Five players to watch for as Hawai’i returns home to host Northern Iowa

Five players to watch for as Hawai’i returns home to host Northern Iowa

Sep 18, 2024

Hawai’i junior kicker Kansei Matsuzawa lines up for a kick during a home game against Delaware State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Five players to watch for as Hawai’i returns home to host Northern Iowa

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

HONOLULU – Burn the tape and do not look back. 

Coming off a rough 31-13 loss to Sam Houston in the first road game of the 2024 season for Hawai’i, the Rainbow Warriors return to the islands for the final non-conference game on the slate as one of the top 25 FCS programs in the country visits Mānoa for the first time since 2014. 

Hawai’i (1-2) will host Northern Iowa on Saturday, just the second-ever meeting between the FCS program and the Rainbow Warriors. While a second win against an FCS opponent would not technically help UH’s pursuit of a bowl game berth, the matchup provides a high-quality opponent in the 19th-ranked Panthers that will test the hosts in the trenches after a brutal showing in Texas. 

UNI (2-1) is coming off the program’s first loss of the year, falling on the road to Nebraska 34-3 in the first of two FBS matchups on the schedule. As the Rainbow Warriors look to keep a streak of 21 wins straight over FCS programs and avoid a third consecutive loss in 2024, here are five players to keep an eye on when Hawai’i hosts Northern Iowa in Week 4. 

RB Cam Barfield 

Continuing from Sunday’s takeaways following Sam Houston, Cam Barfield briefly flashed what attracted Hawai’i to the 5-foot-7 speed back in the transfer portal with a couple of productive runs and a nice 16-yard reception on a day that not much of anything went right for the offense. While he graded poorly as a pass-blocker against the Bearkats, Barfield had two games prior that he graded 60.0 or above as an additional blocker when UH went to the air. 

It is unlikely that Hawai’i will dominate in the trenches or win the time-of-possession battle against Northern Iowa, who out-possessed the FBS’ 22nd–ranked team in Nebraska, 38:07 to 21:53, so points will be a premium and moving the ball will be vital for the Rainbow Warriors. Barfield’s explosiveness has yet to be fully unlocked through three games but would be useful in producing big plays against an overall stout Panthers’ defense. 

Barfield also leads UH rushers (min. 5 carries) in yards per carry with a 4.0 yard per touch average. Look for the former Bishop Gorman product to build from last week as Hawai’i continues to try and get the offense moving and grooving after two straight duds. 

WR Pofele Ashlock 

Speaking of explosive playmakers, Pofele Ashlock has continued to impress with production into his sophomore season with a team-best 277 yards receiving on 22 receptions and two scores. On the Biletnikoff Award watch list after a Freshman All-America selection (via the Athletic), the Euless, Texas native is clearly a problem for opponents regardless of level before and after the catch (104 yards have come after the catch for Ashlock according to PFF). 

Ashlock caught nine touchdowns last season, tied for the team lead with Steven McBride, but never had a score in three consecutive games. The 6-foot-2 receiver had three back-to-back outings last year with a score but seemed to get keyed in on by the third game of the stretch. 

Once again, Ashlock has back-to-back games with a touchdown after finding the endzone in losses against both UCLA and Sam Houston. Can the sophomore finally get the hat trick of consecutive games with a score and help break the Hawai’i’s two-game losing streak in the process? 

LB Jamih Otis 

Returning from an injury suffered against UCLA, Jamih Otis played 40 snaps for the Rainbow Warriors against Sam Houston and recorded three tackles (1 TFL) in the loss. One of the breakout defensive stars of training camp, the sophomore linebacker looked to still be getting back up to full strength against the Bearkats as he had a missed tackle and allowed a pair of receptions according to PFF. 

Three weeks removed from that injury against the Bruins, Hawai’i needs Otis to be back to full form against a physical, tough UNI team that likes to run the ball. The Bishop Gorman product has been Hawai’i’s third-highest graded defender against the run by PFF and showed in Week 0 that he can have a hand in nearly every play. 

For Hawai’i to get back in the win column, Otis needs to continue the early-season trajectory he had and be a tackling machine once again for Dennis Thurman’s defense. Any help Otis can bring to the pass rush would be appreciated as well against a Northern Iowa offensive line that has allowed only 0.33 sacks per game so far. 

LB Jalen Smith 

Staying in the Lion’s Den, Jalen Smith has been a consistent standout for the Hawai’i defense since the closing of last season and through the start of 2024. The junior is the 4th-highest graded defender for Hawai’i through three games and has been outstanding in 35 snaps against the run with an 82.0 grade from PFF and only one missed tackle. 

