University of Hawai'i head coach June Jones and his mentor, UH assistant Mouse Davis, have run their version of the four-wide passing offense for more than 30 years, predating rap music and ESPN.

UH's defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville, who was head coach of two National Football League teams, has been tied to his 3-4 blitzing scheme for more than two decades.

Meanwhile, Nevada's Hall of Fame coach, Chris Ault, has run his balanced offense — known as the "Pistol" — and 3-4 blitzing defense for eight months.

Here's a closer look at today's Western Athletic Conference game matching tradition against invention:

UH OFFENSE

LWR—88 Chad Mock 6-0 178 Jr.

LSB—7 Davone Bess 5-9 187 Fr.

LT—70 Tala Esera 6-4 295 Jr.

LG—64 Samson Satele 6-2 305 Jr.

C—59 Derek Fa'avi 6-1 273 Sr.

RG—66 Brandon Eaton 6-2 295 Sr.

RT—72 Dane Uperesa 6-5 315 Jr.

RSB—1 Ryan Grice-Mullen 5-10 174 Fr.

RWR—82 Ross Dickerson 5-10 185 Jr.

QB—15 Colt Brennan 6-2 190 So.

RB—4 Nate Ilaoa 5-9 229 Sr.

Outlook: Because of his offense's inexperience (first-year starters at the six ball-handling positions) and opposing teams dropping two to four defensive backs into deep coverage, Jones has called for more screens, shovels and swing passes to the flats. For the most part, the short-passing strategy has been successful. Despite a tendency to abandon the pocket before checking off the four pass options each play, Brennan is on pace to having the most accurate season in UH history, completing 69.1 percent of his passes. That's all hunky and dory as long as the two slots and two wideouts can gain additional yards with post-catch running. But in last week's 27-13 loss to Fresno State, UH's four starting receivers had a yards-after-catch (YAC) average of 4.25. In the first seven games, their YAC was 6.02. Coupled with UH's inability to secure any of the three deep passes (traveling at least 20 yards from the line of scrimmage), UH's short passes became short gains.

This week, the receivers practiced extending their routes and improving their post-catch running. They also were instructed to follow Bess' technique of catching passes only with the hands instead of the body. "It saves a lot of time to catch it in stride," said Bess, who had 14 catches against FSU. "If you catch it with your body, you always have to turn around to get to the ball. In high school, my coach emphasized catching everything with my hands. If I didn't catch it with my hands, my coach made me do push-ups. Now it's a natural reaction."

UH DEFENSE

LE—98 Melila Purcell III 6-5 266 Sr.

NT—67 Michael Lafaele 6-1 310 So.

RE—91 Ikaika Alama-Francis 6-6 250 Jr.

SOLB—45 Tanuvasa Moe 6-0 220 Sr.

SILB—41 Solomon Elimimian 6-0 225 Fr.

WILB—43 Brad Kalilimoku 5-11 204 So.

WOLB—1 K.Kamakawiwo'ole 6-3 240 Sr.

CB—6 Turmarian Moreland 6-1 200 Sr.

SS—15 Lono Manners 5-10 199 Sr.

FS—22 Lamar Broadway 6-0 186 Sr.

CB—24 Kenny Patton 6-0 184 Jr.

Outlook: Patton is back in the lineup after declaring himself physically fit from injuries to his right shoulder and left quadriceps. Patton and Moreland, who has three interceptions in the past two games, will have little help on pass coverage against the Wolf Pack's wide-split offense. To prepare for this game, UH's defense practiced on a field that was at least 75 yards wide. The UH video crew stopped practice several times because the players portraying the Nevada wideouts kept running out of the picture.

This week Glanville also implored his players to improve their tackling. Fresno State broke nine tackles — including three potential sacks — to gain an additional 155 yards.

UH SPECIALISTS

PK—99 Daniel Kelly 6-3 199 Fr.

P—25 Kurt Milne 5-11 208 Jr.

KR/PR—34 A.J. Martinez 6-0 185 So.

Outlook: For his senior season in 2008, Bess will be allowed to return punts. Until then — or at least for the rest of the season — all of the return jobs belong to Martinez. UH uses the unique kickoff scheme of employing one returner and aligning two offensive linemen at the 20. The idea is that the kick return should be treated like a running play. Martinez is speedy enough to track kicks anywhere between the numbers. The downside is, the Warriors are vulnerable to pooch kickoffs. Defensive end Daniel Tautofi and inside linebacker Timo Paepule each have fielded short kickoffs.

