Hawaii Warriors vs Boise State Broncos

October 17th, 2008 kNuke

The Boise State Broncos extended their home winning streak with a 27-7 victory over the Hawaii Warriors.  The Broncos defense recorded 7 sacks and 5 INTs, holding the Warriors scoreless in the second half.  This win probably secures the Broncos a share of the WAC championship.

Offense:  5 INTs…  7 sacks…  Ugh…

I will give Inoke Funaki a little credit.  Funaki played his best football of the year during the first half, making some good throws and moving the football, but the second half was just terrible.  Two of the INTs may not have been his fault, but the other 3 INTs were purely poor throws.  He has his place in the offense, but he should not be the starting QB.  If Tyler Graunke can’t play, it’s time for Brent Rausch.

Greg Salas looked solid again this week.  If he gets faster, he could be an NFL caliber guy.  Once again Michael Washington proved he shouldn’t be playing; too many drops and no playmaking abilities.  Where do I start with the offensive line?  I won’t, I don’t want to type that much…

Typical Ron Lee offense; no second half points.  I have to give Lee some credit though, he took shots deep and moved the ball fairly well in the first half with some decent playcalling.  It’s not his fault Funaki underthrows every WR on the deep routes and overthrows every WR on crossing routes.  At the end of the day, Lee just doesn’t cut it.

Defense: The defense played pretty solid again.  No matter who’s on defense, if you’re playing on your side of the field on every possession with no rest, you’re going to give up points.  I only have two points, once again no pash rush and that 4th and goal play.  I’m not sure if it was blown coverage or what, but everyone in the building knew it was going to be playaction.

Special Teams:  Other than Tim Grasso’s bad punt, the Special Teams were a nonfactor either way.

Coaching:  I would have kicked the FG on the first drive, but I can’t argue with the decision; I do argue with the play call.  Why not go playaction with a run/pass option for Funaki?  I’ll echo what I said last week about the coaching staff, they need to get better at in-game and halftime adjustments.

Final Word: Hawaii had an opportunity to steal this game, but the offense blew it.  Like I thought last week, 28 points would win the game.

Looking ahead: Next week is another must-win for Hawaii.  The offense better come to play, because the Wolfpack have a pretty good offense with a dynamic QB; the defense can’t win every game on its own.

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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs Hawaii Warriors

October 12th, 2008 kNuke

The Hawaii Warriors defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 24-14.  The Bulldogs missed 2 FGs, fumbled at the goal-line, and turned the ball over 4 times in the loss.  Hawaii is undefeated against the Bulldogs at Aloha Stadium.

This was a must win game for Hawaii’s bowl hopes and they got it.

Offense: I’m running out of words to describe this offense.  Let’s just say it’s not pretty.  Inoke Funaki was 14-26 for 224 yards with 2 TDs and an INT; he also ran for 43 yards.  Again, Funaki made one good throw all game.  I can’t remember the route, but it was to Michael Washington who subsequently dropped the ball.  Funaki has shown some touch on his deep ball, but routinely underthrows his target.  Bottom line is that Funaki just makes poor throws way too often.

While Funaki is still Funaki, Kealoha Pilares and Greg Salas looked like players.  I’m expecting big things from both players during the next couple years.  On the flip side of that, it’s time to sit Michael Washington.  He drops too many passes and offers nothing once he catches the ball.

Once again the offense sputtered in the second half.  At season’s end, I hope Greg McMackin takes a long look at another Offensive Coordinator.  I did like two things from Ron Lee; more vertical passes and the fake handoff option pitch wrinkle.

Defense: The defense was solid for the third week in a row, but the run defense was a sore spot again.  It is very concerning that the run defense has not made any adjustments.  It seems like any team can gash Hawaii with the run.

Special Teams: Not as spectacular as last week, but they got the job done.  A FG block and fumble recovery were the positives with the punt block being the negative.

Coaching: I pretty much feel the same way about the staff that I felt last week.  They need to get better at in-game and halftime adjustments.

Final Word: This was a game Hawaii had to win and they won it; everyone in the 50th state will take a win.

Looking Forward: Everyone needs to be on top of their game on the road against #15-ranked Boise State.  Hawaii will need to take better care of the football; they had 2 fumbles that weren’t recovered by the Bulldogs.  The offense will need to put up at least 28 points and the run defense will need to show up.  Hawaii needs to keep the game close and hope Dan Kelly has a little magic left in that leg.

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Hawaii Warriors vs Fresno State Bulldogs

October 5th, 2008 kNuke

The Hawaii Warriors defeated the 22nd ranked Fresno State Bulldogs on a Dan Kelly 33-yard field goal in Overtime.  This was the first ever Hawaii victory over a ranked opponent on the road.  Fresno State turned the ball over 6 times and missed 2 FGs.

