Hawaii’s nights to remember were Brigham Young’s nightmares to forget.
In what had become a state-wide football crusade, the Rainbow Warriors earned a rousing 56-14 victory in 1989 to end a 10-game losing streak against the Cougars.
In 1990, the day BYU quarterback Ty Detmer won the Heisman Trophy, the Rainbow Warriors delivered an emphatic hana hou in a 59-28 rout. UH slotback Jeff Sydner toasted a touchdown by striking a Heisman pose.
Twenty-three years later, BYU’s quarterback coach is Hawaii’s head coach, and the Rainbow Warrior quarterback is UH’s honorary captain for Saturday’s game against 25th-ranked Fresno State.
UH head coach Norm Chow said Garrett Gabriel was a natural choice to serve as inspiration and history lesson.
"I asked around, I talked to a lot of people, and everyone thought he would be the right one," Chow said. "I remember the things he did. I was on the other side that night."
Gabriel said: "It’s an honor (Chow) invited me back. He was with BYU way back when, and now he’s the head coach here. When he invited me, there’s no way I could say, ‘no.’ I was surprised. There are other guys who were pretty good players who deserved the opportunity, also."
Chow recalled how Gabriel led UH in 1989.
"I always admired what he did that year," Chow said. "Not only that, he came back the next year and did it all again."
Chow said there were concerns when the Cougars celebrated Detmer’s Heisman victory at the hotel pool in 1990.
"When the bus was supposed to leave (for Aloha Stadium), half the team wasn’t on the bus," Chow recalled. "We knew we were in trouble as coaches. They waxed us. It wasn’t even close."
Chow said the visitors’ strategy was to win the coin toss.
"The (UH) fans were so crazy," Chow said. "If you had to take the ball, they would kick the ball away from the tunnel, and you’d be stuck on the 20. And they’d come after you. They would blitz you. After the first time they sacked you, the confetti came down."
Gabriel and his wife have three sons. Gabriel works for the Department of Education.
He said he often is asked about the BYU games. One interviewer asked what games other than the BYU victories were meaningful.
Gabriel said: "What I should have answered was: What other game is more important than those two BYU games?"
Yap can play Saturday
Defensive end Beau Yap received medical clearance to play in Saturday’s game against Fresno State.
Yap suffered mild concussion-like symptoms against Nevada last Saturday.
It is unlikely tight end Harold Moleni and defensive end Iuta Tepa will be cleared. Both suffered concussions.
