Official New Mexico Bowl Pregame Thread

[cabanalane]

I want to see CC complete a lot more passes. I want to see a legit passing game.

Here is UH (the other UH's) defense plan. Assign one guy to C. Turner. Assign one guy to watch CC scrabbling. Then win Bowl game. Stop these two guys from running, then game over. UH have nothing else on offense.

[sarvicdar]

With the number of players deciding to transfer out, I hope the teams morale doesn't take a hit. I hope the players overcome the loss of Reed, which won't be easy but for Hawaii to win they have to. I'm not going to lie but reading about the players leaving was like reading an obituary, and it had a sad effect on me. Hopefully the team rises above in this game.

[SundayJam]

We have a new coaching staff and a new starting quarterback. We are lucky to be in a bowl game, so I can't imagine the guys not being psyched. Also, Houston has played some top ten teams this year--we have not. Wait, Boise was a top ten team for a while. Miles reed is the biggest name on the transfer list, but he's cool. We've got other running backs.

I'd like for us not to give up big plays on D and special teams. If we don't turn the ball over, we get chance.

[Neighbor]

Us to take round 2 in the fight so we can cruise in the third round

[travo66]

With the number of players deciding to transfer out, I hope the teams morale doesn't take a hit. I hope the players overcome the loss of Reed, which won't be easy but for Hawaii to win they have to. I'm not going to lie but reading about the players leaving was like reading an obituary, and it had a sad effect on me. Hopefully the team rises above in this game.

Is Reed and others who are in the transfer portal allowed to play in this bowl game? It would be sad not to have your captain at your game, but either way, I know the boys will be up for it and bring the fight!

[kapakahi]

With the number of players deciding to transfer out, I hope the teams morale doesn't take a hit. I hope the players overcome the loss of Reed, which won't be easy but for Hawaii to win they have to. I'm not going to lie but reading about the players leaving was like reading an obituary, and it had a sad effect on me. Hopefully the team rises above in this game.

Is Reed and others who are in the transfer portal allowed to play in this bowl game?

Nope....

[TheDuke]

I want to see CC complete a lot more passes. I want to see a legit passing game.

Here is UH (the other UH's) defense plan. Assign one guy to C. Turner. Assign one guy to watch CC scrabbling. Then win Bowl game. Stop these two guys from running, then game over. UH have nothing else on offense.

agree. Spy CC and contain him in the pocket, put your best DB on Turner, protect the mid routes and force CC to throw long and give him the short stuff. Wait to pick the high pass on a slant or short pass to the sideline.

Houston is a tough team. Their losses were to BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Memphis. This is going to be a tough game. Their attack is balanced and they spread the ball to a lot of different receivers. For us we need to stop the run and don't give up the big plays. We need to run effectively and stretch the field vertically and horizontally. We need to complete a long pass, play disciplined football, good special teams and don't turnover the ball.

Houston will have the homefield advantage.

[sarvicdar]

Insight:

For the 3-4 team. This Houston team can be really, really good or really average. Where if you looked at the pff.com grades that these players received you would think this was a top 25 team. Yet the team was 4-8 last season, and 8-5 the season before. With 17 active players currently in the NFL I'm puzzled as to why Houston only achieved a 33-26 record over the last five seasons.

I guess you can say that this Houston team are under achievers and under coached. Even Vegas is stomped in matching up Hawaii and Houston . One site opened with UH+7.5 and another had UH+13 (that went down to 11).

In this game let's hope Hawaii are overachievers.

Furthermore-

Three Cougars invited to this year's Senior Bowl-#98 DE Payton Turner, 6-6, 270;#0 LB Grant Stuard, 6-1, 225; #5 WR Marquez Stevenson, 6-0, 190

To: UH special teams coach note. #5 has 3 career KO returns for a TD, 2 this season for a 36.0 KO return average. Houston's punt returner #8 CB Marcus Jones, has one punt return for a TD this season for a 21.3 yard average per punt return.

Turner 10.5 TFL/5 sacks/1 blocked kick in 5 games. Stuard 61 tackles/5 TFL/1 sack.

According to PFF.com Turner grades a 87.6 on defense. Jones a 87.7, Stuard a 66.9, Stevenson a 71.3.

