How they matchup: Hawaii at Stanford in football season opener

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Crocs, Pokemon cards and kendamas never go out of style in Hawaii. And neither does the Warriors’ four-wide offense, In video sessions with offensive newcomers, receivers coach Jared Ursua shows old footage of the Warriors’ passing game. “We’ve been doing this since January,” Ursua said of clips of former UH QBs Dan Robinson, Nick Rolovich, Timmy Chang, Colt Brennan, Bryant Moniz and Cole McDonald. “We are who we are, we do what we do, and this system has always worked.” QB1 Micah Alejado has been starring in recent remakes, deciphering defenses ahead of the snap, releasing passes within 2.2 seconds, and throwing to targeted areas on the receivers’ routes. “Micah’s a special quarterback,” said Chang, the UH head coach who calls the offensive plays. “He understands our offense, and he understands what teams are trying to do against us.” Ursua has implored the receivers to read the coverages correctly “so Micah can throw at a high level based on our indicators, which is what the run-and-shoot is based off.” Alejado has shown toughness, playing through injuries to his right ankle last season. He did not participate in contact drills ahead of the Hawaii Bowl, during which he completed 69.6% of his throws for 274 yards and three TDs. Last season, the Warriors scored on 46.1% of Alejado’s full drives. Slotbacks Blaze Kamoku, Tama Uiliata, Audric Harris, Kainoa “Kaikai” Carvalho, Titan Lacaden and Koa Eldredge are reliable inside receivers. Devin Alves, Tre’ Griffiths and Carson Brown are tall and fast wideouts. With running back Landon Sims’ graduation, Cam Barfield will get the bulk of the reps. Barfield did not fumble while averaging 9.1 touches as a running back, receiver and returner. Left tackle Boogie Henderson’s emergence enabled Dean Briski to move to the right side. At 6-6 and 345 pounds, Oregon transfer Lipe Moala is mobile on pulls.

Three years ago, in his first season as UH’s defensive coordinator, Dennis Thurman kept intact the 4-2-5 scheme the Warriors ran under Corey Batoon in 2019 and Jacob Yoro in 2023. In 2024, Thurman incorporated some of the attacking schemes he used when he was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens and DC with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. “Once we clicked his second year, he let it all loose,” mike linebacker Wynden Ho‘ohuli said of Thurman. Kona Moore, who has overcome a variety of injuries, and Matagi Thompson are succeeding safeties Peter Manuma and Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen. “Main focus is staying healthy,” said Moore, who relies on stretching as part of his prehab. Ho‘ohuli and Jamih Otis have switched linebacker jobs. Ho‘ohuli is now the middle, often working in tandem with nickelback Elijah Palmer. As the renamed dime linebacker, Otis often has isolation assignments, which enable him to use his speed in the flats and to break off for direct aim at running backs. Ho‘ohuli and Otis will take turns as play-callers. The Warriors will miss Jackie Johnson III’s pass rushing, but Lester Lagafuaina is impactful off the edge. Ha‘aheo Dela Cruz, Spencer Elliott, Josh Sagapolutele and Adam Tomczyk play a more traditional four-front end. Dela Cruz, who has the freedom to play in either outside gap, is skilled in the zone-read game and in open space. Sagapolutele moved from D-tackle in spring ball. Once again, the Warriors will rotate the interior linemen. “It feels like real football down there,” nose tackle Elijah Williams said. “I love the trenches. We have the mindset of playing violent at the point and holding gaps.” West Georgia transfer Geoffrey Speight is regarded as having the strongest punch — shoves to provide elbow room from blockers — among the D-linemen. West Georgia’s lighter line relied on stunts and cross movements. “Hawaii is made on being physical,” Speight said. “Everyone on this team is physical and ready to go.”

