HAWAII OFFENSE

Success does not always have a statistical value, and one of UH’s best drives against Oregon State two weeks ago netted 7 yards in 71 seconds. Steven Lakalaka gained 5 yards on a misdirection run in which Vasquez Haynes was a decoy on a fly sweep and Clark Evans, aligned as a fullback, pulled to the right and blocked a defensive tackle. Two plays later, UH set up in a bunch formation on the left, drawing the safeties to that side and leaving receiver Chris Gant in single coverage on the right. Gant dropped the third-down pass. In the brief drive, the Rainbow Warriors were creative, protective (quarterback Taylor Graham was not touched) and taking snaps under center. For 39 other plays, Graham was in the shotgun, with mixed results. He bobbled two shotgun snaps and a third was at his ankles. Graham acknowledged he likes taking snaps from under center because "there’s a rhythm to it. It gets to your hands immediately." That helps in reading defenses and creating better deception on play-action passes. The receivers vowed to become more sure-handed after dropping 11 passes in the first two games. "We have to start making plays and moving the chains," Scott Harding said. Running back Joey Iosefa is back after recovering from a fractured foot, but running back Faga Wily did not make the trip because of a concussion.

NEVADA OFFENSE

The Pack’s offense can be drawn with X’s, O’s and ?’s. Cody Fajardo, who endured injuries his first two seasons, is ailing again, this time with a sprained right knee. He didn’t play against Florida State last week, and his availability today won’t be announced until kickoff. Plan B was scrapped after Devin Combs suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Tyler Stewart, a one-time UH recruit, is the next option if Fajardo can’t play. Chris Solomon, a second-year freshman, will start, with the hope Don Jackson (ankle) and Kendall Brock (knee) will have healed. Chris Ault, who created the pistol offense (with the quarterback 4 yards from center, and the back 3 yards behind the quarterback) departed after the 2012 season. Former UH quarterback/offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich is calling the plays. Rolovich has added elements of UH’s old four-wide offense. The back often aligns to the side of the quarterback, with three receivers on the wide side of the formation. There now are bubble screens and the step-back move, in which two receivers go downfield while the third retreats for the pass. One of the keys is Kolby Arendse, who often goes in pre-snap motion. Arendse is a mouthpiece-loosening blocker who opens the way for a back or the quarterback on a zone-read run. 

HAWAII DEFENSE

The Rainbow Warriors received a boost with the rapid recoveries of Marrell Jackson and Brenden Daley. Jackson has been bothered by a sore right knee. His return enables Charles Clay to resume his role as third safety in nickel packages. Clay made three key tackles to prevent long gains against Oregon State. "Sometimes, you’ve got to put yourself out there," Clay said. The Warriors have allowed 10 "explosives" (passes of 20 or more yards, rushes of 15-plus yards) in 157 defensive plays this season. The Warriors have become skilled tacklers. This year, 60 percent of their tackles have been solo stops, led by Ne’Quan Phillips (11 solo tackles, no assists). They have missed only 18 tackles this season. If Daley, who recovered from a concussion, needs a break, Art Laurel can move to the middle, and Julian Gener can play on the weak side. Gener, who scored on an interception return against the Beavers, was a must-get prospect on the Warriors’ recruiting board. "Our defensive staff evaluated him, and we liked him," defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer said. "It was unanimous." Gener is considered a "downhill" player who also can play on the edge. Gener said he gets his athleticism from his parents. His mother still plays in three adult soccer leagues. "She’s pretty much a Wonder Woman," Gener said.

NEVADA DEFENSE

The Pack’s defense has been difficult to decipher, and not just because the players wore uniforms with white numbers on gray jerseys in two of three games. The Pack attack with four down linemen and the safeties in a Tampa-2 zone. Then it gets chaotic, with linebackers drifting into the flats or dropping back to form a cover-3 zone. Bryan Lane, who has played linebacker, is a hard-hitting safety with range. Charles Garrett, who was a safety last week, is a corner this week. Alex Bertrando is back in the starting lineup. The marquee defender is Brock Hekking, who sports a blond mullet and hits like a mallet. Hekking thrives in the Pack’s schemes. "I like our freedom as a D-line," Hekking said. "It’s a pass-first, adjust-to-run type of defense. We can pin our ears back and go." Hekking fashioned his playing style — and look — from Brian Bosworth, a former NFL linebacker who now is a Hollywood actor. "It was kind of a Brian Bosworth inspiration that I kind of transformed into my own kind of thing," Hekking said. "I really admired his intensity on the field, that high energy. He expressed his personality through his hair and his attitude. I kind of admired that. I’m trying to do the same."

HAWAII SPECIAL TEAMS

Head coach Norm Chow and former UH long-snapper Jake Ingram will take over special teams in place of coordinator Chris Demarest, who is suspended for the game after yelling at an Oregon State player following a late hit. Demarest has scripted a menu of strategies from which Chow and Ingram will choose. Strength coach Gary Beemer will gather the personnel groups, and defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer will handle the punt-return unit. One of the mandates is to catch every punt. Of the 12 punts received this year, six were allowed to bounce, with three downed inside the 9. UH is willing to call for fair catches inside the 10 to prevent additional yards on bounces. Rugby-styled Scott Harding and traditional-kicking Ruben Guzman have different punting styles with similar results. Guzman averages 40.3 yards; Harding’s average is 40.1.

NEVADA SPECIAL TEAMS

Despite Chase Tenpenny being one of the top punters in the West, Nevada is losing the battle for field position. In three games, Tenpenny has punted 18 times for an average of 45.0 yards. But 11 punts have been returned for a total of 159 yards, reducing Nevada’s net average to 34.3 yards. The Pack, meanwhile, have forced opponents to punt eight times. Two punts — both against FBC member UC Davis — were returned for minus-2 yards. Nevada did not have a punt return against UCLA or Florida State.