The Hawaii football team had momentum, energy and swag — everything, it seems, but a little more time.
Time expired on the Rainbow Warriors’ frenetic comeback in a pulsating 42-37 loss to 25th-ranked Fresno State at Aloha Stadium on Saturday night.
With backup quarterback Sean Schroeder at the controls — and a steel-plated zone — the Warriors nearly conquered a 42-3 deficit. Schroeder threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns and directed two other scoring drives in a 21-minute, 11-second performance.
On the Warriors’ last possession, Schroeder had two Hail Mary passes that were not answered — a skyward throw that Marcus Kemp could not secure and a desperation heave that cornerback L.J. Jones snatched at the Fresno State 3.
Asked what he would trade for two more minutes, Schroeder said, "a lot."
He added: "It hurts. It hurts. I thought it was going to be our night. Things were going our way. We just ran out of time, I guess. A couple of plays I wish I had back. But we battled our asses off. It was a hell of a game."
UH coach Norm Chow found no consolation, although he praised Schroeder for his relief work.
"That’s what he’s supposed to do," Chow said. "That’s why we saved him and decided to go with the other guy (as the starter)."
Third-year freshman Ikaika Woolsey’s first career start came a week after he was the Warriors’ scout-team quarterback. He earned the start in place of Taylor Graham, who suffered an injury to his left (nonthrowing) shoulder a week earlier against Nevada.
Woolsey was 7-for-19 for 56 yards. He was sacked five times, intercepted once and sabotaged by penalties, including four in the red zone.
"I didn’t do a good job in getting the ball out of my hands quickly," Woolsey said. "I let the blitzes get to me. I have to do a better job of getting rid of the ball. No O-line in America can hold a block for eight to 10 seconds. I definitely put that first half on me."
To be sure, the Bulldogs, who improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Mountain West, contributed largely to the Warriors’ woes.
Through the middle of the third quarter, the Warriors appeared to be a step slow against the Bulldogs’ no-huddle, no-pause offense. The Bulldogs used the divide-and-conquer approach: Spread the four-receiver formation to create one-on-one routes or open the running lanes for Marteze Waller or Josh Quezada.
To defend the receivers, the Warriors countered with a 3-3-5 defense. But that limited the pass rush, giving Derek Carr enough time to go through his progressions.
Carr completed 33 of 47 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns. Carr also adjusted to the loss of speedy receiver Isaiah Burse, who was ejected in the first quarter when his block on linebacker Kamalani Alo was ruled a "targeting" violation.
Waller, who was used sparingly in the previous week’s upset of Boise State, rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs appeared to end the suspense when Jones intercepted Woolsey and raced 56 yards for a touchdown and 42-3 lead with 6:15 to play.
"I can’t throw that pick six," Woolsey said. "I have to be responsible with the ball an deliver it to my receivers."
Chow then summoned Schroeder.
Schroeder started 11 games in 2012 after transferring from Duke. He was hit more than 120 times last season, and underwent back surgery on April 1. He recovered fully, but not in time to reclaim the starting job.
This past week, Schroeder and Woolsey alternated with the first team. On Wednesday, Chow decided to start Woolsey, who gray-shirted in 2011 and redshirted last year. The thinking was Schroeder would be a calming presence in relief if Woolsey struggled.
Chow said Schroeder did not complain about the assignment.
"He’s a man," Chow said.
Schroeder said: "I’m not going to worry about external factors. I don’t get paid to make those decisions. I respect Coach Chow. He has the best interest of the team. I had to stay ready whenever my opportunity came."
Schroeder said he glanced at the scoreboard, but only to view the game clock.
"To be honest with you, I put my head down and went to work," Schroeder said. "Coach tells us all the time: ‘Don’t look at the scoreboard.’ Honest to God, I didn’t look at the scoreboard, except for the clock."
Schroeder’s first pass, a fade along the left sideline, went to Chris Gant for 60 yards. On the next play, running back Steven Lakalaka ran 3 yards for his first collegiate touchdown.
On Fresno’s next possession, Carr’s passes was deflected. Linebacker Art Laurel intercepted and ran 12 yards to the Fresno 43. Schroeder then threw to Gant for 20 yards, then to freshman Keith Kirkwood for 23 yards and a touchdown.
UH got the ball back on a fumble. With the drive extending into the fourth quarter, Schroeder threw 16 yards to Vasquez Haynes for a touchdown.
"We were starting to feel it," Haynes said. "When a guy is hot, you have to feed him, and Sean was hot. Then the receivers got hot, and it was a show."
Later, Schroeder and Billy Ray Stutzmann teamed on a 35-yard scoring pass, closing the Warriors to 42-30. Schroeder’s 2-point pass was intercepted.
That missed conversion proved costly after Lakalaka’s second touchdown cut the deficit to 42-37 with 7:51 to play.
The Warriors failed to score on their final two possessions.
Chow lamented the missed opportunities in the first half.
"I don’t know why we start so dang-gone slow all the time." Chow said.
In the corridor outside the locker room after the game, Gant was slumped against the wall, his cheeks stained with tears.
"No moral victories," Gant said. "We lost. It doesn’t matter how much we came back. A loss is a loss."
Schroeder said: "It really hurts."
Schroeder’s interview was interrupted for a second. Chow came over and shook his hand.
