Hawaii football coach Norm Chow said nose tackle Moses Samia is expected to miss an extended amount of playing time after suffering a knee injury during the Warriors’ 54-2 victory over Lamar on Saturday.
Samia was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Sunday afternoon.
Chow said a preliminary diagnosis indicated the injury appeared to be "serious."
Samia is the Warriors’ point defender. He played a key role in setting the tone against Lamar’s running attack. Samia, who is regarded as the strongest Warrior, also can play defensive tackle.
The Warriors had rotated Samia, Siasau Matagiese, Geordon Hanohano and Haku Correa at the two interior positions on the defensive line.
"The rotation might get tightened down to three guys instead of four," Chow said.
More likely, defensive end Marcus Malepeai can move inside to recreate the four-player rotation.
Defensive end Tavita Woodard also can be used as a defensive tackle.
"We have enough," Chow said.
Chow said wideout Darius Bright, who suffered a sprained right shoulder, is expected to miss "a couple of games."
Bright started in place of Billy Ray Stutzmann, the weakside receiver who is recovering from hand surgery.
That position is one of the Warriors’ deepest. Trevor Davis and Chris Gant both played there, with each scoring a touchdown against Lamar. Justin Clapp and Corey Paclebar also are options.
Chow said running back Joey Iosefa, who appeared to have tweaked an ankle against Lamar, "is OK" and will be ready for this week’s nationally televised game against Nevada.
The Warriors and Wolf Pack are familiar foes. Nick Rolovich, a former UH quarterback and coach, is the Pack’s offensive coordinator. He was hired to help incorporate elements of the four-wide passing attack with Nevada’s pistol offense.
Chow and Nevada coach Chris Ault, who invented the pistol schemes, are long-time friends.
"We go way back to when he first was at Reno and I was at BYU," Chow said. "We’ve maintained a friendship all along."
They first bonded over their passion for passing schemes. Several years ago, Ault came up with the symmetrical pistol, in which the quarterback is in the shotgun and the lone back 3 yards behind him. With its balanced formation, the Pack can run to either side.
When Chow was UCLA’s offensive coordinator a few years ago, he visited with Ault at Nevada’s Reno campus.
"I’m not going to learn everything they do," Chow said. "It takes years to perfect that, and he gave me two days. He was very willing to give me the time we needed."
