a DB last named Grant organize about 40 or so players to speak out against it. Just because a coach is not producing any wins doesn;t mean his players don’t like or respect him. Mack’s players weren’t happy when he was let go.
Another unknown is what the heck is going on in the UHAD. Does anyone really believe BJ has the authority to make the call when and if to let Chow go? When and if they do let Chow go does anyone believe they will have all their ducks lined up in a row? Who would have the authority to contact the coaches’ agents? Who will be making the wish list. Who decides the limits on the compensation package.
The only known if and when there is a firing is summed up in two words – Search Committee.
Not giving any credit to Jim McElwain.. If Reilly was good, he would have been kept. Grayson is a senior. There would be a complete open competition next year for QBs in Colorado.
cocobean: well, yeah. most players like their coaches, unless the coach is abusive and dysfunctional or he lost control of his team. Either that, or support for the team is waning so bad that the AD needs to fire the coach to placate the fans. firing midseason is extreme and i personally think that chow should finish off the season before he gets the axe, because although he’s a TERRIBLE head coach, it doesn’t seem like he lost the locker room and he hasn’t breached personal and professional conduct policies.
but if he’s fired after this week, most likely the team will still suck just as bad and end up having the same record and will give UHAD time to prepare for the hiring process. whether or not the players get mad, the end result statistically tends to be the same. Or they could actually start winning games, like ed orgeron at USC after kiffin got the boot. you never know.
but the firing should be as a part of an overall plan to move the program forward.
whether or not some players decide to move on, i have my doubts. i mean, are the players really that good to begin with that they’ll get a bunch of offers to sit out a year and then get a scholarship at a big time university? will a few players transferring out really make the team any worse (statistically and win/loss) than they are now? will not the new head coach bring in his own recruits, his own philosophy, and his own energy?
if it’s a good business decision, then fire chow now. if it’s not, the fire him at the end of the season (which would be my preferred choice). either way, in my opinion, the dude has got to go.
Intersting match up between a program on the rise (CSU) and a program stuck in the doldrums (UH). It seems to me that CSU as an institution has made a commitment to excellence in their football program. Utah State has done the same.
UH as an institution has not and this concerns me moving ahead. I have been singing in the fire NC choir of late and am not ready to resign from the choir. But without the appropriate administrative skill, vision and resources to support the football team we will not be successful. We might we be more successful than we are now (which is a low bar) but I am not optimistic that we will be looking like CSU. I think there is a possibility that we fire NC and replace him with someone who needs to take time to figure out the nuances on being in Hawaii and working for UH and we actually are not a whole lot better off. As many have pointed out recently Mac had a much better record and was shown the door. So we want a real winning team here. But this takes more than just a new coach. CSU and USU are examples of what it takes. I don’t think we are there institutionally. If NC keeps losing then there is not much choice. If we get some wins it becomes an interesting decision.
BJ said that the coaching will be evaluated at the end of the season, and from what I’ve been hearing that hasn’t changed. Chow is sitting right where most of us predicted, albeit hoping for the better, in terms of the record. I don’t think losing to Colorado State, a very good team this year, is going to be the final straw the breaks the camels back in deciding Chow’s tenure here at UH. I think a decision, if any, will be made at the end of the season.
Looks like today, Fort Collins’ weather is a little warmer than it will be tomorrow.
actually, when chow was hired, i expected the hawaii bowl by his third season. not this clusterf*ck.
Denver Post has a story praising the Rams’ secondary.
Shoko:
There’s not going to be any decision at the end of the season.
I’m fairly certain Chow will be back for a fourth season.
Meanwhile, we’re going to see LeBron tonight.
Cavs and Nuggets.
Love the NBA.
Oh! There you have it, folks. Straight from the horses mouth!
Nuggets game?
I think there are a few here that will admit they picked the wrong career field to pursue.
Jeezy…my sentiments exactly. If Reilly was that good, no way he gets a free ride to a conference school, playable immediately.