Smith had an impressive interception in Week 1 against UCLA, traveling all over the field to finally snap up an Ethan Garbers pass in the end zone for a big stop. While his playing time has been split more than it was to end last year when captain Logan Taylor was out with an injury and Otis was a true freshman, Smith’s production garners more attention during his time on the field. 

Hawai’i LB Jalen Smith celebrates with his teammates following a tackle against Delaware State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

He is another key piece in the front seven for a Hawai’i defense that, through three games, has played like a top 25 squad in the country by PFF grade. That group has their work cut out for them with perhaps the most physical team on the schedule yet. 

K Kansei Matsuzawa 

Kicker alert! Hawai’i kicker Kansei Matsuzawa just beat out freshman Kai Kluth during the preseason kicking competition after the Rainbow Warriors lost starter Matthew Shipley to Arkansas in the transfer portal and the junior from Japan started the year beautifully with 11-out-of-12 kicks made (7 PATs, 5 FGA) through three games (the lone miss was a 41-yard try against Sam Houston). 

Against a defense for Northern Iowa that allows less than 300 yards per game on average, even after allowing over 400 to the Cornhuskers in Week 3, points of all kinds will be at a premium. With a physical running attack, the Panthers offense does not often put up gaudy scoring numbers but prefers to control time of possession to win ball games. 

Matsuzawa can be a player to watch in multiple ways: it’s vital for him to hit the field goal attempts that do come his way when the Hawai’i offense stalls in the red zone, but can the Rainbow Warriors’ offense provide an assist, put up points with fast strikes and let the junior attempt one PAT after another instead of trying to win a kicking battle? 

3 takeaways after Hawai’i falls in first-ever meeting with Sam Houston State

3 takeaways after Hawai’i falls in first-ever meeting with Sam Houston State

Sep 15, 2024

Logan Taylor (16) and the Hawai’i defense leaves the field during a home game for Hawai’i. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

3 takeaways after Hawai’i falls in first-ever meeting with Sam Houston State

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

HONOLULU – That was rough. 

Hawai’i (1-2) saw the same questions that have plagued the program for three seasons straight sink the team Saturday against Sam Houston State (2-1) as penalties and another poor offensive showing led to a 31-13 beating from the Bearkats. It is the fifth straight non-conference road loss for the Rainbow Warriors, who dropped to 1-12 on the road and 0-3 after bye weeks under 3rd-year head coach Timmy Chang. 

UH gifted 122 yards to SHSU throughout the afternoon, committing the most penalties in a single game for a Hawai’i team since 2004 by getting flagged 14 times. The defense had moments of brilliance, but the offense never got off the plane in Hawai’i’s first road contest of 2024. 

Saturday brought more questions than answers about this year’s version of the team and the program as a whole. Here are three takeaways following Hawai’i’s Week 3 loss at Sam Houston State. 

The defense, while not perfect, deserves better 

For the third game in a row, the defense was by far the better side of the ball for Hawai’i. It was a slow start for Dennis Thurman’s unit, allowing a 75-yard scoring drive to begin the game, but the team stabilized to produce a turnover and slowed down the dynamic Bearkat offense to keep it a two-score game at the half. It wasn’t from favors of the Hawai’i offense, who gained only 83 yards and possessed the ball for less than 10 minutes in the first two quarters. 

In scorching 95-degree heat, the defense graded out well again by PFF with a clean 83.0 as a unit after producing a pair of turnovers with an interception from Cam Stone and forced fumble from Elijah Robinson. Over a three-game sample size, the Rainbow Warriors have PFF’s 22nd-best overall defensive grade in the nation (85.0) and the best mark among all Mountain West teams. 

It isn’t to say that the Rainbow Warriors’ defense had a perfect day. The unit missed 11 tackles, the pass rush failed to record a single sack and Jaheim Wilson-Jones struggled a bit in coverage with six catches allowed for 79 yards and a touchdown. Hawai’i also allowed multiple explosive plays as Sam Houston had completions of 40 and 55 yards with an 86-yard run thrown in for good measure. 

Losing against Sam Houston State makes the path to a bowl appearance a bit harder for Hawai’i as a win in Week 4 against FCS Northern Iowa would not count towards the minimum win requirement as the Rainbow Warriors beat Delaware State for an FCS victory already. For a bowl game to be in UH’s future, the defense will need to perform at Saturday’s top levels while eliminating the critical mistakes. 