Notables-

QB #3 Clayton Tune, 6-3, 215; 60.% completion rate, 134 QB rating, 269 yards rushing (5 rushing TD); PFF.com grade of 82.4.

RB-Kyle Porter #22, 5-9, 210, 65 yards a game, 4.0 yards a carry, 12 receptions; PFF.com grade of 72.7.

Houston's highest graded player is DE #92, Logan Hall, 6-6, 260; PFF.com grade of 87.9 (to use a comparison Boise's Curtis Weaver (2019) graded a 91.0 on the season).

What I see on paper is that Houston defensive line is the best that Hawaii will have faced this year. That's a lot of high graded players yet what's puzzling is that the defense gave up an average of 32 points a game.

The defense runs a 3-3-5.

Offense-HC Dana Holgorson air raid, which averages about 32 points a game.

When you look at the pff.com grades of the Hawaii players, both offense and defense, and compare them to Houston, you would think this game was a mismatch. However hopefully in this game Hawaii has a higher measure of heart, pride and coaching

[My3Cats]

With the number of players deciding to transfer out, I hope the teams morale doesn't take a hit. I hope the players overcome the loss of Reed, which won't be easy but for Hawaii to win they have to. I'm not going to lie but reading about the players leaving was like reading an obituary, and it had a sad effect on me. Hopefully the team rises above in this game.

Is Reed and others who are in the transfer portal allowed to play in this bowl game? It would be sad not to have your captain at your game, but either way, I know the boys will be up for it and bring the fight!

Reed was the only starter in the bunch opting for the transfer portal, and all will not play and most are already off the team roster. Reed was still there a few minutes ago but sometimes UH people are slower than molasses. Dae Dae Hunter will fill the starting role and have a chance to shine. I thought that Hunter found, and hit the holes faster than Reed did.

[daddy]

This is only the 3rd Hawaii team to ever play in a mainland bowl. Motivation shouldn’t be an issue. Execution will be the key. We owe these guys one so collecting on that would be nice.

[Scott]

https://newmexicobowl.com/

New Mexico Bowl (Hawaii Guide)
https://hawaiiathletics.com/documents/2 ... NMBowl.pdf

[cabanalane]

^^^^ Exactly, this is really the Christmas gift. We all know UH (Hawaii) does not really deserve it base on their season. This is better than any of the Hawaii Bowls (IMO) which is more of a consolation prize. I understand COVID19 etc. I'm sure TG hammer that to the players. Those who wanted to leave, just left. Everyone should be happy and thankful. Maybe that's what UH need. Everyone that is here wants to be here and will enjoy this gift (win or loose). UH may actually play better because this is a gift. And not have that feeling where they did awesome, and got shafted for not getting an invite to a bowl.

[poidog]

free recruiting trip to texas. no downside!

[sarvicdar]

So guess who bought a paper yesterday and today, thinking that Hawaii would receive some ink for being in a bowl game? Me. On the eve of the eve of the big game there is nothing this morning in the SA. Yesterday there was brief article of Cordeiro's reminiscing about watching the Warriors in a bowl game as a kid, then the writer (Jason Kaneshiro of SA) bunny hopped thru the article asking Bethley what were his thoughts on being uprooted from Aloha Stadium, duh, to defending Houston's receivers, to having a Sunday practice, and then for the team to be leaving for Frisco Monday morning. Kaneshiro's article was like eating a sandwich with no meat. Tell me something. But no.

[sarvicdar]

I see Houston's ranks nationally 115 in penalty yardage, around 70+ a game, and think the weak spot of Houston's OL is the center, #75, whom has given up 3 sacks, 3 hits on the QB, 5 hurries, 11 QB pressures and has 4 penalties. Jack Freeman grades a 59.7 according to pff.com while the other four Houston linemen grade between 65-72. I can see Murasau blitzing straight up the middle.

In the UNLV game I thought Laulu played with a little more inspiration, and was in on 59 snaps (the most he's played in one game in his UH career) , grading a 60; and I can actually see him getting better.

I think with Hawaii having a 12 day break ahead of the bowl game is a much needed recharge that the players need. And I can see the team coming out energized and ready to play.

One concern I have is the grass field. I don't know if this is a plus or minus for Hawaii. We will see

The game time temperature should be in the 60's.

Let see Hawaii win.