BRUINS OFFENSE
X—7 J.Michael Sturdivant 6-3 205 Jr.
Zebra—1 Rico Flores 6-2 205 So.
LT—71 Reuben Unije 6-5 310 Sr.
LG—74 Spencer Holstege 6-5 310 Sr.
C—54 Josh Carlin 6-5 310 Sr.
RG—73 Alani Makihele 6-3 350 Jr.
RT—72 Garrett DiGiorgio 6-6 310 Jr.
TE—88 Moliki Matavao 6-6 263 Sr.
Z—2 Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 6-1 190 Jr.
QB—4 Ethan Garbers 6-3 210 Sr.
HB—25 TJ Harden 6-2 220 Jr.
DeShaun Foster was settling into his new job as the Las Vegas Raiders’ running backs coach in February when UCLA called seeking a replacement for Chip Kelly, who resigned as head coach to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. Foster returned to the alma mater he left a week earlier, when he was a UCLA assistant coach. Foster then hired Eric Bieniemy as associate head coach and OC. Foster has hinted his West Coast offense, which usually features ball-control, quick-slanting routes, will be a mix of passes and runs. But history suggests the Bruins will develop a power running attack. Foster was an NFL running back for six seasons, and then developed several rushers as coach at Texas Tech and UCLA. As OC on two of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning teams, Bieniemy built a running attack to complement Patrick Mahomes’ passing. The structure is in place at UCLA with the addition of transfers to the line (right guard Alani Makihele from UNLV, left tackle Reuben Unijie from Louisville). Left guard Spencer Holstege withdrew from the portal to remain with UCLA. The Bruins can easily slide into 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends). They have four tight ends who can rotate or break into tandems. After three seasons in Army’s offense, fullback Anthony Adkins is skilled as a backfield blocker on runs and passes (no sacks or QB hits allowed in 34 plays as a pocket protector last year). TJ Harden is the No. 1 back after averaging 5.3 yards per carry last year and fumbling only once in 200 career carries. After an ill-advised move to wideout, Keegan Jones entered the portal. But he withdrew his name, and now is back at running back. Ethan Garbers, who beat Boise State in the LA Bowl, is QB1. J. Michael Sturdivant (a catch in 25 consecutive games), Logan Loya (team-high 655 receiving yards) and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala are Garbers’ top targets.
BRUINS DEFENSE
E—97 Jacob Busic 6-4 256 Jr.
NT—93 Jay Toia 6-3 325 Sr.
3T—99 Keanu Williams 6-5 310 Jr.
E—44 Devin Aupiu 6-5 270 Jr.
SLB—20 Kain Medrano 6-3 230 Sr.
MLB—2 Oluwafemi Oladejo 6-3 250 Sr.
WLB—10 Ale Kaho 6-2 230 Sr.
LCB—3 Devin Kirkwood 6-3 205 Sr.
FS—4 Bryan Addison 6-5 195 Sr.
BS—11 Ramon Henderson 6-1 196 Sr
RCB—6 Jaylin Davies 6-0 180 Jr.
With two UH alumni on staff — defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe coached the Warriors’ D-line and special teams in 2008; run-game coordinator Brian Norwood was a defensive back in the 1980s — the Bruins have prepared for every scenario. The team’s nutritionist ordered Spam musubis from Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe in West Los Angeles as a taste test ahead of Hawaii’s cuisine. The defensive players also cross-trained this summer, with every player learning all the techniques of every position. The Bruins are hopeful of remaining among the nation’s top defenses after Malloe was promoted from D-line coach to succeed D’Anton Lynn, who took the coordinator’s job at USC. Last year, the Bruins were second nationally against the run (80.8 yards per game, 2.6 per rush) and fifth in sacks (43). From their multiple front — three to five on the line — the Bruins lost edge rusher Laiatu Latu, the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. A week after entering the transfer portal in April, nose tackle Jay Toia decided to remain at UCLA. Last year’s top three tacklers were linebackers, but leader and former Warrior Darius Muasau is now with the New York Giants. Middle linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo experimented as an edge rusher in spring ball. Free safety Bryan Addison who transferred from Oregon, is the namesake son of the star safety who led the Warriors in 1992 to an 11-2 season, culminated by Holiday Bowl victory over Illinois. It will be a homecoming for D-lineman Sitiveni Havili Kaufusi, a Punahou graduate who spins a fireknife, and plays a trombone and ukulele. He also helped his father, UH microbiology professor Pakieli Kaufusi, build rock walls in their spare time.
BRUINS SPECIALISTS
KO/PK—94 Mateen Bhaghani 6-1 175 So.
P/H—45 Chase Barry 6-4 205 So.
LS/SS—46 Travis Drosos 6-0 222 Sr.
KR—22 Keegan Jones 5-10 185 Sr.
PR—17 Logan Loya 5-11 185 Sr.
Last November, Mateen Bhaghani converted all four field-goal attempts for Cal in a 33-7 victory over UCLA that clinched a bowl berth for the Bears. A month later, the Bear became a Bruin. Bhaghani, a lifelong San Diego resident who is believed to be the only FBS player with Pakistani ancestry, should boost UCLA’s point-scoring kicking. He was 8-for-9 as a freshman last year., In 2023, UCLA kickers were a combined 8-for-17. Logan Loya averaged 7.2 yards per punt return last year. Keegan Jones appears to be the choice on kickoff returns. Jones has been clocked at 10.57 seconds over 100 meters.
