Think your football team is struggling?

Utah State, averaging 17.1 points per game, has produced only 20 scoring drives in eight games.

With an offense designed to run — 56 percent of the plays this season — the Aggies manage 2.7 yards per carry.

They are last in the Western Athletic Conference in defending the pass — an unfortunate deficiency entering tonight's game against Hawai'i, the nation's third-best passing team (379.8 yards per game).

"We have our work cut out for us," said Brent Guy, USU's first-year head coach.

Here's a closer look:

UTAH STATE OFFENSE

WR—1 Tony Pennyman 5-9 163 Jr.

LT—72 Donald Penn 6-3 313 Sr.

LG—67 Ryan Tonnemacher 6-4 270 Fr.

C—60 Nick George 6-2 257 Sr.

RG—63 Pace Jorgensen 6-5 314 So.

RT—76 Malik Cin 6-5 314 Jr.

TE—87 Jason Stephens 6-5 254 Jr.

WR—6 Kevin Robinson 6-0 190 So.

QB—7 Leon Jackson 6-2 190 So.

FB—25 Lynwood Johnson 6-1 222 Fr.

TB—17 Ryan Bohm 5-11 202 Fr.

Outlook: Each week, the Aggies try to establish a balanced attack — a goal made easier because of Jackson's ability to run and and throw. Jackson has led the Aggies in rushing in four of eight games. If sacks were excluded from his rushing totals, he would rank seventh in the Western Athletic Conference, averaging 57.3 yards per game. "He's their best runner," UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said. "He's their best passer. He's probably their best receiver, although he hasn't done that yet. He's a flat-out athlete. He's the toughest guy in the corral."

Jackson, who was the starting quarterback for nationally-ranked Long Beach Poly High, said, "I'll do anything to help the team. If they want me to run through a brick wall, I'll do it. It doesn't matter to me."

The Aggies, in fact, would prefer if Jackson assumed a smaller role in the running game. When the offensive strategy was crafted, the idea was for Jackson to pose a threat to run — forcing defenses to assign a safety to watch him and thinning the pass coverage — but not actually carry out the threat all of the time. "We don't want him to be our leading rusher," Guy said. "We want him to be a contributor. We want a tailback who rushes the ball 100 yards and 25 times a game."

That mandate has been elusive. Because of injuries and other circumstances, the Aggies had seven available offensive linemen for spring practice. They filled out the offensive line by moving two tight ends and a defensive lineman. Their personnel dictates more gap schemes — pulls and traps — on perimeter runs, instead of the zone-blocking, between-the-tackles style Guy prefers. No Aggie has rushed for 100 yards in a game this season.

UTAH STATE DEFENSE

LE—56 Jarom Fano 6-1 260 Sr.

DT—54 Brian Soi 6-3 318 Fr.

DT—79 E.J. Reid 6-1 302 So.

RE—37 John Chick 6-4 257 Sr.

LB—45 Devon Hall 6-3 200 Fr.

MLB—51 Matt Wiser 6-0 227 Sr.

LB—53 Jake Hutton 6-0 215 Fr.

LCB—21 Jarrett Bush 6-1 192 Sr.

SS—26 Andre Bala 5-11 190 Sr.

FS—24 Antonio Taylor 6-1 203 So.

RCB—23 Josh Taylor 6-0 180 Fr.

Outlook: In switching from the 3-4 formation to the 4-3, the Aggies hope to improve their pass rush. While most defenses try to send blitzers from several points, the Aggies try to create pressure almost exclusively from the four down linemen. "We think if we have the same four guys doing it all of the time, in the end they'll be more efficient than guys who drop (back into coverage) some and then rush," Guy said. "It's the carryover from the belief that repetition makes us a better football team."

The scheme opens the way for Chick, who is sixth nationally with 1.06 sacks per game (8.5 in eight games). "He's a relentless pass rusher," Guy said. "When he gets one on one, he's very hard to stop. Most teams have to double him, chip him with a back."

Chick is at his best in fighting off grasping offensive tackles.

UTAH STATE SPECIALISTS

PK/P—13 Justin Hamblin 5-11 142 Jr.

KR/PR—6 Kevin Robinson 6-0 190 So.

KR/PR—1 Tony Pennyman 5-9 163 Jr.

