HAWAII (10-3) vs TULSA (9-3)
Tulsa pounds Hawaii 62-35
3 Stars
1. Tulsa WR Damaris Johnson- The Junior became the NCAA all time all purpose yards leader and had 101 yards receiving and 98 yards rushing as well as 3 touchdowns.
2. Tulsa QB G.J. Kinne- He was 17 for 31 for 343yards and 3 touchdown passes.
3. Hawaii WR Greg Salas- The FBS receiving leader had 13 receptions for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Tulsa came out with the better defense, forcing 6 Hawaii turnovers.
| C-USA vs. Hawaii | Honolulu Aloha Stadium |
Dec. 24 8 p.m. |
ESPN |
Hawaii Bowl Preview
Offense
This game will definitely feature some points. Tulsa averages 40 points a game and they have the 16th rated passing offense and the 15th rated rushing offense nationally. The offense goes with C-USA player of the year, G.J. Kinne. Kinne, a dual threat has passed for 3307 yards and 557 yards rushing, leading the team in both categories. When he passes, look for WR Demaris Johnson to have a big impact. The star junior has 771 receiving yards. He also leads the nation in all-purpose yards and was named C-USA special teams player of the year. Charles Clay has 7 receiving touchdowns. The offense runs the same offense as Gus Malzhan, Auburn offensive coordinator, ran 2 years ago.
Hawaii is also known for their offense. They average 40 points a game, led by the number 1 passing attack in the country. QB Bryant Moniz has passed for 4629 yards and 36 touchdowns. Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares are huge threats in the slots. Salas has a staggering 106 receptions for 1675 yards. Pilares has 15 touchdowns and 1306 yards receiving. A surprise for the Warriors has been senior RB Alex Green. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns, while accumulating 1168 yards on the ground. They have put up 59 points in each of their last two games.
The Tulsa defense has given 30 points a game, but has given up more than 28 points only once since week three. DB Marco Nelson may need to make some big plays against the Hawaii passing attack. He leads the team with 6 interceptions. Also look for LB Shawn Jackson, who has been great at the linebacker position. Both players are true freshman. I expect this to be a shootout.
The pick: I like Hawaii to win this game. I think this game will be a shootout and I think Hawaii has the better defense. I am really looking forward to seeing the number 1 ranked pass offense of Hawaii.
This pick has been made by bowlseason.yolasite.com and therefore will be correct.
But if you disagree or agree with me send and email to ryzim22@yahoo.com saying who you think will win and why and I'll post it....
Hawaii is also known for their offense. They average 40 points a game, led by the number 1 passing attack in the country. QB Bryant Moniz has passed for 4629 yards and 36 touchdowns. Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares are huge threats in the slots. Salas has a staggering 106 receptions for 1675 yards. Pilares has 15 touchdowns and 1306 yards receiving. A surprise for the Warriors has been senior RB Alex Green. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns, while accumulating 1168 yards on the ground. They have put up 59 points in each of their last two games.
Defense
The Hawaii defense has also been a pleasant surprise. They give up 22.7 points a game. Linebacker Corey Peredes leads the team in tackles and is among the nation's best. Safeties Mana Silva, Richard Torres and CBs Aaron Brown and Jeramy Bryant will all be key for the defense which hopes to force turnovers to slow down the high powered Tulsa offense. I do believe they will give up some points, but Hawaii has the better defense of the two teams. The Tulsa defense has given 30 points a game, but has given up more than 28 points only once since week three. DB Marco Nelson may need to make some big plays against the Hawaii passing attack. He leads the team with 6 interceptions. Also look for LB Shawn Jackson, who has been great at the linebacker position. Both players are true freshman. I expect this to be a shootout.
The pick: I like Hawaii to win this game. I think this game will be a shootout and I think Hawaii has the better defense. I am really looking forward to seeing the number 1 ranked pass offense of Hawaii.
This pick has been made by bowlseason.yolasite.com and therefore will be correct.
But if you disagree or agree with me send and email to ryzim22@yahoo.com saying who you think will win and why and I'll post it....
Eric Bailey, of The Tulsa World, was nice enough to answer some questions about Tulsa.
BS: After a 3-3 start, the Golden Hurricane went 6-0 in the second half. What has been the difference in the second half of the season?
Eric Bailey:Tulsa finished its season by winning eight of its final nine games, including six straight to finish the season. During that stretch, the defense never gave up more than 30 points until the season finale against a high-scoring Southern Miss team. The key was its defense used a bend-but-don't-break mentality and also forced turnovers. TU is seventh nationally in turnover margin and that has been a big key. With each win during the current strech, the team has grown more confident.
BS: The offense has been prolific throughout the season including dual threat QB G.J. Kinne. Talk about his play as well as the offense in general.
Eric Bailey: G.J. Kinne, Conference USA's offensive player of the year, has benefited from first-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris. Last year, the team struggled after the departure of Gus Malzahn to Auburn, but Morris brought back the same exact offense this season (in fact, Malzahn and Morris are good friends). Morris was a very successful high-school coach in Texas last year and has made a seamless transition. Tulsa is extremely balanced (No. 5 in total offense) and is ranked No. 15 in rushing offense and No. 16 in passing offense. It is the only offense to rank in the top 16 in both categories.
BS: The defense has had some trouble, giving up nearly 30 points a game. What are the problems and who are the key players?
