Timmy Chang is proving aloha never rests.
In his first six months as the University of Hawaii football team’s head coach, Chang has offered handshakes, hugs and encouragement to players, coaches, fans and strangers.
Kauai? “We play for Kauai,” Chang said.
Molokai? “We want them to know we care about them,” he said.
Two decades before UH’s self-styled “Braddahhood,” Chang was an All-State quarterback for Saint Louis School’s “Brotherhood.” UH coaches and players boast of their high schools and rivalries. “But at the end of the day, we’re the state’s team,” Chang said. “When we have ‘Hawaii’ across our chests and an ‘H’ on our helmets, it’s bigger than just the team. It’s about the state.”
After football-related work each day, Chang meets with business and community leaders, and participates in what he terms “outreach” functions. On Thursday, Chang and his staff conducted a football clinic for youths on the Windward side, then held an evening camp at Farrington High. On Friday, about 400 youths competed in a camp in Mililani.
“It’s been exciting,” Chang said. “There are so many moving parts to the football team. We’re trying to incorporate not just the university but the whole community and state. That’s the target.”
Chad Owens, a former UH slotback/returner who enjoyed a lengthy pro career, said Chang has remained true to when he was a record-setting quarterback for the Warriors.
“How he was then, that’s how he is now,” Owens said. “He’s the same guy, and I respect that about him. He didn’t let success or this opportunity change him. He’s just Timmy Chang — not ‘Coach Chang’ or ‘Tim Chang.’ He’s got ‘head football coach’ in front of his name, but he’s the same guy.”
Owens noted Chang’s friendly personality belies a freon-veined competitiveness. “He was a gamer,” Owens said. “You trusted Timmy was going to deliver the prettiest ball ever. He knew where you were going to go. He would go through the progressions. His pre-snap reads were on point. And he had a quiet confidence. He didn’t talk about it. He just did it —in practices, in games. He didn’t show a ton of emotion when big plays happened. That’s something he had from high school.”
June Jones, who recruited Chang to UH and coached him for five seasons, said: “Timmy was tough. He was a leader. He was physically tough. He stood in there (against a pass rush) and he threw it. He had what it took to be successful.”
Chang said being competitive “is part of our culture. Our culture is competitive. We know about the everyday struggles, of living life in Hawaii, and what sports means to us. … I play to win. I do not like losing. I’ve always been like that. When we play cards, or we’re shooting around, or hit the target, kick the can, whatever, I do not like to lose. As a person you’ve got to know when to turn that off, too.”
In 2004, the Warriors fell to 4-5 with three regular-season games remaining. Back then, UH needed a winning regular season — 6-6 would not do — to qualify for the Hawaii Bowl. “I know we just took a butt-whupping from Fresno State,” Chang said of the 70-14 loss. “That schedule in the back end was not easy.”
Chang, Owens and the rest of the seniors called a players-only meeting, saying what they needed to say. The Warriors then beat Idaho, surged past Northwestern, and rallied from a 21-point deficit to upset Michigan State. “Timmy led us to a lot of wins and a lot of winning seasons,” Owens said.
Chang’s goal remains the same. Even after the coaching transition from Todd Graham, during which the Warriors lost key players to the transfer portal, and a roster that still has three scholarships to give, Chang’s quest is a winning season and a berth in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.
“I want another home game here in December,” Chang said. “That will be a success for us if we can play in that bowl game.”
Chang said the Warriors have improved dramatically from the spring game in April, and even more so from the initial team meetings in January and early February. The Warriors open training camp on July 26.
“It had to grow over time,” Chang said. “At one of the first team meetings, I told them it almost felt they were down a little bit. They looked at me, I don’t know, a little fearful, I guess, a little hesitant. They didn’t know what to expect. They didn’t know who I was. It took a time to build that relationship with me and the coaches.”
Chang tries to foster unity. In particular, he wants the Hawaii-reared players and their mainland teammates to mesh. “Over the years, the really good teams had connections and bonds,” Chang said. “The (teams) that didn’t do so well probably didn’t have that.”
Chang also wants to emulate Jones’ approach of openly praising and encouraging players while keeping constructive criticism to private conversations. “June taught us … it’s all about love and how you coach these guys,” Chang said. “Make them feel special, make them feel wanted, make them a part of something bigger than themselves. They know our staff really cares about them. … Our players understand the game of football. They’re going to make mistakes. I tell them, it’s OK to make mistakes. We just have to be humming on Aug. 27 (for the opener against Vanderbilt).”
Key Dates:
> Wednesday: Head coach Timmy Chang will speak at the Mountain West Football Media Days in Las Vegas
> Thursday: Right tackle Micah Vanterpool and linebacker Penei Pavihi will represent the Warriors at the MW media event
> July 26: UH football players report to training camp
> July 27: First practice of training camp
