AMHERST, Mass. >> One game into the season and the University of Hawaii football team already has to rewrite its record book.
Thank John Ursua’s mammoth performance in UH’s 38-35 win over host Massachusetts at McGuirk Stadium.
The sophomore slot caught 12 passes Saturday, including one for an 85-yard touchdown.
His 272 receiving yards are good for fourth in one game in school history.
It’s the most in more than a decade, going back to Jason Rivers piling up 308 yards against Arizona State on Dec. 24, 2006 in the Hawaii Bowl. That stands as the school record, with only Ashley Lelie’s 285 against Air Force in 2001 and Chad Owens’ 283 against Michigan State in 2004 also surpassing Ursua’s total against the Minutemen.
“It’s not something that I’m thinking about out there on the field, but it really is an honor to be mentioned with them,” Ursua said. “Those are guys that I grew up watching as a kid (on the Big Island), and wanting to be like them.”
The long catch-and-run TD — the first of three scoring passes by Dru Brown — gave UH a 14-7 lead with 1:57 left in the first half.
His 31-yard reception sparked a scoring drive in the third quarter when things were looking bleak for UH after UMass took a 28-14 lead.
But Ursua’s biggest play came with 1:43 left in the game and UH trailing 35-31. Brown’s 52-yard connection with him on third-and-10 got the ball to the hosts’ 7-yard line, setting up the game-winning touchdown pass to Tui ‘Unga.
“He caught our defenders out of place, and he did it twice actually,” UMass coach Mark Whipple said of Ursua, who was wide open in the left flat.
“Great call, I appreciate the trust,” Ursua said. “I knew somebody had to step up and make a play. … Me and Dru hooked up quite a bit tonight, so I had a feeling he was going to try and come my way. I was grateful for the opportunity.”
The Minutemen’s defensive schemes were a good fit for Ursua, UH receivers coach Kefense Hynson said.
“Man coverage,” Hynson said. “We knew they’d play a lot of man, and that we could win some one-on-one battles. He’s a big-play player. Last year he was already showing it, but I think he got overshadowed a little by Marcus (Kemp). This doesn’t surprise me. The guys all played well.”
Meanwhile, UMass tight end Adam Breneman was also enjoying a big game with nine catches for 179 yards.
“He’s a good enough player that you can’t let them have extra time,” Warriors defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa said. “Their quarterback (Andrew Ford) did a good job of staying alive, and (Breneman) was able to find the open spots.”
Breneman credited the Warriors after another frustrating loss to Hawaii. UH beat UMass 46-40 at Aloha Stadium last year in the Minutemen’s last game of the year.
“They have some guys that can play in the NFL,” he said. “That’s the message that we’ve got to say, that we’ve lost to a really good football team.”
