Warriors, Green Wave share more than colors
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i has been designated as the visiting team for today's ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl, and Tulane, visiting from New Orleans, will wear green jerseys similar to the ones UH uses for home games.
That led Tulane coach Chris Scelfo to suggest to UH fans: "If you get a chance, please drink a lot of mai tais before you come so you can't tell who's wearing green and you're cheering for us."
Even on clear days, it is apparent both teams share similar traits. Each has a wide-open offense, aggressive defense and crafty coaching.
Here's a closer look:
Advertiser library photo
HAWAI'I
Hawai'i coach June Jones has his team pointed toward a school record-tying 11th victory.
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.
LT 66 Brandon Eaton 6-3 301 Fr.
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/LT/C 69 Uriah Moenoa 6-3 327 So.
RT 71 Ryan Santos 6-5 320 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.
Outlook: Hunter has complained of a sore back this week, and it is not certain how much he will be able to play today. If Hunter is unavailable, Moenoa or Eaton will play at left tackle. If Moenoa switches sides, then Santos opens at right tackle. Eaton and Santos have never started a college game. There also is the possibility that Moenoa might play center, although the coaches appeared set on Faavi starting his third consecutive game.
Early in the season, it appeared Chang always looked to Owens first. But in the last nine games, Colbert has emerged as Chang's favorite target. In the first four games, Colbert averaged three catches and 52.5 receiving yards; in the last nine, his averages are 8.8 catches and 113.6 yards.
Chang said he never meant to slight Colbert early in the season, and that "getting the ball to him has always been a key and goal, in my view, because he runs so well after the catch. Anytime I can throw a 5-yard pass to him, and he goes for 60, it always helps."
Colbert often runs screens and hitches to get open sooner. Chang said he tries to aim his passes "right at (Colbert's) head. If you put it toward his head, there are no excuses. Either he catches it or he gets hit on the head. You don't want to get hit on the head."
Colbert, who was an option quarterback in high school, said: "I try to make at least one guy miss me after I catch the ball. If you can make one guy miss, you have a chance to take it all the way."
HAWAI'I 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.
RE 1 Travis Laboy 6-4 249 Jr.
SLB 44 Matt Wright 6-1 225 Sr.
MLB 54 Chris Brown 6-1 255 Sr.
WLB 10 Pisa Tinoisamoa 6-0 212 Sr.
NLB 46 Keani Alapa 6-0 221 Jr.
LCB 3 Kelvin Millhouse 6-1 205 Jr.
SS 17 David Gilmore 6-0 197 Jr.
FS 42 Leonard Peters 6-1 174 Fr.
RCB Abraham Elimimian 5-10 173 So.
NB 13 Keith Bhonapha 5-9 197 Sr.
DB 27 Gary Wright 5-10 201 Jr.
Outlook: The Warriors have been successful with a 5-2 alignment, in which Wright plays on the line, across from the tight end. Most defenses employ the strong safety to track the tight end on pass plays. But in UH's scheme, Wright tries to slow the tight end at the line of scrimmage, negating him as a receiving option. The strategy frees the strong safety to blitz or drop back into pass coverage.
"It's not a glory position," Wright said. "You don't make a lot of tackles. On running plays, you take on a lot of lead blocks and pulls."
In trying to slow the tight end, Wright said he borrows the UH offensive linemen's punch technique — thrusting his hands onto the tight end's jersey numbers.
"You get your hands on the tight end and you don't let him get leverage on you," Wright said. "That's a big thing. I'm fortunate because I'm not that big of a (line)backer, but the tight ends I go up against are 6-4, 6-5. I have leverage on them. They're not used to that."
In the 5-2 scheme, Brown and Tinoisamoa are left to pick off the ballcarriers. "It helps that Matt takes cares of the tight end," Brown said. "We don't have to worry about him coming up to block me or Pisa, or catching the ball. Me and Pisa get to clean up."
Gary Wright has developed into a skilled dimeback when the Warriors use six defensive backs. In passing schemes, Alapa replaces Brown, becoming the nickel linebacker, and freshman Abu Ma'afala goes in for Sopoaga. The coaches have praised Ma'afala as a defensive end in a tackle's body.
HAWAI'I 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: Manuwai, an All-America guard, is learning that it's not easy to play special teams. Manuwai has replaced injured Lui Fuata as the short-snapper on field-goal and extra-point kicks.