Eric Bailey: Tulsa's statistics are skewed after giving up 51 points and 538 yards to East Carolina in the opener and 65 points and 722 yards to Oklahoma State in game 3. Since then, the defense has settled as transitions were made. As said before, only Southern Miss has scored more than 28 points since week 3 and the 30 turnovers forced this year ranked fourth nationally. Marco Nelson had six interceptions to lead the team and Shawn Jackson has been a force at the linebacker spot. Both players are true freshmen with plenty of potential.
BS: If you could choose one player to have a breakout game in the bowl game, who would it be?
Eric Bailey: Damaris Johnson led the nation in all-purpose yardage for the second consecutive season this year and he will have to have a breakout game against Hawaii to give the Hurricane an opportunity for victory. Johnson, C-USA's special teams player of the year, is also a key player in the offense. He's the top wide receiver and also runs the Wildcat package for the hurry up, no-huddle attack.
Thanks a lot to Eric Bailey. Check him out at tulsaworld.com
BS: After a 3-3 start, the Golden Hurricane went 6-0 in the second half. What has been the difference in the second half of the season?
Eric Bailey:Tulsa finished its season by winning eight of its final nine games, including six straight to finish the season. During that stretch, the defense never gave up more than 30 points until the season finale against a high-scoring Southern Miss team. The key was its defense used a bend-but-don't-break mentality and also forced turnovers. TU is seventh nationally in turnover margin and that has been a big key. With each win during the current strech, the team has grown more confident.
BS: The offense has been prolific throughout the season including dual threat QB G.J. Kinne. Talk about his play as well as the offense in general.
Eric Bailey: G.J. Kinne, Conference USA's offensive player of the year, has benefited from first-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris. Last year, the team struggled after the departure of Gus Malzahn to Auburn, but Morris brought back the same exact offense this season (in fact, Malzahn and Morris are good friends). Morris was a very successful high-school coach in Texas last year and has made a seamless transition. Tulsa is extremely balanced (No. 5 in total offense) and is ranked No. 15 in rushing offense and No. 16 in passing offense. It is the only offense to rank in the top 16 in both categories.
BS: The defense has had some trouble, giving up nearly 30 points a game. What are the problems and who are the key players?
Eric Bailey: Tulsa's statistics are skewed after giving up 51 points and 538 yards to East Carolina in the opener and 65 points and 722 yards to Oklahoma State in game 3. Since then, the defense has settled as transitions were made. As said before, only Southern Miss has scored more than 28 points since week 3 and the 30 turnovers forced this year ranked fourth nationally. Marco Nelson had six interceptions to lead the team and Shawn Jackson has been a force at the linebacker spot. Both players are true freshmen with plenty of potential.
BS: If you could choose one player to have a breakout game in the bowl game, who would it be?
Eric Bailey: Damaris Johnson led the nation in all-purpose yardage for the second consecutive season this year and he will have to have a breakout game against Hawaii to give the Hurricane an opportunity for victory. Johnson, C-USA's special teams player of the year, is also a key player in the offense. He's the top wide receiver and also runs the Wildcat package for the hurry up, no-huddle attack.
Thanks a lot to Eric Bailey. Check him out at tulsaworld.com
Russell Tolentino, Sports Editor, of Ka Leo O Hawaii, student newspaper of the University of Hawaii answered some questions about UH.
BS: The Warriors have won 9 of their last 10, with only a loss to Boise State. What has been the key to their surprise success and WAC championship?
Russell Tolentino: The Warrior rushing game and its defense have been the key surprises. With the run-and-shoot offense, points were going to go up, but Alex Green's dominance on the ground has give UH another offensive dimension that keeps opposing teams' defense honest and UH is one of the top teams in the country in turnovers forced, which has allowed the offense more opportunities to score.
BS: The offense is number 1 in the country in passing. How good has QB Bryant Moniz been for this offense and who are his top weapons?
Russell Tolentino: After starting the second half of last season, he now has a full grasp on the offense. He has good vision of the field and has a pretty consistant and strong arm. But what's been surprising is his ability to better the ball under pressure. Whether it be putting up a catchable ball, finding open receivers, or the open lanes to run the ball himself, Moniz is calm and collected and can still make big plays in split-seconds.
His top two targets are senior slots Greg Salas and Kealoha
Pilares. Both are among the top receivers in the country statistically.
They are veteran players that know the offense well and have the knack
and heart to gain extra yardage following catches. Junior Royce Pollard
and senior Rodney Bradley are the two other starting WRs.
BS: The defense has been getting better as the year progressed. Please comment on the defense including some personnel.
Russell Tolentino: Defense just seems to be in the right place and the right time to make solid plays. As I said earlier, UH is among the top teams in the country in turnovers forced. Junior linebacker Corey Paredes is among the nation's best in tackles per game and he plays hard-nose football. Senior safety Mana Silva, senior cornerback Jeramy Bryant, junior cornerback Aaron Brown and junior safety Richard Torres have all been key in forcing fumbles and grabbing INTs.
BS: If you could choose one player to have a breakout performance in the bowl game, who would it be?
Russell Tolentino: For Hawaii, a stand-outperformance by senior running back Alex Green will be key. He broke the single-game record for rushing yards against NMSU earlier this year and is also the first UH RB to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season since the run-and-shoot offense was implemented. Should Green have a break out game, Tulsa's defense will be kept honest and Hawaii's receiver will be freed up.
Thanks so much to Russell Tolentino. Check him out at http://www.kaleo.org/sports .
