LAS VEGAS — The Hawaii football team will continue to search for gold despite being picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference’s West Division this season.
LAS VEGAS — The Hawaii football team will continue to search for gold despite being picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference’s West Division this season.
“It’s better than what we were projected last year,” said middle linebacker Jahlani Tavai, referring to UH being picked sixth — and last — in the 2016 preseason poll. “But I still don’t want to settle for second place. I don’t think any other team wants to settle for second. I want to prove everyone wrong and go out there and play Hawaii football. Silver medals are for the first loser. I’m going to take that to heart and show what we have every game.”
UH coach Nick Rolovich said San Diego State earned the top spot after winning the West Division and the Mountain West title game last year.
“From second to sixth, that can go any way,” Rolovich said, noting the Warriors lost to UNLV and narrowly beat Fresno State in 2016. Rolovich said Nevada and San Jose State should be improved this year under new coaches.
“There are a lot of tough games,” Rolovich said. “It’s not an easy silver medal.”
Quarterback Dru Brown said he is not concerned about preseason rankings.
“No disrespect to whoever did the rankings, but we don’t take that into a lot of consideration,” Brown said. “It is what it is. We’ll continue to work hard offensively, defensively and on special teams, and take it week by week. We’ll try to be 1-0 after every week.”
But Brown said each of the Mountain West teams has the same goal. “If you don’t want to win the conference and you don’t think you can win the conference, you’re probably not playing the right sport,” Brown said.
Boise State was predicted to place first in the Mountain Division.
Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen and safety Andrew Wingard were picked as the top offensive and defensive players. Kickoff returner Rashaad Penny was selected as the top specialist.
UH left tackle Dejon Allen, free safety Trayvon Henderson and Tavai were named to the all-conference first team.
UH live streaming might be on way
The Mountain West, Spectrum and a Chicago-based digital company are testing a system that might enable mainland fans to access live streaming of Rainbow Warriors football games.
In seasons through 2015, mainland fans had live-streaming access to Oceanic’s UH football telecasts through the Mountain West. (Spectrum purchased Oceanic and assumed the cable company’s television rights to UH sports.) But live streaming was discontinued last year after a growing number of people in Hawaii apparently were able to circumvent geo-blocking and access pay-per-view telecasts.
MWC deputy commissioner Bret Gilliland said engineers have “worked diligently” to “figure out a way we can make this work for everyone.” He said a new geo-blocking system is “in the testing phase.” He said an app-based approach is being developed.
Gilliland said techs are working “feverishly” to develop a system in time for the start of the 2017 season.
UH must make request regarding travel subsidy
If UH seeks a reduction in the travel-subsidy fees it pays to visiting Mountain West football teams, it needs to submit a formal request.
MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said UH athletic director David Matlin has “nibbled around the edges a little bit” over concerns of the UH paying between $150,000 and $175,000 to assist each MW team traveling to Hawaii for games.
Thompson said this is an issue for the 12 football-playing members, and “any change would have to come from some type of recommendation from Hawaii. They have to say ‘How about this?, Does this make more sense?’ or ‘Can we try that?’ or something along those lines.”
Thompson said Matlin has talked about what he feels would be a more equitable arrangement.