SPARTANS OFFENSE
WR—0 Isaac Jernagin 5-10 182 Jr.
WR—3 Nick Nash 6-3 198 Jr.
WR—4 Charles Ross 6-1 171 Jr.
LT—79 Fernando Carmona Jr. 6-5 325 So.
LG—71 Tyler Ostrom 6-2 305 Gr.
C—74 Anthony Pardue 6-4 317 Gr.
RG—61 Marist Talavou 6-3 327 Jr.
RT—54 Jaime Navarro 6-3 310 Gr.
TE—81 Dominick Mazotti 6-4 250 Jr.
QB—2 Chevan Cordeiro 6-1 196 Sr.
RB—32 Kairee Robinson 5-7 195 Sr.
In six seasons — four with UH, two with SJSU — Chevan Cordeiro has accounted for 104 touchdowns. In assembling the Mountain West career record, Cordeiro has benefited from protective O-linemen, space-creating receivers (converted QB Nick Nash has been targeted 55 times this year), and quick feet and decision-making. When blitzed, Cordeiro has completed 51.1% of his passes with eight TDs against zero interceptions. He averages 6.7 yards on non-sack scrambles and keepers. Kairee Robinson eases the pressure as a complementary running back (81.9 yards per game), receiver (14.8 yards-after-catch average) and blocker. “I try my best to keep (Cordeiro) off the ground,” Robinson said. At 5-7, Robinson is the same height as his mentor and high school coach, Maurice Jones-Drew, a three-time Pro Bowler. “He taught me to keep my pad level low and run as hard as I can,” Robinson said. “I definitely try to take some of his game, for sure.” Robinson often attacks gaps with a stooped posture and two-handed grip. He went 75 rushes before his first fumble this season. He said he built stamina running the hill near Evergreen Valley College. His field awareness comes from 9-on-7 drills (no wideouts). His jump-cut ability might be traced to running backs coach Alonzo Carter, a former backup dancer for MC Hammer. “He would like to say that,” Robinson said. “But I’m appreciative of how Coach Carter coaches me and how hard he is on me.” Robinson’s toughness was apparent as a De La Salle High senior when he rushed for more than 100 yards while playing with a broken fifth metatarsal bone. “I didn’t want to miss the last game of the year,” he said of the ankle injury. “I made it happen.”
SPARTANS DEFENSE
DE—3 Tre Smith 6-5 255 So.
NT—96 Jay Kakiva 6-4 307 Gr.
DE—3 Noah Lavulo 6-2 260 Sr.
LB—9 Matthew Tago 6-2 223 Sr.
LB—6 Bryun Parham 5-11 212 Jr.
LB—10 Jordan Pollard 6-0 200 So.
LB—41 Taniela Latu 6-1 237 Jr.
CB—25 Michael Dansby 5-11 181 So.
S—22 Tre Jenkins 5-11 216 Gr.
S—1 Chase Williams 6-1 200 Sr.
CB—7 Kenyon Reed 5-10 176 Jr.
Safety Tre Jenkins’ cerebral path to football began with Mrs. Reyes’ second-grade class. “When we finished our work early, she’d come over and teach us chess,” Jenkins recalled. “She opened my eyes to other things besides math and reading.” The elements of chess — to anticipate moves, to read the opponent — have been useful for a safety who sets up 10 yards off the line in a one-high or two-deep alignment. “You have to have good intuition, great instincts, as a defensive player,” Jenkins said. “Even more so as a safety, where you see everything, you see what’s set up.” Jenkins, a justice graduate who aspires to a post-football career in cyber security, is fascinated with decoding and studying patterns, even as basic as the timing of a neighborhood traffic light. “It’s a cool thing when your mind can start seeing all the patterns in life,” he said. “It does help you in the game of football, which is about patterns and tendencies. It’s people making the same decisions even when they don’t want to.” Through intensive video sessions, Jenkins will pick up on a quarterback’s favorite target or route in specific situations and pressures. “That might not be much to fans, but when you watch film, you go, ‘I know that’s his play,’” he said. “It’s hours of film for that one play that can be a game-saving play. Or you messed it up because you’re watching film and not seeing that pattern.” Jenkins said his younger twin, Drew — “66 seconds of peace,” he mused — is gifted in playing corner, safety and nickel. “We can change schemes as we go because he knows other positions,” Jenkins said. “He’s very intelligent.”
SPARTANS SPECIALISTS
PK/KO—11 Kyler Halvorsen 5-10 183 Jr.
KO—49 Taren Schive 5-10 182 Jr.
P—99 Alex Weir 6-0 195 Sr.
LS—51 Andrew Gonneville 6-1 217 Sr.
KR—20 Jabari Bates 5-6 170 Fr.
PR—2 DJ Harvey 5-11 190 So.
