LAS VEGAS » The University of Hawaii football team’s to-do list includes two numbers: 42 and 75.

“That’s something preached to us,” quarterback Max Wittek said of offensive coordinator Don Bailey’s goals of averaging 42 points per game and scoring 75 touchdowns this season.

A year ago, the Warriors amassed 31 touchdowns, including one on a fumble return, and averaged 20.9 points per game. Last year, six FBS teams scored at least 75 touchdowns and seven averaged better than 42 points.

“Aim high,” Wittek told reporters at Tuesday’s Mountain West Conference media days. “If you aim small, you miss small. … I think it’s important to have some sort of goal as an offense, and that’s a big one. If we hit that, we’re going to win games.”

Bailey joined the Warriors this year after directing Idaho State’s prolific offense. Last year, the Bengals averaged 40.3 points and scored 64 touchdowns in 12 games. Bailey has implemented a no-huddle, no-playbook offense that operates at a rat-a-tat pace.

“That’s one of the coolest things about Coach Bailey,” Wittek said. “He has his goals. He doesn’t care what the schedule looks like. He doesn’t care about the small stats — third-down-conversion percentage, this and that. He just says, ‘42-plus’ and ‘75-plus’ for the season. It puts it in perspective for us. That’s something we we appreciate about him. He’s added a great, gritty, nasty, savage-like mind-set to our offense, and that’s something we needed.”

Head coach Norm Chow spent his first three UH seasons constructing this offense. There is only one scholarship player remaining from 2011, Greg McMackin’s last season as UH head coach. The personnel dictated a ground-oriented attack revolving around Joey Iosefa, who now plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Warriors’ offensive menu featured elements of both the controlled-passing attack and spread schemes.

“What does a spread mean?” Chow said. “Four wides? Three wides? Five wides? Those are terms people like to apply to stuff they don’t really understand. The key is to try to put your players in a position to be successful. And we had a 245-pound running back (Iosefa). Why would you not run him?”

Chow noted the sport is cyclical, and defenses are loading the tackle box to counter power runs and quick passes. With improved receivers and blockers, a rotation at running back, and Wittek, the offense will tilt more to the passing game this season.

“In that, we tried to drink the Kool-Aid, if you will, and try to move along with the times,” Chow said. “Football goes back and forth. The one thing you have to do as a coach is magnify the skills of the players you have. … Now we have a good throwing game, and maybe not Joey, but a little more guys who fit in to throwing it around, and we have a quarterback, so that’s what we intend to do.”

Last year, quarterbacks coach Jordan Wynn called the majority of the offensive plays. Chow has given Bailey similar autonomy.

“What I love is the confidence (Bailey) brings, the leadership he brings,” Chow said.

After requesting a release from USC last year, Wittek chose UH because of Chow. Wittek, who redshirted last year, and Bailey also have bonded.

“He’s one of the closer people to me in my life already,” Wittek said. “It’s awesome. I’ve got Bailey in my ear on a second-to-second, play-to-play basis, and then to be able to, after practices, have Coach Chow really break things down for you is totally invaluable. I’m grateful to both of them.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.