:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47329368/usa-today-8842003.0.jpg)
Someone forgot to tell Hawaii they had a football game to play.
Because no one showed up.
THINGS WE LEARNED:
-
At some point blowouts start to no longer be fun. But seeing a true freshman dominate, and shred, the opposing team is
ALWAYS fun. Rypien lit up the Rainbow Warriors for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Standing tall in the pocket and tacking some shots, not only downfield, but from Hawaii. Our expectations from the true freshman really need to be tempered. But the coaches did not help that in allowing him to light up the Hawaii secondary. The man is throwing the ball with confidence and accuracy. His touchdown pass to Sperbeck was a thing of beauty (the catch was even better). Rypien. Dropping dimes. Rypien faking a fumble, and completely selling it, LIKE KELLEN MOORE!! -
Whoever scheduled these away games for Hawaii did the team no favors. Having to travel as far, and as often, as this team does
HAS to wear the athletes down. All the jet lag, time zones, and missed school time has to be a killer. The schedule is catching up with them at this point. Not much to play for, and not much they can do to stop opposing teams. Doubtful Chow has much left in this year. McNichols reaching the century mark (108 yards) in three quarters, two touchdowns, and a 5.4 yard average is a great thing to see. The dude is fast, quick with his cuts, and has great vision. Seeing him stretch a play to the edges makes you wonder if he is going to make it. And he does. He is so fast when he decides to pour it on, and makes the defense look silly.
Sperbeck and Anderson had competing long receptions with 51 and 54 respectively. Shane Williams-Rhodes with four catches and his "best" contribution was a 24 yard rush. He is going to bust one here real soon. Just has to be given the opportunity! Sperbeck has now tied his touchdown total from last year with three. Only more will come going forward. Anderson doing what he does and being a longball option. There were some disappointing drops that could have made Rypien look even better.
Penalties. Eight of them for 80 yards. Not sure if it's because of the blowout and the Broncos got lazy, but Taimatuia with a roughing the passer in the third, and a facemask put the Rainbow Warriors on the Boise State side of the field for the first time in a while for the game. The penalties were not in any "crucial" part of the game, but the bone-headed ones are never what you want to see. Hope to see those cleaned up soon.
Your Turn
What did you see? Want another game before we anoint Rypien the new Kellen Moore? Want more fake fumbled snaps (I do)? Excited by what you see in general? The MWC should be scared. Real scared.