Hawaii stuff
Got this article for Christmas Eve...
Warriors block out critics
High number of sacks a concern, but linemen aren't entirely to blame
Mark Twain is credited with noting there are "lies, damned lies and statistics."
For the Hawai'i football team, here's a damning statistic: 49 sacks allowed in 13 games.
Entering Wednesday's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, the Warriors are conceivably in reach of the NCAA record of 58 sacks relinquished in a season.
What's more, they have allowed 10 sacks combined in the past two games.
"I'm not happy with the number of (relinquished) sacks we've had this year," UH head coach Greg McMackin said. "In the offseason, that's going to be a deep project for us."
In the four-wide passing offense, the higher number of sacks might be proportionate to the greater number of pass attempts. But in the same number of games, the Warriors had 205 more pass plays last season, yet relinquished 14 fewer sacks.
In 2007, the Warriors were sacked once every 19.9 pass plays. This season, they have been sacked once every 10.1 pass plays.
What's more, in four games this year, the Warriors altered their offense to incorporate more rollout schemes designed to minimize the number of backfield tackles.
The offensive line, particularly left tackle Aaron Kia and right tackle Keoni Steinhoff, has absorbed most of the blame from critics.
"We're the easiest guys to pick on," Kia said. "We never get noticed unless we do something (wrong). That's why people pick on us. We're supposed to be the ones who (mess) up. When we do good, nobody says (anything). It's whatever."
Steinhoff said: "When things don't go well, who do they turn to? They turn to us. We put that in the back of our minds and keep playing. We can't worry about what other people are saying when we're on the field. We have to keep playing."
But offensive line coach Brian Smith said "all stats offensively are collective. You win as a team, you lose as a team."
Indeed, McMackin said the blame can be spread evenly.
"Sacks come from a lot of things," McMackin said, listing "quarterbacks not getting the ball off, receivers running the wrong routes, trying to go deep when (the defense) is blitzing. It's not always on the offensive linemen. It can be one of 11 guys' problems. Everyone always puts it on the offensive line. I don't point fingers at anybody. It's the entire offense's problem. It will take them all to work together as a team."
Smith traced part of the problem to a lack of continuity on the offensive line. Three starting offensive linemen returned from last year's team, but only two — center John Estes and Steinhoff — remained at the same position.
Last year's left tackle, Keith AhSoon, moved to left guard.
But AhSoon missed six weeks because of an injury. Steinhoff suffered a fractured finger in training camp. Kia and left guard Laupepa Letuli have endured knee tendinitis the entire season. Running back David Farmer, the team's best backfield blocker, missed some games because of a knee injury.
Kia used what he calls "experimental" massage treatments to alleviate the pain in his knees.
"It's been a chemistry thing the whole year," Steinhoff said. "We've had so many people start on the offensive line."
Smith said: "There have been a lot of other factors: different quarterbacks, different running backs, different groups in the line. We haven't had a pretty cohesive offense the whole year."
In certain situations, the Warriors have tried to stem pass-rushes with so-called maximum protection, sliding a slotback into the backfield to work in tandem with Farmer.
"We're trying to do different things," quarterback coach Nick Rolovich said.
The Warriors find optimism from their bowl opponent. Last year, Notre Dame allowed the NCAA-record 58 sacks, or one every 7.7 pass plays.
This year, by improving their perimeter block and throwing more quick outs, they have allowed 20 sacks in 12 games, or one sack every 21.5 pass plays.
"We were (like the Warriors') offense last year," Notre Dame defensive tackle Pat Kuntz said. "We know what kind of situation they're in."
McMackin said: "We're trying to eliminate (the problem) for this game. We're working hard at it. And I know Notre Dame will be coming at us. It's something that's definitely a concern, and something we're deeply working on."
Smith said the offensive linemen have "had a good week of practice. I'm expecting them to play well."
These guys are a continuous problem on the Warrior frontline...and yes, you will get blamed for many of the offensive woes...this is big-boy football, and the Big-Boys from Indiana are here...game on....