NEVADA OFFENSE

X—5 Kyle Sammons 6-0 195 Jr.

FL—84 Nichiren Flowers 6-3 210 Sr.

WT—58 Tony Moll 6-4 300 Sr.

WG—75 Charles Manu 6-3 300 So.

C—61 Dominic Green 6-3 285 Fr.

SG—70 Barrett Reznick 6-2 280 Jr.

ST—68 Adam Kiefer 6-4 300 Sr.

Y—83 Anthony Pudewell 6-3 240 Jr.

Z—87 Caleb Spencer 6-0 180 Jr.

QB—3 Jeff Rowe 6-5 220 Jr.

RB—8 B.J. Mitchell 5-8 210 Sr.

Outlook: Last year, Ault was already in the Hall of Fame when he was coaxed into leaving his job as Nevada's athletic director to become the Wolf Pack's head coach for the third time. But his trademark shotgun offense was largely ineffective, and the Wolf Pack finished 5-7 last season. "We just couldn't run the ball the way I feel you have to run the ball," Ault said. "We looked at what we had to do to win a championship. I just felt, 'We've got to run better.' " After studying videotapes of other offenses and several brain-storming sessions, Ault concocted the "Pistol" — a hybrid that features the running attack out of a four-wide formation. In the Pistol, the quarterback is aligned 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage — he was 5 1/2 yards back in the shotgun — with Mitchell directly behind, 7 yards back. From that position, Mitchell can run to either side without the formation tipping off the direction. Mitchell is averaging 95.4 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry. "He's a man," Glanville said of Mitchell. "And he runs like a man."

To keep defenses from crowding the tackle box, the receivers are spread wide. For instance, if the ball is on the right hashmark, Flowers, who is listed as a slotback, often will align left of the left hashmark. Nevada has two formations: In the "blue," there are three wideouts and a tight end; in the "white, there are two tight ends and two wideouts." Rowe will throw off bootlegs or play-action plays.

Spencer, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, averages 5.86 catches per game. He traces his improved play to summer workouts, during which he increased his vertical jump from 32 inches to 41 inches.

Nevada leads the WAC in time of possession (33 minutes, 24 seconds per game).

NEVADA DEFENSE

E—93 Charles Wilson 6-4 275 Jr.

NG—57 Matt Hines 6-1 285 So.

E—90 Craig Bailey 6-4 260 Sr.

SLB—30 Josh Mauga 6-2 235 Fr.

SILB—56 Ezra Butler 6-2 255 So.

MLB—44 Jeremy Engstrom 6-1 235 So.

WLB—26 Roosevelt Cooks 5-10 220 Sr.

CB—23 Joe Garcia 6-0 182 Jr.

SS—29 Roderick Stallings 5-10 195 Jr.

FS—24 Mike Samples 6-0 195 Fr.

CB—2 Kevin Stanley 6-0 175 Sr.

Outlook: Ault is most associated with northern Nevada, where he has spent most of his adult life. But he actually is a native of Southern California, where he believes the Wolf Pack should establish a recruiting base. To that end of attracting speedier players, he abandoned the 4-2 defense in favor of a 3-4. "I felt the players we were recruiting and trying to recruit matched that system better," Ault said.

Like most of UH's opponents, Nevada will set up in a two-deep zone — each safety is responsible for one half of the field — and storm the UH backfield with zone blitzes. The defensive linemen will try to run twists and stunts. Nevada's perimeter linemen and defensive backs have made all of the sacks.

NEVADA SPECIALISTS

PK—13 Brett Jaekle 6-2 225 Fr.

P—69 Justin Bergendahl 6-2 210 Sr.

KR—5 Kyle Sammons 6-0 195 Jr.

KR—89 Mike McCoy 6-0 190 Fr.

PR—2 Kevin Stanley 6-0 175 Sr.

Outlook: A challenge for visiting teams is adjusting to the way the football sails in Reno's high altitude. Louisiana Tech twice out-punted its coverage, leading to two long returns that Nevada parlayed into touchdown drives. Unlike Fresno State, which tried to block punts, Nevada is content with setting up returns.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.