The 1-4 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are back on the road today, slated to take on the 2-2 Arizona State Sun Devils tonight in Tempe, Ariz.

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The 1-4 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are back on the road today, slated to take on the 2-2 Arizona State Sun Devils tonight in Tempe, Ariz.

Here are how the two programs match up.

‘Bows offense

This week, the Warriors returned to an IMAX-sized drawing board.

They addressed their punchless openings (three touchdowns on 29 first-half possessions. In the first two quarters, they outscored New Mexico State 19-13 but were trounced a combined 55-13 against the other four opponents. They have had trouble with starts (4.7 yards per first-half play and 2.98 yards per first-down rush) and finishes (TDs on 38.9% of red-zone visits). And they have been assessed too many penalties.

In five games, the offense was called 10 times for false starts and 11 for holds (one was declined). They have had extensive lectures, extra sprints and up-downs, simulated “crowd noise,” and worked on cadence-response timing.

“There are no excuses,” said left tackle Dean Briski, who was called for back-to-back, pre-snap movements against San Jose State last week. Briski is readjusting to left tackle, his position last season, after starting on the right side to open the season.

The past two games, right guard Denaris DeRosa Jr. and right tackle Uluaki Taukiuvea have played extensively.

“This year, we have a lot more depth to switch in and switch out players (on the O-line),” Briski said. “Practice means way more because we’re all competing for a spot.”

Cam Barfield’s recovery from a high-ankle sprain should boost a running game that is averaging 3.3 yards per carry. The Warriors also would like to isolate slash-back Devon Rice in the open field. Rice averages 4.8 yards on 14.2 touches per game.

The depleted wideout group is re-forming. Tre’ Griffiths has been cleared after missing three games because of an injury.

“It was difficult watching my teammates go to battle and not having any type of impact,” Griffiths said.

A game after moving from slotback to wideout, Audric Harris suffered a bone bruise on his knee. After missing a game, Harris is back in the lineup. On the outside, Harris can face triple coverage from a cornerback, a rotating safety and the sideline. His average targeted depth was 11 yards as a slot receiver, 17.3 yards as a wideout.

But Harris said QB1 Micah Alejado is like a chef.

“You ask him to put (a pass) there, he’ll put it there,” Harris said. “He can throw the ball anywhere on the field.”

‘Bows defense

Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman has drawn from 36 years of coaching to create pocket pressure.

There is the 4-2 base with rush ends Lester Lagafuaina, Ka‘eo Akana or Noah Wiley trying to beat an edge blocker. Last week, the Warriors showed a four-man front, then dropped Lagafuaina or D-end Josh Sagapolutele into coverage. The intent was to bait SJSU into running through what appeared to be a thinned defensive front.

“Athlete with experience,” Thurman said of Lagafuaina, who returned to the lineup after recovering from an injury. “He knows what’s going to happen. He anticipates things.”

Thurman also cast Julian “JuJu” Smith in the role of “hawk” — a safety-linebacker hybrid. Unlike nickelback Elijah Palmer, a hybrid often in pass coverage, the hawk is required to be a quarterback hunter. In maximum effectiveness, the scheme uses a three-man front.

At the second level, middle linebacker Wynden Ho‘ohuli flexes to a side opposite dime linebacker Jamih Otis. Smith sets up in the middle, with a panoramic view.

“JuJu wanted to continue playing like a (defensive back),” said associate head coach Chris Brown, who coordinates the linebackers. “No, no, no. You’re going to play like a linebacker. All week long (ahead of the SJSU game) we were fighting on it because he continued to drop (into coverage). Finally, he did (stay in the box) in a game.”

In 15 defensive snaps, Smith made two sacks and hurried the quarterback twice. Smith said those were the first two sacks of his football career.

“Coach CB (Brown) led me right,” Smith said. After a season at Bakersfield College, Smith accepted a scholarship offer from Brown in June 2024.

The plan was for Smith to delay his UH enrollment a semester and join the Warriors in January 2025. That meant Smith could play another year for Bakersfield or just train during the fall semester and extend his eligibility. He opted to play.

“Just for the experience,” Smith said.

His older brother Jalen Smith was an impactful dime linebacker for UH.

“We’re as competitive as we can get,” Smith said. “He taught me a lot. Jalen is the reason I play the way I play.”

‘Bows specialists

In a scramble drill, punter/holder Gehrig Heil is seeking more tickets for friends and family members.

Heil grew up in Phoenix, about a 15-minute drive from the ASU campus.

“Close friends are flying back to watch the game,” Heil said.

Heil is preparing for the arid conditions — ChapStick for the lips, Gatorade and chalk for the holder’s grip. He also has worked on his drops, the first step in punting.

