08-31-2026, 05:57 AM
6. How can you not be upbeat coming out of a game when the most important player you've wondered about all offseason plays great? It's not beating Ohio State or Alabama but Warren beat his 2024 bests in yards and yards per attempt and fell a hair shy of his passer rating against Alabama. It was an extremely clean sheet. 300+ yards with no turnovers and no sacks hasn't happened for us since Costello against Arizona in 2019. Total QBR, powered by the clean sheet, the two long connections to put us in the red zone, and the comeback drive, judged it a 78.9 (reminder that Total QBR updates all season as the algorithm learns more about the teams). PFF's provisional take is that it was the third best game of Warren's career. A fair case can be made this was our best QB performance since Tanner McKee, perhaps as far back as the UCLA and USC games in 2021. We need more data points to know what we have in Warren; this could be the high point. Still, this bodes well for the hope that Warren will drive the team's improvement.
7. The actual team game ball for the offense went to Ford. It's hard to argue. His line's blocking was not good yet he took the yoke as the workhorse, plowing in for three touchdowns and keeping the chains moving all game. He continues to be a marvel at turning one yard into four. That is going to be so valuable for us this year, as long as he stays healthy. Equally encouraging, during the drive Ford got a breather somebody who can't read jersey numbers would have been forgiven for thinking Irvin was the same guy. Both RB1 and RB2 made the run game considerably more effective than the blocking alone warranted. The one thing I will credit the OL for is helping push piles/fight for those marginal yards. Anderson in particular had a spirited game and it was very fun to hear the stadium announcer shout him out on a long run for blocking downfield. He was the bright spot on a patchwork line (especially since he had to play two positions on it due to Kilstrom's injury). PFF did not like the rest of the line's performance. Pritchard talking up the line's blocking in the post-game press conference was for me a tell that his expectations for them are in the gutter. If Ford running well behind his pads on 25 carries against a Group of Six defense to rack up not quite a hundred yards is good play up front, there is not much hope for us against power fronts. The big story among the pass catchers was how Warren spread the ball around, shades of Gulbranson versus San Jose State with five 40+ yard receivers. Most amazing was true freshman Atticus Joseph in his first career game getting in the end zone and moving the chains more than any other receiver. Always delighted when somebody proves (my) expectations wrong. What a big debut, and it seemed on a few route types. Blackburn was quiet until he wasn't, pivotal in the comeback drive. SportsCenter top 10 play for Liam Thorpe! And that's three pass catchers before getting to our biggest chunk yard weapon of the day in Hall and the guy who with better Warren execution probably should have been in Robinson. For the receivers to deliver like this without High and Brown is encouraging. Onovughe was WR1 in snaps and I continue to not get it at all. We have talked all offseason about the run identity, but our team's relative strengths and weaknesses may necessitate letting Warren cook more than many of us expected. Or maybe with Prongos and/or Pale returning it becomes halfway respectable as an offense. [Moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (7), Joseph (4), Irvin (4), Blackburn (2, plus drew a pass interference), Hall (2), Thorpe (2), Robinson, Warren]
8. The defense made a credible statement in their quest to be viewed as ruthless and relentless. The aforementioned breakdowns that led to the lead being trimmed made it a mixed scorecard for them, but they did generally stifle Hawaii and there were 8-10 players with multiple positive box score plays: Kaminski, Tafiti, Bryant, Rowell, McAllister, Rose, Mattingly, Bachhuber, Davis (second was uncredited but stopping a two point conversion seems important to me!), Staples (second was garbage time). So sweet to be validated so quickly on Kaminski's studliness. A pass breakup, involvement in two sacks, a third down tackle to force a punt, and a run stop. As big a part of this as anybody. Wonderful to see Tafiti show out on the day his heritage is honored against his hometown school/many high school mates. I also like that it was a mix of plays - hands up in passing lanes, pass rush, run defense, opportunism on a loose ball - as we are going to need him as a bit of a utility guy. Rowell forced fumble obviously enormous, and not his only play. You can't watch a Stanford game without Rose being front and center but to be honest this one was disappointing, breakdowns on angles on one brobdingnagian play and coverage on another one or two. Nonetheless, that speaks to a high standard - very few players I don't gladly take a hurry to force a punt and a tackle for loss. Bryant showed very useful facility in making tackles before the sticks, plus broke up a pass. McAllister similarly was patrolling before the sticks much better than I anticipated. Never anticipated in a million years Bachhuber getting a crunch time tackle for loss, exciting to learn out of nowhere that he's on schedule. My guys Galvan and Johnson disappointed me in this one, Mattingly looked better at least this week. And then there were two guys who had quiet weeks but PFF judged as doing exactly what they need to do, Marceau-Olayinka enabling the above and Nicholson being too good to target and breaking up a pass when he got the chance.
