here goes a lil' more for u ppl who like to read a few more than my babblin, hehehe
THIS IS FROM BOBBY BLUE CHIP'S THREAD POST
Hawaii Bowl - Scout Inc's take
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Hawaii offense vs. Tulsa defense
? QB Bryant Moniz pilots a Hawaii offense that's thrown the ball twice as much as it has run this season, and that pass-to-run ratio could be even more lopsided in this game because Tulsa ranks 119th nationally in pass defense (305.7 ypg). The Golden Hurricane have been plagued by breakdowns in coverage and must disrupt Moniz's rhythm to mask its deficiencies on the back end. Hawaii's pass protection has been leaky at times and Tulsa will bring pressure from different areas of the field, but Moniz has shown that he can locate his hot read and get the ball out of his hands quickly when teams have blitzed. He is also a poised pocket passer who locates the open man and spreads the ball around when the protection is sound, so Tulsa has to get home on the blitz or it could be in for a long day.
? Warriors slot WRs Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares have combined for 194 catches, 2,981 yards and 27 touchdowns. Both have the burst to get open quickly; they show no fear going over the middle; and they excel at picking up yards after the catch. Hawaii offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich can create space for them underneath by running vertical routes with his outside receivers that clear out defensive backs. Tulsa's defensive backs can't be too quick to jump the underneath routes, though, because Hawaii perimeter WRs Royce Pollard and Rodney Bradley are fast enough to get behind the coverage if they do. Rolovich will also test safeties Dexter McCoil and Marco Nelson by lining Salas and Pilares up on the same side of the field. In that alignment, Salas can run a vertical route while Pilares gets behind the linebackers on a slant. If the safety on that side of the field stays with Salas, it will create space for Pilares to run after the catch. If the safety jumps up on Pilares, it will open the door for Salas to get behind the defense.
? The strength of Hawaii's offense is its passing game, but RB Alex Green can make defenses pay for overlooking him. The 230-pound Green is a downhill runner who hits top-end speed quickly, and he is difficult to get to the ground once he has gained a full head of steam. He benefits from Hawaii's spread attack, which pulls defenders out of the box and keeps linebackers on their heels. The key to slowing Green is clogging up the middle with strong interior defensive line play, but Tulsa will have a difficult time doing that. Golden Hurricane NG Odrick Ray plays low and fights to hold the point, but at 275 pounds he doesn't have the size or strength to occupy multiple blockers at the line of scrimmage. Tulsa can mask this weakness with blitzes, but that strategy can result in big plays on the ground and through the air when the blitz is picked up.
Tulsa offense vs. Hawaii defense
? QB G.J. Kinne is Tulsa's leading rusher; he is a deceptively quick player whose fundamentals make him hard to defend. Kinne makes sound reads and gets upfield quickly when he sees a seam in the read-option game, so the Warriors have to play sound assignment football. A Hawaii linebacker corps anchored by OLB Corey Paredes also has to be aware of Kinne in the passing game because he sets up and sells the pass well before taking off on designed quarterback keepers. The Golden Hurricane also utilize several running backs, but 249-pound RB Alex Singleton is the team's bruiser, a powerful between-the-tackles runner who is second on the team in carries. The Warriors must wrap up Singleton's legs to limit his production after contact.
? Kinne faces a Hawaii defense that was gashed for 507 passing yards by Boise State QB Kellen Moore, who didn't play in the fourth quarter; WR Damaris Johnson and H-back Charles Clay give Kinne two talented targets. Johnson has the speed to stretch the field and the burst to turn a short catch into a big play, while Clay is quick enough to separate from linebackers when lined up at tight end or H-back and his wide frame will give Hawaii's defensive backs problems when he lines up wide. However, the Warriors' inconsistent pass defense is capable of getting the better of Kinne, who will put too much air under downfield passes at times. Hawaii leads the nation with 23 total interceptions thanks in large part to FS Mana Silva, who reads quarterbacks and tracks the ball well. In addition, OLBs Paredes and Aaron Brown play the ball well, so Kinne has to be careful when looking for Clay in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field.
? Defenses have to play with discipline against Tulsa because offensive coordinator Chad Morris does an excellent job using misdirection to keep them off balance. Kinne can roll out to the right and throw a screen to the backside tight end, or WR Genesis Cole can motion into the backfield and take the handoff before throwing the ball downfield. Johnson can motion into the backfield and get into pitch relationship, run a jet sweep or fake the jet sweep in an effort to create a seam for Kinne or a back inside. He can also line up at quarterback in the Wildcat package. That's a lot for Hawaii's defenders to consider, and they have to trust their reads and execute their assignments. If defenders get caught chasing motion or trying to do too much, it will create seams that Tulsa can exploit for big plays.
Scouts' Edge
Tulsa's ground game will keep the score close early, but Hawaii is the better team and will pull away in the second half. The Golden Hurricane don't have the depth or experience in the secondary to slow the Warriors' explosive passing attack and Green will keep Tulsa honest with the occasional run. In addition, an underrated Hawaii run defense will put the Golden Hurricane in some obvious passing situations and the Warriors' opportunistic pass defense will make some big plays on those downs. Add in the home-field advantage and Hawaii cruises to the win.
Prediction: Warriors 44, Golden Hurricane 31
TOOK THIS FROM BOBBY BLUE CHIP'S POST ABOUT THIS CAPPERS GAME PREDICTIONS
