In his postgame remarks as Saturday night turned into Sunday morning in Utah, University of Hawaii football coach Nick Rolovich wished his Brigham Young University counterpart, Kalani Sitake, a “successful season.”
It was a gentlemanly gesture, after a 49-23 thumping, but also poses a question closer to home for Rolovich and the Rainbow Warriors: Given where things stand at the moment, what would constitute a “successful” season for them this year?
Would a 7-6 finish and a return to the postseason still be it for a program that has gone seven seasons without a winning record? Or, would getting to 7-6 from 6-1 or even 6-2 now be considered a crushing disappointment?
To be sure it is an evolving query, one that is looked at a lot differently this morning than it was back in August just as the season was about to kickoff eight games and 27,412 miles ago, or even the end of September.
As UH got off the bus at Colorado State for the season opener, the prospect of a 7-6 season was something not many people were putting money on with a Las Vegas betting line listing the over/under on UH victories at 3.5.
But after a 6-1 start heading into BYU and a spotless 3-0 mark in the Mountain West Conference still enduring, expectations were raised, as they should be.
Now, in the aftermath of the pummeling in Provo but with everything in the conference in the way of divisional and even overall titles still very much in play, where is a realistic setting of the bar?
Given where they are at 6-2 and what awaits them, 8-5 or 9-4 looks like an attainable mark right about now and, maybe, even in the final analysis come late November.
As they should, of course, Rolovich and the Warriors are looking at this as an opportunity to shoot for the jackpot with their fate in their own hands.
There are five games remaining on what looms as a well back-loaded regular-season schedule. The opponents UH has played, to date, are a collective 16-30 thanks, in large part to 0-6 San Jose State and 1-6 Rice. Only two, BYU (4-3) and Army (4-2) own winning records.
The ones ahead of them are 20-11 with championships plans of their own, so the ’Bows know they clearly have their work cut out for them from here on out.
This week’s opponent at Aloha Stadium, Nevada (3-4), is one of just two foes left with losing records. The other being fellow Silver State institution Nevada-Las Vegas at 2-4 and rapidly sinking.
Otherwise it is a lineup of teams with 5-1 records with increasingly noteworthy resumes, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State. The Bulldogs and Aztecs are, by far, the two best defensive teams and both require road visits.
For the Warriors any hopes of UH’s first title, divisional or otherwise, in the Mountain West go through Fresno State and San Diego State, which, between them, have claimed the division every year since the format was established in 2013.
That’s going to mean coming up with some answers to address how opponents have been able to slow down what was, until a couple weeks ago, a rampaging offensive attack and putting themselves in a position to succeed on more third down situations. And it is also going to require a sturdier defense, especially against the rush.
Take care of business on those levels and, by most measures of reality, there is success to be had.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
