Can Hawai’i football improve in year two under Timmy Chang?
By Dante Pryor
The Hawai’i football defense needs to be about pressure and havoc.
It stands to reason that when you coordinate a defense on a team with a spread-tempo offense, you will be on the field longer than normal. The defense’s job is to get the football back into the offense’s hands. You will sometimes give up yards and points, but defenses that perform well get pressure on the quarterback and generate turnovers.
Hawai’i football did neither very well, finishing 118th in turnovers and 127th in sacks. It’s no wonder the Rainbow Warriors signed a lot of defensive linemen and defensive backs in recruiting and the portal. They signed seven defensive backs out of high school and two in the portal. They also signed four defensive linemen out of high school and three in the portal.
Defensive coordinator Jacob Yoro expects Wyoming transfer corner Cameron Stone to start day one. Daniel Williams, a JUCO transfer, gives them much-needed size on the interior. Washington transfer defensive tackle Kuao Peihopa is no slouch at 305 pounds.
That size will help a run defense that allowed 212.7 rush yards and over five yards per rush. Hawai’i has solid linebackers, and the secondary is going to be okay. They need sacks and turnovers.