UH seniors know
only woes on road

The football team's streak goes back
19 games and five years

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

The fifth-year seniors for the University of Hawaii football team were still in high school when the much-publicized road losing streak began.

After securing a 41-21 victory at Texas-El Paso on Oct. 31, 1992, the Rainbows traveled to San Diego State two weeks later, where they were dismantled by Marshall Faulk and Co., 52-28.

It was the first of 19 consecutive road losses in the Western Athletic Conference for the Rainbows, a streak that will be five years and one day old when Hawaii travels to San Jose State this weekend.

"This is our last chance as a senior class to win a WAC road game," free safety Eddie Klaneski said. "It always comes up every time we go out on the road, so of course, you want to break the streak.

"It's always in the back of our minds, but we just have to focus on San Jose State. You can't go over there thinking about it, but it would be great for the seniors to break this thing once and for all this weekend."

In this current streak, Hawaii has lost three times to San Diego State, Wyoming and Brigham Young University, twice to Fresno State, Colorado State and New Mexico, and once to Nevada-Las Vegas, Air Force, Utah and UTEP.

The combined score in those 19 defeats is 737-245. The Rainbows have lost by an average score of 39-13 under the direction of two head coaches, three defensive and four offensive coordinators.

"That right there tells you it's really not the coaches' fault," wide receiver Johnny Macon said. "Since I've been here, we've usually lost on the road because we played like crap.

"I think it's more mental. It's not a physical thing. A lot of guys listen to everybody saying Hawaii can't win on the road and pretty soon they start believing it and playing like it.

"This is my last chance, but it isn't our team's last chance. This streak will be broken and when it is broken, they'll start a new streak, but it will be in the win column."

This will be the second time the Rainbows have played at Spartan Stadium this decade. In 1991, Hawaii tied San Jose State, 35-35. The Rainbows are 4-1-1 lifetime at San Jose, Calif., with the last victory occurring in 1958.

"We believe we have a good chance to win up there this weekend," fifth-year senior Brian Chapman said. "We were able to beat California (in 1994) and UNLV (in 1995), so we can do it if we go up there with the right attitude."

UH head coach Fred vonAppen, who has been around for seven of these WAC road losses, agrees. But Hawaii is going to have to play well to do it.

"The keys to winning on the road are limiting your mistakes and not falling behind early," vonAppen said. "We've been a bit more competitive in two of our last three road games (a 25-15 loss at UNLV and 17-3 defeat at BYU).

"But the bottom line is, we haven't played well enough to get it done. This is our last opportunity this year. It would be nice if we could give our fifth-year seniors a win before they graduate."

Like vonAppen, senior tight end Gary Ellison would like that to happen, but isn't caught up in the history lesson.

"I don't even think about the past," Ellison said. "None of those losses stands out. To me, it's just another game. I'd like to break the streak, but it's not something I'm going to dwell on this weekend."

INJURY REPORT: Senior cornerback Al Hunter was fitted with a soft cast on his right hand, and will know tomorrow whether he can play this weekend.

"He's up," vonAppen said. "But whether he can go, we won't know for sure until after the doctors see him on Wednesday."

Quarterback Tim Carey also has been cleared for duty. VonAppen said the senior, who has been out two months with a severe shoulder separation, may play if starter Josh Skinner struggles.

"We could also design a game plan that fits what Tim can do," vonAppen said. "Having two quarterbacks up and ready may give San Jose State something extra to think about."

VonAppen also announced that redshirt freshman Jaoquin Avila won't play this weekend due to a moped accident he suffered last Wednesday. He had abrasions all over his body that required more than 100 stitches. He also hurt his knee.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Hawaii climbed three spots to No. 23 in the nation in total defense, allowing 313.9 yards a game. The Rainbows are third in the WAC behind 10th-ranked Air Force (280.6 yards) and No. 17 SMU (301.4).

Hawaii is last in the league in only one major offensive category. The Rainbows are 14th in the WAC in scoring offense, averaging 14.8 points a game, 15th in total offense (280.8 yards) and 16th in rushing offense (81.3).

On an individual basis, Chad Shrout remained first in the WAC and fourth in the nation in punting, averaging 46.8 yards a kick. Wyoming's Aron Langley is second in the league, averaging 45.5 yards.

By comparison, Wyoming is first in the WAC and second in the nation in net punting (42.9 yards), while Hawaii is No. 99 nationally, averaging 33.6 yards.

LOW IN POLL: Hawaii dropped to No. 107 in the nation, according to the Scripps-Howard computer poll that rates the 232 Division I and Division I-AA teams.

The Rainbows' power rating is 79. San Jose State comes in at No. 120 with a rating of 76.7. If you add four points to the Spartans because of home field, they should be favored by two points. The opening Las Vegas line is even.

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