Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009

Warriors' weapon: Junior receiver Greg Salas ranks second in nation in receiving yards per game

By BY CHADD CRIPE

Usually Hawaii's run-and-shoot offense puts the guys you can't catch in the slot positions. This year, the Warriors put the guy you can't tackle there.

Junior Greg Salas ranks second in the nation in receiving yards per game - the most dangerous player on an offense decimated by injuries.

Salas and the Warriors face the No. 6 Boise State Broncos on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium (9:05 p.m. MDT, KTVB).

"He looks like a smart player, he's extremely sure-handed, he finds lanes and creases and seams, and then he can get yards after the catch," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "I don't know how fast he is, but he really breaks tackles."

Salas leads the WAC with 42 catches, 791 yards and an 18.8-yard average - a difficult triple crown. He has 11 catches of 25-plus yards and five touchdowns.

He also led the Warriors in receiving yards last year, when he played outside receiver. He had 57 catches for 831 yards and three scores.

He's 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds - a much different body type than famed Warriors slots such as Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullen and Chad Owens.

"He's sort of what the spread people use as a tight end," Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said. "He has the quickness of a slotback and he breaks a lot of tackles."

And Salas has been a consistent performer this year after an up-and-down sophomore campaign. He has accumulated 100 receiving yards in five of six games, scored in four games and caught at least six passes in every game.

He's done it on an offense that likely will face the Broncos without four starters - quarterback Greg Alexander, wide receivers Rodney Bradley and Royce Pollard and right tackle Laupepa Letuli.

"He's just a great weapon for us," said sophomore quarterback Bryant Moniz, who has put up strong numbers in place of Alexander. "I believe he's one of the best receivers in the country and he shows it every week."

While most receivers get noticed for their routes or their hands, Salas is earning raves for what he does once he gets the ball.

"He has an attitude that nobody is going to bring him down," Moniz said. "That's what makes him so great. He'll take on the contact and just keep moving."

Salas will create some interesting matchups with the Broncos, who must decide whether to move a cornerback inside to handle him or let the safeties take the assignment. Boise State senior cornerback Kyle Wilson remembers facing Salas last year, when he had five catches for 75 yards on the blue.

"I definitely look forward to the opportunity of guarding him," Wilson said. "... He gets vertical after the catch."

Petersen has been so impressed watching Salas on tape that he paid him the ultimate compliment.

"There are certain players that I always look at and say, 'I wish I had that guy on our team. He would fit in well,' " Petersen said. "He's one of those guys."