One area that's a cause of concern for Professor J is the offensive line.
This inexperienced front five promises to be most efficient in the future, but for now, may prove challenging in the extreme.
Professor J doesn't spend a lot of time mixing drinks with the o-line. He prefers to hang out with the quarterbacks, drawing plays on his chalkboard like some mad Einstein who just discovered the meaning of E = MC2. No time to spend with the big uglies.
Instead, that job falls into the capable hands of assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh. Oh, he's a thing of beauty. Barely 5-foot-6 on a good shoe day, most of his linemen could pile drive him into the ground until only his shaved, shiny head is showing.
He's as wide as he is high, but Coach Cavanaugh commands a measure of respect few question. He likes to try to get under your skin to see if you can handle pressure. If his calling you a pile of puke bothers you, you're in the long line at the bank.
"My job is to see if my guys can handle the pressure of two blitzing linebackers and a free safety coming off the edge,'' Cavanaugh said. "It's business. Nothing personal. But if you can't handle me throwing my hat on the ground, how are you going to block that big tackle coming up the middle? The answer is simple. You aren't.''
Fortunately for Cavanaugh, he appears to have at least five men capable of blocking the pass as well as the infrequent run. In this offense, you'd better be able to backpedal 50 times a game and keep your balance every single snap.
Fall down or get pushed aside and Professor J isn't going to invite you over for Christmas dinner at the Aloha Bowl. You'll be down there with George Toma, the lawn mower man, cutting grass in the spring.
The leader of the pack is the only returning starter, one Manly Kanoa III. This gentle giant plays a mean left guard. And the guy who plays right guard is just plain mean. Sophomore Vince Manuwai may be the best offensive lineman in UH history before he's through. To his right is senior tackle Kynan Forney. To his left, junior center Brian Smith.
That leaves left tackle Chris Pinkney, who once caught a two-point conversion in a 1998 game at Utah. The converted tight end improves daily. As a whole, this remains the biggest question mark on Professor J's team.
At these positions
| NO. | PLAYER | HT. | WT. | CL. |
| LEFT TACKLE |
| 52 | CHRIS PINKNEY* | 6-3 | 281 | JR. |
| HOMETOWN: LONG BEACH, CALIF. |
| 53 | LUI FUATA | 6-3 | 293 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: WAIANAE |
| LEFT GUARD |
| 76 | MANLY KANOA* | 6-5 | 314 | JR. |
| HOMETOWN: HONOLULU |
| 77 | SHAYNE KAJIOKA | 6-3 | 323 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: HONOLULU |
| CENTER |
| 66 | BRIAN SMITH* | 6-1 | 276 | JR. |
| HOMETOWN: THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF. |
| 53 | LUI FUATA | 6-3 | 293 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: WAIANAE |
| RIGHT GUARD |
| 65 | VINCE MANUWAI* | 6-2 | 296 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: HONOLULU |
| 77 | SHAYNE KAJIOKA | 6-3 | 323 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: HONOLULU |
| RIGHT TACKLE |
| 62 | KYNAN FORNEY* | 6-3 | 304 | SR. |
| HOMETOWN: NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS |
| 53 | LUI FUATA | 6-3 | 293 | SO. |
| HOMETOWN: WAIANAE |
* Denotes starter