Outlook: Like the Warriors, the Aggies spread the special teams responsibilities among four coaches. Unlike the Warriors, several players' only job is to play on special teams. "We want them to know their role," Guy said. "They have to understand how big special teams are."

Hamblin has converted all 11 of his PATs, but is 3 of 6 on field-goal attempts.

UH OFFENSE

LWR—88 Chad Mock 6-0 178 Jr.

LWR—83 Jordan Slye 6-4 210 Jr.

LSB—7 Davone Bess 5-9 187 Fr.

LT—70 Tala Esera 6-4 295 Jr.

LG—64 Samson Satele 6-2 305 Jr.

C—59 Derek Fa'avi 6-1 273 Sr.

RG—66 Brandon Eaton 6-2 295 Sr.

RT—72 Dane Uperesa 6-5 315 Jr.

RSB—1 Ryan Grice-Mullen 5-10 174 Fr.

RWR—82 Ross Dickerson 5-10 185 Jr.

QB—15 Colt Brennan 6-2 190 So.

RB—4 Nate Ilaoa 5-9 229 Sr.

Outlook: What appeared to be a breaking point in last week's road loss to Nevada — Grice-Mullen's dropped pass behind the secondary — might prove to be the building point. All season, opponents have dropped defensive backs into zone coverage, forcing Brennan to throw short passes. For several plays last week, Nevada moved up coverage, with its entire defense playing within 12 yards of the line scrimmage. UH has tried to stretch defenses with wideouts running streak patterns or slotbacks going on post routes. But cornerbacks use the sidelines to narrow a wideout's pass lane, and post routes end up in the thick of the defense. After much tinkering, the Warriors found the answer with the pass to Grice-Mullen on a slotback-streak pattern. By zipping past the safeties, Grice-Mullen opened the underneath and crossing routes. "If we can go deep, defenses will have to respect that," Brennan said. In seven WAC games, Brennan has completed 41 percent (20 of 48) of his passes that have traveled at least 20 yards in the air from the line of scrimmage.

When the Warriors have the ball on, say, the left hashmark, they usually align three receivers to the wide side and one receiver to the left. In recent games, opponents have used an aggressive cornerback to jam the single receiver, slowing his route and allowing an extra defender to play on the wide side. UH is hopeful Slye, who rotates with Mock, can use his size and strength to fight off the bump-and-run cornerback and break open.

The Warriors also are counting on Esera to effectively block Chick. "He's got spin moves, an upfield rush, a bull rush," Esera said. "The main thing I need to do is get good sets. I can't let him make any pass-rush moves on me."

UH DEFENSE

LE—98 Melila Purcell III 6-5 266 Sr.

NT—67 Michael Lafaele 6-1 310 So.

RE—91 Ikaika Alama-Francis 6-6 250 Jr.

SOLB—45 Tanuvasa Moe 6-0 220 Sr.

SILB—41 Solomon Elimimian 6-0 225 Fr.

WILB—43 Brad Kalilimoku 5-11 204 So.

WOLB—1 K.Kamakawiwo'ole 6-3 240 Sr.

CB—6 Turmarian Moreland 6-1 200 Sr.

SS—15 Lono Manners 5-10 199 Sr.

FS—22 Lamar Broadway 6-0 186 Sr.

CB—24 Kenny Patton 6-0 184 Jr.

Outlook: In each of the first nine games, the Warriors have used a different tactic; sometimes they'll change three times in the same game. But all of the schemes haven't solved the Warriors' biggest problem: tackling. Against Nevada, the Warriors missed 17 tackles. They also blew six chances to make sacks, including one that resulted in a touchdown pass.

Adam Leonard, a promising freshman linebacker, did not compete in contact drills this week because of a shoulder stinger. It is not known how much he will play today.

Ryan Keomaka, who enters as the swing cornerback in schemes involving five defensive backs, will have an expanded role today. Keomaka was expected to be one of the top cornerbacks entering the season. But he struggled after suffering torn ligaments in his right thumb during training camp. He will undergo surgery at the end of the season.

UH SPECIALISTS

PK—99 Daniel Kelly 6-3 199 Fr.

P—25 Kurt Milne 5-11 208 Jr.

KR/PR—34 A.J. Martinez 6-0 185 So.

Outlook: Kelly has spent most of the week trying to elevate his placekicks. Four of his line-drive kicks have been blocked this season. He believes a shorter leg swing and lower contact point will improve his kicks.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.