The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team is back in action at 6 p.m. at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Oahu, taking on Mountain West foe San Jose State.

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The Rainbow Warriors are 1-3 coming into the matchup, falling to Wyoming a week ago on the mainland. The 2-2 Spartans, who lost their last matchup against Fresno State on Sept. 10 at home, are also seeking redemption this evening.

Here are how the two programs line up.

Spartans offense

Like Dr. Frankenstein, offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann took parts from here and there to create a monster — the spread-and-shred.

Stutzmann, who was reared in the run-and-shoot as a Saint Louis School and UH receiver, added the run-pass option during his coaching stint at Emory &Henry. After joining Nick Rolovich’s UH staff in 2016, Stutzmann began integrating RPOs into the Warriors’ base run-and-shoot. Stutzmann and Rolovich took the hybrid scheme to Washington State in 2020.

Even if the spread-and-shred sputters occasionally, Stutzmann said there’s no pressure “to make it work, because it does work.”

The scheme stretches defenses with vertical routes. If defenses expand the mid-to-deep coverages, thinning the tackle box, the Spartans can activate the run game. The deceptiveness of the RPO keeps defenses guessing whether the QB will hand off, keep it or throw. SJSU head coach Ken Niumatalolo, who ran the triple option for decades, has shared run-blocking techniques with Stutzmann and O-line coach Ramsen Golpashin.

Luke Weaver, who was 2-0 as a UH starter last year and threw the winning TD pass in the 2025 Hawaii Bowl, has made an easy transition to the Spartans’ offense. His run-and-shoot experience at UH has been helpful in adapting to Stutzmann’s way of deciphering defenses. He was named an offensive captain.

Stutzmann acknowledged his offense works best with an effective run game, which was askew the past couple of years. But the answer came from the roster, with a sixth-year Spartan, Jabari Bates, fully healthy this season.

At 5-7 and 180 pounds, Bates is a fearless rusher (5.3 yards per run between the guards) with speed (10.68 seconds over 100 meters) and grit (blocks inside blitzes). He’s the league’s top rusher at 103.3 yards per game. But the Spartans have produced only one rushing TD — by Weaver — this season.

Spartans defense

After allowing an average of 36.75 points during a four-game losing streak to close last season, the defense underwent a managerial makeover.

Bojay Filimoeatu replaced Derrick Odum as defensive coordinator. Former UH defensive back Brian Norwood was hired from TCU as defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Filimoeatu added wrinkles to Odum’s 3-4 base.

Expanding the odd front, linebackers Ethan Powell Aizik Mahuka can set up as rush ends. There also is a four-man set across the guards and tackles. The point defender of the three-man front is 6-foot, 290-pound nose Solomone Langi, who has mastered the bull rush and angle drive.

A pet move is for Langi to push back a blocker, then peel to the edge. In an even front, a 3-tech tackle will cross over and take on a double block from the right guard and right tackle, clearing a diagonol path for D-end Jeremiah Tuiileila to storm the backfield.

Tuiileila and D-end Justin Stearns each have 3.5 tackles for loss and six hurries. Linebacker Dylan Lee, who has a team-high 35 tackles, sometimes aligns as a stand-up nose. As the son of real-estate agents, Powell is all about locations. With his speed (10.7 seconds over 100 meters), Powell is used as a pass rusher and in pass coverage.

Kahuku alumnus Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa’s latest move might be his best. He grew up on Oahu but moved in with his uncle Galu Tagovailoa (Tua’s dad) in Alabama during the pandemic. He moved back to Oahu as a sophomore, where he attended Kapolei High for two years before playing his senior year at Kahuku. Recruited to SJSU as a receiver, he moved to safety in January. He often aligns 15 yards off the ball, in a single-high coverage but sprints forward for sure tackles.

“When you focus on what you’re supposed to see — the hips — it really slows down everything,” Tagovailoa-Amosa said.

Spartans specialists

The reward for setting Idaho State’s scoring record (97 points) last year was a return trip to his hometown.

Sinatra transferred to SJSU in January, won the starting kicker’s job, and has connected on seven of nine in four games. Trent Carrizosa, also from San Jose, is a team captain who averages 42.7 yards a punt.