This win puts Hawaii back in the bowl hunt.

Offense: Last week I used the word UGLY to describe the offense, this week I’ll use another word, PATHETIC.  The defense forced 6 turnovers and the offense was only able to muster 2 TDs.

Inoke Funaki was 17-25 for 170 yards with 2 TDs and led the team in rushing with 79 yards on 14 carries, but he is not the answer.  He made one good throw all game, the 28-yard TD pass to Malcolm Lane, but that was it.  I’ll give him credit for making plays with his feet, but he can’t move the offense.  If Tyler Graunke can’t play, it’s time for Brent Rausch or Greg Alexander.

It looked like Ron Lee tailored the offense a little bit more to Funaki’s strengths with rollouts and QB draws.  That’s a step in the right direction, but the guy seems incapable of making good in-game or halftime adjustments.  How long do you give an Offensive Coordinator before you decide he just doesn’t have what it takes?

Defense: The defense played solid again.  They were getting gashed with the runs, but forcing 6 turnovers more than makes up for that.  The front four still can’t get any pressure on the QB, but I doubt it’ll change at this point in the season.  Hawaii will just have to time their blitzes and hope for tipped passes and errant throws.  I am not a big fan of delayed blitzes and only outside blitzes, so I was glad to see some pressure brought up the middle.

Special Teams: Helmet Sticker to the Special Teams.  Punt coverage was solid, Kick coverage was solid, and only one penalty that I can recall.  Not to mention Dan Kelly’s 4 FGs, Antwan Mahaley’s FG block, and Ryan Mouton’s 90-yard kickoff return, which was #3 on ESPN’s Top Plays segment.  The only blemish was Kelly’s missed extra point, what was up with that?

Coaching: Hawaii won the game, but I feel that it’s in spite of the coaching, minus whoever coaches Special Teams.  The staff needs to get better at in-game and halftime adjustments.

Final Word: Hawaii’s bowl hopes are back alive.  The Offense sucked, but the Defense, Special Teams, and Lady Luck came up HUGE to propel Hawaii to an OT victory.

I had a feeling Hawaii was going to beat either Fresno State or Boise State this year.  Maybe they can beat both of them?

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San Jose State Spartans vs Hawaii Warriors

September 27th, 2008 kNuke

The San Jose State Spartans defeated the Hawaii Warriors on a Jared Strubeck 47-yard kick with 1:49 left in the game. The Spartans forced six turnovers, five of which came in the second half, to come from behind and win 20-17.

This loss may leave Hawaii out of a bowl game for only the second time since 2001.

Offense: One word sums it up, UGLY. Inoke Funaki is not the answer at QB with the current system. Funaki turned the ball over 4 times with 3 INTs and one fumble. The WRs share some of the blame as they are still having a hard time creating separation. The OL played decent minus the stupid personal foul penalties. Tyler Graunke looked fine to me so why didn’t he start the game?

Once again, Ron Lee should receive most of the blame for the offensive woes. At this point, the guy doesn’t deserve to be a Division I Offensive Coordinator. Once San Jose State made the necessary adjustments, the Hawaii offense was anemic. It seems like Lee struggles at making any kind of adjustments. Maybe since all of our RBs are injured, we’ll see more passes?

Defense: The defense played extremely well. The only real blemish was the 77-yard trickeration TD on the first drive. I’ve heard many people complaining about the lack of takeaways, but there is nothing wrong with simply solid play.

Special Teams: Special Teams did their job. The coverage on punts and kicks looked improved, but I’d still like to see them go after some punts and kicks. I thought it was a mistake to lay back on Strubeck’s 47-yard kick game winning field goal.

Coaching: I’m going to make an amendment to last week’s statement. McMackin should be given a two year evaluation period not three; three years is just too long in this situation. Hawaii is not implementing totally new systems so two years should be ample time for evaluation. I don’t know if it’s just me, but every time I see McMackin on TV or listen to him on the radio, I get that deer in the headlights feeling about the guy. Hey Bambi, what happened to opening up the offense this week?

I still don’t get why Greg Alexander or Brent Rausch didn’t get any reps. I hear that they don’t fully grasp the system, which is understandable, but if true, how were both of them higher on the Depth Chart at the beginning of the season than Funaki? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Final Word: Hawaii let this one slip away along with their bowl hopes. At what point does the team start playing their younger talent, if there is any?

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Hawaii Warriors vs Oregon State Beavers

September 13th, 2008 kNuke

Hawaii came out strong, scoring on their first possession, but the party ended there as Oregon State rattled off 45 unanswered points; Hawaii never really threatened to score again.  Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 110 yards and two TDs while Lyle Moevao completed 20 of 34 passes for 268 yards and three TDs.  Even with 3 missed FGs, Oregon State pounded Hawaii 45-7.

