Warriors patching up The offensive line was the Hawaii football team's most stable and consistently effective unit most of the past season. But late-season injuries to center Lui Fuata, left guard Shayne Kajioka and left tackle Wayne Hunter -- all starters -- disrupted that continuity.
ailing O-line
Injuries could force Hawaii to make
big changes going into
tomorrow’s bowl gameBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comKajioka has returned from a strained knee. But Fuata is out with a torn ACL. That, combined with Hunter's lower back spasms, could cause major changes in the Warriors offensive front five for tomorrow's ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl game against Tulane.
Hunter practiced yesterday, splitting time with Uriah Moenoa (normally the starting right tackle). Moenoa has also worked out at center, where freshman Derek Faavi started the last two games. Sophomore Ryan Santos has taken most of the reps this week at right tackle, and might start.
UH offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh and head coach June Jones declined yesterday to say who would start where.
"Those are going to be game-time decisions," Cavanaugh said.
What: ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl UH vs. Tulane
When: Tomorrow, 3:05 p.m.
Where: Aloha Stadium
Tickets: $15 special, $25 general, $40 premium. Available at Aloha Stadium and Stan Sheriff Center or by phone at 484-1122 on Oahu or 1-800-291-3999.
TV: Live on ESPN.
Radio: 1420-AM.
Senior guard and team captain Vince Manuwai said on Sunday he thinks Santos will start at right tackle.
"He will definitely get some playing time," Jones said earlier in the week.
Santos went into last spring as the projected starter at right tackle, with Moenoa at center and Fuata at left guard. But Kajioka performed so well at left guard that Santos ended up being left out of the starting lineup and did not play much during the season.
"I'm glad I'm getting another opportunity," he said.
With the same five starters -- Hunter, Kajioka, Fuata, Manuwai and Moenoa -- in the first 11 games, UH allowed only 12 sacks. But Alabama and San Diego State sacked Hawaii quarterback Tim Chang a combined seven times in the last two games.
Hawaii, which led the Western Athletic Conference in fewest sacks against most of the season, is now second with 19. Rice allowed 14 in 11 games.
However the Warriors align, they will have to hold off a talented and veteran Tulane defensive front. Roxie Shelvin, Floyd Dorsey, Marlon Tickles and Kenan Blackmon are all seniors and have combined for 599 tackles in 169 career games.
Blackmon is Tulane's all-time sack leader with 20 1/2. Dorsey is second with 19 1/2.
"They've got a good front four that can bring a good pass rush," Jones said.
On Hawaii's defense, All-WAC safety Hyrum Peters is out, Jones said yesterday. The junior who made 77 tackles and intercepted a team-high four passes cannot run well enough to play after spraining his knee last month against Alabama.
"Hyrum won't play," Jones said.
He will be replaced again by second-year freshman Leonard Peters. Leonard Peters, who went into fall camp as a starter before being sidelined by an injury, made 19 tackles and recovered a fumble in eight games, mostly as a special teams player.
Short yardage: Tulane defensive coordinator Eric Schumann was an assistant with Southern Methodist when the Mustangs came to Hawaii in 1998 and 2000. ... The Green Wave players gave mixed reviews of the Hawaiian food at a luau on Saturday. "They had a lot of stuff that I didn't even know what it was, but the roasted pig was good," offensive lineman Will Blaylock said. ... This is the first time in its four bowl appearances that Hawaii is favored to win. ... The tickets-distributed count for tomorrow's game was at 33,600 at 4 p.m. yesterday, Hawaii Bowl executive director Jim Donovan said. (That includes 10,000 tickets purchased by Tulane and Conference USA, many of which will go unused. The Hawaii Bowl is working on re-distributing the tickets to underprivileged children and military personnel.)
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