[ UH FOOTBALL ]

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UH tries to
extend streak

The Warriors must stop
the run today against Nevada

Nevada players indicted on battery charges

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbullletin.com

RENO, Nev. >> If you believe in the old maxim about streaks, you understand why Hawaii is a three-point favorite when it visits Nevada today in a key Western Athletic Conference football game.

WAC football Who: Hawaii (6-3, 5-1) at Nevada (5-5, 3-3) When: Today, 10:05 a.m., Hawaii time Where: Mackay Stadium, Reno, Nev. TV: Live, KFVE (Ch. 5) Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM Line: Hawaii favored by 3

The Warriors spent the past several weeks winning four games in a row, while the Wolf Pack lost three straight.

But Nevada (5-5, 3-3 WAC) still has a lot going for it in its attempt to avoid a losing season and derail UH (6-3, 5-1) from its goal of setting up what amounts to a league championship game at home against Boise State on Dec. 6.

Indeed, Nevada has a Chance. A very good one.

If junior running back Chance Kretschmer can dominate today's game the way he did when the Warriors and Wolf Pack met here two years ago, Nevada will likely win.

"Two years ago we went in there and he ran all over us," UH linebacker Keani Alapa said.

UH slowed San Jose State enough to win 13-10 two weeks ago. But the Warriors' biggest weakness is still stopping opponents from running the ball and controlling the clock. That's what Nevada did two years ago in beating Hawaii 28-20. Kretschmer was the reason, rumbling for 162 yards as part of the 1,732 he ran for to lead the NCAA in rushing.

"I'm sure they're going to hand it to him 30 or 40 times," Hawaii coach June Jones said. "We're on film missing a lot of tackles. We're going to have to defend the run. Hopefully we can stop the run."

Nevada coach Chris Tormey knows Kretschmer, who has rushed 209 times for 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, is a key to his team's hopes of an upset today.

"Chance is a very good football player," Tormey said. "Obviously if we can run the football it's going to improve our chances. (But) the offensive line has to play well so Chance doesn't have to carry the whole load."

The same could be said for Hawaii quarterback Tim Chang. While the weather is expected to be sunny and in the 40s today, much has been made about the Warriors having to play in cold and possibly wet conditions. Jones expressed concern about how a strong wind might affect Chang's passes -- especially since UH's run-and-shoot attack depends on Chang throwing the ball 50 to 70 times a game.

But the biggest worry for Hawaii's attack is Jorge Cordova, the Nevada defensive end who has manhandled opposing offensive linemen with destructive consistency. Chang was sacked by him twice in the 2001 game. Last year, he wasn't much of a factor as the Warriors jumped to a 42-10 first-quarter lead at home and won 59-34.

Hawaii had an experienced offensive line then, but now UH starts two freshmen and two sophomores up front. Chang, however, said he can withstand the pressure from a defensive line that Jones said might be the best UH plays against this year.

Chang, a fourth-year junior, said he is in the best physical condition of his career since he suffered a concussion as a true freshman in 2000.

"The line's been doing such a good job I haven't taken too many big hits and I've been getting rid of the ball when I have to. My body's a lot more in shape," said Chang, who has also dealt with finger, wrist and knee injuries. "Last year I had a wrist injury that needed surgery and a lot of attention. It took away from my game and things I wanted to work on. This year I probably trained harder than ever."

Quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said he doesn't expect Chang to have problems dealing with throwing in possibly blustery conditions today.

"You can just tell by the way the ball comes off his hand that he's really on target," Morrison said after yesterday's practice at Reno High School. "It's kind of windy, and it doesn't seem to affect him."

The latest projections for today's game-time weather conditions call for sunny skies with a low of 23 degrees and a high of 55.

"Obviously the worse the weather the better for us," Tormey said. "We're accustomed to it. I guess that's part of the home-field advantage."

Nevada allowed UH to devour 674 yards in total offense in last year's game. On the first play, Chang hit Britton Komine on a 72-yard touchdown pass.

"Nobody stops Hawaii. You just hope to slow them down. We can't let them throw the ball over our head. I think that's a real key," Tormey said. "Several times last year receivers were open deep against us and Timmy Chang was able to get the ball there, so defensively the real key is make them earn it, don't let them get anything cheap."

But in discussion about this game, it always comes back to the weather. If it's cold and windy, can a passing offense do the job against a team with a bullish running attack?

Run-and-shoot guru Mouse Davis was at Hawaii's practice yesterday, and he said the four-receiver offense has a history of success in cold-weather games.

"We had a lot of bad (weather) ones at Portland State with June (Jones) and Neil Lomax quarterbacking, and we did pretty well," Davis said. "This is nothing compared to some of what we played in."

Defensively, at least one Hawaii player wants the sky to fall at noon here today.