Even then, it is on the offense to wake up and finally give a hand. While the defense has performed as a top 25 group, the offensive grade from PFF ranks the Rainbow Warriors as the 119th-best offense in the country (out of 134). The defense has given UH a chance to win each week. 

Unfortunately, the offense has had one successful half out of six through three games this season. That needs to change fast. 

Cam Barfield could be a gem, put pass blocking must be more consistent 

Every week feels like a new question or conversation around the running back room for the Rainbow Warriors. Hawai’i was one of the worst running teams in all of college football in 2023 and flipped over the room coming into this season as Chang and staff added Christian Vaughn from the junior college level and brought Bishop Gorman alum Cam Barfield in as a transfer from Boston College to join incumbent starter Landon Sims and bolster the attack. 

Against UCLA, it seemed like Vaughn might have some extra juice for short yardage touches as the bruising back tallied 16 yards on five carries. This week against the Bearkats, it was Barfield making his case for more action as the sophomore ran for 24 yards on five attempts. He added a reception for another 16 yards in the passing game, totaling 40 scrimmage yards in 14 total snaps. 

His breakdown on those 14 snaps: two routes, six running plays and six pass blocking plays for the 5-foot-7 playmaker. While he graded out well overall (Barfield received the 5th-highest grade among all UH players on offense at 65.7), his pass-blocking received a ghastly 10.4 in those six snaps. 

Hawai’i likely won’t ever be a running-first attack under Chang and has historically been a passing program regardless of who calls the plays. Barfield showed he can be a threat as a pass-catcher, but UH needs the smaller back on passing downs to be at least an average blocker to entrust him with a bigger role. 

Hawai’i should still give him more opportunities in the passing attack to make an impact. Barfield has shown the capability to hold up back there before – he posted an excellent 77.5 grade in five pass blocking snaps against UCLA in Week 1 – and could help spark what has been a lifeless UH offense with his speed. 

None of it matters if Hawai’i can’t stop the penalties 

Back again, discipline issues for Hawai’i showed up in an ugly way throughout Saturday’s loss. The Rainbow Warriors were flagged 14 times for 122 yards, seeing starting center Sergio Muasau disqualified in the 2nd half after picking up his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game. 

Everywhere UH turned, more yellow laundry was on the field in the worst moments to kill momentum on both offense and defense. After the defense gave the ball to the offense inside Bearkats’ territory down by seven in the opening quarter, Muasau’s first unsportsmanlike penalty flattened Hawai’i’s momentum and eventually led to a 41-yard field goal try sailing wide-left and no points. 

Another promising drive for Hawai’i ended before finding paydirt in the 2nd quarter when Kuao Peihopa was flagged for unnecessary roughness while getting tangled up with a Sam Houston State player. The 15-yard penalty pushed the Rainbow Warriors back from the SHSU 8-yard line to the 23-yard line and forced Chang and company to settle for three to make it a 7-3 game. 

Hawai’i saw how helpful opposing penalties can be when the Rainbow Warriors gained 36 yards in a single play to start the 2nd half when Schager connected with Nick Cenacle for a 21-yard completion and Sam Houston was flagged for roughing the passer. The chunk yardage aided UH on the first and only touchdown drive of the day, eventually resulting in a 5-yard touchdown reception by Pofele Ashlock. 

To turn the vibes around the team and program around after an embarrassing loss, it is vital that Hawai’i fixes the penalty problems that have picked on the program for years now. 

Hawai’i road struggles continue as Sam Houston State sprints away to win

Hawai’i road struggles continue as Sam Houston State sprints away to win

Sep 14, 2024

Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman looks on during a home game against UCLA. The UH defense allowed 31 points after being stuck on the field for 34 minutes and 22 seconds against Sam Houston State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i road struggles continue as Sam Houston State sprints away to win

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 14, 2024

Road woes have followed Hawai’i into another year. 

A slow start and undisciplined play doomed Hawai’i (1-2) on a blisteringly hot Saturday afternoon in Huntsville, Texas, as the Rainbow Warriors fell to Sam Houston State, 31-13. Starting QB Brayden Schager finished the day completing 21-of-42 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown and interception in the loss for the Rainbow Warriors. 

