Hawaii College Football Preview 2024: Key Players, Game Schedule, Season Predictions

Hawaii College Football Preview 2024

Hawaii is getting back to where it’s supposed to be under Timmy Chang.

When the program was rolling—especially when Chang was quarterbacking it—Hawaii was always dangerous and a must-see. It’s not there quite yet, but it’s getting closer.

It’s taking a while after having to do a total rebuild in every possible way, but Chang got the program through a rough 2022 season with three wins, came on late last year in a 5-8 season, and now there’s real, live experience to count on for the first time in seemingly forever.

It’s a veteran team that knows what it’s doing, the defense should be a smidge better, and the passing game has the parts.

No, this might not be a championship season, but Hawaii should once again be that team that no one wants to face.

The last winning season was 2020, the last time the team was a real factor in the Mountain West was 2019, the last conference title of any sort was in 2010—in the WAC—and the last, and only, outright title was in 2007.

For now, just having one of the nation’s best passing games and being on the radar again is good enough.

Hawaii Football Preview 2024: Offense

- Yeah, Hawaii is going to throw the ball. Timmy Chang’s offense has the parts to start winging it around even more, and not just because the offense has to try keeping up the pace.

Brayden Schager went through the rough patches over the last few years, and then it all started to click a bit better. He’ll throw it well over 40 times per game, he’s coming off a 3,542-yard, 26 touchdown season, and he’ll keep on pressing.

- You’d think it would be easy for Hawaii to get receivers to play in this attack, but it took a bit for everyone to come into place. Now the Rainbow Warriors are loaded.

Pofele Ashlock led the team with 83 catches in the slot, Koali Nishigaya was third on the team with 39 grabs, Alex Perry had a great first year with three scores, and Steven McBride is among the most dangerous players in the Mountain West averaging over 16 yards per grab with 1,024 yards and nine scores.

- The line is always going to be tough to find the right guys, but like other spots the experience is now there after a few years of building it up. Losing left tackle Josh Atkins to Arizona State stings, but Luke Felix-Fualalo is a whale of the pass blocking right tackled there’s enough shuffling around to be okay.

As always, the running game is along for the ride. Schager can move, and it’s not that Hawaii can’t run, it just doesn’t do it enough to establish any consistency. Landon Sims is back after leading the team with 255 yards and a score

Hawaii Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The defense hasn’t been great, it doesn’t generate enough takeaways, and anyone who tries to run could do it. It’s just about the points - Hawaii allowed 35 points or more against eight FBS teams, and the team won all five times when the defense allowed 24 points or fewer.

- There’s a little bit of a pass rush and just enough size to be decent. The depth continues to be lacking a bit, though, except on the nose where 290-pound Kuao Peihopa and 330-pound Daniel “Sauce” Williams are okay. DT Ezra Evaimalo led the team with 3.5 sacks, and top edge rusher Elijah Robinson is back.

2022 leading tackler Logan Taylor is back in the middle of the linebacking corps after missing most of last season, and Jalen Smith is back after finishing third on the team with 67 stops.

- The secondary can tackle, and there’s enough depth to come up with a few different configurations. S Peter Manuma led the team with 87 tackles and three picks, serving more like a third linebacker at times - he can get behind the line. The corner combination of Virdel Edwards and Cam Stone is experienced enough to be a relative strength of the defense.

Key To The Hawaii Football Season

Don’t blow off the ground game.
The bread of this offense will always be buttered by the passing attack, but Hawaii wins when it runs well.

It’s not just about the yards; it’s about the pass protection keeping the rushing stats decent. The Rainbow Warriors were 5-0 when running for more than 67 yards and 0-8 when they didn’t. As long as they’re averaging over 3.5 yards per carry, the ground attack will be doing its job.

Hawaii Key Player

Sergio Muasau, C Sr.
The line should be okay once the right starting five is figured out. The 6-0, 300-pound Muasau worked at guard throughout last year, but he was mostly a center in 2022. If he shines moving back to the inside the rest of the parts fall into place. Anything that gives Braydon Schager more time to work is everything.

Hawaii Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Fabian Ross, CB Soph.
The Rainbow Warriors are solid at corner with two good veteran starters, but Ross is a terrific talent who’ll help somewhere. He didn’t do much in his two years at USC, but he was a big get for the program who has too much upside not to become a factor for Hawaii.

Top Transfer Out: Josh Atkins, OT Jr.
The Hawaii line will have a decent starting five and should be okay after fall camp, but it would-be been nice to have a veteran left tackle like Atkins still around. He left for Arizona State.

Hawaii Key Game

at San Diego State, Oct. 5
Hawaii has to steal a few games on the road, and this needs to be one. This might be the most fun game of the Mountain West season if both offenses do what they’re supposed to.

The San Diego State attack will go 100 miles per hour under new head coach Sean Lewis, Hawaii will wing it all over the yard, and the opener of the conference season should be fantastic. The Aztec won the last four, but six of the last seven were decided by a touchdown or less.

10 Best Hawaii Football Players

1. Steven McBride, WR Sr.
2. Peter Manuma, S Jr.
3. Brayden Schager, QB Sr.
4. Pofele Ashlock, WR Soph.
5. Luke Felix-Fualalo, OT Sr.
6. Logan Taylor, LB Sr.
7. Cam Stone, CB Sr.
8. Jalen Smith, LB Jr.
9. Virdel Edwards, CB Sr.
10. Ezra Evaimalo, DT Sr.

Hawaii 2023 Fun Stats

- 1st Quarter Points : Opponents 118, Hawaii 38

- Sacks: Opponents 39 for 265 yards, Hawaii 23 for 147 yards

- Rushing TDs: Opponents 26, Hawaii 6

Hawaii Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

For the first time since 2017 - weird 2020 season aside - Hawaii won’t play 13 regular season games.

The 2022 team got two home games in a row late in the season, effectively allowing it over three weeks without having to get on a plane. The 2020 team played four games in a row at home, the 2019 team only left once over a five game November stretch, and you get the idea.

Last season Hawaii had two early games at home and then alternated road and away dates the rest of the way. There was an extra week off for a normal break, but it’s the same thing this season.

The first two games against Delaware State and UCLA are at home, and then that’s it - there aren’t two straight home games from then on. Again, there are breaks, the team doesn’t have to leave home for a few weeks in late September and the end of November, but it’ll be tough to find a groove.

The offense will be good enough to be a tough out each week, and not having to face Air Force, Colorado State, San Jose State, or Wyoming is all good.

It’ll need to get to seven wins to go bowling - two FCS dates against Delaware State and Northern Iowa are one FCS game too many - but as long as it can pick off a road win somewhere against a San Diego State or Sam Houston, it should go into the regular season finale against New Mexico with a shot at getting to at least six wins.

Set The Hawaii Win Total At … 5.5

Likely Wins: Delaware State, Northern Iowa

50/50 Games: Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico, at Sam Houston, at San Diego State, UNLV, at Utah State, at Washington State

Likely Losses: at Fresno State, UCLA

2024 Hawaii Football Schedule

Aug 24 Delaware State
Aug 31 UCLA
Sept 7 OPEN DATE
Sept 14 at Sam Houston
Sept 21 Northern Iowa
Sept 28 OPEN DATE
Oct 5 at San Diego State
Oct 12 Boise State
Oct 19 at Washington State
Oct 26 Nevada
Nov 2 at Fresno State
Nov 9 UNLV
Nov 16 at Utah State
Nov 23 OPEN DATE
Nov 30 New Mexico

Missing: Air Force, Colorado State, San Jose State, Wyoming, (Oregon State)