It’s fitting that this is homecoming weekend and Bob Wagner’s 1992 University of Hawaii football team is being celebrated as inductees of UH’s Circle of Honor. The other honorees are recent retirees Dave Shoji (women’s volleyball coach) and Marilyn Moniz-Kaho’ohanohano (senior women’s administrator), super boosters Don and Marion Murphy, and deceased U.S. congressman and former UH swimmer K. Mark Takai.

It’s fitting, but what took so long?

I’m not alone in asking why it took 25 years to induct perhaps UH’s greatest team in its highest profile sport, the only Rainbows Warriors team to complete its season with a win in a bowl game away from Hawaii.

“I’m really happy for the team and the players finally getting recognized,” said Wagner, who is here for the ceremonies. “It’s been awhile and it’s long overdue.”

They weren’t as flashy as the run-and-shoot teams of the June Jones era a decade later. But 1992 clearly belongs at or near the top of any list of UH’s best football teams, along with Dick Tomey’s 1981 squad and the 2006 and 2007 teams.

Wagner was Tomey’s defensive coordinator and was promoted to head coach when Tomey left for Arizona after the 1986 season.

“Dick gave me a great opportunity,” Wagner said of Tomey, whose book about his time as UH head coach has just been released. “I had a chance to give a lot of input and learned a lot from him.”

The so-called experts hadn’t expected much from UH in 1992 after a 4-7-1 record the year before. But Wagner and his players knew better because of one of those losses: a 48-42 decision against Notre Dame to end the season.

“We gave them a good run, gained a lot of confidence that we could play with anyone,” quarterback Michael Carter said. “They had superstars on that team like Jerome Bettis and Ricky Watters and we gave them a good fight.”

That showing motivated players from the mainland to stay in Hawaii over the summer to work out with teammates in preparation for the upcoming season.

“Off the field we came together as a group,” Carter said.

The bonding paid off right away, as UH won its first two games — on the road at Oregon 24-21 and at Air Force 6-3, when Carter and his backup, Ivin Jasper, were injured.

“That Air Force game showed us a lot about our defense,” Carter said.

Then the ‘Bows beat BYU 36-32 to start the home schedule.

“We had the makings,” Wagner said. “We got healthy. (Kicker) Jason (Elam) came back, the quarterbacks had more experience.”

They went unbeaten at home and 6-2 in the WAC when the conference was arguably at its strongest. BYU and Fresno State were also 6-2, but since UH had beaten both the Rainbows went to the Holiday Bowl.

Hawaii had lost 52-28 at San Diego State as UH nemesis Marshall Faulk rushed for 300 yards and four touchdowns. But the Rainbows’ only other loss was at Utah, and Hawaii beat Illinois 27-17 in the Holiday Bowl to finish the year ranked 20th in the nation.

“I went back and looked at (the schedule) last week, and the first five teams we played all went to bowl games,” Wagner said. “I think sometimes when we look at history not enough consideration is given to how those teams that we played ended up doing.”

And in those days, going to a bowl game was truly special; there were significantly fewer of them than teams with winning records.

The Illini came into the game at 6-4-1, but that ledger included an 18-16 win at No. 21 Ohio State, and a 22-22 tie at No. 3 Michigan.

The 1992 UH team certainly had talent. There was Elam, a possible future NFL Hall of Famer. There was Travis Sims, one of the greatest running backs in program history. There was Carter, a superb leader and dual-threat quarterback before the term existed. There was defensive tackle Ma’a Tanuvasa, who, like Elam, played on two Super Bowl championship teams with the Denver Broncos. There were speedy receivers and return men Darrick Branch and Matthew Harding.

But Hawaii’s most important traits were toughness, belief in each other and depth.

“Every time (a starter) went out, guys filled in for the ones who were injured,” Carter said. “Everyone was prepared and ready to play. That’s due to the outstanding coaching. Wags put a lot of toughness in us and (offensive coordinator) Paul Johnson was the smartest guy I’ve ever been around.

“All I can say is we were super tough and rugged and could beat anyone,” Carter added.

And then, with a laugh: “Except maybe Marshall Faulk.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529- 4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.