The Hawaii football team checked in at 10th of 12 teams in the Mountain West preseason poll announced Wednesday at the conference’s preseason media days in Las Vegas.
UH, which will begin its second season under coach Timmy Chang with a game at Vanderbilt on Aug. 26, received 102 points from 37 voters to place ahead of only Nevada (92) and New Mexico (60).
Boise State was picked to win the conference with 28 first-place votes and 433 points.
It is the first season of the new MWC format with no divisions. The top two teams in winning percentage will meet for the conference championship after the eight-game regular season.
The Rainbow Warriors were 3-10 overall and 2-6 in the MWC in Chang’s first season of 2022.
UH plans to implement a full return of the run-and-shoot offense this season after dabbling in some concepts introduced at midseason last year. UH is being represented by Chang, linebacker Logan Taylor and offensive lineman Eliki Tanuvasa at this week's two-day media event at the Circa Resort and Casino.
"Just letting our young receivers know like, man, this could really be special," Tanuvasa, a team captain, told the MWC in a video interview. "Just the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of what made Hawaii great back in the day. It’s great we have those inspirations and people we can look up to. We can follow the plan. We know it can work. Now it’s just believing in ourselves, executing."
UH has starting quarterback Brayden Schager returning for his junior season. As a sophomore, he threw for 2,348 yards on 55% completions with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Taylor, who led UH in tackles last season with 85, said UH is prepared to learn from its mistakes that cost it several close games last season. Chang has "implemented the little things" and is a true players' coach that has boosted the team's maturity, Taylor said.
"We want to win for this guy. The love he’s showing us, we want to show that same love to him," Taylor said. "Games we lost, that’s football. But it’s one mistake, two mistakes. It’s the little things that’s going to push us to the next level."
No returning UH players were named to the preseason all-conference team. Cornerback Cam Stone, a Wyoming transfer, was UH’s only representative.
Former UH quarterback Chevan Cordeiro was named the preseason MWC offensive player of the year for San Jose State. Cordeiro was an All-MWC second-team pick at quarterback last season after he threw for career highs of 3,251 yards and 23 touchdowns. The Spartans were picked to finish fifth.
2023 Mountain West Predicted Order of Finish
Rk. Team (first-place votes) – Points
1. Boise State (28) – 433
2. Air Force (2) – 364
3. Fresno State (5) – 351
4. San Diego State (1) – 338
5. San José State – 293
6. Wyoming – 281
7. Colorado State – 201
8. Utah State – 194
9. UNLV (1) – 177
10. Hawaii – 102
11. Nevada – 92
12. New Mexico – 60
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.