The loss dropped UH to 1-12 on the road under Timmy Chang and is the third consecutive loss following a bye week for the program. Penalties plagued Hawai’i throughout the entire afternoon as the Rainbow Warriors were flagged 14 times, handing 122 penalty yards to Sam Houston (2-1) in the game. It was the most that a Hawai’i team has been penalized since a 2004 victory over Tulsa when UH committed 15 penalties for 142 yards. 

The Bearkats, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 fans, took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards down the field for a touchdown just four minutes into action as starting quarterback Hunter Watson connected with Qua’Vez Humphreys on a nine-yard touchdown pass. It was the first time UH has allowed a touchdown by an opponent on the first drive this season. 

Hawai’i’s offense continued the troubling trend of slow starts on the ensuing drive, going three-and-out and bringing the defense back onto the field quickly. Luckily, Elijah Robinson returned the ball back to the offense with a forced fumble that was recovered by UH, setting the offense up at the Sam Houston 29-yard line. 

The offense pushed to the Bearkats’ 13-yard line before an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Sergio Muasau pushed Hawai’i back and stunted the momentum towards the end zone. Things got even worse a few snaps later as Kansei Matsuzawa’s 41-yard field goal try twisted wide-left to keep the UH deficit at 7-0. 

After forcing a pair of punts, Hawai’i finally got on the board to begin the 2nd quarter after Schager connected with Dekel Crowdus on a 52-yard bomb to get deep inside Sam Houston territory. Following another personal foul penalty, UH was pushed back again and forced to settle for a 33-yard field goal that made it 7-3 with 13:24 left in the half. 

Sam Houston orchestrated an elite drive in response, tallying 16 plays over eight minutes of game clock to go 75 yards and score on a nine-yard sweep by speedster Ife Adeyi to go up double-digits, 14-3. The Bearkats added three more points about three minutes later after intercepting Schager and getting stopped in the red zone by the Hawai’i defense, just tacking on a 26-yard field goal to take a 17-3 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Hawai’i looked to find some life out of the midway break as Schager and company drove the field quickly after a 21-yard completion to Nick Cenacle had a roughing the passer penalty added on to the end of it set the Rainbow Warriors into Bearkats’ territory on the second snap back to in action. Working all the way inside the SHSU 5-yard line, UH went to their best receiver on 4th-and-2 as Schager found Pofele Ashlock for a five-yard touchdown to make it a 17-10 deficit with 10:03 left in the 3rd quarter. 

Sam Houston had the answer once again with Jay Ducker ripping off an 86-yard run after the ‘Kats got pummeled on the kickoff at their own seven, saved from being a touchdown only by the effort of UH corner Cam Stone. After a pass interference called on Caleb Brown awarded a new set of downs at the 1-yard line, SHSU cashed in as Hunter Watson found John Gentry for a 3-yard score to make it a 14-point lead once again for the hosts. 

Once again, flags halted the positive momentum for Hawai’i as back-to-back holding calls pushed UH into a 2nd-and-goal at the Bearkats’ 30-yard line. A 20-yard strike to Ashlock put the Rainbow Warriors back in field goal range as Matsuzawa drilled a 27-yard attempt to make it a 24-13 deficit with 1:15 remaining in the 3rd quarter.  

Cam Stone continued the positive momentum with his first interception of the season on the next Sam Houston drive, picking off Watson on a 3rd-and-3 pass deep down the right side of the field to get the ball back to the offense just before the final quarter began. 

The likelihood of a Hawai’i comeback took another hit at the start of the final frame when Muasau was hit with his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game and was ejected with 14:44 left in regulation. 

Qua’Vez Humphreys delivered the dagger a couple of drives later as he broke free for a 55-yard score, his 2nd touchdown of the afternoon, to give Sam Houston a 31-13 lead with 9:41 left to play – the final margin of victory for the Bearkats.

Sam Houston’s offense totaled 422 yards of total offense to Hawai’i’s 308, winning the time of possession battle handily with over 34 minutes of ball control. The Bearkats also executed when it mattered most, going 7-of-15 on 3rd down conversions throughout the contest. 

Hunter Watson finished an efficient 15-of-23 passing for 165 yards, tossing three touchdowns and an interception in the win for SHSU. The dual-threat signal caller added another 45 yards with his legs as the Bearkats ran wild for 257 yards against Hawai’i. 

Jay Ducker, who broke off the 86-yard run in the 3rd quarter for the hosts, ended up with 148 rushing yards on 15 carries while Qua’Vez Humphreys led all receivers with 106 yards and two touchdowns for Sam Houston State. 

