HONOLULU — Normalcy was all relative for Todd Graham and the Hawaii football program on the opening day of the 2022 early signing period Wednesday.
The Rainbow Warriors announced nine signings — and said they expect a few more before the period closes Friday — in what was presented as a step back toward standard operations in the college football recruiting circuit.
Yet it came on a day that ex-UH quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, who entered the transfer portal soon after the close of the 2021 regular season, officially signed with Mountain West Conference rival San Jose State, a team that UH meets annually in the same division.
Graham spoke only about the players his team gained, and not the ones it lost early — a group that, besides Cordeiro, included starting running back Dae Dae Hunter going to Liberty.
“It was so awesome to have official visits and to actually go through the recruiting process, to actually get out and be able to meet people and have our players be able to interact, and have somewhat of a normal process in recruiting,” Graham told Hawaii media on a Zoom call.
But, he added, “Recruiting is something that’s completely changed and will be ongoing through the spring.”
The defensive secondary was a big emphasis in the first crop of official signees. Of the nine, four are either cornerbacks or safeties.
In 2020, there was no high school football season in Hawaii due to the coronavirus pandemic threat. At the college level, recruiting visits were not allowed that year. This year, UH placed an emphasis on having its returning players spend as much time as possible with visiting recruits.
Graham was asked if recent reports on turmoil in the UH locker room affected recruiting.
“No, I think our players have done a tremendous job,” he replied. “What we do is just be transparent, and be honest with people. That’s what we’ve done. I think our players have done a tremendous job when the players have come here and over a period of time developed a relationship so they feel comfortable and they know what we’re all about.”
Graham was asked how the football transfer portal changed the recruiting dynamic and about the loss of Cordeiro specifically. Graham did not mention his former quarterback in his response.
“At the end of the day, you want what’s best for players,” Graham said. “But the jury’s still out on all that, if it’s good for football. It’s going to have to be studied. … You can’t look at recruiting anything like before.” He added that a large percentage of the players who give up a scholarship to enter the transfer portal do not successfully find a scholarship elsewhere.
Graham said the group that was made official Wednesday amounted to about “a third” of the UH recruiting for the 2022 class. He went on to list a host of needs that included a quarterback, two running backs, two playmaker wide receivers, a tight end, and some more defensive backs and edge rushers.
UH got two local recruits with its signees Wednesday — Saint Louis seniors Kona Moore and Ethan Spencer, who were two of four players at a signing ceremony at the Crusaders’ campus, along with San Diego State-bound Laakea Kapoi and Arizona-bound Jonah Savaiinaea.
They all overcame the lack of a season in their junior year to get enough attention to make the next level.
“It took a toll on my recruiting process,” the cornerback Moore told Spectrum News Hawaii of the challenges the last two years, “especially missing my whole junior year. But I finally got the school I wanted and being able to play in front of home, it’s a dream come true.”
He said he had a good impression of Graham from his official recruiting visit and a dinner at Graham’s house. He's expected to play safety at UH.
Spencer, a center, has hiked the ball to AJ Bianco this season en route to the HHSAA Open Division semifinals on Saturday. Bianco has verbally committed to play with the Rainbow Warriors but elected not to sign in the early period. The quarterback was at the signing ceremony Wednesday along with other teammates.
“For sure, for sure,” Spencer said of hoping Bianco still goes to UH. “I’m hoping he takes his time, though. I’m hoping he eventually stays home.”
Three local players that were announced previously will grayshirt and join the 2022 class: cornerback Matagi Thompson of Punahou; linebacker Peter Manuma of Campbell; and linebacker Sonny Semeatu of Mililani.
UH plays Memphis in the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.
UH’s new signees Wednesday were:
- Cam’ron Bell, 6-1, 195, junior defensive back, College of the Canyons (Calif.)
- Tylan Hines, 5-8, 170, freshman running back, Plano Senior High (Texas)
- Noah Kema, 6-2, 235, junior linebacker, Snow College (Utah)
- Chigozie Anusiem, 6-1, 205, junior defensive back, California
- Virdel Edwards II, 6-1, 205, sophomore defensive back, Iowa State
- Malachi Finau, 6-2, 285, freshman defensive lineman, St. John Bosco High (Calif.)
- Kona Moore, 6-1, 185, freshman defensive back, Saint Louis School
- Ethan Spencer, 6-1, 285, freshman offensive lineman, Saint Louis School
- Junior Ta’ase, 6-4, 320, freshman offensive lineman, Aquinas High (Calif.)