HONOLULU — Chevan Cordeiro still doesn’t know exactly how to feel about this homecoming. What he knows is this: Once the first snap clears the center at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, it won't matter anymore.
“I just hope it’s a loud crowd. I just hope there’s a lot of fans there,” Cordeiro told Hawaii media this week. “I don’t really know if they’re going to boo me or whatever. At the end of the day I’m going to block it out and be focused on the game and what I need to do to get my team in the right spot to win.”
The San Jose State senior quarterback is at the center of an intriguing matchup between his current and former teams. He has old teammates on one side and the people he feels he’s come of age with on the other.
For struggling UH, Cordeiro is a living, breathing reminder of a pivotal moment in recent program history. It was Cordeiro, the soft-spoken dual threat from Kalaepohaku, who effectively started a landslide of events when he decided to enter the transfer portal to get out from under then-UH coach Todd Graham following the 2021 season.
Other prominent defections followed, eventually leading to a state senate hearing about Graham’s coaching methods, resulting in his resignation one week later.
That vacuum allowed another Saint Louis School graduate and ex-UH quarterback, Timmy Chang, to be hired for his first career head coaching job.
It’s been a dire rebuild. UH is 5-16 entering this homecoming weekend.
Cordeiro, who led the Spartans to a 27-14 win over UH at CEFCU Stadium in 2022, is aware of his role in the grand scheme and stands by his decision. He bears no ill will to those who stayed at UH amid the exodus.
“All the people that left had to leave for everything to change,” he said. “We didn’t expect anyone to follow us. It was more of, hopefully they make a coaching change and everyone that stays finds the love of the game again.”
This week, Chang found himself game-planning against the person who inadvertently cleared the way for him to be there, though he didn’t say that explicitly.
“Chevan’s a good player and a better person. Our team and myself have a relationship with Chevan, and he’s been good, and he’s a good young man as well,” Chang said. “Best of luck to him. We want to win this game and I know he wants to win this game. It’s going to be a good battle.”
Cordeiro’s arrival comes at an unsteady moment for the Rainbow Warriors (2-6, 0-3 Mountain West), who are last in the conference after last week’s demoralizing 42-21 blowout loss at New Mexico.
There have been defections. Running back Jordan Johnson became the latest to enter the transfer portal this week as UH has struggled mightily to generate any offense on the ground.
Cordeiro, meanwhile, has always had the ability to take off to make something happen, either on a scramble or designed run.
Cordeiro is already the Mountain West career leader in touchdowns responsible for, with 104 (79 passing, 25 rushing) from his combined time at UH and SJSU. The previous record-holder was BYU’s Max Hall with 101.
His 12,685 total yards gained is second only to Boise State’s Brett Rypien; he could own that one too in a few more games.
Center Eliki Tanuvasa said the smack talk will fly Saturday between himself and his old Saint Louis quarterback and UH road roommate.
“Chev, that’s my braddah. That was my quarterback since I was eighth grade,” Tanuvasa said. “We were together all the way up to college. He’s doing his thing and I’m happy for him. It’s going to be good fun.”
Thanks to a COVID year and a redshirt year, Cordeiro played a full career worth for the Rainbow Warriors; he made 23 starts for UH from 2018 to 2021, and became the only player in program history to tally 6,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards.
He led the Spartans to a 7-5 record in 2022, including an appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
SJSU is 3-5 (2-2 Mountain West) in 2023. It opened the season with back-to-back losses against ranked Pac-12 teams USC and Oregon State to open the year, but has found its balanced offense in recent weeks, scoring an average of 47 points in wins over New Mexico and Utah State.
Cordeiro, the preseason MWC Offensive Player of the Year, has had to step out of his comfort zone and become a vocal presence for the Spartans – something he was reluctant to do last year as a newcomer.
It mirrored the overall growth he said he experienced living away from home.
“I grew up as a person, on the field and outside (football). Whether it’s having to cook or do my laundry, all the small things I didn’t do when I was living in Hawaii because I was living with my parents,” Cordeiro said.
Still, one of the things he was looking forward to most in Hawaii was his father’s steak and beans.
He’ll have a full complement of the Cordeiro clan at the Ching Complex, in contrast to his close family that travels to the Bay Area for his home games.
The winner of Saturday’s game will get the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. The Spartans have held it since 2020.
The 1973 Rainbow football team will be honored at the game for its 50th anniversary. Coach Dave Holmes’ team went 9-2, including the memorable 10-7 win at Washington.
Correction: A previous version of the story listed UH lineman Eliki Tanuvasa by an incorrect position.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.