Though, it would be something if Reilly leads the Warriors to victory against his former team, on a game-winning drive as time expires…..Hey, I can dream, cant I?
Actually, McElwain didn’t recruit Reilly, so he was OK with letting him go.
Besides, I think McElwain will leave after this year. He’s going to be getting a lot of good offers.
I remember when I was covering hoops, and I sat down after practice with Bill Self. He said there was no way he was leaving Tulsa. And a few months later, he was gone.
22.
If that’s the case, do you think that there are any requirements put forth by the athletic department to coach Chow for internal change of personnel, operations, or whatever it may be as provisions for him continuing to a fourth season?
If I had a dime for every head coach that said they were happy where they are and not interested in other offers, I’d be….well, you know how the saying goes.
Like hiring a seasoned offensive coordinator to help out next season?
Andrew:
Two things to consider. 1) UH doesn’t have any money. 2) Chow runs a clean program. There are no controversies within the program.
Of the recent coaches who were let go, each had internal problems.
I could be wrong, but from what I’m hearing — or not hearing — Chow will be back for a fourth year.
Bill Who?
Never heard of him lately.
Was he successful in his new gig?
GOOD AFTERNOON, HAWAII!
You usually hire or fire personnel at your convenience.
As far as McElwain and Reilly – Reilly not being recruited by the present CSU coach – remember that Coach Rolo recruited Woolsey
Well if ST is correct (and it is very distressing to consider the possibility that our blog host could be otherwise) then we need a good OC, Norm to step back from the offence and hope the off season will somehow rekindle fan interest. If we don’t win any more and NC is retained at least the blogs will be entertaining.
Whoops. Correction: Nash ran a clean program, had no internal problems, and was let go.
I thought he deserved one more season.
Chow didn’t recruit Mike Wadsworth either.. He wasn’t released without a fight. More times than not, I don’t think a coach would just let a mission player that can help u win go if they signed a LOI. Unless of course you have more needs to fill with that scholarship in the first place. If McElwain really wanted Reilly, he could have recruited him to stay and be a part of their future.
that sound you hear is the turnstile counts dropping.
or it could also be the annoying ads playing.
I will say it one more time and then be forever quiet. Norm should call Rolo, apologize for not retaining him and tell him to come home and run the offense. Also tell him it is likely he will retire before too long and that Rolo will be an obvious contender for the HC job. OK last time I promise. Hope you are listening Norm.
Well I guess next season will be a good time to pick new seats
If fan dissatisfaction continues, attendance goes down, and so does revenue, then I think UH would be stupid NOT to fire Chow and cut their losses…As for internal problems, does Chow’s sideline fight with the Special Teams coach qualify??? I honestly think this is the worst it’s been since Von Appen and debatable whether it’s been actually worst than the VA years.
A clean but dismal losing program…nice to have such a “high” standard at UH. Money can’t buy happiness but it sure comes in handy when it comes to firing coaches.
I do hope coach Chow is back. I think the team plays hard each week and for the most part keep themselves out of trouble. I do think coach needs to move away from the 80s BYU offense and look for edge speed on both sides of the ball.
I believe if UH finishes with 2-3 wins, Chow will be McMackin’d….
If we don’t win one of the next 2 road games, turnstile count will be sum 15K, less than a local HS game.
The Utah St game must of had 17,000 in attendance.
Will military night promoting BOGO, quite a few must gotten in for free.
Tink about it, aside from CSU, SJSU and Fresno St both have 3 wins and UNLV 2.
Thus to date Chow’s signature win in against Wyoming who currently has 4 wins.
I dont think many will support another year of only winning against FCS schools or rock bottom dwellers.
#39: thats a good suggestion and one that some might accept as a “concession” towards giving Chow another year to coach…
#9. Tempmanoa; We heard about weak pass defenses of past opponents this season, but it didn’t help much.