To me, this loss hurts worse than the Florida loss.  Oregon State doesn’t have that good of a team and they’re notoriously slow starters; I felt Hawaii had a great opportunity to go to Corvallis and get the first real win in the McMackin era, but that was miles away from the truth.

Offense: The offensive unit played so poorly that everyone, top to bottom share the blame.  Tyler Graunke made some poor decisions as he threw two INTs.  The WRs dropped too many passes and looked slow, not making plays or being able to get enough separation.  The OL didn’t give Graunke enough time to stand in the pocket and make throws.

While all the players should share in the blame, the most blame should be levied against Ron Lee, the Offensive coordinator. Hawaii is not a running team and they shouldn’t try to be one.  I can understand managing the game, but Hawaii needs to throw the ball…  and throw it deep.  The shovel/screen passes are useful to curb the pass rush, but deep passes need to be thrown to loosen up the passing lanes in the secondary.  Ron Lee looked confused and over-matched up in Corvallis today.

Defense: It’s really difficult to evaluate the defense.  A knee-jerk reaction is to say that they played poorly, giving up 45 points; but when Oregon State starts at the 50-yard line or better during every possession, even the best defense in the NFL is going to give up points.

I’m giving the defensive unit an NA today, but they need to work on tackling before entering WAC play.  One thing of note is that the defensive line is still not playing well; they can’t get pressure on the QB and got mauled at the line of scrimmage on running plays.  While we’re talking defense, I’d like to put an APB out for Adam Leonard…

Special Teams: SUCKS…  AGAIN!  Tim Grasso played fine, but everyone else makes me want to hit my nuts with a hammer.

Coaching: All Hawaii fans need to take a step back from the ledge; McMackin should be allowed a two-three year evaluation period before he’s kicked off the island.  That being said, he’s looking terrible right now; it didn’t look like Hawaii made any adjustments on either side of the ball.

I’d also like to know why Greg Alexander or Brent Rausch didn’t get any reps during mop-up time?  The only two reasons I’d accept are inury or redshirt.  And don’t we have other WRs we could put in the game?

Final Word: Ugly game for Hawaii with no real bright spots; WAC play can’t come quickly enough.

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Weber State Wildcats vs Hawaii Warriors

September 7th, 2008 kNuke

This game was a tale of 2 halves with Weber State owning the first half.  Inoke Funaki proved why he was the #3 Quarterback out of camp as he looked more like a chicken with its head cut off than a Quarterback.  It’s hard to go through your reads if you’re not looking downfield.  If it wasn’t for the pouring rain, Weber State may have gone into halftime up by more than 10 points.

This worked out perfectly for Hawaii.  With the offense in shambles and lowly Weber State winning, enter Tyler Graunke; the Savior.  I know a lot of Hawaii fans are against Tyler Graunke due to his academic missteps, but he’s the best Quarterback on the roster, proving it tonight.  Graunke was 13-20 for 218 yards with 3 TDs; leading Hawaii to the 36-17 victory.

The atmosphere was okay, nothing special like last year’s Sugar Bowl run, but that’s to be expected.  Hawaii fans are still the worst when it comes to football saavy.  Screaming and starting the wave while on offense is just ridiculous.  It was also quite interesting to see how many Hawaii fans were quickly jumping off the bandwagon after the bad first half.  Hawaii fans are just fair-weather with a low football IQ; doubt that’ll change much.  In the end, a win is a win and everyone will take it, but Hawaii needs to be better to compete with Oregon State next weekend. Below are my observations from the game.

Offense: Played well once Graunke was inserted, but the WRs are still dropping too many balls.  Graunke played well, but had about 2-3 bad decisions that could easily end up being INTs.  Our RBs are nothing spectacular with Leon Wright-Jackson having the biggest upside, but he needs to run more downhill with one cut max.

Defense: They took a step back; not being able to stop a slant route to save their collective lives.  The defensive line can’t get any pressure on the QB, which will be a problem against better competition.  The timing of blitzes will be crucial.

Special Teams: SUCKS!  Tim Grasso had a good game, but everyone else was subpar.  Dan Kelly was inconsistent as usual.  What I’d like to know is when’s the last time we’ve done anything “special” on Special Teams?  I’d like to see Hawaii at least try for a punt block one time!

Coaching: What took McMackin so long to go to Graunke?  I’m sure he could see that Funaki was struggling.  Was he trying to build the suspense?  And what was McMackin thinking leaving Graunke in at the end of the game to run the option?  That’s just plain ole stupid.  You could say the same thing about some defensive starters during this game and the Florida game.

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Hawaii Warriors vs Florida Gators

August 30th, 2008 kNuke

I think most Hawaii fans that got up early to watch the 56-10 beatdown from Florida came to the same post-game conclusions.

