‘Chipped up’ Warriors are still hungry

SAN JOSE, Calif. » San Jose State coach Ron Caragher can feel the Hawaii football team’s pain.

Caragher noted the Rainbow Warriors are "going through some growing pains, and you get that when you get some turnover in your roster, and you get that when you get transitions in coaching staffs."

But Caragher said UH’s Norm Chow "is a respected coach and an offensive mastermind."

"I’m sure he’ll get those guys going," Caragher said. "He’s got a good philosophy and a good staff and, hopefully, over time he’ll get it going … just not at our expense."

San Jose State and Hawaii meet at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in a game matching struggling Mountain West teams.

The Spartans, who have lost three in a row, are 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the MWC. This is their senior day and home finale.

The Warriors, who are 2-8 and 1-4, have lost 17 road games in a row dating to Oct. 29, 2011.

This is a homecoming for UH quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, who was raised in the Bay Area.

"It means a lot to go back home and play in front of my family," Woolsey said. "But I won’t lose sight of the task at hand. … We haven’t won on the road. That’s one of the goals."

The Warriors will be without two key ailing players — running back Steven Lakalaka, who leads with 646 rushing yards, and defensive lineman Marcus Malepeai, who has a team-high three sacks.

"We are chipped up," Chow said. "That doesn’t matter. We have to keep playing."

Malepeai is multi-skilled in knocking back blockers and filling gaps. Defensive coordinator Kevin Clune, once again, will go to a contingency plan, just as he has done to fill labor shortages at linebacker and in the secondary this season.

"That’s the way college football is," Clune said. "You have to step up. It’s definitely gut-check time."

Inside linebacker Simon Poti has helped the Warriors through depth concerns. He has played every defensive snap in three games this season.

"Our record might not show it, but we’re still hungry, we’re still competing every day," Poti said.

Poti played one year at San Jose State before transferring to a community college because of financial reasons.

Of this reunion, Poti said: "I’m going to put all that stuff aside. I’m here with my team. I’m on the University of Hawaii football team."

Caragher was admittedly frustrated in last week’s loss to Fresno State. In the second quarter, the Spartans’ 14-7 lead dissolved into a 28-14 deficit.

Caragher said he is concerned about the Spartans’ turnover ratio. They have committed 21 turnovers while producing nine takeaways.

"Numbers don’t lie," Caragher said. "They don’t."