Rainbow Warriors return home a different team

Oct. 15—The University of Hawaii football team's lone 2022 victory came in the Sept. 17 homecoming game at the Ching Complex.

The University of Hawaii football team's lone 2022 victory came in the Sept. 17 homecoming game at the Ching Complex.

It will be another homecoming of sorts tonight when the Rainbow Warriors play their first home game in 28 days. Kickoff against Nevada is set for 6 :07 pm.

During that span, the Warriors changed their offense, adding run-and-shoot components, and improved their defense.

"We switched the mentality a few weeks ago, " quarterback Brayden Schager said. "It's been a good change. We incorporated some good stuff, and tried to get on the same page with the receivers, and just know where they're at all the time. We're continuing to grow in that."

The return of wideouts Zion Bowens and Chuuky Hines provides vertical options in the read-and-attack schemes. Last week, Bowens and Schager collaborated on a 66-yard touchdown. Nicholas Cenacle, who returned punts against San Diego State, might be ready to move into the wideout rotation. UH also is hopeful Jordan Murray, who moved from tight end three weeks ago, will prosper as a wide receiver.

In the new four-wide offense, the Warriors have used tight end /H-back Caleb Phillips as one of the receivers. Koali Nishigaya, who recovered from a broken leg suffered 10 months ago, is a sure-handed slot. The Warriors can play Nishigaya or Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala at the second inside-receiver position or use both in a double-slot formation.

"The thing about having played six games, you start force-feeding some guys, and now they're starting to catch on and turn the corner, " head coach Timmy Chang said. "Some of these guys are starting to get healthy. You're starting to see some potential happen."

James Phillips, who started four games at inside receiver, has left the team because of personal reasons. But Steven Fiso and Devon Tauafea are close to being medically cleared to play. Fiso and Tauafea can play both wideout and tight end.

Schager, who has been firmly installed as the No. 1 quarterback, has progressed in his pre-snap reads, pressure awareness and on-the-move decisions.

"It's the continuity, " Chang said of Schager's development, "and just being familiar and getting on rhythm and getting on pace. You expect him to get better. He'll be better."

Schager said : "I have to become a master of coverage, as Coach Chang says."

Last week, Schager rebounded from a 10-for-20 first half to complete 1o of 14 passes after the intermission and lead the Warriors to their only lead, at 14-13, with 1 :19 to play.

But an ensuing directional kickoff that sailed out of bounds, and SDSU quarterback Jalen Mayden's precise passing set up Jack Browning's winning field goal with seven seconds to play.

"If the mindset is right, you can learn and grow from something like that, " Chang said of that road loss in the Mountain West opener.

Tonight's game will be a mini reunion for Chang, who coached Nevada's receivers and tight ends for five years through the 2021 season. Chang decided to join Jay Norvell, who resigned at Nevada last December to become Colorado State's head coach. Chang and his wife completed negotiations to buy a house in Fort Collins, Colo., when he was offered the UH job in January.