HONOLULU — White-shirted offensive players – linemen, running backs and fellow receivers – coalesced around Pofele Ashlock and cheered as he marched into the end zone for an unopposed, simulated touchdown.
The Rainbow Warriors opened 2024 fall camp without suspended star receiver Steven McBride, but were determined not to let that dampen the mood at the first practice at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on Wednesday.
[Note: See below for more photos of Day 1 of UH football fall practices.]
“Just adjust. That’s what we do every day in football, the run-and-shoot (offense),” said Ashlock, who was UH’s other breakout receiving threat last year. “It’s one leader down, we all know that, but it’s one leader to step back up.”
McBride, a second-team All-Mountain West player who led UH in touchdowns (nine) and receiving yards (1,024) in 2023, was arrested last weekend on an accusation of abuse of a family member. It was initially classified as a felony but reportedly was downgraded to two misdemeanors.
It is unclear how much time the senior from Napoleonville, La., will miss, or if he will return at all. He remains on the roster.
“I can’t talk about any of the details, nor do I know a lot of the details,” Timmy Chang said to media at the close of the third camp-opening practice as head coach of his alma mater.
Ashlock and starting quarterback Brayden Schager said McBride has their unequivocal support as they ready for a potentially pivotal year for Chang and his staff coming off a 5-8 (3-5 Mountain West) campaign.
“That’s my guy and I’m just going to continue to pray for him and do everything I can to help him out,” Schager said. “Just texted him and sent him love. Along with all of us, we’ve just got to be good teammates and send him love during this time.”
Said Ashlock, “Prayers to Steven, whatever’s going on. Hope things go well in his favor. But … (we) understand that everybody has a role to play now – it’s a heightened role now. Whoever wants to take it, it’s there.”
UH has a month to prepare for its Week Zero game against Delaware State on Aug. 24.
The Rainbow Warriors are laden with returnees, including several receivers familiar with the run-and-shoot.
Chang said Ashlock, third-year sophomore Alex Perry (6 feet 5, 195 pounds) and sixth-year senior Jonah Panoke (6-1, 200) will be counted on in that regard. He also mentioned Kentucky transfer Dekel Crowdus (5-11, 170) and Nevada transfer Spencer Curtis (5-11, 180) as important additions.
In addition, former running back Tylan Hines (5-7, 175) is now at wideout coming off a redshirt season.
“Those guys are getting better and I look forward to watching them go out and compete,” Chang said. “The group is deeper, and they’re older. They have more experience in this offense. I expect them to do well.”
Schager is locked in as the No. 1 quarterback coming off his first full year in the run-and-shoot attack. He led the Mountain West with 3,542 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes.
The Texas native said his confidence within the offense is at its highest to date, considering a mentor, Dan Morrison, is UH’s new quarterbacks coach, and thinking on all his invested time of trial and error.
Schager pointed to the end of the 2023 season, when UH won three of its last four. Doing everything with high energy is the key, he said.
“We learned that we’re going to bring the juice, on defense and offense. It’s kind of a mind-set change … we brought into the spring, today and the whole offseason.”
One of the intriguing battles of camp will be that of backup quarterback. Last year’s No. 2, senior Jake Ferrell, is in a competition with redshirt freshman John-Keawe Sagapolutele and true freshman Micah Alejado to be the top relief for Schager.
Chang said he will add a scout team quarterback to the roster in the coming days. He plans to give the three reserves extra reps over the first 10 practices before shifting the workload to Schager and naming a backup.
Chang shook up the staff in the offseason.
Besides Morrision, new UH coaches from last year are Dennis Thurman as defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach; Derek Faavi as offensive line coach; Jeff Reinebold as defensive tackles coach, Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson as defensive ends coach; Anthony Arceneax as running backs coach; and Nick Locher as safeties coach. Linebackers coach Chris Brown assumed the title of associate head coach from special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield.
The UH defense regained a familiar voice on the field in that of senior linebacker and captain Logan Taylor, who missed the last 10 games of 2023 and spring practice with an ACL tear.
“It’s great to have Logan back,” junior safety Peter Manuma said. “Hearing his voice, it’s always going to hype you up no matter what. Having him out there, it’s like a race, a high-motor race, whoever keeps their energy the highest gets to that ball first.”
UH Athletics is working on a collaboration with Manoa Upper Campus for a tailgating section for the seven home games of the 2024 season.
Season ticket holders would have first priority an undisclosed number of upper-campus stalls, but several details still need to be hammered out and success is not assured, Athletic Director Craig Angelos told Spectrum News.
“It’s still being discussed seriously,” Angelos said. “We’re just looking at all the final pieces as it relates to cost, liability … we hope to have a decision here soon. It’s still in play.
“We realize the season is getting closer every day.”
Independent of a final decision on tailgating, UH plans to do this year’s pregame activities along the Legacy Path that runs from Dole Street and stops before Campus Center. It would include a beer garden, Angelos said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with video of Coach Timmy Chang speaking to media shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Brian McInnis. (July 24, 2024)
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that UH's pregame celebrations along the Legacy Path will go in the direction of Campus Center but not extend as far as Varney Circle.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.