(QB Brayden Schager – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Brayden Schager, RB Landon Sims, WR Pofele Ashlock, WR Tylan Hines, WR Steven McBride, WR/RS Koali Nishigaya, OC Sergio Muassau, OG Maurice Ta’ala, OT Ka’ena Decambra, DE Elijah Robinson, LB Noah Kema, LB Jalen Smith, CB Caleb Brown, CB/KR Cam Stone, NB Elijah Palmer, FS Meki Pei, and SS Peter Manuma.
Key Players Departing:
OC Eliki Tanuvasa, OT Josh Atkins (Arizona State transfer), DE Andrew Choi, DE Jonah Kahahawai-Welch, DT John Tuitupou, LB Isaiah Tufaga, CB Virdel Edwards II, CB Jojo Forrest, and PK/PT Matthew Shipley (Arkansas transfer).
(CB Fabian Ross – USCfootball.com/247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Fabian Ross (USC transfer), LB Nazaiah Caravallo (Ewa Beach, Hawaii), DT Alvin Puefua (Salt Lake City, Utah), EDGE Noah Wily (Honolulu, Hawaii), RB Cam Barfield (Boston College transfer), DT Dion Washington (Nevada transfer), EDGE Tristan Waiamau-Galindo (Honolulu, Hawaii), QB Micah Alejado (Las Vegas, Nevada), WR Frank Abreu (Makawao, Hawaii), and LB Matteus Ioane (Wahiawa, Hawaii).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Vanderbilt L 28-35
G02 STANFORD L 24-37
G03 UALBANY W 31-20
G04 @ #13 Oregon L 10-55
G05 NEW MEXICO STATE W 20-17
G06 @ UNLV L 20-44
G07 SAN DIEGO STATE L 34-41
G08 @ New Mexico L 21-41
G09 SAN JOSE STATE L 0-35
G10 @ Nevada W 27-14
G11 AIR FORCE W 27-13
G12 @ Wyoming L 9-42
G13 COLORADO STATE W 27-24
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 5-8 (8th in MWC)
Home: 4-3
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
MWC: 3-5
Non-MWC: 2-3
Head Coach: Timmy Chang
Hawaii: 8-18
Career: 8-18
Bowls: 0-0
(WR Pofele Ashlock – Hawaii Sports Radio Network)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Brayden Schager (332-525, 3542 yards, 63.2 avg., 6.7 avg., 26 TD, 14 INT)
Rushing: Landon Sims (63 car., 255 yards, 4.0 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Pofele Ashlock (83 rec., 822 yards, 10.9 avg., 9 TD)
TD’s Scored: Pofele Ashlock/Steven McBride (9)
Sacks: Ezra Evalmalo (3.5)
Tackles: Peter Manuma (87)
Interceptions: Peter Manuma (3)
Pass Deflections: Virdel Edwards II (9)
Tackles For Loss: Jalen Smith (9)
Forced Fumbles: Isaiah Tufaga (2)
Kick Returns: Cam Stone (16 ret., 331 yards, 20.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Steven McBride (12 ret., 68 yards, 5.7 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 13 Brayden Schager (SR)
RB: 30 Landon Sims (RS JR)
WR: 0 Alex Perry (SO)
WR: 1 Jonah Panoke (RS SR)
WR: 5 Pofele Ashlock (RS SO)
WR: 23 Koali NIshigaya (RS SR)
LT: 78 Ka’ena Decambra (RS JR)
LG: 58 Zhen Sotelo (RS JR)
OC: 57 Ethan Spencer (RS SO)
RG: 51 Maurice Ta’ala (RS SR)
RT: 59 Kuao Peihopa (RS JR/TR)
KR: 2 Tylan Hines (RS SO)
PK: 12 Kansei Matsuzawa (SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 5 Tariq Jones (RS JR)
NT: 52 Ezra Evaimalo (RS SR)
DT: 19 Dion Washington (RS JR/TR)
DE: 0 Elijah Robinson (GR/TR)
LB: 3 Jalen Smith (RS JR/TR)
LB: 16 Lohan Taylor (SR/TR)
NB: 9 Elijah Palmer (SO)
CB: 4 Cam Stone (SR/TR)
CB: 13 Caleb Brown (SR/TR)
FS: 29 Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen (SR/TR)
SS: 1 Peter Manuma (JR)
PR: 2 Tylan Hines (RS SO)
PT: 19 Lucas Borrow (GR/TR)
(SS Peter Manuma – Spectrum News)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/24 DELAWARE STATE HORNETS | First meeting between schools.
08/31 UCLA BRUINS | Hawaii trails the series 0-4. The Rainbow Warriors lost (10-44) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/14 @ Sam Houston Bearkats | First meeting between schools.
09/21 NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS | Hawaii won (27-24) the only prior meeting between schools in 2014.
10/05 @ San Diego State Aztecs | Hawaii trails the series 11-25-2. The Rainbow Warriors are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (14-11) was in 2019.
10/12 BOISE STATE BRONCOS | Hawaii trails the series 3-15. The Rainbow Warriors lost (32-40) the last meeting between schools.
10/19 @ Washington State Cougars | Hawaii leads the series 3-2. The Rainbow Warriors won (38-20) the last meeting between schools in 2009.
10/26 NEVADA WOLF PACK | Hawaii trails the series 13-15. The Rainbow Warriors are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-34) was in 2021.
11/02 @ Fresno State Bulldogs | Hawaii trails the series 24-30-1. The Rainbow Warrior are 3-6 since 2014, and they lost (13-55) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/09 UNLV REBELS | Hawaii leads the series 19-14. The Rainbow Warriors are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (31-25) was in 2022.
11/16 @ Utah State Aggies | Hawaii trails the series 6-12. The Rainbow Warriors are 0-5 since 2014, and they lost (34-41) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/30 NEW MEXICO LOBOS | Hawaii leads the series 16-11. The Rainbow Warriors lost (21-42) last season’s meeting between schools, and the won (39-33) the prior meeting in 2020.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
MWC: 3-5
Non-MWC: 1-3
Overall: 4-8 (11th in MWC)
gridironpredictions.net 