Game Day: Nevada vs. Hawaii

NEVADA OFFENSE OUTLOOK (EDGE)

One of college football’s innovative inventions — the Nevada-created Pistol offense — is mostly in the holster this season, replaced by … everything else. The Pack use multiple formations, including unbalanced (three receivers and a tight end on one side), wing set (two tight ends stacked on the side of a tackle), panorama (receivers on the field’s numbers), off-set back, split backs, and even pistol (quarterback is 4 yards from center, with the back 3 yards behind the QB). The offense is movement art, with H-backs or receivers motioning across the formation to create mismatches or misdirection opportunities. New offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, whose Montana State teams averaged 37 points per game the previous three years, designed the plays with quarterback Tyler Stewart and running back James Butler in mind. Stewart is athletic, accurate (67.7-percent passing), and diligent (he is usually a day ahead in his football prep work). Last year, senior Don Jackson agreed to share the carries with Butler. Both were 1,000-yard rushers. Jackson has graduated, and Butler, who averages 96.2 yards per game, is now the featured back and a reliable receiver (catching all 13 passes when he was the primary target). Nevada has not lost a fumble in 269 offensive plays this year.

NEVADA DEFENSE OUTLOOK

The base defense is a 4-3, but that’s just the starting point. The defensive line often sets up wide, with the interior linemen across the gaps, an end outside an offensive tackle, and stand-up linebackers Alex Bertrando and Gabe Sewell filling the middle. There also is a layered look with the cornerbacks and the linebackers in a five-across formation 4 yards from the line of scrimmage and the safeties in a two-deep zone. Against Purdue, Nevada tested a zero coverage with all 11 defenders within 6 yards from the line. Nevada did not produce its first sack until last week, a span of 76 pass plays. That’s because the preference is a limited-pressure defense that seeks to prevent deep passes and relies on sure tacklers. Bertrando averages 9.8 tackles (25th nationally) and 6.5 solo stops (seventh) per game. Sewell is a middle linebacker with speed and range. Free safety Asauni Rufus and strong safety Dameon Baber — two of five sophomore starters on defense — are buddies and budding stars. Rufus averages 6.0 solo tackles per game and has forced two fumbles. Baber leads the nation with three fumble recoveries.

NEVADA SPECIALISTS OUTLOOK (EDGE)

Brent Zuzo, whose name is worth 29 Scrabble points, is valued for his place-kicks (career 814 percent on field goal attempts) and kickoffs (resulting in 16 of 19 drives starting no farther than the 25). Alex Boy is 10th nationally in punting (45.9 yards). Outside linebacker Travis Wilson, who is finally healthy this season, leads the Pack with five coverage tackles.

HAWAII OFFENSE OUTLOOK

At a young age, quarterback Dru Brown embraced setting the bar high. After all, Brown was a competitive gymnast who specialized in the high bar. But when he was 12, he switched sports, following the lead of his father, who had played football. From his first Pop Warner practice, Brown was a quarterback. “I like making decisions,” he said of the play-calling position. “I like having the ball every play.” Brown gets that opportunity today when he makes his first NCAA start, replacing Ikaika Woolsey, who leads Mountain West quarterbacks in TD passes (six) and interceptions (six). Despite committing to UH in mid-June and moving to Honolulu two weeks later, Brown has a been a quick study. Brown has directed five scoring drives in 10 possessions. His average drive is 7.5 plays and 42.5 yards. Brown also has been elusive, averaging 8.2 yards on keepers, bootlegs and non-sack scrambles. Steven Lakalaka is the grinder of the three-back rotation. He has had only five negative-yard rushes the past two seasons, and lost one fumble in 366 career carries. Lakalaka credits basketball for his footwork and his 20/15 vision for finding running lanes. He can read the L-E-F-O-D-P-C-T line on the eye chart.

HAWAII DEFENSE OUTLOOK (EDGE)

The defense is one of the most generous, allowing 264.0 rushing yards per game (124th nationally out of 129 teams). Opposing rushers average 6.59 yards on first down; 15 rushes have exceeded 20 yards. “We have to stop the run,” defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa lamented, tracing the problems to “alignment, tackling and technique.” Linebacker Jahlani Tavai said: “We can’t think arm-tackling can stop anybody.” The defense has missed 65 tackles this season. The Warriors have devoted additional practice time to tackling drills. They also hope to receive a boost from the return of defensive tackle Ka‘aumoana Gifford and defensive end Meffy Koloamatangi. Gifford did not play against Arizona while recovering from an eye poke delivered by a UT Martin player. Koloamatangi missed the past two games. There are packages where Jerrol Garcia-Williams, widely regarded as the Warriors’s most menacing pass rusher, will align as a defensive end. This season, Tavai has attacked from different spots. In one scheme, with the defensive linemen split wide, Tavai was in the tackle box directly opposite the center. “He’ll line up on the edge, he’ll line up in the middle,” Lempa said of Tavai. “He’s doing great.”

HAWAII SPECIALISTS OUTLOOK

While Rigo Sanchez has been an effective punter (44.7-yard average), kickoff specialist and occasional defender (one tackle), his three-point skills have not been utilized. He connected on field goals in each of the first two games — from 42 and 55 yards — but was not summoned in the past two games. Paul Harris, Dejaun Butler and Keelan Ewaliko will rotate as kickoff returners. Butler gained noticed with his three coverage tackles, tied for the team lead.