UH discusses its special teams problems in the Nevada game (glad it didn't cost UH the game!)

Note: Warrior coaches (including Offensive Coordinator Nick Rolovich in a radio interview) have said that they should have gone for 2 points and that Mack did *not* check the chart that would have told him to go for 2.  This was a big mistake that thankfully did not cost UH the game...the defense bailed out the team, because if UH would have lost by 1 point we never would have heard the end of it!


HSA Note: "Either being lost in emotion or failing to accurately assess the situation led to Hawaii going for a point-after kick instead of a 2-point conversion following a touchdown that gave it a 26-14 lead with 5:27 to play in Saturday's upset of then-No. 19 Nevada. The decision was amplified after the Wolf Pack scored a touchdown to close to 27-21 with 3:06 left and then recovered the onside kick. When a touchdown extends a lead to 12 points late in the game, the usual strategy is to go for two to make it a 14-point cushion."


Not wanting to discuss why they didn't go for 2, Mack said:
"We thought about that and considered that, and we didn't, and won the game. We don't worry about it any more." (HSA)


Asked again about the decision, Mack indicated that they maybe should have:
"You can figure out how the thing comes out. Maybe we should have (gone for 2). Maybe we shouldn't have. But we won the game, so we don't have to worry about it now. We can move on." (HSA)


About how Nevada should have been penalized during their 84-yard kickoff return, Mack said:
"On the kickoff return, they tackled three guys." (HSA)


HSA Note: "In fact, two videos of the play -- one shot from the makai sideline, the other from the end zone -- show that two Warriors were held, opening a gap for Ball. The Warriors protested that the Wolf Pack should have been called for numerous holding penalties during the game. McMackin said he even took the unique step of calling a pregame meeting with officials, showing seven video clips of the Pack's blocking techniques."


Unhappy with the refs, Mack said:
"Some teams seem to get more penalties than other teams. I think it's a tough job being an official. I'm not knocking officials. They were very cordial." (HSA)


Blaming himself for the long kickoff return because he kicked the ball to the middle of the field instead of towards the sideline like he was supposed to, Scott Enos said:
"It was a mistake. it put our defense in a horrible spot." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Chris Tormey, who coordinates UH's special teams, said the Warriors could not call for a fair catch on the play. At first glance, it appeared the kick lofted directly to a Nevada player. In reviewing the video, it was noted the Ricky Drake's kick struck the ground and bounced high in the air. A receiving team is not allowed to fair catch a bouncing kick."


About how it was hard to prepare for the onside kick because Nevada had kickers on each side of the tee, Chris Tormey said:
"They forced you to cover both sides." (HSA)


Praising Nevada's onside kick, Mack said:
"It was the best onside kick I've ever seen." (HSA)


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