Hawaii Looks Like Longshot for Hawaii Bowl

[CalallenStang]

In June Jones last two seasons in Hawaii, they won 11 games in 2006, and 12 games in 07.
Post June Jones, Hawaii was 7-6 in 2008, and so far (with injuries) Hawaii is 2-4 in 2009.

Anyone who follows that program can tell you that the talent level was much lower in 2008 than it was in 2007 - all of their star players from 2007 were seniors. They were playing well in 2009 (some of their players finally had experience, unlike 2008) until they got upset by UNLV and then the next week lost their QB for the year.

Are they the team that they were in 2007? Absolutely not. But the program isn't falling off a cliff like Insane suggested.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Sugar Bowl to "longshot for the Hawaii Bowl"

yeah...it all just a total coincidence....lol

[CalallenStang]

Sugar Bowl to "longshot for the Hawaii Bowl"

yeah...it all just a total coincidence....lol

Insane, you are truly showing your ignorance. Fact is that UH would be a 9-win team this year without the injuries they've suffered through. And June Jones, had he stayed at Hawaii, would not have won more than 8 games last year. They lost too much.

[Stallion]

Yeah its shocking the Hawaii program declined starting last year-see description of losses:

Returning starters: 8 (4 offense, 4 defense).

Key losses:

On offense there are so many. The biggest is Brennan, a Heisman finalist each of the past two season (he finished third last fall) and, as we noted above, a multiple-N.C.A.A. record holder. Hampered by injuries in 2007, Brennan’s numbers – 4,343 yards, 38 touchdowns – fell short of his amazing junior season, when he threw for 5,549 yards and 58 scores. However, looking at the big picture, Brennan is one of the great quarterbacks in recent college football history, and will forever be associated with this glowing era of U.H. football. He was the lone Warrior taken in the draft, selected by the Redskins in the sixth round. While many pundits have questioned his pro potential (the Countdown thinks that though he has landed in a good situation in Washington, though a lack of size and arm strength will limit his chances), his time in the N.F.L. can never detract from his record-breaking collegiate career. The leading four receivers from last year are gone, two through graduation – Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorn – and two through early entry into the draft – Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen. Bess (108 receptions, 1,266 yards), Rivers (92 for 1,174), and Grice-Mullen (106, 1,372) each reached 1,000 yards in 2007, making them the second receiving trio (2003 Texas Tech) to reach that mark. Not to be forgotten, C.J. Hawthorn finished fourth on the team with 61 receptions for 859 yards. All four went undrafted, though Bess (Dolphins), Rivers (Titans) and Grice-Mullen (Texans) all inked free-agent deals. The biggest loss up front is the all-conference guard Hercules Satele, who started 27 games for the Warriors. Satele signed a free-agent deal with Cardinals shortly after the draft.

On defense, the Warriors lost seven starters off its strong 2007 defense, but the unit will still be strong. Among the three starters lost of the line is end Amani Purcell, a transfer from Penn State, and tackle Michael Lafaele, a first-team all-WAC performer. The Warriors will also be without three starters from its secondary: safety Jacob Patek (third on the team with 77 tackles) and corners Myron Newberry (tied for the team lead with four interceptions) and Gerard Lewis (51 tackles, 2 picks).

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

wow...sounds like June Jones jumped off the Titanic at the right time!

[RGV Pony]

wow...sounds like June Jones jumped off the Titanic at the right time!

when the WSU game was approaching, it was amazing to read some of the things about the decline of Wazzu under Doba and his bailing out right before it hit rock bottom. Also looks like Brady Hoke did the same thing at Ball St, trading Muncie for San Diego, and now both teams are crappy.

[Stallion]

Rice's David Bailiff forgot to jump before graduation day. I'm sure Rice and Ball St. are in a death spiral to see which is the all-time worst collapse of a football program

[RGV Pony]

Rice's David Bailiff forgot to jump before graduation day. I'm sure Rice and Ball St. are in a death spiral to see which is the all-time worst collapse of a football program

Forgot about Rice. Poor David Bailiff..CUSA coach of the year last year. I thought he'd been recruiting ok....maybe not?

How's that lateral move working out for Art Briles? Hard to believe the whole program is/was Robert Griffin

[Garret]

In June Jones last two seasons in Hawaii, they won 11 games in 2006, and 12 games in 07.
Post June Jones, Hawaii was 7-6 in 2008, and so far (with injuries) Hawaii is 2-4 in 2009.

Anyone who follows that program can tell you that the talent level was much lower in 2008 than it was in 2007 - all of their star players from 2007 were seniors.

This is not true, which you would know if you followed the Hawaii program closely. The best OL on the 2007 Hawaii team was John Estes, a then-sophomore who is the #1 center on some of the NFL draft lists (others have USC's center at #1 and Estes at #2).

Both slot receivers, Ryan Grice-Mullen and Davone Bess, were juniors in 2007. I believe that Bess would probably have turned pro anyway but RGM would have returned for his senior year if JJ had stayed at Hawaii. That would have been good for RGM because it would have given him another year to put up huge stats and improve his shot for the NFL.

JJ redshirted Greg Salas in 2007. As a freshman in 2008 he led Hawaii in receiving. As a sophomore now he's #2 in the country in receiving yards and putting up video game numbers. Check out his stats and remember that he was just a freshman last season.

2008 was the most experienced and deep defense I ever remember Hawaii having. With McMackin as his defensive coordinator and a stacked D that had a year of experience in McMackin's D, JJ would have easily had his best defense ever in Hawaii. That D had Veikune and Mouton drafted, two 4-year star LBs (one who set the tackle record for Hawaii), 3-deep at the other LB position, and was 2 or 3 deep at *every* DL position. Bus would have been in heaven at the rotation of 6 DTs and 5 DEs.

The problem in 2008 was the offense. JJ had things set up with Graunke (who in 2007 became the only Hawaii QB to win a game in Nevada when Colt just made a 2-play cameo due to concussions) being a senior, Funaki a junior, and Bo Mitchell coming in as a freshman. Trouble was that McMackin suspended Graunke (Graunke's fault) and then Graunke couldn't earn his spot back and JJ took Bo to SMU. A lot of sack problems were due to QBs holding the ball too long, but the JC QBs brought in by the new coaching staff had to learn the system.

The other problem in 2008 was that recruiting was completely disrupted by the coaching change. 2008 was when the recruiting classes should have benefited from the great 2006 and 2007 seasons...but Hawaii's AD blew that. And he got fired the day after JJ left.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Thanks Garret for the education....very interesting.

[Garret]

Both Hawaii and SMU had new coaches for the 2008 season. Both had returning QBs who were established and would have been expected to start if they hadn't had coaching changes. Both of those QBs were suspended by their new coaches. Both coaches ended up starting QBs they recruited.

The big difference was that Greg Alexander was doing much better than Bo Mitchell this year...and Alexander is a senior while Bo is a sophomore. Now that Alexander is hurt, Hawaii is starting a sophomore.