Timmy Chang went through the gauntlet of questions directed at any head coach on Day 2 of Mountain West media days.
Chang had an opportunity to lay out his vision for his sophomore season at the helm. He talked up the return of the run-and-shoot offense. And he touched upon several specific players: UH’s captains at Circa Resort and Casino, Eliki Tanuvasa and Logan Taylor; incumbent quarterback Brayden Schager; and Wyoming transfer Cam Stone, a cornerback who was named to the All-MWC preseason team.
He saved his highest praise for Tylan Hines.
“Tylan is a special player for us,” Chang said Thursday during a question-and-answer video session with the Mountain West. “I really think he’s the dark horse in this conference to be probably the top guy, because he’s so dynamic.”
Hines, a 5-foot-7 sophomore from Mount Pleasant, Texas, is still listed at running back on the UH website, but worked extensively at slotback during spring practices in February and March.
Hines was second for UH in rushing yardage (634) and all-purpose yardage (755) as a true freshman in 2022. He ranked second nationally among freshman backs with 7.6 yards per rushing attempt.
He showed his big-play ability with a 69-yard takeoff against Utah State and a 54-yard score at Michigan, and topped 100 yards rushing for the first time against Wyoming in the ninth game of the season while playing behind since-graduated Dedrick Parson. Both backs were All-MWC honorable mentions.
“(Hines is) a guy who has to touch the ball a certain amount of plays, and he’s your playmaker,” Chang said Thursday. “He can run between tackles. He’s shifty enough. He’s strong enough. But he’s also dynamic when you put him out there in space.
“We’ll use him in different ways and try and get him the ball. But he’s a special player for us and I expect him to do some big things.”
UH was picked to finish 10th of 12 teams in the conference in the preseason media poll announced Wednesday. The Rainbow Warriors were 3-10 (2-6 MWC) in Chang’s first season.
“Da Braddahhood” is still the tagline going into Year 2.
“I wouldn’t say it’s all perfect … but it’s a work in progress,” Chang said. “From where we were a year ago to where we are now, I can say I like where the guys are at, I like where that locker room’s at.
“It’s a young team, but at the same time, I think they’re growing into their own. The biggest thing now I think is the confidence and believing they can do it and seeing (that) they can do it if they haven’t done it before.”
UH football season ticket sales are underway with the school needing to pick up some ground to match last season’s mark at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
New UH Athletic Director Craig Angelos told Spectrum News that renewals were at 3,151 and new sales were at 525 as of Wednesday.
There were 4,150 season ticket sales at the Ching Complex for the 2022 season. UH needs 474 more to equal it. It recently announced a promotion for free season tickets for keiki ages 13 and younger with the purchase of a season ticket in the Ewa end zone.
UH is expanding the Ching Complex to 15,000 seats from 9,300 this season and also installed the 75-foot video screen from Aloha Stadium.
UH opens its seven-game home schedule on Sept. 1 against Stanford of the Pac-12.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.