Chang adds another family tie to rivalry

RENO, Nev. >> Like many other people, Timmy Chang has yet to win in Reno.

For most tourists here at “The Biggest Little City in the World,” that means maybe a few hundred dollars pumped into the local economy via the casinos.

But in the case of Chang, now a resident of nearby Somersett, winning is a matter of professional stability and survival.

Chang, now the first-year inside receivers coach for the University of Nevada football team, is still looking to be on the right side of the scoreboard here. Nevada is 0-5 overall, including two home losses, against Toledo and Idaho State.

As a player, Chang set yardage and touchdown records as a quarterback at the University of Hawaii. But UH lost in his two games as a starter here, in 2001 and 2003, when both teams were in the WAC. That was during a longstanding era when the home team nearly always won the games between the Warriors and the Wolf Pack.

Head coach Jay Norvell is in his first year, so if Nevada — which is a 31⁄2-point underdog when it hosts Hawaii on Saturday — doesn’t get things turned around right away, Chang won’t have to go job hunting, at least not in this offseason.

That’s an occupational hazard of coaching football. Staffs don’t often get to stay in one place very long, unless they keep winning and winning.

Chang is optimistic, though, as Nevada rebuilds.

“It kind of reminds me of our freshman year (2000), when we only won three games (at UH),” Chang said. “You know the pieces are there, and you see them learning, see them growing.”

Freshman slot receiver McLane Mannix said Chang told his players what a big game this is for him.

“But he said it’s about us, not him, and he’s going to put us in the best position to win,” Mannix added. “It’ll mean a whole lot for us and him. His whole family’s coming up for the game.”

Chang needed 16 tickets.

“My mom, uncles and aunties and friends” are coming from Hawaii, he said. And, of course, his wife, Sherry, and their three children, with one more on the way.

Four of Chang’s UH teammates are on the Rainbow Warriors staff, including head coach Nick Rolovich. In 2000, Chang replaced Rolovich as starter. In 2001, Rolovich replaced Chang when Chang injured his wrist early in the season, after the Nevada game.

On Saturday, Chang and the rest of the Wolf Pack will try to spoil the return of Rolovich, who was Nevada offensive coordinator before taking over at UH prior to last season.

Warriors offensive coordinator Brian Smith was their center. Quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann caught Chang passes at Saint Louis School and UH.

“And (UH safeties coach) Jacob Yoro was my teammate at Saint Louis,” Chang said.

Chang’s unit will match up directly with players under the tutelage of Yoro and secondary coach Abraham Elimimian.

Chang and Elimimian arrived at UH in 2000 and finished as seniors in 2004 who started games on Warriors teams that had four consecutive winning seasons and played in three bowl games.

Prior to their senior season, Chang and Elimimian represented the Warriors at the WAC’s preseason media event — which was held in Reno.

“I haven’t thought about it that much,” said Chang, who interviewed for a job on the UH staff when Rolovich took over. “But I know I’m excited. To compete, to see the colors again. At the end of the day everyone wants to win. I’ve exchanged some texts with Craig. I hope to stop by their hotel and say hello (Friday). We’ve all kept in touch. It’s going to be fun.”

After NFL tryouts with Arizona and Detroit, Chang played in the CFL for Hamilton and Winnipeg.

He started his coaching career in 2012 at SMU as a graduate assistant for his coach at UH, June Jones.

Chang was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Jackson State for two years, before filling the same role at Emory & Henry last year (after Craig Stutzmann left, and working with his brother Billy Ray Stutzmann, another former UH receiver).

“(Emory & Henry) is a great school,” Chang said. “I didn’t want to leave there, but I got a great opportunity here.”

Chang gets to Hawaii rarely, but probably will more now since it is one of his recruiting areas for Nevada. He enjoys living in Reno, even the four seasons.

“It was the worst winter in a long time here this year,” he said. “But if you can deal with Canada for three years you’re OK here.”

Despite the weather, Reno reminds him of home because everybody knows everybody.

“And there’s no professional football team. There’s the Reno Aces (minor league baseball) and a soccer team,” Chang said. “But otherwise, sports are built around the university, like in Hawaii.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.