When people asked prior to the season how Hawaii would do in football, I said the Warriors could be a pretty good team, maybe win nine or 10 games (including the Hawaii Bowl). I picked 'em to finish second in the WAC.

While that remains possible, it doesn't seem likely unless some major problems are solved, starting now (actually, starting nearly two weeks ago, when preparations began for tonight's conference opener against San Jose State).

My preseason optimism stemmed largely from looking more at what the team had coming back than what it was losing. Sure, it would be impossible to replace Colt Brennan and his receivers, but the experienced defense was supposed to hold the fort while the offense learned the run-and-shoot.

But three games into the season a turnover-plagued offense has yet to find its rhythm and continues to shuffle players at the two places you really don't want to - quarterback and offensive line (mostly, but not only, because of injuries). The receivers haven't come close to filling the fast shoes of their predecessors.

And a banged-up defense hasn't made the expected big plays.

But what I really didn't count on was the week-to-week erosion of the special teams. One question comes to mind.

Where have you gone, Guyton Galdeira?

For those of you who didn't already know, the answer is he skipped his senior season this year to turn pro ... as a dancer.

Can't blame him. He wasn't on scholarship. And for entertainers, when the offer is there you gotta go (even more than athletes). Last time I saw him was at the scholar-athlete dinner this past spring; Galdeira's absence hurts the team GPA as well as the kickoff coverage.

His name didn't appear with Brennan, Bess, RGM, Rivers and Lafaele under “;key losses”; in the preseason mags, but it should have.

Of course, one player gone shouldn't significantly affect the entire special teams effort; but it's actually at least three guys - Timo Paepule and Galdeira pumped up their teammates and blew up ball carriers, and speedy C.J. Hawthorne is good enough for the 3-0 Buffalo Bills' practice squad.

“;We have a lot of the same guys, but losing Guyton hurt,”; senior long snapper Jake Ingram said. “;He inspired people, and he hit people.”;

And he did it while listed at 5-feet-7 and 155 pounds. He may have been 155, but the 5-7 was Bill Gates generous.

The Warriors have a player now, Richard Torres, whom they call “;Little Guyton,”; for his ferocity on kickoff coverage and attention to detail. Torres is listed at 5-7 and 170, so the term “;little”; is figurative here in comparison to the gargantuan Galdeira, who left a void much larger than his physical presence.

Spencer Smith is a rising special teams star, too, and Tyson Kafentzis has a family legacy of productive chaos.

But is UH's two-week kicking game makeover too little, too late? Special teams coordinator Ikaika Malloe remembers Tricky Dick Tomey's special teams escapades as Hawaii coach and experienced some of them first-hand when he played at Washington and Tomey was at Arizona.

“;We've got to be ready for anything,”; Malloe said. “;And we've got some crazy guys to do the job. The size of them might surprise some people, but they can do it.”;

Tonight's outcome - and UH's season - could hinge on it.