"You have to bend over, you're scrunched up, and you're trying to look between your legs," Manuwai said. "There's a lot of pressure. A bad snap can cost us a point."
In the last week, Manuwai said he has worked on his endurance. "It's hard after we score a touchdown, because I have to run down and then focus on the snap," he said. He also has to take off the gloves he wears when he plays right guard.
Shawn Withy-Allen, the holder, has one request: Don't bounce the snap. "Anywhere else is fine," Withy-Allen told Manuwai.
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Associated Press
TULANE
Tulane coach Chris Scelfo hopes UH fans will cheer for green.
OFFENSE
WR 24 Damarcus Davis 6-0 180 Fr.
WR 1 Tristan Smith 6-0 180 So.
LT 68 Chris McGee 6-4 265 Fr.
LG 72 Matt Traina 6-3 267 Fr.
C 62 Brendon Drysdale 6-1 308 Jr.
RG 60 Seth Zaunbrecher 6-4 290 Sr.
TE 88 Bobby Hoover 6-4 252 So.
WR 25 James Dunn 5-8 172 Jr.
WR 8 Nick Narcisse 6-0 180 Jr.
QB 7 J.P. Losman 6-3 215 Jr.
FB 38 Kris Coleman 6-0 243 Jr.
RB 26 Mewelde Moore 6-1 230 Jr.
Outlook: Moore indeed means "more." He leads the team in rushing (1,022 yards) and receiving (46 catches for 465 yards). On runs, Moore usually will attack the middle. Because of his shifty running style and his ability to bounce off tackles, "we'll try to wrap him up instead of putting the big hit on him," UH middle linebacker Chris Brown said. "If you try to pop him, he might not go down."
Moore has several on-ramps into the passing lanes. Sometimes he'll sneak into the flats, sometimes he'll align as a wideout and run streak patterns.
Tulane tries to free its receivers by often aligning in bunches, in which three or four receivers will be grouped, in a modified snake formation. The idea is that with traffic congested, defensive backs might inadvertently bump into screens, clearing a path for the receivers. It has been said that the bunch routes resemble an unfurling fist.
Losman, who transferred from UCLA as a freshman, has successfully replaced Patrick Ramsey, now with the Washington Redskins. Scouts have raved about Losman's "live" arm and accuracy (58 percent completion rate).
DEFENSE
DE 91 Kenan Blackmon 6-5 262 Sr.
DT 54 Marlon Tickles 6-1 290 Sr.
DT 89 Roxie Shelvin 6-2 285 Sr.
DE 85 Floyd Dorsey 6-0 258 Sr.
SLB 41 Wesley Heath 6-0 222 Jr.
MLB 32 Brandt Quick 6-1 235 Jr.
WLB 36 Anthony Cannon 6-0 216 Fr.
LCB 13 Lynaris Elpheage 5-9 170 Jr.
SS 14 Adrian Mitchell 5-10 185 Sr.
FS 4 Quentin Brown 5-9 175 Sr.
RCB 3 Jeff Sanchez 5-10 175 Sr.
Outlook: In his first year as defensive coordinator, Eric Schumann built a defense that forced an NCAA-leading 40 turnovers and held eight of 12 opponents to 20 points or fewer.
First, Schumann switched from a 4-4 alignment to a 4-3, providing more quickness in the secondary. Then he adjusted the players' attitudes.
"The older guys took the younger guys under their wings," Shelvin said. "We all feel like a big family."
There are two ways to counter UH's run-and-shoot passing offense: Sit back in pass coverage or go after quarterback Tim Chang. Tulane probably will choose the latter.
But because of Chang's quick release, Shelvin said: "We can't get frustrated. He'll get rid of the ball as fast as he can. We're going to take our chances to get him, but we have to be patient, too. We have to take what we can get. We have to try and disrupt his passes and put pressure on him."
Elpheage, who is expected to cover UH's Justin Colbert, and Sanchez are good man-to-man defenders who could free the way for Mitchell and Brown to blitz.
"We never played a team like this," Brown said. "It's going to be a real big challenge."
TULANE SPECIALISTS
PK/P Seth Marler 6-0 195 Sr.
KR/PR 13 Lynaris Elpheage 5-9 170 Jr.
Outlook: How good is Elpheage? Against Houston, he picked up an on-side kick and ran 42 yards for a touchdown. During his college career, he also has scored on punt, interception and fumble returns.