The top returners are transfers — Dominique McKenzie from BYU, Isaiah Carlson from UCLA, and Anthony Ivey from Penn State.

‘Bows offense

Since June Jones implemented his version of the four-wide offense in 1999, the slots have been targeted the most.

As part of the evolution, tight ends were added — mostly as check-down receivers and not the hybrid blocker/ receiver most offenses now employ. But in every UH offense the past three decades, there always were speedy wideouts to take the top off the defense.

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This season, the Warriors have not developed deep consistency. Last season, Micah Alejado completed 35% of deep passes (airborne for at least 20 yards from the line of scrimmage); this year, the deep connections are down to 18.8%. Departures (Jackson Harris, Brandon White), injuries (Robert Haynes, Tre’ Griffiths, Audric Harris) and umbrella coverages have narrowed the long-ball options. Stanford and Wyoming showed pre-snap man coverages on the wideouts, then sent DBs and nickels into the deep routes.

“There’s a difference when you say you’re playing a man but there are a bunch of (defenders) in the man lanes,” receivers coach Jared Ursua said. “There’s a connectivity that’s needed that we have not established yet.”

In practices this week, wideouts Carson Brown and Devin Alves have worked on creating separation from clingy corners.

“It’s starting to come along,” said Alves, who has been GPS-clocked at 21.6 mph. Alves’ background as a high school quarterback is helping in understanding route concepts.

The Warriors also are tinkering with the pass protection. Dean Briski has moved back from right tackle to the left side, where he played last season. San Jose State transfer Denaris DeRosa has healed from a labrum injury suffered in the spring game to claim the right guard’s spot.

DeRosa spends hours each week studying videos.

“There’s always someone faster than you and stronger than you,” DeRosa said. “I want to control what I can control. Putting in the work with film and getting treatment, those are things in my control.”

Uluaki Taukiuvea brings athleticism as back-side protector for left-handed Alejado.

“All the coaching points that have been taught have been applied (by Taukiuvea),” O-line coach Derek Fa‘avi said.

DeRosa has not relinquished a sack in 95 plays and Taukiuvea in 60.

‘Bows defense

The overall good defensive effort has been hindered by a lack of big plays.

The Warriors have managed two picks and a fumble recovery in 45 drives. Opponents are averaging 7.48 yards on first down (5.90 on rushes), converting 45.28% on third down, and scoring at 85.71% in the red zone.

The Warriors have had to overcome injuries while rebuilding the interior line and secondary. A federal judge did not make it a priority to rule on the eligibility of cornerback Caleb “C-Bo” Brown. But rush end Lester Lagafuaina has recovered from a shoulder injury and was impactful in last week’s game against Wyoming.

After two injury-filled seasons, safety Kona Moore leads with 33 tackles. And dime linebacker Jamih Otis, who was limited to one series last week after suffering a rib ailment, was not listed on the preliminary injury report.

Mike linebacker Wynden Ho‘ohulil and Otis, who traded positions, have excelled in stabilizing the 4-2-5 defense. They also have served as mentors to linebacker understudies Matteus Ioane and Aisiah “Scoob” Paogofie. As Otis’ injury replacement, the 6-2, 225-pound Ioane played 41 snaps last week, exceeding his previous high of nine.

“He’s a guy who said from the start: ‘All I need is an opportunity,” recalled associate head coach Chris Brown, who coaches the linebackers.

Ahead of signing day on Feb. 7, 2024, Brown lobbied to make a gray-shirt offer to Ioane, an unheralded Leilehua linebacker.

“You watch him on film, he’s violent,” Brown recalled. “I said, ‘That’s the kind of guy I want. I want a violent guy.’ I’d rather have a player who plays with too much fire than a guy I’d have to start the fire.”

In making the offer, Brown extended his hand. Ioane gave him a hug.

“He was the only guy who gave me an opportunity,” Ioane said. “He was the only guy believed in me. I felt a hug fit the situation better.”

‘Bows specialists

For all the unique problems on special teams, ball security has not been one of them.

Tama Uiliata has fielded 13 punts — eight fair catches, five returns — without a muff. Titan Lacaden is averaging 41.5 yards on two kickoff returns.

The Warriors should receive a boost in field position with the return to Ching field, where they have figured out the impact of the northeasterly winds, especially in the fourth quarter.

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