Hawaii looks to ground
Rice’s run today

The Warriors hope to stay
disciplined against the option

Team stats

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

HOUSTON >> This used to be a run-and-shoot town.

When June Jones was here as a coach with the USFL Gamblers in 1984 and the Oilers in 1987 and '88, footballs filled the air, and sometimes the seats. The same was true at the University of Houston, where the run-and-shoot produced a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Andre Ware and an Aloha Bowl appearance.

Today, the Oilers are the Tennessee Titans and the Gamblers are no more. The expansion Texans are trying to keep rookie quarterback David Carr alive to meet his potential, and the Houston Cougars grind it out with Joffrey Reynolds, the nation's fifth-leading rusher.

At Rice, which concludes its season hosting Hawaii today, the Owls run an offense virtually the opposite of Hawaii's four-receiver formation that leads the country in passing.

It is the dreaded option, a grind-it-out style of running attack with a heavy dose of deception -- a method that has worked well for the Owls against the Warriors, helping them beat UH three times without a loss.

A good option quarterback operates like a smart point guard running a fast break -- play after play after play. Will he run, hand off or pitch? ... Or maybe this is the rare occasion he passes. It puts incredible pressure on a defense and forces players who often thrive on aggression and individual instinct to rely on discipline and unwavering belief in their teammates.

"Yeah, it's against my nature," Hawaii's athletic outside linebacker and leading tackler Pisa Tinoisamoa said. "I'm not always the most responsible guy on defense. But I know that in this game we all have to do our own job."

For inside linebacker Chris Brown, this is the kind of game he loves. Brown, who was moved to the defensive line in passing situations the past few games, will be a focal point of UH's defense once again.

"We need those big boys up front for this. I get to go back to my specialty, run-stopper," Brown said. "They're going to put me in that hole and make me stop that fullback. Help out on the option and the runs. In the option everyone has their set job. I'm the guy on the fullback."

The goal of Hawaii's defense is usually to force turnovers. But Jones said getting Rice -- which has the second-fewest giveaways in the WAC with 19 -- to punt the ball will be the key. He's even derived a magic number.

"I thought we played well enough defensively last year to beat them, unfortunately we fell short," Jones said of the 27-24 loss at Aloha Stadium. "Stop the run and make them punt, then we have a chance to win the game. They pretty much run the ball against everyone. If we can make them give us the ball X number of times, if we can make them punt four times we should win."

Fullback Robbie Beck is Rice's top rusher and an outstanding blocker. Sophomore Greg Henderson has become the starting quarterback and has improved as the season has progressed.

Rice's offensive line has been battered and bruised this season, but coach Ken Hatfield said tackle Mike Holman (staph infection) and guard Ben Stephens (knee, hand) should be ready after missing last week's 49-7 loss at Boise State.

"We pretty much have everybody back that may have been questionable," he said.

The Warriors are also nearly as healthy as they've been all season. Defensive end Travis LaBoy (ankle) is the only starter (other than defensive tackle Lui Fuga, who was lost for the year in the season opener) who did not make the trip.

Two weeks off after beating San Jose State for their fourth win in a row also gave UH extra time to get ready for Rice's option and other trickery.

But all the practice won't mean a thing if defenders try to do too much.

"If every single player doesn't do what he's supposed to do it's either going to be a first down or a touchdown," defensive line coach Vantz Singletary said. "It's that simple."

Nothing will likely be easy for Rice's defense today, although the Owls will have the home-field advantage, will be celebrating homecoming and the last game for 15 seniors.

The intangibles are outweighed by the Owls' standing of 106th in the nation in pass defense efficiency. Rice has allowed 21 passing touchdowns and Hawaii has scored 25 by throwing and the Warriors lead the nation in passing yardage.

"They've just got a complete team," Hatfield said. "They're a little different in that they throw the ball a ton, and with the year (quarterback Tim) Chang is having, it makes them just a good, solid football team."

