MIDDLE TENNESSEE OFFENSE
X—37 Patrick Smith 6-0 185 Jr.
SB—3 Richie James 5-9 180 So.
LT—74 Robert Behanan 6-3 301 So
LG—63 Josh Chester 6-3 308 Sr.
C—66 Daniel Stephens 6-2 304 Sr.
RG—73 Chandler Brewer 6-6 319 So.
RT—56 Maurquice Shakir 6-3 315 Sr.
SB—24 Ty Lee 5-9 155 Fr.
Z—20 Dennis Andrews 6-0 179 Sr.
QB—12 Brent Stockstill 6-0 206 So.
RB—4 I’Tavius Mathers 5-11 197 Sr.
BLUE RAIDERS OFFENSE
Each week, the Blue Raiders appear to put on an offensive clinic, which is fitting because coordinator Tony Franklin teaches football seminars across the country. They are eighth nationally in offense (515.7 yards per game). The Raiders will align in four-receiver sets, overloads, stacks and even a flex bone. There also are wide line splits, opening the way for quarterback draws. “We try to give every formation known to man,” said Franklin, who adds to the menu every week. “If something generates in his mind, he’ll put it in the playbook,” quarterback Brent Stockstill said. Actually, it is the grad assistants who organized the playbook. “I never looked at it,” Franklin said. The left-handed Stockstill is expected to play after missing the final three regular-season games with a broken right collarbone. He opened the season with 22 consecutive completions. Backup QB John Urzua also has been cleared after going through the concussion protocol. But even Plan C is prolific. After Urzua was injured in the first quarter against Florida Atlantic, slotback Richie James and wideout Dennis Andrews rotated at wildcat. “I was looking around for a quarterback,” said James, who amassed 76 yards passing, 207 yards rushing and 120 yards receiving as the Raiders rolled up 77 points and 757 yards. I’Tavius Mathers has rushed for 1,504 yards, an average of 6.8 yards per attempt, and has lost one fumble in 220 carries. On third-and-short, he is averaging 10.6 yards. “If there’s no air, I still have to find a way to get positive yards,” Mathers said.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE DEFENSE
LE—49 Steven Rhodes 6-3 268 Sr.
LT—99 Jimal McBride 6-2 319 Sr.
RT—51 Shaquille Huff 6-1 330 Sr.
RE—59 Chris Hale 6-4 259 Sr.
SLB—31 DJ Sanders 6-0 225 Jr.
MLB—33 Myles Harges 6-2 225 Jr.
WLB—32 Chris Melton 6-1 210 So.
LC—6 Mike Minter 6-0 181 Jr.
SS—7 Jovante Moffatt 6-0 191 So.
FS—29 Darryl Randolph 5-11 192 So.
RC—8 Jeremy Cutrer 6-2 170 Sr.
The Blue Raiders are tough on third down, allowing 2.56 yards per rush and 4.16 yards per play. The trouble is third-down plays account for only 21.7 percent of opposing team’s snaps. That’s because the Blue Raiders yield 6.81 yards per play on first down and 5.23 on second. Opponents have 42 rushes of 10-plus yards on first down. Defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix has countered with 4-2, 4-3 and 3-3 fronts. Linebackers Myles Harges and Chris Melton have aligned 5 yards off the ball or bunched in a seven-across front. Melton is skilled as a stand-up edge rusher. Left corner Mike Minter prefers press coverages and right corner Jeremy Cutrer often gives cushion, sometimes dropping back to expand the cover-2 secondary. Cutrer has 10 pass defenses and three picks. Nix usually coaches from the sideline, where he can “see in their eyes and get a vibe about what’s going on.” But he said he is contemplating coaching from the loge-level box this game. “That’ll be a game-time decision,” Nix said.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE SPECIALISTS
PK—15 Canon Rooker 5-11 184 Jr.
LS—53 William Eads 6-0 217 Jr.
H—38 Jim Cardwell 5-9 173 So.
P—99 Matt Bonadies 6-1 213 So.
KR—27 Ruben Garnett 5-9 178 Fr.
PR—3 Richie James 5-9 180 So.
After scoring a touchdown, Richie James forms an “S” with his fingers in tribute to his hometown of Sarasota, Fla. He has other signature moves, such as cutbacks, pirouettes and jump cuts that accompany his 40-yard speed of 4.47 seconds. James, a triple threat as receiver/runner/passer, is seeking to break out on punt returns. Canon Rooker, who was the kickoff specialist last year, has seized the point-kicking job, converting 13 of his past 14 field-goal attempts.
HAWAII OFFENSE
X—12 Keelan Ewaliko 5-11 200 Jr.
