Schroeder shines again

LARAMIE, Wyo. » The numbers and milestones are piling up fast for University of Hawaii senior quarterback Sean Schroeder.

The victories are not.

One guess which he wants more.

"A victory," Schroeder said emphatically, despite having a career day in the winless Rainbow Warriors’ 59-56 overtime loss to Wyoming.

"I want that victory, we all do," Schroeder said after going 37-for-50 for a career-high 499 yards and personal-best six touchdowns. He was intercepted once.

"Just didn’t do enough to get one this time," Schroeder said. "You’ve got to get one more score than they (the Cowboys) do, whether that means 60 or 70 (points)."

Time and again, Schroeder brought the Rainbow Warriors back in a 4-hour, 6-minute scoring slugfest that kept a good portion of the announced crowd of 12,227 in War Memorial Stadium until the conclusion despite temperatures that dipped into the low 20s.

"Around the time it was 14-13 (in the first quarter), I had a feeling it was going to be a shootout," Schroeder said. "So, you want to get a score every time you have the ball. That’s what you’re always thinking as an offense."

After 10 losses — seven in the Mountain West Conference — Schroeder said he thought this might finally be the ‘Bows’ breakthrough game. "This was so close you think you’re going to be on the right side of the scoreboard, but (in the end) you’re not," Schroeder said. "It has kind of been the story of the season so far."

Another chapter of it has been his connection with receiver Chris Gant, with whom he teamed up for eight passes for 174 yards, four touchdowns and a 2-point conversion Saturday.

"We’re always on the same page," Gant said. "Even when something goes awry."

All of Gant’s nine touchdowns this season have come from Schroeder.

Teaming up with Gant as his go-to guy is one of the reasons Schroeder says he hasn’t second-guessed the decision to transfer to UH from Duke, despite the Blue Devils’ success this season.

Duke, where Schroeder was a backup quarterback before transferring in 2012, is 9-2, tying a school record for victories, nationally ranked and assured of at least a share of an Atlantic Coast Conference division title.

"I still follow them, talk to coaches and players there," Schroeder said. "I’m rooting for them, but I’ll never regret coming here. The guys I’ve played with, the relationships I have, the chance to be in Hawaii and get my masters. I’ll cherish that for the rest of my life."

Gant said, "Every game, lately, somebody has asked me if that’s Sean’s best game. And every week, he’s topping himself. He wants to get that win. We all do."