GAME PREVIEW: Tide-Hawaii is battle of new defenses

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GAME PREVIEW:
Tide-Hawaii is battle of new defenses
August 28, 2006
by Jess Nicholas

If you took the total number of returning starters on defense for Alabama and Hawaii and added them together, you’d still need two reserves off someone’s bench to reach a full complement of 11 players.

Alabama returns four defensive starters and Hawaii five, which immediately points out why both offenses are getting so much attention in the days leading up to this game. Alabama is replacing five of the seven starters in its linebacker corps and secondary, meaning that Hawaii can’t be counted out of having a chance in this game. On the other hand, the Warriors were awful on defense in 2005, ranking 102nd in total defense and yielding a total of 438.4 yards per game.

Offensively, both teams return experienced units, although Alabama will start sophomore John Parker Wilson at quarterback for the first time. Alabama must also deal with the Warriors’ run-and-shoot offense, a similar offense to the one the Tide faced in the Cotton Bowl against Texas Tech in January, led by veteran QB Colt Brennan.

Hawaii is by far the best non-conference team Alabama will play in 2006, and if the Warriors played in the SEC they would be considered a mid-pack team. Mid-pack teams are quite capable of pulling upsets.


OFFENSE

Hawaii’s run-and-shoot offense features a running back group that averages about 280 pounds, mingled with full-time four-wide sets and a quarterback that is reasonably mobile. The Warriors finished 2nd in the nation in passing offense last year – Texas Tech was No. 1 – but only 111th in running the football. Perhaps most importantly, Hawaii had issues with offensive consistency, scoring 41 points against a good Boise State team the week after struggling to a 24-point output against lowly Idaho and a week before putting up only 14 against Louisiana Tech. The offensive line has questions. Alabama, meanwhile, will base out of its familiar pro set attack. Expect more running from Alabama than in 2005, as the coaches will look to use Kenneth Darby, Le’Ron McClain and Tim Castille to offset the inexperience of Wilson and an offensive line that is still considered shaky.


QUARTERBACKS
Hawaii’s Colt Brennan threw for 4,301 yards and 35 touchdowns last year on 350-of-515 (68.0%) passing. Incredibly enough, for a quarterback that throws nearly 50 times a game, Brennan threw only 13 interceptions the entire year, one for every 39.6 attempts. Brennan is also decent as a runner, running for 371 yards, 151 after sack yardage was subtracted. Brennan is a more complete athlete than was Timmy Chang, who gave Alabama problems both times the Crimson Tide faced him. Brennan seems to be less mistake-prone than was Chang, but Chang seemed to have the better nose for the big play at the big moment. Regardless, Alabama will be tested. Alabama counters with John Parker Wilson, a sophomore making his first start. Brennan might throw for as many yards as Wilson has in his career so far (98) by the middle of the second quarter, but Wilson is a rising talent. He had a solid spring and followed that up with an even more solid fall, and talk of future stardom is already building. Wilson figures to be more mobile than was Brodie Croyle, and while he doesn’t have Croyle’s arm strength, he seems to go through his progression better and is more adept at throwing on the run. Wilson seems headed for a solid season, health permitting, but right now, Brennan is the better bet. Depth is a push, with Marc Guillon for Alabama having about as much experience as sophomore Tyler Graunke has for Hawaii. Advantage: Hawaii

