FRESNO >> A preview of Hawaii’s offense was on display in the fourth quarter of a 55-13 loss to Fresno State at Valley Children’s Stadium.
Down 55-0, the Rainbow Warriors went all in with the run-and-shoot offense. They scored on touchdown drives of 75 and 59 yards.
“Just what we needed to get to,” quarterback Brayden Schager said of the scheme that involves receivers working in tandem and choosing routes based on defensive coverages. “That’s what everybody wants to see. It’s those concepts, and we really started to run those at the end. We have to keep building upon it. We put some good things on film.”
During the bye week between their fourth and fifth games of the season, the Warriors began adding run-and-shoot concepts to their multiple-look offense. UH found success with the four-wide offense under June Jones for nine seasons beginning in 1999. UH head coach Timmy Chang set passing records in Jones’ system.
“I played in the run-and-shoot my freshman year at Kapolei (High) with June Jones,” slotback Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala said, referencing Jones’ work with the Hurricanes. “I have a familiarity with it. I know how it works. That’s Hawaii football, honestly, back in the day.”
Hines provides boost
For the second week in a row, running back Tylan Hines provided reserve power, rushing for a team-high 79 yards on 11 carries. He added six catches for 48 yards. His yards-after-catch average was 7.2.
“He brings a lot of juice and energy,” running backs coach Keiki Misipeka said. “Just a different dimension to what other guys bring in the (running backs) room. We’re excited about what he can and what’s ahead.”
Hines, a freshman from Plano, Texas, is 5 feet 7 and 170 pounds.
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“I told him you’ve got to make these plays,” Misipeka said. “You might not have the size, but you have to be the X factor and play like you’re 7-foot tall and 400 pounds.”
Of Hines’ night, Misipeka marveled when “he pancaked a D-lineman. I told him those are the types of plays he needs to make.”
Hines said he benefits from practices and the offensive line’s gap-opening blocks. “The coaches are calling the right plays at the right time,” Hines said.
Perry, Fiso get valuable time
Wideouts Alex Perry and Steven Fiso broke into the scorebook on Saturday.
Perry, a 6-foot-5 freshman from Florida, caught two passes for 19 yards. He was targeted three times. Perry is on track to benefit from an NCAA rule that allows players to redshirt if they do not appear in more than four games.
Fiso has recovered from an offseason injury and was added to the active roster for this trip. Fiso caught a 17-yard pass.
Chang said the redshirt rule has been used successfully with left guard Solo Vaipulu, who is on track to redshirt this year and lead as a senior in 2023. Vaipulu has played three games, helping to fill the line rotation. Center Eliki Tanuvasa has been battling an injury, forcing guard Sergio Muasau to move from guard to snap.
