Versatile Bearcats may try to air it out against Warriors
Analysis
Cincinnati has a top running back, but its offense also borrows concepts of the run-and-shoot, which was born in Ohio and refined by UH coach June Jones and his mentor
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
It seems like old times for University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones.
His mentor, Mouse Davis, who popularized the run-and-shoot passing offense three decades ago, is in town. So, too, is the Cincinnati football team, which plays UH tonight at Aloha Stadium.
"The concepts of the run-and-shoot were developed in Ohio," Jones said.
He said the scheme is traced to former Ohio State coach Tiger Ellison, author of "Run and Shoot Football: The New Attack." It was Ellison who first promoted the idea of spreading an offense with four receivers, then searching for mismatches in the secondary.
Davis and then Jones expanded the offense, substituting slotbacks for tight ends. UH now has the country's top-ranked offense.
While Cincinnati has called for running plays 53 percent of the time this season, its passing attack still has many of the ingredients found in Jones' run-and-shoot. Those similarities will be on display tonight. Here's a closer look:
Bearcat Offense
WR3 Tye Keith, 5-8, 187, Sr.
LT75 Kyle Takavitz, 6-4, 299, So.
LG72 Kirt Doolin, 6-4, 300, Sr.
C66 Josh Shneyderov, 6-2, 272, Jr.
RG68 Travis McGee, 6-3, 301, Jr.
RT67 Josh Gardner, 6-5, 284, Sr.
TE89 A.J. Lucius, 6-3, 242, So.
WR6 LaDaris Vann, 5-9, 198, Sr.
WR84 Jon Olinger, 6-3, 225, Sr.
QB8 Gino Guidugli, 6-3, 220, So.
RB31 DeMarco McCleskey, 5-11, 215, Sr.
Outlook: The Bearcats are why defensive coordinators resemble the "before" picture in Advil ads. The Bearcats can align in an I formation with two tight ends or spread out with three receivers. "Going against our receivers," UC cornerback Blue Adams said, "there's a game every practice. Our receivers are the best competition I've faced since I've been in D-1 ball."
Vann (62 catches for 732 yards) is best on slants, while Olinger and Keith prefer the vertical routes. On passing plays, the Bearcats "maximum protect," with Lucius and either a running back or second tight end pass-blocking.
Guidugli, who has orchestrated five fourth-quarter comebacks in 20 career starts, is effective on play-action passes and off bootlegs. Guidugli was a highly recruited quarterback, helping Highlands High win three consecutive Kentucky state football titles. In February 2001, he verbally committed to Kentucky, but changed his mind on signing day. He chose Cincinnati because it "had an offense I thought I could play in early." Last year, he was named Conference USA's Freshman of the Year and the Bearcats' Most Valuable Player.
Guidugli has been helped by McCleskey, whose 3,035 career rushing yards are the third most in C-USA history.
Bearcat Defense
DE91 Andre Frazier, 6-5, 213, So.
DE56 Antwan Peek, 6-2, 245, Sr.
DT95 DeMarcus Billings, 6-0, 264, Sr.
DT85 Trent Cole, 6-4, 227, So.
DE93 Derrick Adams, 6-0, 253, Sr.
OLB58 Jason Hunt, 6-4, 241, Sr.
MLB51 Willie Edwards, 5-11, 231, Sr.
OLB42 Tyjuan Hagler, 6-2, 220, Jr.
CB24 Blue Adams, 5-10, 188, Sr.
SS45 Doug Monaghan, 6-3, 210, So.
FS26 Ivan Fields, 5-11, 186, Sr.
CB29 Zach Norton, 6-0, 184, Jr.
Outlook: The Bearcats' pass-rush is so good that Peek, who broke every school sack record and is listed by ESPN as the 13th-best NFL prospect in the nation, does not even start. Instead, Frazier, who had 12 tackles against Louisville two weeks ago, gets the nod.
The Bearcats rely on quickness on the defensive line. Their average starting down lineman is 6 feet 2 and 239 pounds, and the 227-pound "Scrap Iron" Cole will start opposite UH's best blocker, 292-pound right guard Vince Manuwai.
The pass-rushers use swim and spin moves to elude blockers. With the down linemen stalking the quarterback, the linebackers rarely have to blitz. That eases the pressure on the secondary, which features two of the best cornerbacks in C-USA. Just ask them. "We can do it all," Blue Adams said. "I think we're complete corners." Opposing teams are averaging 177.2 passing yards per game.
