Rainbow Warriors put together a “complete game” to keep bowl game hopes alive

Rainbow Warriors put together a “complete game” to keep bowl game hopes alive

Oct 31, 2024

Rainbow Warriors put together a “complete game” to keep bowl game hopes alive

BY MICHAEL LASQUERO| HSRN
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 31, 2024

The University of Hawai’i football team, players and coaches deserve all the compliments that came their way following their 34-13 win over Nevada last Saturday.

Because they finally played complimentary football.

All three phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams — worked in concert in the Rainbow Warriors’ victory over the Wolf Pack as they finally put together a complete game of football to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Hawai’i exorcised its red zone woes and went 6-for-6 in the red area with four rushing touchdowns by quarterback Brayden Schager and two field goals by Kansei Matsuzawa.

The Rainbow Warriors also won the turnover battle and snapped a streak of 15 consecutive quarters without a takeaway with Cam Stone’s forced fumble and Nalu Emerson’s interception on Nevada’s final play from scrimmage.

“When you play a complete game, offense, defense and special teams, it’s going to help you, to give yourself a chance to win games,” coach Timmy Chang said after the win.

“What I thought was good was the execution by the offense, the execution by the defense, and I’m looking at the red zone scoring chances of going 6-for-6. Those are all important factors to success.”

The Rainbow Warriors also snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 3-5 with four games left on the schedule. In order to be bowl-eligible, Hawai’i needs to win out the rest of the way.

“Our dreams and goals, in terms of this season, are all still out there so we understand we need to win out and that’s what we look forward to doing,” said Stone.

Hawai’i was rolling to start the contest against Nevada and took a 17-0 lead at the half. The Rainbow Warriors scored on their opening series with a 10-play drive that lasted nearly five minutes.

The defense then came up with a turnover-on-downs after Emerson sacked Wolf Pack QB Chubba Purdy for a loss inside Hawai’i territory. The offense responded with another clock-milking drive before Schager ran in his second TD of the game on a sneak.

Nevada would come up with no points once again on its following possession after a third-down tackle for no gain by Logan Taylor and a missed 46-yard field goal kept the score at 14-0. Schager would be intercepted on the next series, but the defense got his back and forced another turnover-on-downs thanks to a fourth-down pass breakup by Elijah Palmer.

The Hawai’i offense took advantage of the defensive stop and cashed in on a 27-yard field goal by Matsuzawa just before the end of the first half.

Schager spoke highly of the Hawai’i defense and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman to Jordan Helle in the Spectrum Sports postgame interview on the pay-per-view television broadcast.

“They’ve been unbelievable. Coach DT, coach Thurman is an awesome defensive coordinator. Great due. He’s done a great job getting those guys ready and they come to play every single week and we need to start helping them out on offense and it was good to get it rolling tonight.”

Nevada scored on its first possession of the second half while Hawai’i was forced to punt before a third down pass breakup by safety Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen swung momentum back in the Rainbow Warriors’ favor.

The Rainbow Warriors then recycled the Wolf Pack’s first punt of the game into a 75-play drive that took off nearly seven minutes off the clock before Schager scored on a 3-yard draw to make the score 24-7.

On the next possession, Nevada turned it over on downs once again after Taylor and Sauce Williams came up with a stop for no gain on fourth-and-1. Hawai’i promptly scored thanks to the short field on Schager’s keeper to make it a 31-7 game early in the fourth quarter.

The Wolf Pack got back into the scoring column on the next series and recovered the ensuing onside kick before Stone’s big hit caused a fumble that was recovered by Meki Pei that the Hawai’i offense was able to recycle into a 30-yard field goal for the final points of the game.

Hawaii, Schager runs over Nevada in 34-13 homecoming win

Hawaii, Schager runs over Nevada in 34-13 homecoming win

Oct 26, 2024

All smiles for Brayden Schager after he ran in his second rushing TD of the game to give Hawai’i a 14-0 lead over Nevada. | Michael Lasquero/HSRN

Hawaii, Schager runs over Nevada in 34-13 homecoming win

BY MICHAEL LASQUERO| HSRN
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 26, 2024

MANOA — The Hawai’i football team’s offense is called the RUN-and-shoot after all.