#23. Someone on radio suggested that Lebron should play the post. You think he would do that ?
#31. One reason UH doesn’t have any money, is that it is not making enough in football.
#35. Jim Donovan was a pro-active AD, he gave three years to Takahara-Dias, three to Nash and four to Mac. He also spent a lot of money ; ” spent more than $622,000 of donated UH funds on travel, meals, drinks and other events for himself, his staff, the media, supporters and athletic boosters over the last four and a half years.”
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/19779742/uh-athletic-department-spends-662k-on-travel-events-meals
clean program… cuz maybe nothing has surfaced yet..
still waiting to find out if 3 starters that have been accused of ‘bullying’ on here is true or not…no one seems to care… coaches..admin…reporters…
ST, you said the key word that was the giveaway that he would never leave Tulsa—Tulsa.
ST,
I hope you are right. I like Norm Chow, and wish him the best.
Hope Chow is back next year.
Don’t know any coach that can
keep kids playing hard as they do
game after game.We are not winning
but we are better.I agree that he runs
a clean program, just wish he would
hire an EXPERIENCED OC!!!!
ST, respectfully, I think you’re mistaken. Nash didn’t deserve another season because it was clear the basketball program was on a downward spiral and losing its fan base. The situation with football currently is the same. If Ben Jay lacks the vision or the will or both to make a change at the end of this season then someone higher up in the chain of command will require him to do it.
If Chow stays, then the question is how does the O get better? Will he continue the course with Wynn? Or do we need an actually fulltime OC? Lakalaka and St. Juste back, Kirkwood and Stubblefield back will help, def will be banking on Wittek or Zwahlen… GO BOWS!!!
BigWave:
Turnstile count was 19K, tickets issued, 24K. 5K no shows. Walking out of the stadium, I ran into a group of people with t-shirts that said on the front, “Still Get Chance.” On the back of their shirts it said, ” Beat the Traffic.”
problem is with… wait till next year.. when all these dudes will be back…
reality is..injuries always take its toll.. n should they do so next year… then what…hopefully not.. but it happened to utah state…n our 2 qb’s to joey…
n our line backer corps..can’t count on a injury free season…
our schedule is loaded in the front end…for the money..
3 out of 4… colorado ohio state n wisconsin…not to appealing..
I remember at the Nevada game right before UH scored that last TD to pull within eight, the entire section was chanting “we want tacos”. How sad that’s what it has come to
We cannot afford to keep Chow. There is no perceived value in buying season tickets to watch Hawai’i lose over and over again. Fact: Free tickets and bus rides for students have zero impact on filling seats. Fans rather see UH win 57-52 than 14-3. Fact: “The thrill is gone.” Corporate support of UH is fading. Fact: Outside manipulation, State interference, and search committees combined with Aloha Stadium’s monopoly have not worked and always snags defeat from the jaws of victory. No coach of substance who understands Hawai’i politics would take the HC job for less than $1million. Fact: We are a sinking ship, without a rudder.
Win or lose, we always cheer for tacos! UH lost the students in 2011, the game prior to the Utah State game. There were crackdowns on underage drinking in the parking lot, and cops posted (standing) in the student section the entire game, looking for beer bottles, etc. The next game (Utah State), they decided (via social media) to boycott the game. The have not been coming ever since.
NN. How does that promotion work. Do you have to exchange your ticket for tacos within a certain time frame. I’ve still got all my tickets. Never tried to cash any in.
I think I am not too different from many others, but three years of sitting in the stadium and following the team, going to practices and scrimmages, I am about to walk away, because it is so painful to watch a loss when you keep hoping for a win– I don’t know how some of you do it, when we have lost 27 out 33 games Chow has coached with us– ruins my weekend as a fan. Maybe I will watch art home where I can turn the game off.
i have some tickets too. btw, this whole “we may lose but the team plays hard every week” thing that some people are talking about. how do you measure that? have they ever NOT played hard? did they not play hard under mcmackin? did they not play hard under von appen? how do you know if they’re playing hard or not? how do you know if they’re playing hard enough to offset the firing of a coach with a 6-27 record?
