[ UH FOOTBALL ]
Offensive threats hope
for a repeat performance
The most effective offensive weapons from both teams are back for Alabama at Hawaii, Part II, tomorrow at Aloha Stadium.
For the Crimson Tide, it's running back Shaud Williams. Williams rushed 23 times for a game-high 160 yards and a touchdown in Alabama's 21-16 win over UH last season.
Williams has had a tremendous senior year and is a semifinalist for the Doak Walker award, which goes to the top college running back in the nation.
He has 1,262 rushing yards in 262 attempts, with 13 touchdowns. Alabama's single-season rushing record is 1,471 yards by Bobby Humphrey in 1986.
The Warriors' Jeremiah Cockheran had the best game of his career last year against Alabama, catching nine passes for 207 yards and a 70-yard touchdown.
"I didn't expect to have a game against them like I did," Cockheran said. "Hopefully this year I can repeat the same thing -- if not the same thing, whatever to help the team win."
Cockheran got off to a fast start this season with four touchdown catches in UH's first two games. But a recurring ankle sprain kept him out of two games and limited his effectiveness in others. He has 44 receptions for 647 yards and six touchdowns.
Owens ready, Ma'afala iffy: UH receiver Chad Owens practiced yesterday after missing most of the previous two workouts with turf toe.
"He's ready to go," receivers coach Ron Lee said.
Defensive tackle Abu Ma'afala (shoulder sprain) also returned to practice yesterday, but shrugged when asked if he'll be ready to play tomorrow.
Alabama will be without left tackle Wesley Britt, an All-America candidate who was lost for the season with a broken ankle during the Oct. 25 five-overtime loss to Tennessee. He was replaced by 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior Atlas Herrion.
Run it back: Alabama has scored on four different kinds of returns this season, for a total of six touchdowns.
The most recent was sophomore Brandon Brooks' 96-yard kickoff return in last week's 28-23 loss to Auburn. It was the Tide's first TD return on a kickoff since Shaun Alexander went 73 yards against Louisiana Tech in 1999.
Happy meals: When Alabama came to Hawaii last year, the Crimson Tide's charter plane was stuck in Oakland, Calif., for much of Thanksgiving, and the traveling party settled for a dinner of Popeye's chicken -- not that it's a bad meal, but it's not quite a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, either.
This time the Tide came in a day earlier. Alabama settled into its Hilton Hawaiian Village digs on Wednesday.
"We're going to have a nice buffet dinner tonight," coach Mike Shula said after practice yesterday. "Some of the families will be joining us. It'll be nice to have all of us together."
Short yardage: Alabama sold 3,500 tickets for tomorrow's game. ... Count the Crimson Tide among the teams that prefer Aloha Stadium's new FieldTurf to the previous AstroTurf surface. "(Alabama quarterback) Tyler Watts was cut up like with a razor blade last year," Alabama media relations director Larry White said.
Many happy returns
Alabama's 2003 touchdowns on returns
Player Yds Type Opponent Charlie Peprah 59 int USF Shaud Williams 73 punt USF Charles Jones 33 punt Georgia Juwan Garth 10 fumble Georgia Chris James 44 punt Ole Miss Brandon Brooks 96 kickoff Auburn
