Before the dawn’s early light, the University of Hawaii football team’s future brightened.
Beginning with emails from Texas, the Rainbow Warriors received PDFs of written commitments on Wednesday, the first day of this signing period for football prospects. There were 10 signings when head coach Todd Graham met with reporters in the morning, and an 11th commitment added that afternoon.
“I couldn’t be more pleased about the type of young men we’re adding to our program,” Graham said.
The coaching staff, according to Graham, sought to fill areas with recruits that matched what he described as the Warriors’ culture of hard work, discipline, character and toughness.
“We got the guys we were going after,” Graham said. “We were very specific in what we needed, what we wanted to add to our football team, and we were very particular. We have a good thing going. We wanted to make sure we didn’t do anything to disrupt that.”
After signing seven during the early period in December, the Warriors sought versatile defensive backs who can play in coverage and in the tackle box, an edge rusher, another running back, and a quarterback. In their pursuit, the Warriors expanded beyond prospects from high schools and junior colleges, making use of the NCAA’s transfer portal. Arnold “Chima” Azunna, a hybrid linebacker-safety, is transferring from Iowa State; free safety Hugh Nelson II is coming from Georgia.
Defensive back Ty Marsh is regarded as the top defensive player for Ryan High, a football powerhouse in Denton, Texas. Marsh’ position coach is Myron Newberry, a starting cornerback on the UH team that went 12-0 in 2007.
Graham said quarterback Brayden Schager of Highland Park (Texas) High “was our top target the whole time.”
Graham added: “I can tell you this, I’ve been a head coach at a Power five (Arizona State). I’ve been a head coach at five different places. This guy is as good a quarterback as I’ve ever signed, and that’s saying something because I’ve signed some pretty good ones.”
Because of the pandemic, NCAA teams were not permitted to host in-person recruiting visits. But Graham said the Warriors’ impressive showing in the nationally televised New Mexico Bowl, virtual presentations of the program and school, and the players’ feedback were helpful in recruiting.
Graham also announced that long-snapper Wyatt Tucker and wide receiver/returner Dior Scott were placed on scholarship. Tucker has been a UH starter for the past two seasons. Scott’s story was featured in the series, “Last Chance U.”
“There’s no one who truly and purely loves the game of football more than walk-ons,” Graham said. “They come here on their own dime, and they sacrifice.”
Nate Adams
>> Flower Mound (Texas) High
>> Center, 6-6, 320
>> Todd Graham: “He’s extremely versatile. He can play all three positions up front. He’s a center. It’s very, very hard to find a center that tall, that flexible, that can play. … He’s extremely physical. We like the fact that he can come in and compete in the two-deep as a freshman, which is pretty rare. Extremely strong, physical, powerful guy.”
Arnold “Chima” Azunna
>> Iowa State
>> Defensive back, 6-0, 200
>> Graham: “When I think of the word ‘physicality,’ this is the kind of player you want. … This guy will play our stud position, the hybrid safety-linebacker position. In our system, we think this guy is really special. He’s played a lot of plays (33 games for the Cyclones), got a lot of playing time there. … Arnold is going to be impactful, not only being an explosive player — a dynamic player on defense in his physicality and in his speed — but in the intangibles. This guy is a leader.”
O’Tay Baker
>> Tyler (Texas) Junior College
>> Defensive end, 6-4, 250
>> Graham: “Our No. 1 target on the defensive line was O’Tay Baker. Any time you can start off and say, ‘this is our No. 1 target’ and wind up getting a 6-4, 250-pound edge rusher from junior college … this guy is special. His ability to rush the passer, his ability to impact the quarterback.”
Ty Marsh
>> Ryan High (Denton, Texas)
>> Defensive back, 5-10, 175
>> Graham: “This guy is dynamic. This guy is a special player. He was the MVP of the (5A) state championship game. … This guy is the defensive player of the year in the Dallas-Fort Worth (Metroplex). This guy is going to be a great impact for us, a guy that gives us great physicality and speed and blitz ability off the edge. … And he’s got great cover skills.”
Hugh Nelson II
>> Georgia
>> Defensive back, 6-2, 200
>> Graham: “This guy’s character, and who he is, just jumps off the page. This guy is a dynamic free safety, 6-2, 200-pound player who can do it all. He has great range. He has great cover ability, an ability to play man to man. And a big-time physical tackler who has three years of eligibility left.”
Dedrick Parson
>> Howard
>> Running back, 5-9 195
>> Graham: “This guy has great explosive power and versatility. He fits into what we’re doing. When you see how we utilized Calvin Turner, this guy is from the same mode — a guy who can make all the runs out of the backfield, as well as a dynamic receiver out the backfield. He has two years of eligibility left.”
Caleb Phillips
>> Stanford
>> Tight end, 6-5, 230
>> Graham: “He actually rushed the passer, played outside linebacker for (Stanford). We project him and recruited him as a tight end. This guy started on all their special teams. An extremely smart player. … Tremendous athlete. Great length at 6-5, 230. Great athleticism. And a guy who will do a lot of things for us. We’ll play him at tight end, and we’ll probably even use him in third-down, pass-rush situations.”
Brayden Schager
>> Highland Park (Texas) High
>> Quarterback, 6-3, 200
>> Graham: “This guy can make all the throws. He’s got all the intangibles. He’ll come in ready to compete. We’re excited. We think he’s an elite quarterback, an outstanding leader that’ll be a tremendous asset in our locker room and to our huddle. … We’ve got a great one in Brayden.”
Zhen-Keith Sotelo
>> Kapolei High
>> Defensive lineman, 6-4, 270
>> Background: He attended Waianae High for three years before transferring to Kapolei. The Hurricanes did not play this past season.
Matagi Thompson
>> Punahou School
>> Defensive back, 6-2, 180
>> Graham: “Great speed, great athleticism. … And this guy wants to stay here and represent this state, and that’s something we’re really, really proud of. We’re excited about Matagi and his versatility, and the character and leadership he brings, the work ethic, and the passion he has, and the pride he has to wear that Hawaii uniform.”
Pita Tonga
>> Utah
>> Defensive tackle, 6-1, 310
>> Graham: “Pita is going to come in and play 3-technique for us. This will allow us to be more versatile on the defensive line. … (Tonga) is a guy who comes in with instant leadership. He has family here. He’s excited about the opportunity to help take this program to the next level. (He is) a guy who epitomizes physicality and a big-time disrupter inside on the defensive line.”
