Freshman quarterback Chevan Cordeiro might not have thrown the decisive touchdown pass and led the University of Hawaii football team to its sixth victory in seven games on Saturday if it were not for a father’s humble request.

In an email sent in the spring of 2017, Leon Cordeiro asked UH head coach Nick Rolovich and quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann to review football videos of his son, who had completed his junior season as a backup at Saint Louis School. On the first day of the recruiting season in 2017 — during which assistants but not head coaches were permitted to scout prospects in person — Stutzmann saw all he needed to see.

“After the first five minutes of watching him,” Stutzmann said, “I called Rolo and told him, ‘This kid can really throw the ball really well.’”

After receiving positive feedback on Cordeiro from several local coaches, Rolovich decided to act. It was agreed to offer a football scholarship to a player who had been the understudy for two years to Tua Tagovailoa, now Alabama’s starting quarterback.

Forty-eight hours later, on May 30, 2017, Cordeiro accepted the UH offer.

“And the rest is history,” Stutzmann said. “It was that quick.”

Through a standout senior season that was punctuated with Saint Louis’ state championship, Cordeiro never wavered from his pledge. Stutzmann recalled Cordeiro insisting: “Coach, I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to worry.”

The past December, Cordeiro signed a letter of intent with UH.

In training camp, third-year sophomore Cole McDonald edged Cordeiro for the starting quarterback’s job. In the first six games, McDonald amassed 24 touchdown throws against two interceptions.

But in the week leading to the past Saturday’s game against Wyoming, there was uncertainty about the availability of McDonald, who was suffering from an undisclosed injury. By late Thursday, it was decided Cordeiro would make his first college start. But Rolovich said there was the hope McDonald would be available to play, even in a limited role.

“We were hoping he could get better by the time the game started,” Rolovich said. “We tried to do extra treatment and things like that. Ultimately, we knew, it would get less and less likely without doing a whole lot of practice.”

The Warriors modified their game plan, not to protect Cordeiro but because of Wyoming’s umbrella defense that paired an aggressive front with an experienced secondary.

“It wasn’t an easy situation for a true freshman to go in and play against,” Rolovich said of the Cowboys’ defense.

Cordeiro was 19-for-29 for 148 yards. After throwing an interception that was returned 61 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, Cordeiro was 7-for-9 for 76 yards, including the 38-yard scoring pass to JoJo Ward. On that play, Cordeiro escaped the grasp of a defensive lineman and scrambled to his right before lofting the pass.

It was an all-too-familiar scene for Saint Louis quarterbacks coach Vince Passas. “He’s got that time clock in his brain,” said Passas, who also has mentored Marcus Mariota and Tagovailoa. “It’s something he’s had for a long time. If the first, second progressions aren’t there, maybe it’s time to go. Not every quarterback is like that. He has that internal clock that is pretty amazing.”

Passas said Cordeiro’s ability to read coverages is “embedded in him. The pre-thought process is always important, knowing what you’re going to with your first read, what’s happening backside.”

Saint Louis coach Cal Lee said he was not surprised by Cordeiro’s successful debut.

“I know how good he is,” Lee said. “I saw him every day. He’s good.”

Lee said Cordeiro gained strength during offseason workouts. “He would throw the ball 50 yards, without running, from the stance, and accurately, too.”

Stutzmann indicated that the practice two years ago was a prelude to Saturday’s performance.

“What we saw was what everybody saw (Saturday) night, and what every local person knows about Chevan,” Stutzmann said. “He has the ability to extend plays and break the pocket and make big plays. He is cool and calm under pressure. When he threw that pick-six, his face never changed. When he threw that touchdown, his face never changed. He’s resilient. He’s competitive. He’s Even Steven.”