'08 Schedule, Solomon, Previews

Dave Reardon has an article about the completion of next year's schedule.

Backup quarterback Tyler Graunke -- first in line as Colt Brennan's successor -- knows next season will be a challenge for the Warriors, as well as a huge opportunity.

"All eyes will be on us if we continue to play well and go undefeated this year," said Graunke, as 16th-ranked UH (5-0, 2-0 WAC) prepared for its game tomorrow against Utah State (0-5, 0-1) at Aloha Stadium. "We could have a pretty good ranking going into next season and a lot of games on national TV. We'll have to step it up and continue the tradition."

Reardon also writes that Michael Lafaele sat out practice to rest his strained hamstring.

Stephen Tsai talks to Herman Frazier about the schedule.

Frazier said he wanted UH to play a Division I-AA opponent in the week between the Florida and Oregon State road games. He expressed concern that if there were a bye Sept. 6, that would leave open the possibility the WAC would fill it with a league game.

"I insisted on having a game in there so that couldn't happen," Frazier said.

Further down, Tsai profiles linebacker Solomon Elimimian.

"I'm really mellow before a game," he said. "I'm not the person who goes 'hoo-rah' or 'let's go' and is all fired up. That's not me."

McKnight noticed that when Elimimian steps "between the lines on game day, he turns on the switch, and he's a different person."

Elimimian conceded: "I think I have a little mean side when I get into the zone. Once I'm in that zone playing football, it comes down to me and an opponent. It starts to get personal."

In particular, he is annoyed with offensive linemen.

"They're just mean and nasty, and they try and stop you from making plays," Elimimian said.

And finally, The Utah Statesman, Utah State's student newspaper, has a preview of tomorrow's game.

"What scares me more than anything is their offense," Guy said. "Obviously, they're scoring over 60 points both times they've been home on the island and over 40 in games off the island. That's the thing that scares me the most about going and playing this football game, is the potential that their offense has."

"We've got to get back to what we do best on special teams," Guy said. "That is to get ourselves field position and make them play a long field and not a short field like Utah was able to do in the second quarter when they got all those points."

UPDATE: Chawan Cut points out another preview, this one by Shawn Harrison of The Herald Journal in Utah.