Quarterback Brayden Schager ran for four touchdowns and 120 of the Rainbow Warriors’ season-high 242 rushing yards as Hawai’i rumbled to a 34-13 win over Nevada on homecoming Saturday night at the T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak by the Rainbow Warriors as they improved to 3-5 while notching their first win in Mountain West play and their first win over an FBS opponent this season. They also held a 17-0 halftime lead over the Wolf Pack (3-6), who were also seeking their first win in the conference play in 2024.

“It’s huge,” Schager said of getting back into the win column.

“We got a good football team in that locker room. We just haven’t really showed it yet a whole lot. Tonight gives us, our whole team, offense and defense, special teams, everybody confidence that we can do it at a high level. We just have to go and put it out there. We’ve been in games and we just haven’t been able to capitalize and finish. Tonight we did a great job of that.”

Schager, who extended his school-record streak of 30 straight starts at QB, also joined Glenn Freitas and Ivin Jasper as the only other Hawai’i QBs to score four rushing TDs. His 120 yards on the ground on 19 attempts was a career-best.

He had a pair of 1-yard sneaks in the first quarter to give Hawai’i an early 14-0 lead. Nevada would find the end zone on a 63-yard TD pass on the second play of the second half before a QB draw with under two minutes to play in the third quarter pushed the Rainbow Warriors’ advantage to 24-7.

Schager also scored on a 6-yard read-option keeper early in the fourth quarter and had a 46-yard run late in the game to set up the final points of the night by Kansei Matsuzawa on a 30-yard field goal.

“When we get an O-line playing that well, moving the ball, just moving them at will in the run game, I’ll do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Schager said of his rushing performance.

The senior QB was just 14 of 25 passing for season-low 153 yards and one interception, but wasn’t concerned over the diminished numbers through the airwaves.

“It still have a lot of confidence in our pass game and our receivers and myself. We’ll get back on track there, but if we can run the ball the way we did tonight, you can’t be stopped.”

The grounded approach by Hawai’i was felt on its opening drive with running back Landon Sims (nine carries, 82 yards) taking his first carry for 20 yards and had another big run to the Nevada 1-yard line. Penalties wiped out a Schager-TD on a keeper, but the Rainbow Warriors kept pounding the rock before their senior signal-caller scored on a sneak.

It was the third time in five home games that Hawai’i has scored on its opening possession.

The offensive numbers for both teams would indicate that it was a much closer game with the Rainbow Warriors gaining 395 yards to the Wolf Pack’s 380, but the Hawai’i defense forced a pair of turnover on downs and a missed 46-yard field goal try in the first half to blank Nevada in the first 30 minutes of play.

Hawai’i also prevented points in the second half thanks to an interception by Nalu Emerson on Nevada’s final play from scrimmage and a forced fumble by Cam Stone that was recovered by Meki Pei to set up Matsuzawa’s second field goal of the night.

“It’s a good team win. Anytime you can win it’s a good feeling,” said Hawai’i coach Timmy Chang.

“Defense played well the first half getting the stops that we needed. I thought they did a good job of stopping the run and rallying around and tackling the football. I think (Nevada) kind of changed what they had to do in the second half being down as well, but they responded really well and they got the turnovers needed when they needed to.”

Next up for the Rainbow Warriors is a road game at Fresno State (5-3) on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. HST.

Five players to watch on Hawai’i Homecoming weekend against Nevada

Five players to watch on Hawai’i Homecoming weekend against Nevada

Oct 23, 2024

Tylan Hines (2) takes the field with teammates during a home game for Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Five players to watch on Hawai’i Homecoming weekend against Nevada

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 23, 2024

HONOLULU – Being back home could not come quick enough. 

Hawai’i (2-5, 0-2 Mountain West) returned to the islands after being dominated last weekend on the road, seeing 42 points run up on them as Washington State’s Homecoming football game. It will be UH’s turn to celebrate Homecoming 2024 on Saturday, playing host to the spunky Nevada Wolfpack (3-5, 0-2 Mountain West). 

