‘Winnable’ game should be a must-win game for Chow

SAN JOSE, Calif. >> We’re back to so-called "winnable" games … whatever that means for a University of Hawaii football team that has a 2-8 record and hasn’t tasted victory since it beat Wyoming soundly more than a month ago.

Those few days of guarded optimism ended with a punchless loss at San Diego State the next week. It brought back the sad reality of this team just not being very good, and the Rainbow Warriors have since fallen apart against some of the better squads in the Mountain West Conference.

Nevada, Utah State and Colorado State are 12-4 in the league and 22-7 overall.

But now, here are the Spartans of San Jose State. They’re nothing special themselves at 3-6, including three consecutive losses. If UH were better, we’d call them a breather. … Unfortunately, the boost from more than a thousand ex-pat fans wearing H-Zone gear just purchased at the tailgate probably won’t be enough.

The Spartans are a 10-point favorite because they’re playing a team that’s even more fractured than they, and it’s their seniors’ home finale … and mostly because their opponent hasn’t won on the road since 2011.

You’d think that, coupled with a 6-28 overall record and lack of on-field progress, would be enough to put these final three games into some kind of "must win at least two" dialogue, or something of that nature, for head coach Norm Chow to keep his position.

People keep asking, "What are they going to do?" My answer is, who is "they?" The AD? The chancellor? The president? The boosters?

Unclear. Everyone and no one. Authority with no accountability.

It was on the minds of many at the Hukilau Restaurant here in San Jose on game’s eve. The $750,000 gorilla in the room.

Have the standards lowered this much in three years?

Yes, I know there were other reasons involved with Greg McMackin’s departure, but basically it was beat BYU, or you’re done, just one year after winning a share of the WAC title. When UH got crushed by BYU, it was, "Here are your parting gifts (in the form of a $600,000 buyout), thanks for playing."

UH isn’t just crying poor, it IS poor. But it has always been in recent years. It found a way to pay McMackin; if it really wants to it can do the same with Chow.

The coconut wireless says Chow was told by someone in power several weeks ago he doesn’t have to worry about his job, no matter what happens down the stretch this season.

Meanwhile, the Rainbow Warriors play what should be a winnable game and should be a must-win game for the coach.

Should be.

If the recent trend continues, UH will have opportunities it won’t capitalize upon offensively, and San Jose State will take advantage of a worn-down defense.

The fans will be irate, and the people who can make a change will say they don’t have the money to do it.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.