How Timmy Chang Resurrected Hawaii

That Week Zero turnaround kickstarted Hawaii’s best season in years. The Rainbow Warriors (6-2) are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2021 and off to their best start since 2018. They ended an eight-game losing streak to Utah State and have been rolling in Mountain West play. They’re also one of the pass-happiest offenses in college football, and their late-night status has endeared them to a national audience while playing well after most games on the mainland have ended.

There’s Alejado, who ranks ninth nationally in passing yards per game. Born in Hawaii, Alejado went to high school at a powerhouse in Las Vegas and returned to the Aloha State to play for Chang, a fellow gunslinger who holds FBS records for pass attempts (and interceptions).

Alejado threw for almost 500 yards and five touchdowns in his first start as a true freshman in the 2024 finale. That turned out to be a sign of things to come. Alejado has dealt with injuries in his first season as the starter, but he’s rounding into form with 300 yards and three touchdowns in each of his past three games.

“A lot of people got to see him against Stanford playing in that Week Zero game, limping on one leg — the heart of a warrior,” Chang said. “The kid's special, man.”

And who can forget Matsuzawa? He taught himself to kick by watching YouTube videos in Japan. The aptly nicknamed Tokyo Toe is 20-for-20 on the year, including 8-for-8 from beyond 40 yards. He’s also an All-American candidate.

“His story, it's just unbelievable,” Chang said.

Chang credits special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield with finding Matsuzawa, who spent his first two seasons at Hocking College in Ohio. Matsuzawa had the chance to walk on elsewhere, but Chang promised him a scholarship if he won the starting job, which happened at the end of the 2024 season. Hawaii’s proximity to home was a draw for Matsuzawa, and some of his games have even aired in Japan.

Hawaii legend and Super Bowl winner Jason Elam was at the Colorado State game two weeks ago when Matsuzawa broke his program record by making a 20th consecutive field goal. The Rainbow Warriors beat the Rams handily to punch their ticket to a bowl game.

“Hawaii fans are really proud of having a program, a winning football program,” Chang said. “And it's always been that way that when Hawaii wins, over here on the island, it just feels different. I've experienced that as a player, never as a coach.”

Chang returned to his alma mater and home state when he was named head coach in 2022. He took over a program in disarray after coach Todd Graham’s rocky tenure led to a mass exodus in the transfer portal. The Rainbow Warriors won three games in his first season and five each of the next two years, a far cry from Chang’s playing days under coach June Jones when Hawaii was a force to be reckoned with.

This is the first time in the new era of college football — defined by the portal, NIL and now, revenue sharing — that the Rainbow Warriors have truly tasted success.

“Failure is the ultimate teacher for what we've gone through,” Chang said.

The breakthrough could have happened in 2024, but Hawaii lost three games by less than a field goal, so the bowl drought continued. Alejado and Matsuzawa get plenty of credit for the turnaround, but Chang also points to defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman for getting the most out of a veteran group.

“Being in the position we are now, it says a lot,” Chang said. “It feels good. It says a lot about who we are, what direction we're headed. But again, the work’s not done.”

Hawaii is still in contention for a spot in the Mountain West championship game, depending on how the next month plays out. The Rainbow Warriors play at San José State (2-5) this week. That game takes on extra meaning because Spartans coach Ken Niumatalolo is a Hawaii alumnus who played for Chang's father in high school.

After that, Hawaii’s remaining games are at home against San Diego State (6-1), at UNLV (6-1) and back in Honolulu to end the year against Wyoming (4-4). That’s a difficult stretch to end what’s been a dream season to date. But weathering it is also part of living up to the standard that Chang has been working on establishing since his return.

“These guys, they're having success,” Chang said.
"It just kind of feeds into their belief that, ‘Hey, we can do this. We got this.’”