Saturday, November 17, 2001

[ UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL ]

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UH, Miami try for
rebound victory

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By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

For the third time in four games, the Hawaii football team faces an opponent trying to bounce back from a big loss.

Tonight, though, is different. The Warriors will attempt to do the same.

When UH and Miami (Ohio) get together at Aloha Stadium at 6:05 p.m., the team with the best resiliency has a key advantage.

The Warriors (6-3) had their Western Athletic Conference title hopes dashed in a 28-21 loss to Boise State last Saturday, just a few hours after the RedHawks (7-3) lost 27-21 to Marshall in what amounted to the Mid-American Conference East championship game.

Hawaii had a five-game winning streak snapped, and Miami lost for the first time after seven victories.

RedHawks vs. Warriors Who: Miami (Ohio) (7-3) vs. Hawaii (6-3) Where: Aloha Stadium When: 6:05 p.m. today TV: KFVE (tape), 10 p.m. Radio: KCCN-1420 live. Of note: This is the first time the schools meet in football.

"We had a tough game, very similar to Hawaii's game with Boise," RedHawk coach Terry Hoeppner said. "Very emotional and hard fought. It's one of those where you have to win the game. We didn't win ours and they didn't win theirs. Whichever team bounces back best will win this one. We're very resilient. We're a young team, but sometimes they don't know what they don't know and maybe that will give us an advantage."

UH is a 7-point favorite, but Hawaii coach June Jones said underestimating Miami would be a huge mistake. Plus, a bowl game could be on the line for the RedHawks.

"They're a good football team. They've got athletes, they've got good schemes," Jones said. "Their conference is a very good conference. They have lost to people -- they're probably playing over their heads -- but they battled them and they played pretty good."

In addition to No. 24 Marshall, Miami also fell to No. 11 Michigan and Iowa. But the losses to the Big Ten teams were at the beginning of the season, when RedHawk freshman quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was still getting his bearings.

Since then, Roethlisberger has established himself as one of the MAC's best players. He's thrown for 2,415 yards and 21 touchdowns while completing 62 percent of his passes. Roethlisberger has been intercepted only 11 times.

But Hawaii's defense is well-tested against strong passing offenses. The Warriors, who lead the WAC with 21.3 points allowed per game, have come up with 20 turnovers in the past six contests.

"They attack you on defense," Hoeppner said.

Two of UH's top defenders, outside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and defensive end Travis Laboy, are out for the second consecutive game with injuries, though.

The Warriors' defense played well in the second half last Saturday, until a grind-it-out drive by Boise State in the final minutes decided the outcome. Missed assignments hurt UH on the final drive.

Jones said Hawaii must execute better in all phases; the offense was inconsistent and UH gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return.

"Guys have got to know what they're doing and just do it. (Mistakes) happen at every level, the pros," he said. "The same mistakes we made in this game are made at all levels."

Roethlisberger is coming off the first game of his career without a touchdown pass. He and Hawaii quarterback Nick Rolovich need to regain any lost confidence. Rolovich had not lost as UH's starter this season until Saturday.

"He took a little step back last week, but some of that wasn't his fault," Jones said of Rolovich, who couldn't engineer a last-minute winning drive as he did two weeks prior against Fresno State.

The RedHawks have allowed 191.6 passing yards per outing, and the Warriors put up an average of 336.4 via the airways.

As usual, Rolovich will need time to make the multiple reads the run-and-shoot calls for. Miami's defensive line will come into play. "They're big up front, they've got a 350-pounder up there, but our (offensive) line's played well against everyone this year," Rolovich said.

Some might debate the last statement. UH has given up a WAC-worst 30 sacks this season for 196 yards, after allowing only 10 in 2000.

Hoeppner fears Hawaii's speed on offense, especially since this is his team's first game on artificial turf this season. Receivers Ashley Lelie, Justin Colbert, Channon Harris and Craig Stutzmann, and running backs Mike Bass and Thero Mitchell are all threats.

"They're a great turf team. They throw a lot of quick screens and spread you out. They've done a good job of getting the kind of players they need for their system," said Hoeppner, who has been familiar with the run-and-shoot since his Franklin College team ran the offense in 1966.

