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The University of Hawaii football team faces a unique quarterback situation in the aftermath of Saturday’s historic 35-28 comeback victory over UNLV.
Freshman Chevan Cordeiro came off the sideline in the fourth quarter to throw three touchdown passes, including the tie-breaking 68-yarder with 1:25 to play, in a 22-point surge. It was Cordeiro’s third UH game. A new NCAA rule allows a player to maintain redshirt eligibility if he does not play in more than four games in a season.
With two games left — Saturday against San Diego State in the regular-season finale and a bowl game — the Rainbow Warriors (7-5) can play Cordeiro in one game and have him for four more seasons or both games and leave him with three remaining UH seasons.
In a telephone interview on Sunday, head coach Nick Rolovich indicated he will not discuss his choice publicly, but acknowledged, “We have a very interesting situation.”
He added: “Seriously, I’m not trying to toot our horn, but this rule, I think, in the quarterback deal, we worked it out pretty well this year.”
With third-year sophomore Cole McDonald as the starter, the Warriors, in basketball parlance, had four fouls to give with true freshmen Cordeiro and Jeremy Moussa. Moussa has played in two games.
“Like I said in the beginning of the season, I feel we can win with at least three quarterbacks,” Rolovich said. “Chevan was asked to do that (against) Wyoming (when McDonald was injured). He got some more playing time (against) Nevada. And he got in there and helped us win a game this weekend. I think it’s an excellent rule. I think we’re very fortunate to have a talented quarterback room. We have several guys we feel we can win with. Maybe we’ll play all three — at the same time.”
With talent comes expectations, and Rolovich said every UH quarterback is asked to deliver.
On Cordeiro’s youth, Rolovich said, “I don’t want to hear that anymore, that he’s a freshman. He’s not a freshman. He’s not a backup. He is a quarterback at the University of Hawaii, and he needs to be prepared every snap of every football game.”
Against Wyoming, Cordeiro was handed a basic offensive package. “We didn’t want to put too much pressure on Chevan to win the game,” said Craig Stutzmann, the quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator. “We wanted him to manage the game and make the throws he had to make.”
One of the throws was the decisive touchdown to JoJo Ward.
Two weeks later, Cordeiro was summoned for a series against Nevada. He misfired on his only pass and was sacked.
The following afternoon, Stutzmann told Cordeiro with his redshirt situation, he would be used only in meaningful snaps. Translation: Be prepared.
“After that game, to his credit, he manned up,” Stutzmann said. “He took accountability for what he did not do during the week. He’s light years ahead of where he was for the Nevada game.”
Stutzmann said Cordeiro’s preparation and approach showed on Saturday night.
“We’re playing a team like UNLV and we’re down by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the training wheels have to come off,” Stutzmann said. “You’re not going to have a conservative game plan. The state of Hawaii got to see what he can do when he’s able to sit back and sling it around.”
In three possessions spanning 5 minutes, 34 seconds, Cordeiro was four of five for 153 yards and three touchdowns. He also scrambled for 17 yards on a third-and-9 play.
“As a player and coach, that probably was one of the most exciting and special games I’ve ever been a part of, especially with the way it ended,” Stutzmann said. “I don’t think you can script it any better. … I’m still shocked. I woke up this morning … and I can’t believe how we won that game.”
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