Lakalaka carries the load again

BOULDER, Colo. » Sore right shoulder and all, running back Steven Lakalaka wasn’t about to take it easy Saturday.

"As long as the coaches were gonna let me play, I was gonna go hard," Lakalaka said after a 123-yard performance on 19 carries. It was his second consecutive 100-yard-plus game and third overall.

"I told myself to, ‘Fight up and man up,’" said Lakalaka, who had the longest run of his UH career, a 30-yarder in the first quarter.

"In the beginning of the week it looked like I was going to be questionable (after suffering a shoulder sprain against Northern Iowa last week)," Lakalaka said. "But, as I got more treatment and ice, it got a lot better. My adrenaline kicked in and, after that, I felt no pain until after the game."

There would be, however, the frustration of not being able to take UH to the end zone. "It was very frustrating. When we get into the red zone we’ve got to score."

Daniel Lewis made his running back debut with one carry for 3 yards and Diocemy Saint Juste got 2 yards on three carries as UH played its second game without Joey Iosefa, who is out with an ankle injury.

Harding shakes off ‘tweaking’ ankle

It appeared Scott Harding suffered a serious ankle injury when he hobbled off the field in the second quarter.

"I’m never dead," said Harding, who came back to punt at the end of the Rainbow Warriors’ ensuing possession.

"I get hurt," Harding added, "but hurt is different from being injured. I’ll be all right."

Harding, who can punt with either foot on rollouts, had been bothered by soreness in his left ankle and was hit on his left side after launching a left-footed punt.

"My ankle has been tweaking a little bit," Harding said. "He happened to hit me on the left side. It hurt for a little bit."

But Harding, who also serves as the punt returner and slotback, said leaving the game was not an option.

"I don’t really have a choice," he said, smiling. "I have to be out there for punt return or punt."

Defense left short because of injuries

The Warriors were again short-handed on defense. Safety Trayvon Henderson made the trip, but did not play because of a leg ailment.

Linebacker Tevita Lataimua was left off the travel roster because of an injury. Jerrol Garcia-Williams, a linebacker, will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL.

Also, Nick Nelson, who serves as the nickel corner, is recovering from an injury and remained in Honolulu.

Two first-year Warriors — Jalen Rogers and Jamal Mayo — were part of the cornerback rotation on Saturday.

Afusia back in action

» Senior Kody Afusia played for the first time since suffering a fractured right hand in the season opener. He started at left guard.

» UH had a two penalties for 15 yards, its lowest number of penalties since 2011.