Game Week: Nevada - Friday News

Jason Kaneshiro profiles Solomon Elimimian, who is set to break the school record for career tackles.

The Warriors' middle linebacker figures to get plenty of opportunities to add to his total of 363 stops against a Wolf Pack team that relies heavily on the run.

"It's a big challenge because they're physical," Elimimian said of the Wolf Pack (4-3, 2-1 WAC), who rank second in the nation in rushing. "We have to rise to the occasion and play a physical ballgame."

Stephen Tsai talks to coach Ikaika Malloe about his emergency appendectomy.

"My stomach was hurting," he said. "At the 4 o'clock meeting, things got really bad. The right side of my stomach had a piercing feeling."

After the meeting, he consulted with the team physician, Dr. Andrew Nichols, who ordered Malloe to go to the hospital immediately.

After a CAT scan showed the inflamed appendix, Malloe underwent the one-hour appendectomy.

"The surgery went well," Malloe said. "I can walk OK."

Also from the article, Tsai talks to receiver Greg Salas, who's having a great year.

Salas has benefitted from more playing time — this is his first year as a starter — and an intensive offseason training program. He worked out with personal trainers in California, going through a weight-training program focused on bench presses, squats and power cleans. He now weighs 200 pounds, 15 more than his weight when he first enrolled at UH in August 2006.

Dan Hinxman of the Reno Gazette-Journal has a great profile of Coach Mack. Some quotes:

"He's totally different than Coach Jones or any other head coach I've been around," said senior linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who at least by name is a king in his own right. "He's real, real sincere. He means what he says. I have a lot of respect for him."

"He's different," quarterback Inoke Funaki said. "He's got a different personality (than Jones). He's very personable. He tries to get to know everybody on the team as individuals. A lot of guys look to him as a good influence, not only on the football field, but off the field and in school. He's a good guy."

"He's the biggest competitor I've ever been around," Elimimian said. "He wants to win. He'll do anything to win. As players, we respect him for that. He gets fired up during game days. He's real emotional. His passion for football comes out."

Kaneshiro has some news and notes about Coach Malloe's recovery, Dan Kelly's kick against Nevada last year, and Keith AhSoon's injury:

UH offensive lineman Keith AhSoon will probably have to wait at least another game before suiting up again.

AhSoon is recovering from a sprained knee ligament he suffered against Oregon State on Sept. 13, and had hoped to be cleared in time for tomorrow's game. But he has yet to be cleared and hasn't practiced this week. Offensive line coach Brian Smith is hopeful AhSoon will be available for next week's road game at Utah State.

And Ferd Lewis notes the importance of this game for both teams.

Sure enough, as fate — and the schedule — would have it, both teams need a victory at Aloha Stadium in a game that only one of them can win.

With UH at 3-4 and the Wolf Pack 4-3, for the loser it is, very possibly, a bowl elimination game.