The Rainbow Warriors remain searching for the team’s first FBS victory of the season, with two wins coming against FCS programs in Delaware State and Northern Iowa. Hawai’i head coach Timmy Chang served as the wide receivers and tight ends coach at Nevada for five seasons (‘17-’21) and is unbeaten in two matchups against the Wolfpack since taking over the UH program. 

With five games remaining, Hawai’i needs five more wins to be bowl-eligible – also known as needing to run the table. With the postseason one single mistake from disappearing, a win streak is needed in the worst way for the Rainbow Warriors. 

Nevada presents plenty of interesting challenges of their own as a program under the direction of a new head coach in 2024 after struggles among the bottom of the Mountain West over the previous couple of seasons. With a win against Oregon State and close losses to SMU and San Jose State, the Wolfpack has proven that it will be no small task to grab a win this season. 

With a critical matchup against a program putting in work during a rebuild, here are five players to watch for Hawai’i this weekend against Nevada: 

WR Pofele Ashlock 

After missing the first game of his college career last week against Washington State, Pofele Ashlock returned to the practice field this week ahead of the matchup with Nevada. If he is a full-go on Saturday, Ashlock immediately slots directly back in as the top target for the Hawai’i offense and gives QB Brayden Schager his favorite security blanket to feed passes to in critical moments.  

It is no coincidence that Ashlock’s absence coincided with Hawai’i’s worst offensive outing of the year, totaling a season-worst 196 yards through the air in the 42-10 loss at Washington State. The Rainbow Warriors struggled to keep drives alive, going 0-of-8 on 3rd down against the Cougars while going a second consecutive week without a receiver over 75 yards. 

While missing Ashlock forced Hawai’i to look in different directions than the 6-foot-2 receiver, his addition would only help the Rainbow Warriors in the pursuit of an FBS win on this year’s record. The question becomes the full health and trust that the sophomore receiver has in stepping back out on the field. 

How does he look after taking his first hit back in action after exiting concussion protocol? Is he still in the same rhythm that he held with Schager through the first month and a half of the season after six quarters out of commission? Going against one of the top-rated passing defenses in the Mountain West, Ashlock’s health and impact should be towards the top of the list of things to look for on Saturday. 

RB Tylan Hines 

He’s here and he’s wonderful. 

After missing the 2023 season with an injury, Tylan Hines made the move during the offseason to wide receiver as Hawai’i looked for ways to get the ball into the hands of the dynamic 5-foot-6 playmaker more often on offense. The experiment did not quite go as planned as the Rainbow Warriors struggled getting Hines involved in the offense consistently and he struggled to find a rhythm in the flow of the game. 

A few weeks ago, Hines quietly made the switch back to the running back position and has been back on his upwards trajectory since with more touches being found for him. Hines did not get a single carry or catch against Delaware State to begin the year, had four catches against UCLA before being held to a single catch with no carries against Sam Houston. 

His first carry of the year came in Week 5 when Hawai’i hosted UNI, seeing the back get two rushes along with a trio of catches against the Panthers. He has had multiple carries in every game since, helping provide a change-of-pace running back next to Landon Sims and Cam Barfield. 

Even better, his shift back has not taken away from his receiving game but rather enhanced it. Hines has a touchdown catch in all three games in October, finding a connection with Brayden Schager down in the end zone. While it would be unfair to expect a fourth consecutive game with a receiving TD for Hines, he has looked far closer to the weapon that Chang has long believed in. 

WR Spencer Curtis  

Speaking of helping against a strong passing defense, former Nevada receiver Spencer Curtis has tallied nine catches for 80 yards in the seven games he has played for Hawai’i with more than half of that production coming over the past four contests. Curtis appeared in 23 games for the Wolfpack, starting all 11 games in his final year at Nevada while recording 417 yards on 36 catches before the graduate student committed to Hawai’i. 

Part of a constant rotation of receivers in the Run-N-Shoot offense for the Rainbow Warriors, his share of the snaps on offense has been on the rise for a month. While the return of Pofele Ashlock could eat into those snaps as another pass catcher on the field, Curtis is reliable veteran who seems to make at least one positive play each week.

