I’m back from vacation, but still on the road, here in Houston to cover the UH football team’s game at Rice. It was interesting to get insights from Rice president David Leebron about the changes coming in big-time college sports having to do with autonomy for the most powerful conferences (the SEC, Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12). Leebron served on the NCAA governance committee that discussed and recommended changes like allowing for schools to pay total cost of […]

Hawaii’s defense did a very credible job and didn’t wear down at altitude in the 21-12 loss at Colorado today — in fact, it got better after intermission and shut out the Buffaloes following the break. It was the UH offense’s failure to get the ball into the end zone that cost it the game. That much is obvious … but what does coach Norm Chow do now at quarterback? Starter Ikaika Woolsey has turned in three consecutive underwhelming performances. […]

I’m not specializing in specialists … it just kind of worked out that way this week. (Also, isn’t “specialist” not a very good title for Scott Harding, since he punts, returns punts, plays receiver and used to be the holder, too? … I’d say that’s more in the “generalist” category). I chatted briefly with kicker Tyler Hadden after practice Tuesday. A senior now, he is injury-free and kicking with confidence. He’s made 6 of his 7 field goal attempts (the […]

I’ve always been a big fan of special teams play. More games are won and lost with the kicking game than people realize. Hawaii beat Northern Iowa largely due to Scott Harding‘s punting, and his punt-returning factored in, too. Tyler Hadden is 6-for-7 on field goals and perfect on extra points so far this season. Harding is winner of the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week award and among five named for the honor roll of the Paul […]

In its first two games, the University of Hawaii football team’s offense has started well and the defense has finished strong. Against Washington and Oregon State, the offense used a nice mix of scripted plays to move the ball crisply on the first drive after taking the opening kickoff (against the Huskies the drive ended in a touchdown, against OSU a lost fumble in the Beavers red zone). But in both games, the offense was generally much less effective after […]

That’s how coaches often refer to special teams … one third of the game. While the number of plays involving kicking are normally way less than one third of plays from scrimmage in a game, the yardage covered by these plays and the fact that field goals and PAT kicks directly lead to points make that idiom ring true. Also, special teams plays often lead to huge swings in momentum and that’s what we saw last Saturday when Hawaii came […]

He has a home on the Big Island. The stated reason for his resignation as SMU head coach is “personal reasons.” From most I’ve read and heard, it sounds like he needs a break, for now. What about the future? Norm Chow isn’t going to coach UH football forever (and his tenure could end quickly if the losing continues) and at 61, Jones is several years younger than Chow. Some of Jones’ friends say he’s ready to roll right now. […]

The University of Hawaii football team is 0-2 to start the season, and that’s not a surprise. What may have been unexpected for some is that UH was still in the game late in the fourth quarter against both Washington and Oregon State before falling 17-16 and 38-30. The frustrating thing for many fans is what appears to be regression in many areas instead of progress from the first game to the second game. Overall defense, Ikaika Woolsey’s quarterback play, […]