Daniel Powter is having a bad day.

Louisiana Tech is having a bad time.

The Bulldogs' plan was to practice in Ruston, La., on Wednesday, make the four-hour drive to Dallas, where they would stay overnight, depart Thursday morning for Honolulu, and, following an afternoon arrival, spend the rest of the day enjoying paradise.

"You can't go to Hawai'i, and not experience any of it," said coach Jack Bicknell, whose football team plays Hawai'i tonight.

Whoops.

The morning flight was canceled, delaying the Bulldogs' arrival until Thursday night. It was a familiar pattern for the Bulldogs. Their defensive coordinator resigned two days before training camp to accept a job at Northwestern, there are enough injuries to concern FEMA, and now they are facing the nation's best offense. They have faced eight of the top 30 offenses this year.

"All of a sudden, that adds up to a bad combination of things," Bicknell said. What's more, the Warriors are somewhat motivated after losing last year's meeting, 46-14.

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

LOUISIANA TECH OFFENSE

WR—7 Jonathan Holland 6-0 191 Sr.

TE—89 Anthony James 6-6 257 Sr.

LT—73 Tyler Miller 6-7 305 Jr.

LG—66 David Accardo 6-5 316 So.

C—51 Jacob Peeler 6-3 277 Sr.

RG—63 Ryan Considine 6-5 297 Jr.

RT—77 Bill Jones 6-6 311 So.

WR—82 Eric Newman 6-0 190 Gr.

WR—81 Josh Wheeler 6-4 203 So.

QB—10 Zac Champion 6-1 210 Jr.

RB—23 Patrick Jackson 5-10 195 So.

Or 38 Daniel Porter 5-9 190 Fr.

Outlook: In last year's meeting, the Bulldogs rushed for 327 yards. But Mark Dillard moved to safety, Freddie Franklin was dismissed from the team because of poor study habits, and Jackson is listed as "doubtful" because of an injury. In the past three games, Champion has eight TD passes and no interceptions, but he's still trying to master an offense that mirrors the Indianapolis Colts' scheme. Like the Colts, the Bulldogs often use double tight ends, and prefer stretch plays. Champion is effective on play-action passes. Offensive coordinator Conroy Hines, a former Bulldog quarterback, has spent his entire life in the 30-mile Louisiana stretch of Monroe and Ruston. But each year, he participates in a summit involving the college coaches of one-back offenses. "It's a chance to bounce around ideas," Hines said.

Hines probably should review the session on countering the blitz. Hines said UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville has changed his approach. "Last year, he all-out blitzed us," Hines said. "We just had to maximum protect and try to make a play. Now he's mixing his schemes. He's blitzing out of cover-2, cover-3, man defenses. He has one- and two-man blitzes, from a variety of directions. It makes you be on your toes."

LOUISIANA TECH DEFENSE

E—41 Chris Pugh 6-3 225 Jr.

T—92 Josh Muse 6-3 301 Jr.

T—98 Ben McGilton 6-3 246 Jr.

E—5 D'Anthony Smith 6-2 288 Fr.

SLB—37 Quin Harris 6-3 227 So.

MLB—58 Brannon Jackson 6-2 260 Jr.

WLB—45 Marquis McBeath 5-11 219 Jr.

BC—35 Weldon Brown 5-10 186 So.

Or 20 Sandy Ray Collins 5-10 187 Sr.

Dog—29 Mark Dillard 5-11 222 Jr.

FS—34 Anthony Baker 5-11 200 Fr.

FC—1 Tony Moss 5-10 183 Sr.

Outlook: In March, George Darlington was hired as the defensive secondary coach. Four months later, he was the defensive coordinator of a unit with two returning starters. "Two days before the guys came back (for training camp), we hired a new coordinator, which was tough," Bicknell said. "George got here in March. He wasn't really familiar with the players or the league." After scanning the roster, Darlington, who was an assistant at Nebraska under Tom Osborne, implemented a 4-3 scheme, even though "we're not blessed with a whole lot of size. Some of the players on the edges are not real big. But they have quickness."

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs do not have good health. Starting safety Dez Abrams is out. His replacement, Baker, is iffy. Last week, Keeven Moore, who was on the scout team last month, started in place of Dillard, who has a bruised chest. Muse is not healthy. Starting linebacker Chad Beverage quit the team. "We have an inordinate amount of injuries," Darlington said. "We've been scrambling from one position to another. We're taking an inexperienced player and trying to get him ready."

LOUISIANA TECH SPECIALISTS

PK—31 Danny Horwedel 6-2 200 Jr.

KO—33 Brad Oestriecher 5-11 185 Jr.

DS—52 Thomas Graham 5-9 243 Fr.

P/H—15 Chris Keagle 5-11 225 So.

KR—23 Patrick Jackson 5-10 195 So.

KR—35 Weldon Brown 5-10 186 So.

KR—7 Jonathan Holland 6-0 191 Sr.

KR/PR—80 Chris Riser 5-7 170 Fr.