With Dekel Crowdus’ status still up in the air going into the weekend, Curtis gives another body behind Alex Perry that can help Brayden Schager move the chains on Saturday. With a small “revenge game” possibility factored in, Curtis could make some memories for both fans and himself this weekend as Hawai’i fights for the season. 

DL Dion Washington 

Another former member of the Wolfpack’s football program, Dion Washington has enjoyed a continued climb in play during his first season in the islands. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive lineman has provided a steady productive presence among a group in the trenches that rotates bodies, seeing a season-high defensive grade from PFF in Week 8 (74.6) on an afternoon Hawai’i allowed 42 points. 

He was a prime breakout candidate after last year with Nevada, finishing second on the Wolfpack with 5.0 tackles for loss in 2023 while grading out as the 4th-best interior defensive in the entire Mountain West Conference (76.7). After seeing his second head coaching change in Reno in three years, Washington decided to pack his things and re-join the coach that originally helped him decide on Nevada in Hawai’i’s Timmy Chang. 

Washington has tallied 1.5 sacks and is tied for the 3rd-most TFLs (4.0) on the team and has played better against FBS competitors this year. With starter Jemar Sekona sidelined for an extended stretch, coaches will likely put more on the plate for Washington along with Daniel “Sauce” Williams.  

That’s good for the defense as UH prepares to go against Nevada’s rushing attack, which ranks inside the top 30 nationally in production by averaging 199.3 yards on the ground. For Hawai’i’s defense to bounce back like many expect, Washington will have to continue plugging holes in the middle. 

DB Justin Sinclair 

On a defense that seems to be dropping bodies left and right, Justin Sinclair has helped fill in for Peter Manuma since UH’s starting safety left just four snaps into the game against Boise State on October 12. Sinclair is a jack-of-all-trades for Hawai’i, serving in both strong and free safety positions with time defending the slot as well. 

The Washington State offense targeted Sinclair in coverage a few times last weekend, seeing the defensive back allow four catches in five targets thrown to receivers in his direction. It was a bit of a rarity for Sinclair, who has been quite good in coverage for the Rainbow Warriors this season.  

In his largest snap count of the season again Boise State, the senior showed out against both the run and pass attacks of a strong Broncos offense. He continues to be among the most productive defenders for Hawai’i, racking up the second-most tackles on the team with 32 (24 solo) on the year. 

With Manuma’s status in the air still, look for Sinclair to continue playing a key role on the defensive side for Hawai’i.

Washington State waxes Hawai’i in Pullman behind Mateer’s big afternoon

Washington State waxes Hawai’i in Pullman behind Mateer’s big afternoon

Oct 20, 2024

Oct 19, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Hawaii Warriors wide receiver Nick Cenacle (3) fumbles the ball as he it hit by Washington State Cougars defensive back Jamorri Colson (29) in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Washington State waxes Hawai’i in Pullman behind Mateer’s big afternoon

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 20, 2024

Another week on the road, another brutal loss on the continent. 

Hawai’i (2-5, 0-2 Mountain West) saw solid starts in each half go by the wayside, giving up a season-high in points in a 42-10 loss at Washington State (6-1) on Saturday. The loss dropped the Rainbow Warriors to 1-14 under head coach Timmy Chang when playing outside of the islands. 

Washington State racked up 23 first downs, gaining 444 yards of total offense as redshirt sophomore QB John Mateer completed 23-of-27 pass attempts for 295 yards and three touchdowns in the win for the Cougars. The Hawai’i defense, which has been otherworldly when playing at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex, has seen opponents increasing the scoring output by more than double (33.3 ppg allowed on road vs. 16.3 ppg allowed at home) after a plane ride. 

Hawai’i got on the board first after winning the coin toss and deferring, forcing a turnover on downs at their own 36 on the game’s first possession and quickly advancing inside the WSU 15-yard line. After the offense was stonewalled from the end zone, Kansei Matsuzawa came on to power through the 23-yard field goal with just under four minutes left in the 1st quarter, delivering a 3-0 lead to Hawai’i. 

WSU wasted little time on the response, marching 75 yards down the field on just six plays as Carlos Hernandez bounced off a couple of would-be tacklers for Hawai’i and took a quick pass 32 yards for a touchdown. Mateer went a perfect 5-for-5 on the drive for 77 yards against the Rainbow Warrior defense. 

