2008 Hawaii Warriors football team

2008 Hawaii Warriors football
Hawai'i Bowl vs Notre Dame, L 21–49
Conference Western Athletic Conference
2008 record 7–7 (5–3 WAC)
Head coach Greg McMackin
Offensive coordinator Ron Lee
Offensive scheme Run and Shoot
Defensive coordinator Cal Lee
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Aloha Stadium
(Capacity: 50,000)
2008 WAC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
#11 Boise State †   8 – 0         12 – 1  
Louisiana Tech   5 – 3         8 – 5  
Nevada   5 – 3         7 – 6  
Hawaii   5 – 3         7 – 7  
Fresno State   4 – 4         7 – 6  
San Jose State   4 – 4         6 – 6  
Utah State   3 – 5         3 – 9  
New Mexico State   1 – 7         3 – 9  
Idaho   1 – 7         2 – 10  
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Hawaiʻi Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Warriors started the 2008 season with a new coaching staff headed by Greg McMackin, who had previously been the team's defensive coordinator.

2007 Season Recap

2007 WAC Game, Boise State @ Hawaii (HAWAII 39–27).

New Era, New Uniform

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Athletics Department unveiled the designs for its new home and away uniforms for the 2008 football season. Head Coach Greg McMackin presented the uniforms at a press conference, Wednesday, March 5, 2008. This was the first public viewing of the uniforms, which were designed by Under Armour, "Outfitter of UH Football."

UH and Under Armour signed an eight-year apparel, footwear, and marketing partnership that will provide UH with more than $4.1 million in cash and trade. Under Armour will supply the team with $2,424,000 in product for the student-athletes, coaches, and staff during the term of the agreement. Under Armour will also pay UH $1,680,000 in cash, including $1,140,000 in rights fees and a minimum of $540,000 in marketing support as a member of the UH Corporate Partner Program.

"Under Armour did a great job with the design of the new uniforms," head coach Greg McMackin said. "We wanted to add more green in the uniform and that went well with people around the community. So we'll have green sleeves for our home jerseys and green pants for our away ones. We'll also stick with the green helmets for both home and away games."

Some of the highlights of the 2008 uniform designs include:

  • Use of the UH green (PMS 3435) in both the home and away uniforms was a priority
  • The fabric on the jersey shoulders and sleeves has a tapa design.
  • Instead of "Warriors" above the numbers, the "Hawaiʻi" brand is being used in order to provide greater university recognition. Also, the "Hawaiʻi" text size is larger for great visibility.
  • The "H" brand is featured on the pants and above the player's name on the back of the jersey.
  • The distinctive UH tapa numbers are used on both uniforms.
  • UH's green helmet will be worn for both home and away games.
  • The silver road uniform, including the jerseys, pants, and helmet, will not be continued.



2008 season schedule

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
08/30/2008 7:30 am at #5 Florida* Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL Raycom Sports, Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) L 10–56   90,575
09/06/2008 6:05 pm Weber State* Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI KJZZ, Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 36–17   39,446
09/13/2008 1:00 pm at Oregon State* Reser Stadium • Corvallis, OR FSN NW, Oceanic PPV L 7–45   45,059
09/27/2008 6:05 pm San José State Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) L 17–20   40,571
10/04/2008 4:00 pm at #22 Fresno State Bulldog Stadium • Fresno, CA (Battle of the Screwdriver) ESPN Gameplan, BSN, Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 32–29 OT  40,572
10/11/2008 6:05 pm Louisiana Techdagger Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 24–14   40,246
10/18/2008 2:00 pm at #16 Boise State Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID ESPN L 7–27   32,342
10/25/2008 6:05 pm Nevada Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 38–31   40,225
11/01/2008 9:00 am at Utah State Romney Stadium • Logan, UT ESPN Gameplan, Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) L 14–30   12,112
11/08/2008 2:00 pm at New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM ESPN Gameplan, AggieVision, Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 42–30   10,861
11/22/2008 5:05 pm Idaho Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 49–17   39,014
12/01/2007 6:05pm Washington State* Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI Oceanic PPV, KFVE (delayed) W 24–10   42,312
12/06/2008 6:30pm #13 Cincinnati* Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI ESPN2 L 24–29   40,549
12/24/2008 3:00pm Notre Dame* Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI (Hawaii Bowl) ESPN L 21–49   45,718
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Hawaiian Time.

