Hawaii coach Timmy Chang wants his defense to be as aggressive as his offense in 2024

As a record-setting quarterback at Saint Louis School and the University of Hawaii, Timmy Chang perfected the intricacies of the run-and-shoot offense.

Chang, in his third year as UH’s head coach, has fully invested in the read-and-attack scheme as the play caller. He also hired Dan Morrison as quarterbacks coach — a position he held when Ching was slinging passes for the Warriors in the 2000s — and brought in Derek Fa‘avi to coach the offensive line. Fa‘avi, who was Ching’s center, was named the Warriors’ MVP in 2005.

But Chang also wanted to bring back the aggressive schemes that defined past UH defenses. In his search, Chang went with the Buddy system. Buddy Ryan was the architect of the 1985 Chicago Bears’ famed 46 defense.

One of his sons, Rex Ryan, used the attacking methods in helping to build the Baltimore Ravens’ dominant defense of the 2000s. The younger Ryan, as head coach of the New York Jets and then Buffalo Bills, hired Dennis Thurman as defensive coordinator. Now Thurman is the choreographer of the Rainbow Warriors’ defense.

“That style of defense is what we want,” Chang said. “We want to see guys get after the quarterback. You’re going to see, I won’t say old-school football, but an attacking style of defense.”

Defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said: “The greatest thing Dennis has brought to this defense is a scheme that has flexibility and is multiple enough to be able to tap into the talent of the guys.”

The Warriors open training camp this week, with the first practice on Wednesday morning.

“We’re excited to get going,” Chang said. “These guys have been working hard through the offseason training, spring and summer to get them back into football for our 12 games.”

Quarterbacks

Brayden Schager always had the arm (12 TDs on deep routes), but it was his quick throws (79,4% accuracy on passes up to 9 yards) and running that reaffirmed his status as QB1. “After Nevada, I knew I could run at this level,” said Schager, who averaged 6.5 yards per non-sack scramble or keeper in last season’s final four games. “And just having that confidence of myself, knowing that I can do it, was a big deal. It really propelled our team when I started running.” At 6-3 and 225 pounds, Schager can back-squat 450 pounds. While on track to squat 500 pounds, Schager shifted his focus to upper-body strength and flexibility. Micah Alejado, who threw 35 TDs (against no interceptions) in leading Bishop Gorman to a national title last year, enrolled in January to learn the run-and-shoot offense. Alejado was able to return for his prom and graduation, then came back to Hawaii to compete for the quarterback’s job. As a freshman who lives on his own, he also has mastered cooking and laundry.

Receivers

This summer, two receivers exemplified the receivers’ competitive heat. During unsupervised player-run practices, Tylan Hines repeatedly sprinted past some of the Warriors’ fastest corners. Beginning last season, Hines has made a steady transition from running back to receiver. Now on a unit of speedy receivers — Pofele Ashlock, Steven McBride, Jonah Panoke, Alex Perry, Nick Cenacle, Koali Nishigaya, Dekel Crowdus— Hines is the complete player. EA Sports accurately gave him a 92 speed rating (out of 95) in the new video game. He can back-squat 500 pounds. When he was 8, he first attempted the 20-countdown method: 20 push-ups, a rest, then 19, another rest, then 18, and so forth, until the single-rep finale — 210 in all. He can do 170 push-ups without stopping. Hines’ core and leg strength resulted in a yards-after-catch average of 7.4 the past two seasons. Ashlock and freshman Jarvis “Dino” Heimuli are brothers (same parents, different surnames) who are sure-handed route-runners and pass-trackers. But Heimuli has displayed a ferocity in pick-up basketball games, soaring for dunks and demanding to defend the best shooters.

RUNNING BACKS

The Warriors rearranged the running back room, hiring Anthony Arceneaux, bringing in power backs Christian Vaughn and Cam’ron “Cam” Barfield (450-pound back squat), and moving Hines to wideout. The Warriors are counting on blue-collar backs David Cordero and Landon Sims. During a practice last season, Sims’ nose was bent into a Z shape and his jersey splattered with blood after running into linebacker Logan “House of Pain” Taylor. Sims earned a reputation for blood, sweat and second gears. As a high school senior, Sims rushed for 850 yards (9.5 per carry) and 13 touchdowns in a pandemic-abbreviated, six-game spring season. He transformed into a tight end as a UH freshman before moving back to running back last year. “It’s his want-to,” Chang said of Sims’ blocking. Sims did not allow a sack in 282 snaps. In the final four games, Sims had five rushes of 12-plus yards, averaged 11.5 post-catch yards, and did not allow a quarterback hit in 50 pass plays. During the offseason, Sims gained 20 pounds and now weighs 220.

