RAPID REACTION: Nevada 40, Hawaii 22
Three quick takeaways from Hawaii’s 40-22 loss to Nevada on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. The Rainbow Warriors fail for the second straight week to become bowl eligible and drop to 6-3 on the season and 3-1 in Mountain West Conference play.
OFFENSE STUCK IN NEUTRAL
>> After scoring at least 40 points in five of its first six games, Hawaii has been held to 23 points or less in three consecutive games.
To be fair, Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald wasn’t helped out by a receiving corps that dropped four or five balls that were right on the money. Still, there seemed to be plenty of confusion and missed throws, with wide-open receivers watching balls sail past or bounce in front.
McDonald did hook up for a big play with a 70-yard touchdown pass deep down the middle to John Ursua, who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the season for the first time in his career. But after that big play to end the first quarter, UH was shut out for the next 41 minutes and 45 seconds of game time and McDonald even missed a series, replaced by quarterback Chevan Cordeiro before coming back the next drive.
Opposing teams seemed to have figured out how to defend the run-and-shoot, many times rushing three and dropping eight. UH hasn’t seemed to find an answer just yet. McDonald finished 19-for-37 for 259 yards with three TDs. It’s the second straight game he’s been held under 300 yards passing and third time in his last four outings.
URSUA STAYS STRONG
>> While the offense has sputtered and fellow receivers Cedric Byrd and JoJo Ward have seen their receiving outputs dwindle in recent weeks, junior John Ursua continues to keep up his record pace.
Ursua had seven catches for 123 yards with his 70-yard TD his fourth reception of at least 50 yards this season. Named a second-team midseason All-American by the Associated Press earlier this week, Ursua recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving game and caught a TD for the eighth time in nine games overall.
Byrd finished with five catches for 50 yards and a TD and Ward caught a late TD in the fourth quarter for just his second catch. The only other receiving to make an impact was Saint Louis alumnus Devan Stubblefield, who started for the second time and had four receptions for 40 yards.
‘BOWS TAKETH AWAY
>> Hawaii finally came away with some takeaways on defense and special teams in an attempt to help out its struggling offense. Through eight games coming in, UH had forced only five turnovers. Four of those were picks with only one coming via a fumble recovery (against Rice). It’s almost hard to imagine a 6-2 team forcing so few turnovers.
That fumble number changed dramatically against the Wolf Pack. UH finished with three in the game, including one in the opening quarter to set up Hawaii’s first score. Nevada’s Romeo Doubs coughed up his first chance at a punt return, and UH long-snapper Noah Borden hustled down the field and emerged from a large pack with the football. UH scored three plays later on Cedric Byrd‘s 8-yard TD catch.
The game could have gotten away from Hawaii a lot sooner, but UH kept it a one-possession game at halftime thanks to
UH defensive back Manu Hudson-Rasmussen stripping the ball away from Nevada running back Toa Taua. Penei Pavihi was there to make the recovery.
Special teams gave the offense one last chance to make it a game, when Ikem Okeke forced Kaleb Fossum to fumble on a punt return and Khoury Bethley recovered. UH had the ball on the Nevada 18 with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter trailing 26-14 but immediately turned it back over on downs.
The offense couldn’t convert, but defense and special teams gave them a chance, something it hadn’t done much of all season.
You know I saw some success last week in their empty set, but we haven’t seen it again. C’mon coach empty the playbook now! Also teach your QB to throw the ball away and not take drive killing sacks! Another week of poor tackling again tonight and db’s don’t know their assignments and aren’t taught to anticipate or how to bait the QB. Overall team effort including the coaches tonight!
Unfortunately, we are likely to lose all our remaining games and end up with a 6-7 record. There has been declining production from our offense after starting 3-0. In addition, our team’s spirit is slipping … regardless of what coaches want to say.
On the coaching side, Rolo’s decision to go with two high-risk onside kicks that gave Nevada the equivalent of two midfield turnovers was a strategy that, along with going for it on fourth down, kept the Wolfpack in the game and destroyed any early momentum we had. Of course if they had worked, we wouldn’t be whining this morning, but Rolo needs to evaluate his willingness to take risks … particular in a game that we had all the home field advantages against a team we should have beat straight up. I love Rolo — to me he is the man to stick with in the long term — but I simply just want him to evaluate his risk taking more thoroughly.
Cole McDonald is showing signs of lingering concussion. His errant passes, unable to go through his progressions resulting in him holding on to the ball too long, his under and over throwing his receivers…….If this is true, shame on the trainers and shame on Rolo.
Many head scratching moments. Too many. Hair now falling out. What is it going to take for the Warriors to get the ship righted?
Offense wasn’t ticking. Was the reason for the loss?
Toa Taua reminds me of Tui Ala.
Some fans said the black helmets and uniforms reflects the Warrior ferocity that translates into wins. Didn’t look like it last night with Warriors in all-black unis. So much for the all-black theory.
Cole never ya a concussion!!!
Had
Simple tips for O to expand options and unleash Ursua:
1) line up the RB in pistol to have a wider options for run vs running between guards
2) run WR screens, jet sweeps and wildcats with Ursua
3) mix in 5 wide a large amount of the time
Simple tips for D to create pressure:
1) run slants, twists and stunts to create penetration since most of our DL can drive OL back when hat on hat
2) expand to have CBs and SS blitz of edges
3) delayed blitz quickest LB (Scott) to create pressure