Bad Starts
>> Situation: Utah State 0, Hawaii 0, 15:00 remaining first quarter, Hawaii ball kicking off from own 40
>> The Play: K Ryan Meskell kicks the ball out of bounds to start the game.
>> Impact: Utah State got the ball with good field position to start the game at its own 35. Then, to start the second half, Hawaii got just 2 yards on three downs after starting at its own 15.
>> Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich: “I expected more … yards on that series.”
Gashes
>> Situation: Utah State 0, Hawaii 0, 9:33 remaining first quarter, Utah State ball third-and-4 at own 40
>> The Play: RB Gerold Bright goes through the middle and then cuts outside for a 60-yard touchdown run.
>> Impact: It was the first of three scoring plays of at least 49 yards for Utah State, which rolled up 311 rushing yards.
>> Hawaii defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa: “When you give up big plays and big touchdown plays, you’re not going to win football games. It’s tough because they’re good kids. They work their butts off. At the same time, we didn’t make enough plays to win this football game. We didn’t do a good enough job preparing these guys to play.”
Young McDonald
>> Situation: Utah State 21, Hawaii 0, 13:54 remaining second quarter, Hawaii ball first-and-10 at own 18
>> The Play: Second-year freshman QB Cole McDonald enters the game and rushes for 14 yards.
>> Impact: McDonald and starting QB Dru Brown alternated plays in the second quarter, and McDonald played the fourth quarter. He finished with 8 rushes for 45 yards and three completions in five passing attempts for 18 yards.
>> McDonald: “I was a little nervous and have some things to work on and clean up — stepping up in the pocket and making my throws on time, trusting my alignment. I’m trying to take it all in and learn from the experience.”
Get A TO
>> Situation: Utah State 21, Hawaii 0, 0:05 remaining second quarter, Hawaii ball third-and-goal at Utah State 1
>> The Play: RB Diocemy Saint Juste fumbles at the goal line.
>> Impact: After not calling a timeout to reset, Hawaii lost the ball on a Saint Juste fumble for just the second time this season.
>> Rolovich: “We felt with this team, if we could go fast, we could eliminate some of their movement stuff. So that was kind of our thought process. In hindsight I should have used (a timeout).”
Banged Up
>> Situation: Utah State 21, Hawaii 0, halftime
>> The Play: LG J.R. Hensley joins RG John Wa’a on the injured list.
>> Impact: With so many injured offensive linemen, Hawaii finished the game with remaining starters switching positions, and two freshmen, C Taaga Tuulima and RT Brandon Kipper playing.
>> Offensive coordinator Brian Smith: “The plans you hope you don’t have to use, you have to go through those scenarios, and make sure you’re putting guys in the best place to be successful and help the team move the ball.”
