HAWAII OFFENSE
LWO—23 Jared Smart 6-0 190 Jr.
LSB—3 Jason-Matthew Sharsh 6-0 190 Sr.
LT—75 Ilm Manning 6-4 280 So.
LG—57 J.R. Hensley 6-5 320 Sr.
C—63 Taaga Tuulima 6-2 310 Jr.
RG—77 Alesana Sunia 6-3 320 Jr.
RT—74 Gene Pryor 6-3 305 Jr.
RSB—6 Cedric Byrd 5-9 175 Sr.
RWO—9 JoJo Ward 5-9 175 Sr.
QB—13 Cole McDonald 6-4 220 Jr.
RB—21 Fred Holly III 6-0 200 Jr.
As a coordinator and now play-calling head coach, Nick Rolovich has worked closely with several quarterbacks. But Cole McDonald is the first to be entrusted with dictating plays. McDonald made the calls in the Warriors’ final scoring drive against Central Arkansas last week. “It was nice to get the trust from the coaching staff, and them listening to me and letting me call the plays,” McDonald said. “That was my first time actually calling in-game plays. That was pretty cool.” McDonald has been intercepted nine times, but four were in the opener when he strayed from the system, including opting for a crossing pass instead of a pooch punt. McDonald has learned to stay put (he was flushed from the pocket five times the past two games) and not challenge congested coverages (only a combined six deep passes against Washington and Central Arkansas). While right-side receivers Cedric Byrd and JoJo Ward have six TD catches apiece, left wideout Jared Smart is emerging as a go-to target on slants and dig routes. Against Central Arkansas, Smart’s yards-after-catch average was 14.1. The Warriors face decisions at slotback. Lincoln Victor and James Phillips are eligible to redshirt if they do not play in more than four games. Victor, who has a YAC of 11.0, and Phillips, who averages 14.0 yards per catch, have played in two and three games, respectively. True freshman Bubba Wa‘a has been impressive in practice, and might get some reps if an offensive lineman needs a breather.
HAWAII DEFENSE
DE—43 Mason Vega 6-3 280 Jr.
NT—55 Blessman Ta‘ala 6-1 300 So.
DT—95 Kendall Hune 6-3 285 Sr.
DE—96 Kaimana Padello 6-0 225 Sr.
LB—2 Jeremiah Pritchard 6-0 230 Jr.
LB—27 Solomon Matautia 6-1 230 Sr.
NB—8 Eugene Ford 6-2 200 Jr.
CB—4 Rojesterman Farris II 6-1 185 Sr.
S—3 Kalen Hicks 6-3 215 Sr.
S—5 Khoury Bethley 5-10 200 So.
CB—18 Cortez Davis 5-11 180 Jr.
The flexibility — and complexity — of the defense can be found in two players listed as “ends.” Mason Vega, who is 6-3 and 280 pounds, plays “bandit,” where he aligns as edge defender, nose or 3-technique tackle. Derek Thomas, who shares the hybrid position with Kaimana Padello, has been used as a stand-up end and, in sub-packages, a traditional linebacker. “Everybody is pretty much a hybrid at this point,” said Thomas, who is 6-3 and 230 pounds. “We’ve got nickels playing corner, and safeties as linebackers. It really depends on the game.” Vega said: “We’re a 50-pound difference, but we’re both ends.” The defense will get a boost with the return of defensive lineman Samiuela Akoteu, linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard and safety Ikem Okeke. Akoteu, who was a team captain for the final third of the 2018 season, can play all three spots on the line. “He’ll give us more depth,” defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said. “He’s been a guy who’s been a starter in the program and played meaningful snaps for us.” Pritchard started in the opener in place of middle linebacker Penei Pavihi, who suffered a season-ending injury. Pritchard exited that game with an ailment. He spent the subsequent time offering tips to the other linebackers. “He brings some energy and physicality back to the fold,” Batoon said.
HAWAII SPECIALISTS
PK—17 Ryan Meskell 6-0 185 Sr.
LS—44 Wyatt Tucker 5-10 205 Jr.
P/H—9 Stan Gaudion 6-3 210 Jr.
KR—85 Lincoln Victor 5-10 165 Fr.
PR—6 Cedric Byrd 5-9 175 Sr.
Place-kicker Ryan Meskell has proven to be a high-level performer. In games played at least 4,000 feet above sea level, he is perfect on four field-goal attempts. In three UH seasons, Meskell is 14-for-25 at sea level. In any condition, Meskell has developed into an effective kickoff specialist. Opposing teams’ average start is at the 24 following a Meskell kickoff. On drives preceded by Meskell’s kickoffs, only 20.6 percent result in touchdowns.
NEVADA OFFENSE
WR—4 Elijah Cooks 6-4 215 Jr.
SB—3 Kaleb Fossum 5-9 190 Sr.