Last summer, Sean Olvera-Harle was challenging for the point-scoring kicker’s job until Kansei Matsuzawa found his groove and went off on a record-setting run. Olvera-Harle always had the leg strength, clearing 65-yard FGs in practice, but worked to refine his accuracy. Olvera-Harle will handle all place-kicking duties. Billy Gowers’ departure opened the way for newcomer punters Gehrig Heil (from Texas) and Gannon Miller (from Air Force Prep Academy). Heil, who moonlights as the holder, is skilled at placing punts. Miller’s hang times are nearly five seconds.

As a Michigan freshman in 2022, QB Davis Warren got his feet wet, literally, in his college debut against Hawaii. The start of that game at the Big House was delayed because of a thunderstorm. After missing last season with an ACL injury, Warren transferred to Stanford for a fresh start under new leadership. Head coach Tavita Pritchard, who guided QB Jayden Daniels as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator, returns to his alma mater. While embracing analytics, Pritchard is true to the Cardinal’s rule of establishing the run. Terry Heffernan, who coached Virginia’s O-line and run game, was hired as OC. Last week, Warren was named QB1 because of his experience, intelligence and toughness. In nine career starts, Warren averaged 2.89 yards per non-sack scramble and keeper. He has zero rushing TDs in 18 career games. But Warren has shown eye discipline, focusing on routes while sensing the pass rush. “I’m probably not the most elusive quarterback in the country, I’m pretty sure of that,” Warren said. “It’s in the job description to stand in there and take some hits and make some throws. … And the ability to just that no-flinch mentality.” Through former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, Warren learned the patience — and toughness — to take a hit but still deliver “that now-or-never throw.” Micah Ford is an aggressive running back who favors dives (68 rushes between the guards), breaking tackles (averages 4.08 post-contact yards), and extending stiff-armed shoves. Ford fumbled once in 145 official carries last season while not being penalized. The Cardinal return starters at guard, tackle and tight end. Fisher Anderson started 10 games at center, but indications are Harvard transfer Aidan Kilstrom will take over the snapping and block calls. Kilstrom is skilled at turnout blocks, particularly pinning a defensive tackle on counter runs. Warren described Kilstrom as the “spearhead” of the O-line.

After being burned for 288.9 passing yards per game, the Cardinal hired Kris Richard as director of defense. Richard was a defensive back for five NFL seasons and a coach for another 13. As the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, he also led the secondary known as the Legion of Boom. Richard’s goal was to implement a fast-and-furious defense that would harass quarterbacks and force turnovers. The Cardinal picked off three passes last season. With an experienced secondary, led by returning cornerbacks Brandon Nicholson and Aaron Morris, Richard is expected to use the Legion’s cover-3 schemes. Jay Green, who had a team-high eight breakups, can be used as a nickelback, nickel-corner and middle safety in a three-umbrella look. The Cardinal also are switching from an odd front to a four-man base. “Everything starts up front,” said Zach Rowell, who moves from heavy end in the three-man front to defensive tackle. “You’re going to see the defensive line play at a new speed.” The interior D-linemen will move from point-of-attack holders to gap attackers. “”You’re going to see a lot of guys getting vertical in the backfield,” Rowell said of the energized pass rush. Last year, Rowell was an elite run stopper. But this season, he worked on pass rushing, a challenging task because of the crowded trenches. “Interior is a completely different game, a much faster game,” Rowell said. “You’ve got to be able to take on the double teams.” Linebacker Matt Rose, who made a team-high 106 tackles in 2025, including three sacks and eight backfield stops, is key to Richard’s accelerated schemes “Matt Rose is a football player,” Pritchard said. “He understands the game of football. … I expect Matt to come out here and play really, really fast and really decisively, because that’s who he is.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree and working toward a master’s, kicker Emmet Kenney decided to remain at Stanford for the 2025 season. In a double hana hou, Kenney also is sticking around for a sixth season. Kenney connected on 16 of 21 FG attempts and all 21 PAT kicks in 2025. He has missed only one PAT in 56 career attempts. Aidan Flintoft is back as Kenney’s holder and Stanford’s punter.

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