A highly regarded transfer from Washington was among the commitments the University of Hawaii football received on Monday. The 2023 recruiting class now includes:
>> Kuau Peihopa, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle, is transferring from the Huskies and is set to join the Rainbow Warriors in January. “I’m a Warrior,” Peihopa told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I’m ready to go.”
Peihopa was a starting offensive guard and defensive tackle at Kamehameha before signing with Washington in December 2019. He played in four games as a redshirt in 2020 and three this past season. He entered the transfer portal last week.
“He is a super hard worker,” former Kamehameha head coach Abu Maafala said. “He’ll go above and beyond what is necessary and needed. A conversation I had to have with him in high school was I encouraged him to find a hobby. All he did was eat, sleep and football. … They’re going to get a guy who is going to give everything he has.”
Peiohopa, who has three years of eligibility remaining, is projected to compete at defensive tackle.
>> Josh Jerome, a defensive tackle, will be joining the Warriors as graduate transfer from Eastern Washington.
Jerome, who is 6 feet 1 and 290 pounds, will be reunited with UH defensive line coach Eti Ena. In 2021, when Ena was EWU’s defensive coordinator, Jerome amassed 13.5 tackles for loss, including seven sacks, and forced three fumbles.
“Having a familiar face around is a big bonus,” said Jerome, who has one season of eligibility remaining. Of his recent recruiting visit to Hawaii, he said, “it felt like family there. It’s a place I wanted to go to. I get along with the guys on the team and the coaches.”
Jerome received All-Big Sky recognition three times at EWU, where he compiled 182 tackles in 44 games.
>> Offensive lineman Kaleb “KT” Jackson-Carter of Desert Edge High in Goodyear, Ariz., said he has accepted a scholarship offer from the Warriors.
Jackson-Carter, who is 6 feet 5 and 279 pounds, is projected to compete at tackle or guard. “I could learn to snap and play center so I can play all the way across,” Jackson-Carter said.
Jackson-Carter said he drew interest from nine Division I schools, including San Diego State, but chose the Warriors after this past weekend’s recruiting visit.
“Honestly, it was the ‘braddahhood,’ the coaches, the players,” Jackson-Carter said. “It was really the family atmosphere. I went down there and felt the love, and decided it was a place where I wanted to continue my education and football career.”
Jackson-Carter was a power forward for the Clovis (Calif.) West High basketball team through his sophomore year. As a junior, he joined Clovis West’s football team, initially as a defensive lineman.
“They were in need of O-linemen, so I made the sacrifice for the team,” he said. “I played O-line, and I’ve been rolling ever since.”
He then gave up basketball to focus on football. He said playing basketball helped in developing his footwork for football. “And,” he added, “I can still get up on the rim a little bit. I can still dunk.”
When his mother suffered an illness this summer, she encouraged her son to stay with his uncles in Arizona to concentrate on school and sports.
“That was the one of the toughest decisions I ever made,” he said. “I talk to her every day. She tells me how proud she is of me. I told her it wasn’t easy, but I’m glad I made the decision. I have amazing opportunities now.”
He said his mother’s health has improved. “She’s living her best life,” he said. “One day, she’s going to come out there (to Hawaii) for a game or two.”
>> Christion “C.J.” Williams is a defensive back transferring from Shasta (Calif.) College. Williams, who is 5-11 and 182 pounds, can play cornerback and both safety positions. Williams, who grew up in Florida, is capable of running 40 yards in 4.42 seconds, bench pressing 285 pounds, and cleaning 245 pounds. He will join the Warriors in January.
