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As Weber State prepares for UC Davis and attempts to wrench itself out of a four-game losing streak to start the season, any positive sign is something to build on.
For example, the Wildcats outscored No. 9 ranked Eastern Washington 23-12 in the second half of its six-point loss. Quarterback Mike Hoke put together his best game, throwing for 249 yards and two scores.
He also had about a half-dozen passes dropped.
"I really liked the way our team responded and came back after halftime on Saturday," WSU coach Jody Sears said. "They came back with a terrific attitude and energy. We can take a lot of positives from Saturday's game, and we need to take those positives and build on them."
WSU (0-4) must first pull itself out its first-half quagmire. With four games in the books, Weber State has yet to score a point in the first quarter and has not reached the end zone with a first-half touchdown.
The Wildcats, who rank last in the Big Sky Conference in first downs, have been outscored 79-6 in the first half this year.
"There are no excuses for us," Sears said. "We need to be more consistent from the start and turn our weaknesses into strengths. We need to tighten things up."
UC Davis (1-3), in its first season in the Big Sky, has lost three straight, including their conference opener, 28-20, at Cal Poly.
Epperson's big foot
With 134 more yards and a 44.7 average Saturday, Weber State junior Tony Epperson continues to lead the nation in punting with 47.7 yards a kick.
In four games, the Park City native has punted 29 times for 1,382 yards and boomed four punts of more than 70 yards, including a 74-yard punt at BYU, which ranks as the seventh-best in school history.