While Chang has enjoyed a breakout season, the Owls have victimized him more than any other Warrior the past two years. Rice intercepted him eight times in two games. Defensive end Brandon Green might not intercept Chang like he did last year, but UH's capable offensive line will be tested by Green, who is the WAC's leading sack man with seven; the Owls pace the conference with 26 quarterback tackles.

Despite the history, the ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl-bound Warriors are 10-point favorites to complete their road schedule with a winning mark for the third time in Jones' four seasons.

"We know they'll be gunning for us. There's a lot of people out there who want their revenge on us," Rice senior tight end Travis Thompson said. "It's going to be a tough game; they've got such a prolific passing offense. And they're supposed to have a really tough defense this year, as well."

UH football Who: Hawaii (7-2, 6-1 Western Athletic Conference) vs. Rice (4-6, 3-4) When: Today, 10 a.m. Hawaii time TV: KFVE, live Radio: 1420-AM, live

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BACK TO TOP
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Probable starters

HAWAII

OFFENSE
WR	18	Justin Colbert	5-8	170	Sr.
WR	81	Clifton Herbert	5-8	170	Jr.
LT	70	Wayne Hunter	6-6	299	Jr.
LG	77	Shayne Kajioka	6-3	308	Jr.
C	53	Lui Fuata	6-2	315	Sr.
RG	65	Vince Manuwai	6-2	309	Sr.
RT	69	Uriah Moenoa	6-3	327	So.
WR	84	Britton Komine	5-9	184	So.
WR	19	Neal Gossett	5-10	177	Sr.
QB	14	Tim Chang	6-2	191	So.
RB	24	Thero Mitchell	5-10	210	Sr.
DEFENSE
LE	58	La'anui Correa	6-5	264	Sr.
LT	97	Isaac Sopoaga	6-3	315	Jr.
RT	92	Lance Samuseva	5-11	290	Jr.
RE	93	Houston Ala	6-1	250	Jr.
or	1	Travis LaBoy	6-4	249	Jr.
LB	44	Matt Wright	6-1	225	Sr.
LB	54	Chris Brown	6-1	255	Sr.
LB	10	Pisa Tinoisamoa	6-0	218	Sr.
CB	37	Abraham Elimimian	5-10	173	So.
SS	33	Hyrum Peters	5-8	188	Jr.
FS	17	David Gilmore	6-0	197	Jr.
CB	3	Kelvin Millhouse	6-1	205	Jr.
SPECIALISTS
P	49	Mat McBriar	6-0	221	Sr.
K	47	Justin Ayat	5-11	205	So.
LS	45	Tanuvasa Moe	5-11	218	Fr.
PR	81	Omar Bennett	5-11	178	Sr.
or	1	Mike Bass	5-6	158	So.
KR	20	John West	5-10	180	Jr.
H	7	Shawn Withy-Allen	6-4	219	Sr.

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RICE

OFFENSE
SE	11	Marcus Battle	5-9	180	Fr.
LT	53	Michael Holman	6-3	290	Jr.
LG	75	Keith Meyer	6-2	290	Sr.
C	51	Cobey-Joe Cswaykus	6-4	280	So.
RG	68	Clint Crisp	6-3	300	Sr.
RT	69	Chris DeMunbrun	6-4	295	Jr.
TE	82	Travis Thompson	6-2	245	Sr.
QB	1	Kyle Herm	5-8	175	Jr.
HB	23	Clint Hatfield	5-9	185	So.
FB	41	Robbie Beck	5-10	220	Jr.
HB	32	Vincent Hawkins	5-6	175	Sr.
DEFENSE
DE	87	Branndon Green	6-3	250	Sr.
DT	90	Jeremy Calahan	6-3	270	So.
NG	96	B.J. Forguson	6-3	290	Sr.
DE	56	Philip Perry	6-1	242	Jr.
LB	46	Nick Sabula	6-2	230	Sr.
LB	4	Jeff Vanover	5-11	210	Jr.
LB	42	Justin Englar	6-3	230	Sr.
CB	29	Raymorris Barnes	5-9	170	So.
SS	17	Antwan Shell	5-10	190	Sr.
FS	31	John White	5-11	175	Jr.
CB	2	Jason Benjamin	5-7	185	Jr.
SPECIALISTS
KO	3	Brandon Skeen	6-2	190	Jr.
FG	12	Brennan Landry	5-9	175	Fr.
P	8	Travis Hale	6-3	200	Sr.
LS	58	Ryan Pontbriand	6-2	245	Sr.
H	8	Travis Hale	6-3	200	Sr.
KR	25	Sean White	5-6	180	Sr.
PR	16	Kevin Ford	5-11	210	Fr.

