AD told beware of BCS

» BCS could expand pool

» Watson’s a thinker

Herman Frazier isn't into conspiracy theories, but he has friends who are.

The Hawaii athletic director said colleagues from non-BCS schools have warned him that the big conferences will do anything within their power to keep UH out of a lucrative BCS bowl game, even if the Warriors go 12-0.

WAC FOOTBALL Boise State (10-1, 7-0 WAC) at Hawaii (10-0, 7-0) » Friday, 4 p.m. » Aloha Stadium » TV: ESPN2 » Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM

The first step is for No. 14 UH to win the conference championship by beating No. 17 Boise State at sold-out Aloha Stadium on Friday.

The Broncos crashed the BCS party last year, beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl and bringing millions of dollars to the WAC. For the Warriors to do the same, they will most likely have to finish ranked in the top 12 of the BCS standings after completing the season with Boise State and Washington on Dec. 1.

"(Athletic directors from) non-BCS schools think people don't want us to be in that position. ... They say, 'Herm, there's guys at some of those schools that don't want you there. Look and see who's won nine games and is on the BCS bubble,' " Frazier said. "That's OK, that's why you play the game, that's part of the business. For 21 years I worked at one of the haves (Arizona State). The last eight years I have not. I've seen both sides of it."

Frazier also said he is happy with UH's efforts to work with Aloha Stadium on improving fan safety after complaints by a Fresno State fan after the Bulldogs played here two weeks ago.

The stadium is increasing its police and security presence for Friday's game, and coach June Jones is doing public service announcements promoting sportsmanship and the aloha spirit.

The Broncos, who have beaten UH all six times they've met in WAC play, were scheduled to arrive today.

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BCS could expand pool

NEW YORK » The Bowl Championship Series will expand the pool of teams eligible for at-large bids if it's faced with a shortage of qualified contenders when the season is over.

BCS rules state a team must have at least nine victories and finish in the top 14 of the final standings to qualify for an at-large bid to one of the five marquee bowl games. But because no conference can have more than two teams, including its champion, in the BCS, officials were facing the possibility of not having enough eligible teams to fill the 10 spots this season.

The BCS announced yesterday that if fewer than 10 of the top 14 teams in the standings are eligible for an at-large bid, the qualifying standard will extend to the top 18. If enough teams are still not available, the standard would be pushed back four spots until the pool is big enough to fill all the bowls.

Fifteenth-place Hawaii and 19th-place Boise State from the WAC are vying for an automatic BCS bid by finishing the season 12th or better and play for the WAC title at Aloha Stadium on Saturday. Extending the at-large qualification pool improves both their chances of getting into the BCS without automatically qualifying.

Southeastern Conference commissioner and BCS coordinator Mike Slive said conference leaders realized several weeks ago that the possibility of not having enough at-large eligible teams at the end of the season existed and started working on a plan to fix it.

Slive said BCS officials were determined to make as few alterations to the qualification criteria as possible. They never considered allowing a conference to have three teams receive BCS bids.

"We vetted that very thoroughly in our annual meetings in April," Slive said in a phone interview. "We were all clear that none of the criteria for at-large selections should change, except for the place in the standings."

The top two teams in the final BCS standings play in the national championship game, leaving the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta bowls to match conference champions or at-large teams.

The champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC earn automatic bids. One conference champion from the Mid-American Conference, Mountain West, WAC, Sun Belt and Conference USA can earn an automatic bid by finishing the season 12th or better in the BCS standings.

Using the current BCS standings and the top-14 requirement, only nine teams currently qualify for an at-large spot.

The Big 12 has four teams (No. 2 Kansas, No. 3 Missouri, No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 13 Texas) in the top 14. The Pac-10 has three (No. 6 Arizona State, No. 9 Oregon and No. 11 Southern California), as does the SEC (No. 1 LSU, No. 7 Georgia and No. 12 Florida).

The Big Ten would have no teams eligible for an at-large bid if the standard is the top 14. Fifth-place Ohio State has already earned the league's automatic BCS bid and will play in the Rose Bowl, unless the Buckeyes land in the national title game on Jan. 7 in New Orleans. Illinois is the next highest rated Big Ten team at 17th, and is unlikely to move up much since its regular season is over.

If the BCS expands the pool, Illinois could find itself eligible for an at-large bid. That creates an intriguing possibility if teams in front of Ohio State stumble and the Buckeyes play for the national title.

If the Rose Bowl loses Ohio State, it might be able to replace the Buckeyes with the Illini and get the traditional Big Ten-Pac-10 matchup it wants.

"It does look to us like it potentially creates an opportunity there which we are carefully examining," Rose Bowl executive director Mitch Dorger said in a phone interview.

