Hawaii Football: Legends of Manoa

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2024 SEASON
2024 NATIONAL CHAMPION: OLE MISS REBELS
HEISMAN WINNER: WILL HOWARD, OHIO STATE



8-6 finish to the first season under Tom Wetzel. Senior Quarterback Brayden Schager had an up and down start to the season until turning it on somewhere near the middle of the season. Schrager led the Warriors to the Mountain West Championship where they fell short to Boise State, 24-21. The season was considered a positive for Coach Wetzel's first year with no players of his own recruited to the team. Wetzel came to Hawaii preaching his approach of keeping the best players in Hawaii on the Island. He did just that. Wetzel signed 5 of the top 6 Hawaii players, two of them (Emmett Banks and Alex Benavidez) being 4-star Wide Receivers that could prove to be major players in the future for Hawaii football.

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Before we get started I felt I needed to put to rest the prior Dynasty I had with Kent State. I did enjoy the challenge of Kent State and wanted a similar challenge here in this one. The reason I didn't stick with Kent State was a little superficial but it is what it is. I didn't like the look of the Dynasty page and thought I could do a few things better.

For example, I wanted to reserve pages in the beginning to eventually put links and be more organized with things. I'm now able to do that with this attempt. I also had a hard time finding Kent State art or graphics which prohibited a lot of the journal's look. With Hawaii, there is a bit more graphics to start with and there is a central Hawaiian theme I can go off of.

I'm thankful for the Kent State journal because it helped me really figure out how I want to go through these Dynasties moving forward to best help me add fun to the game, as well as document quite easily the rise to fame.

I will be using the Defensive End and locking on them only through the season. I'm not great at Defense and this helps me get better, but also I think it's the position I can play and still have recruiting matter. If I play offense it gets very arcade-y in that I can usually score more points than the other team. Stopping them though, is a different thing altogether. This also adds tremendous amounts of pressure to getting a good set of skill players on offense - in particular a Quarterback.

Other than that, this is my second attempt at a journal after a few years away from this site. I appreciate everyone who's followed along with Kent State and hope you'll join me in paradise, with a (hopeful) rise of the Hawaii Warriors.

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New Hawaii Warriors Coach Tom Wetzel was officially introduced today at the University. Wetzel, who comes over from Syracuse as the Defensive Coordinator accepted Hawaii's invitation to become the new Head Football Coach back in July.

Wetzel did have other offers, notably for a Head Coaching position at Temple and Defensive Coordinator jobs at Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Buffalo. Instead, he chose the Head Coaching job as far away from his old job as possible.



Tom Wetzel's Press Transcript below:

“Aloha, everyone. Mahalo for being here today. We’re excited to officially introduce our new head football coach, Tom Wetzel. Coach Wetzel comes to us with a proven track record of leadership, innovation, and a passion for developing student-athletes. Without further ado, Coach Wetzel.”

"Coach Wetzel, David Maeda from Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Welcome to Hawaii. You’ve talked about toughness and accountability as cornerstones of your approach. What specific changes will you be implementing in practice to reinforce those values?"

David, thank you! Yeah, I think toughness and accountability are what I live by. I think the toughness starts mentally before it can begin physically. I want to get in there this season, really learn these guys, really build a relationship with each of them. Trust is something that you need if either of those other two things can happen. Once there's trust, then there's something to build on. As far as practice, the weight room is going to be something we focus on physically. I think we've got a great staff here at Hawaii and I think they'll get us ready to be in top shape when it comes to that. My job is the mental toughness, and we'll be ready on that as well.

"Coach Wetzel, Jennifer Chang from KHON2. The transfer portal has really changed college football in recent years. How do you plan to balance recruiting local talent while also utilizing the portal to build your roster?"

Hey there Ms. Chang. Well, I'm glad you asked this actually. Recruiting will be a huge thing and as easy as it was to get me to come here to Paradise, it hasn't always been the same for players on the football team. My first goal absolutely is to keep the best Hawaiian football players in Hawaii. I think we have a lot of talent that comes from here and we really need to work on keeping them here to play for the University. Now with any Coaching change I think there's going to be turnover absolutely. My job, any coach's job is to recruit every week. I don't think that changes. Of course we'll hope to bring some players in for spots we're missing, but I'm focused on keeping the best players in Hawaii.

"Coach Wetzel, Keoni Kamealoha from ESPN Honolulu. Can you give us an idea of what your offensive philosophy will look like this season? Are you sticking to traditional Hawaii roots like the run-and-shoot, or are you bringing in something new?"

Thank you for your question Keoni. Well, on Offense we're going to be running a traditional Pro-Style offense. I think it's going to fit out team and the players we're able to recruit from here. We want to be the bully on the field. We want to be the one who pushes, not the one who gets pushed. I want to focus on Offensive Line for that reason, and really a tough-nosed attack. As for the Defense, we'll be running a 4-3 scheme, the same one I built in Syracuse with the Orange.

"Coach Wetzel, Leila Nakamura from KITV4. Hawaii’s defense has faced challenges in recent seasons. What adjustments do you plan to make to ensure improvement on that side of the ball?"