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Schedules

HAWAII (7-2, 6-1)

Aug. 31	Eastern Illinois	W, 61-36
Sept. 6	at Brigham Young	L, 32-35
Sept. 21	at Texas-El Paso	W, 31-6
Sept. 28	Southern Methodist	W, 42-10
Oct. 5	at Boise State	L, 31-58
Oct. 12	Nevada	W, 59-34
Oct. 19	Tulsa	W, 37-14
Oct. 25	at Fresno State	W, 31-21
Nov. 2	San Jose State	W, 40-31
Today	at Rice
Nov. 23	Cincinnati
Nov. 30	Alabama
Dec. 7	San Diego State

RICE (4-6, 3-4)

Aug. 31	Houston	L, 10-24
Sept. 7	at Michigan State	L, 10-27
Sept. 21	at Nevada	L, 21-31
Sept. 28	Fresno State	L, 28-31
Oct. 5	Louisiana Tech	W, 37-20
Oct. 12	at Navy	W, 17-10
Oct. 19	at Texas-El Paso	L, 35-38
Oct. 26	Southern Methodist	W, 27-15
Nov. 2	at Tulsa	W, 33-8
Nov. 9	at Boise State	L, 7-49
Today	Hawaii

Per-game comparison

HAWAII		RICE
40.4	Points	22.5
27.2	Points Allowed	26.3
520.0	Total Offense	340.6
121.1	Rushing yards	249.8
398.9	Passing yards	90.8
-0.22	Turnovers	even

Key players

PASSING	A	C	I	Yards	TD
Tim Chang (UH)	390	218	12	2,953	17
Greg Henderson (RU)	58	21	4	311	1
RUSHING	A	Yards	Avg	TD
John West (UH)	38	328	8.6	5
Robbie Beck (RU)	112	560	5.0	6
RECEIVING	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Justin Colbert (UH)	59	872	14.8	6
Marcus Battle (RU)	21	297	14.1	1
SCORING	TD	FG	XP	Pts	Avg
Justin Ayat (UH)	0	11	43	76	8.4
Brennan Landry (RU)	0	8	27	51	5.1
TACKLES	S	A	Tot	Avg	FL/S
Jeff Vanover (RU)	53	33	86	8.6	1/1
Pisa Tinoisamoa (UH)	53	22	75	8.3	9/2

WAC standings

	CONFERENCE			OVERALL
	W	L	Pct	W	L	Pct	Str
Boise State	6	0	1.000	9	1	.900	W8
HAWAII	6	1	.857	7	2	.778	W4
Nevada	4	2	.667	5	5	.500	W2
Fresno State	3	2	.600	5	5	.500	W1
San Jose State	3	3	.500	5	6	.455	W1
Rice	3	4	.429	4	6	.400	L1
LaTech	2	3	.400	3	6	.333	L1
UTEP	1	5	.167	2	8	.200	L3
SMU	1	5	.167	1	9	.100	L2
Tulsa	1	5	.167	1	9	.100	L2

TODAY

HAWAII at Rice, 10 a.m. Hawaii time
San Jose State at Tulsa
Louisiana Tech at Boise State
SMU at UTEP
Nevada at Fresno State

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UH Athletics