Friday, September 17, 1999
Broncos good match
for ’Bows
Boise State's aggressive defense
and West Coast offense could present
problems for Hawaii as the 'Bows
seek their second win in a rowUniversity of Hawaii Football
1999 season specialBy Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinBoise State has no interest in becoming June Jones' first Division I victim.
The Broncos arrived yesterday from Idaho with the belief that they match up well enough with the Rainbows to secure their second victory of the season.
Granted, they're no Southern California, but they are every bit as good as Eastern Illinois and could pose problems tomorrow night at Aloha Stadium if the Rainbows don't strap on their helmets.
"This is a good football team that played UCLA closer than we did USC and beat a Division I-AA team like we did last week," Jones said. "We've got to come ready to play, limit our mistakes and be aggressive on defense."
Aggressive defense is the motto of Boise State head coach Dirk Koetter. As Jones put it yesterday, "Did they do any blitzing on their way from the plane to the bus?"
Coming hard from all angles is the way Koetter does business. He believes properly applied pressure causes mistakes. The Broncos blitz from off the edge and up the middle, using linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks alike.
"On film, they come at you from everywhere," UH senior quarterback Dan Robinson said. "We have to be aware of our keys and try to make a play on them before they do on us."
Boise State will line up in a 4-2-5 defense. Free safety Quintin Mikell and linebacker Bryan Johnson are two players Hawaii needs to keep an eye on. So far this season, Boise State has three quarterback sacks and five hurries. They also have 10 tackles for losses.
"This is going to be a tough game for us because we are going from a team like Southern Utah that is primarily running, to a team like Hawaii that is primarily passing," Koetter said. "But that's the beauty of college football. It's different every week.
"Last week, we played against a nine-man front on defense. And this week, we're facing a team that likes the zone blitz. It keeps life interesting, doesn't it?"
Life has been very interesting for Koetter, who enters his second season as the Broncos' head coach. Five years ago, Koetter took part in the 1994 Aloha Bowl as the offensive coordinator for Boston College. Two years later, he held the same position at Oregon before being named the head coach of Boise State in 1997.
The Broncos finished 6-5 during his rookie campaign and are looking to compete for the Big West championship this season. The 40-year-old already has established himself as a young coach with a solid offensive mind.
Senior quarterback Bart Hendricks has adjusted well to his coach's style of play. With a West Coast foundation, Koetter likes to pass, but he'll mix in the run to keep defenses honest.
"We lost most of our skill people from a year ago," Koetter said. "So, we're still looking at seven or eight people at wideout and three or four at running back.
"Having Bart at quarterback helps because he understands what we're trying to get done on the field. We have some good players coming up, who will be looking to maybe establish themselves this Saturday night."
Running back Davy Malaythong is at the head of his class. In two games, he has 125 yards rushing on 28 carries. Wideout Billy Wingfield and tight end Dave Stachelski have combined to catch 29 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown. At the center of this offensive attack is Hendricks. The quarterback has completed 30 of 58 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. He has also thrown four interceptions.
"Their quarterback is a good one who moves around back there trying to make plays," UH defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. "We've got to try to keep him contained as much as possible."
McMackin's defense is a little banged up. The only player not expected to suit up is safety Daniel Ho-Ching, who dislocated his shoulder last week. But three linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs have missed time over the past few weeks.
"The good thing is, most everyone is healthy enough to play," Jones said. "We made some progress last week in all phases of the game. But we have to keep improving in order to be competitive the rest of the way."
UH vs. Boise State
When: 6:05 p.m., tomorrow