After falling behind by four, Hawai’i looked to answer and quickly advanced into WSU territory with a 23-yard catch by Nick Cenacle and a 10-yard scramble from QB Brayden Schager taking UH to the Cougars’ 42 to end the opening quarter. Double-digit yard gains by both Alex Perry and Cam Barfield to begin the second stanza brought the Rainbow Warriors into the red zone once again, but another defensive stand for WSU kept UH off the board completely as Matsuzawa sailed a 28-yard field goal try wide-left. 

Things unraveled for Hawai’i from there, seeing Cenacle lose a fumble after picking up a first down at UH’s own 44. The turnover led directly to points, seeing Mateer find Kyle Williams for 35 yards to push WSU inside Hawai’i’s 10-yard line and delivering a nine-yard bullet pass to tight end Cooper Mathers to push the Cougars lead to two scores midway through the 2nd quarter. 

After intercepting Schager on the following drive, Washington State added on again with a three-play, 44-yard possession ending with a nine-yard TD for Kris Hutson to take a 21-3 lead into halftime. 

Hawai’i showed signs of life out from the locker room to begin the 2nd half, marching down the field with new life pumped into the running attack with the legs of Barfield and Tylan Hines. After Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala hauled in a Schager pass to put Hawai’i on the WSU17, Hines snatched his third receiving touchdown in three games as he got behind the defense for a 17-yard score. 

The Cougars again answered with a methodical drive, using 13 plays to go 75 yards and punch in another touchdown, an eight-yard run by Mateer, to push the lead back up to three scores. The defense joined back in on the fun for WSU, forcing another fumble and recovering for the third takeaway of the game by the hosts. 

Washington State wrapped the game up early with Mateer’s second rushing touchdown of the half to begin the 4th quarter and put the bow on top with 10 minutes left to play when Leo Pulalasi’s 3-yard rushing score made it 42-10 in favor of the Cougars. The 32-point loss marked the Rainbow Warriors’ largest margin of defeat of the year. 

Brayden Schager finished with a season-low 196 yards passing, completing 20-of-30 passes while throwing one touchdown and one interception for Hawai’i. The senior was sacked three more times, bringing the season total to 24 takedowns of the signal caller. 

Cam Barfield added a season-best 47 yards on six carries for the Rainbow Warriors and Christian Vaughn rumbled for a season-long 30-yard run in the 4th quarter. Nick Cenacle led UH pass catchers with 48 yards on four receptions, taking over as the top target for the Rainbow Warriors with Pofele Ashlock and Dekel Crowdus both missing the game due to injury. 

Tylan Hines also had his best outing of the year, snatching up five catches for 42 yards while adding another 18 yards on the ground across three carries. Freshman receiver Tama Uiliata, who started in place of Ashlock, recorded his first career catch for 10 yards in the loss. 

Hawai’i returns to the islands for their own homecoming weekend next Saturday, hosting Nevada in a must-win game for the Rainbow Warriors. UH will need a miracle to make a bowl game, needing to win out over the final five contests of the year. 

Hawai’i heads to Pullman for Washington State homecoming weekend

Hawai’i heads to Pullman for Washington State homecoming weekend

Oct 18, 2024

Hawai’i HC Timmy Chang talks with players during a home game. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i heads to Pullman for Washington State homecoming weekend

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 18, 2024

HONOLULU – Pull up in Pullman. 

Hawai’i (2-4) visits Washington State (5-1) for the first time since 2009 this Saturday, looking to snap a two-game losing streak after dropping consecutive outings against San Diego State and Boise State. The matchup, serving as the Cougars’ homecoming weekend game, is just the sixth meeting all-time between the programs and first time they have ever met in Pullman. 

The Rainbow Warriors and Cougars have one common opponent so far through six games, both falling to Boise State while allowing Ashton Jeanty to go over 200 yards. UH was able to keep the Broncos to a season-worst 28 points while Jeanty needed over 30 carries to rack up 217 yards in a three-score loss while Washington State fell while visiting BSU’s blue turf, 45-24, allowing Jeanty to go for 259 yards and four TDs on 26 attempts. 