RUNNING BACKS
One wonders what Hawaii is attempting to pull off in the rushing game. The starting running back, Nate Ilaoa, is 5’9” and 248 pounds. That’s not out of line with some running backs Alabama has met in the SEC, but the reserves are preposterously big – Reagan Mauai (6’0”, 320 pounds), Siave Seti (5’11”, 305) and David Farmer (6’0”, 245). Mauai and Seti are converted offensive linemen, and it shows. Unlike in previous years, there is no scatback in Hawaii’s plans, although the 248-pound Ilaoa, if you can believe this, used to be a wide receiver. “Wide” is right. Ilaoa actually has good numbers from 2005 (85 carries, 643 yards, 7.6 avg., 6 TD), but the backups were rarely used. Hawaii uses its running game mostly as a diversion, but with Ilaoa’s receiving background and some decent speed, Alabama will have to account for him. The Tide counters with Kenneth Darby, perhaps the best running back on a deep list of SEC running backs. He finished with 239 carries for 1,242 yards (5.2 avg.) and 3 touchdowns in 2005 and is a tremendous blocker and receiver out of the backfield. Hawaii uses no fullback, but Alabama makes up for that by bringing two top-flight players, Le’Ron McClain and Tim Castille. Castille will get 5-10 touches in this game and McClain may get a few as well, but the operative profession for McClain is blocking, something he does exceptionally well. Backups Jimmy Johns, Roy Upchurch and perhaps signee Terry Grant give Alabama superior depth. Alabama has a clear edge here. Advantage: Alabama

WIDE RECEIVERS
It’s easy to go ahead and give Hawaii the clear edge in this comparison but doing so would overlook what could be a pretty good receiver corps for Alabama. D.J. Hall and Keith Brown had become a potent one-two punch at the end of 2005, and both players had statistics that were better than many receivers who received preseason all-conference accolades. The question for Alabama is depth. With Tyrone Prothro out for the year, junior Matt Caddell assumes a top role off the bench, along with newcomers Nikita Stover, Mike McCoy and Earl Alexander. Will Oakley, who has been benched for most of the last two years with hamstring injuries, figures to play a prominent role, as might walk-on Darwin Salaam. Then there is tight end, which Hawaii doesn’t even play. Alabama has two proven players, Travis McCall and Nick Walker, and a third player, Charles Hoke, who could be a star in the making. But Hawaii still takes this category on the strength of a pair of returning players who both cracked the 1,000-yard receiving mark, Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins. Neither player is particularly big, though, giving Alabama’s larger corners something to shoot at. Also smallish are the off receivers, Ross Dickerson and Chad Mock. None of these four is over 5’11”. Depth actually goes away fairly quickly for Hawaii; Aaron Bain, Michael Washington and Ian Sample are available off the bench, but beyond that it’s junior Jason Rivers and a collection of unknowns. Of the reserves, only Sample, at 6’2”, has good size. Hawaii will have to rely on quickness. This is actually a close call even with the statistical gap but Hawaii edges out Alabama based on experience. Advantage: Hawaii

OFFENSIVE LINE
You don’t get much more even than this: Alabama and Hawaii tied for 101st in the nation in sacks allowed last year. Hawaii, of course, attempted more passes, but given the quick-hitch style of the passing attack, it should be rare the number of times a Hawaii quarterback is asked to stand in the pocket for three seconds or more. From a run-blocking standpoint, neither team did a great job of it. Alabama’s backs rolled up the stats but often found themselves dodging tacklers in the backfield. As for Hawaii, Ilaoa had good numbers as a decoy option, but for straight-up running, Hawaii just doesn’t do it. This one, then, will come down to experience and raw talent. Hawaii returns three starters, C Samson Satele and tackles Tala Esera and Dane Uperesa. The problem spots are at guard, where Hercules Satele mans the left side and true freshman John Estes is expected to fill the right guard slot. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Hercules falls short of Samson as far as superhero-named Sateles go. Estes is a particular weak spot, going just 6’1” and 275. Unless he proves to be great in technique, he’ll get pushed around by Alabama’s larger defensive tackles. Depth is good in numbers, but there are only two experienced players, guard Keith Ah-Soon and tackle Larry Sauafea, available. Alabama counters with its own much-maligned group. Antoine Caldwell holds down the fort at center and figures to be Bama’s best lineman in 2006. At guard, converted defensive tackle Justin Britt has won the left guard slot and will start opposite last year’s right guard, B.J. Stabler, if Stabler’s health cooperates. If not, reserve guard Marlon Davis gets the call. Andre Smith appears to be leading the left tackle fight as a true freshman. Last year’s left tackle, Chris Capps, is giving last year’s right tackle, Kyle Tatum, all he wants in a fight for this year’s right tackle job. Expect heavy rotation at the position regardless of the starter. Depth for Alabama is better than it’s been in some time, with Michael Johnson and Justin Moon available at guard and Cody Davis and Drew Davis available at tackle. Advantage: Alabama