Well our problem this year on Defense is everyone is aging out. We have a lot of guys graduating and we're really going to have to hit the portal, to follow up on Jenn's question a few minutes ago. I think the portal will be something that can be benefitial from that stand point if we do it correctly. Am I Deion Sanders? No. I don't think we're going to hit a record portal number or anything. He did a phenomenal job with Colorado. But no, we're not going to get that. What we need to do is focus on the right players who can help us out, and I have a lot of confidence in this staff that we'll find those people.

"Coach Wetzel, Mike Tanaka from Hawaii News Now. You’re stepping into a program with a passionate fanbase. What’s your message to the fans as you take over and prepare for this upcoming season?"


Hey Mike. Yeah, get ready. I mean I'm not trying to run another program and collect a paycheck. I had offers way, way closer to home. I could have just ran another program. I looked at this program and I thought it needed to get back on top, and when I found an opportunity where I could be apart of that, I jumped on it. I'm not a Coach who's using this opportunity to spring board into another one. I'm here in Hawaii. I love it here. I want to stay here, and I realize in order to do that I have to win football games. The objective and goals are simple here guys, now we have to go do it.

“Thank you, Coach Wetzel, and thank you to everyone who joined us today. We’re excited for the upcoming season and the energy Coach Wetzel brings to the program. Let’s rally behind our Rainbow Warriors as they prepare for an exciting 2024 season. Mahalo and Go ‘Bows!”

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The Hawaii Warriors got a great start to their season as they defeated the Delaware State Hornets 27-17 at home. Brayden Schager had 304 yards and 3 touchdowns on the day, but his 2 interceptions continued to keep Delaware State in the game – both coming in the endzone looking to score.

The offense looked good in the debut for Coach Wetzel, though at times did stall out and really make things tough on the defense. Hawaii looks to have a great passing game this year behind Senior Brayden Schager and Sophomore Pofele Ashlock who seems to be the main target for Schager. Hawaii has a great 1-2 punch with these two this year, it's something that Coach Tom Wetzel knows he has to exploit.

“Yeah, well Brayden can really spin the ball. I think if we get Pofele happy on the side and set him up for looks to get open, we can create some space and we can win some ball games that way” the new coach said.

The Defense on the other hand looked like it was struggling at times. The 4-3 defense that Wetzel has brought over from Syracuse continued to create a lot of pressure for the opposing quarterback, but it didn't affect the Quarterback as much as they'd have liked.

Wetzel continues to try and win games with other players that he didn't recruit, so he'll need some time to switch the schemes up in Hawaii. For now, the Warriors are going to next week 1-0.

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"Good morning, college football fans! The crisp autumn air, the roar of the crowd, the pageantry of the greatest sport on Earth—welcome to Week 1 of College GameDay, live from the Classic City, Athens, Georgia!

"Behind me, the hallowed grounds of Sanford Stadium stand ready to host one of the biggest games of the year as the Dawgs of Georgia take on the Tigers of Clemson. Two perennial powerhouses. Two fanbases that live, breathe, and bleed football. And tonight, between the hedges, it's a showdown with national implications right out of the gate!

"The Georgia Bulldogs, led by head coach Kirby Smart, come into this season with championship expectations. With a loaded roster and a defense as stout as ever, the Dawgs are hungry to prove they belong back on top. And then there’s Clemson—Dabo Swinney's Tigers are no strangers to the big stage. With a new quarterback at the helm and a defense poised to wreak havoc, they’re looking to make an early statement.

"It’s SEC pride versus ACC grit. It’s tradition versus tradition. And it’s all happening here in Athens, where college football is more than just a game—it’s a way of life.

"From sunrise to kickoff, we’ve got you covered. Analysis, predictions, and of course, the most electric atmosphere in sports! So, grab your coffee, your tailgate snacks, and buckle up, because College GameDay is just getting started!"

NCAA Football Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Aug 31, 2024
RK	LW	TEAM (VOTES)	W	L	POINTS
1	-	Georgia	0	0	1569
2	-	Ohio State	0	0	1492
3	-	Texas	0	0	1473
4	-	Oregon	0	0	1364
5	-	Ole Miss	0	0	1268
6	-	Alabama	0	0	1257
7	-	Penn State	0	0	1197
8	-	Notre Dame	0	0	1096
9	-	Michigan	0	0	1071
10	-	Missouri	0	0	920
11	-	Florida State	0	1	866
12	-	Utah	0	0	781
13	-	LSU	0	0	684
14	-	Oklahoma	0	0	666
15	-	Tennessee	0	0	593
16	-	Arizona	0	0	585
17	-	Clemson	0	0	494
18	-	Oklahoma State	0	0	485
19	-	Kansas State	0	0	381
20	-	Louisville	0	0	360
21	-	Kansas	0	0	345
22	-	NC State	0	0	339
23	-	Miami	0	0	309
24	-	Texas A&M	0	0	181
25	-	USC	0	0	123