While Hawai’i’s calling card this season has been the defense, Washington State enters the weekend with one of the best offenses in the country to date. The Cougars’ 39.0 PPG places them as the 19th-highest scoring team among FBS programs entering the weekend, seeing that number rise to 53.7 PPG in three outings playing inside the cozy confines of Gesa Field.  

That dynamic attack has been led by redshirt sophomore QB John Mateer, who has totaled 2,100 total yards of offense (1,601 passing, 499 rushing) in his six starts for the Cougars. Mateer has the third-highest rushing grade in the country among quarterbacks (85.9) and his 499 yards on the ground already set a new single-season record for Washington State QBs. 

When he goes to the air, Mateer has been effective with 13 TD passes while spreading the love around with three different receivers with 300-plus yards and 20 or more catches. Leading the pack of pass catchers is former UNLV receiver Kyle Williams, who transferred to Washington State before the 2023 season and has been productive ever since. 

The 6-foot-0 senior wideout recorded 843 yards and six touchdowns on 61 catches in his first season in Pullman and has only gotten better it seems as he has racked up 28 receptions for 503 yards and five scores to pace WSU in the six games so far in 2024. Fellow senior Kris Hutson is following right behind with 416 yards and one touchdown on a team-high 30 catches. 

The WSU passing attack benefits even more from an elite pass blocking offensive line that holds an 82.9 grade from PFF. Though opponents have tallied 17 sacks this season, only five sacks have been credited to the line by PFF while the other 12 were classified as either QB sacks or rushing attempts that were a loss. 

While Mateer can provide plenty in the running game, the Cougars features another strong option in true freshman Wayshawn Parker as part of the attack averaging 185 yards on the ground each time out. Parker collects an average of 65 of those yards, proving to be a bowling ball in his first year at the college level by averaging more than five yards per carry. 

A week after facing the stout 5-foot-9, 215-pound Ashton Jeanty, Parker presents a slightly different frame at 6-foot-0 and 199 pounds. With the return of Ezra Evaimalo to an already solid defensive front, Hawai’i hopes to close the gaps that led to a few explosive runs last weekend while tackling better than against the Broncos (11 missed tackles). 

While the Washington State defense is used to seeing points put up against it (29.8 PPG, 101st nationally), the Cougars love to get after the ball and force turnovers. Through six games, WSU’s 11 forced turnovers rank as the 19th-most in the country. 

Leading the way on the turnover train is redshirt freshman Ethan O’Connor, who recorded his third pick of the season last weekend against Fresno State. Redshirt senior Tyson Durant is close behind, adding a pair of interceptions while adding a couple of QB hits and a fumble recovery as defensive back. 

The forced turnovers have helped offset the lack of pass rush for Washington State, which has totaled only seven sacks this year. The defensive trenches for the Cougars have looked to senior edge rusher Andrew Edson as the leader with the 6-foot-3, 253-pounder has been in the backfield the most with a team-best 2.0 sacks and 5.0 TFLs. 

It will be vital for the Hawai’i offensive line to shake off struggles of their own to continue holding down the Cougars’ pass rush this weekend if the Rainbow Warriors wish to hand the second loss of the year to WSU. If UH can protect Brayden Schager, the onus then falls on the senior QB to take care of the ball against a ball-hawking back line of Washington State’s defense. 

It will be a neat homecoming weekend for a few Cougars, playing against their home state’s college team in the Rainbow Warriors. Senior defensive backs Kapena Gushiken (KS-Maui) and Tanner Moku (KS-Kapālama) both will see action against Hawai’i while another local boy in freshman defensive tackle Hyrum-Benjamin Moors (Kahuku) watches from the sideline. 

Gushiken is another player to watch on the Washington State defense, serving as a jack-of-all-trades defensive back with the 4th-most tackles on the team (27, 21 solo), 3rd-most TFLs (2.5) and an interception. The Pukalani, Maui-native is listed as the starting nickel on the latest Cougars depth chart for hosting Hawai’i. 

