College football’s opening weekend shines on the 50th state and Aloha Stadium as the two-time defending national champion USC Trojans and University of Hawai’i Warriors meet Saturday before an anticipated sold-out crowd. The teams will face off for the third
College football’s opening weekend shines on the 50th state and Aloha Stadium as the two-time defending national champion USC Trojans and University of Hawai’i Warriors meet Saturday before an anticipated sold-out crowd.
The teams will face off for the third time since 1999. UH head coach June Jones made his collegiate debut against the Trojans six years ago with a 62-7 defeat in Honolulu. In 2003, USC head coach Pete Carroll got the best of Jones and the Warriors, 61-32 at the Los Angeles Coliseum en route to the national championship.
The Warriors will take the Aloha Stadium field for the first time in five years without NCAA record setting quarterback Timmy Chang. Junior college transfer Colt Brennan and redshirt freshman Tyler Graunke will carry the mantle of an offense that has consistently ranked in the Top 10 of total offense in each of Jones’ six seasons. Neither has Division I-A game experience but both spent the off-season learning the intricate details of the pass-oriented Run-and-Shoot offense.
They will throw to a brand new receiving corps as all four of last year’s starters are gone, including fan favorite Chad Owens, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The electrifying receiver/return specialist totaled more than 1,800 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns a year ago.
Junior wideout Ross Dickerson is the team’s leading returning receiver. Dickerson managed 143 yards receiving last season, but has been used primarily as a kickoff return specialist in each of his first two seasons. Sophomore Jason Ferguson and senior Nate Ilaoa are the only other receivers with legitimate game experience. Ferguson, too, was used primarily on kickoffs but is slated to replace Owens at one of the two slotback positions. Ilaoa has spent the past two seasons recovering from a knee injury after a standout freshman campaign.
Senior Bryan Maneafaiga and junior Kala Latuselu will split time at running back and try to provide a one-two punch much like last season’s duo of Michael Brewster and West Keli’ikipi, who combined for 1,058 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The strength of the offense lost its leader during the off-season when popular coach Mike Cavanaugh left for Oregon State. Former running backs coach Wes Suan took over the group, which returns four starters, including Outland Trophy candidate Samson Satele. The junior was a freshman All-American two years ago and his versatility allows him to play either guard or center position. Also protecting the quarter-back’s blind side is all-WAC tackle Tala Esera, who recorded 20 knockdowns and gave up only one-half sack a year ago, and all-WAC candidate Brandon Eaton who made the switch from tackle to guard.
But for the first time since Jones’ arrival on the Manoa campus, the Warrior defense was the talk of the town with the addition of former NFL coach and broadcaster Jerry Glanville to the coaching staff. Glanville’s heralded blitzing-style defense was highly respected around the pro football circuit and he hopes a revamped Hawai’i defense will improve on a No. 116 ranking a year ago.
The defense will be led by all-WAC end Melila Purcell and veteran safety Leonard Peters. Five starters return but more importantly at least another dozen players with game experience are back, including linebackers Tanuvasa Moe and Ikaika Curnan.
The defensive secondary returns both starters at safety but the corner positions are up for grabs after the departure of all-WAC Abraham Elimimian and returning starter Kenny Patton, who underwent knee surgery last week. Patton is listed as doubtful for this week’s game.
Who can feel sorry for the Trojans, the nation’s preseason top ranked team by every publication, that returns Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and this year’s favorite Reggie Bush? The Trojans bring a 22-game winning streak to Honolulu under the leadership of Carroll, the fifth-year coach who owns a 42-9 career record at the school.
Leinart threw for 33 touch-downs in becoming the sixth Trojan to win college football’s most prestigious award last season. He’ll attempt to become only the second player to win two Heisman trophies in addition to becoming the first team to win three consecutive national championships.
Bush totaled 2,330 all-purpose yards and scored 10 touch-downs last season. However the potent Trojan offense will be without offensive guru Norm Chow, the Hawai’i-born offensive coordinator who left for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans during the off-season. Also returning on offense is leading rusher LenDale White (1,103 yards, 15 TDs), and receivers Dwayne Jarrett (849 yards, 13 TDs) and Steve Smith (42 rec., 660 yards).
USC’s defense took the biggest hit with the loss of four All-Americans.
Game Shorts
• UH vs. USC, 1:05 p.m., Sat.
• TV & Radio: ESPN2 & AM570
• Next: at Michigan St., Sept. 10
