- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,208,245
- Reaction score
- 59
It didn't receive enough national attention, but Timmy Chang came up with one of the most brilliant rebuilding jobs in college football over the last four seasons.
He took over a program that had to start from absolute scratch after the team was gutted by the transfer portal following the end of the Todd Graham era.
It was up to legendary quarterback Timmy Chang to restore the glory. Now he has.
Dec 24, 2025; Honolulu, HI, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) reacts after the Rainbow Warriors defeated the California Golden Bears 53-31 to win the Hawaii Bowl at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
© Marco Garcia-Imagn Images
From three wins to consecutive five-win seasons to a 9-4 campaign with bookend victories over ACC teams Stanford and Cal, Hawaii once again became a winner.
And it's doing it with a high-octane passing game, just like days when Chang was winging it around.
There might be a slew of lost parts, but Hawaii has enough in place to be deep in the hunt in a new Mountain West that loses Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and Utah State to the Pac-12.
It took a bit, but it's okay to dream big now - Hawaii could win the Mountain West title.
The Hawaii offense cranked it all up last year, especially at home, and there's no sign of anything slowing down.
The Rainbow Warriors averaged 394 yards and 29 points per game almost all thanks to the passing game. In the fifth season under Timmy Chang, this is when things should hit their stride and do even more.
Micah Alejado is back. In a transfer portal world, the sophomore baller of a quarterback is stunningly still around after throwing for over 3,100 yards and 24 touchdowns with nine picks, and running just enough to get by.
He's a special spark plug who always gives the Rainbow Warriors a chance, and ...
The receivers will keep blowing up, and it starts with the main man. Pofele Ashlock was fantastic with a team-high 76 catches for 829 yards, and Tama Uiliata is a shifty sophomore who should do more after catching 28 passes.
The transfer portal helped, getting Audric Harris (Washington), Tre Griffiths (Oklahoma State), and Carson Brown (Iowa State), who might not have a ton of experience, but have Power Four tools.
The running game still matters. Hawaii will keep on throwing and throwing some more, but when it ran for over 95 yards, it went 7-0.
Second-leading rusher Cam Barfield is a shifty-back who'll take on more work, and Kansas State transfer DeVon Rice fits perfectly.
Keeping Alejado healthy. The offensive line should be solid with a good starting group back, but the nature of the offense gets the quarterback popped. Alejado is only 5-10 and 190 pounds and isn't built to handle a beating.
There's no experience whatsoever behind him, but getting Bjorn Jurgensen from Virginia was a nice signing.
Yeah, the passing game will be outstanding with the receivers coming in. It still stinks to lose Jackson Harris to LSU after putting together a whopper of a season, and Kansas State taking Brandon White doesn't help.
Considering Alejado didn't practice too much this offseason, getting the timing down might take a bit.
The interceptions have to be kept back in the hotel. Picks are part of the deal when the offense is a tad off, but there wasn't a chance against Arizona when throwing three picks, and the Rainbow Warriors lost at home to Fresno State when giving away three.
Pofele Ashlock, WR Sr.
A tall, thin, experienced target, he caught 220 passes for 2,288 yards and 23 touchdowns over his rock-steady career. Considering all the new receivers in place, he's even more of a No. 1 guy now.
Oct 22, 2022; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Hawaii Warriors head coach Timmy Chang waits to take the field with his team at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium.
© Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
The defense came up with a nice season, especially at home.
The Rainbow Warriors found a pass rush, were strong at getting off the field with third down stops, and got enough through the portal to add even more.
This side will take some work, though, with a slew of new parts coming in.
The team loaded up on the line. There were a few losses, but not enough to matter, at least through the portal.
On the flip side, the Rainbow Warriors loaded up with linemen to mostly beef up the depth, but Spencer Elliott (Portland State) and Adam Tomczyk (West Virginia) should be instant edge rushers around veteran Lesterlaisene Lagafuainia.
290-pound tackle Ozzy Pollard was a much-needed signing for the interior - he can get behind the line.
The transfer portal, part two. The Hawaii secondary gets back top corner Elijah Palmer, but it had to replace a slew of graduates.
This is the strength of the transfer portal class, starting with safety Kodi DeCambra from UNLV, and the corner combination of Jeremiah Hughes (Michigan State) and Caleb Brown (Virginia Tech).
The linebackers should be fine. Jamih Otis is a tough guy who can get into the backfield, finishing second on the team with 60 stops and two forced fumbles.
