Game Day: Hawaii vs. Nevada
Hawaii falls to Nevada, 40-22, tonight at Aloha Stadium.
Too many missed tackles and too much of Nevada’s power game resulted in the Warriors falling to 6-3 and 3-1 in the MWC.
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UH closes to 33-22 with 3:15 to play on Cole McDonald’s 2-yard scoring pass to JoJo Ward, and then John Ursua’s ensuring two-point conversion toss to Marcus Armstrong-Brown.
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Dayton Furuta is stopped on fourth-and-1, ending yet another UH drive. Chevan Cordeiro was the QB on that dive, replacing Cole McDonald.
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Worse came to worst for the Warriors, who continue to struggle against Nevada’s power game.
Toa Taua goes 13 yards to extend the Pack’s lead to 33-14 with 10:33 to play.
The Pack is 4 for 4 in the red zone.
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Nevada misses a chance to extend lead when Ahmed is short on a 56-yard FG attempt.
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Elijah Cooks takes a lateral and goes 40 yards for a TD to extend Nevada’s lead to 26-14.
The ensuing two-point pass was knocked away.
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There’s no need to score at home. We’ve got the halftime stats for you:
Total offense — Nevada 212/UH 170
Passing — Ty Gangi 12-19-0 133 yards 1 TD/Cole McDonald 9-18-0 149 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing — Toa Taua 8-39/Dayton Furuta 9-42
Receiving — Elijah Cooks 3-54/John Ursua 5-108
Tackles — Jomon Dotson 5/Ikem Okeke 5
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Nevada leads 20-14 entering the intermission.
UH missed a chance to retake the lead when it was ruled that Ty Gangi threw incomplete — not fumbled — while being grabbed by defensive end Kaimana Padello. Linebacker scooped the football and ran into the end zone. But the refs reversed the TD call, saying it was an incomplete pass. Tavai was down for a while after the play, and later was escorted to the medical area for an assessment.
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The see-saw has tilted Nevada’s way.
Pack takes a 20-14 lead on Devonte Lee’s 5-yard scoring run with 6:24 left in the first half.
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A year ago, Ramiz Ahmed was a regular student at UNR. This evening, he is a kicker who has booted two FGs, including a 27-yarder to close the Pack to 14-13 with 11 minutes left in the first half.
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On a timeless play, the Cole McDonald and John Ursua team on a 70-yard play to boost the Warriors to a 14-10 lead as time expired in the first quarter.
It was Ursua’s 14th TD reception of the year (and 15th overall).
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Nevada goes up 10-7 on Ty Gangi’s 29-yard scoring pass to Elijah Cooks with 2:06 left in the first quarter.
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Nevada gets on the board thanks to Ramiz Ahmed’s 23-yard field goal with 4;14 left in the first quarter.
Ahmed and UH’s Ikem Okeke and Kalen Hicks are all Bishop Gorman High (Las Vegas) graduates.
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After getting the ball back on a muffed punt return, the Warriors go 28 yards in three plays for a 7-0 lead with 7:11 left in the first quarter. Cedric Byrd on a streak route from the left slot catches the 8-yard scoring pass from Cole McDonald.
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During special-team drills in practice, UH plays Kernkraft 400.
It’s been played as UH prepares to kickoff.
Pavlov’s dog.
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Hawaii wins the coin toss and … defers.
Wait, what?
Nevada will get the first possession.
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Our Hawaii Prep World editor Billy Hull reminds us Nevada running back Toa Taua was last year’s Polynesian Bowl’s MVP.
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Willie K. gave rousing performances of the national anthem and Hawaii Pono‘i.
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The Warriors (6-2) can secure a winning 13-game regular season and the accompanying berth in the Dec. 22 Hawaii Bowl with a victory in this evening’s game against Nevada at Aloha Stadium.
This will be the third meeting between the teams since Nick Rolovich resigned as Nevavda’s offensive coordinator in November 2015 to return to his alma mater as head coach. Rolovich was a UH quarterback for two seasons, a GA for one year, and a quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator for four years through 2011.
Here’s a link to the matchups: UH-Nevada matchups
Follow the blogs for updates.
Nevada stayed at the Princess K, one of the hotels that is being picketed.
The Pack leaves tonight on a charter flight.
I don’t get it. How can it be the fourth meeting if this is Rolo’s 3rd season as head coach?
Truegreen:
Hey, you’re right Thanks.
Nevada is a very tough team; we need to score early and often; and our defense needs to play lights out like they did vs Wyoming!
This is sort of a must-win game for Hawaii.
