Your first glance at Dick Tomey's San Jose State football team suggests, well, there might be some doubt it is really Tomey's team.

Certainly the Tomey Hawai'i thought it knew.

Heading into tomorrow's showdown with the University of Hawai'i, the instant suspicion was there might be an imposter at work in San Jose. And, from the looks of the statistics, not a spot-on imitator, either.

The Tomey who spent a decade at UH in his 26 years as a head coach was a confirmed three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-Astroturf coach. Something he inherited from his mentor, the late Bo Schembechler, and practiced with zeal at UH and Arizona. Passing was a sign of desperation. The operative thought being that when you passed the ball three things could happen and two were bad.

How often in his Hall of Honor UH tenure (1977-86) did we hear Tomey say the only things his teams have to do to win is run the ball effectively, play defense and special teams? A credo that has served him well in becoming the fourth winningest active coach.

So you have to wonder what's up with the Spartans, who are 117th among 119 Division I-A teams in rushing offense. To put it in perspective, the Warriors' running game is a robust 113th at 3.6 yards per carry to the Spartans' 2.1 and UH only runs as a change of pace.

Heck, UH quarterback Colt Brennan has run for more touchdowns on a bum ankle (5) than the Spartans (2) have this season.

But if the statistics offer a sudden impression of an uncharacteristic Tomey at the helm, the overall, deeper picture that emerges is quintessentially him. For Tomey is all about winning even if it means biting the lip on personal philosophy and undertaking some on-the-fly improvisation. Or, scheduling "inspiration" drills on a Sunday morning.

After an 0-3 start built on losses to Arizona State, Kansas State and Stanford and injuries at running back and on the offensive line, Tomey went back to the drawing board. Long-held theories were shoved to the wayside.

What he has drawn up has been an efficient passing game that, while it won't put up June Jones-like numbers, has allowed the Spartans to win three games in a row. It has given the Spartans a workable offense, buying time to turn around a season.

The team UH confronts tomorrow may not resemble vintage Tomey, but it will be the best shot at winning under the circumstances.

Remember this is a guy who had his team walking on hot coals and chanting "cool moss." Anything to win.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.