Warriors motivated after 10th-place MWC prediction

LAS VEGAS >> The University of Hawaii football team earned an imperfect “10” from media covering the Mountain West Conference.
In polling of 36 media members, the Rainbow Warriors were predicted to finish 10th in the 12-school conference. The announcement was made Wednesday at the Mountain West Football Media Days at the Circa Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Head coach Timmy Chang, linebacker Logan Taylor and center Eliki Tanuvasa are representing UH.
“It’s a preseason judgment call,” Chang said. “It is what it is.”
The Warriors were 3-10 in 2022, Chang’s first season as head coach.
“You’re based off your past games and what you put on film and what you did last year,” Chang said. “I’ve got a lot of young guys on my team. It’s a time when you get to play these games soon and you get to prove yourself. … You’ve got to move forward and put out really good games, and maybe that changes the opinions of people who do vote.”
The Warriors open training camp Wednesday. Their first practice is on July 26. They open the season with the Aug. 26 road game against Vanderbilt.
“It’s motivation,” Taylor said of the UH prediction. “We’re fired up. We like to see that. We like to be underdogs. We’re going to take it one day at a time, and get better each and every day.”
Tanuvasa added: “We’re going to go out there and play hard no matter what anybody says. We’re going to keep playing for the brother next to us.”
Chang will call the offensive plays in the Warriors’ fully implemented run-and-shoot offense. The Warriors are returning to a four-wide scheme that Chang mastered as a record-setting quarterback at Saint Louis School and UH. This version often uses a tight end as one of the inside receivers.
Boise State was picked No. 1 with 28 first-place votes and 433 points. Air Force was second with two No. 1 votes and 364 points.
After having Mountain and West divisions the past several years, the league is going to a one-division format this year. The two teams with the best winning percentages will meet in the title game.
San Jose State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, who played for UH through the 2021 season, was named the league’s preseason offensive player of the year.
UH cornerback Cam Stone, who transferred from Wyoming in January, was selected to the Mountain West’s preseason all-conference team.
1. Boise State (28 first-place votes) 433 points
2. Air Force (2) 364
3. Fresno State (5) 351
4. San Diego State (1) 338
5. San Jose State 293
6. Wyoming 281
7. Colorado State 201
8. Utah State 194
9. UNLV (1) 177
10. Hawaii 102
11. Nevada 92
12. New Mexico 60