DEFENSE

Alabama will start with a base 4-3 set, but will use quite a bit of 3-3-5 and even 3-2-6 and 4-1-6 alignments given Hawaii’s full-time four-wide set. It’s a defense Hawaii likely has not seen before, at least with such a goodly number of top athletes running it. The Hawaii defense couldn’t be much different – it’s a 3-4 alignment that stopped neither the run (98th) nor the pass (91st) very well in 2005. There isn’t much speed in the middle of the secondary, and the linebacker corps is in complete rebuilding mode.


DEFENSIVE LINE
Hawaii’s line has changed greatly in makeup since the spring. What hasn’t changed is Michael Lafaele in the middle. At 6’0” and 310 pounds, he’s a chore to move. Defensive end Melila Purcell III is a good control end with decent but not great size. Ikaika Alama-Francis had five sacks and 49 tackles from his left tackle position, but at only 250 pounds he figures to get a handful from Alabama’s large offensive linemen. Clarence Tuioti-Mariner moved to offensive line after the spring, but Keala Watson, Lawrence Wilson and Fale Laeli give Hawaii three big bodies off the bench. Hawaii’s issues are that the starting unit is good for pass defense but not necessarily run defense, while the subs aren’t great pass rushers. Alabama counters with a veteran group that is good at both. Jeremy Clark and Dominic Lee are charged with the inside positions. Clark is a steady veteran who has proven himself, but Lee continues to be nagged by small injuries and needs to shed his injury-prone label. Top reserve J.P. Adams, a former walk-on, had a great spring but has also been nicked up in fall camp. It might fall to freshmen Lorenzo Washington and Brandon Fanney to provide the depth Alabama needs. From the ends, Wallace Gilberry is the man to watch, but junior Keith Saunders put together a solid spring and fall and will be a weapon off the corner. The backups are very experienced, with Bobby Greenwood and Chris Harris leading the way. Alabama’s balance and effectiveness against the run win this category. Advantage: Alabama

LINEBACKERS
Both teams have a lot of rebuilding to do, but Hawaii has further to go. Left inside linebacker Solomon Elimimian led the team in tackles last year with 83 and had a pair of sacks; the next highest tackle total for a projected starter is right inside linebacker Adam Leonard, with 9. The outside positions fall Karl Noa, who had 4 tackles in 2005, and C.J. Allen-Jones, who missed the entire 2005 season. Tyson Kafentzis looks like a grizzled veteran by comparison; he had 22 tackles as a top reserve. The question mark here is Noa, who will get pushed for his position by Rustin Saole and Timo Paepule. Noa could also play rush end. Alabama counters with Juwan Simpson, who may or may not play this game depending on what rises out of disciplinary action related to an off-season arrest. If he can’t go, Terrence Jones becomes the most experienced starter. Jones has been a special teams demon for three years and has been the top backup in the linebacker corps the last two years. Matt Collins and Prince Hall figure to split the middle linebacker position, although they’ll likely watch most of this game from the bench so that Alabama can add defensive backs. If Simpson plays, Alabama will have a big advantage, because even though Simpson is a linebacker, he will sometimes slide out to a cornerback position as he did in the Cotton Bowl – and he’s capable of pulling it off. If Simpson sits, Demarcus Waldrop becomes the likely starter. Like Jones, he’s been an experienced reserve for two years. Marcel Stamps and redshirt freshman Zach Schreiber provide depth. With Simpson, it’s a clear edge to Alabama; without him, it’s tighter, but Alabama still takes it. Advantage: Alabama