Game Results

Florida

1 2 3 4 Total
Warriors 0 0 0 10 10
#5 Gators 0 28 28 0 56


Weber State

1 2 3 4 Total
Wildcats 3 14 0 0 17
Warriors 7 0 22 7 36


Oregon State

1 2 3 4 Total
Warriors 7 0 0 0 7
Beavers 7 14 17 7 45


San José State

see also 2008 San Jose State Spartans football team

1 2 3 4 Total
Spartans 7 0 7 6 20
Warriors 7 10 0 0 17


Fresno State game

1 2 3 4OT Total
Warriors 9 10 10 03 32
#22 Bulldogs 3 6 13 70 29

FRESNO, Calif. — It's become an annual trend for this big-dreaming Fresno State program to suffer another inexplicable loss. And this time, a struggling Hawai'i program gladly provided the shocker. Six turnovers and two missed field goals by the Bulldogs allowed Hawai'i to upset No. 22 Fresno State with a 32–29 victory in overtime last night at Bulldog Stadium. With the loss, Fresno State (3–2) is assured to drop out of the national rankings and any remaining Bowl Championship Series aspirations are now completely gone. "That was as tough a loss since I've been here," said Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who is in his 12th season. Fresno State plowed over Hawai'i's defense all night to a tune of 318 rushing yards — even without star running back Ryan Mathews, who missed last night's game because of a knee injury. But the Bulldogs only flourished when they had the ball. They spent much of the game giving it away to Hawai'i before an announced crowd of 40,572. The Bulldogs committed four turnovers by halftime and trailed by as many as 17 points. Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater threw three interceptions and fumbled a snap. Kick returner A.J. Jefferson fumbled a return. Running back Lonyae Miller also coughed up the ball. Still, the Bulldogs had a chance to win it. With 51 seconds left in regulation and a chance to potentially win the game — and give Fresno State its first lead — Kevin Goessling attempted a 36-yard field goal. But Hawai'i's Antwan Mahaley blocked it. "It felt like a good hit, but the ball was probably a little low," Goessling said. "Credit Hawai'i. They got a jumper up there." Still, Goessling and Fresno State had their chance to keep its national ranking intact. But a ground game that worked so well for Fresno State in regulation was abandoned in overtime with the Bulldogs going with three straight pass plays without a run. That left Fresno State in a fourth-and-7 situation from the Hawai'i 23 and forced the Bulldogs to trot out Goessling again. On a 40-yard field-goal attempt, Goessling kicked the ball just wide left. But he was bailed out after Hawai'i was penalized for running into the kicker. However, replays showed that Goessling was faking Video on YouTube. On fourth-and-2 from the Hawai'i 18, Goessling got another attempt, this time from 35 yards. "I've got great faith in our field goal kicker," Hill said. "That's the way it goes sometimes." Goessling's final kick sailed just to the right — and Hawai'i followed on its possession with Dan Kelly's 33-yard field goal for the victory. Hawai'i players rushed the middle of the field to stomp on the Bulldogs logo and dance. Several Fresno State players again walked off the field with their heads down and others just stared as the Warriors celebrated. "It was a real sloppy night for us," said Miller, who had 161 rushing yards and two touchdowns. "We were playing from behind the whole game. "It wears on the offense. We had turnovers and penalties that make it that much tougher. "When we get a chance to take the lead you have to take advantage of every opportunity."

The Warriors tied their series against the Bulldogs, 20–20–1.
The game was also the Warriors first win over national ranked team on the road.

Louisiana Tech

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs 0 7 0 7 14
Warriors 7 14 3 0 24


Boise State (Rivalry)

1 2 3 4 Total
Warriors 0 7 0 0 7
#16 Broncos 3 7 14 3 27


Nevada

1 2 3 4 Total
Wolf Pack 7 3 7 14 31
Warriors 7 7 10 14 38


Utah State

1 2 3 4 Total
Warriors 0 7 0 7 14
Aggies 3 10 7 10 30


New Mexico State

1 2 3 4 Total
Warriors 14 21 7 0 42
Aggies 14 3 7 6 30


Idaho

1 2 3 4 Total
Vandals 7 3 0 7 17
Warriors 14 14 14 7 49


Washington State

1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 0 3 7 0 10
Warriors 14 3 7 0 24


Warriors clinch bowl eligibility with seventh win of the season. Will finish no worse than one game above .500

Cincinnati

1 2 3 4 Total
#13 Bearcats 3 7 0 19 29
Warriors 0 3 14 7 24