Former Nebraska Cornhusker Wynden Ho'ohuli is a 6-3, 230-pounder with the upside to be a dangerous pass rusher.
There are lots and lots of new parts. Hawaii didn't have a problem losing players through the portal. It lost players because they were done, with nine starters in the starting 11.
Want to and energy will never be a problem, but finding an instant mix that was as productive as last year's defense won't be easy.
There need to be more interceptions. Hawaii only came up with eight picks, but Palmer can't do it alone - he tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
Overall, the defense only came up with multiple takeaways twice - six of the 15 takeaways came in those two games.
Run against Hawaii, and for the most part, beat Hawaii. There were a few exceptions. Both Air Force and Utah State ran on the Rainbow Warriors, but their respective defenses couldn't stop anything.
Hawaii went 7-1 when allowing fewer than 5.3 yards per carry, and 2-3 when it didn't. More on this in a moment, but four of those five games came on the road.
Elijah Palmer, CB Sr.
A three-year producer for the Rainbow Warriors, Palmer is one of the best defensive backs in the Mountain West.
He's not all that big at 5-8 and 180 pounds, but he fights, making 121 tackles with 12.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions over his career, and broke up ten passes last year.
Dean Briski, OT Sr.
6-5, 305-pound Briski is a veteran tackle who mostly worked at left tackle, but he's got the experience to handle himself just fine on the right side, too - Alejado is a lefty.
Originally a defensive lineman, he's still growing into the gig, and now he should start to look and feel more comfortable.
Stepping up the defense on the road.
Teams tend to realize there's more to life than football when they take the long trip over to Honolulu.
Hawaii holds the single most impressive home field advantage in college football because of the distance, but it also has to make that trip the other way.
Last year's defense didn't allow more than 26 points in Clarence TC Ching until it beat Cal in the Hawaii Bowl, but it gave up 35 or more in four of the five games on the road.
at Northern Illinois, October 24
Hawaii will be way better than the Huskies, and it should be better than all four Mountain West teams on the road schedule.
But what kind of shape will the team be in after going to Arizona State, and then back home to deal with a physical New Mexico team, and then all the way to DeKalb, Illinois?
Even for this team, that's a lot of miles to put on in a three-week span.
Other than a few of the top receivers from last season, Hawaii didn't suffer any real losses that can't be replaced.
On the flip side, in come a whole bunch of options to instantly fill the gaps, with a surprising push for Power Four talents who didn't see much time at their respective schools.
Ozzy Pollard, DE Soph.
The Marian University transfer brings an interesting mix of skills, as the son of former Kansas and NBA basketball star Scot Pollard, with 6-4, 285-pound size and decent quickness.
He made five sacks last year, and now he'll be asked to turn into a dangerous pass rusher in the rotation.
Jackson Harris, WR (LSU)
Pofele Ashlock might have been the leading receiver, but Harris was the gamebreaker.
Harris started his career at Stanford for two years, and then he came to Hawaii and became unstoppable, averaging close to 20 yards per catch with a team-high 12 scores.
It would've been nice to get a few layup games to get all of the new pieces in sync, but that's not happening.
The Rainbow Warriors hit the ground running at Stanford, and then open up the Mountain West season at home against UNLV. But be patient with this bunch.
CFN Prediction: 9-3
There's too much traveling as the Mountain West season gets going, but if Hawaii gets out of the first half of the season alive, look out.
They get New Mexico at home as well as UNLV, and hosting North Dakota State will be a big help.
By the middle of the season, the team should be jelled, and then it's on, even with road games against Northern Illinois, UTEP, and Nevada, to go along with home games against NDSU and Sacramento State.
Hawaii could've held its own and been a factor in the Mountain West in its former form, but again, Boise State is gone. So are Fresno State and San Diego State.
Hawaii can be the new star of the new Mountain West.
Continue reading...
He took over a program that had to start from absolute scratch after the team was gutted by the transfer portal following the end of the Todd Graham era.
It was up to legendary quarterback Timmy Chang to restore the glory. Now he has.
Hawaii Has Enough To Win the New Mountain West
You must be registered for see images attach
Dec 24, 2025; Honolulu, HI, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) reacts after the Rainbow Warriors defeated the California Golden Bears 53-31 to win the Hawaii Bowl at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
© Marco Garcia-Imagn Images
From three wins to consecutive five-win seasons to a 9-4 campaign with bookend victories over ACC teams Stanford and Cal, Hawaii once again became a winner.
