HONOLULU — D.J. Uiagalelei was a signing day mirage for the Hawaii football team.
What was tangible for the Rainbow Warriors on Wednesday was the haul of 26 players that put pen to paper to play on the islands for the 2023 season. It was progress toward replenishing the 13 starters that exhausted their eligibility at the end of a 3-10 campaign in Manoa, Timmy Chang’s first as a head coach.
“There’s some exciting developmental guys mixed in with some immediate impact, need guys, and that’s really what our team needs,” Chang told local media of his first full recruiting class during a Zoom call. “It’s going to get a spark and when we line up in August, it’ll definitely be a different-looking team than when we left San Jose on that Thanksgiving weekend (with a season-ending loss).”
Uiagalelei, a former five-star recruit at St. John Bosco High and an ex-Clemson starting quarterback, generated a lot of buzz in local fan circles Tuesday night when a report circulated online that Hawaii was a possible destination for him out of the NCAA transfer portal.
But nothing materialized on Wednesday. The only quarterback UH added in the haul was Punahou’s John-Keawe Sagapolutele, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Open Division offensive player of the year who had verbally committed back in August.
If UH was seriously in the chase for Uiagalelei, Chang betrayed very little Wednesday as he indicated the team was standing pat with returning starter Brayden Schager.
“The quarterback position is sewed up,” he said to a question about need at the position from Spectrum News. “Right now, we’re really happy with what we have in the room.”
Chang said he targeted three positions early in the 2022 season: defensive linemen, offensive tackles and cornerbacks.
UH came away with 12 linemen — including eight on defense — and six defensive backs.
Chang credited his staff for targeting players who either have an outright local tie or a personality that fits the island culture.
Size and length were prioritized, Chang said, pointing to 6-foot-4 Honolulu native and California transfer Patrick Hisatake, 6-4 East Carolina transfer Elijah Robinson, 307-pound Washington transfer Kuao Peihopa, a Kamehameha alumnus; and 6-4 Zoram Petelo of Kaysville, Utah. Kansas transfer Steven McBride, a 6-1 receiver, has length, Chang said, as does 6-4 freshman Maclane Watkins of Buckley, Wash.
“It takes a certain type of guys to want to be here and represent the state,” he said. “We want guys who want to be here, to represent who we are as a people and a culture.” UH has additional scholarships to award, Chang said, if desired players emerge.
There are five signees coming directly to UH from Hawaii high schools: Sagapolutele; defensive end Ha‘aheo Dela Cruz (Iolani); offensive lineman Isaac Maugaleoo (Campbell); defensive back Makana Meyer (Mililani); and receiver Liatama Uiliata (Waipahu), the consensus state offensive player of the year.
Three starting defensive players at powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas made good to their commitment to UH and their former defensive coordinator, Chris Brown, who is now a UH linebackers coach: defensive lineman Aiden McComber, linebacker Jamih Otis and safety Elijah Palmer.
After losing several players to fellow Mountain West teams amid the Todd Graham fallout after the 2021 season, UH plucked one from a competitor this time; Cam Stone was a starting defensive back at Wyoming.
One of the most interesting pickups of the class was also the first announced by UH, because of his position across the International Date Line; Eddie Osei-Nketia of Australia is a world-class sprinter who owns the 100 meter dash record in New Zealand at 10.08 seconds.
The 6-5 Osei-Nketia will compete at receiver.
Spectrum News caught up with a few players with local ties who signed with the Rainbow Warriors Wednesday.
Sagapolutele
Sagapolutele did a signing ceremony with his cousin Josiah Timoteo, a Nevada recruit at offensive line out of Waianae High, at Timoteo’s house in Waianae while they simultaneously preparing for a loved one’s funeral.
“It felt really good for me. I was just happy that my parents were able to take a load off their shoulders now that I was able to make it official,” said Sagapolutele, the older brother of Campbell quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. “It also motivated me to keep working hard and keep getting better. The journey only starts here.”
The 6-2 Sagapolutele threw for 2,384 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a senior in helping the Buffanblu to the Open Division state championship game, where they lost to Kahuku. He completed 67.3% of his throws.
Chang said Wednesday that UH continues to move toward a run-and-shoot offensive system.
“I feel like Punahou has prepared me, even though we don’t technically run the run-and-shoot, but a lot of plays that we do are similar to what UH is starting to head into,” Sagapolutele said. “So, I feel it did a really good job of prepare me and my ability to stay in the pocket as well as play-action, or RPOs. I’m just excited and ready to head into Coach (offensive coordinator Ian) Shoemaker’s system, and just go on from there.”
Dela Cruz
Dela Cruz did a no-drama signing after verbally committing to UH back in the summer when he got his first scholarship offer.
