All Things Maui
boo's Online Journal 
Jan. 2, 2008 by boo
Where does Hawaii Football Go From Here?
Dissapointed... frustrated.. infuriated... and that was just what we felt toward Oceanic Time Warner Cable for experiencing an outage during the most significant football game in Hawaii history. The Star Bulletin is reporting a tree fell in Kalihi that damaged some cables (read the article here), or vadalism as the Honolulu Advertiser reports (read the article here). Such is our high tech infrastructure.
It was dis-heartening, even painful, to watch the Sugar Bowl as Georgia dismantled Hawaii on national TV. While Hawaii fans grasped for hope, stretched for faith to "believe", and endured the heavy heartedness, that quiet voice in the back of our minds grew louder as the minutes ticked away... a heart-breaking ending to a stellar season... Georgia 41, Hawaii 10.
After an undefeated 12-0 regular season, a Heisman candidate and record breaking quarterback, a nationally touted receiving core, and an unbelievable Cinderella-like, story book, written for Hollywood script invitation to the "Big Dance" in the BCS... What now? Were the doubters and "talking heads" correct about Hawaii football? Was it because of a "cup-cake" schedule that Hawaii got into the BCS?
First off... props to Georgia, they dominated Hawaii. Their speed on Defense was incredible. Georgia did not have to stunt (blitz) much all night. Georgia's defensive line was rushing three or four linemen against five Hawaii Linemen and maybe a running back... and they still got to Colt Brennan... and he was hit hard, and often. Officially, it was eight sacks, but there were a ton of rushes, and Colt Brennan was pounded relentlessly all night. Brennan normally slides to the left or right to elude a rush, but Georgia boxed him in with a fierce outside rush. Georgia's defensive ends were amazingly fast, Hawaii's tackles could not get back quick enough to protect Brennan. No time to read and let the pass routes ripen... no time to pass vertically and do their thing. This allowed Georgia to drop seven into pass coverage, which made for a long night against only four receivers. Georgia swarmed fast, and tackled true... there were not many missed tackles by Georgia's defense, not much yards after catch (YAC) for Hawaii's receivers. Georgia's speed also made up for Hawaii's mis-direction plays, they were abel to recover quickly and often break up plays before they really developed. Georgia's offense... wow... their offensive line dominated, and Georgia's true-freshman running back, Knowshon Moreno, was impressive.
Did Hawaii belong in the Sugar Bowl? Yes... they earned their way in with a perfect 12-0 record, they won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) outright, and they played whomever was willing to play them, even after all other Division 1A teams with availabilities in their schedules turned down the $250,000.00 signing bonus to play Hawaii. Until there is some-kind of national scheduling committee that will randomly pair non-conference games of non-conference teams against one-another, strength of schedule will always be up for discussion with all teams in Division 1A football.
Unfortunately, from the ticket fiasco and airline flight availability to the wide eyed wow of an entire hotel floor dedicated to the team, and the unbelievable team transport bus, it showed that Hawaii as a State, University, and team are not yet familiar enough with the top echelon of College Division 1A football... not yet anyway. Where does Hawaii football go from here?
First... sign the coach. June Jones has done a remarkable job as head coach. Breaking into the BCS was unthinkable. Hawaii did not win, but they got there... and that counts for a lot. The Honolulu Advertiser is reporting Jones will take a week off to evaluate his future and options (read the article here). It's amazing that a coach of his calibre is in Hawaii. What's more amazing is that contract talks have not formally been happening already. What's mind-boggeling is that the University compares his salary with the national scale (read related story), but doesn't take into consideration that half of his salary is from private funds. Jones not only should get a hefty salary increase for doing what he has done for Hawaii football in such a short time, the increase should come from the University, not private funds. Sign the coach.
Second... increase the budget. If Hawaii is to get familiar and comfortable with the top tier of Division 1A College football, there has to be a commitment to be a top tier Division 1A College football program. Yes... this means soap in the showers for athletes (read related story), and a commitment to invest in the future of Hawaii athletics. It takes good, working equipment, quality facilities, and an adequate recruiting budget to help bring in the best athletes across the nation. June Jones has gotten Hawaii to the BCS with delapidated facilities and a menial budget. The players he successfully recruits come because of him, the "ohana" atmosphere, the commitment he makes to them, and because it is Hawaii. Not to take anything away from our present athletes, but it is very difficult to attract the nations top players to Hawaii... so Jones improvises (see related article). Imagine the kinds of players he can recruit with excellent facilities and a healthy budget... we may be able to compete for THE top high school athletes in the country too!
Third... increase the pay for assistant coaches. Hawaii has been fortunate to have great coaching over the years. But we have also lost some great coaches, with NFL coaching experience... and you have to believe that the pay package has something to do with it. Coach Mike Cavanaugh, Hawaii's offensive line coach 1999 - 2004, left for Oregon State. Coach "Mouse" Davis, who's called the "Father of the Run and Shoot Offense", left for Portland State. Leadership (coaching) makes or breaks organizations. This is why businesses, politics, and sports teams replace the leaders, not the players, when things go south. If we want a top notch program, we must invest in, and keep our top notch coaches.
Fourth... re-load. Hawaii has a solid core of players returning, Tyler Graunke has shown brilliance, and local people remember the conquests of Inoke Funaki as a quarterback at Kahuku. This years' nation-wide coverage on ESPN has given Hawaii exposure well beyond it's meager recruiting budget... players are sending resumes wanting to be a part of Warrior football. Hawaii's run and shoot must re-load. Hawaii needs to recruite like crazy while the hype is still hot and the promise of better things to come is still high. Players must work harder during the off-season, in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the field... with each other and on their own...
