ANALYSIS
Warriors, Crimson Tide put offensive success on the line

Alabama has an inexperienced offensive line, but features the top rusher in the Southeastern Conference; Hawai'i's O-line didn't allow a sack last week giving QB Tim Chang time to throw.

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

In the past week, University of Hawai'i coach June Jones spoke of the exposure the Warriors will receive from today's nationally televised game against Alabama.

But as many visiting teams have learned, the Warriors already receive ample coverage. At Thursday's practice at Aloha Stadium, Crimson Tide officials said they were surprised that the Warriors' home football telecasts are shown live locally — on pay-per-view, unless produced by a national company — and for free on a delayed same-day basis. They also found that in some Waikiki hotels, archived televised replays of UH games may be purchased.

What's more, through an arrangement with Fox Sports West, K5, which owns the local television rights to UH sports, can show Warrior football games in millions of homes across the country.

As Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle noted: "We know a lot about Hawai'i. Obviously they have a great offense, and they put up a lot of points."

Here's a closer look at today's game:

Alabama offense

• FL—84 Triandos Luke 6-0 188 Sr.
• LT—75 Atlas Herrion 6-4 300 Sr.
• LG—78 Justin Smiley 6-4 301 Jr.
• C—74 J.B. Closner 6-4 295 So.
• RG—73 Dennis Alexander 6-6 352 Sr.
• RT—51 Evan Mathis 6-5 294 Jr.
• TE—93 Donald Clarke 6-6 260 Sr.
• QB—12 Brodie Croyle 6-2 198 So.
• FB—29 Tim Castille 5-11 231 Fr.
• HB—21 Shaud Williams 5-9 189 Sr.
• SE—3 Dre Fulgham 6-1 217 Sr.

Outlook: Alabama has started eight offensive linemen this season, a shuffle necessitated by inexperience and a season-ending injury to Wesley Britt, a preseason All-America tackle. Mathis, the nephew of former Miami Dolphin defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, is the only Tide lineman to start all 12 games. The changes have not hindered Williams, a cutback runner who leads the Southeastern Conference with 106.3 rushing yards per game.

Under coach Dennis Franchione last season, Alabama mixed four-receiver sets with a run-oriented triple-I. First-year coach Mike Shula has implemented a pro-style attack. Still, most of Croyle's passes come off play-action plays, meaning the Tide's success relies heavily on Williams.

Luke is the Tide's leading receiver, but Fulgham is the most intriguing. As the team's strongest receiver — 455 pounds in bench press, 405 in incline press — Fulgham is difficult to defend once he gains position, especially on lobs.

Alabama defense

• LE—47 Mark Anderson 6-5 239 So.
• LT—97 Anthony Bryant 6-3 345 Sr.
• RT—99 Jeremy Clark 6-3 280 Fr.
• RE—98 Antwan Odom 6-5 273 Jr.
• SLB—6 Derrick Pope 6-0 223 Sr.
• MLB—8 Freddie Roach 6-2 237 So.
• WLB—35 DeMeco Ryans 6-1 213 So.
• LCB—26 Charles Peprah 5-11 195 So.
• FS—20 Charles Jones 6-0 183 Sr.
• SS—41 Roman Harper 6-1 182 So.
• RCB—9 Anthony Madison 5-9 171 Jr.

Outlook: When defensive coordinators contemplate defending UH's four-receiver, read-on-the-go schemes, the inclination is to add extra defensive backs. In fact, it is the opposite strategy — increasing the pass rush — that usually creates the most problems for the Warriors. Alabama prefers the strategy of using its entire defensive line to crush the pass pocket while the corners play tight man-to-man coverage on the wideouts. Seven percent of the Tide's tackles have been in an opponent's backfield.

Shula said today's plan is to "get some pressure on the quarterback and force him to make some poor throws and poor decisions."

The Tide's most imposing lineman is Bryant, who can squat-lift 755 pounds. He also can dunk a basketball.

Alabama specialists

• PK—22 Brian Bostick 5-11 207 Jr.
• P—24 Bo Freelend 6-4 257 Jr.
• KR—4 Tyrone Prothro 5-10 176 Fr.
• KR/PR—5 Brandon Brooks 5-4 165 So.