9. There is a very low bar to clear for special teams and this may have been the right direction....if we're grading on a curve. Most exciting was a punt block for safety by Eckhardt. Most aggravating was a bad operation leading to a blocked field goal and no points on a red zone trip. Flintoft had net punts of 42 to the 30 (solid), 35 to the 19 (mediocre), 40 to the 45 (mediocre), 21 to the 20 (bad, albeit a super close call from being a perfect downing; box score messed this up but I'm going with what I think is accurate), 40 to the 37 (solid), 47 to the 10 (very good). Davis' returns were a slog until the crucial one that wasn't. Punt returns were modest, Neely had a holding penalty, and Jackson's fielding a bouncing ball was scary, though the screwball punting by Hawaii gives our unit an excuse. Williams and Neely had coverage tackles. Maybe this is improved special teams? Maybe? Pretty scary Pritchard took the ball off Kenney's foot in the second half.
10. Game balls: Davis Warren, Gabe Kaminski, Charlie Eckhardt, Tavita Pritchard
11. We have the opener in the books as a win for Pritchard. Now we have the game nobody expects us to be competitive. I am as interested in injury tea leaves and getting ready for the crucial post-bye stretch as I am about Friday. Hopefully there will be signs that we can build on and we don't get beat up too much. I don't see Miami as a real chance, but as Tavita Pritchard knows better than anyone it's those games that can be most magical. I'm just glad we can talk about football again. Hopefully several more wins we can talk about as the season unfolds.
7. The actual team game ball for the offense went to Ford. It's hard to argue. His line's blocking was not good yet he took the yoke as the workhorse, plowing in for three touchdowns and keeping the chains moving all game. He continues to be a marvel at turning one yard into four. That is going to be so valuable for us this year, as long as he stays healthy. Equally encouraging, during the drive Ford got a breather somebody who can't read jersey numbers would have been forgiven for thinking Irvin was the same guy. Both RB1 and RB2 made the run game considerably more effective than the blocking alone warranted. The one thing I will credit the OL for is helping push piles/fight for those marginal yards. Anderson in particular had a spirited game and it was very fun to hear the stadium announcer shout him out on a long run for blocking downfield. He was the bright spot on a patchwork line (especially since he had to play two positions on it due to Kilstrom's injury). PFF did not like the rest of the line's performance. Pritchard talking up the line's blocking in the post-game press conference was for me a tell that his expectations for them are in the gutter. If Ford running well behind his pads on 25 carries against a Group of Six defense to rack up not quite a hundred yards is good play up front, there is not much hope for us against power fronts. The big story among the pass catchers was how Warren spread the ball around, shades of Gulbranson versus San Jose State with five 40+ yard receivers. Most amazing was true freshman Atticus Joseph in his first career game getting in the end zone and moving the chains more than any other receiver. Always delighted when somebody proves (my) expectations wrong. What a big debut, and it seemed on a few route types. Blackburn was quiet until he wasn't, pivotal in the comeback drive. SportsCenter top 10 play for Liam Thorpe! And that's three pass catchers before getting to our biggest chunk yard weapon of the day in Hall and the guy who with better Warren execution probably should have been in Robinson. For the receivers to deliver like this without High and Brown is encouraging. Onovughe was WR1 in snaps and I continue to not get it at all. We have talked all offseason about the run identity, but our team's relative strengths and weaknesses may necessitate letting Warren cook more than many of us expected. Or maybe with Prongos and/or Pale returning it becomes halfway respectable as an offense. [Moving the chains (first down) leaderboard: Ford (7), Joseph (4), Irvin (4), Blackburn (2, plus drew a pass interference), Hall (2), Thorpe (2), Robinson, Warren]