RAINBOW WARRIORS OFFENSE
LWO—0 Alex Perry 6-5 195 So.
LSB—5 Pofele Ashlock 6-2 175 So.
LT—78 Ka‘ena Decambra 6-3 300 Jr.
LG—58 Zhen Sotelo 6-3 305 Jr.
C—66 Sergio Muasau 5-11 300 Sr.
RG—59 Kuao Peihopa 6-3 295 Jr.
RT—72 Luke Felix-Fualalo 6-8 315 Sr.
RSB—8 Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala 5-10 190 Sr .
RWO–1 Jonah Panoke 6-1 200 Sr.
QB—13 Brayden Schager 6-3 220 Sr.
RB—30 Landon Sims 6-3 210 Jr.
In movie-making parlance, the set must be cleared for the Warriors to practice the 2,650-square-yard offense. Using half the Ching Complex field that is shared with the defense, quarterback Brayden Schager works on hitting every limb of the passing tree, even in gusty conditions. “You’ve got to try to cut it through,” Schager said of his wind-shearing passes. “It’s tough. It’s easier said than done. It’s hard when it’s blowing about 30, 40 mph. You have to deal with whatever you’re given. There’s no excuse.” Against Ching’s crosswinds, Schager has not been intercepted in 113 consecutive passes. Schager has been helped by his running (6.3 yards per non-sack scramble or keeper in the past five games), vertical-route receivers (slotback Pofele Ashlock and wideout Dekel Crowdus) and an O-line fully educated in the run-and-shoot’s technique and footwork. Unlike Olympic basketball coach Steve Kerr, head coach and play-caller Timmy Chang uses his depth. Eleven receivers played in Week Zero. Tylan Hines also is expected to have an expanded role. As a freshman running back in 2022, Hines averaged 7.9 yards on his 92 offensive touches. He was a slashback last year until suffering a redshirt-triggering injury in the fourth game. Now the Warriors want to fully utilize his zero-to-22-mph quickness, jump-cut moves and strength (500-pound back squat). When he was 12, Hines helped “Papa” — grandfather Stanley Talbot — build the family home. They poured concrete for the driveway and constructed the house cubic brick by cubic brick. The unused bricks became dumbbells for Hines’ training.
RAINBOW WARRIORS DEFENSE
Rush—12 Wynden Ho‘ohuli 6-3 240 J
DT—52 Ezra Evaimalo 6-2 260 Sr.
NT—77 Jamar Sekona 6-2 295 Sr.
DE—0 Elijah Robinson 6-4 260 Gr.
MLB—54 Jamih Otis 5-11 215 So.
WLB—3 Jalen Smith 6-0 215 Jr.
NB—9 Elijah Palmer 5-8 175 So.
FCB—4 Cam Stone 5-10 200 Sr.
FS—1 Peter Manuma 6-0 195 Jr.
S—29 Nahe Mendiola-Jensen 6-1 170 Jr.
BCB—Caleb Brown 6-1 170 Sr.
After amassing 23 sacks in 354 pass plays in 2023, the goal was to turn up the pressure. In Dennis Thurman’s 4-2-5 version, the ends often are aligned wide of the tackle rectangle, with two interior linemen and two linebackers cluttering the gaps. Last week’s rotation of Tariq Jones, Elijah Robinson, Wynden Ho‘ohuli and Jackie Johnson III helped the Warriors make five sacks and flush QB Marqui Adams nine times. “This system allows them to be in attack mode constantly,” D-end coach Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson said. Jones and Robinson, a seventh-year senior, were making their first UH starts. Johnson was credited with a sack among his seven pressures in 24 pass rushes. Johnson took the circuitous route to Manoa. Saint Francis School shuttered after his junior year, and the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out his senior season at Roosevelt High. He played in a full-pads pick-up league with Oahu’s Trench Dawgs, then at Lawrence Tech before walking on at UH. Johnson has drawn comparisons to former pass rusher Kaimana Padello. “Jackie has elite toughness, elite work ethic,” Pu‘u-Robinson said. “He does a really good job with his combat (in fighting off grasping blockers). He’s physical. He has good leverage on offensive tackles.” The Warriors list two starting linebacker spots, but nickelback Elijah Palmer is considered a third because of the number of times he moves into the tackle box. At 5-8 and 175 pounds, Palmer is an effective tackler. “I want to show the younger kids it doesn’t really matter about size,” Palmer said. “As long as you have work ethic and heart and faith in Jesus, you’re good.”
RAINBOW WARRIORS SPECIALISTS
KO—69 Ben Falck 6-6 225 Sr.
PK—17 Kansei Matsuzawa 6-2 205 Jr.
P/H—19 Lucas Borrow 5-11 180 Gr.
LS—44 Solomon Landrum 5-11 210 Sr.
KR/PR—2 Tylan Hines 5-7 175 So.
Since joining as a grayshirt in January 2019, wideout Jonah Panoke has suffered injuries to his scapula, collarbone, back and AC joint, and undergone toe and ankle surgeries. This was the first year he did not miss a day of spring training, the offseason program or training camp. Recently voted as co-captain, Panoke has volunteered to also contribute on special teams. In last week’s opener, he set the backside block on Tylan Hines’ 44-yard punt return for a TD, and also twice came close to blocking punts. “I’m just trying to add value,” Panoke said. Using ball-handling starters on coverage has helped Lucas Borrow, who averages 10.2 yards per roll on end-over-end, rugby-styled punts.