Pofele Ashlock led UH receivers for the third straight game as the sophomore tallied eight catches for 84 yards and one touchdown. Cam Barfield, a transfer to Hawai’i from Boston College, had a few nice moments in the backfield as he posted 24 yards on five carries (4.8 YPC) in limited action. 

Hawai’i returns home next week to host the second of two FCS opponents on the 2024 schedule, seeing Northern Iowa come to town as the Rainbow Warriors continue to look for answers in the final non-conference game of the year. 

Sam Houston beckons as Hawai’i hits road for first meeting with Bearkats

Sam Houston beckons as Hawai’i hits road for first meeting with Bearkats

Sep 13, 2024

The Hawai’i defense gets a stop in a Week 1 game against UCLA. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Sam Houston beckons as Hawai’i hits road for first ever meeting with Bearkats

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

HONOLULU – Time to be “Road Warriors”. 

Hawai’i (1-1) plays outside the friendly confines of T.C. Ching Complex for the first time this weekend as they travel to the state of Texas to take on Sam Houston State (1-1) for the Bearkats’ home-opener. The matchup on Saturday, which projects to be a sizzling 93 degrees at kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. HT, will mark the first ever meeting between the two programs. 

The Bearkats, in their second year at the FBS level, opened the year on the road in dominant fashion, blitzing the Rice Owls out of the gate for a 34-14 win. Things were not as pretty in Week 2’s matchup against Big 12-favorite UCF, who gashed the Sam Houston State defense for 384 yards on the ground in a 45-14 loss for SHSU. 

Hawai’i left on Thursday from the islands with a Hawaiian Airlines chartered flight as a part of a partnership between the airline and program new this year. The Rainbow Warriors crossed over five time zones to get to Texas, arriving early to get bodies and minds acclimated in plenty of time for Saturday’s game.  

Sam Houston State has shown an ability to get started quickly in games and the offense has seen explosive plays throughout both performances so far, completing 60-plus yard touchdowns in each of the first two contests. For the Rainbow Warriors, it was vital to arrive early so that the team could be best prepared for a Bearkats team that is itching to electrify an expected sell-out crowd of over 14,000 fans from the jump. 

That Bearkats offense is led by redshirt junior QB Hunter Watson, a transfer from 2023 NJCAA national champion Iowa Western CC, and longtime Bearkat receivers Ife Adeyi and Noah Smith. Watson won C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors after passing for 229 yards and running for 57 more, adding a pair of TDs in the Week 1 victory over Rice. 

The dual-threat QB did not enjoy as steady of a Week 2 against UCF in limited action but will be looking to get back on track much like Hawai’i signal caller Brayden Schager this weekend. UH has struggled with containing running quarterbacks in the past and saw Delaware State QB Marqui Adams find some success in Week 0, so it will be vital for the Rainbow Warriors to keep Watson in a box. 

Both redshirt seniors, Ife Adeyi and Noah Smith are two of the seven players remaining from Sam Houston’s 2021 FCS National Championship winning roster. Adeyi is in his sixth year with the program, returning after suffering a season-ending injury three games into last year to try and help make a bowl before ending his time in Huntsville. The 5-foot-10 speedster has been used in multiple ways on offense for the Bearkats and has at least one reception in 41 of his 43 career appearances. 

Smith, one of the Bearkats’ two permanent team captains, is the only returning all-conference wide receiver in the entire C-USA. A versatile chess piece for head coach K.C. Keeler, Smith has lined up at WR, RB and even QB in his Sam Houston career. The 5-foot-11 playmaker completed a 64-yard touchdown pass against UCF and is 80 rushing yards away from becoming the third Bearkat to ever record 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a career. 

The Sam Houston defense, led by the youngest defensive coordinator in the entire FBS in 30-year-old Skyler Cassity, dominated against Rice with a powerful pass rush that produced 10 pressures, seven quarterback hits and two sacks while the back of the defense chipped in with a pair of interceptions. While the pass rush continued to produce against UCF (nine pressures, three sacks), the Bearkats doubled their missed tackles to 12 and saw the Knights run wild for nearly 400 yards in the loss. 

One of the Bearkat standouts on that side of the ball to begin has been redshirt junior Chris Murray, who had Sam Houston State coaches raving from an offseason jump. A 2023 transfer from TCU, the defensive lineman has been a disruptor in the trenches and showed his progression when he had a strip sack last week against UCF. The play helped extend the SHSU defense’s streak to eight consecutive games of forcing a turnover. 