"I love playing in the snow," said senior safety Hyrum Peters, who did so often while growing up in Utah. "After the first quarter you forget that you're freezing and you just play football."

For the first time since the start of the season, the Warriors are relatively healthy except for the normal wear and tear -- thanks in part to last week's bye.

"We'll have no problem getting up for this game," said senior receiver Jeremiah Cockheran, who has been dogged by a sprained ankle most the season. "This is a big game for us. You could call it a pre-WAC championship and we can get in the Hawaii Bowl. It's a big game for us both ways."

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Nevada players indicted
on battery charges

RENO, Nev. >> Two Nevada players and a former player have been indicted on felony battery charges.

The indictment accuses starter cornerback Chris DeWayne Handy, running back John "BJ" Mitchell and Joseph Edger Bwire of one count each of battery causing substantial bodily harm for the beating of a Reno man in June.

Handy and Mitchell were immediately suspended from the team Thursday and will not play in today's game against Hawaii.

The three are accused in the June 28 beating of Brandon Baugh at a gathering near the university.

Bwire was arrested the next day for investigation of battery and kicked off the team before the season started.

But that charge was later dismissed so that prosecutors could take the case to the Washoe County Grand Jury to charge all of those believed to be involved at once, Deputy District Attorney Gianna Verness said.

"This is an unfortunate situation for both players and for our program," Nevada coach Chris Tormey said in a statement. "We have two games to play and that is our focus right now."

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Associated Press

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Probable Starters
Hawaii

Offense

LWR	84	Britton Komine	5-10	187	Jr.
LSR	2	Chad Owens	5-9	174	Jr.
LT	74	Jeremy Inferrera	6-2	281	Fr.
LG	64	Samson Satele	6-3	289	Fr.
C	59	Derek Faavi	6-1	273	So.
RG	69	Uriah Moenoa	6-2	365	Jr.
RT	66	Brandon Eaton	6-3	3-1	So.
RSR	38	Gerald Welch	5-8	205	Jr.
RWR	19	Jeremiah Cockheran	6-0	190	Sr.
QB	14	Tim Chang	6-2	194	Jr.
RB	16	West Keli'ikipi	6-1	266	Jr.
or	6	Michael Brewster	5-6	180	Jr.

Defense

LE	93	Houston Ala	5-11	260	Sr.
LT	97	Isaac Sopoaga	6-3	336	Sr.
RT	92	Lance Samuseva	6-0	309	Sr.
RE	1	Travis LaBoy	6-4	254	Sr.
SLB	46	Keani Alapa	6-1	229	Sr.
MLB	56	Chad Kalilimoku	5-11	240	Sr.
WLB	51	Ikaika Curnan	5-11	218	So.
CB	37	Abraham Elimimian	5-10	186	Jr.
SS	33	Hyrum Peters	5-8	188	Sr.
FS	17	David Gilmore	6-0	197	Sr.
CB	3	Kelvin Millhouse	6-1	205	Sr.

Specialists

P	25	Kurt Milne	6-0	204	Fr.
K	47	Justin Ayat	5-11	205	Jr.
Snap	45	T.J. Moe	6-0	220	So.
PR	21	Clifton Herbert	5-7	159	Sr.
or	2	Chad Owens	5-9	174	Jr.
KR	20	John West	5-10	180	Sr.
Hold	8	Jason Whieldon	6-1	187	Sr.

Nevada

Offense

LT	68	Adam Kiefer	6-5	302	So.
or	78	Alan Parker	6-5	314	Sr.
LG	62	Chris Hines	6-2	299	Jr.
C	77	Kyle Gosselin	6-5	280	So.
RG	79	Isaiah Ross	6-3	322	Sr.
RT	74	Harvey Dahl	6-5	309	Jr.
TE	83	Anthony Pudewell	6-4	250	So.
H	81	Maurice Mann	6-1	185	Sr.
Z	84	Nichiren Flowers	6-3	208	So.
or	9	Tim Fleming	6-1	184	Sr.
X	16	Willie Johnson	6-4	211	Jr.
QB	7	Andy Heiser	6-1	186	Jr.
RB	23	Chance Kretschmer	6-1	226	Jr.

Defense

DE	55	Jorge Cordova	6-2	250	Sr.
DT	56	Derek Kennard, Jr.	6-1	285	Sr.
DT	95	Chris Barry	6-3	294	Jr.
DE	91	J.J. Milan	6-5	255	So.
LB	10	Daryl Towns	6-1	230	Sr.
LB	26	Logan Carter	6-3	215	So.
LB	19	Carl LaGrone, Jr.	6-3	230	Sr.
ROV	28	Nick Hawthorne	6-0	197	Fr.
FS	39	Keone Kauo	5-11	188	Jr.
CB	29	Chris Handy	5-11	189	So.
CB	35	Paul Pratt	5-10	175	Fr.

