Idaho Game Recap

The Warriors lose 35-24 to a descent Idaho team they probably should have beaten. In the second half there is no excuse for Idaho to convert several 3rd and very longs over and over and over. When a team lets this happen to them repeatedly they will lose and that is what happened to the Warriors tonight. Hawaii did what it needed to get Idaho into 3rd and long passing situations. It is surprising that the Hawaii defense, which defends the pass everyday during practice, was unable to stop a run first team in obvious passing situations.

I am no football expert, but after the second time, someone with any sense would have found a way to cover the tight end and slot on the seam, post and deep in route and get some pressure on Enderle. Hawaii being unable to stop a 3rd and short is something we as Hawaii fans can accept. NFL prospect Woolridge was a 240lb bowling ball and the huge Idaho line pushed around the young and injury plague Hawaii D-line all day. Those 4 or 5, 3rd and long conversions by the Vandals were painful to watch and totally unacceptable.

In all of those 3rd and “eternities”, Idaho was not going to run. Doesn’t the defense have a nickel or dime package for those sorts of situations? Couldn’t someone on the defense get to Enderle in time before those deep routes had time to develop? The Idaho passing game is far from BYU or the Texas Tech Run and Shoot. The Hawaii defense is not supposed let Nathan Enderle and his average crew of receivers and tight ends exploit them as they did tonight. Was it a case of the players not executing or the coaching staff making the wrong call?

Next Saturday no doubt gets tougher for the struggling Warriors. Deep threat Ronnie Bradley is gone for the season with a broken leg meaning that the Boise State defense will sit on the short routes and tee off on the Warrior’s possession receivers. Nevertheless, the Warriors are fighters and anything can happen if they continue to fight and believe. Nothing would be better than a 2-4 Hawaii team killing Boise’s BCS chances on October 24th.





Because I do not have permission from the NCAA, I found this video on youtube that comes pretty close to what happened to the Warriors over and over and over.