Hawaii Football: Rainbow Warriors’ quarterback conundrum

Hawaii football is set to be rejuvenated by the Rainbow Warriors’ return to the run-and-shoot, but questions remain as to who will pull the trigger.

When head coach Nick Rolovich made the decision to implement a run-and-shoot style offense, Hawaii football fans everywhere rejoiced. The Rainbow Warriors used to enjoy consistent success in the system under June Jones, and the team hopes a return to the past can restore the glory days at Aloha Stadium.

However, there is a not so little issue to consider; who will run the new offense? Two-year starter Dru Brown transferred to Oklahoma State during the offseason, leaving a huge gap to fill under center.

The loss of Brown was understandably a blow for Rolovich and the Rainbow Warriors. He worked hard and was very efficient, as evidenced by his 133.6 quarterback rating during his time in Hawaii.

However, out of adversity comes opportunity. With this in mind, let’s consider the most realistic options to start under center, when the Rainbow Warriors kick off their season at Colorado State on Aug. 25.

1) Cole McDonald

Cole McDonald entered training camp as the front-runner for the job. Whether he actually holds onto this projected position, is another matter altogether.

McDonald’s experience of actually playing is extremely limited, despite appearing in six games during 2017. In total, he only threw nine passes, completing five of them for 22 yards and one score.

Interestingly, the La Mirada, California native showed off more of his scrambling ability rather than his excellent arm strength. In fact, he totaled 138 yards on the ground — along with a touchdown — to finish third on the team in rushing.

In this respect, the last time McDonald saw significant action as a starter (as a high school senior at Sonora High in California) he rushed for 1,091 yards. As per hawaiiathletics.com, he also threw for 2,313 yards, to showcase his potential as a dual-threat in the backfield.

2) Chevan Cordeiro

While McDonald entered camp as the favorite, a lot of people were predicting Cordeiro could take the starting job come Aug. 25. And the rationale made a lot of sense.

With Brown gone and the Rainbow Warriors reverting back to the run-and-shoot, it presented the opportunity for a fresh start. And what better way to start over, than with a quarterback who is extremely familiar with the new offensive scheme?

More from Mountain West

• Preview and prediction: Texas Tech vs. Wyoming
• Ref takes point-blank pass to the face from San Diego State QB (Video)
• The New Big 12, Better Than the Old Mountain West?
• Can Hawai’i football improve in year two under Timmy Chang?
• College Football: 5 Toughest Group of 5 Non-Conference Schedules in 2023

Cordeiro ran the run-and-shoot at Saint Louis School and had particular success during his senior year. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 3,130 yards, 29 scores and just eight picks, while adding another 456 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

The Honolulu, O’ahu native led his team to the state title, while winning a whole host of awards, including the Gatorade Hawai‘i Football Player of the Year. He is one of those players who is just used to succeeding, something which Rolovich hopes will rub off on the rest of his roster.

3) Jeremy Moussa

Of the most realistic options to start against Colorado State, Jeremy Moussa is the outsider. And yet, he is arguably the most intriguing of the three candidates.

Moussa is generally acknowledged as the most physically gifted of all of Hawaii’s quarterbacks. He has the build, at 6 foot 3 and 210 yards, along with a cannon for an arm.

The Chino Hills, California native is coming off a spectacularly productive tenure at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, where he broke virtually every school passing record. As per Recruiting News Guru, his success including throwing for 4,008 yards and 56 scores as a junior.

To prove how determined and hard-working Moussa is, he enrolled early at Mānoa to take part in spring ball and gain invaluable experience with the run and shoot. He probably won’t be the opening-day starter, but expect to see him in game action at some point during the 2018 season.

What’s your take on the battle to become the Rainbow Warriors’ starting quarterback? Who do you predict will be under center for the opening game, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.