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Hawaii Football: 3 takeaways from the Warriors’ win over Colorado State

By Gavin Jernigan

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 27: Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors players form a hudle during the College Football Sydney Cup match between University of California and University of Hawaii at ANZ Stadium on August 27, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 27: Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors players form a hudle during the College Football Sydney Cup match between University of California and University of Hawaii at ANZ Stadium on August 27, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images) /
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 27: Hawai’i Rainbow Warrior players embrace before the College Football Sydney Cup match between University of California and University of Hawaii at ANZ Stadium on August 27, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 27: Hawai’i Rainbow Warrior players embrace before the College Football Sydney Cup match between University of California and University of Hawaii at ANZ Stadium on August 27, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images) /

2. Doubts on defense

The Hawaii Warriors came out in the first half and looked like a completely new defense from last year.

Prior to Saturday’s game, Colorado State’s quarterback, K.J. Carta-Samuels, who is a graduate transfer from Washington was highly regarded and expected to walk all over the Hawaii defense. However in the first half, the Rainbow Warriors held the Rams to only seven points and forced one interception from Carta-Samuels. Seven points in the first half is the lowest score for the Rams at home since 2015.

This defensive performance in the second half was less impressive. The Warriors gave up a handful of big plays in the air and struggled with tackling. While these plays may have just been due to a lack relaxation with such an initial big lead, we see the youth and lack of leadership in the Hawaii defense.

Though this diminished performance in the second half may be explained by the fact that the Rainbow Warriors were without their defensive captain, Jahlani Tavai. Tavai averaged 10.3 tackles per game last year, which was 10th in the FBS. The announcement came moments before the game that Tavai was not going to play due to a “violation of team rules”.  This suspension likely has something to do with his arrest during the offseason. Tavai was arrested for assault, however no charges were made. Tavai and teammate Kaiwi Chung were defending of a woman who was being abused by another man, against whom the alleged assault was made.

With a good quarterback, and a defense that should be getting its defensive leader back, the Rainbow Warriors will look to put it all together throughout the rest of the season.

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