FRESNO STATE OFFENSE

WO—1 Jamire Jordan 5-11 171 Jr.

TE—89 Kyle Riddering 6-6 240 Jr.

LT—58 Christian Cronk 6-5 305 Jr.

LG—52 Netane Muti 6-3 310 Fr.

C—77 Aaron Mitchell 6-2 305 Sr.

RG—73 Micah St. Andrew 6-3 343 Jr.

RT—78 David Patterson 6-5 302 Sr.

SB—8 Da’Mari Scott 6-1 210 Sr.

WO—3 KeeSean Johnson 6-2 202 Jr.

QB—6 Marcus McMaryion 6-2 195 Jr.

RB—22 Jordan Mims 5-11 190 Fr.

The trifecta of head coach Jeff Tedford, offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer and run-game coordinator Ryan Grubb adhere to The Cheesecake Factory strategy: Offer a large menu, specialize in a few dishes. The game plan consists of about 30 plays plucked from a thick playbook, although there can be plays rolled over from previous games. The basics are unpredictability with the receivers —KeeSean Johnson, for instance, can be used wide, in the slot or in motion — balanced with a sturdy line and a committee of grinding backs. Left tackle Christian Cronk and left guard Netane Muti are former UH pledges who lead a unit that has allowed six sacks in 265 pass plays this season. Quarterback Marcus McMaryion, a graduate transfer from Oregon State who joined in mid-training camp, is reluctant to give up possessions or yards. He has gone 118 consecutive passes since his lone interception on Sept. 30. McMaryion has not been sacked in 63 pass plays the past three games. “I like his will and determination and how he leads us,” Johnson said of McMaryion. “He knows what to do when there’s a big play to be made.” The Bulldogs often go with a double-tight-end package, with Jared Rice sliding from online to flex to power back. After missing two games, Ronnie Rivers rejoins Jordan Mims and Josh Hokit in the lone-back rotation. In a combined 241 carries, the three have been tackled only eight times in the backfield and lost one fumble.

FRESNO STATE DEFENSE

E—32 Robert Stanley 6-3 245 Sr.

T—97 Malik Forrester 6-1 295 Sr.

T—91 Nathan Madsen 6-4 298 Sr.

E—56 Tobenna Okeke 6-3 245 Sr.

LB—34 George Helmuth 6-3 245 Sr.

MLB—9 Jeffrey Allison 6-0 250 So.

LB—7 James Bailey 6-1 225 Jr.

FCB—6 Tank Kelly 5-10 185 Jr.

SS—23 Juju Hughes 5-10 180 So.

FS—4 Mike Bell 6-3 205 So.

BCB—14 Jaron Bryant 6-0 183 So.

In introducing his defensive schemes, first-year coordinator Orlando Steinauer showed his players the big picture. “We were watching a Canadian Football (League) tape,” linebacker George Helmuth said. It was a lesson of proportions from Steinauer, who coached the previous seven seasons in the CFL, where the field is wider, there are 12 players to a side, and receivers are permitted running pre-snap starts. Steinauer is proving what can work in large areas is effective in smaller space. “It’s working well,” Helmuth said of the eclectic 4-3 defense.The FS defense is 14th in points allowed (18.0 per game) and 16th in yards ( 311.3 per game). The Bulldogs have not relinquished a touchdown in 123 third-down plays. Nathan Madsen, one of two hand-on-the-turf tackles, is strong and athletic. Against BYU, Madsen drove a guard back 5 yards, then leaped to deflect a pass. In some plays, Robert Stanley and Helmuth will attack as stand-up ends. Stanley has eight of the Bulldogs’ 60 backfield tackles. Helmuth can play on the line, in the path of the deep post or as a second inside linebacker. “It’s like when you’re playing football in the backyard and you want to do everything — ‘go cover the post, cover the tight end, blitz,’” Helmuth said. “I have a lot of freedom.” Jeffrey Allison, who dropped 25 pounds in the offseason and leads with 80 tackles, operates from various points in front of the two-deep zone.

FRESNO STATE SPECIALISTS

PK/KO—36 Jimmy Camacho 5-10 180 Sr.

LS—53 Jacob Westberry 6-3 235 Fr.

P/H—47 Blake Cusick 6-2 185 So.

KR—8 Da’Mari Scott 6-1 210 Sr.

PR—3 KeeSean Johnson 6-2 202 Jr.

Jimmy Camacho has completed a degree in criminology and is now studying finances as a graduate student. He also graduated from kickoff specialist to place-kicker. Camacho has converted 16 of 19 field-goal attempts, including nine in a row. He also remains effective on kickoffs. Of his 55 kickoffs, 27 have resulted in touchbacks. Opponents’ average drive starts at the 23.

