HAWAII OFFENSE

Reviewing of video from last week’s victory reveals Woolsey played better than it appeared. He stepped into the pocket to escape pass rushes, went through his progressions and was hit only four times on throws. His undoing was missed throws — he overshot Ammon Barker on a deep route that was set up by the previous play — and four drops. Coach Norm Chow, who helps counsel Woolsey on the sideline, said more game reps will be helpful. Moleni has emerged as an all-around player, aligning as an on-line blocker, a fullback in a split formation, and a pass-catcher. On one play, Moleni ran a crossing pattern to the left. On the next, he curled to the right, drawing the same defender, and opening the way for a 50-yard pass to Kemp along the left sideline. He also bracketed a defensive end, enabling Lakakala to hit the perimeter, and circled to block the middle linebacker. Lakalaka’s jump cuts help him hop-scotch past diving tacklers and avoid direct hits. He averages 2.6 post-contact yards per carry.

COLORADO OFFENSE (EDGE)

The Buffaloes have an eclectic offense, ranging from split-back formations to four-wide alignments, and three- and five-step drops from under center to read options in the shotgun. Against Arizona State a week ago, Liufau was pulled late after throwing his second interception on a busted coverage. "I think he’ll learn from it," said coach Mike MacIntyre, who is sticking with Liufau as the starter. Liufau, a 4-star quarterback as a Tacoma high school senior in 2012, is quick (4.5 seconds over 40 yards), elusive (averaging 6.3 yards on non-sack scrambles), and clutch (71.4 percent accuracy on third-and-long situations). His uncle is Jack "The Throwin’ Samoan" Thompson, a heralded quarterback with Washington State, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spruce is reliable, with six of 24 catches resulting in touchdowns. He has gained a first down on each of his third-down receptions. The Buffaloes rotate four running backs. All but Powell have sub-4.5 times in the 40. Powell, a converted fullback, has gained yards on 34 of his 35 carries.

HAWAII DEFENSE (EVEN)

In past years, the D-linemen went on "strike." In the weight room, they hit the heavy bag, training that developed the hand-strike technique used to ward off grasping offensive linemen. Samia is regarded as the best technician. "Moses is dangerous with his strike," said defensive lineman Marcus Malepeai, who also has drawn praise for his ferocity. Malepeai was dominant in the opener against Washington, but then missed the next two games because of leg issues. Malepeai is cleared to play Saturday, and he will be part of the line that also includes rush end Luke Shawley and nose tackle Calen Friel. Because of the high altitude, the Warriors will expand the rotation at several positions. The players expected to be added to the mix are defensive tackle Penitito Faalologo; outside linebackers Austin Slade-Matautia and Jahlani Tavai; inside linebacker Malachi Mageo; and cornerbacks Jalen Rogers, Jerrell Jackson and Jamal Mayo.

COLORADO DEFENSE (EVEN)

In crafting his bio for the CU media guide, Tupou joked that he was part merman, had X-ray vision and could communicate with lions. Or maybe it was not a joke. Tupou has an excellent swim move, can see past blockers and anchors the line with lion-heart grit. The Buffaloes employ a 4-3 base, with Tupou usually aligned in the zero-technique at nose tackle. Tupou has made only six tackles in 146 plays, but he is instrumental in holding the point to open the way for linebackers. "I like the position," Tupou said. "There aren’t a lot of guys who can play the D-tackle position. It’s fun." Thomas is listed as a safety, but he often can be found in the tackle box, sometimes aligned near the line of scrimmage. The Buffaloes frequently place two linebackers in the middle. One is Gillam, who averages 9.3 tackles per game. Gilliam was set to join San Jose State as a grayshirt in 2013. Instead, he went to CU after MacIntyre was hired as head coach. Awuzie has 21 tackles, but six have been third-down stops.

HAWAII SPECIAL TEAMS (EDGE)

Two years ago, Hadden played despite a double hernia. He underwent surgery after that, and improved in 2013. This past offseason, Hadden gained about 15 pounds of muscle and now weighs 190. He has converted five of six field-goal attempts (the lone miss struck the left upright). Five of his 15 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks. "He puts the (kickoff) exactly where it needs to be put," special teams coordinator Chris Demarest said. "It helps our coverage team. Everybody thinks it’s 10 guys running down the field. No, he’s a big part of it because of where he strategically places the ball."

COLORADO SPECIAL TEAMS

One of the fiercest competitions is the special teams point standings. Players can receive credit in 14 different categories. Brady Daigh, the backup middle linebacker, leads the way with eight points — two unassisted tackles and six knockdowns or springing blocks on kickoff returns. Evan White has forced three fumbles. The Buffaloes average 64.8 yards per kickoff in games played in Colorado, 52.13 yards at sea level. In Colorado, six of nine kickoffs were touchbacks; at sea level, one of eight was a touchback.