The last time the University of Hawaii played Army, in 2010 at West Point, defensive end Kamalu Umu forced a fumble and Mana Silva’s recovery gave UH the opportunity to drive down field and allow Scott Enos to hit a game-winning field goal with seven seconds left.
Playing the farthest game from home in school history, Hawaii won 31-28 in the clutch — the first of 10 victories on the way to the program’s last bowl game and last winning season.
Hawaii is again looking for its first win of the year Saturday against the Black Knights. Only now, UH is 0-11 instead of 0-1. Instead of working toward a share of the WAC championship, the Rainbow Warriors are trying to avoid a share of the 1998 team’s 0-12 record for futility.
At least two current players have muscle memory of that win three years ago, playing key roles as freshmen. Linebacker George Daily-Lyles was in on 12 tackles; that’s 10 more than he has all of this season. John Hardy-Tuliau blocked a kick; that’s more than he has all of this season.
The 2010 team also used a big defensive play to win a close game against Nevada, when linebacker Corey Paredes hustled across the field to knock the ball out of Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s hand just short of the goal line and the Warriors went on to win 27-21.
Fast forward to now (sorry, we must) and the defense is in a sorry state of disrepair. It has been identified as the main culprit in UH’s zero-win season, and it doesn’t take a CSI lab to find the evidence. The Warriors are 116th of 123 teams in total defense, allowing 502.7 yards per game, translating to 112th with 38.5 points allowed.
A turnover-prone offense that is just two spots from the bottom at 121st with 10 fumbles lost and 21 interceptions hasn’t helped, either.
Six of Hawaii’s 11 losses this season — including the past two in overtime — have been decided by seven points or less. It is in eerie contrast to the 12-0 regular season of 2007, a team that found ways to win close games much like this one loses them.
That team also played two overtime games, winning at LaTech and San Jose State. Three other wins went down to the wire, with UH winning by a touchdown or less.
It’s also interesting to note that the Warriors allowed 44 points to LaTech and 37 to a not-very-good Utah State team on the way to the Sugar Bowl. And June Jones didn’t care how many yards UH allowed, because it consistently won the turnover battle and those few extra possessions made the difference in close games.
You may think it ludicrous to compare a 12-0 team with one that is 0-11. But just a big play or two going the other way each game would make them 7-5 and 6-5.
You can charge it to changed nicknames, luck, whatever you want. I believe some teams know how to win — especially close games — and others don’t. It’s about coaching, confidence, teamwork and momentum as much as "the breaks." The 2013 Rainbow Warriors have one more chance to figure it out.
———
Read Dave Reardon’s Quick Reads at staradvertiser.com/quickreads.
