Warriors hit USC
with questions

Hawaii has seemed to be
at a turning point every time
coach June Jones has faced USC

In 1999, June Jones' coaching tenure at Hawaii began with a sellout at Aloha Stadium against USC. After a 62-7 loss to the Trojans (Hawaii's 19th defeat in a row), UH went 9-3 the rest of the season, including a 23-17 victory over Oregon State in the Oahu Bowl. Jones was national coach of the year.

Two years ago, Hawaii went to USC thinking upset. The Warriors were a veteran team coming off a 10-4 season the year before and a 40-17 win over Appalachian State to open the season two weeks earlier. But sophomore Matt Leinart's first start at quarterback for USC ended with a 61-32 Trojans win that wasn't as close as the score. Hawaii regrouped to finish 9-5, including a 54-48 win over Houston in the Hawaii Bowl.

Today, UH is a team in transition again, with more similarities to 1999 than 2003. And its first opponent is an even more spectacular collection of Trojan talent. The two-time defending national champions are a five-touchdown favorite at sold-out Aloha Stadium.

USC is led by Heisman Trophy winner Leinart, who might not even be the best player on his team. All-purpose back Reggie Bush has a legitimate chance to win the stiff-arm statuette this year.

The Warriors are rebuilding their offense after losing seven starters, including quarterback Tim Chang (the NCAA career passing-yardage leader) and receiver/returner Chad Owens (a second-team All-American). They hope their defense is better than the second-to-last in the nation of last year with the addition of coordinator Jerry Glanville.

Jones, who sounded a confident tone to start previous seasons when Chang was the starting quarterback, is as curious as everyone else to see how new QBs Tyler Graunke and Colt Brennan perform in their first Division I college game.

Both will play today, Jones said.

"At times both have done pretty much everything well (in practice)," Jones said. "They're both very competitive and very accurate passers.

"We're gonna be excited to play on national television (ESPN2) against USC, but we have a lot of questions about our team," Jones added. "We have young people at the skill positions on offense. We're just gonna hold onto our rear ends and play hard."

Graunke, a second-year freshman, said the Warriors offense might not be what the Trojans have prepared to play against.

"We've got some wrinkles we think they won't be expecting," Graunke said. "I think we're going to add a whole new dimension to the run-and-shoot and they won't be ready for it."

Graunke and Brennan will operate behind an experienced offensive line. Their receiving targets are inexperienced, but freshman slotback Davone Bess is an exciting talent and is expected to start.

USC lost four of its top defensive players from last season, but fifth-year Trojans coach Pete Carroll said this is his fastest group of defenders

"Speed is always essential for a terrific defense, but more than that speed can cover up for errors ... and issues that come up when guys are not doing the right thing," Carroll said. "You can pursue and catch up and make some plays. I am hoping that the speed of this defense will make a difference for us."

Glanville spent the spring and fall camps improving the tempo of Hawaii's defense, which will attempt to barrage the Trojans with pressure from all angles, the way Glanville's over-achieving defenses did two decades ago in the NFL at Houston and Atlanta.

"We're probably over-ready," Glanville said Tuesday. "You get to that point where you've gone over everything. I think they know what to do against what. What we're trying to get accomplished. I think we're ready."

But the Warriors were still trying to figure out an important part of their defense this week: nose tackle. A half-dozen players got serious looks during fall camp and a starter was not announced after junior Renolds Fruean, No. 1 on the depth chart, was ruled out with a hip injury.

"Every single player who played for me in the National Football League asked one question. Do you have a nose? I think we'll know Sunday," Glanville said.

Converted end Tony Akpan, a former basketball player, was getting a lot of reps there this week.

"What they're asking from me is something I think I can do," Akpan said.

Glanville has his hand print on the special teams, too, and the Warriors hope that could be an equalizer as they try to block kicks. But the Trojans have one of the best kick returners in the nation in Bush -- plus many of the country's top high school athletes of the previous two seasons to block for him and cover kicks, including true freshman linebacker Kaluka Maiava, a 2005 Baldwin graduate.

