UNLV players still seething over 2014 loss to Hawaii
The anger at the time was palpable, but such feelings usually ease as the months click by.
This is the week, though, the memories come flooding back for UNLV’s football players, who believed they had a victory taken away last season at Hawaii.
And now they get another shot at the Rainbow Warriors at 3 p.m. Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.
“For most of the guys who are returning, it definitely leaves a chip on the shoulder,” said UNLV linebacker Tau Lotulelei, who is from Maui. “We’ll try to get them back.”
To recap what took place last season in Honolulu, Hawaii led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter when UNLV quarterback Blake Decker entered the game. He didn’t play the first three quarters because of a variety of injuries, but was called in to replace Jared Lebowitz and get the offense going.
Decker did just that, completing 10 of 13 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns.
“At this level, I think that was the one game where in the fourth quarter I was just on and everything was clicking for us,” Decker said. “I think Devante Davis went up and had two huge catches for like 50 yards apiece. That was more him than it was me, honestly. To have a game like that, a fourth-quarter experience where you have that flash of fire, it’s fun.
“If you can have a game like that for all four quarters, that’s a dream come true, so we’re hoping that’s what happens (Saturday).”
Decker’s last touchdown pass, a 7-yarder to tight end Taylor Barnhill, put the Rebels ahead 35-31 with 15 seconds left.
Game over, right? Not quite.
That’s when the madness began.
Wide receiver Marcus Sullivan and running back George Naufahu ran down the sideline with their helmets off to celebrate with their ecstatic teammates. Officials docked the Rebels a double penalty for excessive celebration rather than just one 15-yarder. A double penalty is allowed but is rarely called.
The officials’ decision helped Hawaii get great field position, and the Warriors reached UNLV’s 20-yard line with 5 seconds left. Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey then threw an incomplete pass that took 4.355 seconds, according to video available online, leaving one tick on the clock. His next pass was complete for a touchdown and 37-35 Hawaii victory.
The Warriors poured onto the field even though no conversion had been taken, and many players had their helmets off. No excessive celebration call was made. Hawaii downed the ball on the conversion so a mishap wouldn’t result in a runback for UNLV.
It left a bitter memory for the Rebels, but Decker downplayed the emotions that remain. At least somewhat.
“For the guys that were there last year in Hawaii, they remember the end, how it all played out, how we feel we got snubbed toward the end of the game,” Decker said. “We’re motivated enough without that to be able to go out and be excited for the game.”
UNLV QB TALK — Jack Smith, the quarterback at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, decommitted to the Rebels, but UNLV was looking elsewhere anyway.
Armani Rogers (6 feet 5 inches, 200 pounds) will take an unofficial visit to UNLV this weekend. Rogers, who attends Hamilton High in Los Angeles, recently decommitted to California, and is listed by Rivals.com as the nation’s No. 21 quarterback. Rogers reportedly has several Pac-12 Conference scholarship offers.
HAWAII QB TALK — The Warriors replaced Max Wittek at quarterback with Woolsey, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Much was expected of Wittek, a Southern California transfer, but he completed 47.9 percent of his passes and threw 13 interceptions.
Woolsey was the starter last season, completing 50.5 percent of his passes for 2,538 yards and 13 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions. He has appeared in nine games this season and started one, having thrown for 311 yards and a touchdown, with three interceptions.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65
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