"The Rose Bowl is a partnership (with the Big Ten and Pac-10). We respect that partnership. We look to what we can do to preserve that if it's not damaging to the long-term interests of the game."

The Big East and ACC also face the possibility of having only its champion finish in the top 14 of the final BCS standings.

Third-place West Virginia is the only Big East team currently in the top 14. The next highest rated team is Connecticut at No. 20. The Mountaineers and Huskies play Saturday and the winner will earn the league's automatic BCS bid. If the Huskies lose, they'll likely slip even farther.

No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 14 Boston College are the only ACC teams in the top 14. The Eagles have already clinched a spot in the ACC title game, but play Miami at home Saturday.

The winner of Saturday's Virginia Tech-Virginia game will play BC on Dec. 1 in Jacksonville, Fla.

If Boston College loses to Miami and Virginia Tech in the ACC title game, the Hokies would be the only ACC team to finish in the BCS top 14.

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Watson’s a thinker

The UH defensive tackle also likes to create havoc on the field

The strength of schedule debate goes long and strong in the Hawaii defensive line meeting room. With so many honor students, the Warriors' front-four players have to sort out their academic rankings by degree of difficulty.

Defensive end Karl Noa recently won a district all-academic award, but tackle Keala Watson is right up there, too.

"Karl's only taking about four credits and has a 4.0 right now. He's graduating this semester," said Watson, when asked who is doing the equivalent of playing two I-AAs.

Watson and his teammates will put the books aside Friday when they host Boise State for the WAC championship at sold-out Aloha Stadium. But it won't be long before he's back to a robust curriculum, including advanced biology, geography, botany and Hawaiian courses.

"He's designing his own major," defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said. "Endemic horticulture."

Watson said he's technically an environmental studies major.

"Preservation of native plants and animals," is how he describes the customized program.

You might get the idea that Watson, who got married just a couple of weeks ago, is a very serious guy. But he has a lighter side too: This is the young man who cracked up his teammates with a rollicking rendition of Knute Rockne's speech from the movie "Rudy" the night before a game.

Watson was also a mastermind behind much of the whimsy attached to the Scout Bowl last month, when the veterans acted as coaches and mascots in a game featuring the younger players.

"He just has that wit about him, anything can turn into a joke around him. He's a fun guy to have around. Walrus, he always keeps us on our toes," linebacker Adam Leonard said.

"And you can see how hard he works, especially getting down in weight from last year (334 to 300 on his 6-foot-3 frame). I was shocked to see how much he changed. He's been making plays the past two years. He's one of those guys that when he comes in the game we have confidence he'll get the job done."

That was the case last Friday when Watson, the third defensive tackle, saw more action than usual when starters Mike Lafaele and Fale Laeli left the game with injuries.

Watson was in on three tackles, but one of them forced a Colin Kaepernick fourth-quarter fumble that Watson recovered, preventing the Wolf Pack from adding to their 26-25 lead. After Desmond Thomas stopped the Pack on the next series, UH took over for the game-winning drive that ended with Dan Kelly's 45-yard field goal.

Reinebold said Watson's attention to technique and quickness allowed him to make the play.

"On that particular blitz, he looks at the tackle. The tackle released, and because his eyes were in the right place he was able to chase him and knock the ball out. Because he's conscientious he put himself in position to make the play. I don't want to make it sound like he's not talented, because not many guys his size have that quickness."

Reinebold and defensive coordinator Greg McMackin don't consider Watson a backup.

"He, Mike and Fale are all solid players. They give us a great inside push. That's our starting point, those guys inside. I feel like we really have some good ones," McMackin said. "He plays smart, he plays low, very coachable, runs to the football. Knows where the ball is. Very smart player, very seldom busts."

Watson doesn't worry about not being on the field to start the game. He and the fourth tackle, Siave Seti, use the time to prepare for when they get in.

"He's a real big influence for me on the sideline with me. Seti keeps me pumped up and takes a role as a leader even though he doesn't have that much playing time. We have a connection. Every time we go in there we just try to cause havoc," Watson said.

"Everyone has a role on this team. I can't grumble about where I sit. I can control what I put out on the field. I can't control anything else. Scout guys, they don't even see the playing field. I'm just lucky and blessed to go out there and at least have some time."

Watson was born on Kauai and his family moved to the Leeward Coast of Oahu when he was in high school. He starred at Nanakuli despite never playing Pop Warner football because he was too big.

As a freshman at UH three years ago, Watson was impressive enough to earn immediate playing time. But a blood disorder and broken hand sidelined him.

"He kept on believing and doing what he was asked to do, with his weight, and technique. Conscientious," Reinebold said. "That's the thing that separates him. He's not just book smart. He's book smart and football smart. When we ask him to do something, he does it every single time.

"He's exactly what you want representing your program."