For two UH seasons, Kyler Halvorsen would regularly boom kickoffs over the Ching Complex’s Ewa-side stands during practices and games. The 2021 Kaiser High graduate returns to Ching — and its raised stands — as the Spartans’ point-scoring kicker (6-for-9 on 3s this season). His two kickoffs that were fielded went for returns of zero and 1 yard. He also had a successful onside kick.
RAINBOW WARRIORS OFFENSE
WO—1 Jonah Panoke 6-1 200 Sr.
SB—23 Koali Nishigaya 5-7 165 Jr.
LT—78 Ka“ena DeCambra 6-3 300 So.
LG—66 Sergio Muasau 6-0 310 Jr.
C—61 Eliki Tanuvasa 6-2 300 Sr.
RG—77 Arasi Mose 6-5 370 Sr.
RT—72 Luke Felix-Fualalo 6-8 310 Sr.
SB—86 Pofele Ashlock 6-2 175 Fr.
WO—7 Steven McBride 6-1 165 Sr.
QB—13 Brayden Schager 6-3 225 Jr.
H-B—0 Solo Vaipulu 6-2 280 Sr.
The Warriors are running with the needle near the “E.” Slash back Tylan Hines, who was supposed to be a dual threat, has been limited to 34 touches in four games because of a fickle ankle. Hines was not on the travel roster for last week’s game against New Mexico. Nasjzae “MoJo” Bryant-Lelei wore a medical boot last week. Jordan Johnson, who averages a team-high 5.8 yards per carry, entered the transfer portal this week. The rushing load is expected to be split between 290-pound Solo Vaipulu, a converted guard-center. and Landon Sims, who was used as an H-back/tight end in the spring. Vaipulu fits the mold of former UH plus-sized backs — such as West Keli‘ikipi and Reagan “Juggernaut” Mauia — and is most effective picking up blitzers or plowing linebackers. Sims — whose father, Travis, was the star running back for UH’s 11-2 season in 1992 — is a multi-skilled back. His primary assignment is to detonate the pass rush using the Warriors’ fundamental blocking technique of tight shoulders and the one-two strike. He also is asked to run the dive five to six times a game. Half of his 4.6 yards per rush come after initial contact. Seventeen years ago, the Warriors considered the shovel pass as a running play. In the current version of the run-and-shoot, the swing pass is the shovel’s descendant. It is a deceptively challenging throw because it comes late in the progression and is aimed at a space ahead of the receiver. Sims is 7-for-7 on catching swing passes from quarterback Brayden Schager.
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—3 Jalen Smith 6-0 220 So.
NB—28 Elijah Palmer 5-8 175 Fr.
CB—23 Virdel Edwards II 6-2 210 Sr.
S—1 Peter Manuma 6-0 190 So.
S—7 Meki Pei 5-11 185 Jr.
CB—4 Cam Stone 5-10 185 Sr.
Last year, Logan Taylor moved into the lineup when will linebacker Isaiah Tufaga suffered a season-ending injury. In August, teammates voted Taylor as one of five captains, three of whom were defensive players. After injuring his ACL this year, Taylor requested transferring his captain’s title to Tufaga, who was now playing mike linebacker. Coach Timmy Chang agreed. “It was Isaiah’s turn to be the leader,” Chang said. “It was important that when our vocal and spiritual leader (Taylor) goes down that another one steps up.” Taylor said it was a natural request. “Isaiah deserved it,” Taylor said. “He was the leader with or without the title.” Tufaga, a Saint Louis School graduate who transferred from Oregon State in 2019, has been effective in the box, on the edge, and in coverage. Last week, he amassed 12 tackles. In the past two games, no receiver he was defending was targeted in 22 plays. Tufaga said the biggest challenge of his new role is being more vocal. “He’s a guy who doesn’t talk much, but when he does, people listen,” Taylor said. Linebackers coach Chris Brown said Tufaga “does not yell or scream. He speaks from his heart. He’s all about passion.” The Warriors will receive a boost with nickelback Elijah Palmer’s return to good health. Cam Stone, who was a situational nickel in Palmer’s absence, will focus solely as a shut-down corner.
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—7 Steven McBride 6-1 165 Sr.
KR—0 Cam Stone 5-10 185 Sr.
Despite a groin ailment and food poisoning, kicker/punter Matthew Shipley has started all 43 games since joining the Warriors in 2020. Shipley has connected on nine of 10 field-goal attempts this season, only missing from 51 yards in an against-the-wind attempt. Shipley is 51-for-65 on career kicks. If he converts his next two, he will move ahead of Jason Elam as the program’s most accurate field-goal kicker.
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>> Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday Ching Complex
>> TV: Pay-per-view
>> Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
>> Line: Spartans-101⁄2
