San Jose State quarterback Nick Starkel was armed, ready and … disappointed.
The Spartans’ previous two football games were canceled because of coronavirus-related issues involving Fresno State on Nov. 21 and Boise State on Nov. 28.
There were concerns when Santa Clara County imposed restrictions forcing today’s game between SJSU and Hawaii to relocate from CEFCU Stadium in San Jose. But after three days of negotiations and site searches, the game will kick off at 1 p.m. today at Aloha Stadium. The Spartans were willing to cede a home game to try to build on their 4-0 record.
“We are willing to play anywhere,” Starkel said. “We’ll go play in the local park. It does not matter. We just want to play. And we’re grateful that we get to play during a pandemic. And we know it’s not ideal for everybody. If there’s a game to be played, we’ll play it wherever.”
SJSU coach Brent Brennan, who began his coaching career as a UH graduate assistant in 1998, said the Spartans have tried to adhere to healthy and safety protocols. They conducted 11 days of preseason training on the Humboldt State campus, more than 330 miles from San Jose. A day before the Oct. 24 opener against Air Force, about 30 players moved from off-campus housing into the dorms. Brennan said the Spartans gave up social gatherings. On Thanksgiving, Brennan said, “we couldn’t even have a meal together. They went back to their dorms and ate turkey and stuffing by themselves. It’s an interesting time working through that with young people.”
The Warriors also have had to make adjustments this season. Until late Tuesday afternoon, the Warriors were scrambling for traveling options if the game were to be played in Las Vegas, Reno, Nev., or Arcata, Calif.
“I don’t like change,” UH coach Todd Graham, who has made many of them this year. “I like being organized. I like planning a year in advance. We do the same stuff over and over and over again. I’m a fundamentalist in how we do things.”
The adjustments this season, Graham said, “it’s made each person grow.”
The Spartans have found strength in numbers offensively. Starkel, a self-described “gunslinger” stretches defenses with a strong right arm and stronger will. When Starkel suffered a first-series injury, Nick Nash’s running befuddled San Diego State in an upset victory. The Spartans have speedy wideouts Bailey Gaither and Tre Walker, two tight ends who are ferocious blockers and precise route runners, and a three-back rotation. Cade Hall, an end, is their best defensive lineman, and linebacker Kyle Harmon is their most prolific (13.0 tackles per game).
Brennan has expressed concern about the rust from a two-game layoff while going against a team that played well the past six quarters. “That’s an advantage because they’ve been able to play,” Brennan said.
Each week, it appears Graham, who makes the defensive calls, introduces a new scheme. The past weekend, the Warriors defused Nevada’s passing attack with a layered tactic rooted in a two-deep coverage. The Warriors’ motion defense of shifts and corner blitzes make it a difficult read for opposing offenses.
“You go into a game and it’s not really complicated,” Graham said. “You take away what they do to win football games. If they beat you, they’re going to beat you doing something else. And then you go into a game offensively and get the ball to your best guys on their less guys. That’s how it works.”
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Today • 1 p.m. • Aloha Stadium. • Pay-Per-View • 1420-AM / 92.7-FM • SJSU by 2 1/2
