Page 4 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Aug 31, 2022

4 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK AUGUST 31, 2022
W hen new Univer- sity of Hawai‘i football skipper Timmy Chang took the field last Saturday for the team’s season-opener against Van- derbilt, it wasn’t surprising that he found himself mo- mentarily flashing back to his days as a record-setting Rainbow Warrior quarter- back and reminiscing about how his journey to Mānoa all
may remember, the former gunslinger was not only the bee’s knees among prep quarterbacks in the late ’ 90s, but also one of the nation’s top high school recruits at his position. Yet despite hav- ing the option to play college football just about anywhere else in the country, Chang chose to commit to UH and suit up for June Jones, the man whom he beat out for
The Timmy Chang era officially kicked off last weekend with the former Rainbow Warrior passing great bringing the magic back to Mānoa.
began.
As many pigskin fans
In recalling his reason for staying home and playing for UH, Chang points to Jones’ wide-open offense and how his imagination as a young field general was captured by his former coach, who took a winless team in 1998 and turned it into a confer- ence champion the following season.
Recapturing that glory of yesteryear is what drives the Rainbow Warrior boss these days. It’s why he returned to the islands as the pro- gram’s 25th head coach after spending the last decade on the mainland as a collegiate assistant.
“When I was 18, I was just trying to be the best quarter- back I could be and trying to make the best long-term de- cisions and hopefully make some good decisions along the way,” says Chang. “It’s kind of the same thing now. I’ m a first-year head coach and I’m trying to make long-term decisions, but at the same I’ m trying to make really good decisions as we climb as a program and try to establish ourselves as one of those dominant Hawai‘i teams.”
“Sure we’ d like to be cho- sen first, but all we need is at least one of the big ones in Hawai‘i to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to come in and rep- resent the state’ — just like how I did, and then other players followed along,” says Chang.
“Da Braddahhood is not just a short-term thing, it’s a forever thing,” says Chang when asked to explain the concept that was developed by players and the school’s athletic department. “But it also includes everybody in the state. We want them to grasp it, rally behind it and come be a part of it.
the vacant head coaching po- sition earlier this year.
ing confetti onto the field,” Chang fondly recalls. “So, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, Ihaveachancetoplayina lot of cool places, but there’s nothing like staying home and representing the state.’ ”
off on his players. Those fa- vorable traits of his, which he’s been showcasing since his prep days as a Crusader, are what he’s banking on as he transitions into a full-time head coach operating within his dream job.
persuading the state’s stand- out high school players to, just as he did two decades ago, choose the path of the Rainbow Warriors. Relish- ing the challenge, Chang believes he and his staff can ultimately convince some of Hawai‘i’s homegrown talent that the grass is just as green in Mānoa as it is anywhere else.
has a future in the islands beyond his college-playing days. Additionally, Chang has been helping to create a sense of unity among ex- isting players, fans and the general public. This is clear from the team’s oft-repeat- ed mantra of “Da Bradd- ahhood,” a pidginized refer- ence to the players growing sense of family and lifelong commitment.
That ability to miraculous- ly right a team’s fortunes in a single year, and do it with pass-friendly prowess, was both inspirational and attrac- tive to Chang. But what real- ly sealed the deal for him was the opportunity to do it all in front of the home crowd.
And it’s why he’ll do just about anything to bring the magic back to Mānoa.
“I saw that excitement in the stands during my senior year at Saint Louis, and I saw the state rally around that team. I even saw 40,000 peo- ple at Aloha Stadium throw-
To accomplish that, Chang knows he’s going to have to make smart calls moving for- ward. He also understands that he needs to be a figure in whom the players can trust and believe in — and some- one whose winning ways as a former quarterback rubs
Of course, helping the program reach that kind of success again means in part
To his credit, the head coach has already been ex- panding his outreach efforts in Hawai‘i’s communities and stressing the impor- tance for tomorrow’s Rain- bow Warrior to believe he
“We’re all in this togeth- er,” he adds. “The whole thing that I’ ve been doing is
SEE PAGE 5
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK COVER STORY