How they match up

UTAH STATE OFFENSE (EDGE)

Quarterbacks Chuckie Keeton, Darell Garretson and Craig Harrison are lost for the season because of injuries, forcing the Aggies to start a player who joined the program in August. Keeton, who was considered the league’s best quarterback not named Cody Fajardo, was 19-12 as a USU starter. His replacements are 13-4. Garretson could stretch the field (12 completions of 25 yards or longer). Myers, who is considered a dual threat, completed three of five passes for 45 yards after replacing Harrison late in the third quarter last week. With Keeton and Garretson, the Aggies ran a no-huddle offense, aligning in three- or four-receiver sets and, sometimes, in empty formations. With Myers, the Aggies might go more conservative. Whatever approach, Whimpey will be a factor as a pass protector or run-blocker. Whimpey can bench-press 535 pounds. Hill is having an uneven season. Not including a 59-yard scoring dash, he is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Sharp is the deep threat, especially early (21.8 yards per first-quarter catch), and Natson, who can align in the slot or either wide position, is effective on screens, hitches and jet sweeps (6.5 yards per rush).

HAWAII OFFENSE

The idea, hatched in the middle of spring training, seemed ludicrous. Take the center, who was the team’s offensive MVP in 2012, and move him to left tackle? The switch worked, as Clarke, who has allowed only one sack in 314 pass plays, has emerged as UH’s best blocker. The theory that every lineman can play every spot resulted in Koloamatangi, who had not played guard until two weeks ago, found himself in the starting lineup between Clarke and Afusia. The Warriors also are on the move schematically, with pulls, traps and cross blocks. An active line complements Woolsey, who found success rolling to one side while eight teammates went in the other direction last week. Woolsey is working on taming the velocity of his passes. Against Nevada, seven over-heated passes were dropped or overthrown. One rising fastball ricocheted off a receiver’s gloved hands and was intercepted. Harding’s reps might be capped to preserve him for special teams, opening the way for Keelan Ewaliko and Donnie King on inside routes. Keep an eye on tight end Tui Unga, who is developing into a reliable pass-catcher and aggressive post-catch runner.

UTAH STATE DEFENSE (EDGE)

The brochures claim the Aggies operate a 3-4 front, but that’s a bait-and-switch. Green and Nick Vigil can play on the line as rush ends. When the splits are wide, Zach Vigil will sneak up to resemble a stand-up nose tackle. It starts up front with point defenders Kamana-Matagi and 302-pound Travis Seefeldt to re-set the line of scrimmage. Even without injured Kyler Fackrell, the linebackers are the heart. Zach Vigil and Filiaga are downhill attackers. Nick Vigil, who doubles as a back, is a rugged defender (although he’s iffy Saturday because of a hamstring injury). The Aggies are stubborn against the rush, relinquishing 2.44 yards per carry overall and 2.14 in the fourth quarter. On first down, they are holding opposing rushers to 2.01 yards per carry. The Aggies are aggressive in pass coverages. They have 13 interceptions — the same as the number of times they have been whistled for pass interference or defensive holding. The Aggies work quickly. They have forced three-and-outs 33.8 percent of drives not abbreviated by the end of halves.

HAWAII DEFENSE

In reviewing the video of last week’s second half — all 24 minutes, 36 seconds that Nevada had the ball after the intermission — defensive coordinator Kevin Clune noticed the problem was an accumulation of small mistakes. "The little things here and there added up to a very bad situation," Clune said. "We have to control the line of scrimmage, first and foremost; control the edges, and force teams to get uncomfortable throwing when they don’t want to throw." Nevada had four drives of double-digit plays; the Warriors relinquished eight such drives in the previous seven games. One of UH’s keys is to win first down. Opponents are averaging 5.12 yards per first-down play. Part of the solution is for the down linemen to detach from double blocks to close gaps, easing the burden on the linebackers. Despite injuries, the Warriors have used several sub packages. Malepeai, for instance, plays end when teamed with Samia and Kennedy Tulimasealii; and he is the nose when Yap and Luke Shawley are the speed rushers. Nickelback Gaetano DeMattei has shown that he can play at the edge of the tackle box with rover responsibilities.

UTAH STATE SPECIAL TEAMS

Kickoff specialist Jake Thompson is slightly more successful at sea level than in high altitude’s thin air. Of his 11 sea-level kickoffs, 54.5 percent resulted in touchbacks. In altitude, he is at 40.7 percent on touchbacks. Twenty-one Aggies have made tackles on kickoff or punt coverages. LT Filiaga — the initials stand for his legal name of Little Tui — leads the way with six special-teams tackles. Diaz has converted nine of 11 field-goal attempts, including each of the past six.

HAWAII SPECIAL TEAMS (EDGE)

During a recent down time, backup kicker Ryan Weese wanted to try short-snapping. After a snap, he asked for a quick evaluation of an area he needed to improve. The chorus response was: "Everything." Long-snapping is a speciality, and in the post-Ingram era, Nakama and Hittner are proving to be valuable. Both are walk-ons. Neither has launched a bad snap in a game. Each has learned to chip-block to slow inside rushers. UH is the rare college-football program that travels with two punters and two specialty snappers.

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