The Rainbow Warriors, who have struggled on the road in Timmy Chang’s tenure, have another opportunity to change the narrative against a quality Cougars team on Saturday. While WSU has been able to finish out games when it matters, they have seen a pair of close calls that almost went the other way against Mountain West programs already in the Fresno State and San Jose State games. 

Hawai’i needs to give themselves a chance to keep it close by avoiding untimely penalties and playing complimentary football for all 60 minutes. The offense has had moments, the defense has had even more moments but rarely have the units done it on the same occasion. 

To save bowl game hopes, they will have to both show up from the opening kick to final whistle for over and over during the second half of the year. With six games remaining, Hawai’i will need five wins to clinch a spot in a bowl for the first time under Chang or will enter an offseason filled with questions. 

Five players to watch as Hawai’i faces off with Washington State

Five players to watch as Hawai’i faces off with Washington State

Oct 16, 2024

Landon Sims rumbles down the field for a large Hawai’i gain against Boise State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Five players to watch as Hawai’i faces off with Washington State

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 16, 2024

HONOLULU – Second half adjustments. 

After the opening six games of the 2024 season returned a 2-4 record to the Rainbow Warriors, the final six games present a massive challenge to make good on preseason bowl game hopes. Hawai’i will head to Pullman for the first time ever this weekend, getting ready to spar with Washington State (5-1) on homecoming night for the Cougars. 

UH is coming off a tough 28-7 loss at home against nationally-ranked Boise State, a common opponent for the Rainbow Warriors and Cougars. The Broncos thrashed Washington State, 45-24, in Week 5 as Ashton Jeanty rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns while Hawai’i held BSU to a season-low in points while still allowing over 200 yards on the ground to Jeanty. 

With six games left and five more wins needed to clinch an appearance in a bowl game for Hawai’i, here are five players to watch this weekend in Pullman for the Rainbow Warriors: 

WR Tama Uiliata 

One of the quiet stars behind the scenes, Tama Uiliata began the year buried deep on the depth chart as a freshman. A Waipahu graduate, the 5-foot-11 receiver greyshirted after his 2023 graduation and enrolled at UH during the 2024 spring semester to begin working within the system. 

As reported by HSRN’s Michael Lasquero, Uiliata worked his way into the receiver rotation during practices for the Rainbow Warriors recently and made it onto the San Diego State game travel roster. While he did not play in Week 6 against the Aztecs, the freshman did make his collegiate debut last weekend against No. 17 Boise State with four snaps and no receptions. 

That may change this week with a potentially depleted WR group against Washington State as the statuses of starters Pofele Ashlock and Dekel Crowdus remain up in the air. Ashlock left UH’s Week 7 game against BSU after taking a brutal hit that placed him in concussion protocol while Crowdus missed the game against the Broncos entirely. 

It remains to be seen what happens with Ashlock’s status after Hawai’i head coach Timmy Chang told reporters earlier in the week that his star sophomore receiver is expected to travel to Pullman with the team. If Ashlock misses the first game of his career, look for Uiliata to receive a few snaps in the slot in his place after forcing his way onto the field with his work behind the scenes. 

RB Landon Sims 

The guy doing a thankless job, Sims has played the 9th-most snaps of all Hawai’i offensive players (262), trailing the offensive line, Brayden Schager and his top two targets in Pofele Ashlock and Nick Cenacle. The running back has spent 166 of those snaps in pass blocking while only receiving 48 total touches (39 rush, 9 rec) in his time on the field for the Rainbow Warriors. 

Those 39 rushing attempts have gone for 160 yards, an average of 4.1 yards per carry, while his nine catches added another 122 yards (though 52 of those came on a single play against Boise State). Simply put, he is the most steady and productive of the stable of running backs that Hawai’i currently employs. 

The 166 pass blocking snaps are not by accident, nor is the fact he has more than five times as many blocking reps as the next closest back (Cam Barfield, 31). Sims has been a quality extra blocker in the backfield for the past year and a half, grading out with an 83.2 PFF grade (132 snaps) in pass blocking in 2023 while posting a 65.5 grade this year across six games. 

