Hawaii slams door shut on poor year for UNLV

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HONOLULU — UNLV spent Friday morning visiting Pearl Harbor, seeing up close the site of the horror that took place almost exactly 69 years ago.

It was a moving trip, something the players should remember for a lifetime.

But the Rebels would rather forget what happened Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

No. 25 Hawaii, as expected, asserted itself from the beginning, using a dominant passing game to take a 24-point halftime lead en route to a 59-21 victory.

The Rebels’ season mercifully ended, and it was the final game for 19 seniors. UNLV finishes 2-11, its worst record since going 0-11 in 1998.

But it was the Rebels’ first 13-game season since 2000, and this was the fifth time in seven seasons that they totaled two victories, which is why Bobby Hauck was hired from Montana.

The loss to Hawaii (10-3) completed Hauck’s first season at UNLV, and now he gets to work on recruiting to try to move the Rebels in a different direction.

“We’re not very pleased with the win total, certainly,” he said. “But I’m not displeased with where we’re going. I can see signs that we have a chance to some day be a good football team. … We played either two or three BCS teams and five conference champions, and we weren’t ready for that.”

The Warriors did pretty much what they pleased, taking a 31-7 halftime lead. For the game, they outgained the Rebels 606 yards to 295.

Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz operated the run-and-shoot almost flawlessly, completing 29 of 43 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores.

The Warriors never stopped trying to score, with backup quarterback Brent Rausch throwing a 39-yard pass to set up one final score with 1:29 left.

“They didn’t run it up, I guarantee you,” Hauck said. “It’s what they do. They don’t have a lot of run game.”

Kealoha Pilares caught nine passes for 157 yards, and fellow receivers Royce Pollard (seven receptions for 95 yards) and Greg Salas (five for 94) also made it a difficult night for UNLV’s secondary.

Hawaii running back Alex Green rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

Quarterback Omar Clayton, playing his final game for UNLV, was 14 of 25 for 182 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. But one interception in the end zone occurred when wide receiver Marcus Sullivan fell down in front of safety Mana Silva.

It was only the second time Clayton threw three interceptions in one game. The former walk-on finished his career second on the Rebels’ passing chart to Randall Cunningham.

One of UNLV’s few highlights occurred in the first quarter.

After Hawaii went 84 yards on 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead, the Rebels answered quickly. Clayton hit wide receiver Michael Johnson with a sideline pass, and he broke one tackle and juked another defender before dashing down the right side for a 60-yard touchdown.

That tied the game with 5:22 left in the first quarter. One minute and 54 seconds later, the Warriors took the lead for good when Moniz ran in from four yards.

He snuck in from a yard out on the next series for a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter. A field goal and short scoring run gave the Warriors their other points for the rest of the half.

Hawaii scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 45-7 lead.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.