LAS VEGAS >> The University of Hawaii football team will open training camp next week with new roles and a revised schedule.
During the Mountain West Football Media Days in Las Vegas, UH head coach Timmy Chang confirmed Matthew Shipley, who was used as a place-kicker and punter last season, will focus on point-scoring kicks in training camp.
Kansei Matsuzawa, who was born and reared in Japan, will handle punts. Matsuzawa, who is 6 feet 2 and 195 pounds, is transferring from Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio. As a sophomore last season, Matsuzawa connected on 12 of 17 field-goal attempts, including a 50-yarder. The former soccer player is a 2017 graduate of Makuhari Sogo High in Chiba, which is near Tokyo.
Ben Falck, who was last season’s holder, will serve as the kickoff specialist. Falck replaces Kyler Halvorsen, who transferred to San Jose State.
Running back Derek Boyd II suffered a knee injury and will not play this season. Chang said H-back Landon Sims will be used as a running back. His father, Travis Sims, was a star running back on the 1992 UH football team that defeated Illinois in the Holiday Bowl. In that 11-2 season, the elder Sims rushed for 1,498 yards, second most in the program’s history.
“He’s not as big and stocky as his father, and he doesn’t have a horse collar,” Chang said of Landon Sims. “He has speed. He’s about 6-2, and he runs hard and fast.”
Chang will call the plays in the Rainbow Warriors’ resurrected run-and-shoot offense. The Warriors often will use a tight end as one of the inside receivers in the four-wide set. Grayson Morgan, who has recovered from a broken collarbone, and Devon Tauaefa will take most of the reps in camp. Colorado transfer Oakie Salavea also is an option at tight end.
Salavea, who grew up in American Samoa, was a standout quarterback and safety at Tafuna High, where his father Okland Salavea is the head coach. Oakie Salavea signed with Colorado last year but redshirted during the 2022 season after suffering a torn labrum in his right shoulder. In April, Salavea secured a scholarship release from Colorado.
UH is awaiting the results of defensive tackle John Tuitupou’s waiver seeking an exemption that would allow him to play this season. Tuitupou missed two seasons because of a family situation.
Based on a recommendation from UH sports scientist Trevor Short, the Warriors are adjusting their training camp schedule. They will have light practices on Mondays, heavier ones on Tuesdays, hard-hitting practices on Wednesday, conditioning drills on Thursday, short but challenging workouts on Fridays and physical evening practices on Saturdays. The Warriors will not practice on Sundays.
The schedule mirrors the itinerary for the regular season’s game week.
“Sleep, rest, recovery, measurement,” Chang said. “We’re going to maximize reps, but we’re not going to overdo the guys. You can’t burn them to the ground. That’s how you get injured.”
The Warriors open training camp on Wednesday. Thursday is the first practice. The first game is on the road against Vanderbilt on Aug. 26.