Outlook: The Bulldogs are second in the WAC in kickoff returns (22.0 average).The question is: Who will return kickoffs? Jackson and Brown are both ailing. Horwedel is perfect on 22 PAT kicks.

HAWAI'I OFFENSE

LWO—84 Jason Rivers 6-2 192 Jr.

LSB—7 Davone Bess 5-10 195 So.

LT—70 Tala Esera 6-4 308 Sr.

LG—65 Hercules Satele 6-2 288 Jr.

C—64 Samson Satele 6-3 298 Sr.

RG—55 John Estes 6-2 290 Fr.

RT—72 Dane Uperesa 6-4 310 Sr.

RSB—1 Ryan Grice-Mullins 5-10 179 So.

RSB—82 Ross Dickerson 5-10 198 Sr.

RWO—3 Ian Sample 5-10 196 Sr.

QB—15 Colt Brennan 6-3 196 Jr.

RB—4 Nate Ilaoa 5-9 254 Sr.

Outlook: How prolific is UH's four-wide offense? Against Idaho two weeks ago, Brennan and Rivers collaborated on a 12-yard completion, even though the Warriors only had 10 players on the field.

Brennan is deservedly receiving credit, although his performance is better than his statistics indicate. He has completed 72.9 percent of his passes. But 37 of his passes have been dropped. If those are caught, he is completing 83.8 percent of his passes. During his 21-game UH career, he has two incomplete passes — both drops — on lead screens to the slotbacks or running backs. Last week he only participated in 36 offensive plays.

Brennan is receiving help. The offensive line has been clicking for six seasons. Ilaoa, who did not practice this week because of a tender ankle, has provided a boost, particularly on shovel passes. Ilaoa has caught 24 shovel passes from Brennan this season, with a yards-after-catch (YAC) average of 19.63.

Grice-Mullins has played exceptionally well since returning from a sprained left ankle. In the past two games, Grice-Mullins' YAC is 16.88. On three of his four touchdowns, he caught the passes 20, 32 and 16 yards from the end zone.

HAWAI'I DEFENSE

LE—98 Melila Purcell III 6-5 276 Sr.

NT—67 Michael Lafaele 6-0 302 Jr.

RE—91 Ikaika Alama-Francis 6-6 285 Sr.

LOLB—8 Tyson Kafentzis 6-1 230 So.

LILB—41 Solomon Elimimian 6-0 224 So.

RILB—44 Adam Leonard 6-0 236 So.

ROLB—26 Micah Lau 5-9 220 Jr.

LCB—23 Gerard Lewis 5-9 168 Jr.

FS—42 Leonard Peters 6-1 217 Sr.

SS—31 Jake Patek 6-0 191 Jr.

RCB—38 Myron Newberry 5-9 164 Jr.

Outlook: If you're a conspiracy theorist scoring at home, in the past two games, the Warriors lost five backup defensive ends to knee or ankle injuries — all in the second half of blowout victories. "I don't want to even think about that sort of stuff," said defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold, who has begged, borrowed and stolen from the offensive line to replenish the defense. One of those on loan, Larry Sauafea, has shown promise as a run-stuffing defensive end. Reinebold has tried to keep the mood light while creating different combinations. In Thursday's practice, "we divided them up into groups," Reinebold said. "We had the 'Wild Hawaiians' — Karl Noa, Kahai LaCount and Victor Clore — and 'Team 684,' which is anybody born in American Samoa. Then we had the over-priced, over-rated first team. We had some fun, which is the nature of our players. We're a loose team."

But the Warriors are all business during games. This season, they have forced 12 running backs and six quarterbacks from games. Defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said every play is designed for multiple tacklers, noting, "at no time is anybody exempt from not being responsible to be on the football."

Glanville has shuffled the lineup. Kafentzis and Lewis will start. Lewis lost his starting job to A.J. Martinez last week, and was listed as No. 2 behind Ryan Keomaka earlier this week. Martinez is suffering from a sore knee, and Lewis outplayed Keomaka in practice. "He does what he's supposed to do," Glanville said of Lewis. "It ain't that hard to figure out."

Peters, who is suffering from a sore right knee, will attempt to start. Mike Malala is next in line if Peters can't finish. Defensive backs coach Rich Miano said Patek would have moved over to free safety if Peters' situation was considered to be long term.

HAWAI'I SPECIALISTS

PK—86 Daniel Kelly 6-3 202 So.

LS—57 Jake Ingram 6-4 268 So.

H—11 Inoke Funaki 5-11 195 Fr.

P—25 Kurt Milne 6-0 205 Sr.

KR—82 Ross Dickerson 5-10 198 Sr.

KR—89 Malcolm Lane 6-1 181 Fr.

PR—38 Myron Newberry 5-9 164 Jr.

Outlook: Since returning the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against Idaho two weeks ago, Dickerson has had only one kickoff go his way. That has forced the Warriors to realign their returns. This season, the Warriors have played three wedge blockers —defensive lineman David Veikune in the middle flanked by two linebackers — at about the 20. Opponents now are trying to kick to linebackers. This week, wideouts Rivers and Chad Mock have aligned at the 20, essentially giving the Warriors four kick returners.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.