In the middle for the Bearkats is the other permanent team captain, Kavian Gaither, who wears the green dot and communicates the calls from the coaches to the rest of the defense for SHSU. He had eight tackles against UCF and had the second-most tackles among all Bearkat defenders in 2023. 

Likely to be seeing some time across from Hawai’i standout Pofele Ashlock will be defensive back Da’Veawn Armstead, who transferred from TCU to Sam Houston in 2023 along with Murray. He missed most of last season with an injury, but appeared in 10 games as a true freshman for the Horned Frogs and hopes to slot in as a top cover corner by using his 6-foot-1 frame and lanky wingspan to continue disrupting opposing offenses.  

Hawai’i enters the game as the road underdog as Sam Houston State is favored by four points, but the Bearkats will be looking to snap a two-year losing streak in home openers. SHSU last opened action at home with a win in 2021 against Southeast Missouri. 

While the Bearkats were in the subdivision below the Rainbow Warriors just three seasons ago, both teams now find themselves in a similar position trying to prove that they should be coveted in the next round of conference realignment sure to kick off following news of the Pac-12’s plan to rebuild and poaching of four Mountain West programs. 

Back in the scope of the 2024 season, this game could play a pivotal role in the hopes of both programs to get to a bowl game this season. Sam Houston added a new competitor to the mix in their first year of bowl eligibility and Hawai’i is hoping to take the next step as a program in Timmy Chang’s third season at the helm. 

For Hawai’i to be victorious on Saturday, it will be vital for the Rainbow Warriors to take care of the ball against a defense that has a knack for creating momentum-swinging plays and for the offense to hit a new gear to compliment a defense that has been strong to kick off the season. 

If UH can get the running game going while the defense continues the standard it has held to begin the year, Chang and company will return to the islands with their first non-conference road win in the last three years. If not, the roads to securing a berth in a bowl game get murkier for Hawai’i. 

Five players to watch for in first road game for Hawai’i against Sam Houston State

Five players to watch for in first road game for Hawai’i against Sam Houston State

Sep 11, 2024

WR Nick Cenacle is one of five players to watch for Hawai’i ahead of the Rainbow Warriors’ road matchup with Sam Houston State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Five players to watch for in first road game for Hawai’i against Sam Houston State

BY PAUL BRECHT | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

HONOLULU – Back after a bye, Hawai’i football is hitting the road for the first time in 2024. 

Coming off a disappointing 16-13 loss to UCLA in Week 1, the Rainbow Warriors (1-1) used a much-needed break in the action for players to recover after multiple UH players exited with injury against the Bruins. Pofele Ashlock scored the lone touchdown in the loss for Hawai’i, his 10th career score and first time in the end zone this season. 

With questions aplenty for the program and players, Hawai’i heads to the continent off one of UH’s three byes for the first road game of this year as they visit Sam Houston State. In two seasons under head coach Timmy Chang, Hawai’i is 1-11 on the road in two seasons and is 0-2 in games following a bye but hope to change fortunes Saturday in what will be a homecoming to Texas for eight Rainbow Warriors. 

Sam Houston State, in the program’s second year at the FBS level and first bowl-eligible season, will be fighting hard for a key win for bowl game hopes much like the Rainbow Warriors this weekend. With a battle with the Bearkats on the way, here are five players to keep an eye on for UH’s Week 3 contest.

QB Brayden Schager 

One of the eight players to be returning to Texas for the first time as Rainbow Warriors, starting quarterback Brayden Schager will be looking to leave a lasting impression for onlookers during his homecoming. Week 1 for the signal caller was less-than-stellar as Schager tossed a pair of interceptions and struggled to move the chains after halftime as he got banged up against a physical Bruins defense. With an extra week off to recover, Schager is expected to be a full-go for Saturday to lead the offense against Sam Houston. 

It will be an important showing for the gunslinger after a pair of shaky performances to begin the year. Schager has struggled to connect with pass-catchers at times through two games and has delivered too many passes slightly behind receivers when throwing over the middle. While he has shown flashes of brilliance (Schager completed 6-of-6 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in UH’s opening drive against UCLA), Hawai’i will need more consistency to achieve the team’s goals. 

This was a game that Schager had mentioned during Mountain West media days as one he had circled on the calendar. With a lot of his family and friends expected to be in attendance, look for Schager to try and show out back on his home soil. 