It probably will be underdogs against Fresno State and Utah State
Central Florida has an argument.
Ohio State is getting shellacked by a team that lost to Eastern Michigan.
Let’s go, Hawaii.
Delay the inevitable for one more week.
And get your single AP vote back!
Awesome national anthem. Let’s go!
Still having problems wrapping up and tackling. Can’t feel like we are in control of the game.
2 onsides? Really?
Whys McDonald holding the ball so long now a days?
Is PPV officiating more creative than for basic cable games?
What happen to Rolos neck?
They look beaten
Looks like the team has regressed. Flat, drops, tackles all have resurfaced.
Seems like the team is regressing. Offense looks out of sync, defense just looks slow and as usual our db s are getting beat.
The high octane offense not so much octane.
Zebras ain’t helping either.
It’s over. Questionable play calling on the goal line.
Bad throws
Put in Chevan
Bad o line play
Special teams gets an F
Put chevan in
Frustrating…….
So frustrating…
I agree with #23 ” put in chevan”
POOR DECISIONS BY McDonald……
Redzone production is horrible. They need a bye already they all buss up.
Where’s the DEFENSE???????????????………..
Messy game all around.
Nice homecoming for Tim Chang.
Hawaii has given up…….
Now they put in chevan……..after McDonald had dig the hole……..????????????????
once to many times to the well with FURUTA……
Put in Moussa lol
Wow, looks like we might lose every game to finish at 6-7. I hope we can beat UNLV.
Think going for on side kicks early hurt bad. Gave them good field position 2x and they scored after the on side kicks. Bad bad decisions
808, we also turned it over on downs on the 50. 2 onsides + 4th down + shank punt = 4 short fields
Hawaii should just stop with the on side kick already.
Early successes may have created a false sense of grandeur. The quicker we get to reality the sooner we get to concentrating on paying attention to basics.
Grade F – terrible on O, terrible on D, terrible on ST.
Wow! Hawaii really sucks!!! They do not deserve any bowl game playing like this tonight! It. Was. Embarrassing!! Really embarrassing.
Watched the UNLV game on Friday. We are definitely not beating them. Lexington Thomas is going to burn our terrible defense all night.
Not sure what the fix is…too many to fix.
I put this loss on the coaching………WE lost it in the 1st half………Bad call to onside kick after Hawaii’s 2 touchdowns and going for it on 4th & 2 on the 49yd line. It gave Nevada a short field which they scored 3 times to put Hawaii in a hole and playing catch up. This also put Hawaii’s defense which is not very good in a bad situation and as our defense tired, they became much sloppier, missing tackles and assignments and in wrong positions to make plays.
Coaching for this game……..”F”
Strategy…………………………….”F”
If Hawaii plays like this in Fresno next week, It will be an “Embarrassing BLOWOUT!!!!!!!!
Poor coaching. Same offense over and over with the lack of a running game. Defenses have adjusted to too much Furuta. But that’s how its been since the Chow days. Run the same play with the same RB hoping for different results. Rolo just carries on the tradition.
Think about this: Hawaii was FLAT PERIOD ! They got beat up at BYU and it happens to the best. Pathetic, Yes but one more win will do it. Coaching was bad too as well the horrendous non-calls by the zebras. What we are worried about is next years schedule-it is formidable. Better recruit better cause Ursua and Tavai will be gone.
One more thing, UH needs more talent.
#44
The fix is to play Basic Fundamentally Sound football, Better coaching, better strategy, Better energy, Better O-Line blocking, Receivers must not drop football and the defense to improve 75% at the least since Jalani Tavai is injured and better play calling.
Same old tune. To many missed tackles to many dropped passes and missed opportunities. What are the coaches doing about it? You can kiss this season goodbye if things don’t change.
Not sure why it seems Hawaii always loses its mojo in the second half of the season. Hopefully they can change things up and make it fun again and not monotonous.
Tonight the receivers had an unusual amount of drops. And for the first time (because it was so noticeable) I saw receivers not stretching out (alligator arms) to make the catch. I really believe it was the physical pounding they (the trio) took at BYU that caused this. I cant blame them, it did look painful. BYU DB’s were so aggressive. I don’t know what can be done going forward. That kind of problem they have to try and shake off, but I can see it’s stuck in their minds. Make those catches then maybe winnable game. Out of sync for sure. The crowd was not as helpful today. Got a lot to figure out. Defense needs to make more plays as well. Lots of “read and react”. They can do it. It’s up to them. It’s still possible. Anything is possible.