At practices this week, he did 200 drops, each with the football pointing in the 11 o’clock direction. Of the sea-level punters, he is second in the Mountain West with an average of 43.2 yards per punt.

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Sun Devils offense

After managing a touchdown in 12 possessions against Baylor, head coach Kenny Dillingham decided to hand play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo.

“I just wanted to be able to be a head coach again,” Dillingham told reporters, indicating he will balance overseeing offense and defense.

Arroyo is experienced in calling games. He was the OC at Oregon, head coach at UNLV, and called plays for the Sun Devils in 2024 and 2025 before Dillingham took over for the Sun Bowl. Arroyo will keep intact the spread attack, which features multiple sets and personnel groups.

The depth chart lists 14 offensive positions. In January, QB1 Cutter Boley transferred from Kentucky, where he started 10 of 11 games as a sophomore in 2025. This season, he has a TD- Interception ratio of 3.3-to-1. Boley is a sixth ball-handling threat, averaging 5.4 yards per non-sack rush.

Boston College transfer Reed Harris enters the weekend fourth nationally with 124.8 receiving yards per game. At 6-5 with a 36.5-inch vertical jump, Harris has the catching radius for go routes (19.2 yards per catch) and 50-50 balls. Unlike many tall receivers with long strides, Harris uses his 4.45-second quickness to get out of breaks quickly.

Colorado transfer Omarion Miller has had an uneven season. He has 25 receptions, but averages 9.4 yards per catch, and came away empty on four targets against Kansas. Washington transfer Raiden Vines-Bright is a tall slotback who is expected to be targeted more than four times a game, especially with tight end Khamari Anderson dealing with an injury.

AJ Ia, who will start at tight end, is more of a blocker than receiver. Three years ago, offensive lineman Jalen Klemm suffered a stroke in his sleep. Intensive rehabilitation helped Klemm learn to walk again and, eventually, return to the field.

“The biggest thing for me throughout that experience was just my faith, believing in God, and trusting his plan with my life,” Klemm said.

Klemm starts at right tackle. His father, Adrian Klemm, was a standout left tackle for the Warriors.

Sun Devils defense

With a relatively middle- class NIL budget (for a Power 4 school), ASU sought replacements for two 2026 NFL Draft picks — cornerback Keith Abney II and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott.

LSU transfer Ashton Stamps, a 6-foot, 190-pound corner, has held his assigned receivers to 47.1% on targeted throws while missing only one tackle on 93 run plays.

Colorado State transfer Owen Long is the steal of the portal. Last year, Long was the FBS leader with 151 tackles. This year, he averages 9.8 tackles.

“He’s been a big addition to our defense,” D-tackle Blazen Lono-Wong said. “He’s been ballin’ out ever since he got here (in January). He’s been all over the field. It’s awesome to watch him play.”

Long can play in the middle, on the edge or in tandem with nickelback Montana Warren. Versatility is key in defensive coordinator Brian Ward’s schemes. The Sun Devils will try to create pressure with a four-man rush.

Ward also goes against the analytics, calling for zero blirzes — no safety net in the deep coverage — on first down. ASU forces QB pressures on 32.6% of defensive snaps. Ward has shown patience in developing some players.

Lono-Wong, a Kailua High graduate who grew up in Waimanalo, joined the Sun Devils as a 245-pound defensive end in 2022. He was asked to move to D-tackle.

“I loved rushing off the end,” Lono-Wong said. “I wasn’t going to deny the opportunity to get on the field faster.”

A condition of the move was adding heft to his 6-4 frame. With a diet of everything, he was 275 pounds as a sophomore, when he played in nine games. He gradually added more weight and corresponding playing time. He also had to adapt to 3-tech tackle, where a second block would come from the center or tackle.

“I had to get used to getting hit from both sides,” Lono-Wong said. “Now I mastered the technique, but it was a rough learning experience.”

He maintains his technique pushing weighted sleds and smacking blocking bags. To keep his weight between 295 and 305, he eats at Koi Sushi and Grill.

“I never loved sushi like this when I was back home,” he said. “Sushi is usually expensive. Here, it’s all-you-can-eat. Man, I’m in love.”

Sun Devils
specialists

With kicker Jesus Gomez’s departure, the Sun Devils turned to the portal, landing Austin Peay’s Carson Smith.

Last year, Smith was named an FCS All-American after connecting on 14 of 17 field goals. This year, he is perfect on seven FG attempts and 16 point-after kicks.

Smith chose ASU, in large part, to work with former NFL punter Mike Scifres, a specialist coach. With Tempe’s 1,181-foot elevation, Smith is capable of converting from 62 yards.

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In a must-score situation, he is strong from 65-66 yards.