HAWAII OFFENSE

LWO—12 Keelan Ewaliko 5-11 200 Sr.

SB—23 Dylan Collie 5-10 175 Jr.

LT—50 Dejon Allen 6-3 290 Sr.

LG—57 J.R. Hensley 6-5 310 So.

C—65 Asotui Eli 6-4 315 Jr.

RG—51 John Wa‘a 6-4 315 Sr.

RT—72 Matt Norman 6-5 285 Sr.

TE—45 Dakota Torres 6-2 245 Jr.

RWO—80 Ammon Barker 6-4 215 Sr.

QB—2 Dru Brown 6-0 200 Jr.

RB—22 Diocemy Saint Juste 5-8 195 Sr.

Center/guard Asotui Eli, guard, J.R. Hensley and tackle/guard Chris Posa are healthy again and will start or be part of what has become an active seven-lineman rotation. Center Taaga Tuulima did a nice job in his first UH start last week, which might allow Eli to play guard, if necessary. Offensive tackle Matt Norman held the point consistently in pass protection and displayed some giddy-up on pulls. Behind a make-shift offensive line, quarterback Dru Brown was hit only four times in 52 pass plays last week. Brown has shown increased confidence recently in stepping into the pocket on throws. Last week, the Warriors could not clutch eight catchable passes, including two in the end zone. For the third time this season, head coach Nick Rolovich will call the offensive plays. While the offensive staff co-authored the game plan this week, Rolovich choreographed the practices, sometimes giving pop quizzes to reserves taking mental reps. In the seven games Rolovich did not call the plays, the Warriors ran 51.3 percent of the time. In the two games Rolovich was the play-caller — Oct. 7 against Nevada and last week against UNLV — the Warriors passed 54 percent of the plays. The season-long goal has been to improve the starts. The Warriors gained a combined 6 yards on the opening play of nine games, and averaged 2.62 yards on their initial drives. On ensuing drives, the Warriors averaged 6.45 yards per play.

HAWAII DEFENSE

WE—97 Meffy Koloamatangi 6-5 240 Sr.

NT—98 Viane Moala 6-7 290 So.

SE—3 David Manoa 6-3 240 Sr.

LB—27 Solomon Matautia 6-1 225 So.

LB—31 Jahlani Tavai 6-4 235 Jr.

LB—10 Jeremiah Pritchard 6-0 210 So.

LB—44 Russell Williams Jr. 6-1 230 Sr.

CB—18 Rojesterman Farris II 6-1 180 So.

SS—4 Daniel Lewis Jr. 5-11 180 Jr.

FS—39 Trayvon Henderson 6-0 200 Sr.

CB—19 Eugene Ford 6-2 195 Fr.

Car A and Car B are facing each other at an intersection, each wanting to make a left turn. As Car A begins to turn, a car emerges from behind Car B and speeds forward into the intersection. That is UH’s defense. In the recently implemented 3-4 scheme, the ends are aligned wide, with linebackers stacked behind with the threat to blitz. There are several games the defense can play. The ends can plow ahead to bracket the pocket or they can loop into the inside gap. The linebackers shielded by the ends also have the options of bursting inside or to the perimeter. Against UNLV last week, linebackers Jeremiah Pritchard, Solomon Matautia and Jahlani Tavai took turns standing in the spaces between the nose tackle and ends. The Warriors also ran high-low switches, with Tavai sprinting — not just back pedaling — into second-level coverage while strong safety Daniel Lewis Jr. moved into the tackle box. Defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa’s strategy was to create chaos. The Warriors were able to flush the UNLV quarterbacks from the pocket seven times. Cornerback Terrence Sayles is pau because of physical ailments. Sophomore corner Zach Wilson, who has not played the past six games, is a candidate for a medical redshirt. The circumstances have opened the way for Eugene Ford, a freshman who joined in January, to make his fourth start at corner.

HAWAII SPECIALISTS

KO—94 Ryan Meskell 6-0 180 So.

PK—46 Alex Trifonovitch 6-1 180 So.

LS—1 Noah Borden 6-1 215 Jr.

P/H—99 Stan Gaudion 6-3 210 Fr.

KR—12 Keelan Ewaliko 5-11 200 Sr.

PR—23 Dylan Collie 5-10 175 Jr.

In his first season as a punter, Australia-raised Stan Gaudion is averaging 42.1 yards per boot (third best in the Mountain West) and extended the Warriors’ streak to 113 games without a punt being blocked. But his line-drive roll outs have resulted in 11 fair catches in 41 punts. Opponents have 19 punt returns for an 8.8-yard average.