And it's doing it with a high-octane passing game, just like days when Chang was winging it around.
There might be a slew of lost parts, but Hawaii has enough in place to be deep in the hunt in a new Mountain West that loses Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and Utah State to the Pac-12.
It took a bit, but it's okay to dream big now - Hawaii could win the Mountain West title.
Hawaii Quick Hits
- Head Coach: Timmy Chang (5th year, 22-29)
- Best Case / Worst Case: Win the Mountain West/Third five-win season in four years
- Key Player: Micah Alejado, QB Soph.
- 2025 Record: 8-4
- Biggest Question: Can Timmy Chang rebuild on the rebuild and win with a slew of new players?
Hawaii Key 2025 Stats
- Passing Attempts: Hawaii 540, Opponents 394
- Sacks: Hawaii 30 for 196 yards, Opponents 30 for 189 yards
- Fourth Down Conversions: Hawaii 12-of-20 (60%), Opponents 7-of-23 (30.4%)
Offense
The Hawaii offense cranked it all up last year, especially at home, and there's no sign of anything slowing down.
The Rainbow Warriors averaged 394 yards and 29 points per game almost all thanks to the passing game. In the fifth season under Timmy Chang, this is when things should hit their stride and do even more.
What’s Working
Micah Alejado is back. In a transfer portal world, the sophomore baller of a quarterback is stunningly still around after throwing for over 3,100 yards and 24 touchdowns with nine picks, and running just enough to get by.
He's a special spark plug who always gives the Rainbow Warriors a chance, and ...
The receivers will keep blowing up, and it starts with the main man. Pofele Ashlock was fantastic with a team-high 76 catches for 829 yards, and Tama Uiliata is a shifty sophomore who should do more after catching 28 passes.
The transfer portal helped, getting Audric Harris (Washington), Tre Griffiths (Oklahoma State), and Carson Brown (Iowa State), who might not have a ton of experience, but have Power Four tools.
The running game still matters. Hawaii will keep on throwing and throwing some more, but when it ran for over 95 yards, it went 7-0.
Second-leading rusher Cam Barfield is a shifty-back who'll take on more work, and Kansas State transfer DeVon Rice fits perfectly.
What Needs Work
Keeping Alejado healthy. The offensive line should be solid with a good starting group back, but the nature of the offense gets the quarterback popped. Alejado is only 5-10 and 190 pounds and isn't built to handle a beating.
There's no experience whatsoever behind him, but getting Bjorn Jurgensen from Virginia was a nice signing.
Yeah, the passing game will be outstanding with the receivers coming in. It still stinks to lose Jackson Harris to LSU after putting together a whopper of a season, and Kansas State taking Brandon White doesn't help.
Considering Alejado didn't practice too much this offseason, getting the timing down might take a bit.
The interceptions have to be kept back in the hotel. Picks are part of the deal when the offense is a tad off, but there wasn't a chance against Arizona when throwing three picks, and the Rainbow Warriors lost at home to Fresno State when giving away three.
Player to Watch
Pofele Ashlock, WR Sr.
A tall, thin, experienced target, he caught 220 passes for 2,288 yards and 23 touchdowns over his rock-steady career. Considering all the new receivers in place, he's even more of a No. 1 guy now.
You must be registered for see images attach
Oct 22, 2022; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Hawaii Warriors head coach Timmy Chang waits to take the field with his team at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium.
© Michael Madrid-Imagn Images
Defense
The defense came up with a nice season, especially at home.
The Rainbow Warriors found a pass rush, were strong at getting off the field with third down stops, and got enough through the portal to add even more.
This side will take some work, though, with a slew of new parts coming in.
What’s Working
The team loaded up on the line. There were a few losses, but not enough to matter, at least through the portal.
On the flip side, the Rainbow Warriors loaded up with linemen to mostly beef up the depth, but Spencer Elliott (Portland State) and Adam Tomczyk (West Virginia) should be instant edge rushers around veteran Lesterlaisene Lagafuainia.
290-pound tackle Ozzy Pollard was a much-needed signing for the interior - he can get behind the line.
The transfer portal, part two. The Hawaii secondary gets back top corner Elijah Palmer, but it had to replace a slew of graduates.
This is the strength of the transfer portal class, starting with safety Kodi DeCambra from UNLV, and the corner combination of Jeremiah Hughes (Michigan State) and Caleb Brown (Virginia Tech).
