It's been a little more than a year-and-a-half since Hawaii played in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. It only seems like more. In that time, the Rainbows (ok fine, the Rainbow Warriors but NOT the Warriors) have lost their head coach to SMU, record-setting QB Colt Brennan and eight other offensive starters, made six trips to the mainland and have overhauled their offensive playbook altogether. Second-year coach Greg McMackin was reprimanded by the university for using the derogatory word that describes homosexuals when talking about Notre Dame's dance in the bowl game at WAC media days last month. This time, he must replace nine DEFENSIVE starters, though that is his speciality. He's got an attacking, all-or-nothing style that he hopes to keep employing this fall, but it will be tough with the abundance of youth on that side of the ball.

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UH has seven starters back on offense, including juco QB Greg Alexander. The senior isn't mobile, and with the line struggles, UH ranked dead-last in allowing 57 (!) sacks last fall. Expect Inoke Funaki, a much better runner than passer, to get more snaps under center this fall as the Rainbow Warriors try their hand at the single-wing (a far cry from June Jones's Red Gun). All six guys who had at least 20 carries last fall return. The Hawaii special teams were in the bottom-five in America last fall, and UH loses kicker Dan Kelly, who regressed to just 10-of-20 on field goals last fall. That area is an obvious concern heading into fall.

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