Warriors struggle to slow Rams’ roll

FORT COLLINS, Colo. » The record — including the scoreboard — indicates that Colorado State is likely the best team Hawaii has played this year.

UH defensive coordinator Kevin Clune certainly won’t disagree with that after the Rams rolled up 580 yards on the way to a 49-22 rout of the visiting Rainbow Warriors.

The yards and points are the most in a game against UH this year.

"The first thing I want to say is they are a very good team, with good players and good coaching," Clune said. "A very good offensive line with two guys who should be all-conference, running backs, receivers and a quarterback who did a great job."

Linebacker Tevita Lataimua said UH had a solid defensive game plan.

"Obviously we’re not getting the results we want. Our coaches are definitely putting us in the right spots, but we need to come out better and execute," said Lataimua, who was Hawaii’s co-leader with safety Trayvon Henderson with eight tackles. "At the end of the day, you just have to execute."

This is the same defensive unit that held Washington to 16 points in the season opener and had been much improved statistically from last year.

Are the Rainbow Warriors worn down physically and mentally on defense?

"Yes," Clune answered. "But that’s college football, and that’s the way things go. It’s a gut-check, for the coaches and for the players.

"I thought we played good defense the first half of the season, (up to halftime) of the Nevada game."

UH got just four quarterback hurries against CSU and for the first time this season did not deliver a sack. That helped allow Garrett Grayson, who had a groin injury against San Jose State last week, to pick apart the Hawaii pass defense for 287 yards, including the first three CSU touchdowns.

"We needed to get after him a little more than we did, but that’s a very good football team," UH head coach Norm Chow said. "I think that’s a nationally ranked football team."

Stopping the run was another problem for Hawaii, as the Rams’ balanced attack produced 293 yards on the ground.

So was third down. UH entered the game second in the Mountain West and 24th nationally in allowing just 33.8 percent on third-down conversions. Colorado State came up clutch on that down 62 percent of the time.

Lataimua said the defensive coaches, "especially Coach Clune," put the players in the right position to make plays. But the coach said it’s on him.

"I’m embarrassed about 49 points. It’s my responsibility," Clune said. "It starts with the preparation during the week and (continues with) the game-day (play-calling)."

One of the few bright spots for the UH defense was a safety in the first quarter, when Grayson fell on his own fumble in the CSU end zone.