ANALYSIS
Expect Warriors, Aztecs to attack through the air

Hawai'i coach June Jones adopted his run-and-shoot offense from others, as did San Diego State coach Tom Craft, whose offense uses the "Air Craft" attack. The teams will air it out tonight.

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The opposing head coaches for tonight's football game between San Diego State and host Hawai'i admit they came up with their ideas the old-fashioned way.

They stole them.

UH coach June Jones has said his run-and-shoot passing offense was constructed with parts stolen from several mentors, including Mouse Davis, who popularized the scheme three decades ago.

SDSU's first-year coach, Tom Craft, said his "Air Craft" attack was influenced by offensive gurus Claude Gilbert, Ernie Zampese and Don Coryell.

Both head coaches call the offensive plays.

The Warriors lead the nation in passing, averaging 383.8 yards per game. Aztec receivers J.R. Tolver and Kassim Osgood set the NCAA Division I record for most catches (213) by teammates in a single season.

Here's a closer look:

SDSU Offense

• WR—1 Kassim Osgood, 6-5, 210, Sr.
• SB—2 Ronnie Davenport, 6-1,195, Sr.
• LT—79 Brendan Darby, 6-7. 300, Jr.
• LG—72 Jasper Harvey, 6-3, 285, Fr.
• C—60 Jonathan Ingram, 6-2, 300, Sr.
• RG—78 Gerald Sykes, 6-3, 310, Jr.
• RT—68 Raul Gomez, 6-3, 305, Sr.
• TE—81 Raleigh Fletcher, 6-4, 280, Jr.
• WR—16 J.R. Tolver, 6-2, 205, Sr.
• QB—13 Lon Sheriff, 6-5, 210, Sr.
• RB—4 Fred Collins, 5-11, 190, Fr.

Outlook: Craft said it took some time for a team, with a strong rushing tradition, to adapt to the no-huddle passing offense. The top quarterback candidates, Sheriff and Adam Hall, threw five touchdowns and 15 interceptions last year. But Craft said he was committed to "bringing in the element of the pass."

Hall, who suffered a concussion two weeks ago, will not play. He had started every game until that injury. Sheriff has been intercepted once in 80 passes this season.

Osgood and Tolver are tall, strong and talented. They also are helped by the offense's multiple schemes.

The Aztecs rely on two types of screen passes — the funnel, in which the receiver breaks toward the formation, and the bubble, in which he moves away from the mass. But the Aztecs also will run fakes, for instance, in which they will appear to run a bubble screen — drawing the defenders inside — but then go outside.

Another favorite is the overload, in which three receivers are aligned to one side and the tight end to the other.

SDSU Defense

• DE—50 Amon Arnold, 6-4, 265, Sr.
• DT—96 Jared Ritter, 6-3, 260, Sr.
• DT—99 Brook Miller, 6-4, 280, Jr.
• DE—94 Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, 6-5, 250, Sr.
• SLB—45 Stephen Larsen, 6-1, 230, So.
• MLB—34 Kirk Morrison, 6-2, 235, So.
• WLB—48 Matt McCoy, 6-0, 215, Fr.
• CB—26 Jeff Shoate, 5-10, 180, Jr.
• SS—42 Josh Dean, 6-0, 210, So.
• FS—5 Marviel Underwood, 5-10, 190, So.
• CB—3 Ricky Sharpe, 6-1, 190, Sr.

Outlook: The Aztecs have limited opponents to 21 points or fewer five times this season, and the effort against UCLA was skewed when the Bruins scored 23 points on 58 yards.

Aligned in a 4-1 or 4-2 front, the down linemen try to hit the gaps quickly, as opposed to other teams that sometimes run delayed stunts or blitzes.

SDSU Specialists

• PK—17 Tommy Kirovski, 5-11, 195, Sr.
• P—27 Brian Simnjanovski, 6-3, 220, Sr.
• KR/PR—20 Michael Franklin, 5-7, 170, Fr.

Outlook: The Aztecs are working to improve their return game. This year, their average starting point for a drive was the 28-yard line; opposing teams started drives at the 32.

