ANALYSIS
Alabama-UH is a matchup of rich vs. poor

Alabama has a $36 million athletic budget and won 12 national championships. Hawai'i has a $16 million athletic budget and finished 0-12 in 1998.

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Today's football game between Alabama and Hawai'i is the familiar battle of Old Money against the Nouveau Riche.

On one side, there is Alabama, with an athletic budget ($36 million annually) as rich as its football history (12 national titles and 51 bowl appearances).

On the other, there is Hawai'i, which lives paycheck to paycheck to meet its $16-million athletic budget, and is four years removed from an NCAA-record 0-12 season.

Alabama is "The Bear" and "Roll Tide," Bart Starr and other stars such as Joe Namath, Ozzie Newsome, Ken Stabler, Don Hutson and John Hannah.

UH has qualified for four bowls, including three in Hawai'i, each with a different name.

Alabama's roster is a Who's Who of blue-chip players. UH's depth chart is a Who's That, with nine starters who joined the program as walk-ons.

"We're very overmatched," UH coach June Jones said. "They're bigger, faster. We're banged up. It'll be tough."

Hawai'i quarterback Shawn Withy-Allen said: "They'll be more athletic than anybody we've faced. We respect them. They're a great team. But they're human, just like us, so we'll see what happens."

Here's a closer look:

Tide Offense

• WR—84 Triandos Luke, 6-0, 190, Jr.
• H—3 Dre Fulgham, 6-1, 217, Jr.
• QT—70 Wesley Britt, 6-8, 312, So.
• QG—60 Justin Smiley, 6-4, 301, So.
• C—58 Alonzo Ephraim, 6-2, 303, Sr.
• SGi71 Marco Portis, 6-3, 301, Sr.
• ST—51 Evan Mathis, 6-5, 294, So.
• TE—88 Clint Johnston, 6-4, 248, Fr.
• WR—7 Sam Collins, 6-1, 184, So.
• W—31 Greg "Moose" McLain, 6-3, 230, Fr.
• QB—14 Tyler Watts, 6-3, 220, Sr.
• QB—12 Brodie Coyle, 6-2, 198, Fr.
• A—21 Shaud Williams, 5-9, 189, Jr.
• TB—34 Santonio Beard, 6-1, 225, Jr.

Outlook: When it comes to play-calling, Tide coach Dennis Franchione is a serial thriller who has found success at New Mexico, Texas Christian and, now, Alabama.

The Tide's playbook is a phonebook-sized collection of trickery, with formations that range from triple I to four wide. In one scheme, Fulgham, who lines up as the middle back in the three-man I, will race to the right flat. Fulgham also will motion from the backfield to the far right as part of a criss-cross play with tailback Santonio Beard. If the cornerback chases Fulgham on a slant to the middle of the field, Beard is open. If the corner stays put, Fulgham goes one on one with a middle linebacker.

The Tide also has three types of option plays. On the sprint option, Watts and Beard will race to the perimeter. On the lead option, Watts and Beard will follow a fullback to the corner. On the third option, Watts will follow a caravan of blockers to one side, then pirouette and run a bootleg to the other side.

Although option plays are designed for both quarterbacks, Coyle, a SuperPrep All-American in 2000, is used mostly in passing situations.

Tide Defense

• LDE—98 Antwan Odom, 6-5, 273, So.
• LDT—96 Jarret Johnson, 6-4, 287, Sr.
• NT—55 Kenny King, 6-3, 280, Sr.
• RDE—54 Kindal Moorehead, 6-4, 294, Sr.
• SLB—16 Cornelius Wortham, 6-1, 233, Jr.
• MLB—8 Freddie Roach, 6-2, 238, Fr.
• R—18 Brooks Daniels, 6-2, 205, Jr.
• LCB—4 Gerald Dixon, 5-0, 192, Sr.
• SS—24 Waine Bacon, 5-10, 187, Sr.
• FS—20 Charles Jones, 6-0, 183, Jr.
• RCB—25 Hirchel Bolden, 6-0, 196, Fr.
• N—19 Roberto McBride, 5-9, 167, Jr.

Outlook: The Tide is so strong up front that Johnson, who has played the past two seasons at defensive tackle and has been overshadowed by King this season, is rated by NFL scouts as the nation's No. 2 defensive end.

King, who was injured last week, has been cleared to start. That will give the Warriors some reprieve from 6-foot-3, 345-pound Anthony Bryant. But not much. King can hang-clean 410 pounds. Defensive tackle Ahmad Childress, who started last week, will not play because of a broken wrist.

