DENVER >> The day after, the University of Hawaii football team was still trying to figure how its offense disappeared into thin air.

“This one was a tough one,” head coach Timmy Chang said of the Rainbow Warriors’ 17-13 loss to Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo. “I feel bad for the kids. They played their hearts out.”

In a game plan structured around the breathtaking thin air of Fort Collins’ 5,003-foot elevation, the Warriors tried to attack at a deliberate pace to control the clock and shorten the number of possessions their defense was on the field.

But after seizing a 13-3 at the intermission, the Warriors had only five possessions in the second half totaling 17 plays, 38 yards and 7 minutes, 44 seconds.

In the first half, Brayden Schager was 8-for-10 for 107 yards on first down. In the second half, the Warriors’ first-down implosion included an ineligible-receive penalty nullifying a 17-yard reception, and two fumbles that created ensuing second-and-15 situations.

“You put yourself behind the chains early, that’s what hurts you,” Chang said of negative-yard plays. “So you don’t get into a groove because you’re behind the chains. And you only had two possessions in the third quarter.”

The Warriors’ third quarter consisted of two three-and-out drives.

“If you get limited chances at executing, you have to execute,” Chang said. “And that’s what didn’t happen as opposed to the first half.”

The Warriors had to shuffle the offensive lineup. With ailing center Eliki Tanuvasa available on a need-to-play basis, Sergio Muasau moved from left guard to snap. Muasau had been playing in place of left guard Stephan Bernal-Wendt, who is recovering from a leg injury. The Warriors activated Solo Vaipulu to start at left guard. Vaipulu, a senior, is taking advantage of an NCAA rule allowing a player to appear in up to four games while remaining on track to redshirt.

With slotback Koali Nishigaya recovering from an ailment, Dior Scott and Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala split reps.

The Warriors might expand their options if receivers Steven Fiso and Devon Tauaefa – both of whom will redshirt this season — are activated for this coming Saturday’s game against Wyoming at the Ching Complex.

For now, the Warriors will try to devel0p their four-wide offense and hone a defense that made three fourth-down stops against CSU.

“You’re always working on your game, working on our craft,” Chang said. “It’s really about getting better and better and better as we go along.”

Chang, who was a record-setting UH quarterback in the early 2000s, said he empathizes with his players’ response to a loss.

“They’re hitting life for the first time,” Chang said, “and I think those experiences start to mold them. … Winning and losing is part of it. Winning is hard. You’ve got to do everything right. You go back to the work ethic, and the grind, and you just get better. Through the difficult times, the team gets better. They’re tough lessons, but they’re going to get better from them.”