The Cougars and the Rainbow Warriors will come together for the first time in 15 years this October.
Who/When/Where: It's been a minute since Hawaii and Washington State have met on the gridiron, but that changes in Week 9 when the Rainbow Warriors travel to Pullman. With a pass-first offense and a rising defense, Hawaii might be poised to give the Cougars a push at home but if WSU can stay on the right side of the sticks, things might turn out okay.
Offensive Players to Watch: Pofele Ashlock (WR), Brayden Schager (QB), Alex Perry (WR)
Defensive Players to Watch: Peter Manuma (S), Jalen Smith (LB), Virdel Edwards II (DB)
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Hawaii is going to pass early and often. With a handful of dynamic receivers at his disposal, expect head coach Timmy Chang to draw up more plays through the air than he does on the ground. In 2023 his team threw the ball nearly twice as much as they ran it and there's no reason to believe that trend changes this fall.
It should be noted that star wideout, Steven McBride (#7) was recently arrested on felony abuse charges and has been suspended indefinitely from the team. It is unclear if McBride, who led the offense with 1,024 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last year, will be back or playing by the time this game rolls around.
Even without McBride, however, Hawaii is still dangerous through air with Brayden Schager (#13) under center and Pofele Ashlock (#5) on the outside. Schager has a strong arm and a quick but smart trigger hand. He will often make his decision within a second of dropping back and does not hesitate in getting the ball out. Schager's deep ball, in particular, is a thing of beauty and his targets are all fast enough to get underneath the home run throws.
Schager, though, is just as effective in short-yardage looks and will not shy away from slants right through the middle. This is where Ashlock shines. The nifty receiver is practically unfazed with defenders in his face and has the hand strength to often win one-on-one battles for the ball. Close coverage by Washington State DBs on its own won't be enough to lock down Ashlock.
Joining Ashlock will be fellow pass-catcher Alex Perry (#0). Perry, who appeared in all 13 games for the Rainbow Warriors last year, had three TD snags. If McBride is indeed unavaliable for this game, expect Perry to see an increased role.
While on defense, Hawaii is also going to find its bread and butter in the passing attack and they have plenty of guys who will be all over the ball when it's flying. Defensive backs Peter Manuma (#1) and Virdel Edwards II (#23) will be two in particular that the Cougars might want to stay away from. The duo combined for 10 PBUs and three interceptions in 2023 and seem poised for an even better showing this year.
Edwards has terrific closing speed and can chase down receiving targets from most positions on the field. He uses his hands extremely well and throws his whole body into breaking up passes. Manuma, meanwhile, constantly has his eyes on the quarterback and will often times position himself before the pass is even thrown. Any mistake from the signal-caller in his direction could prove to be a costly one.
On the line and over the middle, the Rainbow Warriors will ride the talent of junior linebacker Jalen Smith (#3) and senior lineman Ezra Evailamo (#52). Smith missiles himself to the ball carrier like no other on the Hawaii defense and actually led the unit in stops behind the line (nine) last fall. He hits hard and will try to knock the ball free every time he makes contact. Evailamo will be the enforcer up front after a 3.5-sack season a year ago (missed three games).
Final Analysis: Hawaii presents a tough matchup for a Wazzou team that struggled greatly against the pass last year. If the Cougars defense cannot find an answer for the Schager-to-Ashlock connection then it's going to be a very long day. And, with the Rainbow Warriors as good as they are through the air, that means Washington State's own passing game might hit a wall. The ground game might be asked to carry the brunt in this one.