8. The defense made a credible statement in their quest to be viewed as ruthless and relentless. The aforementioned breakdowns that led to the lead being trimmed made it a mixed scorecard for them, but they did generally stifle Hawaii and there were 8-10 players with multiple positive box score plays: Kaminski, Tafiti, Bryant, Rowell, McAllister, Rose, Mattingly, Bachhuber, Davis (second was uncredited but stopping a two point conversion seems important to me!), Staples (second was garbage time). So sweet to be validated so quickly on Kaminski's studliness. A pass breakup, involvement in two sacks, a third down tackle to force a punt, and a run stop. As big a part of this as anybody. Wonderful to see Tafiti show out on the day his heritage is honored against his hometown school/many high school mates. I also like that it was a mix of plays - hands up in passing lanes, pass rush, run defense, opportunism on a loose ball - as we are going to need him as a bit of a utility guy. Rowell forced fumble obviously enormous, and not his only play. You can't watch a Stanford game without Rose being front and center but to be honest this one was disappointing, breakdowns on angles on one brobdingnagian play and coverage on another one or two. Nonetheless, that speaks to a high standard - very few players I don't gladly take a hurry to force a punt and a tackle for loss. Bryant showed very useful facility in making tackles before the sticks, plus broke up a pass. McAllister similarly was patrolling before the sticks much better than I anticipated. Never anticipated in a million years Bachhuber getting a crunch time tackle for loss, exciting to learn out of nowhere that he's on schedule. My guys Galvan and Johnson disappointed me in this one, Mattingly looked better at least this week. And then there were two guys who had quiet weeks but PFF judged as doing exactly what they need to do, Marceau-Olayinka enabling the above and Nicholson being too good to target and breaking up a pass when he got the chance.
9. There is a very low bar to clear for special teams and this may have been the right direction....if we're grading on a curve. Most exciting was a punt block for safety by Eckhardt. Most aggravating was a bad operation leading to a blocked field goal and no points on a red zone trip. Flintoft had net punts of 42 to the 30 (solid), 35 to the 19 (mediocre), 40 to the 45 (mediocre), 21 to the 20 (bad, albeit a super close call from being a perfect downing; box score messed this up but I'm going with what I think is accurate), 40 to the 37 (solid), 47 to the 10 (very good). Davis' returns were a slog until the crucial one that wasn't. Punt returns were modest, Neely had a holding penalty, and Jackson's fielding a bouncing ball was scary, though the screwball punting by Hawaii gives our unit an excuse. Williams and Neely had coverage tackles. Maybe this is improved special teams? Maybe? Pretty scary Pritchard took the ball off Kenney's foot in the second half.
10. Game balls: Davis Warren, Gabe Kaminski, Charlie Eckhardt, Tavita Pritchard
11. We have the opener in the books as a win for Pritchard. Now we have the game nobody expects us to be competitive. I am as interested in injury tea leaves and getting ready for the crucial post-bye stretch as I am about Friday. Hopefully there will be signs that we can build on and we don't get beat up too much. I don't see Miami as a real chance, but as Tavita Pritchard knows better than anyone it's those games that can be most magical. I'm just glad we can talk about football again. Hopefully several more wins we can talk about as the season unfolds.