The game's biggest mismatch on paper is USC's talented wide receivers -- Steve Smith, Dwayne Jarrett and Patrick Turner -- against Hawaii's inexperienced cornerbacks, sophomores Keao Monteilh and Ryan Keomaka. Kenny Patton and Turmarian Moreland were expected to start, but Patton (knee surgery) is out and Moreland (knee soreness) won't be at full effectiveness.

Jones wants today to at least be a learning experience for all of his young Warriors. History shows a bad early loss to the Trojans does not ruin a UH season.

"Hopefully by midseason we'll be a pretty good football team," he said.

Probable starters

USC Trojans

SE	8	Dwayne Jarrett	6-5	210	So.
LT	79	Sam Baker	6-5	305	So.
LG	71	Taitusi Lutui	6-6	365	Sr.
C	67	Ryan Kalil	6-3	285	Jr.
RG	51	Fred Matua	6-2	305	Jr.
RT	74	Winston Justice	6-6	300	Jr.
TE	86	Dominique Byrd	6-3	260	Sr.
FL	2	Steve Smith	6-0	195	Jr.
QB	11	Matt Leinart	6-5	225	Sr.
FB	37	David Kirtman	6-0	230	Sr.
TB	5	Reggie Bush	6-0	200	Jr.

DEFENSE

DE	96	Lawrence Jackson	6-5	265	So.
NT	49	Sedrick Ellis	6-1	285	So.
DT	98	LaJuan Ramsey	6-3	290	Sr.
DE	90	Frostee Rucker	6-3	260	Sr.
OLB	42	Dallas Sartz	6-5	230	Sr.
MLB	45	Oscar Lua	6-1	240	Jr.
OLB	55	Keith Rivers	6-3	220	So.
CB	24	Justin Wyatt	5-10	185	Sr.
FS	29	Scott Ware	6-2	215	Sr.
SS	20	Darnell Bing	6-2	220	Sr.
CB	28	Terrell Thomas	6-1	195	So.

SPECIALISTS

P	14	Tom Malone	6-0	205	Sr.
OR	18	Taylor Odegard	5-9	170	Fr.
FG	19	Mario Danelo	5-10	185	So.
KO	17	Troy Van Blarcom	6-3	210	Fr.
PR	5	Reggie Bush	6-0	200	Jr.
KR	5	Reggie Bush	6-0	200	Jr.
LS	50	Will Collins	6-2	220	So.
H	14	Tom Malone	6-0	205	Sr.

Hawaii Warriors

Z	82	Ross Dickerson	5-10	185	Jr.
H	2	Jason Ferguson	5-5	163	So.
LT	70	Tala Esera	6-4	295	Jr.
LG	64	Samson Satele	6-3	311	Jr.
C	59	Derek Fa'avi	6-1	273	Sr.
RG	66	Brandon Eaton	6-2	297	Sr.
RT	72	Dane Uperesa	6-5	331	Jr.
Y	7	Davone Bess	5-10	187	Fr.
X	81	Ian Sample	5-10	189	Sr.
QB	6	Tyler Graunke	5-11	175	Fr.
or	15	Colt Brennan	6-3	190	Jr.
RB	3	Bryan Maneafaiga	5-9	200	Sr.

DEFENSE

DE	1	Kila Kamakawiwo'ole	6-3	237	Sr.
DT	98	Melila Purcell	6-5	266	Sr.
NT	90	Tony Akpan	6-6	294	Sr.
or	69	Reagan Mauia	6-0	320	Jr.
DE	91	Ikaika Alama-Francis	6-5	260	Jr.
LB	45	Tanuvasa Moe	6-0	225	Sr.
LB	51	Ikaika Curnan	5-10	242	Sr.
LB	43	Brad Kalilimoku	5-10	204	So.
CB	9	Ryan Keomaka	5-10	168	So.
FS	42	Leonard Peters	6-1	199	Sr.
SS	15	Lono Manners	5-10	199	Sr.
CB	35	Keao Monteilh	5-11	170	So.

SPECIALISTS

P	25	Kurt Milne	5-11	208	Jr.
PK	99	Dan Kelly	6-3	199	Fr.
PR	2	Jason Ferguson	5-5	163	So.
KR	5	Michael Washington	5-7	160	Fr.
LS	45	Tanuvasa Moe	6-0	225	Sr.
H	25	Kurt Milne	5-11	208	Jr.

Schedules

USC

HAWAII