The linebackers should be fine. Jamih Otis is a tough guy who can get into the backfield, finishing second on the team with 60 stops and two forced fumbles.
Former Nebraska Cornhusker Wynden Ho'ohuli is a 6-3, 230-pounder with the upside to be a dangerous pass rusher.
What Needs Work
There are lots and lots of new parts. Hawaii didn't have a problem losing players through the portal. It lost players because they were done, with nine starters in the starting 11.
Want to and energy will never be a problem, but finding an instant mix that was as productive as last year's defense won't be easy.
There need to be more interceptions. Hawaii only came up with eight picks, but Palmer can't do it alone - he tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
Overall, the defense only came up with multiple takeaways twice - six of the 15 takeaways came in those two games.
Run against Hawaii, and for the most part, beat Hawaii. There were a few exceptions. Both Air Force and Utah State ran on the Rainbow Warriors, but their respective defenses couldn't stop anything.
Hawaii went 7-1 when allowing fewer than 5.3 yards per carry, and 2-3 when it didn't. More on this in a moment, but four of those five games came on the road.
Player to Watch
Elijah Palmer, CB Sr.
A three-year producer for the Rainbow Warriors, Palmer is one of the best defensive backs in the Mountain West.
He's not all that big at 5-8 and 180 pounds, but he fights, making 121 tackles with 12.5 tackles for loss and five interceptions over his career, and broke up ten passes last year.
Keys to the Season
- Keep QB Micah Alejado from being hit.
- Get all the new parts on defense to come together right away.
- The new receivers have to be precise and get the timing down.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Dean Briski, OT Sr.
6-5, 305-pound Briski is a veteran tackle who mostly worked at left tackle, but he's got the experience to handle himself just fine on the right side, too - Alejado is a lefty.
Originally a defensive lineman, he's still growing into the gig, and now he should start to look and feel more comfortable.
Biggest Concern
Stepping up the defense on the road.
Teams tend to realize there's more to life than football when they take the long trip over to Honolulu.
Hawaii holds the single most impressive home field advantage in college football because of the distance, but it also has to make that trip the other way.
Last year's defense didn't allow more than 26 points in Clarence TC Ching until it beat Cal in the Hawaii Bowl, but it gave up 35 or more in four of the five games on the road.
Biggest Game
at Northern Illinois, October 24
Hawaii will be way better than the Huskies, and it should be better than all four Mountain West teams on the road schedule.
But what kind of shape will the team be in after going to Arizona State, and then back home to deal with a physical New Mexico team, and then all the way to DeKalb, Illinois?
Even for this team, that's a lot of miles to put on in a three-week span.
Transfer Portal
Other than a few of the top receivers from last season, Hawaii didn't suffer any real losses that can't be replaced.
On the flip side, in come a whole bunch of options to instantly fill the gaps, with a surprising push for Power Four talents who didn't see much time at their respective schools.
Best Signing
Ozzy Pollard, DE Soph.
The Marian University transfer brings an interesting mix of skills, as the son of former Kansas and NBA basketball star Scot Pollard, with 6-4, 285-pound size and decent quickness.
He made five sacks last year, and now he'll be asked to turn into a dangerous pass rusher in the rotation.
Biggest Loss
Jackson Harris, WR (LSU)
Pofele Ashlock might have been the leading receiver, but Harris was the gamebreaker.
Harris started his career at Stanford for two years, and then he came to Hawaii and became unstoppable, averaging close to 20 yards per catch with a team-high 12 scores.
Other Names to Know
- Audric Harris, WR (Washington)
- Khalil Walker, OG (USF)
- Lipe Moala, OG (Oregon)
CFN Season Prediction
It would've been nice to get a few layup games to get all of the new pieces in sync, but that's not happening.
The Rainbow Warriors hit the ground running at Stanford, and then open up the Mountain West season at home against UNLV. But be patient with this bunch.
CFN Prediction: 9-3
There's too much traveling as the Mountain West season gets going, but if Hawaii gets out of the first half of the season alive, look out.
They get New Mexico at home as well as UNLV, and hosting North Dakota State will be a big help.
By the middle of the season, the team should be jelled, and then it's on, even with road games against Northern Illinois, UTEP, and Nevada, to go along with home games against NDSU and Sacramento State.
Hawaii could've held its own and been a factor in the Mountain West in its former form, but again, Boise State is gone. So are Fresno State and San Diego State.
Hawaii can be the new star of the new Mountain West.
Continue reading...
