SAN JOSE, Calif. >> With three interceptions, the University of Hawaii football team had as many picks in its 34-17 victory over San Jose State on Saturday as it did all season in 2015.
Cornerbacks Jalen Rogers and Jamal Mayo and safety Trayvon Henderson had one apiece.
“I didn’t promise, but they held me to the fire at Na Koa,” said defensive backs coach Abraham Elimimian, who spoke at the program’s booster club meeting last week. “They said they wanted interceptions. Now (the fans) gotta show up for homecoming (against UNLV on Saturday).”
Block that kick
UH freshman Viane Moala got credit for the block of Bryce Crawford’s 50-yard field-goal try in the third quarter. But special teams coordinator Mayur Chaudhari said it was a team effort.
“I don’t know who blocked it. The truth is, it’s never just the one guy. The guys on the edge do a lot to help set that up,” Chaudhari said.
On the other side of the kicking game, UH’s Rigo Sanchez remained perfect on field goals. His 24- and 35-yard makes put him at 5-for-5 for the year.
Plenty of support
Quarterback Dru Brown, from nearby Los Gatos, estimated between 20 and 25 friends and family attended the game. But since the team was busy prepping for the affair there was no home cooking.
“Maybe my mom can bring me something later,” he said. “She makes the best salmon, hands down.”
Road-dacious
Maybe it shouldn’t be such a surprise that UH came away with another win at San Jose State.
The Rainbow Warriors are 8-6-1 when visiting the Spartans and the visiting team has won the last four times in this series, which UH evened at 19-19-1.
Overall, though, UH has won just two of its past 29 games away from Aloha Stadium. But this trip was like a stroll to the corner market for the Rainbow Warriors, who already played games at Sydney, Australia, and Ann Arbor, Mich., in back-to-back weeks.
“It’s easy, like busing from San Diego to Fresno,” offensive coordinator Brian Smith said. “It’s still five hours, however you slice it.”
