In Saturday’s 20-17 victory over New Mexico State, the Hawaii football team successfully tested their depth ceiling.

Fueled by defensive reserves, the Rainbow Warriors held the Aggies to 78 yards on three second-half possessions to spark a rally from a 17-3 deficit after two quarters.

The Warriors were without ailing cornerback Virdel Edwards II and defensive tackles Ezra Evaimalo and Foi Sila. Weakside linebacker Nalu Emerson started his second game in place of co-captain Logan Taylor, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury two weeks ago. But Emerson departed in the second half after experiencing a heat-related ailment.

Jalen Smith replaced Emerson as the will linebacker and on special teams. Smith was credited with recovering Ben Falck’s onside kick in the third quarter. Smith and mike linebacker Isaiah Tufaga helped slow NMSU’s quarterback-led running attack with essentially an alternating tracking system on Diego Pavia.

“It’s huge for him to do that,” defensive coordinator Jacob Yoro said of Smith. “It’s a confidence boost. He’s so talented.”

As a prep junior, Smith was a highly regarded running back/linebacker at Garces Memorial High in Bakersfield, Calif. But he missed his senior season because of an injury and, with Division I offers evaporating, he attended Bakersfield College in 2021. Smith joined the Warriors in 2022. But because UH did not consider one of courses as transferable, Smith was allowed to practice but not play in games last year.

Smith excelled in scrimmages and team sessions. “In spring ball and fall camp, we’re not game planning anybody,” Yoro said. “We’re just calling our calls, doing our things. But he’s special. He’s one of the few guys (on Saturday) night who could just hit one of those big (NMSU) backs up top and pull him down. He’s physical in the box. And he’s almost safety-ish in being able to move around and cover (receivers).”

The Warriors are three-deep at the two interior positions on the defensive line. John Tuitupou and Kuao Peihopa are the starters. Evaimalo, a strong-handed inside rusher, is a speedier option in the trenches. Sila, in contrast, is a space eater. With both unavailable, 5-foot-11 Daniel “Sauce” Williams and Anthony Sagapolutele earned more reps. In the second quarter, Williams ripped the football free from running back Star Thomas and rumbled 41 yards the other way.

“Sauce makes things happen,” Yoro said.

For two games, JoJo Forest and Caleb Brown filled in for cornerback Cam Stone. Stone returned to the lineup on Saturday, and Forest and Brown replaced Edwards.

With all the lineup shuffling, the Warriors were able to make the second-half adjustments against NMSU.

In the first two quarters, the Aggies amassed 257 yards, including 141 on the ground, and converted five of seven third-down plays in five possessions. Pavia led the way with draws and sprints. But there was a price to his 10 first-half carries. “We were hitting him hard, and he was starting to wear down,” Yoro said. Eli Stowers took a few snaps late in the second quarter.

“We had to flip the switch,” Smith said of UH’s second-half goal.

Yoro told the defensive players to avoid being on the field for 80 plays was to make third-down stops. The Aggies did not convert any in the second half. They had 14 plays after the intermission.

The Warriors are set to open Mountain West play in this Saturday’s road game against UNLV. They are scheduled to depart on Wednesday afternoon.