When they locked what was once a multi-purpose Aloha Stadium into a football configuration more than a decade ago, it was the last we saw of the old bullpen, a relic of the Hawaii Islanders tenure.
But if the bullpen is no longer physically on the premises, the University of Hawaii football team has at least kept the theory in regular use.
Especially this season.
A week after Chevan Cordeiro appeared in relief at quarterback to help pull out a title-clinching victory over San Diego State, Saturday night it was Cole McDonald’s turn to return the favor, stepping in for Cordeiro and the Rainbow Warriors in a 52-31 regular-season ending victory over Army.
McDonald, summoned from the sidelines with 3 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the second quarter after Cordeiro limped off the field with an apparent ankle injury after running for a first down, responded by guiding the Warriors to four of their final five touchdowns.
The fifth, an emphatic exclamation point on what has become a 9-4 season, was supplied with 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining by cornerback Rojesterman Farris II, who became the first Warrior to return an interception 100 yards for a touchdown.
Farris, one of 23 seniors honored on senior night, picked off a pass by freshman quarterback Jamel Jones in the end zone and bolted down the right sideline to finally put away the stubborn Black Knights of the Hudson (5-7).
The victory sends the Warriors into their Dec. 7 Mountain West Conference championship game at Boise State on a season-high four-game winning streak. Their bowl destination and opponent have yet to be officially announced.
But whoever the foe is, the way this season has gone it will likely see UH’s double-barreled quarterback position.
Cordeiro and McDonald have traded starts and “saves” this season, and Saturday night, it was McDonald’s turn to be the “closer.” He completed 19 of 29 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover.
Cordeiro had made good on seven of 12 attempts for 109 yards and two touchdowns in his stint.
McDonald jumped in and, on his second play, passed 4 yards to Jason-Matthew Sharsh for a touchdown for a 24-17 lead, UH’s first of the game with 2 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first half.
Earlier this season it had been opponents’ bullpens that had gotten the best of the Warriors. Witness what had happened at Boise State, where two quarterbacks in relief of the injured starter, Hank Bachmeier, led the Broncos to a 58-37 pillaging of UH.
A week later, when Air Force starter Donald Hammond II went down with an injury, Mike Schmidt stepped in and mowed down the Rainbow Warriors 56-26.
And, for a while, the UH faithful in an Aloha Stadium gathering of 22,437, the second largest home crowd of the season, had reason to wonder if it might happen again.
When Black Knights starting quarterback Kevin Hopkins Jr. departed with an injury just before halftime, Christian Anderson stepped in. He ran 12 times for 114 yards, a 9.5 average, to guide Army to two scores and stay on UH’s heels.
The bullpen is no longer visible, but the concept lives on — and thrives — with its current tenant, UH.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
