Aggies set to face high-powered Hawai’i offense
The Utah State football will treat this weekend’s expedition to the Hawaiian islands as a business trip.
After steamrolling their way through four games of conference play to earn a spot alone on top of the Mountain Division standings, the Aggies know they can’t afford not to.
Coming away from Oahu with a win against an explosive Hawai’i team is no easy task, however. Utah State will face perhaps its toughest defensive task to this point in the season, going up against a Rainbow Warrior offense which ranks near the top of the Mountain West in most statistical categories.
“This is a team in Hawai’i that, man, what a really good quarterback and a great passing game they have,” said Utah State head coach Matt Wells. “That’s a passing attack. As an ex-quarterback, it’s fun to watch.”
Hawaii’s air raid offensive attack has been difficult for opponents to stop this season. The Rainbow Warrior offense currently ranks 16th in the nation in passing offense (304.9 ypg), and fifth in first downs (227).
This prolific offense has been made possible largely in part by the play of sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald. Currently ranking top in the nation in passing touchdowns (30), and ninth in passing yards per game (314.7), the La Miranda, Calif. native has made game planning a difficult task for defensive coordinators.
While the Rainbow Warrior offense has been good, the Aggies feel there are many similarities when comparing Hawaii’s strengths with their own.
“Going against our offense (in practice) helps us a lot playing on Saturdays because our offense is really good,” said USU senior safety Jontrell Rocquemore. “You can’t just go out there and expect that we’re going to dominate the offense. Hawaii has a lot of good players and it comes down to our focus and how we prepare. Preparing against Jordan helps us a lot.”
Leading the Hawaii receiving corps is the Beehive State’s own John Ursua. A junior who played his high school ball at Westlake High in Saratoga Springs, Utah, Ursua has emerged on to the scene as one of the nation’s top receivers. He currently ranks top in the nation in receiving touchdowns (14), and second in receiving yards (1,083).
“Besides the quarterback, he’s what makes it go,” Wells said of Ursua. “He is dynamic, and he can fill zone or man. He knows how to whither himself open. He has tremendous hands and makes competitive catches. He’s sneaky quick. He’s a great player.”
The Hawaii defense, however, is another story. Allowing 34.6 points and 439.2 yards per game, this has been the achilles heel of a 6-4 team looking to reach bowl eligibility for just the second time in the past eight seasons.
Against teams which rank nationally in the top 50 in scoring (Army, Nevada, Fresno St.), the Rainbow Warrior defense has allowed 39.3 points per game. They have also held just two of their nine FBS opponents this season below their scoring average, and have allowed them to score an average of 9.23 points above their season average.
While this game could very well turn into an offensive shootout, Hawaii does have one major advantage. A home field advantage unlike any other in college football.
“This week is a big week for us. Going on the road in the Mountain West and playing Hawai’i, it’s always tough to win over there,” Wells said. “There are a ton of distractions… We need to really focus on us, and control what we can control.”
With a long commercial flight, a 10 p.m. MST start time, a general expectation of heat and humidity, and all of the distractions which come along with playing in a tropical paradise, a business trip may be exactly what the Aggies need to return home with a victory.
“We’ll do our very best to continue to prepare at a high level,” Wells said. “We respect every opponent. We fear no one.”