Offensive line

During a recent photo shoot, converted D-lineman Kuao Peihopa said he was not defined by his position. “I’m a football player,” said Peihopa, a 2021 Kamehameha Schools graduate who played two seasons at Washington and was a gap-filling nose/3-tech for the Warriors last season. With left tackle Josh Atkins transferring to Arizona and center Eliki Tanuvasa having completed his eligibility, Peihopa was asked to move across the line to provide leadership and power blocking. “Kuao’s a guy who can play multiple positions,” Chang said. “We brought him over because of his experience (started all 13 games last year) and wanting to firm up (the O-line). He brings leadership and good intangibles, which, I think, will help.” Peihopa and Zhen Sotelo are projected to be the guards bracketing center Sergio Muasau. Ka‘ena Decambra, who bounced across the line, is the blind-side tackle. Australia-reared Luke Felix-Fualolo, who was named after the lead “Star Wars” character, is a force at right tackle. Of the offense’s 11 holding penalties last year, six were committed by players no longer in the program. The returnees were assessed three of the O-line’s eight pre-snap penalties.

Defensive line

In the fight in the trenches, Daniel “Sauce” Williams is more Smokin’ Joe Frazier than Muhammad Ali. “Joe Frazier was a heavyweight champion who had to learn to fight up inside because he was (5-11) and had short arms (73-inch reach),” Reinebold said. “He couldn’t beat bigger, longer fighters throwing jabs. He had to get up inside and learn to upper-cut. You have to play to your strengths. That’s what we’re trying to get Daniel to do on a daily basis.” At 5-11 and a slimmed-down 305, Williams is one of the strongest Warriors. “There aren’t many guys walking around this planet who can bench-press 515 (pounds) two times and squat over 700 pounds,” Reinebold said. Williams, who can play the nose and 3-technique, has used his leverage to re-set the line of scrimmage. Last year, he did not miss a tackle in 280 snaps. Reinebold said the goal is to increase his workload — he averaged 21.5 snaps per game — and “play as hard and violently as he’s capable for more than one or two snaps.” Ezra Evaimalo, who bulked up to 260 pounds, also is a two-position lineman. Transfers Dion Washington (Nevada) and Jamar Sekona (USC) will be part of the D-line rotation. Elijah Robinson, who was cleared for a sixth season, and Jackie Johnson III, the star of spring training, are the top pass rushers.

Linebackers

Taylor’s 2023 season should have ended with the first “pop,” when he believed he tore his left ACL in last year’s third game. He played two more plays to be sure. “You can’t hurt it anymore,” Taylor figured. He underwent surgery, growled during the rehab — “all that range of motion was super painful” — then barked out plays during practices, maneuvering his chair like a toy stick horse. He handed his co-captain’s title to linebacker Isaiah Tufaga. He credited the trainers and his faith for accelerating his recovery, and is ready for camp. By playing in only three games, he qualified for a medical hardship and a sixth season. “God knows football rules, as well,” said Taylor, who will play the middle with Jalen Smith on the weak side. Jamih Otis impressed in spring ball and in the weight room (365-pound bench, 500-pound squat). Nalu Emerson and Noah Kema also are in the mix.

Secondary

In a defensive backfield loaded with playmakers — corners Cam Stone, Virdel Edwards II (who is recovering from an injury) and Caleb Brown; nickelback Elijah Palmer, safety Meki Pei — dual safety Peter Manuma considers himself the most fortunate. “If you asked me 10 years ago, I would have said I’d never go to college,” Manuma said. “I was all over the place, just a crazy kid.” But he said his mother, who died in 2022, and now fiancee Relina Teixeira “got me straight, got me locked in, got me thinking about my future.” As a Campbell High sophomore, he received an offer from then-UH coach Nick Rolovich. Todd Graham, who succeeded Rolovich, honored that commitment. And despite not having a senior high school season because of the pandemic, Manuma was grateful Timmy Chang, who replaced Graham in January 2022, continued the pledge. “Three coaches believed in me,” Manuma said. “Without (the scholarship), I would have been a random guy. I am a random guy. Call it what you want, but I’m blessed.” In Thurman’s scheme, inspired by the Ravens, Manuma is used in Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed’s role. “We watch films on those guys and how they ran this defense,” Manuma said. “Just taking the little things and learning from them. Some tapes, old tapes, not clean.”

Specialists

The path to the point-scoring kicker’s job is at an angle. (Kicker/punter Matthew Shipley transferred to Arkansas.) Noting only about 20% of field-goal attempts are launched from the middle of the field, Kansei Matsuzawa and Kai Kluth spend practices kicking from the hash marks. Both have perfected navigating the cross winds at the Ching Complex. Matsuzawa, who grew up in Japan, has added 10 pounds to his 6-2, 200-pound frame, gained strength (benches 225 pounds 10 times) and has extended his range to 60-plus yards. Ben Falck and Ball State transfer Lucas Borrow are competing at punter.