CARDINAL OFFENSE
WR—5 John Humphreys 6-5 209 Sr.
WR—13 Elic Ayomanor 6-2 210 So.
WR—0 Mudia Reuben 6-2 205 So.
TE—84 Benjamin Yurosek 6-4 242 Sr.
LT—74 James Pogorelc 6-8 302 Sr.
LG—61 Trevor Mayberry 6-3 315 Jr.
C—57 Levi Rogers 6-4 301 Sr.
RG—55 Simione Pale 6-4 315 Fr.
RT—71 Connor McLaughlin 6-7 295 Sr.
QB—14 Ashton Daniels 6-2 215 So.
RB—22 E.J. Smith 6-0 210 Sr.
Troy Taylor, a poker-faced head coach (and OC and quarterbacks coach), does not have a tell. At Eastern Washington in 2016, he directed a four- and five-wide offense featuring FCS record-setting QB Gage Gubrud and receiver (and future Super Bowl MVP) Cooper Kupp. As Utah’s OC, it was a two-tight-end attack. Then, as Sacramento State’s head coach, there was a mix of one and two tight ends, and single and two backs. In 2022, the Hornets averaged 42.9 points and 499.8 yards. In spring ball, the Cardinal ran a hybrid of four-wide sets and run-pass option set to a no-huddle, hurry-up tempo. But that was with Ari Patu, last year’s backup to Philadelphia Eagles 2023 draft pick Tanner McKee, and dual-skill Ashton Daniels splitting reps. Then Syracuse transfer Justin Lamson, who did not play a down in two seasons, joined the mix. None of the candidates has thrown 25 career passes. Taylor said he will not name a starter until game time. But at Sac State, he had a QB platoon. Tight end Benjamin Yurosek, whose production slipped after a breakout season in 2021, is projected to be a busy target in Taylor’s offense. In Taylor’s previous ground-oriented offenses, the line used inside and outside zone blocks to open the way for counters and power runs. E.J. Smith — the son of Emmitt Smith, a Hall of Fame member and the NFL’s career rushing leader — is healthy after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 2 last year. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, Smith is agile and physical. In football parlance, he has a “second and third gear,” an acceleration evidenced by an 87-yard dash against Colgate last year. But while he averaged 6.1 yards in two seasons, he also fumbled three times in 30 carries last year.
CARDINAL DEFENSE
E—23 David Bailey 6-3 240 So.
DT—40 Tobin Phillips 6-3 295 Sr.
DT—94 Anthony Franklin 6-3 281 Jr.
E—92 Lance Keneley 6-4 250 Sr.
LB—8 Tristan Sinclair 6-1 221 5th
LB—0 Gaethan Bernadel 6-1 227 Jr.
NB—20 Jaden Slocum 6-1 200 Jr.
CB—4 Zahran Manley 6-2 189 5th
S—18 Jimmy Wyrick 5-10 183 Jr.
S—33 Alaka‘i Gilman 5-9 192 Jr.
CB—6 Collin Wright 6-0 192 So.
After allowing 32.2 points and 434.1 yards per game last season, the Cardinal underwent a makeover that included replacements with play-calling experience. New defensive coordinator Bobby April was Wisconsin’s run-game coordinator the past three seasons. Inside linebackers coach Mark D’Onofrio was DC at Temple, Miami and Houston. Safeties coach Bob Gregory was an interim head coach at Washington in 2021 and with Boise State for the 2013 Hawaii Bowl. April, who also was an assistant coach with three NFL teams, is expected to open with 3-4 or 4-2-5 looks. Both schemes feature an edge defender to set the perimeter or hunt the quarterback. At Wisconsin, April coached Saint Louis School grad Nick Herbig, who led the NCAA with 1.0 sacks per game in 2022. Herbig was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fourth-round pick in April. David Bailey has shown similar potential. After his senior season at powerhouse Mater Dei, Bailey enrolled at Stanford in January 2022. He became Stanford’s first true freshman to start an opener since Owen Marecic in 2007. He finished the season with 8.5 tackles for loss. Wisconsin transfer Spencer Lytle, Bailey’s understudy, also should boost the pass rush. Safety Alaka‘i Gilman, a Punahou graduate, had one of Stanford’s six picks last year.
CARDINAL SPECIALISTS
K—43 Joshua Karty 6-2 208 Sr.
P—15 Connor Weselman 6-3 216 Jr.
LS—47 Alejandro Chavez 6-2 240 So.
SS—42 Bailey Parsons 6-2 238 Sr.
K—3 Bryce Farrell 5-10 180 Sr.
PR—2 Casey Filkins 5-11 206 Sr.
Was there any doubt kicker Joshua Karty would become a Cardinal? It was at Stanford Stadium where Valerie Karty told her husband Joel she was pregnant with Joshua. Last year was a magical season for Karty, who kicked a school-record five field goals in a 15-14 victory over Arizona State. He then converted from 61 yards as time expired to beat Cal. He was 18-for-18 on FGs. At Western Alamance High in North Carolina, Karty competed in track, tennis and swimming, and founded the school’s ping pong club. Connor Weselman, who made one appearance (as a holder) in two Stanford seasons, succeeds Ryan Sanborn as punter.
