GameDay: Hawaii at Louisiana Tech

Stephen Tsai has a gameday preview, with breakdowns of both teams' offenses, defense and special teams. Here's an excerpt about the Warriors' defense.

"I know they're going to come out with fire," said Lafaele, who has played with a fracture in his right hand. "We have to control the line of scrimmage and be aggressive, like a dog on a bone."

Laeli has been bothered by tendinitis in his left knee. He has split reps with Watson this week.

The key in defending Patrick Jackson, the Warriors have been told, is to remain disciplined. Don't try to reach — he's too strong to arm tackle — and focus on the lower part of his jersey number because his head fakes are not covered by chiropractor insurance.

Dave Reardon has a gameday preview, with breakdowns and probable starters, and some good news regarding John Estes.

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.

T. Scott Boatright of The News Star has a preview, which includes some keys to the game.

KEYS TO THE GAME: Tech’s aerial attack
Tech’s defense looks to have improved, but the Warriors are going to score. That means the Bulldogs have to move the balls and will have to thow in order to do so. Tech turned in an anemic 71 passing yards last week against Central Arkansas, relying mostly on the legs of running backs Patrick Jackson and Daniel Porter, who combined for 173 rushing yards with two touchdowns.

You know Hawaii is going to stack the box, meaning Tech quarterback Zac Champion will have to increase on the 12-of-23 passing performance for 71 yards and a score that he showed against UCA.

Jimmy Watson of The Shreveport Times has a preview as well.

Some college coaches are fond of saying that a football team's greatest improvement occurs from week one to week two.

That should give the Louisiana Tech faithful hope after seeing their team win just 28-7 last week over a Southland Conference team, Central Arkansas.

...

"I hope that doesn't apply to Hawaii," Tech coach Derek Dooley said. "Hawaii doesn't need to improve."

Stephen Tsai has a quote from Dooley, who talks about preparing to face the UH offense.

"It starts with the quarterback," Dooley said, referring to Colt Brennan, the UH-trumpeted Heisman Trophy candidate. "It's very difficult to simulate the reads and the throws and how quick he gets rid of it and how accurate his throws are. Compound that with some fast veteran receivers who can run and go up and get it. It's really impossible to simulate. That's the biggest challenge in facing a team like this."

Ferd Lewis writes about the brewing rivalry between the two schools.

That the WAC Office this year issued a directive — the so-called "Haka Rule" — ordering schools that perform the war dance and chant to do it when the visiting team has left the field is seen as a followup to last year when, we're told, Louisiana Tech took objection to UH's performance at Aloha Stadium preceding a 61-17 blowout.

LaTech also wasn't happy with what happened in Ruston in 2003.

Tech players said they took exception to UH "dancing" on their midfield "L" and complained that players "disrespected" their Bulldog statue. So much offense was taken that Tech coaches reminded their players about it during UH's return in 2005 and the Bulldogs cited payback in 46-14 blowout win.

Of course not about to leave a score unsettled, UH touted the retribution angle after scoring 52 unanswered points en route to last year's 61-17 win at Aloha Stadium.

That being said, the Warriors are focused. Here's what Karl Noa says in Dave Reardon's preview of today's preview.

"This isn't really about revenge, but we know they're tough and aggressive on the offensive line, and we have to be ready to play," Noa said.

It should be a great game, and a good test for the UH run defense. I'm hoping June Jones doesn't have to bust out any of the new offensive schemes, because that'll mean UH will be destroying the Bulldogs. But if he has to, that will be exciting as well. Big Boned Wishbone, anybody?

GO WARRIORS!!!!