Hawaii's homefield advantage is considered one of the best in college football, and this is Miami's first trip to the islands.

"People say it's a hard trip but until you actually do it you don't really know," said Hoeppner, who ran his team through a 212-hour practice Thursday at sizzling Aloha Stadium. "I know we won't be quite on Hawaii time, but we're going to try. There's no magic formula. Normally it comes down to who has the best football team, who blocks, tackles, throws, catches and plays special teams. They win the football game.

"We worked up a good sweat, probably more than we do on a Thursday. The game's a little later on Saturday, so I think we'll be ready to go."

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

MIAMI

Offense

WR	80	Jason Branch (6-6, 218, JR)
LT	78	Joe Costello (6-6, 318, SR)
LG	54	Frank Smith (6-3, 285, SO)
C	77	Paul Thaler (6-3, 292, SR)
RG	63	Justin Smith (6-5, 290, JR)
RT	71	Ben Herrell (6-7, 296, SO)
TE	84	Robert Frazier (6-4, 246, SR)
QB	7	Ben Roethlisberger (6-5, 209, FR)
FB	32	Julian Goodman (6-1, 241, SR)
TB	25	Steve Little (5-10, 207, SR)
WR	4	Eddie Tillitz (5-9, 174, JR)
WR	13	Chauncey Henry (6-1, 206, JR)

Defense

LE	92	Bob Petrovic (6-5, 246, SR)
LT	96	Gino DiGiandomenico (6-4, 277, SR)
RT	56	Ryan Terry (6-2, 327, JR)
RE	57	Phil Smith (6-1, 246, SO)
LB	17	Matt Robillard (6-3, 220, JR)
LB	3	Terrell Jones (5-9, 210, SO)
LB	21	Eddie Price (5-11, 221, JR)
CB	18	Milt Bowen (6-2, 206, JR)
SS	19	Matt Pusateri (5-11, 195, FR)
FS	5	Rod Clark (5-8, 188, SR)
CB	1	Michael Adams (5-9, 177, SR)

Special teams

P	16	Mike Wafzig (6-4, 220, FR)
PK	26	Jared Parseghian (5-10, 186, FR)
Hold	14	J.D. Vonderheide (6-0, 180, SO)
PR	4	Eddie Tillitz (5-9, 174, JR)
KR	18	Milt Bowen (6-2, 206, 6-2, 206, JR)
Snap	53	Scott Sagehorn (6-3, 212, JR)

HAWAII

Offense

WR	18	Justin Colbert (5-7, 160, JR)
WR	85	Channon Harris (5-8, 151, SR)
LT	53	Lui Fuata (6-2, 313, JR)
LG	76	Manly Kanoa (6-4, 320, SR)
C	66	Brian Smith (6-2, 284, SR)
RG	65	Vince Manuwai (6-2, 285, JR)
RT	69	Uriah Moenoa (6-4, 331, FR)
WR	2	Craig Stutzmann (5-11, 194, SR)
WR	8	Ashley Lelie (6-3, 187, JR)
QB	12	Nick Rolovich (6-2, 200, SR)
RB	1	Mike Bass (5-6, 158, FR)

Defense

LE	58	La'anui Correa (6-4, 267, JR)
LT	70	Mike Iosua (6-3, 270, SR)
RT	92	Lance Samuseva (5-11, 285, SO)
RE	6	Joe Correia (6-3, 240, SR)
LB	44	Matt Wright (6-1, 222, JR)
LB	54	Chris Brown (6-2, 258, JR)
LB	46	Keani Alapa (6-0, 222, SO)
CB	33	Hyrum Peters (5-8, 190, SO)
CB	17	Kelvin Millhouse (6-1, 198, SO)
S	3	Jacob Espiau (5-10, 196, SR)
S	13	Nate Jackson (5-10, 163, SR)

Special teams

P	49	Mat McBriar (6-1, 202, JR)
PK	47	Justin Ayat (5-11, 203, FR)
Hold	22	Jared Flint (6-5, 210, SR)
PR	82	Chad Owens (5-8, 175, FR)
KR	82	Chad Owens (5-8, 175, FR)
Snap	66	Brian Smith (6-2, 284, SR)

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii