Thursday, October 22, 1998
Rainbows search
for continuity
UH football team looks to
By Paul Arnett
find itself against struggling
New Mexico
Star-BulletinHawaii has had more face lifts than Joan Rivers, which is keeping UH coordinator Don Lindsey from adding any new wrinkles to his offense.
The other day, he figured out that the Rainbows have started a combined dozen players at left tackle, right guard and tight end.
"And don't forget to mention all the different fullbacks (five) and quarterbacks (three) we've tried in only six games, and then ask me why we don't have any continuity on offense," Lindsey said.
"And I'm not offering that as an excuse, only as an explanation as to why I think we've continued to struggle. But what really burns my butt are all the same mistakes we keep making game after game.
"Coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant told me it's the little things that win big games. We don't do those fundamental things well, and until we do, we're going to be limited in what we can do offensively."
Hawaii hopes to stretch those limits against a struggling New Mexico team Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. While the Lobos have had few problems scoring points, stopping the opposition has been troublesome.
New Mexico has dropped five consecutive games, losing three of those in the final minutes. Last week, the Lobos fell to San Diego State, 36-33, in overtime.
"They don't have a formidable defense like BYU's," Lindsey said. "But they have a defense a lot like ours in that they like to come at you in multiple splits.
"They don't have the big horse linemen like Utah or BYU. They lean more toward the athletic guy with quickness. They line up in a 4-2 package and play a nickel package all the time. That nickel guy will either blitz or cover."
In theory, Hawaii should be able to run against such a defense, but as Lindsey put it, "We have trouble running against air."
UNM is led by linebacker Brian Urlacher. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound "rover" leads the team in tackles with 103, including two sacks.
"It has gotten to the point where we worry more about ourselves than what our opponent likes to do," Lindsey said. "Don't get me wrong, we still have a game plan.
"But we first have to execute our offense and then see what will work best against New Mexico. We still haven't played well for four quarters and that's frustrating considering it's already the second half of the season."
UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams can identify with that frustration. Like Lindsey, Williams has had to shuffle his starting lineup.
The difference is, Williams has substituted out of necessity -- eight of his top players have missed at least two games with illness or injury.
"We've had to overcome a lot of obstacles due to injuries, but to me, those are part of the game," Williams said. "New Mexico is going to be another big challenge for us, regardless.
"They're tough to get a handle on because they like to do a little bit of everything. They run one back, two backs, three wide, four wide, option, you name it.
"They base out of two backs and have a quarterback (Graham Leigh), who likes to run the football out of the option. They use his ability to get him on the perimeter where he can hurt you running or throwing."
Leigh is one of the more talented quarterbacks in the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division. The All-America candidate has completed 120 of 214 passes for 1,740 yards and 13 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. The 6-3, 214-pound senior also has rushed 68 times for 141 yards and a TD.
Leigh's favorite receivers are Germany Thompson and Martinez Williams, who have combined for 61 receptions for 959 yards and 10 touchdowns. Lennox Gordon is the top running back with 419 yards on 86 carries and four touchdowns.
"I don't think their skill people are as good as San Diego State's, but they're still talented," Williams said. "We have played well in certain stretches, but we haven't been able to maintain a quality level for 60 minutes.
"This is the second half of our season and an opportunity for us to turn a corner and start winning some games. For that to happen, we have to stop New Mexico and give our offense every opportunity to score some points."
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