MOSCOW, IDAHO — The Hawai'i football team is preparing for a loud reception when it faces Idaho today in the Kibbie Dome.

Vandal fans are known for utilizing such noise-makers as cowbells.

To which the Warriors have taken this stance: Ring it on.

To counter the noise, the Warriors are prepared to go with the silent treatment. They spent two practices this week using silent counts to start off offensive plays.

"It's probably easier," UH quarterback Bryant Moniz said. "You don't have to say anything."

Center John Estes anticipates a loud crowd. With no stands behind the end zones, the noise echoes in the dome.

"That's why we're practicing the silent count," Estes said. "The big concern is executing. We have to execute."

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

HAWAI'I OFFENSE

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
LWO—3 Rodney Bradley 6-0 190 Jr.
LSB—1 Greg Salas 6-2 200 Jr.
LT—77Aaron Kia 6-5 290 Sr.
LG—64 Ray Hisatake 6-3 315 Sr.
C—55 John Estes 6-3 300 Sr.
RG—74 Raphael Ieru 6-2 315 Sr.
RT—66 Adrian Thomas 6-6 310 Jr.
RSB—21 Kealoha Pilares 5-11 200 Jr.
RWO—7 Jovonte Taylor 5-9 190 Jr.
QB—17 Bryant Moniz 6-0 190 So.
RB—23 Leon Wright-Jackson 6-1 215 Sr.

Outlook: From the rubble of last week's loss to Fresno State emerged some promise. The Warriors began to incorporate the running back as more than a backfield blocker. Wright-Jackson, who produced an impressive highlight video as a high school senior, is working on the long-awaited sequel. This season, he has developed into a tough second-chance runner. His yards-after-contact average is 5.0, an improvement he credits to good health (he had foot and ankle injuries his first two UH seasons) and a commitment to squat-lifting (he maxed at 430 pounds). Against Louisiana Tech, the Warriors did not attempt any passes to the backs; last week against Fresno State, they were 3 for 3 on screens. Chizzy Dimude has been groomed for an expanded role as a change-up, quick-shifting back. Dimude is averaging 1.0 broken tackles per rush, and his post-contact average is 5.5 yards. "Chizzy is an explosive player," said Nick Rolovich, who calls the offensive plays. At 5 feet 10 and 190 pounds, Dimude has perimeter speed (4.41 seconds over 40 yards) and core strength (435-pound squat, 295-pound power clean).

Salas continues to be the Warriors' best post-catch runner since Ashley Lelie in 2001. His yards-after-catch (YAC) average of 13.6 exceeds the double-digit productive running back Nate Ilaoa had earned on shovel passes in 2005.

Salas, Bradley and Pilares have been able to ease Moniz's transition to starting quarterback. During halftime last week, Rolovich drew up several new plays. Without practicing them, Moniz and the receivers nailed the routines (although a drop and two holding penalties nullified the work).

HAWAI'I DEFENSE

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
LE—90 Elliott Purcell 6-3 255 Jr.
LT—92 Rocky Savaiigaea 6-2 305 Sr.
RT—49 Tuika Tufaga 6-2 285 Sr.
RE—58 Fetaiagogo Fonoti 6-2 255 Sr.
OLB—53 Blaze Soares 6-1 245 Sr.
MLB—50 Mana Lolotai 6-0 230 Jr.
OLB—59 R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane 5-11 225 Sr.
LCB—4 Tank Hopkins 5-9 165 Jr.
FS/NB—19 Richard Torres 5-8 175 So.
FS—43 Mana Silva 6-1 220 Jr.
SS—9 Spencer Smith 5-11 205 Jr.
RCB—18 Jeramy Bryant 5-10 180 Jr.

Outlook: Imagine having an HD television without HD access. The Warriors were manufactured to blitz and attack. But last week, they hit the Fresno State quarterback only once, and ceded too much cushion to the receivers on the hitch routes. Perhaps the Warriors were tentative after missing 41 tackles the previous week. Against Fresno State, they missed 23 — 20 on rushing plays — to yield an additional 130 yards. The counter-punch to the power offenses is the blitz. Expect the Warriors to attack from all points, even if the running back, instead of the quarterback, is the intended target. And the Warriors also will likely have the corners press Idaho's wideouts.

The Warriors have stirred the lineup. Lolotai enters the lineup as the middle linebacker, with Soares moving to the outside, where he is an effective blitzer. Torres, the usual nickelback, will open at free safety. Torres is a good open-field tackler. If Purcell, who has a neck stinger, can't go for extended periods, the Warriors will rotate Victor Clore, Paipai Falemalu and Earvin Sione at left end.

The key is Lolotai, who was promoted to No. 1 middle linebacker when Brashton Satele suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp. Lolotai knew the plays, but appeared to be pulling his punches, and was dropped from the lineup. Lolotai is no longer playing tentatively.

HAWAI'I SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
PK—20 Scott Enos 5-9 180 Jr.
LS—45 Luke Ingram 6-5 210 Fr.
H—11 Inoke Funaki 5-11 205 Sr.
P—31 Alex Dunnachie 6-3 235 Fr.
KR—7 Jovonte Taylor 5-9 170 Jr.
PR—1 Greg Salas 6-2 200 Jr.

