Win does Warriors good

With only three hours of sleep, University of Hawaii football coach Norm Chow flicked on the light switch in his office at 4:30 Friday morning, and resumed business.

There was no day-after practice following the Rainbow Warriors’ season-opening 28-20 victory over Colorado on Thursday night. But Chow had videos to evaluate, a game plan to script, and itineraries to craft. The Rainbow Warriors depart Wednesday ahead of the Sept. 12 road game against Ohio State.

"We have a lot of work to do," Chow said.

There also was much to reflect. In the locker room on Thursday night, Chow presented game balls to offensive coordinator Don Bailey and defensive coordinator Tom Mason.

"This is a defensive game ball," Mason insisted. "This ain’t mine. I didn’t do anything tonight except watch them play."

As Chow handed the third game ball to kicker Rigo Sanchez, teammates began singing, "Oh-lay, oh-lay, ohhh-lay …"

"The place went bananas," Chow said.

Afterward Sanchez, who converted two field goals and averaged 46.3 yards on 10 punts, said he did not have the opening-night butterflies. Sanchez transferred to UH in July.

"I feel ‘nervous’ only comes when you’re not prepared," Sanchez said. "And I feel I’ve been preparing myself as much as I can to get myself to where I am right now."

Max Wittek also regained his rhythm after playing in his first game in two years. He redshirted in 2014 after transferring from USC.

"It’s been a while, but it’s good to feel sore again," said Wittek, who threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns. "It’s good to feel beat up. When you have a victory it doesn’t feel as bad."

There were two situations that stirred debate. Nursing a 15-14 lead, the Warriors drove to the CU 11 in the final seconds of the second quarter. There were seven seconds remaining after two incomplete passes into the end zone. On third down, Wittek took a handoff on the right hash, then ran to the center, where he took a knee. After a timeout, Sanchez kicked the field goal to make it 18-14.

"I think points are valuable," Bailey said of the decision to go for three. "At seven seconds, (time) could run out if the quarterback scrambles. That’s always a thing in the back of your mind. We would have liked to have taken a shot (into the end zone). But at seven seconds, that’s right at the barrier of: Will it run out or not? We wanted to get points. And we’d get the ball (at the start of the second half)."

On the game’s final series, the Buffaloes drove to the 12. On second-and-10, nose tackle Kennedy Tulimasealii jumped off sides, advancing the ball to the 7.

"The play before that, I jumped the count and got in the backfield," Tulimasealii said. "That was what I was trying to do the second time."

On the next play, Sefo Liufau threw 4 yards to Phillip Lindsay, who was tackled in bounds with 12 seconds to play. As time was ticking away, the umpire tossed the ball toward the center judge. But the ball ricocheted off the shoulder pad of linebacker Benetton Fonua, who was walking to the defensive side. By the time the ball was retrieved and tossed to the judge, time expired.

"Thank God for the clock," Tulimasealii said. "Thank God for the tackle (we) made inside bounds. I’m happy for that. That was the, ‘oh, snap,’ moment."