Utah State Previews, News and Notes

HawaiiAthletics.com has game info and notes for this Saturday's UH-USU game. They also have a page highlighting UH's stats and another about voting for Bryant Moniz for the O'Brien Award.

The Sports Network previews the game.

As for the Warriors, their 5-2 start to 2010 has earned them some national recognition and a few votes in the most recent AP poll. Better yet, with a 3-0 start to the WAC slate Hawaii is actually at the top of the conference standings ahead of Boise State which is currently the third-ranked team in the country. It used to be that trips to the mainland for the Warriors were generally met with defeat, yet already this year the team has victories at Army and Fresno State on opposing sides of the continent.

Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune previews the game.

Controlling Bryant Moniz, and his ability to lead Hawaii’s offense, may be a key for Utah State pulling off what promises to be a difficult matchup Saturday for the Aggies.

In conjunction, actually playing offense and playing it well could be imperative for USU.

Bryant-Jon Anteola of the Fresno Bee writes about the WAC's "surprise" team.

Will first-place Hawaii (5-2, 3-0) have a tidal-wave-like present awaiting defending champion and national-title hopeful Boise State (6-0, 2-0) in three weeks?

"We're not a super team," said Hawaii coach Greg McMackin, whose Warriors were picked fifth in the preseason WAC coaches' poll. "But we can play with anybody on the other side of the football field."

Stephen Tsai has news and notes about Greg Salas receiving a perfect grade in the Nevada game, Lewis Walker reserving 72 tickets for friends and family, and David Hafoka replacing an injured Geordon Hanohano on the travel squad.

Hafoka is the injury replacement for defensive tackle Geordon Hanohano, who has a tweaked knee.

"Now it's my turn to help out the team," said Hafoka, who did not play last season because of a lower-back injury. He underwent successful surgery during the offseason and is poised to play at defensive left tackle.

Dave Reardon talks to Greg McMackin and Chris Tormey about the improvement needed on special teams.

So while the Manoa brain trust hasn't gone to DefCon 5 over special teams, that phase has become a concern, particularly covering kicks.

Head coach Greg McMackin and special teams coordinator Chris Tormey said the Warriors special teams were generally decent against the Wolf Pack. But they know one misstep in the kicking game can determine a game's outcome.

"We did a good job with the exception of three plays. A punt return, a kickoff return and the onside kick. The rest of the game was a good job," McMackin said.

But UH's goal is to make three big special teams plays a game, not allow them.

And Ferd Lewis writes that the USC game was the biggest moneymaker in UH's history.

The Sept. 2 game, for which 44,204 tickets were distributed, produced $1,107,000 in net revenue, the athletic department said. The figure is based on the face value of the tickets and stadium expenses and does not include premium charges for season tickets, UH said.

USC won the game, 49-36.

UH said it eclipsed the previous mark of $1,090,000 set by the 2007 sellout against Washington. That game completed UH's unbeaten regular season and clinched the trip to the Sugar Bowl.