Under head coach June Jones, the Warriors' base defense is a 4-3 alignment of two defensive tackles, two defensive ends and three linebackers.

The 3-4 scheme, which will be used about a third of the time, is dictated by the offensive formation. If the offense's tight end is on the defense's right side, then UH defensive right end Melila Purcell III will align wide as a strong-side linebacker. Strong-side linebacker Chad Kapanui becomes a defensive end, aligned across from the tight end; middle linebacker Ikaika Curnan moves to the weak side, and weak-side linebacker Lincoln Manutai moves to the middle.

If the tight end is on the defense's left side, then the defensive left end — either Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan or Darrell Tautofi — becomes the strong-side linebacker.

The new defense allows UH to change schemes without substituting players. "It's the same personnel," Curnan said, "but now we have more blitzes."

In the 3-4 alignment, Kapanui gets to blitz in two of the three plays.

"It's good for me," Kapanui said. As for aligning in the trenches, the 240-pound Kapanui said, "I'll be OK."

In the base 4-3 scheme, Purcell usually is aligned a yard wide of the left tackle. In the new formation, he is 5 yards wide. "I like it because I'm free out there," he said.

The 3-4 scheme also will allow Purcell or the left end to cover the flats on screen plays, an area of vulnerability for UH last season.

• The Hinode Diet: Akpan, who was a 235-pound UH basketball player last year, now is a 270-pound defensive end challenging for a starting job.

Akpan credits his weight gain on a daily diet of two pounds of white rice and two pounds of pork. With his unique metabolism — his percentage of body fat is under 4 percent — "I can abuse my body and still be in good shape," the 6-foot-8 Akpan said. "I can get big without getting fat."

Akpan now can bench press 345 pounds. As a basketball player, he said, "Let's say, I didn't know the weight room."

He also has improved his football technique by studying videotapes of former UH defensive ends Travis LaBoy, Kevin Jackson and Houston Ala.

"For me, football is a learning process every day," he said.

Akpan said he hopes to gain another 10 to 15 pounds before the Aug. 8 start of training camp. There's one downside: He needs to find a tuxedo in his size for his wedding this summer.