2004 Warrior Football Season (by Scott) "A fan's perspe

[Scott]

Congratulations on an impressive win football Warriors! It was a season of trials and tribulations where our offense was suspect, our defense inundated with injuries, and our away games left us parked on the side of the road with a flat tire. We started the season with the Heisman Trophy, a top 25 ranking, and the WAC championship on our mind. Those dreams soon became a hallucination after a 0-2 start against Florida Atlantic and Rice in Houston. However with back to back impressive wins at home against Tulsa and Nevada, the season was once again salvageable.

Next, the Warriors hit the playground and jumped on the seesaw. They teeter tottered back and forth with wins at home and being blown out on the road. The two nationally televised games on the road against Boise St. and Fresno St. was too much for many fans to swallow. However, the University of Hawaii Football team and their coaching staff never gave up! They practiced harder and focused on their new goal, which many believed impossible, The Hawaii Bowl.

Idaho was the confidence builder, and once again, they understood what Warrior football was all about. Next up were the Wildcats from the Big 10, who strutted into town flexing their chests and talking smack to what they believed to be a powder puff WAC team. There was no doubt in their minds that they would run all over the nations worst rushing defense, become bowl eligible and get a free vacation out of it too.

The Warriors had other plans for the over confident Wildcats. They took care of business and beat Northwestern 49-41 by making big plays on both sides of the ball, when they counted. The Wildcat fans were scurrilously crying about bad calls and favoritism for three plus weeks. Nevertheless, just like a bad cold, they got over it…I think.

The season finale was against Michigan St, who was having a bad season by their standards. They came off big wins over Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and going into triple overtime and just losing to perennial powerhouse Michigan University. The stage was set on National TV with a chance for a bowl game if Hawaii could pull off the upset victory. This was also the first time in many years that I can remember that Hawaii was home dogs in back to back games. I am almost positive that this is a first in the June Jones era.

Just like Northwestern, Michigan St. (also from the Big 10) came into town expecting to crush Hawaii’s chances of a bowl game and take advantage of Hawaii’s poor rushing defense. What they didn’t expect is that Hawaii’s defense is more then a bunch of numbers, which happen to fall at the end of a national list. Hawaii’s defense was the epitome of bend but don’t break. The injury plagued Warrior defense once again came up with big defensive plays and stops when they counted. Hawaii 41 Michigan St. 38 once again the Big 10 complained about the officiating, but hey, when David kicked Goliath’s butt, I’m sure that Goliath’s coaches had them check the rocks for foreign objects.

Hawaii goes to the 2004 Hawaii Bowl! It might sound a little redundant but this bowl rewarded a team that pushed themselves to the limit and never gave up. It capped Chad Owens and Timmy Chang’s career both of which will become local legends of football. Timmy ended his tenure at the University of Hawaii as the nations all time leading passer and left Aloha Stadium in style as he led the Warriors to victory against UAB on Christmas Eve. We all watched Timmy grow over the past five years, sometimes expecting too much out of him and sometimes dazzled by his uncanny quarterbacking skills. However, what I will remember most about Timmy was his choice to stay home, never say quit attitude and his ability to see the big picture and know in his heart that the fans love him.

Thank you Timmy and the 2004 Warrior Football team!

[10]

In that strange way, this season was made gratifying by the mixture of lows and highs.

Season Lowlights:

-High preseason expectations killed with a devastating opening season OT lost to FAU and a blown 4 qtr lead @ Rice to begin the season 0-2.
-After just a few games under his belt as a good looking true freshman, DT Keala Watson loses medical clearance to play football, possibly forever.
-Various defensive injuries to starting corners, the already depleted DT's, Curnan, Moe, and Manners.
-Warriors finish winless on the road for the first time since the 3-9 2000 squad, including two of the worse defeats in all of school history 3-69 in Boise and 14-70 in Fresno, bringing them to a record of 4-5 with just 3 games left.
- in-season quitters: Martinez, Hogan, Hollingsworth, Pearman, R Bass


Season Highlights:

-A week after a horrible performance and world-class okole beating in Boise, Chang throws the record breaking pass to Rivers for Hawaii's first score in a big win over Louisiana Tech. There's a standing ovation and Chang gives the ball to his dad, Levi.
-In response to an even more painful okole-kicking in Fresno, the Warriors finish with an improbable 3 win streak, to salvage the season and earn the Hawaii Bowl berth.
-The win streak included consecutive comeback wins over Big 10 teams. A comeback from a 0-13 deficit to 4th place Big 10 team Northwestern, and a comeback from 0-21 against a more dangerous Michigan State.
-Little known players stepping in for injured starters during that time and stepping up their game in a big way. MLB Ho'ohuli, DT Darrell Tautofi, SS Landon Kafentzis, OLB Brad Kalilimoku
-The play of Chang and Owens through the home stretch and bowl game.
Chang finally playing up to his potential with 1600 yards, 18 TD, and only 4 picks through the final 4 games. 400 ypg, 4.5 TDpg, 1 INTpg. Also rushed for a surprising 48 net yards and 2 TD during that span. Finished the season with 38 TD to just 13 INT, 4258 yards, and 17,072 career passing yards and 117 career TDs.
Owens scoring 12 TD's (10 receiving, 2 punt returns) in the final 3 games alone, with 30 receptions for 552 yards during that span, garnering multiple All-American honors, the Mosi Tatupu Award, and the greatest punt return of the entire college football season (vs Northwestern). Finished with a I-A leading 5 punt returns for TD.
-The Hawaii Bowl win over UAB ... largest most successful crowd in the history of the young bowl, and most convincing bowl victory in UH history, 59-40.