RAINBOW WARRIORS OFFENSE
WO—7 Steven McBride 6-1 165 Sr.
TE—17 Greyson Morgan 6-2 230 Jr.
LT—54 Josh Atkins 6-4 250 So.
LG—66 Sergio Muasau 6-0 310 Jr.
C—61 Eliki Tanuvasa 6-2 300 Sr.
RG—78 Ka‘ena Decambra 6-3 300 So.
RT—72 Luke Felix-Fualalo. 6-8 310 Sr.
SB—86 Pofele Ashlock 6-2 175 Fr.
WO—84 Chuuky Hines 6-1 180 So.
QB—13 Brayden Schager 6-3 225 Jr.
RB—2 Tylan Hines 5-7 175 So.
During his stint as offensive coordinator at Jackson State and Emory & Henry, head coach Timmy Chang employed run-and-shoot elements from his days as a record-setting QB at Saint Louis School and UH. In four years as a Nevada assistant coach, Chang embraced four-wide schemes that used a tight end and tall, athletic wideouts. In his second year as UH head coach — and first as the Warriors’ play caller — Chang has meshed Nevada’s personnel model with the run-and-shoot. Last week’s three starting receivers —Steven McBride, Chuuky Hines and Pofele Ashlock — checked the boxes for size, speed and athleticism. McBride is 6 feet 1, but has a 431⁄4-inch vertical jump and 4.4-second speed in the 40. Last week, Hines was supposed to back up senior Jonah Panoke. But Panoke suffered a hamstring injury three days before kickoff. Hines impressed during camp with his burst off the line, speed (prorated 23.9 mph) and aggressiveness in securing passes. Ashlock, who was named the league’s Freshman of the Week, is a 6-2 target on crossing routes out of the slot. Except for McBride, who transferred from Kansas in January, several Chang-recruited receivers slipped past the early-signing period. Hines signed with UH in February 2022. After suffering an ACL injury as a Trinity High senior, Ashlock lost scholarship offers from Texas and TCU. He signed with UH last year. Nick Cenacle, regarded as one of the best prospects from Canada, and 6-5 Alex Perry were late commitments last year. With speedy targets, Brayden Schager completed 75% of deep passes (airborne at least 20 yards from the line of scrimmage) against Vanderbilt.
RAINBOW WARRIORS DEFENSE
DE—96 Andrew Choi 6-1 250 Sr.
NT—58 Kuao Peihopa 6-3 290 So.
3T—90 John Tuitupou 6-4 290 Sr.
Edge—6 Jonah Kahahawai-Welch 6-1 240 Sr.
MLB—17 Isaiah Tufaga 6-1 220 Sr.
WLB—16 Logan Taylor 6-0 215 Sr.
NB—9 CJ Williams 5-10 185 Jr.
CB—23 Virdel Edwards II 6-2 210 Sr.
S—1 Peter Manuma 6-0 190 So.
S—21 Justin Sinclair 5-10 185 Jr.
CB—4 Cam Stone 5-10 185 Sr.
The “Lions” — the nickname of the linebackers — don’t sleep very long. At 4:30 every weekday morning, Isaiah Tufaga awakens for the 39-mile car pool from the North Shore to Manoa. For his daily treatments, Logan Taylor often shows up before the training room opens. Punctuality is a formality for the leaders of the 4-2-5 defense. “Those two work so well together,” linebackers coach Chris Brown said. When Tufaga suffered a season-ending injury last year, Taylor started at weak-side linebacker, amassing double-digit tackles in each of the final six games. Taylor remained as the will backer while Tufaga, now fully healthy, moved to the middle as Penei Pavihi’s successor. In the Warriors’ scheme, Tufaga plays between the tackles. Instead of running into double blocks, Tufaga has learned to slice his way into the gaps. Shedding last year’s robotic play, Tufaga has improved his agility — and assertiveness. “I told him: ‘If your goal is to play professional football, they want to see how productive you are,’” Brown said. Last week, Tufaga made eight tackles — all solo stops — with two sacks. Taylor can align in the middle, as an edge blitzer or across a tight end or slot receiver. “Logan has some crazy speed,” Brown said. “He can cover you from sideline to sideline. Logan has to do his job for Isaiah to make the tackle, and Isaiah has to do his job so Logan can make the tackle.”
RAINBOW WARRIORS SPECIALISTS
PK/P—2 Matthew Shipley 6-1 190 Sr.
KO/H—69 Ben Falck 6-6 225 Sr.
LS—44 Solomon Landrum 5-11 210 Sr.
KR/PR—4 Cam Stone 5-10 185 Sr.
KR—84 Chuuky Hines 6-1 180 So.
Maybe it was the first-play jitters last week, but a high snap led to a zero-yard punt and a short down-the-middle kickoff was parlayed into Vanderbilt’s 97-yard return. “We just did some uncharacteristic things,” special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield said. “While it’s frustrating as a coach, especially how much time we put into special teams, we watched the film and it was all correctable.” Ben Falck’s next three kickoffs were not returned. The Warriors’ average drive started at the 29 on Cam Stone’s four kickoff returns. Last year, UH had only two returns of at least 25 yards. Last week, two of Stone’s returns went for 30 and 28 yards.
