OGDEN, Utah — The railroad town of Ogden is roughly the halfway point between Logan and Salt Lake City.

Yesterday, at Ogden's largest hotel, it was the meeting point between the Hawai'i football team's past and present.

By a coincidence of scheduling, UH, which plays Utah State today in Logan, and Portland State, which plays Weber State in Ogden, were staying in the same hotel.

"It's good to see everyone again," said PSU head coach Jerry Glanville, who was UH's defensive coordinator in 2005 and 2006. Mouse Davis, PSU's offensive coordinator, is a former UH coach. Davis' run-and-shoot offense is the philosophical grandfather of the Warriors' four-wide offense.

The reunion is timely as the Warriors are resurrecting elements of the run-and-shoot that were downplayed in recent games.

The experiment of the rollout-and-read schemes will be minimized, and the run-and-shoot, usually directed from the pass pocket, will be turned over to quarterback Greg Alexander.

UH head coach Greg McMackin had made adjustments to the offense to fit the personnel. But each week, the Warriors worked closer to the goal of opening up the pass-first offense. With Alexander's breakout performance last week, "we're finally at that point," McMackin said.

In four drives, all in the second half, Alexander completed 17 of 22 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 20 seconds left.

Alexander will start against Utah State. Inoke Funaki, who has started six of eight games, will be used in specific situations.

With Alexander at the controls, the Warriors will use more vertical routes. That was demonstrated last week, when slotback Michael Washington's routes were lengthened and Ryan Mouton, who moved from cornerback to slotback, used his quickness to the flats to widen the offense.

Quarterback coach Nick Rolovich said Alexander, who transferred from Santa Rosa College in May, has a better grasp of the offense. The difference from his start in the opener against Florida to last week's game, Alexander said, is "night and day."

"That's what happens when you really get it," Rolovich said. "In September, (Alexander) could have gone up and drawn every play we had on the board. He had the memorization down. But the field part is something that comes with reps and time."

In past weeks, offensive coordinator Ron Lee drew criticism — unwarranted, Rolovich said — for cautious play-calling. But Rolovich said Lee was trying to limit the mistakes of a developing offense.

"He did what he felt was our strength (at the time)," Rolovich said.

With more weapons, Lee was able to open up the offense last week.

"You've got to have some (guts) to call this offense," Rolovich said. "(Lee is) really stepping up. I mean, his scripts, play-calling, the different concepts he's throwing into practices — it's been great."

Rolovich said sometimes plays are designed to set up other plays. Last week, Washington made a down-and-out cut to get open. Later, the Warriors ran the same play. The safety, remembering Washington's previous pattern, tried to cheat to the outside. Washington then looped around and raced upfield to make a catch.

"Ronnie has done a great job of setting up plays," Rolovich said.

Last week, the Warriors finally unveiled the fly sweep, a play kept under wraps since training camp. The scheme, which was borrowed from Willamette University, calls for an in-motion slotback to run laterally and then take the handoff.

Mouton ran the play once, with little success. Or so it seemed. The play stretches wide the defense, and even if Mouton is a diversion and does not get the handoff, it creates more open areas for the receivers.

Last week's success has lightened the team mood. During yesterday's walk-through at Weber State's practice field, the players were loose. Wideout Malcolm Lane, off a running start, slam-dunked the football over the goal posts' crossbar.

Some played catch with a tennis ball.

The Warriors even appeared to be immune to the thin air. Ogden is 4,200 feet above sea level. Logan's elevation is at least 4,500 feet.

"Altitude isn't going to affect us," McMackin said, "and we have good depth. We're going to play a lot of people. These guys are in good condition. They're in as good condition as any team I've had."

Visit Tsai's blog at http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com.