Mark Twain is credited with noting there are "lies, damned lies and statistics."

For the Hawai'i football team, here's a damning statistic: 49 sacks allowed in 13 games.

Entering Wednesday's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, the Warriors are conceivably in reach of the NCAA record of 58 sacks relinquished in a season.

What's more, they have allowed 10 sacks combined in the past two games.

"I'm not happy with the number of (relinquished) sacks we've had this year," UH head coach Greg McMackin said. "In the offseason, that's going to be a deep project for us."

In the four-wide passing offense, the higher number of sacks might be proportionate to the greater number of pass attempts. But in the same number of games, the Warriors had 205 more pass plays last season, yet relinquished 14 fewer sacks.

In 2007, the Warriors were sacked once every 19.9 pass plays. This season, they have been sacked once every 10.1 pass plays.

What's more, in four games this year, the Warriors altered their offense to incorporate more rollout schemes designed to minimize the number of backfield tackles.

The offensive line, particularly left tackle Aaron Kia and right tackle Keoni Steinhoff, has absorbed most of the blame from critics.

"We're the easiest guys to pick on," Kia said. "We never get noticed unless we do something (wrong). That's why people pick on us. We're supposed to be the ones who (mess) up. When we do good, nobody says (anything). It's whatever."

Steinhoff said: "When things don't go well, who do they turn to? They turn to us. We put that in the back of our minds and keep playing. We can't worry about what other people are saying when we're on the field. We have to keep playing."

But offensive line coach Brian Smith said "all stats offensively are collective. You win as a team, you lose as a team."

Indeed, McMackin said the blame can be spread evenly.

"Sacks come from a lot of things," McMackin said, listing "quarterbacks not getting the ball off, receivers running the wrong routes, trying to go deep when (the defense) is blitzing. It's not always on the offensive linemen. It can be one of 11 guys' problems. Everyone always puts it on the offensive line. I don't point fingers at anybody. It's the entire offense's problem. It will take them all to work together as a team."

Smith traced part of the problem to a lack of continuity on the offensive line. Three starting offensive linemen returned from last year's team, but only two — center John Estes and Steinhoff — remained at the same position.

Last year's left tackle, Keith AhSoon, moved to left guard.

But AhSoon missed six weeks because of an injury. Steinhoff suffered a fractured finger in training camp. Kia and left guard Laupepa Letuli have endured knee tendinitis the entire season. Running back David Farmer, the team's best backfield blocker, missed some games because of a knee injury.

Kia used what he calls "experimental" massage treatments to alleviate the pain in his knees.

"It's been a chemistry thing the whole year," Steinhoff said. "We've had so many people start on the offensive line."

Smith said: "There have been a lot of other factors: different quarterbacks, different running backs, different groups in the line. We haven't had a pretty cohesive offense the whole year."

In certain situations, the Warriors have tried to stem pass-rushes with so-called maximum protection, sliding a slotback into the backfield to work in tandem with Farmer.

"We're trying to do different things," quarterback coach Nick Rolovich said.

The Warriors find optimism from their bowl opponent. Last year, Notre Dame allowed the NCAA-record 58 sacks, or one every 7.7 pass plays.

This year, by improving their perimeter block and throwing more quick outs, they have allowed 20 sacks in 12 games, or one sack every 21.5 pass plays.

"We were (like the Warriors') offense last year," Notre Dame defensive tackle Pat Kuntz said. "We know what kind of situation they're in."

McMackin said: "We're trying to eliminate (the problem) for this game. We're working hard at it. And I know Notre Dame will be coming at us. It's something that's definitely a concern, and something we're deeply working on."

Smith said the offensive linemen have "had a good week of practice. I'm expecting them to play well."

CALL HIM, THE PROTECTOR

This season, the Warriors' first-team punt unit has not allowed a blocked kick.

Much of the credit, according to the coaches, should go to Jayson Rego.

"I'm just doing my job," said Rego, who plays the position known as personal protector.

Rego is aligned to the side of the line of fire between long snapper Jake Ingram and punter Tim Grasso.

"He yells out the protection," said Ikaika Malloe, who coordinates the special-team units. "He yells out if somebody is coming from the corner. He's basically our quarterback on the punt team."

Malloe said Rego has two key qualities: keen knowledge of punt-defense schemes and a strong voice.

"He's very vocal," Malloe said, smiling.

Rego entered the season as the No. 2 personal protector. But late in a blowout loss, Rego was used.

"He stayed in there and protected Tim from getting a blocked kick," Malloe said. "Then he ran down the field, maybe 50 yards, and made a tackle down the sideline. I said, 'That's the guy I want.' He does a great job of studying the film. And he works hard. His effort is what makes him a good personal protector. He's always the last guy out (of the backfield), but he can be the first guy down the field. He plays with so much heart."

TUIASOSOPO RECOVERING

One of the regulars at practice has been offensive lineman Tuiatua Tuiasosopo, who is redshirting this season.

Tuiasosopo has not practiced since October, when he suffered a staph-like infection near his right ribs.

He said doctors had to remove an infected area.

"I lost 30 pounds," he said. "I didn't get it all back yet."

BACK ON SURE FOOTING

Like many college students, Brandon Walker communicates largely through the Internet.

But after struggling early in the season, Notre Dame's kicker received both helpful tips and scathing comments.

"It started with Facebook, and I disabled that," Walker said. "But then they got my Notre Dame e-mail address."

While he was able to disregard the criticism, Walker acknowledged that it was "tough on my family. I think that's what really got me the most is that my family was being affected by how I performed."

In the first five games, Walker missed six of seven field-goal attempts.

In studying videos of Walker, a coach noticed a "flaw" in his technique.

Adjustments were made in the practices leading to the game against North Carolina.

Walker converted both of his field-goal attempts in that game; he made 13 of 17 in the final seven games.

He also is now receiving sympathetic e-mails. He said fans have told him the criticism was not reflective of the feeling of the "whole Notre Dame population."

Walker said he does not anticipate a relapse.

"There's what they call straight confidence," Walker said. 'I've been there before. I've seen what I've done in the past. I can always go back to that."

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