How they match up

HAWAII OFFENSE

Following Thursday’s practice, head coach Norm Chow gave a tutorial session to Kemp on route-running and responding to coverages. More than a quarterback change, the Warriors are seeking better post-catch production from the starting receivers. Against Oregon State, Kemp’s yards-after-catch average was 12.4. The past three games, his YAC was 1.71. Kemp, Pedroza and Harding have a combined YAC of 1.59 the past three games. As a result, opponents are compacting their defenses (Rice’s free safety was 9 yards from the line several times last week), placing an eighth defender in the tackle box, or blitzing a corner. The Warriors have been releasing the tight end and backs into the flats to create more pass options. Keelan Ewaliko, the Warriors’ fastest receiver, has been wide, in the slot and in motion both as a speedy target and to draw away a defender from another receiver. Graham is expected to get the start. In past years, second-chance quarterbacks– Nick Rolovich, Dan Robinson, Shawn Withy-Allen, Shane Austin and Sean Schroeder — have played well in their final UH season. 

WYOMING OFFENSE (EDGE)

There are three-receiver sets, fly sweeps, double-stack formations. But those are diversions to the resurrection of the power offense. The past few seasons, the Cowboys ran a spread with four- and five-receiver sets. Head coach Craig Bohl, who won three FBC titles at North Dakota State, re-installed the tight end and fullback positions. Krill is mostly a blocker (two of his six catches went for TDs), and Van Maanen is exclusively a blocker (no carries this season). Wick excels behind traps and zone blocks (6.9 yards per carry), and D.J. May (4.5 seconds in the 40) is the speed back on stretch plays. The Cowboys go at a deliberate tempo, averaging a play every 29.2 seconds. That works well for Kirkegaard, who takes most snaps from under center. Kirkegaard played in a wing-T offense in high school and pro/spread hybrid in his one junior college season. With Brent Smith’s early departure, Kirkegaard seized the starting QB job. "To have to wait four years to get my opportunity, I’m not going to lie, at times it was frustrating," Kirkegaard said. "But that never deteriorated away from my support for my teammates. Just because I wasn’t playing, it didn’t mean I didn’t have a part on the team. I did everything I could to help out as much as I could."

HAWAII DEFENSE (EDGE)

An early step in becoming a Navy SEAL is "Hell Week," five days of into-the-wild training on four hours’ sleep. "It’s a week of sleep depravation and crazy activities running around the whole time," said rush end Luke Shawley, one of about 25 percent who fulfilled the requirements. "After a while, you go on auto pilot and zone out. You don’t want to think about it." As a former SEAL, it is no wonder Shawley remains tireless in football games. He leads the Warriors with six QB hurries, including one resulting in Taimatuia’s interception against Colorado. He also has solo stops on two short-yardage plays. "No one realizes how old he is because he has a lot more energy than other people," defensive coordinator Kevin Clune said. Prior to UH, the 26-year-old Shawley only played at a JC for two years. "This is only his third year of football," Clune said. "He’s active. He’s not perfect yet, but he always finds a way." With inside linebacker Julian Gener out for at least a month, Fonua will make his first UH start. Against Rice, he had his first UH interception and sack. 

WYOMING DEFENSE

In the first five games, the Cowboys have no interceptions and achieved only three sacks. The system might be contributing to the first deficiency. The Cowboys often align in two-deep or four-across zones, with the corners dropping 4 yards off the wideouts just before the snap. It’s a scheme that sets the perimeters, keeping the action in front, but requires an aggressive push from the front seven. The Cowboys’ pass rush has been AWOL this year, with one sack every 53.7 pass plays. The starting ends — Yarbrough and Puletasi — have no sacks. Yarbrough led the Cowboys in sacks the previous two seasons, including 6.5 in 2013. The Cowboys have tried to narrow the pocket by splitting wide the front four — sometimes Mertens and Olive vacate the middle to play across the guards — and sneaking Harris or Nzeocha to the line of scrimmage as stand-up rush ends. Nzeocha, who was raised in Germany, already has been to the Hall of Fame. He played for Germany in the 2009 Junior World Championships in Canton, Ohio. Because high schools in Germany do not field football teams, he played for a club team there. 

HAWAII SPECIAL TEAMS (EDGE)

With Julian Gener’s injury, the Warriors will promote any defender to kickoff coverage. Linebacker Simon Poti, who forced a fumble against Rice, might be that player. Benetton Fonua and Mike Martin have made an impact on punt coverage. Of the nine punt returns, Fonua has thee of the tackles, including a forced fumble. Martin has two fumble recoveries on punt returns. 

WYOMING SPECIAL TEAMS

Williams has converted four of five field-goal attempts, already matching last year’s production, when he was 4-for-7 in 12 games. The Cowboys like to play it safe. They use Claiborne and May as deep kickoff returners. On punts, they employ a three-player shield as protection in front of Wood. 

ENLARGE CHART