SB—45 John Ursua 5-10 175 Fr.
LT—50 Dejon Allen 6-3 290 Jr.
LG—51 John Wa‘a 6-4 315 Jr.
C—78 Leo Koloamatangi 6-5 310 Sr.
RG—65 Asotui Eli 6-4 315 So.
RT—74 RJ Hollis 6-4 295 Sr.
IR—10 Makoa Camanse-Stevens 6-4 205 Sr.
Z—14 Marcus Kemp 6-4 200 Sr.
QB—19 Dru Brown 6-0 200 So.
RB—22 Diocemy Saint Juste 5-8 195 Jr.
This is the most wonderful time of the year for quarterback Dru Brown, an admitted football diehard. “One of my favorite things to do is sit on my butt and watch college football,” Brown said. Six months after transferring from junior college and 18 months after going unsigned as a prep senior, Brown has guided the Rainbow Warriors into a bowl game. “I’ve tried to become more disciplined and less reckless,” Brown said of his in-season development. The Warriors also have evolved, mixing four-receiver sets with unbalanced formations to create run-pass-option mismatches. Speedy wideout Keelan Ewaliko brings a vertical threat. Wideout Marcus Kemp, who can align on either side or in the slot, has created openings for teammates on jet sweeps or as the decoy on two-receiver slants. Dylan Collie’s resurgence has allowed him to pair with John Ursua in double-slot formations. They are at their best on one-cut moves. Dakota Torres is adjusting to his expanded role as H-back. When aligned in the backfield, he gets a headstart on blocks. Compared to on-line blocking as a tight end, Torres said, “there’s more space between you and the defender. You have to come with enough force to stop the guy from moving, but you also have to break down to get a hold of the guy, too.” Torres also has mastered football’s version of the pick-and-roll, when he brush-blocks a defender then breaks into the open area. It is a surprising basketball move for Torres, who said: “The only basketball I play is in my room — ‘NBA 2K’ (video game).”
HAWAII DEFENSE
DE—5 Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea 6-3 240 Sr.
DT—75 Kory Rasmussen 6-2 295 Sr.
DT—98 Viane Moala 6-7 300 Fr.
DE—97 Meffy Koloamatangi 6-5 240 Jr.
OLB—2 Jerrol Garcia-Williams 6-2 230 Sr.
MLB—31 Jahlani Tavai 6-4 235 So.
SLB—38 Malachi Mageo 6-2 210 So.
LCB—19 Jalen Rogers 6-1 200 Sr.
S—39 Trayvon Henderson 6-0 200 Jr.
S—21 Damien Packer 5-11 210 Sr.
RC—18 Rojesterman Farris II 6-1 180 Fr.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa has found success with changes: Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea and Meffy Koloamatangi from linebackers to defensive ends; Jahlani Tavai from rush end to middle linebacker/play-caller; and defensive tackle Viane Moala, linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard and safety Keala Santiago from freshman orientation to rotation players. But the biggest move was no move at all. Jalen Rogers, who played five positions for UH as a junior-college transfer in 2014, emerged as an aggressive corner this season. Aligned mostly on the left side, Rogers usually is matched against an opponent’s top wideout. At 6-1 and 200 pounds, Rogers is best on press coverages. In the past two games, he has allowed four completions, with only two resulting in first downs. He leads the Rainbow Warriors with three picks. “Football is important to Jalen,” Lempa said. “He became one of our leaders. He became a playmaker.” Rogers, who studies hours of football videos on his iPad, said: “I’ve been playing football since I was 7 years old. It helped me overcome things I wouldn’t be able to do. I probably wouldn’t have been able to go to college without football.” Last week, he earned a bachelor’s degree. ball.” Last week, he earned a bachelor’s degree.
HAWAII SPECIALISTS
PK/P—1 Rigo Sanchez 6-1 190 Sr.
SS—62 Brodie Nakama 5-9 225 Sr.
H—11 Ikaika Woolsey 6-1 215 Sr.
LS—41 Noah Borden 6-1 215 So.
KR—6 Paul Harris 5-11 190 Sr.
PR—45 John Ursua 5-10 175 Fr.
rainbow warriors special TEAMS
Rigo Sanchez is on track to becoming the most accurate UH kicker in the past half-century. Sanchez has converted all 12 field-goal attempts this year and 20 of 23 in his two UH seasons, an accuracy of 87 percent. Jason Elam converted 79 percent in five seasons. Sanchez could become the fourth Rainbow Warrior with a perfect season in the past 50 years, following Kenton Chun (4-for-4 in 2011), Elam (5-for-5 in injury-shortened 1990) and Wilson Fatafehi (4-for-4 in 1967).