Whether aligned in a 4-3 or 3-2, the down lineman rely on bull-rush moves to power past blockers. Most defensive lines use their defensive tackles to collapse the pass pocket, opening the way for the linebackers to swoop in. The Tide goes for the total collapse with the defensive ends crashing into the pocket. Meanwhile, the corners play tight man-to-man coverage. Because of the cornerbacks' quickness, the UH receivers are unlikely to get much separation — if any — on deep patterns.

Alabama, which was ranked No. 1 in total defense before last week's loss to Auburn, has amassed 41 sacks this season and held opponents to eight points or fewer in five of 12 games.

Tide Specialists

• PK—43 Kyle Robinson, 5-10, 175, Jr.
• P—44 Lane Bearden, 6-2, 210, Sr.
• KR—27 Ray Hudson, 5-11, 194, So.
• PR—21 Shaud Williams, 5-8, 189, Jr.

Outlook: The Tide has used three placekickers this season, and Robinson, a junior-college transfer, took over the job Oct. 19 against Mississippi. He has made 6 of 8 field-goal attempts this season, including a 46-yarder against Louisiana State.

Warrior Offense

• LWR—18 Justin Colbert, 5-8, 170, Sr.
• LSB—84 Britton Komine, 5-9, 184, So.
• LSB—2 Chad Owens, 5-9, 177, So.
• LT—70 Wayne Hunter, 6-6, 299, Jr.
• LG—53 Lui Fuata, 6-2, 292, Sr.
• C—59 Derek Faavi, 6-0, 266, Fr.
• RG—65 Vince Manuwai, 6-2, 292, Sr.
• RT—69 Uriah Moenoa, 6-3, 327, So.
• RSB—21 Clifton Herbert, 5-8, 157, Jr.
• RSB—4 Nate Ilaoa, 5-9, 204, Fr.
• RWR—88 Neal Gossett, 5-10, 177, Sr.
• 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.
• RB—20 John West, 5-10, 180, Jr.

Outlook: Chang, who is recovering from a slightly torn ligament in his left knee and a bruised right thumb on his throwing hand, is expected to start. A greater concern is the sprained right knee that will prevent Shayne Kajioka from making his 12th consecutive start.

Fuata will move from center to left guard, his third position in two seasons, and Faavi, a second-year freshman, will open at center. The move provides balance on both sides of the line — Fuata is better on pulls than Kajioka — and Faavi will receive advice in stereo. Faavi will be allowed to call out the blocking assignments, although Fuata has veto power. Only a few of Faavi's calls were overturned after he replaced Kajioka in the second quarter last week.

Alabama's power rushes usually frustrate opponents, who often drop back to block on pass plays. But UH blockers are taught to move laterally on pass blocks, a tactic that should slow the Tide's momentum.

To counter Alabama's pass rush, the Warriors either will call for draws or hold back a running back as a free-lance blocker. "Those guys are big," Bass said, "so I'm just going to have to cut them. You can't think about their size. You just have to go low and cut 'em."

Warrior 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—44 Matt Wright, 6-1, 225, Sr.
• MLB—54 Chris Brown, 6-1, 255, Sr.
• WLB—10 Pisa Tinoisamoa, 6-0, 212, Sr.
• LCB—3 Kelvin Millhouse, 6-1, 205, Jr.
• SS—33 Hyrum Peters, 5-8, 188, Jr.
• FS—17 David Gillmore, 6-0, 197, Jr.
• RCB—37 Abraham Elimimian, 5-10, 173, So.
• NB—13 Keith Bhonapha, 5-9, 197, Sr.

Outlook: The Warriors will use as many as 25 defenders to counter Alabama's multiple formations. On run-option plays, Gillmore is expected to move up and become a fourth linebacker. In UH's five-man front, Wright becomes a defensive end, leaving Brown and Tinoisamoa to serve as the lone linebackers. It will be a test for Brown, who will have to expand his range on play-action passes.

Because the Tide receivers are skilled in chop-blocking, the UH cornerbacks have worked on their agility this week.

Warrior 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: Although the Tide has blocked five kicks this season, McBriar and Ayat refuse to panic. "I'm going out there with confidence," McBriar said. "I'm thinking, 'Just be smooth.' "

McBriar said he feels more comfortable punting at Aloha Stadium, one of two Western Athletic Conference stadiums that does not have an open area. "Even if it's windy in Pearl City," he said, "our stadium is pretty sheltered."

Four of Ayat's eight missed field goals this season have been from 50 yards and beyond. But Ayat said he still feels comfortable kicking from up to 55 yards.