Hawaii’s X’s took turns messing with the team from Texas on Saturday.
With the Warriors’ leading receiver out of action, those stepping into that spot all contributed to UH’s 54-2 rout of Lamar on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.
Billy Ray Stutzmann started at the "X" receiver spot in UH’s opener against USC but was on the sideline Saturday with a broken hand.
In his place, Trevor Davis, Darius Bright and Chris Gant caught touchdown passes from that position as the Warriors bolted away from the visitors from Beaumont, Texas, in their home opener.
"That was huge," UH offensive coordinator and receivers coach Tommy Lee said. "Billy was our leading receiver in L.A. and losing him was a big dent in our receiving corps. … I thought all those kids really stepped up and performed."
UH quarterback Sean Schroeder targeted their side of the field five times in the first half. Four of those passes were completed for 93 yards and two TDs as the Warriors took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
Bright, who began fall camp as a tight end and moved to wideout last week, started on the outside on UH’s opening possession and Davis eventually led the Warriors with 85 yards on three momentum-turning receptions.
Davis snagged the first of Schroeder’s three touchdown passes. Bright’s first catch of the season was an 8-yard scoring pass in the second quarter, but he injured his shoulder on the play.
Gant took a turn in the second half and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass that gave the Warriors a 48-0 lead.
"They had an opportunity and they all stepped up and all played really well," Schroeder said. "We’re hoping Billy comes back — he’s a big-time playmaker — but it was good to see those guys step up."
The receivers weren’t the featured attraction they had been during the days of the run-and-shoot. But UH’s emphasis on the running game contributed to its success through the air on Saturday.
UH’s longest play of the game provided a prime example of the symbiotic relationship between those phases of the offense.
The Warriors spent most of the first quarter feeding running back Joey Iosefa, so when Schroeder faked two handoffs — the first to Iosefa, then another to Scott Harding coming around from a receiver spot — the Cardinals defense had to take notice.
That left Davis open downfield for a 50-yard reception that set up the Warriors’ second touchdown.
"The safety just sat there and didn’t even look at me and I just ran right past him and I was sitting there waiting for the ball," said Davis, who opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.
"The run game is really setting up the pass game a lot. The safeties were far down, so the receiver routes that were deep got pretty open every time we ran them."
Schroeder completed passes to seven receivers and finished with 15 completions in 23 attempts.