Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich had a three-hour bus ride and 10-hour flight to review videos of Saturday’s 38-35 comeback victory over Massachusetts and conclude the best part of the longest domestic trip in the football program’s history was: “that we won.”
From the stopover in New York to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on Wednesday through the fourth-quarter rally at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, Rolovich said, “There was one mission on this deal. I think everyone who got on that plane got on with that mind-set. That gave us a chance. You give yourself a chance if you do things the right way.”
But Rolovich had mixed reactions to elements of the season opener. Against UMass, the Warriors averaged 3.2 yards per carry, down from last season’s average of 4.8. “That’s not good enough,” Rolovich said. “UMass had a nice plan. I think we missed some things in the run game. I think it was different breakdowns. I think everyone had a little fault in it.”
Diocemy Saint Juste gained 78 yards on a workmanlike 23 carries, but was instrumental in blocking blitzers in shielding quarterback Dru Brown. The Minutemen “had some talented players and brought some schemes that gave us problems, and Diocemy hung in there and really helped us in the pass (protection),” Rolovich said. “He didn’t have the game he envisioned but he showed his unselfishness.”
Brown threw for 391 yards — 272 going to slotback John Ursua — and three touchdowns. Rolovich noted Brown was “tentative” on three of 38 passes, and made a judgment error in absorbing a red-zone sack. Those are fixable glitches, Rolovich acknowledged.
Rolovich expressed disappointment in the Warriors’ eight first-half penalties. with seven of those occurring in UMass territory. A hands-to-the-face penalty nullified a UH touchdown. Two 15-yard penalties turned a potential fourth-and-1 at the UMass 16 into third-and-34 at the 49. Right guard Chris Posa was ejected for a phantom punch. Replays did not show Posa’s infraction. The Mountain West is not expected to add further sanctions. UH also is not expected to impose additional punishment.
Rolovich said right guard J.R. Hensley and right tackle Matt Norman played well in place of Posa and Fred Ulu-Perry, respectively. Ulu-Perry did not play in the second half.
“Matt Norman deserves a ton of credit,” Rolovich said. “He was banged up a little bit. He came in and he toughed it out. We won a game with him, and that’s because he cares.”