Bearcat Specialists
PK16 Jonathan Ruffin, 5-10, 182, Sr.
P12 Chad Ervin, 6-3, 171, Fr.
KR25 Cedric Harwell, 5-11, 184, Jr.
PR3 Tye Keith, 5-8, 187, Sr.
Outlook: CU has seven career categories for kicking. Ruffin, the 2000 Lou Groza Award winner as the nation's best kicker, owns them all. He has made one field goal in each of the last six games, and has converted 12 of 15 attempts this season.
Warrior Offense
LWR18 Justin Colbert, 5-8, 170, Sr.
LSB84 Britton Komine, 5-9, 184, So.
LT70 Wayne Hunter, 6-6, 299, Jr.
LG77 Shayne Kajioka, 6-3, 308, Jr.
C53 Lui Fuata, 6-2, 292, Sr.
RG65 Vince Manuwai, 6-2, 292, Sr.
RT69 Uriah Moenoa, 6-3, 327, So.
RSB21 Clifton Herbert, 5-8, 157, Jr.
RSB4 Nate Ilaoa, 5-9, 204, Fr.
RWR88 Neal Gossett, 5-10, 177, Sr.
RWR19 Jeremiah Cockheran, 6-0, 193, Jr.
QB14 Tim Chang, 6-2, 191, So.
RB24 Thero Mitchell, 5-10, 210, Sr.
RB1 Mike Bass, 5-6, 158, So.
Outlook: Chang's emergence as a leader has coincided with an unfortunate circumstance. Even Chang has admitted that he relied too much on slotback Chad Owens as his security receiver. When Owens suffered a sprained knee against Nevada, it forced Chang to distribute the offense more. Seven receivers have at least 20 catches, and 12 Warriors are averaging double-digit yards per catch. Colbert has become Chang's go-to receiver, and by the end of the season, should break into the Western Athletic Conference's top five in career receiving yards.
UH won the Nevada game, and then the next four. After missing five weeks, Owens might be available to play tonight.
Warrior Defense
LE58 La'anui Correa, 6-5, 264, Sr.
LT97 Isaac Sopoaga, 6-3, 315, Jr.
RT92 Lance Samuseva, 5-11, 290, jr.
RE93 Houston Ala, 6-1, 250, Jr.
SLB44 Matt Wright, 6-1, 225, Sr.
MLB54 Chris Brown, 6-1, 255, Sr.
WLB10 Pisa Tinoisamoa, 6-0, 212, Sr.
LCB3 Kelvin Millhouse, 6-1, 205, Jr.
SS33 Hyrum Peters, 5-8, 188, Jr.
FS17 David Gillmore, 6-0, 197, Jr.
RCB37 Abraham Elimimian, 5-10, 173, So.
NB13 Keith Bhonapha, 5-9, 197, Sr.
Outlook: The Warriors are shaking up the defense again, this time implementing the "penny" scheme, which will feature Bhonapha. In the nickel package, Bhonapha usually enters as the fifth defensive back. In the penny, Bhonapha replaces Wright, but goes in as an outside linebacker. The four down linemen remain the same, as opposed to the nickel, when Travis Laboy enters as a speed rusher. The idea is to remain in the base 4-3 alignment, yet use one of the outside linebackers as a combination blitzer/pass defender. Bhonapha is quicker than Wright.
"It's basically the same package (as the 4-3), but it gives us more of a chance to shut down their pass," Bhonapha said.
Warrior Specialists
PK47 Justin Ayat, 5-11, 205, So.
P49 Mat McBriar, 6-0, 221, Sr.
KR20 John West, 5-10, 180, Jr.
KR6 Michael Brewster, 5-6, 176, So.
PR1 Mike Bass, 5-6, 158, So.
Outlook: Chad Kapanui, who has recovered from a pulled hamstring, will return as the upback on the punt team. The upback is aligned a few yards in front of the punter, and serves as the quarterback of the unit. Not only is Kapanui a good blocker, but he is a threat to pass on fake punts, and his speed makes him effective on coverages.
Ayat had converted all 47 extra-point attempts this season before placing one wide last week against Rice. He then booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, an error he believed was a carryover from the missed PAT.
Ayat has struggled at home, hitting 4 of 9 field-goal attempts compared to 7 of 10 on the road. But he believes he has solved those problems, as well as met the coaches' requirement of taking 1.5 seconds from snap to kick.