RB Landon Sims 

After receiving a scholarship at the beginning of the season, Sims has continued to hold on to the starting running back role through the first two games for Hawai’i. While he has started and received the most carries each game among backs, five different players have gotten chances for a Rainbow Warriors team that has struggled to run over the past couple seasons. 

Last week against UCF, Sam Houston State’s defense allowed 384 yards on the ground in a 45-14 loss. While the Bearkats’ defense is likely to bounce back (Sam Houston State allowed just 47 yards rushing in win over Rice), Saturday is a chance for Sims to separate himself from the pack of backs looking to be Hawai’i’s answer in the backfield.  

Hawai’i RB Landon Sims runs through a tackle during a win over DSU. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The big, physical runner has had big runs that have helped set up three different touchdown drives for the Rainbow Warriors, providing a compliment to the passing game when the offense has looked cleanest. Sims finally breaking out in a big way on Saturday would be a shot in the arm to Hawai’i’s hopes at starting the road slate with a victory. 

WR Nick Cenacle 

With the second-most receptions on the team through two games, junior wide receiver Nick Cenacle is trying to step into a bigger role for the offense as another reliable target for Schager next to sophomore star Pofele Ashlock. After seeing just three targets in Week 0 against Delaware State, the 6-foot-2 Cenacle got seven passes his way and caught five of them against UCLA. 

As other teams continue to key in on Ashlock, who is another of the eight players returning to Texas to play for the first time since suiting up for Hawai’i, Cenacle should continue getting more targets and opportunities to try and free up more space for UH’s offense. 

Will he be able to solidify his spot as a dependable inside slot receiver? It will be important for another wide out to get open and perform against the Bearkats, who picked off Rice twice in Week 1’s 34-14 win. Look for Cenacle to take some attention off Ashlock and show off the physical tools at his disposal. 

DB Caleb “C-Bo” Brown 

Perhaps Hawai’i’s most underrated defender through two games, Caleb Brown – or “C-Bo” as the team calls him – just produces while on the field for the Rainbow Warriors. The cornerback leads UH with four passes broken up while being targeted 10 times, good for second-most among all Hawai’i defenders. 

The quality coverage has been a blessing for Hawai’i as Virdel Edwards II remains out with an injury. Brown earned the starting role across from senior Cam Stone after a strong training camp and has been just as strong in the games, allowing only three receptions in the 10 times he has been targeted. 

Against a Bearkat offense that has enjoyed success with the deep ball and passing game so far this season, it is crucial that Brown continues to play at his top level along with the rest of the Hawai’i defense.

S Peter Manuma 

One of the captains of the defense, Manuma has had good moments with some ugly mistakes this season for Hawai’i. The junior safety is tied for the team lead with 12 total tackles, leading UH with eight takedowns against UCLA in Week 1, but struggled a bit in coverage as he was beaten for a 39-yard touchdown and allowed three receptions against the Bruins. 

One of the most talented players on defense, Hawai’i needs Manuma to be a tone-setter and leader by finishing tackles and being an elite last line of defense. Sam Houston has enjoyed 60-plus yard completions in both games this season and will surely be looking for more explosives this weekend. 

Manuma and the Rainbow Warriors should also benefit from the return of starting safety Meki Pei, who missed UH’s first two games while recovering from an injury, though it is not known how large of a role Pei will see in his first game action back. For Hawai’i to go on the road and take care of business, Manuma and the rest of the defense will need to continue to take care of business against a Sam Houston State team that has shown signs of fireworks this year. 

Five key plays that decided Hawai’i vs. UCLA

Five key plays that decided Hawai’i vs. UCLA

Sep 4, 2024

 
 

Hawaii’s defense pitched a shutout in the first half, but gave up three consecutive scoring drives in the third quarter. | Michael Lasquero

Five key plays that decided Hawai’i vs. UCLA

BY MICHAEL LASQUERO | HSRN
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Good news from the UCLA game? We covered the 14-point spread and showed that we are a team that is better than preseason predictions.

Bad news? It was a game Hawai’i should have won.

Sports is all about momentum and the Rainbow Warriors lost it midway through the game and the Bruins made them pay for it. Here are five key plays in chronological order that played a big factor in the outcome of the game.

#1: Lucas Borrow 19-yard run on a fake punt to extend opening possession for Hawai’i

Down-and-distance: Fourth-and-6 at the HAW 31

Time on clock: 11:21 in 1Q

Why it was important: Instead of going 3-and-out on the opening possession, special teams came through with some trickery to extend Hawaii’s drive. Quarterback Brayden Schager would go on to complete five straight passes, including a 19-yard strike to Pofele Ashlock for the Rainbow Warriors’ only touchdown of the game. Borrow’s 19-yard rush was also the longest of the game for Hawai’i as he finished as the team’s leading rusher. This play gave the Rainbow Warriors the early momentum that helped them take a 10-0 lead into the locker rooms.

