In a parting shot heard ’round the state, starting quarterback Chevan Cordeiro announced his decision to leave the University of Hawaii football program.
Cordeiro’s declaration of independence comes a day after No. 1 running back Dae Dae Hunter announced he also was entering the NCAA’s transfer portal.
While there had been murmurs for weeks that Cordeiro was looking to play his final two NCAA seasons elsewhere, the departure still was impactful. Cordeiro was the face of the Warriors — and Central Pacific Bank, which reached a marketing agreement with the Saint Louis School graduate this summer. Cordeiro, successor to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at Saint Louis, was voted by UH teammates as a co-captain the past two seasons.
After returning to Honolulu following the Rainbow Warriors’ 38-14 road victory over Wyoming, Cordeiro and head coach Todd Graham met on Monday and Tuesday. Cordeiro and his family discussed his football future on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning, Cordeiro tweeted his intent to transfer.
“After much thought, deliberation, and prayer with my family and friends, I’ve decided to seek an opportunity to continue my football and academic career elsewhere,” Cordeiro tweeted. “It was an extremely difficult decision, but one that will ultimately be in the best interest of everyone involved.”
Leon Cordeiro did not want to disclose details of his son’s decision.
“It’s a sad day today,” Leon Cordeiro said. “I never thought we’d be looking at this. … I just hope everybody remembers him as the person he is. His personality, his character. This has nothing to do with going to a bigger and better place. Nothing like that. It’s nothing like that. … He was never about that.”
Graham told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser: “We’re very appreciative of the hard work and dedication that Chevan put in here. Great young man. Nothing but great things to say about him. I wish nothing but the very best.”
Freshman Brayden Schager, who was 2-1 as an injury replacement for Cordeiro, is the likely successor. Saint Louis senior A.J. Bianco pledged to sign with UH on Dec. 15, the opening of the NCAA’s early-signing period for football prospects.
Cordeiro is the first UH starting quarterback to transfer with eligibility remaining since 2017. Following the 2017 season, quarterback Dru Brown decided to transfer to Oklahoma State as a graduate transfer. By then, Cordeiro was fully committed to joining the Warriors in 2018.
During the summer of 2017, three incoming Saint Louis seniors — Cordeiro, wideout Jonah Panoke and defensive back Kai Kaneshiro — made oral commitments to sign with the Warriors. Cordeiro was not yet a Saint Louis starter when he chose the Warriors.
Cordeiro guided the Crusaders to the 2017 state championship, connecting with Panoke on the winning 53-yard touchdown pass.
Cordeiro’s mastery continued as a UH freshman, when he led the Warriors to comeback victories over Wyoming and UNLV in 2018. Cordeiro played four games that season, the maximum to also retain a redshirt status.
He made three starts in 2019, splitting reps with Cole McDonald, then became the full-time starter in 2020.
Cordeiro, who missed three mid-season starts because of a shoulder injury this year, made the adjustment from the run-and-shoot offense he ran since he was a Saint Louis freshman to the run-and-gun offense the Warriors used the past two seasons under Todd Graham. Graham was hired as UH head coach in January 2020.
The run-and-shoot is a read-and-attack system in which routes are based on the coverages. The run-and-gun, which Graham has run at four previous head coaching jobs, is based on a downhill-running game complemented by play-action passes and deep vertical routes. Graham’s offense is intended to be played at a fast tempo.
There appeared to be loud in-game debates between offensive players and offensive coordinator Bo Graham midway through the season. Against Colorado State and Wyoming, Bo Graham returned to the coaches’ booth, where he relayed plays to receivers coach Marcus Davis. The Warriors beat CSU, 50-45, in the home finale, and clobbered Wyoming for their first victory in Laramie since 1991, a span of six losses.
Cordeiro spoke highly of Bo Graham’s play-calling in recent weeks.
According to people close to the situation, Nebraska, Baylor, San Jose State and Nevada have emerged as possible transfer spots for Cordeiro.