57.
Oh yeah I heard about that. If there is a will there is a way though. I’m sure there is still a lot of underage drinking now too. They just leave before the game starts haha
One really cannot do much without money. You cannot buy out a contract with no money and if you could scrape cup enough to do that, where’s that additional dollars going to come from to pay for a new coach and his staff? If you’re looking for an upgrade that’s going to cost more. Where’s that coming from? You can dream of “what if” but without resources, one is limited in what realistic options are available.
I believe you have one week to get your free tacos, but I give my tickets away. Those Jack-in-the Box tacos are nasty.
4-Prong, I’m with you. We loyal fans deserve a medal. If the people sitting around me weren’t so entertaining, it would be absolute torture. With those crazy fans, it’s just regular torture.
Nice day in Fort Collins. Staying at Marriot CSU Rams right down the hall in meetings just passed Jim Mcelwain in the hall. Here is hoping for a great Warrior day. Go Warriors!!
with ST announcement that Chow will be back for #4 – suddenly I feel tired and nearly totally no feeling toward 2015 football season
I withstood Von Appen, but at least it was somewhat interesting – with Chow’s offense it’s nearly 3 and out 75% of the time
if this is the case in 2015 – UH had better find a very good kicker to replace Harding – notice how many schools now employ a soccer style punter? Nevada used 2 return man to counter the long rolls.
if Chow comes back in 2015 – we will attend only the 1st and maybe last tailgate gathering
Plan B would be to bring a plate lunch with cold drinks and eat dinner in the Aiea Elementary parking lot
I will watch the UH-CSU game on ESPN tomorrow, but I have to say I am not getting my hopes up.
On an upbeat note, it has been 25 years since the Berlin Wall came down. I went through Checkpoint Charlie in 1971 and spent a day in East Berlin. It was an eye opening visit.
I believe the team plays hard every game… they have not won most of the time.
But they have been mostly competitive–played hard– and lost many heartbreakers by a frustrating touchdown or so. (What was the average margin of loss…someone calculated it over the past 3 years.)
It is more frustrating to lose when “get chance” than getting blown out 66-3 every week. At least with many blowouts, it is easier to justify the “Fire the Coach” movement.
We mostly “get chance” –even against 3 Pac-12 teams this year, but cannot keep losing the close ones–pray for a win or settle for a blowout for lesser frustration.
I pray for the wins.
I need two for a free lunch. 🙂
Aiyah, A-House & Ohana! We all feel as you do…but, no give up nor give in! Hang in dea, Unko…as ALL us Tsaikos need foa hang in dea—tru-tick-n-tin—lahdat! 🙂
Too funny…my comment is awaiting moderation—das wat I get foa tryin talk pidgin!
i believe every team plays hard, regardless of what era of coaching it is. that’s why i think the “the players play hard for chow!” argument is dumb. this is division I football. if you’re on the team, you’re playing hard, otherwise you wouldn’t be on the field.
:mrcool:
(from LV)
+56!
….couldn’t do it. Couldn’t envision myself “cheering” to keep them within 8 TD’s
Come on, Bows!
Here could be the unintended consequence (worse case scenario) of what has been stated thus far, given the fact there is no money and the institution has even greater issues (massive deferred maintenance issues, a new contract just approved by the outgoing Governor for raises, cannot raise tuition or fees, etc.).
So folks don’t support the team (s) (football and now men’s basketball) for whatever reasons. These are the two bigger resource generators for the department. That message, unintended, to the decision makers is taken as folks are not interested in sports at UH, we can do away with it, make it an intramural activity for our students and concentrate on academics.
So Saturday rolls along and all we have for collegiate sports would be found on television. No UH sports because we chose to stay away to make a point, we are not happy.
