Dooley gives Dogs some bite

MONROE, La. » June Jones knows Vince Dooley pretty well, having played and coached in Atlanta when Dooley was the legendary coach and athletic director at Georgia.

Jones has no doubt that Dooley's son, Derek, is his own man. But when it comes to coaching football, Jones believes he will tend to be like the old man.

"Their thing is to be physical, show they are tougher than you are and control the game," Jones said. "It's no secret they will want to run the ball."

This time, the No. 20 Warriors may have the defensive fortitude to stop LaTech's ground game, as they did last year in Hawaii. Two years ago in Ruston, it was the opposite, as the Bulldogs' dominance on the ground allowed them to control the entire game.

Here's what to watch for as UH tries to win its first road game of the season:

When Hawaii has the ball

The good news from practice in Houston yesterday and Thursday is that center John Estes had no problem going through the paces despite an infected cut that kept him on the sideline Wednesday. Estes is the key to the UH line, in the mental sense of reading defenses and making the proper blocking calls, and in the physical sense of efficiently snapping the ball to Colt Brennan and making the correct blocks himself.

Brennan continues to throw with machine-like efficiency in practices, and is coming off a 34-for-40, 416-yard, six-touchdown passing performance. It is more stunning when considering it was done in one half. One record that nearly got lost in the shuffle is Brennan breaking an NCAA mark previously held by Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury for completion percentage in a game (40 or more passes).

"We have to find a way to slow down the best quarterback in the nation and probably the best offense," Derek Dooley said.

Tony Moss intercepted three passes for the Bulldogs last week, and fellow starting corner Weldon Brown and linebacker Anthony Crosby picked off one each to make it five. That's the same number Brennan allowed in the first eight games of last season -- total.

"You try to pick up tendencies (on tape)," Moss said in trying to stop Brennan. "You don't try to read him, just try to execute your defense. The biggest thing is minimize mental errors."

When Louisiana Tech has the ball

Running back Patrick Jackson may be the WAC's most underrated offensive skill position player. Jackson averaged 5.0 yards per carry last year while piling up 854 and seven touchdowns.

But Dooley wasn't totally pleased with his team's offense in the 28-7 win over Central Arkansas.

"We did a good job of running the football. But there were a lot of mistakes up front. The big thing is to improve execution of our passing game and we've got to continue to improve details of the running game. We've got to find some ways to hit some plays throwing the ball."

Quarterback Zac Champion couldn't find receivers in last year's game, and it cost him and the Bulldogs as UH won a 61-17 blowout. LaTech didn't need to pass in 2005.

Defensive end Karl Noa played in 2005 as a slim end on a three-man front, and the Bulldogs ran through the Warriors for 327 yards. Noa has beefed up 20 pounds to 251 and is now in a position more suited for him as end in the 4-3.

The Bulldogs line includes senior tackles Tyler Miller and Ryan Considine. Noa, Mike Lafaele, Fale Laeli, Amani Purcell and other defensive linemen need to keep guards Ben Harris and Bill Jones and center Lon Roberts off the UH linebackers, so they can deal effectively with Jackson.

Brad Kalilimoku shined in place of injured Blaze Soares last week with 10 tackles at strongside linebacker in little more than one half.

Special teams

The Bulldogs almost got a check mark for special teams after punter Chris Keagle took WAC Player of the Week honors with six boots for 49.8 yards and Jackson returned two kicks for 61 yards.

But UH returned a punt (Mike Washington, 80 yards) and kickoff (Malcolm Lane, 94 yards) for touchdowns -- both by backup return guys. Also, Keenan Jones blocked an extra-point try.

The Warriors know they are dealing with a better class of athlete this week, so long returns (and preventing them by the Bulldogs) will require even more precision. Special teams also need what June Jones calls "subconscious confidence" from the blockers to move on to the next level and get in another block.

LaTech's Danny Horwedel averaged 64 yards per kickoff last week. UH's Dan Kelly averaged 59.8 in 10 kicks, a number Jones found unacceptable, though he did concede, "We may have worn him out."

KEY MATCHUP

Hawaii passing vs. Louisiana Tech pass defense

Even if Louisiana Tech is able to move the ball against the Warriors the way they did in 2005, the Bulldogs still have to find a way to handcuff the nation's most prolific passing attack to have a chance to win.

"Certainly nobody's proven that they can stop (Hawaii's offense). And I'm not sure how you slow it down," Dooley said. "Somehow, you gotta find a way to affect the rhythm of Colt. It all starts there."

Brennan and Inoke Funaki threw scoring passes to six different receivers last week.

"I think it says a lot about the weapons we have," Brennan said.

Even if corners Tony Moss and Weldon Brown shutdown wideouts Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorne, slotbacks Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins have to be dealt with, as well as shovel passes to the running backs.

"Tackling is a premium, because they're going to complete passes, a lot of passes. But the quicker you get their guys on the ground and the more you make 'em work for it, I think that is a critical part of the game," Dooley said. "And you gotta play real good in the red zone ... make 'em kick field goals -- that will have a lot to do with slowing 'em down. Now how you do it, if you got any answers on that, let me know."