The defense looked good, Alexander sucked and will be the #4 QB, the WRs dropped too many passes, the running game had its moments, and the special teams sucked.As far as the QB situation goes, Funaki will probably get the start next week, but Rausch should still be in the mix along with Graunke.  Alexander should be redshirted after his performance.  If I had a vote, it’d be for Graunke with Funaki being the short yardage guy.

I know there will be a lot of Hawaii fans quickly dropping off the bandwagon come Tuesday morning, but I saw a lot of positives.  Enough so, that I’m upping my expectations for the season.  Originally, I thought a 9-win season would be a successful campaign, but now I’m thinking an 10-win season is not out of reach.  I know JJ isn’t in town anymore, but I have to believe that our offense will get going enough to score around 30 points a game.

What do you Hawaii fans think?

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2008 Hawaii Warrior Football Pro Day

April 2nd, 2008 kNuke

Hawaii had their Pro Day in Carson, California yesterday. Let’s review who helped or hurt their draft stock.

We have to start off with Colt Brennan again. He announced that he’s going to have minor hip surgery and could be out 8-12 weeks. I hear a lot of analysts now predicting he’ll be drafted in the 6th-7th round area or possibly not at all. I thank him for the great ride last year, but what a poor decision on his part. He should fire any advisors he’s had up to this point. He went from a possible 1st round pick last year to a possible Free Agent this year. With the news of his hip injury, I’ll drop my draft prediction for Colt to the 4th-6th round range.

Let’s move on to Davone Bess. He ran a 4.5 40-yard dash, which should help improve his stock by a round or two after running a 4.69 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Looks like Bess could go anywhere in the 5th-6th round range.

We’ll now move to the guy shooting up my list, Ryan Grice-Mullen, who ran a 4.33 40-yard dash. His vertical jump wasn’t very good, but with that kind of speed, I could see Grice-Mullen going above any other Hawaii player in the 3rd-4th round range.

Now to the guy quickly falling down my list, Jason Rivers. Dude ran a weak 4.57 40-yard dash. He’s big and physical, but I’m sure he’s reminding too many teams of a Mike Williams, Dwayne Jarrett type receiver. Those guys are just too slow to create separation at the NFL level, because of this, I’m dropping Rivers out of the draft completely.

Hercules Satele wasn’t invited to the NFL combine, but after putting up 40 reps in the bench press, I’m even more hopeful he’ll be drafted somewhere in the 7th round. His bloodline sure doesn’t hurt either.

The last guy I want to talk about is Ryan Keomaka. Couldn’t someone teach him to do something? He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, put up 20 reps in the bench press, and had a vertical jump of 36 inches. All that raw talent, but yet he couldn’t do anything?Hey Colt, if you need advice, drop me a line, I’ll help you out. Hell, I’ll give you half off to boot!

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2008 Hawaii Warriors at the NFL Combine

February 26th, 2008 kNuke

The first guy to talk about has to be Colt Brennan. Even though he was perfect in his throws at the NFL combine and weighed in at 207 lbs, he’s still getting no love. I don’t mind if analysts have concerns and pick him apart, but if the guy improves on something, you should give him credit. Analysts were saying he wasn’t accurate and that he was too light. He addressed both at the combine, but yet, no love. I just don’t get it… At this point, I’m not sure he can do much to improve his stock. Hopefully a NFL team will see through the smoke and pick him up in the 3rd round, but I’m thinking he could drop all the way to the 5th round.

The next guy to talk about is Davone Bess. This guy looked like a player last year, but after running a 4.69 40-yard dash and putting up only 12 reps on the bench press, I have to believe his stock fell through the floor. His saving grace was that he performed well in the agility drills. If he is able to run a 4.4 40-yard dash at Pro Day, he still has a chance to go in the 2nd-4th round range. As it stands right now, I’d grade him out around the 6th round.

Unlike Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen, had a good showing at the NFL combine. He ran an unoffical 4.46 40-yard dash and put up a surprising 20 reps on the bench press. He also did well in the agility drills. If he runs in the 4.3 range at Pro Day, I could see him being drafted in the 3rd round. Right now he should go around the 4th-5th round. The good thing going for Bess and Grice-Mullen is that a lot of teams are going to be looking for the next Wes Welker, so they may reach a little for slots WRs.

Like Bess, Jason Rivers, had a disappointing NFL combine. He ran a 4.55 40-yard dash when people were expecting a possible 4.3. Like Bess, I think Rivers can make up ground at Pro day if he runs a better 40-yard dash. If he comes in around 4.4, I think he could go in the 5th round. If not, he may slip out of the draft completely.

On a side note, Hercules Satele didn’t go to the NFL combine, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets his name called in the 7th round.

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