Hawai'i's 'Poi Pounders' wall off Tulsa defenders
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Tulsa defense was pounded like poi by the University of Hawai'i football team last night.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
At least that was the case for the UH offensive line, which played a significant role in the Warriors' 37-14 victory over the Golden Hurricane last night at Aloha Stadium.
Hawai'i offensive linemen Shayne Kajioka, left, and Wayne Hunter provide quarterback Tim Chang with a perfect pocket against Tulsa in the second quarter. Chang passed for 403 yards and four touchdowns.
For the third consecutive game, the UH offensive line did not allow a quarterback sack. For the season, the starting unit has allowed only 1 1/2 sacks in seven games — an outstanding ratio when considering Hawai'i's relentless passing attack.
"We feel like we should have (given up) zero sacks," said guard Vince Manuwai, an All-America candidate. "It hurts to see just one. That's why we take so much pride in that."
The UH starters — center Lui Fuata, guards Manuwai and Shayne Kajioka, and tackles Wayne Hunter and Uriah Moenoa — are all graduates of Hawai'i high schools. Fuata is a senior from Lahainaluna; Manuwai is a senior out of Farrington; Kajioka is a junior out of St. Louis; Hunter is a converted defensive lineman out of Radford; Moenoa is a sophomore from Iolani. Manuwai and Moenoa are the only returning starters from last season.
They have been dubbed "The Poi Pounders" by teammates this season.
"We're all really close and that helps us on the field," Fuata said. "I feel like we started to come together as a unit two or three games ago and it's starting to show."
Indeed, the offensive linemen provided ample time for quarterbacks Tim Chang and Shawn Withy-Allen.
In addition to allowing zero sacks, the line allowed just one quarterback "hurry," and that was by a blitzing linebacker. Making it look even more impressive, 63 of Hawai'i's 74 offensive plays were passes.
"To pass that many times in one game and not give up a sack, that's something to take a lot of pride in," Manuwai said.
Added UH offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh: "Obviously, we threw the ball all night long and (Tulsa) was constantly shifting (alignments) on us. But our guys were all on the same page and made the right calls. It shows the progress these guys have made. I figured that by the fourth, fifth or sixth game, we'd start to get better. We still have to improve, but we're getting there."
According to Cavanaugh, Tulsa tried to confuse the UH offensive line by lining up five defensive linemen, and then rushing only three or four. Cavanaugh credited Fuata for calling out the proper blocking schemes to the rest of the line.
"(Tulsa) gave us some wild looks, but a lot of what they ended up doing was basic," Fuata said. "As long as we stayed together and did our jobs, we knew we could have a good game like this."
But even the offensive linemen said that they were not prepared to pass that many times against a Tulsa defense that entered last night's game ranked last in the WAC in rushing defense, and first in passing defense.
"Our offense is almost all passing every game anyway," said Hunter. "But no matter if it's running or passing, we have to be perfectionists."
Added Fuata: "I actually got on Coach (June) Jones about all the passing plays he was calling in the first half. I told him as long as we get in the end zone, it doesn't matter, but I wanted him to sneak in a few more running plays in the second half."