The Aztecs have missed 10 field-goal attempts this season, including four on red-zone drives.

UH Offense

• LWR—18 Justin Colbert, 5-8, 170, Sr.
• LSB—2 Chad Owens, 5-9, 177, So.
• LT—70 Wayne Hunter, 6-6, 299, Jr.
• LG—77 Shayne Kajioka, 6-3, 308, Jr.
• C—59 Derek Faavi, 6-0, 266, Fr.
• RG—65 Vince Manuwai, 6-2, 309, Sr.
• RT—69 Uriah Moenoa, 6-3, 327, So.
• RSB—4 Nate Ilaoa, 5-9, 204, Fr.
• RWR—19 Jeremiah Cockheran, 6-0, 193, Jr.
• QB—14 Tim Chang, 6-2, 191, So.
• RB—24 Thero Mitchell, 5-10, 210, Sr.
• RB—1 Mike Bass, 5-6, 158, So.

Outlook: The quarterbacks often look forward to garbage time, a drill in which they try to throw footballs into a trash bin from up to 40 yards away. The drill is designed to hone long-range accuracy — a skill that is more difficult than it appears.

Deep passes are a key feature in the run-and-shoot offense, and even if they fall incomplete, they at least serve the purpose of stretching defenses. Chang said he usually has about a second to spot a receiver and launch a long pass.

"Not much more than that," Chang said. "You don't want to lock your eyes on a receiver from the start, because that's when free safeties start to roll over. You get a little pre-snap read of (the receiver), see where the corner is and then fire it up top."

Although there are deep routes for slotbacks on streaks and wideouts on slants, the best way to stretch a defense is to send a wideout sprinting downfield, between the hash mark and sideline. Chang said he wants to place a pass just in front of the receiver, making it difficult for the safety or cornerback to make a play for it.

Colbert said the deep passes are effective in the second half, not because the receivers are running better patterns but because they're in good condition. During the summer, UH receivers run 220-yard sprints.

"It's great conditioning," Colbert said. "It gets you ready to play."

UH Defense

• LE—58 La'anui Correa, 6-5, 264, Sr.
• LT—97 Isaac Sopoaga, 6-3, 315, Jr.
• RT—92 Lance Samuseva, 5-11, 290, Jr.
• RE—93 Houston Ala, 6-1, 250, Jr.
• SLB—46 Keani Alapa, 6-0, 221, Jr.
• MLB—54 Chris Brown, 6-1, 255, Sr.
• WLB—10 Pisa Tinoisamoa, 6-0, 212, Sr.
• RCB—37 Abraham Elimimian, 5-10, 173, So.
• SS—17 David Gillmore, 6-0, 197, Jr.
• FS—42 Leonard Peters, 6-1, 174, Jr.
• LCB—3 Kelvin Millhouse, 6-1, 205, Jr.
• NB—13 Keith Bhonapha, 5-9, 197, Sr.

Outlook: The Warriors will be without injured strong safety Hyrum Peters, the emotional leader of the defense. Peters, who is tied for the team lead with four interceptions and is second with 77 tackles, often was used as a fourth linebacker — a job that will go to Bhonapha, the nickleback.

Leonard Peters moves into the starting lineup, but not at strong safety, where he has played most of the season. The coaches believe his range is suitable for free safety.

If Matt Wright can't play because of torn knee cartilage, then Alapa opens at strong-side linebacker. Alapa's role has expanded in recent weeks because of his strong play in passing situations.

UH Specialists

• PK—47 Justin Ayat, 5-11, 205, So.
• P—49 Mat McBriar, 6-0, 221, Sr.
• KR/PR—2 Chad Owens, 5-9, 177, So.

Outlook: A fallout from Lui Fuata's knee injury is the Warriors now must find a snapper for place-kicks. Manuwai stepped in for the final three quarters of last week's game against Alabama. Tanuvasa Moe, the deep snapper on punts, is another possibility.

Owens' mobility is restricted by the brace on his right knee, but the coaches love the energy he brings on each return.