To be a top echelon College Division 1A program takes time, long-term investment, and commitment. The 2007 Warriors gave us a preview of what could be with meager facilities, finances, and hard work. It is something that can be built upon, or be seen as a one-time, once in a lifetime thing. Let's hope we continue to build.
GO WARRIORS!
It was dis-heartening, even painful, to watch the Sugar Bowl as Georgia dismantled Hawaii on national TV. While Hawaii fans grasped for hope, stretched for faith to "believe", and endured the heavy heartedness, that quiet voice in the back of our minds grew louder as the minutes ticked away... a heart-breaking ending to a stellar season... Georgia 41, Hawaii 10.
After an undefeated 12-0 regular season, a Heisman candidate and record breaking quarterback, a nationally touted receiving core, and an unbelievable Cinderella-like, story book, written for Hollywood script invitation to the "Big Dance" in the BCS... What now? Were the doubters and "talking heads" correct about Hawaii football? Was it because of a "cup-cake" schedule that Hawaii got into the BCS?
First off... props to Georgia, they dominated Hawaii. Their speed on Defense was incredible. Georgia did not have to stunt (blitz) much all night. Georgia's defensive line was rushing three or four linemen against five Hawaii Linemen and maybe a running back... and they still got to Colt Brennan... and he was hit hard, and often. Officially, it was eight sacks, but there were a ton of rushes, and Colt Brennan was pounded relentlessly all night. Brennan normally slides to the left or right to elude a rush, but Georgia boxed him in with a fierce outside rush. Georgia's defensive ends were amazingly fast, Hawaii's tackles could not get back quick enough to protect Brennan. No time to read and let the pass routes ripen... no time to pass vertically and do their thing. This allowed Georgia to drop seven into pass coverage, which made for a long night against only four receivers. Georgia swarmed fast, and tackled true... there were not many missed tackles by Georgia's defense, not much yards after catch (YAC) for Hawaii's receivers. Georgia's speed also made up for Hawaii's mis-direction plays, they were abel to recover quickly and often break up plays before they really developed. Georgia's offense... wow... their offensive line dominated, and Georgia's true-freshman running back, Knowshon Moreno, was impressive.
Did Hawaii belong in the Sugar Bowl? Yes... they earned their way in with a perfect 12-0 record, they won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) outright, and they played whomever was willing to play them, even after all other Division 1A teams with availabilities in their schedules turned down the $250,000.00 signing bonus to play Hawaii. Until there is some-kind of national scheduling committee that will randomly pair non-conference games of non-conference teams against one-another, strength of schedule will always be up for discussion with all teams in Division 1A football.
Unfortunately, from the ticket fiasco and airline flight availability to the wide eyed wow of an entire hotel floor dedicated to the team, and the unbelievable team transport bus, it showed that Hawaii as a State, University, and team are not yet familiar enough with the top echelon of College Division 1A football... not yet anyway. Where does Hawaii football go from here?
First... sign the coach. June Jones has done a remarkable job as head coach. Breaking into the BCS was unthinkable. Hawaii did not win, but they got there... and that counts for a lot. The Honolulu Advertiser is reporting Jones will take a week off to evaluate his future and options (read the article here). It's amazing that a coach of his calibre is in Hawaii. What's more amazing is that contract talks have not formally been happening already. What's mind-boggeling is that the University compares his salary with the national scale (read related story), but doesn't take into consideration that half of his salary is from private funds. Jones not only should get a hefty salary increase for doing what he has done for Hawaii football in such a short time, the increase should come from the University, not private funds. Sign the coach.
Second... increase the budget. If Hawaii is to get familiar and comfortable with the top tier of Division 1A College football, there has to be a commitment to be a top tier Division 1A College football program. Yes... this means soap in the showers for athletes (read related story), and a commitment to invest in the future of Hawaii athletics. It takes good, working equipment, quality facilities, and an adequate recruiting budget to help bring in the best athletes across the nation. June Jones has gotten Hawaii to the BCS with delapidated facilities and a menial budget. The players he successfully recruits come because of him, the "ohana" atmosphere, the commitment he makes to them, and because it is Hawaii. Not to take anything away from our present athletes, but it is very difficult to attract the nations top players to Hawaii... so Jones improvises (see related article). Imagine the kinds of players he can recruit with excellent facilities and a healthy budget... we may be able to compete for THE top high school athletes in the country too!
Third... increase the pay for assistant coaches. Hawaii has been fortunate to have great coaching over the years. But we have also lost some great coaches, with NFL coaching experience... and you have to believe that the pay package has something to do with it. Coach Mike Cavanaugh, Hawaii's offensive line coach 1999 - 2004, left for Oregon State. Coach "Mouse" Davis, who's called the "Father of the Run and Shoot Offense", left for Portland State. Leadership (coaching) makes or breaks organizations. This is why businesses, politics, and sports teams replace the leaders, not the players, when things go south. If we want a top notch program, we must invest in, and keep our top notch coaches.
Fourth... re-load. Hawaii has a solid core of players returning, Tyler Graunke has shown brilliance, and local people remember the conquests of Inoke Funaki as a quarterback at Kahuku. This years' nation-wide coverage on ESPN has given Hawaii exposure well beyond it's meager recruiting budget... players are sending resumes wanting to be a part of Warrior football. Hawaii's run and shoot must re-load. Hawaii needs to recruite like crazy while the hype is still hot and the promise of better things to come is still high. Players must work harder during the off-season, in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the field... with each other and on their own...
To be a top echelon College Division 1A program takes time, long-term investment, and commitment. The 2007 Warriors gave us a preview of what could be with meager facilities, finances, and hard work. It is something that can be built upon, or be seen as a one-time, once in a lifetime thing. Let's hope we continue to build.
GO WARRIORS!