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Both teams are replacing three starters, but there’s little question who has the best unit. Alabama’s Ramzee Robinson is the SEC’s top cornerback, and whoever wins the other position – Simeon Castille or Eric Gray – has all-conference talent as well. Jeffrey Dukes moves into the free safety role, and he’s proven as a reserve the last two years and in spring this year that he can be a dangerous playmaker. With 6’3” height, a solid 210-pound frame and 4.5 speed, he’ll be hard to handle. The question mark is strong safety, where Marcus Carter and Rashad Johnson refuse to pull away from each other and snatch the position. Carter figures to start, with Johnson the first safety off the bench. Depth is very good, with the loser of the Castille-Gray matchup fighting with Lionel Mitchell, Cory Reamer and signee Justin Woodall for the nickel job. Hawaii returns Brad Kalilimoku at strong safety – except Kalilimoku was an inside linebacker last year. Speed is a question. Leonard Peters is a familiar name to Alabama fans; a sixth year of eligibility gives Peters his third career shot at the Crimson Tide. He’ll play free safety after playing only sparingly in 2005, but Jacob Patek may start. Since Peters’ injury was to his knee, speed is also a question with him. Kenny Patton and C.J. Hawthorne are the early favorites at cornerback, and if you add their weights up, they’d still come in shy of a couple of the offensive linemen. Keenan Jones, who was cleared academically very late in the camp process, may start opposite Hawthorne. Kalilimoku has been hobbled recently, possibly clearing the way for Michael Malala or Desmond Thomas. With so many changes going on in the Hawaii secondary, continuity can’t be readily seen. Alabama by a mile. Advantage: Alabama

SPECIAL TEAMS
If anyone knew for certain the status of Alabama placekicker Jamie Christensen, this category would be in the bag for Alabama. Christensen won three games in the closing seconds in 2005 and had a mammoth offseason, hitting everything he attempted in spring and fall. But a groin injury early in fall camp slowed him, giving the job possibly to walk-on true freshman Leigh Tiffin or redshirt freshman Andrew Friedman. Even if Christensen can go, look for Friedman to possibly kick off. At punter, redshirt freshman P.J. Fitzgerald leads true freshman Adam Jones. Kick and punt returns are also a question, with Simeon Castille battling a pair of true freshmen, Javier Arenas and Terry Grant, for the jobs. Hawaii returns both its kickers, punter Kurt Milne and placekicker Dan Kelly. Milne averaged just 36.1 yards per punt, however, and Milne missed a third of his kicks plus three extra points. Kelly has good leg strength, however, so long kicks may not be a problem. Hawaii was poor in the return game last year, finishing 93rd in punt returns and 94th in kickoff returns. Experience certainly favors Hawaii, but we’ll bet Christensen is able to go, giving Alabama a weapon here in comparison of two teams with few special teams weapons between them. Advantage: Alabama


OVERALL
Alabama leads in six categories, Hawaii in two. The offensive line and special teams categories are toss-ups, however, so Alabama fans need not begin feeling cocky. Hawaii is a dangerous and potent team if for no other reason than its quarterback and receivers are more experienced.

Alabama, however, is deeper and more physical. Hawaii is limited to 60 players on the traveling squad, while Alabama will have more than 100 in uniform for this game. Conditioning will be an issue for both teams, but more so for the Warriors.

Perhaps the biggest issue is continuity. Hawaii has a new defensive coordinator, Jerry Glanville, and the Warriors have seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time experimenting with players on defense this fall camp rather than selecting a unit and letting them practice together. While Alabama isn’t expected to have a great offensive day, it may become such based simply on mistakes the Hawaii defense figures to make.

This is not your typical opener; Alabama finds itself with an athletic, potent team on its hands, but one that will probably be overpowered on both lines of scrimmage. If Alabama can hold Hawaii to 21 points or fewer, the offense should be able to punch enough holes in the Warrior defense to carry the day.

Alabama 34
Hawaii 21