Sims had his worst game of the year in pass blocking last week against an impressive Boise State pass rush that consistently sent blitzes for the Hawai’i offense to try to withstand, posting a career-worst 30.7 grade. The junior took the performance hard, telling media earlier this week that he expects to clean up rushers that get past the offensive line and he puts it on himself when Schager is constantly battered by opposing defenses. 

Experiencing a slight homecoming of his own (Sims is from Washington), look for the big bruiser to bounce back against a weaker pass rush from the Cougars that has mustered only seven sacks in six games. He also needs to chip in offensively as the Rainbow Warriors try to keep pace with the country’s 19th-best offense (39.0 ppg) and provide a better complement to the defense than last weekend. 

WR Alex Perry 

Like Uiliata, Perry could get extra burn this weekend if Crowdus and Ashlock miss the contest against Washington State. The sophomore enjoyed his best outing of the season by far against Boise State with six catches for 57 yards on nine targets while helping fill the absence after Ashlock’s injury. 

Perry has made some phenomenal catches in his time with the Rainbow Warriors, showing off great spatial awareness with the sideline while using every bit of his 6-foot-5 frame for an impressive catch radius. It appears him and Schager had developed some chemistry together over the past couple of years and he has been a solid option that Schager looks to when trying to move the chains. 

A former standout basketball player from Florida, Perry provides a bigger body with more vertical ability than the average receiver. Hawai’i likes to give him contested catch chances in his limited snaps, hauling in six of his 14 career contested catch targets (42.9%). 

He has yet to haul in a touchdown in 2024 after pulling down three scores last year, but going against a Washington State defense that allows nearly 30 points per game and 280 yards through the air could help the lanky sophomore into the TD column while propelling the Rainbow Warriors closer to a road upset. If Ashlock and Crowdus are still out or not at 100 percent, Perry should get a good portion of the target share once again. 

DL Ezra Evaimalo 

One of the captains of the defense and program as a whole, Evaimalo is one of the best run stoppers for Hawai’i and presents major issues to opponents in the passing game too with heavy hands that help him win rep after rep. The senior should be well rested for this week after he was ejected in the first quarter against Boise State for a targeting call, leaving UH without one of the leaders of the defense. 

He returns this week for another road test for the Rainbow Warriors, facing a Washington State offense that averages 462 yards each time out. He will have his hands full going against an elite Washington State pass-blocking unit that has allowed only five sacks and six QB hits all season long (via PFF). 

Evaimalo has racked up 1.5 sacks this year, tied for the 3rd-most among Rainbow Warrior defenders after leading UH with 3.5 sacks last season. His stability in the middle of the trenches for Hawai’i has been important for a unit that ranks among the top 30 units in the country. 

Hawai’i will need a similar performance from the overall defense as last week when Ashton Jeanty felt human for three quarters and Boise State scored a season-low 28 points. Chances of repeating a performance like that should rise with the return of Evaimalo and will need to happen for the Rainbow Warriors to escape Pullman with a victory. 

DL Elijah Robinson 

In his second season with the program, Elijah Robinson has emerged as a steady, productive force on the defensive line for Timmy Chang and staff. The East Carolina transfer did not play against Vanderbilt or Stanford to start his Hawai’i tenure but forced his way on the field by the third game of the year to become one of the Rainbow Warriors’ most dangerous pass rushers by season’s end. 

That production has only continued into this year, improving even more under new defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman to cement himself as one of the best players on the field each week. Through six games, Robinson has a team-high 6.0 TFLs and 20 solo tackles while adding 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. 

Robinson has been on a heater of a different degree over the past two weeks, tallying 16 tackles (4.0 TFLs) and a sack. That’s good for Hawai’i, who saw starters along the back of the defense drop like flies against Boise State and have statuses that remain in the air going into the weekend. 

If Peter Manuma and Caleb “C-Bo” Brown are unable to return against Washington State, it will be back to the next-man-up approach for the defensive backfield. Luckily, Hawai’i still has the services of Cam Stone and Elijah Palmer ready with players like Deliyon Freeman and Jaheim Wilson-Jones prepared to fill in where needed. 

One way to help compensate for the absences in the back? 

Win up front in the trenches, where Robinson will look to produce and dominate for the third week in a row.