LT—71 Jake Nelson 6-4 300 Sr.
LG—72 Miles Beach 6-4 280 Jr.
C—70 Nathan Edwards 6-4 290 Jr.
RG—65 Aaron Frost 6-5 290 So.
RT—76 Nate Brown 6-4 300 Jr.
TE—31 Reagan Roberson 6-1 250 Jr.
WR—7 Romeo Doubs 6-2 195 So.
QB—12 Carson Strong 6-4 220 Fr.
RB—35 Toa Taua 5-9 210 So.
Nevada has concocted the Air Pistol — a unique blend of the Air Raid (which uses read-and-attack concepts similar to the run-and-shoot) and the run-oriented Pistol. During the preseason, head coach Jay Norvell vowed to “throw the ball first.” But in the first four games, it was a near split — 146 passes, 145 rushes — although 56 percent of the first-down plays were on the ground. Nevada has three rugged running backs, led by 5-9, 210-pound Toa Taua, the star of the 2018 Polynesian Bowl. A deep-thigh bruise has limited Taua to 11 carries and 49.3 yards per game, including 3.7 yards per first-down rush. Overall, Nevada is averaging 3.9 yards on first down, a drop-off from last year’s 4.87. But Taua has not fumbled, and only four of his 44 carries were negative yards. Carson Strong, who redshirted last season, is the first Wolf Pack freshman to start at quarterback since Mo Jones in 1998. Strong started the first three games, leading the comeback from a 17-point deficit against Purdue, but sat out last week’s game because of various ailments. Christian Solano passed for 189 yards and rushed for 100 against UTEP, but Strong is set to regain the starting job today. Offensive coordinator Matt Mumme, whose father Hal Mumme co-designed the Air Raid, prefers four-wide alignments with the tight end as a flex receiver. Slot receiver Kaleb Fossum gets the full menu of slants, curls, hitches, slant-and-go routes and step-back moves. Wideout Elijah Cooks, a jump-ball receiver with speed, has been targeted nine times a game by Strong. Cooks was a member of Nevada basketball’s Sweet 16 team in 2018.
NEVADA DEFENSE
DE—47 Kameron Toomer 6-3 270 Jr.
NT—96 Hausia Sekona 6-0 280 Sr.
DT—99 Dom Peterson 6-0 295 So.
LB—7 Gabriel Sewell 6-0 245 Sr.
LB—30 Lawson Hall 6-0 230 Jr.
LB—24 Lucas Weber 6-1 230 Sr.
CB—25 Daniel Brown 5-11 180 Sr.
S—6 Tyson Williams 5-9 195 So.
S—28 Austin Arnold 5-10 190 Jr.
S—5 Emany Johnson 6-2 210 Fr.
CB—4 E.J. Muhammad 5-11 190 Sr.
Nevada’s 3-3-5 base comes with disclaimers. While there are three hand-on-the-turf linemen — end Kameron Toomer, nose Hausia Sekona, and hybrid Dom Peterson — Nevada will bring up linebackers to create a five- or six-man front. In one setup, two linebackers will bookend the formation. In another, the down linemen will split wide, with the stand-up linebackers in the two gaps. The intent is to clutter the area between the offensive tackles and force the running back to awaiting linebackers or safeties on the edge. Nevada is particularly frugal on third-and-up-to-5 situations, allowing 0.5 yards per rush in those situations. Gabriel Sewell is an all-purpose defender. He rotates among edge rusher, gap canceler, second-level defender and, even, stand-up nose. Nevada’s most chaos-causing scheme is when Peterson and Sewell set up as opposite ends. Of Peterson’s 17 tackles, five have been in the backfield, including three sacks. Lucas Weber has developed into a versatile linebacker after playing running back his first two seasons. “At linebacker, there’s so much studying and so much film,” Weber said. “You have to pick apart the game. The technique of the position is a lot different (than running back). But it’s a really, really fun position.” Cornerback Daniel Brown has three of the Pack’s six picks.
NEVADA SPECIALISTS
PK—43 Brandon Talton 5-8 165 Fr.
KO—36 Julian Diaz 6-2 215 Jr.
LS—49 Karson Thomas 6-2 230 So.
H—3 Kaleb Fossum 5-9 190 Sr.
KR—11 Daiyan Henley 6-1 225 Jr.
PR—7 Romeo Doubs 6-2 195 So.
Spencer Pettit was the Pack’s main place-kicker as a freshman and sophomore before ceding the job to Ramiz Ahmed last season. But instead of Pettit reclaiming the spot following Ahmed’s graduation, the Pack turned to true freshman Brandon Talton, who has converted all nine field-goal attempts this year. As time expired in the game against Purdue, Talton nailed the winning kick from 56 yards, the longest 3-pointer by a Mountain West Conference freshman. After the game, Talton was awarded a scholarship.
