The University of Hawaii football team’s catch phrase is “all good.”
Receivers Zion Bowens, Chuuky Hines and Koali Nishigaya have received full medical clearance and are set to play in Saturday’s road game against San Diego State. The 1-4 Rainbow Warriors had a bye this weekend.
Their return “is good for what we want to do and how we want to play,” head coach Timmy Chang said. “It’s going to add firepower to what we need to do.”
Two weeks ago, Chang and offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker began adding run-and-shoot elements to the offensive playbook. Bowens and Hines are fast wideouts who can expand the offense vertically. Nishigaya is one of the Warriors’ most precise route runners.
“I’m loving this offense,” Bowens said. “This is a receiver’s dream to be in this type of offense. There are so many opportunities to make plays. I’m excited to be back out here and bring that spark back to the offense.”
Bowens, who once was timed at sub-4.4 seconds over 40 yards, has averaged 22.9 yards per catch in three UH seasons. Of his 18 career catches, six have exceeded 25 yards. Last year, his 93-yard, catch-and-blur touchdown was the second-longest offensive play in the program’s history.
On the first drive of this year’s opener against Vanderbilt, Bowens suffered an injury to his left knee. “I was going in on an in-breaking route, and they kind of clipped me,” Bowens said. “His helmet hit my knee, and some pieces of cartilage got chipped off in the meniscus.”
He underwent surgery soon after that. Bowens was cleared to run in practices leading to last week’s game against New Mexico State with the intent he would be ready for the SDSU game.
“It’s good to get him back,” Chang said. “That’s your leader in the (receivers) room. I expect him to be good and ready to go.”
Hines, a true freshman from Houston, has recovered from a slight ankle fracture suffered on a kickoff return. “I had to take a week off, but now I’m good,” Hines said.
In team testing this summer, Hines posted the fastest “flying 10,” covering the final 10 yards of a 40-yard sprint in 0.90 seconds. That equated to 22.7 mph. At Westfield High in Houston, Hines ran 21.3 seconds over 200 meters and 48.5 seconds in the 400. His first name is pronounced “choo-key,” and translates to “mountain” in Chuukese, a Malayo-Polynesian language.
“Chuuky is a good one, and he’s coming along,” Chang said of 6-1, 175-pound Hines.
Nishigaya has recovered from a broken leg suffered during a practice in December.
“It’s been a journey from last December until now,” Nishigaya said. “I grew as a person. It made me see things differently. I’m grateful to be out here.”
Nishigaya, who is 5-7 and 160 pounds, was medically cleared two weeks ago. It was mutually agreed he would work initially with the scout offense.
“I definitely embraced it,” Nishigaya said of the scout work. “I got my confidence back.”
Last week, Nishigaya rejoined the rotation as a slotback, a position he played at Saint Louis School three years ago. In the previous two UH seasons, Nishigaya has averaged 12.0 yards per catch, with zero drops or fumbles. Of playing slotback, he said, “I played that position growing up. I feel comfortable.”
Chang said Nishigaya is “doing well in the slot. He’s really explosive. He has a good mind. He’s tough. I watched him catch some touchdowns last year before he got injured. The kid can play. We’re excited to get him back.”