Outlook: This has been a November to remember for Brooks, who was asked to return kicks on Nov. 8. In three games, Brooks, who can run 40 yards in 4.3 seconds, is averaging 35.4 yards on kick returns and 8.5 yards on punt returns. He scored on a 96-yard kickoff return against Auburn last week.

Chris James has blocked a school-record three punts this season.

Hawai'i offense

• LWR—84 Britton Komine 5-10 187 Jr.
• LWR—85 Jason Rivers 6-2 187 Fr.
• LSB—2 Chad Owens 5-9 174 Jr.
• LT—70 Tala Esera 6-3 283 Fr.
• LG—64 Samson Satele 6-3 289 Fr.
• C—59 Derek Faavi 6-1 273 So.
• RG—69 Uriah Moenoa 6-2 330 Jr.
• RT—66 Brandon Eaton 6-3 287 So.
• RT—74 Jeremy Inferrera 6-2 281 Fr.
• RSB—38 Gerald Welch 5-8 190 Jr.
• RWR—19 Jeremiah Cockheran 6-0 190 Sr.
• QB—14 Tim Chang 6-2 194 Jr.
• RB—6 Michael Brewster 5-6 180 Jr.
• RB—20 John West 5-10 180 Sr.
• RB—1 Michael Bass 5-7 180 Jr.

Outlook: Despite three interceptions last week, Chang found success when he stepped into the pocket after taking shotgun snaps. Whether the pocket can be a safe haven today depends on the offensive line, which did not allow a sack last week. UH will start the same offensive line in back-to-back games for only the third time this season.

In recent games, opposing defenses have clogged the deep pass patterns by having the cornerbacks press the wideouts while the safeties slide over as extra protection. Rivers made an acrobatic catch on a streak pattern last week, but that was the exception. Typically, the best way to reach the wideouts is on inside screens.

But while the wideouts have been negated, the slotbacks are getting some space. Last week, Army used linebackers to cover the slotbacks. Owens has 53 catches in the last six games, leading teammates to wonder what would have happened if slotback Nate Ilaoa had not suffered a season-ending injury in the opener. "We could have done a lot of damage," said Cockheran, a co-captain.

Hawai'i defense

• LE—93 Houston Ala 5-11 260 Sr.
• LT—97 Isa'ako Sopoaga 6-3 336 Sr.
• RT—92 Lance Samuseva 6-0 309 Sr.
• RE—1 Travis LaBoy 6-4 254 Sr.
• SLB—46 Keani Alapa 6-1 229 Sr.
• MLB—56 Chad Kalilimoku 5-11 240 Sr.
• WLB—51 Ikaika Curnan 5-11 218 So.
• LCB—3 Kelvin Millhouse 6-1 205 Sr.
• SS—33 Hyrum Peters 5-8 188 Sr.
• FS—17 David Gilmore 6-0 197 Sr.
• RCB—37 Abraham Elimimian 5-10 191 Jr.

Outlook: In the game-to-game struggle to slow an opponent's running attack, the Warriors have embraced the cover-one scheme. The plan calls for Millhouse and Elimimian to play man-to-man on the receivers and Gilmore, the "one" in the cover-one scheme, to align as the deep safety. That allows Peters to be used as a linebacker, a perimeter blitzer or pass defender. Without a dominant run-stopping linebacker, the Warriors need eight defenders in the "box" — the imaginary rectangle near the line of scrimmage. The cover-one scheme puts pressure on the cornerbacks, but Millhouse and Elimimian have played well most of the season. Elimimian has not allowed a touchdown reception this year.

Hawai'i specialists

• PK—26 Nolan Miranda 5-8 172 Fr.
• PK/KO—47 Justin Ayat 5-11 195 Jr.
• P—25 Kurt Milne 6-0 204 Fr.
• KR—20 John West 5-10 180 Sr.
• PR—2 Chad Owens 5-9 174 Jr.
• PR—21 Clifton Herbert 5-7 159 Sr.

Outlook: Miranda and Ayat will share the kicking duties, with Miranda handling PATs and field-goal attempts within 40 yards, and Ayat in charge of kickoffs and long field goals. The UH coaches are hopeful Milne will remain idle. The Warriors did not punt in last week's game against Army, the first time that has happened in June Jones' five seasons as UH head coach.