#2: Schager incomplete pass just before the end of the first half

Down-and-distance: Second-and-goal at the UCLA 6

Time on clock: 0:13 in 2Q

Play design: After calling timeout on a 1-yard loss on first-and-goal, the Rainbow Warriors’ came out in a doubles formation with two receivers to each side — but the play changes as the team huddles even though half the team were already in lined up in their spots. Out of the huddle, Hawai’i lines up Ashlock and wideout Jonah Panoke in a stacked split to the short side of the field with Ashlock lining up behind Panoke’s left hip. Ashlock takes an inside release before breaking to the outside on am out route to the boundary, but the pass is broken up by UCLA.

Why it was important: Logan Taylor’s interception put Hawai’i in a prime position to score a touchdown and go up 14-0 into halftime, but the Rainbow Warriors are unable to advance the ball and are force to settle for a Kansei Matsuzawa 28-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar. Second-guessing on the play call out of the timeout came back to bite Hawai’i as the Bruins were ready and keying on Ashlock, who saw all of Hawaii’s three targets in the red zone. Panoke also did not register a catch in the game so using him as a decoy on a potential rub-route concept did not fool UCLA. What also hurt was wideout Spencer Curtis was coming open on the backside on a slant route against man coverage. Schager would go on to be sacked on third down in what was a blown opportunity on the doorstep.

#3: Rico Flores 39-yard touchdown reception for UCLA’s first points

Down-and-distance: First-and-10 at the HAW 39

Time on clock: 8:49 in 3Q

Play design: UCLA started to mix its formation and personnel groupings to start of the second half and got Hawai’i to sub in more defensive lineman and linebackers with a heavier package. On this touchdown play, Flores moved over from his usual receiver spot and lined up as an in-line tight end while the Bruins had two tight ends as H-backs with one coming in motion from the left side to the right side of the formation. After play-action, Ethan Garbers fired pinpoint pass over the head of safety Peter Manuma and into the arms of Flores on a deep pass over the middle against a cover 3 defense.

Why it was important: Hawai’i had a chance to put points to start the second half, but went 3-and-out. Meanwhile, UCLA came around on its first possession of the second half with a 96-yard drive to gain some momentum. What was a 10-0 halftime lead turned into a 10-7 dogfight early in the third quarter. This was the momentum-shifting play and drive that the Bruins needed and what was the start of three consecutive second-half drives where UCLA was able to come away with points.

#4: Flores 53-yard catch-and-run to set up UCLA field goal

Down-and-distance: Third-and-12 at the UCLA 39

Time on clock: 2:16 in 3Q

Play design: Hawai’i tried to bring pressure with a delayed nickel back blitz with Elijah Palmer, but Garbers was able to step up in the pocket away from the pressure before finding Flores on a short crossing pattern with most of Hawaii’s defensive secondary guarding deep routes. Linebacker Noah Kema was responsible for covering the short area of the field, but was caught in a bind with a quarterback and a receiver both coming towards him.

Why it was important: This was one of the rare misses by the Hawai’i defense all game. A mobile quarterback gave Hawai’i fits in the season-opener and Garbers was able to make one of the few plays in the game that he needed to. The Rainbow Warriors were able to stand tall in the red zone to force a field goal instead of a go-ahead touchdown, but the damage was already done when they failed to get off the field on third down before giving up the most explosive play of the afternoon. 

#5: Schager intercepted by D.J. Justice just before the end of the third quarter

Down-and-distance: Second-and-10 at HAW 11

Time on clock: 0:46 in 3Q

Why it was important: This play was not the nail in the coffin. But, it was the sign that Hawaii’s upset bid over a Big 10 team would be in one. It was a throw that was on the run and against Schager’s body with a throw to Nick Cenacle running a corner route out of the left slot position. What makes it more inexcusable was this was a throw that Schager was nearly intercepted on a week ago against Delaware State. UCLA would take advantage of the short field with a game-tying field goal to make it 13-13, which capped three straight possessions that the Bruins came away with points in the second half. Hawai’i never closer to the end zone than the UCLA 42 in the fourth quarter and the Bruins were able to muster a drive late to win the game.