Here it is three months to the date when the Warriors will open their season against Florida Atlantic at Aloha Stadium and the book(s) — five of them, anyway — are soon to be out on UH.

Gentlemen, start your offenses because it could be a wild ride.

"What is there not to like about Hawaii?" asks Street & Smith's College Football. "The sobering news is that the Warriors may have to light up the scoreboard just to stay a few points ahead of opponents. Almost the entire defense must be replaced."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find a better group (of receivers) in the country than this veteran unit," Athlon Sports said. "The offense could be the most explosive in the country."

Adds Lindy's National College Football: "But if they aren't careful, the Warriors' defense might set some marks of its own, except these wouldn't be the right kind."

It is early, of course — two months until the Warriors even open fall training camp. Talk is cheap — $5.95 to $8.95. And, the prognostications don't take into account that defensive lineman Lui Fuga was just awarded an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA.

But there is virtual unanimity of perception: The offense is loaded, the defense is suspect and the games could be shootouts until the wee hours.

Such is the view when the Warriors, coming off a 9-5 finish, return 12 starters from the No. 6 total offense (488 yards per game) in Division I-A and just three on a defense that was 76th (397 yards per game). A picture enhanced by having a three-year starter at quarterback, Tim Chang, poised to break Ty Detmer's career passing record of 15,031 yards by a wide margin. (Chang has 12,814).

The questions of whether the defense can hold up its end or the offense can carry the defense are, apparently, what have kept the early magazines from picking UH to win the Western Athletic Conference the way several did this time last year.

Of five magazines sampled this time, UH is picked to finish between second and fourth in the 10-team, wide-open WAC.

Boise State, which has won 18 consecutive conference games, is the slight favorite apparently on the theory that the Broncos are the team to beat until somebody actually proves it can. And Fresno State is a close runnerup.

But there is no doubting which team figures to be the conference's most exciting.

Said Lindy's: " ... the Warriors will have to win track meets."

Track season starts Sept. 4.