Hawaii coach Timmy Chang going back to his offensive roots

Jul. 16—In nine days, the University of Hawaii football team's reset button will be activated.

In nine days, the University of Hawaii football team's reset button will be activated.

The July 25 opening of training camp will have these two certainties :—The run-and-shoot offense will be fully installed, with head coach Timmy Chang taking over the play calling.—Brayden Schager, a junior from the Dallas area, will enter as the undisputed starting quarterback.

"Brayden's had some really good, tough football the last two years, " Chang said. "I think coming into this year, it's a fresh restart. He's going to surprise a lot of people."

Schager, who is 6 feet 3, has gained 10 to 15 pounds and weighed between 225-230 during player-run-practices this summer. Dan "Smooth " Morrison, who was UH's quarterbacks coach for nine years through the 2007 regular season, and quarterback whisperer Vinny Passas have worked with Schager on footwork, rocking motion, defensive deciphering and release. Morrison, who lives in Dallas, is set to visit Hawaii this month.

Chang describes Schager as an "adopted son of Hawaii " who has immersed himself in team and community activities.

"That's what you see with the great ones—from Dan Robinson to Nick Rolovich to Colt Brennan, " Chang said of mainland transplants who developed into standout UH quarterbacks. "You want to see Brayden be the key guy with a role in the community and our football team."

As a record-setting quarterback at Saint Louis School and UH, Chang experienced the adulation—and demanding expectations—of being QB1.

"He'll feel it with the community, " Chang said of Schager. "At the same time, it's one of those things he can't control other than the actions on the field and how he handles himself off the field. His everyday actions and character have to show. And it really has to show with his play—how he distributes the ball and gets the ball into playmakers' hands. It means a lot when he deflects the attention and gives credit to his teammates."

In reviewing last year's initial season as head coach, Chang admittedly spent the first six months focused on evaluating talent, bridging community relations and building support for the Warriors. "Taking over the job, " said Chang, who was hired on Jan. 22, 2022, "it required me to be away from X's and O's a little bit."

Ian Shoemaker, who was the architect of a prolific offense at Eastern Washington, implemented a hybrid offense. "There's more than one way to do things correctly, and that's where going into another offense with Coach Shoemaker was really exciting to see, " Chang said.

But after five games, Chang decided to go back to what the Warriors had done best in the past. He began introducing elements of the four-wide offense that he ran at Saint Louis and UH.

"You're tallying almost 10-plus years of being in it, " Chang said of the run-and-shoot, in which read-and-attack routes are counters to defensive coverages. "And having coached it, you see the other side of it. It's something I truly believe in. And that's why I'm going with it. As I went on to coach and been in other offenses, I still lived by its principles."

Chang called the plays as offensive coordinator at Jackson State in 2014 and 2015, and Emory & Henry in 2016. For four seasons at Nevada, he was in the booth during games, relaying observations on coverages and defensive vulnerabilities to head coach Jay Norvell.

"Being (Norvell's ) eyes in the sky, " Chang said of calling plays, "it's familiar to me."

Of the run-and-shoot, Chang added, "it's an offense I've been in a long time. This is what I know. This is my roots. The know-with-all about a play and where the ball should go and how it should go there is there for me."

In this version of the run-and-shoot, a tight end—Grayson Morgan or Devon Tauafa—might be used as one of the slot receivers. Shoemaker, who will be Chang's "eyes in the sky " during games, will coach the tight ends. Special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield will assist receivers coach Jared Ursua. Roman Sapolu, who was promoted to co-offensive coordinator, will continue to coach the offensive line. In the spring, Sapolu went to Texas to learn some of the run-and-shoot's blocking tactics from Dennis McKnight, a former UH O-line coach.

Of his first season, Chang said, "you learn how to handle a team. You learn how to be a head coach. You gain that experience. You learn about your team. You learn about your support system, and all the different things the job entails and needs to reach that goal of winning."

Chang also said he had to make decisions on personnel and playing time. "What helps me make these tough decisions—whether it's with a quarterback or staff member—they're made in the interest and betterment of the team, " Chang said. "It's part of the job. The toughest part of the job is saying 'no' to someone or to a decision. Or to go in another direction. You start to learn real quick that you've got to make that decision—whether it's tough or an easy one, whatever—and you've got to go with it. And it better be in the best interest of this team winning."