“It was the only offer I got, but the only offer I needed,” the 6-3, 217-pound edge rusher told Spectrum News.
The last few days of “Braddahhood” commitments on social media only reinforced the decision.
“It’s really cool that people want the same dream that the coaches preach and what I want for the state of Hawaii and for the team,” he said. “It’s going to be great.”
The All-ILH selection had a blocked punt and a sack in a league-clinching win over Damien. As a junior in the Division I state title game against Lahainaluna, he had two sacks among four tackles for loss.
Dela Cruz took note of the company he’ll have among the UH signing class.
“A lot of strong commits at that position. I’m excited just to join them,” he said.
He said he’ll continue to work on his burst leading into summer workouts.
“Quickness is the name of the game nowadays,” he said. “Just being quick off the line and getting a good jump off the ball.”
Uiliata
Uiliata was the overall surprise of the 2022 Hawaii high school football season as he seamlessly switched between receiver, safety, and later, quarterback. He nearly willed the Marauders to the Division I state title, only bowing out against Konawaena in the title game after making a remarkable mid-game comeback from an ankle injury.
The last surprise was that UH had a full ride waiting for him after the talk was that he’d be asked to walk on. The caveat: He will greyshirt the 2023 season and start his eligibility clock in 2024.
If it all felt like a dream for the rare D-I prospect from his school, it might’ve been because he had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready for a 7 a.m. signing ceremony in the Waipahu High library with his coaches, family and counselors.
“It took a while for me to snap back into reality – it kind of felt like a dream. But I’m blessed to have this opportunity to play at UH Manoa,” Uiliata said.
UH’s interest began in the playoffs, he said, and culminated in an offer during state championship week around Thanksgiving.
He said playing at the next level wasn’t a goal before his senior year “but I had faith that somebody like UH (would take notice),” he said.
Uiliata accounted for 2,817 yards of offense and 32 touchdowns as a senior after playing exclusively on the other side of the ball as a junior. He threw for 1,255 yards, 13 touchdowns and two interceptions after filling in at signal-caller at midseason. He caught nine touchdown passes and ran for 10 more.
To boot, he had four interceptions as a defensive player.
Uiliata said he hoped he could be an inspiration for players in his community that didn’t think a college education was possible. He will use the greyshirt year to add muscle to his 5-11, 200-pound frame.
The complete list of signing day additions for UH:
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown / Last School
Josh Atkins OL 6-4 299 So. Arlington, Texas / Houston
Caleb Brown DB 6-1 165 Jr. Anniston, Ala. / Butler CC
Ha‘aheo Dela Cruz DL 6-3 217 Fr. Honolulu, O‘ahu / ‘Iolani School
Junior Fiaui LB 6-3 200 Fr. San Josè, Calif. / St. Francis HS
Patrick Hisatake DL 6-5 240 So. Honolulu, O‘ahu / California
Kaleb Jackson-Carter OL 6-4 280 Fr. Laveen, Ariz. / Desert Edge HS
Josh Jerome DL 6-1 280 Gr. Monroe, Wash. / Eastern Washington
Isaac Maugaleoo OL 6-7 320 Fr. ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu / Campbell HS
Steven McBride WR 6-1 170 Sr. Napoleonville, La. / Kansas
Aiden McComber DL 6-0 265 Fr. Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman HS
Makana Meyer DB 5-11 190 Fr. Waipahu, O‘ahu / Mililani HS
Eddie Osei-Nketia WR 6-5 210 Fr. Canberra, Australia / Scots College
Jamih Otis LB 5-10 224 Fr. Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman HS
Elijah Palmer DB 5-9 174 Fr. Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman HS
Kuao Peihopa DL 6-3 307 So. Honolulu, O‘ahu / Washington
Vaifanua Peko LB 6-3 220 Fr. Laulii, American Samoa / Samoana HS
Freddie Pelling OL 6-8 305 So. Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England / Garden City CC
Zoram Petelo DL 6-4 229 Fr. Kaysville, Utah / Layton Christian Academy
Elijah Robinson DL 6-4 250 Gr. Wilmington, N.C. / East Carolina
John-Keawe Sagapolutele QB 6-2 211 Fr. ‘Ewa Beach, O‘ahu / Punahou School
Justin Sinclair DB 5-10 187 Jr. East Palo Alto, Calif. / College of San Mateo
Cam Stone DB 5-10 181 Sr. Angleton, Texas / Wyoming
Li‘atama Uilata WR 5-11 200 Fr. Waipahu, O‘ahu / Waipahu HS
Maclane Watkins WR 6-4 170 Fr. Buckley, Wash. / Kennedy Catholic HS
CJ Williams DB 5-8 181 Jr. Quincy, Fla. / Shasta College
Daniel Williams DL 5-11 339 Jr. San Antonio, Texas / Trinity Valley CC