#7 PENN STATE @ WEST VIRGINIA
Look, West Virginia isn't ranked. But James Franklin seems to have a tough time in week one, and these Mountaineers are looking to play for their coach who's very much on the hot seat right now. This has the ingredients on the counter to be mixed into an upset, but will the ingredients be mixed right, or will the predictable happen, and Penn State takes out West Virginia?
GAMEDAY PREDICTION: PENN STATE


#13 LSU @ #25 USC
The new look Big Ten can be put on hold for Lincoln Riley and the boys. LSU goes across the country to open up Week 1 against USC. This is a battle of two teams who could be there at the end of the year in the College Football Playoffs. Riley's been promising championships since he's got to Los Angeles, now he'll have to start making good on those. In a new look Big Ten, it could be an even steeper hill. Week one against LSU certainly suggests that.
GAMEDAY PREDICTION: USC


#8 NOTRE DAME @ #24 TEXAS A&M
The schedule is the same as it is every year for Notre Dame. Exclusively non-conference since they themselves don't sit in one. This year is different though. Without a conference championship game to win for the Irish, they begin their journey of needing to be an at-large team to get into the CFP. A tough Texas A&M team could be a resume builder if they can get it done.
GAMEDAY PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME


#17 CLEMSON @ #1 GEORGIA
And now guys...the big one....(crowd cheers)....The #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs look to defend their home turf against rival Clemson today. Caron Beck is looking to lead the Bulldogs to the promised land this year, a National Championship. Meanwhile Cade Klubnik and the Clemson Tigers are looking to show everyone that the ACC can hang with the "big two" this year, and this is just another test.
GAMEDAY PREDICTION:

GAMEDAY PRESS CONFERENCE: TOM WETZEL as he prepares against Week 1 Opponent, UCLA on the road.

Coach Tom Wetzel walked through the conference doors and almost immediately heard people stammer to their chairs and get their questions ready. It wasn't that he was anyone important he thought, it was just the Los Angeles media – ready for any sort of story they can put in the paper. This town surely wasn't starved for content or stories, but in this town the hottest things are only hot for a half a second. People move on, even the celebrities are eventually written off.

As Tom Wetzel walked towards the microphone he was in a pretty good mood. He entered the game 1-0 and sure it was against Delaware State but still, it was something to build on. As soon as he sat down, the questions started being fired at him.

Reporter 1 (Local Pasadena Media):
“Coach Wetzel, this is your first big test against a Power Five program in your head coaching career. How do you balance the excitement of playing in a venue like the Rose Bowl with the focus needed to execute your game plan?”

Well I'm surely not going to pretend like this is any other venue. The Rose Bowl was a big part of my fandom as a child. I grew up a Michigan Wolverines fan, and the Big Ten and Pac-10 winner every year would meet here for the Rose Bowl. I don't think we're on that level as a program yet, but to be able to come in here and prove ourselves against a power-5 team like UCLA, a team that has a storied tradition – that's something I know I am excited for, and I know the guys are prepared for.

Reporter 2 (ESPN):
“You spoke about proving yourselves against a storied program like UCLA. How do you prepare your team mentally and physically to rise to that challenge, especially given the talent gap that some analysts have pointed out?”

Well I think its important to realize its a lot like every other game. We need to control the ball. We need to limit turnovers. You know the coach speak – but it's Coach speak because it's true. We do need to do those things, and I think if we don't beat ourselves here, I think it gives us a shot to pull this one out. Look, our guys are mentally ready and they've heard the talent gap stuff. We're a team who's trying to knock some sense into a few of the bigger teams. We're a team on the rise. We've been sleeping in Hawaii for awhile, but we're ready to let the country know we're awake now. How we show people that, is we come out and we compete – hard. 60 minutes of football, and we'll see who's left standing.

Reporter 3 (LA Times):
“Coach, UCLA’s quarterback Ethan Garbers (Senior) is getting a lot of attention for his dual-threat ability. How do you plan to contain him and keep him from dictating the game?”

Yeah, Ethan is a talented Quarterback for sure. We've seen a lot off video on him, and UCLA is lucky to have him. Unfortunately, that means we're the unlucky ones who have to deal with him on Saturday. I think we have to contain the sidelines, we have to bring the game into the middle of the field. We want to play in a phone booth, but we're going to have to get UCLA to play us there. We have to work on that, but again – this will all be a test. Ethan is a test and half, but I think our guys will come prepared.

Reporter 4 (CBS Sports):
“Coach, as we wrap up, how important is it for your program to start continue in Week 1 with a statement win, and what would a victory here in Pasadena mean for the direction of Hawaii football under your leadership?”

I think it's a lot more important to assess effort and ability for us as a program. Sure, coming out of here against UCLA would be a huge confidence boost and it'd be something that'd be a very bright moment for Hawaii football, but this year, and especially at this time before conference play – this is really a measuring stick for us. We want to see what we have to work on, we want to see what we can do, and we want to see if we can give ourselves a chance to win this. If so, we're going better than a lot of people have told us given the spread. But if not, we'll figure out a way to make ourselves better and improve. Every game is a win – you just need to find it.