RED WAVE WEEK–WE INVITE THE WARRIORS TO THE PURPLE SECTION–LOOK FOR THE MOVING TRUCKSka mana wana move ya Big Island weeks of practice!!! nice win last nite in NEWMEXICO—This RED defense is SpecialSEE YOU IN 6 DAZE%#$
This loss I have to put it on Rolo and the Coaches. Giving Nevada a short field from some unorthodox calls i.e.; On side kicks, going for it on 4th down from beyond the opponents 40 yard line. Most of us would agree if you at the opponents 39 yard line and its 4th down and 1 then go for it. But to put the defense to defend from the 50 yard line multiple times early in games due to unorthodox calls is asking a lot.
This killed momentum, Listen, Hawaii fans love gambling, but we also love playing better analytics/odds to win some moolah. And this young team look to the coaches for guidance, wisdom and strategy. Got to play it smart and punt and kick off and give your defense a chance and make these run heavy teams like Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, UNLV and San Diego State a long field to drive.
We understand the Coach Rolo likes to “Roll it” River Boat Gambler Style. But using some razzle-dazzle trick plays will motivate the young Warriors by mixing it up from the mundane grind on the base offense. A few trick plays on offense would be better than going for it on 4th down outside the opponents 40 yard line or unnecessary on side kicks. When comfortably in field goal range and it’s 4th down take the points early in games. Coming away with nothing kills the momentum and the opponents seem to gain momentum and drive the field for points.
Coaches of you plan on taking advantage of the Red Shirt Rule and rotate in some players that don’t get a lot of playing time. Don’t put this young men behind the 8-ball, less feel from the gut gambling more strategy. Fresno, Utah State, UNLV and San Diego State will eat this team for lunch with short field and momentum killing play calls.
Was there dropped passes, missed blocks, missed tackles in the back field, bad calls from the refs, errand throws, miscommunication between the QB and WR, turnovers. Yes! And no matter how much you prepare some of this stuff happens every game. Can’t control the Refs making bad calls and can’t prepare for everything unless you know or the opponents hand give you their game plan. And add rotating in Red Shirt Rule inexperience players with gambling play calls that kill momentum and give the opponent a short field. This is a recipe for putting the team behind the 8-ball.
This team looks tight and doesn’t look like they are playing swag/loose and having fun making plays. Reminds me of Norm Chow Era tight teams that lacked swag. This is on all the coaches to fix and adjust.
Live Aloha/Play Warrior
Go Warriors of Hawaii!
You don,’t got it. I’m sorry. 6-3 overall record.
Very lackluster performance – plain and simple. Was afraid that some of the after effects of the BYU spanking would carry over to a dangerous Reno team. Reno looked better conditioned and more motivated last night. Line play on both Offense & Defense was disappointing. Missed tackles, unable to shed blocks, dropped passes, non-existent blocking.
Many have thrown in the towel and curled up in their foxhole saying “We’re going to die! We’re going to die!” Keep in mind that SDSU struggled to beat (a “junk” as many call them) SJSU 16-13, while USU had a close one before beating Wyoming 20-16. There are still 4 more games remaining. It all comes down to the players attitudes and temperament. Play like they have against BYU and Reno, or like they did against CSU, Navy, Rice, & Wyoming. Still a lot of football remaining.
Hope that Jahlani and Pavihi are OK. Heal up soon!
Go Warriors!!
ST, after last night’s performance, Hawaii should be underdogs the rest of the season. About last night’s game, I was not surprised by Hawaii’s discombobulated offense, but the defense’s inability to adjust to Nevada’s running game was frustrating and surprising. Their running game really opened up their passing game. Why is it our secondary continued to stay in a zone when Nevada successfully kept exploiting it?
They should wear the geeen home jerseys sometimes,change it up.
I suspect the team is more beaten up than they let on. They’ve played more consecutive games and travelled more miles than anyone else in the country. That has to be a factor in the current struggles.
Having said that, last night’s was winnable if not for bad coaching decisions and drive-killing dropped passes. Nevada made mistakes too but came away with the victory because they had a sound strategy, played to their strengths, and got the better of UH on the line.
So what next? Fresno State and Utah State will be much tougher than Nevada. My thought is that we shouldn’t play guys who are nicked up in those games. Hold them out and let them heal. Play the younger guys and let the chips fall where they may. If we get torched so be it. Then after the bye week we should have nearly the whole roster refreshed and healthy for the final two games against UNLV and San Diego State. I think both of those teams are beatable and the smart thing to do is position ourselves for a maximum effort to finish the season with wins.
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