HONOLULU — Timmy Chang rang in the new year with a staff shakeup.

The Hawaii football coach announced Tuesday afternoon that three assistant coaches – Ian Shoemaker, Eti Ena and Steve Irvin – are not being retained for the 2024 season. Two of them, Shoemaker and Ena, served as coordinators.

They were the first changes announced to the staff since UH finished the 2023 season, Chang’s second, at 5-8. The Rainbow Warriors won three of their last four games but finished short of a primary goal, making a bowl game.

Shoemaker, a former Eastern Washington offensive coordinator who oversaw some gaudy numbers at the FCS level, was brought in by UH to be its O.C. shortly after Chang, a first-time head coach, was hired by then-athletic director David Matlin. Shoemaker and Chang did not know each other prior to his hire and the UH job was Shoemaker’s first at the FBS level.

UH ran a hybrid offense with a muddled identity in 2022 and struggled to produce throughout a 3-10 year with just 19.8 points per game and 342.8 yards per game.

Shoemaker’s role diminished in 2023 as offensive line coach Roman Sapolu was promoted to co-offensive coordinator, and Chang took over play-calling duties as UH shifted to a modified version of the traditional run-and-shoot offense. Chang also assumed coaching of the quarterbacks from Shoemaker, who shifted to tight ends.

The numbers improved, but not significantly: UH averaged 21.4 points (106th of 130 FBS teams) and 352.5 yards of offense (88th) in 2023, while allowing 32.2 points (109th) and 385.3 yards (72nd) to opponents.

Like Shoemaker, Ena came in from EWU, where he was a defensive coordinator. He was defensive line coach in 2022 and promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2023, a role he shared with Jacob Yoro, the safeties coach.

Irvin, a journeyman coach, was brought in to replace staff veteran Abraham Elimimian as cornerbacks coach before the 2023 season.

UH posted positions for defensive coordinator and assistant coach on its jobs website on Tuesday. Applications will begin to be reviewed Jan. 8.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.