#72: lol doubtful.
“Close games” is a meaningless statistic for Hawaii. Hawaii will always lose because it does not score enough points– it is one of the lowest scoring teams each year in the Mountain West, and nationally. If you are scoring fewer points than everyone else in the league, you will never win. In 2012, we were last in the MWC in average score per game, in 2013, we were 10th in a 12 team conference, and in 2014 we are last in points scored in the Mountain West but tied with UNLV– a team with only 1 win. So if we keep scoring fewer points per game than every other team in the Mountain West, we will never win many if any games. This is how it has been since Chow got here and why we lose almost every time we play for the past 33 games.
#72 true, as doubtful as a buyout of the contract. Just no money. Just have to support and be hopeful until they make it a habit of winning or the contract runs it course.
Go Warriors!! Just win these next 3 road games. Sick and tired of being sick and tired about the inability to win on the continent. Nuff already!
to be honest, a buyout at the end of the season is MUCH more likely than the athletic dept armageddon you’re talking about. especially if attendance and revenues start nosediving even more than they are now.
#62 Buffoman:
Though I may speak with the tongue of men and angels, without money, I am nothing.
#39 AF – why does it have to be Rolovich? There are many offensive coordinators out there.
Mr. A-House – don’t paint yourself in a corner 😉
#76 speculation is interesting. Armageddon as I speculated is a stretch, but more red ink than projected (given the new situation with the men’s basketball team) makes me wonder what other options are available given that there are no resources to be had.
NotNasti #64: Your comment made me laugh. At the USU game, the guy behind us went crazy when Harding ran the punt back for a TD. Of course, the rest of the stadium let out a collective groan when they saw the flag. This guy celebrating so wildly that he missed the entire penalty. He was shouting at everyone to stand up ‘cuz only one touchdown behind! Watching the discussion between the guy three rows ahead (section was pretty empty) and the bewildered fan was hilarious, in a sad way. When he finally figured things out, I thought he was going to jump over the rail!
If coach Chow is replaced or announces his retirement before the UNLV game, then I would expect a good crowd at Aloha Stadium for the game. It would give fans hope that the program could be turned around. If he is not replaced/retired before the UNLV game, then I would have no confidence that Chow will leave at the end of the 2014 season.
2017 season will be the season UH see a change. Until then, everyone will just need to get use to seeing the same things:
offense:
Run right, Run left, Pass, Punt.
On defense:
defense plays hard and falters in the end because they are on the field for majority of the time in the second half.
Special Teams:
Gives up more punt returns for TD because Harding is no longer there.
Post conference with Coach Chow:
same coach talk as his previous 27 losses in his coaching era at UH.
Looking forward to see 2017 UH football season.
We have played teams that run better than we do– Rice, Nevada, Utah State, Colorado, San Diego State– and have a rushing defense as strong or better than we do. But, these teams have been weak on pass defense– Colorado State is an example– look at the yards and touchdowns they have given up, even to teams like San Jose State. The way to beat these teams is to use the passing game (set up play action if we can too). Have we put enough emphasis on passing? Have we used enough of practice time to develop the passing game? Do we have an experienced QB coach and receivers coach? We play weak pass defense teams that defend the run– we need to pass to win.
Getting ready for game time in FC. Sunny and 45 will be about 60 at KO no wind and by 8 should still be around 50. Third game this year including two at Aloha. Unlike some others I intend to support the program even more after all as Jay Shidler says “its my school”. Read the article about him and what he thinks in the SA. Be part of the solution!!!!! Here is to a win. Go Warriors!!!!!
Colorado State was one of the schools represented at that Denver airport in which the move to break away from the WAC was struck. I would love to see a Hawaii upset.
I’m looking at the Joey Iosefa 3-game suspension as a blessing. He should be fully-healthy, you would think.
MadDog50,
Send me an e-mail when you have a chance.
It’s game day: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=25874