As the son of award-winning investigative journalist Ginger Allen, Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager knows about the spotlight.

He also knows about defying the odds. When Schager was 10, he was one victory short of winning ESPN’s NCAA Tournament Challenge. Entering the title game, Schager had the top bracket among 8.15 million entries for the 2013 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. But Louisville defeated Michigan, and Schager settled for finishing in the top 1%.

It should be no surprise Schager, who committed to UH the summer before starting his first varsity game, will be in the Rainbow Warriors’ opening lineup for Friday’s Hawaii Bowl at the Ching Complex. Schager, who is seven months removed from his Highland Park High senior prom, replaces Chevan Cordeiro. Four days after the Warriors’ regular-season finale, Cordeiro resigned his co-captaincy and entered the NCAA’s transfer portal. Cordeiro signed with San Jose State.

While Cordeiro served as a mentor, the student from Dallas is embracing the chance.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for me,” Schager said. “It’s really a blessing for me to get the start. I think we’ve had a great few weeks of practice, so I think we’re ready to go.”

Schager is 2-1 as a starter, with his signature performance scripted in the Warriors’ upset of then-nationally ranked Fresno State. In that first start — in place of Cordeiro, who suffered an injury to his right shoulder while trying to make a tackle the previous week — Schager overcame a mid-game, 2-for-14 slump to lead three scoring drives in the fourth quarter.

“I really had only two days to practice against Fresno,” said Schager, who was presented a limited menu of plays.

Schager admittedly had a little “bit of jitters at the beginning of the (Fresno) game. That was my first college start. It was a little weird for me. Once I got comfortable, I felt like things were a little better. Everyone really rallied behind me that game.”

The following week, he struggled in a loss to Nevada, then rebounded with a breakout performance against New Mexico State. Schager was 25-for-29 for 219 yards against the Aggies. During a stretch, he connected on 14 passes in a row.

“I definitely have a better grasp of the playbook at this point in the season,” Schager said.

Schager is accurate on 86.2% of throws up to 10 yards. His release has been timed as quickly as 2.3 seconds. He is averaging 6.4 yards on non-sack scrambles or keepers.

“When I had those three starts, (teammates) really rallied around me,” Schager said, “and I think they’re going to do the same thing (in the bowl) now. This team, I think they believe in me just as much as I believe in them. I think we just have a good chemistry right now.”

That was apparent after Schager played in his fourth game, the maximum allowed to maintain redshirt status. But when Cordeiro was rocked against Utah State, Schager agreed to burn the redshirt to finish out the game.

“Whatever’s best for the team,” Schager said. “I’m doing it for the seniors. Whatever is best for the team, that’s what it is.”

Schager also has embraced the aloha spirit. “Hawaii football has been awesome,” Schager said. “They really embraced me right away. I didn’t realize how great the football is right here, and how much it means to the people. It’s awesome you get to represent a state, especially for all the guys from here. And even the guys who aren’t, it’s awesome to represent Hawaii.”