LIHU‘E — The last time the Warriors played host at Aloha Stadium, they were attempting to finish their season with a five-game win streak and become bowl eligible. That day ended with a 51-10 loss to the bigger, brutish Badgers
LIHU‘E — The last time the Warriors played host at Aloha Stadium, they were attempting to finish their season with a five-game win streak and become bowl eligible.
That day ended with a 51-10 loss to the bigger, brutish Badgers from Wisconsin and immediately focused Hawai‘i’s attention on 2010, rather than a bowl game.
The new season arrives today, as do the Trojans of USC. New head coach Lane Kiffin leads the charge of the much maligned SoCal crew, who were questionable for even making today’s appearance after NCAA rule violations led to athletic sanctions.
But the game will go on, kicking off at 5 p.m. on ESPN.
Hawai‘i brings back much of its offensive firepower, with quarterback Bryant Moniz in place for his first season on top of the depth chart. Moniz took over for Greg Alexander in 2009 when a knee injury put an end to the senior’s UH career in Week 4.
He finished the season with 2,396 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, starting eight games and seeing action in 10.
Receivers Greg Salas, Kealoha Pilares and Rodney Bradley are all back to present welcome targets for Moniz.
Salas caught 106 balls for 1,590 yards and eight TDs on the season, leading the receiving corps in all categories.
Kiffin’s Trojans enter the season ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll. Having spurned the Tennessee Volunteers after just one year of service, Kiffin hopes to ride the wave of success USC has traditionally had with both UH and WAC compatriots.
USC is unbeaten in six games against the Warriors, having put up at least 60 points in its past three matchups.
Overall, USC is 29-1 against WAC opponents.
The Trojans enter the season in a strange predicament, knowing that no success will be great enough to merit postseason inclusion after the penalty levied by the NCAA. Former head coach Pete Carroll is now with the Seattle Seahawks, leaving USC after going 9-4 in 2009, USC’s worst record since 2001.
Sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley opened eyes in his freshman go-round, showing promise and poise unusual for a young signal-caller.
Running backs Allen Bradford, Marc Tyler and C.J. Gable will all be threatening to break the Warriors’ rush defense, which gave up over 200 yards a game on the ground last season.
But Kaua‘i’s Vaughn Meatoga, now a junior defensive tackle, is a cog that could prevent USC from carving up the Hawai‘i front seven.
“Vaughn Meatoga is the leader of this defense,” said defensive line coach Tony Tuioti. “We’ve got a lot of players that lead in their own way, but Vaughn is the vocal leader and the heartbeat of the group.”
Meatoga anchors a line that will also bring back defensive end Elliott Purcell, who started eight games in 2009 and tallied 30 tackles.
The rest of the returning starters are in the secondary, leaving little experience up front.
Warriors head coach Greg McMackin enters his third season at the helm, compiling a record of 13-14 to this point, reaching one bowl game — a 49-21 loss to Notre Dame in the 2008 Hawai‘i Bowl.
The season begins with a questionable, if not difficult stretch, considering the team’s historical struggles with USC. The Warriors follow it up with road dates at Army (5-7 in 2009) and Colorado (3-9). Both teams appear beatable, though Army plays an awkward style and Colorado knocked off 17th-ranked Kansas and Texas A&M on its home field last season.
Conference road contests at Fresno State (Oct. 9) and Boise State (Nov. 6) should factor heavily into where UH will reside in the final WAC standings.
Today’s result won’t necessarily be a barometer for the Warriors’ season, though a competitive ballgame would bode well for McMackin and his team’s progression in an important year for the head coach.