Outlook: The Warriors did not believe they were taking a risk when they offered a scholarship to Dunnachie, who had limited experience in American football while growing up in Australia. The investment is delivering rewards. Mixing standard punts with rollout, rugby-styled kicks, Dunnachie confounded opponents. Of his 14 punts, two have been returned, for a total of 8 yards (tied for seventh fewest allowed among NCAA I-A punters). One was a touchback. His rugby-styled punts have been referred to as dog tricks: they roll over and then play dead.

With Royce Pollard out because of a stress fracture in his left fibula, Taylor reclaims the kick-return job. Salas takes over for Ryan Henry as the punt returner.

IDAHO OFFENSE

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
X—1 Eric Greenwood 6-6 213 Jr.
H—84 Kevin Small 6-3 258 Sr.
LT—70 Matt Cleveland 6-4 314 So.
LG—77 Mike Iupati 6-6 325 Sr.
C—69 Irvin Stevens 6-3 277 Sr.
RG—62 Adam Juratovac 6-3 306 Sr.
RT—79 Bryce Sinclair 6-5 322 Sr.
SB—22 Max Komar 5-11 202 Sr.
Z—7 Preston Davis 6-1 191 So.
QB—10 Nathan Enderle 6-5 227 Jr.
TB—3 Deonte Jackson 5-8 190 Jr.
TB—Princeton McCarly 5-8 174 Fr.
TB—DeMaundray Woolridge 5-9 241 Sr.

Outlook: The WAC has a video-exchange program among member teams. It appears many of the scenes are similar. The Vandals, like UH's past two opponents — Louisiana Tech and Fresno State — employ what is essentially a triangle offense: a tackle, tight end and fullback/h-back form a three-man block for the lone tailback. And all three utilize a compact-sized runner who is easily hidden. The scheme is called "nasty," and it is indeed difficul to defend. In the Vandals' version, Small often will motion into the backfield to serve as a blocker. The Vandals rotate three backs. While Jackson has been their big-play runner in the past two seasons, Woolridge, a transfer from Washington State, is the most productive (449 yards, 6.0 rush-per-carry average). Even the speedy McCarly (4.34 seconds over 40 yards) is having a better season than Jackson.

What makes the Vandals' offense more dangerous is the three interior linemen — space-eaters Iupati, Stevens and Juratovac — and the improved Enderle. Enderle struggled as a freshman, got slightly better last season and, this year, is completing 62.6 percent of his passes. He is expected to be considered an NFL prospect next year. With the Vandals often overloading a side, it opens the way for Enderle to scoot the other way on bootlegs or play-action plays. Komar is the possession guy (16.0 yards per catch) with speed. Greenwood, at 6 feet 6, presents match-up problems for cornerbacks. Daniel Hardy (16.2 yards per catch) is the tight end with downfield quickness.

IDAHO DEFENSE

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
E—Andre Ferguson 6-3 225 So.
NT—99 Jonah Sataraka 6-2 280 Jr.
DT—93 Michael Cosgrove 6-4 280 So.
E—95 Aaron Lavarias 6-3 248 Jr.
SLB—34 JoJo Dickson 6-2 229 Jr.
MLB—42 Paul Senescall 6-1 229 Jr.
WLB—1 Robert Siavii 6-2 209 So.
CB—27 Isaac Butts 6-0 179 Jr.
FS—10 Shiloh Keo 5-11 211 Jr.
SS—6 Jeromy Jones 6-1 200 Sr.
CB—2 Kenneth Patten 5-9 178 So.

Outlook: Although listed as a 4-3 defense, the Vandals can go an entire game with a nickel coverage (4-2-5). That's because their linebackers are mobile (each runs in the 4.6 range over 40 yards), and their down linemen create pressure. While most nose tackles try to hold the point, Sataraka prefers to attack. He has three sacks and a pass breakup. Keo, who often sneaks into the tackle box, is the Vandals' best one-on-one, open-field tackler. Keo has as many solo tackles (33) as the No. 2 tackler (Dickson) has total stops. Siavii, who has two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries, is the one who got away. Siavii and UH's Moniz were teammates on the Leilehua team that played in the 2004 championship game.

IDAHO SPECIAL TAMS

Pos.—Player Ht. Wt. Cl.
PK—21 Trey Farquhar 6-1 170 Fr.
LS—65 Christopher Ramos 5-11 268 Jr.
H—26 Brandon Artz 5-10 188 Jr.
P—13 Bobby Cowan 6-5 221 Fr.
KR—8 Kama Bailey 5-9 200 So.
PR—Shiloh Keo 5-11 211 Jr.

Outlook: It all begins with Bailey, a Damien Memorial graduate. Bailey set the Vandals' single-season record with 955 kick-return yards. Only a sophomore, he already is No. 2 on the career list, with 1,250 yards.

Visit Tsai's blog at http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com.