Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Can UH get back to winning in this land of possibilities?

Does the idea of bringing back Jim Donovan as athletic director at the University of Hawaii make any sense?

On the surface it’s about as logical as adding another game to UH’s football schedule this season.

But it’s been whispered and reported that the former is a possibility. And the latter is a probability after Temple said it would pay its own way to come here.

Welcome to Anything Can Happen Land. Does that include the Warriors winning again in 2012?

UH took another pounding on Saturday, and is 1-7. When you’re on the wrong end of 45-10 and it’s not as close as the score indicates, you’re in trouble. It also made me think that instead of adding that game against the Owls on Dec. 7, it might be a better idea to delete some, starting with Saturday’s against Boise State.

Hey, never-give-up crowd, that was just a joke.

But BSU’s loss to San Diego State is the worst thing that could’ve happened for the Warriors. It likely eliminates one of UH’s few edges headed into this game, the old mai tais and mo-peds angle. Chris Petersen — pretty good at getting guys to focus and play above their heads anyway — will have an easier time than usual ensuring his team is not distracted.

The last time Boise State lost two games in a row was 2005, the year before Petersen replaced Dan Hawkins as head coach. Add that to the list of smooth coaching transitions to envy — Boise State went unbeaten in Petersen’s first season, including the landmark Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma.

BELIEVE IT or not, we’ve seen worse at Fresno than Saturday. Maybe not by much, but worse indeed.

It was 2004, and the Warriors were very banged up on defense, especially up front. Pat Hill knew this and just pounded away on the ground, and Hawaii lost 70-14. The Warriors fell to 4-5 and people started talking about firing June Jones and getting rid of that ridiculous run-and-shoot offense. Well, then UH won out and three years later rode the four-wide to 12-0 and the Sugar Bowl.

So what does this have to do with getting pounded by the Bulldogs NOW?

This time Fresno State beat Hawaii at its own (former) game, spreading it out and throwing the ball. It was like having your own weapon used against you, even harder to take than the pistol-whipping from Nevada and its sawed-off shotgun marriage of Ault and Rolovich.

Now even more UH fans are pining for those days of pass first, ask questions later, and losing what patience they had left with Norm Chow.

AS FOR DONOVAN, the Board of Regents might have messed up when it agreed to make him a marketing director on upper campus without going through proper procedure. There’s speculation Donovan might be returned to the athletic director’s office to serve out the final few months of his contract, instead of three years in the new job.

In this crazy and unlikely scenario, what happens to the position Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple said is so vital? Up for grabs?

Have candidates submit a marketing plan to turn a college football game on a Friday in December matching a 2-10 (being somewhat optimistic) home team and a 4-7 visitor into a guaranteed moneymaker. Anyone who can do that deserves the job.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.

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