Specialists

P	37	Derek Jones	6-3	234	Sr.
KO	37	Derek Jones	6-3	234	Sr.
PK	36	Damon Fine	5-9	147	Jr.
LS	91	J.J. Milan	6-5	255	So.
SS	87	R.J. Marsh	6-1	232	Sr.
Hold	7	Andy Heiser	6-1	186	Jr.
KR	24	Randy Landingham	6-0	200	So.
PR	88	Alex Rosenblum	5-8	165	Fr.

Schedules
Hawaii Warriors (6-3, 5-1 WAC)

Aug. 30	Appalachian State	W, 40-17
Sept. 13	at Southern California	L, 32-61
Sept. 19	at Nevada-Las Vegas	L, 22-33
Sept. 27	Rice	W, 41-21
Oct. 4	at Tulsa	L, 16-27
Oct. 11	Fresno State	W, 55-28
Oct. 18	at Louisiana Tech	W, 44-41
Oct. 25	UTEP	W, 31-15
Nov. 1	at San Jose State	W, 13-10
Today	at Nevada
Nov. 22	Army
Nov. 29	Alabama
Dec. 6	Boise State

Nevada Wolf Pack (5-5, 3-3 WAC)

Aug. 30	Southern Utah	W, 24-23
Sept. 6	at Oregon	L, 23-31
Sept. 18	at San Jose State	W, 42-30
Sept. 27	SMU	W, 12-9
Oct. 4	UNLV	L, 12-16
Oct. 11	at Washington	W, 28-17
Oct. 18	at Tulsa	W, 28-21
Oct. 25	Louisiana Tech	L, 34-42
Nov. 1	at Rice	L, 42-52
Nov. 8	Fresno State	L, 10-27
Today	Hawaii
Nov. 29	at Boise State

Per-game comparison

Hawaii	Category	Nevada
32.7	Scoring	26.8
90.4	Rushing	176.1
384.8	Passing	229.2
475.2	Total Offense	405.3
23.9	First Downs	20.7
4.7	FD Rushing	10.1
17.0	FD Passing	9.0
2.2	FD Penalty	1.6
28.1	Points Allowed	26.8
175.3	Rushing Allowed	179.4
213.9	Passing Allowed	214.2
389.2	Total Offense Allowed	393.6
7-4	Interceptions -- Yards	12-148
39.7	Punting	39.9
65-588	Penalties	65-572
15-8	Fumbles-lost	12-7
28:18	Time of Possession	28:36
43-120	Third Down Conversion	57-146
6-12	Fourth Down Conversion	5-13

Key players

Rushing	A	Yards	Avg	TD
West Keli'ikipi, UH	37	247	6.7	6
John West, UH	37	238	6.4	2
Chance Kretschmer, UN	209	1,034	4.9	11
B.J. Mitchell, UN	61	314	5.1	3

Passing	A	C	I	Yards	TD
Tim Chang, UH	426	260	13	2,951	20
Jason Whieldon, UH	56	31	3	469	5
Andy Heiser, UN	270	139	8	2,028	13
Jeff Rowe, UN	47	22	3	259	1

Receiving	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Chad Owens, UH	50	685	13.7	6
Jeremiah Cockheran, UH	38	583	15.3	6
Nichiren Flowers, UN	28	306	10.9	2
Maurice Mann, UN	26	476	18.3	2

Tackles	S	A	Tot	FL/S
Ikaika Curnan, UH	48	34	82	7/2
Hyrum Peters, UH	44	19	63	4/3
Chad Kalilimoku, UH	29	30	59	7/2
Abraham Elimimian, UH	38	14	52	2/0
Travis LaBoy, UH	38	13	51	14/9
Jorge Cordova, UN	48	41	89	15.5/11.5
Daryl Towns, UN	46	34	80	5/2
Logan Carter, UN	51	25	76	2.5/1
Keone Kauo, UN	51	20	71	3/0
Nick Hawthorne, UN	42	27	69	5/1

WAC standings

	CONFERENCE	OVERALL
	W	L	Pct	W	L	Pct	Str
Boise State	4	0	1.000	8	1	.889	W6
Hawaii	5	1	.833	6	3	.667	W4
Fresno State	4	1	.800	6	4	.600	W3
Tulsa	4	2	.667	6	4	.600	W3
Louisiana Tech	3	3	.500	5	5	.500	W1
Nevada	3	3	.500	5	5	.500	L3
Rice	2	3	.400	2	7	.222	L1
San Jose State	2	4	.333	3	6	.333	W1
UTEP	1	4	.200	2	8	.200	L4
SMU	0	7	.000	0	10	.000	L10

Today

Louisiana Tech at Tulsa
UTEP at Boise State
Hawaii at Nevada
Rice at SMU
San Jose State at Fresno State