It was a big win to get Hawaii back on the right track before a bye week, but it came at a hefty cost. The Rainbow Warriors (3-4, 1-3 Mountain West) took care of business in an efficient 37-26 victory
It was a big win to get Hawaii back on the right track before a bye week, but it came at a hefty cost. The Rainbow Warriors (3-4, 1-3 Mountain West) took care of business in an efficient 37-26 victory Saturday at Aloha Stadium against San Jose State. The result was somewhat marred, though, as leading receiver John Ursua was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
Coming into that game averaging just over 130 yards receiving per outing, Ursua had become quarterback Dru Brown’s go-to target. He was averaging 9.2 receptions per game and had scored a touchdown in all five contests.
That’s a ton of production to lose, but Hawaii decided to ride its other work horse all night. Running back Diocemy Saint Juste set a school record with 39 carries for 202 rush yards in the win. His breakout season has now already included three 200-yard games and his usage rate doesn’t appear to be diminishing any time soon, especially with Ursua now sidelined.
If UH is to right the ship and get back in position for bowl eligibility, they’re going to have to adjust the game plan moving forward. Coaches and players like to say that injuries just lead to a “next man up” attitude. That’s true in a sense that you expect the next player on the depth chart to be ready to contribute. But expecting the same production is naive. There’s a reason some players play more frequently than others.
So Saint Juste can probably expect an uptick from the already hefty 24 carries per game he was averaging prior to the San Jose State matchup. Another 39-carry showing seems unlikely, but he will be expected to keep moving the chains consistently.
Junior wide receiver Dylan Collie will likely be seeing a lot more targets and he’ll be needed as more of a safety net for Brown. He has shown flashes of big-play potential, but his value will be more in the intermediate passing game. Ursua broke some big plays with his elusiveness, but he’s been much more of a precise route runner and reliable target that Brown can count on being open. That should be Collie’s role now.
Sometimes losing a playmaker can force others to step up their contributions or improve their focus.
On this week’s Monday Night Football, the Giants played without their three top receivers, their best all-around defensive lineman and their kick returner. They were almost a two-touchdown underdog going into Denver, and rightfully so. But they managed to play efficiently and came away with a pretty dominant win.
Hawaii doesn’t have anything that severe in terms of multiple injuries, but they’re about to take on the best team on their schedule and their game plan will need some tweaking. San Diego State (6-1, 2-1) comes to Aloha Stadium on Oct. 28 and the Aztecs are going to be a sizable favorite. That would have been the case even with Ursua in the lineup.
It will be interesting to see how Hawaii adjusts and how its efficiency is affected. They have a bye week to figure it out, but Ursua is certainly a major piece to be without.
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David Simon can be reached at dsimon@thegardenisland.com.
