Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football

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Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football
San Jose State (rivalry)
UNLV (rivalry)
ColorsGreen, black, silver, and white[1]
       
Fight songUniversity of Hawaii Fight Song Co-Ed
MascotVili the Warrior (1999-2011)
Marching bandRainbow Warriors Marching Band
OutfitterAdidas

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. It was part of the Western Athletic Conference until July 2012, when the team joined the Mountain West Conference.

From 2000 until July 1, 2013, the football team was renamed to simply Warriors, until a 2013 decision to standardize all of the school's athletic team names took effect, and the team was once again known as the Rainbow Warriors.[2]

The Hawaiʻi Warriors were the third team from a non automatic qualifier conference to play in a BCS bowl game. They played Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2008, in New Orleans, and lost 41–10.

History

See also: List of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football seasons

Early history

  • 1909 – The College of Hawaii "Fighting Deans" played and won its game against McKinley High School by a score of 95–5 at Punahou School.
  • 1920 – The College of Hawaii becomes the University of Hawaiʻi and the football team plays its first intercollegiate game against Nevada, losing 14–0 on Christmas Day.

Otto Klum era (1921–1939)

  • 1922 – Hawaiʻi defeats its first collegiate opponent, beating
    Pomona
    25–6 on Christmas Day.
  • 1923 – A rainbow appears over
    Moiliili Field after Hawaiʻi upsets Oregon State
    , 7–0. Local reporters begin calling UH athletic teams the "Rainbows."
  • 1924–25 – The Rainbows, under the guidance of coach Otto Klum, complete back-to-back undefeated seasons. The Rainbows outscore their opponents 606–29 in 18 games. Among the schools defeated during this time are Colorado, Colorado State and Washington State. These Rainbow teams become known as the "Wonder Teams" due to their outstanding play.
  • 1926 – The Rainbows play their first game at their newly constructed home field, Honolulu Stadium. The Rainbows fall to the Town Team by a score of 14–7 in front of 12,000 fans on Armistice Day.
  • 1935 – Rainbow running back and future coach Tom Kaulukukui becomes Hawaiʻi's first All-American player.[3] Kaulukukui starred on Hawaiʻi's 1934 undefeated team and set a school record in 1935 with a 103-yard kick return touchdown during a 19–6 loss to UCLA in Los Angeles. Kaulukukui's number 32 is later retired by the University and remained the only number to be retired in Hawaiʻi in football history until Colt Brennan's No. 15 was retired in 2021.

Eugene Gill era (1940–1941)

  • 1942 – Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States' entry into World War II, Hawaiʻi cancels the 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945 football seasons.

Tom Kaulukukui era (1946–1950)

Hank Vasconcellos era (1952–1960)

  • 1955 – A year after suffering a 50–0 blowout loss to Nebraska in Honolulu, the Rainbows go up to Lincoln the following season and upset the Huskers 6–0. The win is considered one of the school's all-time biggest upsets.
  • 1961 – The UH Board of Athletic Control votes to abolish the football program due to a lack of finances. The program would return to intercollegiate competition the following year behind the urgings of new athletics director Young Suk Ko.

Jim Asato era (1962–1964)

Shaughnessy-Sarboe-King era (1965–1967)

  • 1965 – Larry Price performed in his third Hula Bowl as a College All-Star after a stint in the U.S. Army where he performed twice for the Hawai'i All-Stars. Legendary coach Clark Shaughnessy takes over for one season but the Rainbows flounder through a 1–8–1 season.
  • 1966 – Phil Sarboe, after 15 seasons as head coach at Humboldt State, guides the team to a 4–6 record playing its first all-collegiate schedule. He resigns for "personal reasons" after the season.
  • 1967 – Don King, an assistant under Sarboe, becomes head coach and the much-improved Rainbows post a 6–4 record. Significantly, large crowds (18,000 to 20,000) flock to Honolulu Stadium to watch the Rainbows for the first time in many years, setting the stage for a major gridiron revival in future years.

Dave Holmes era (1968–1973)

  • 1968 – Head coach Dave Holmes begins what would be the most successful coaching tenure at Hawaiʻi. From 1968–1974, UH won 67 percent of its games and never suffered a losing season. Holmes still ranks as the all-time leader at Hawaiʻi in winning percentage (.718). Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 16th round, Larry Cole becomes the first UH Warrior to be drafted by an NFL team. Cole was a one-year transfer from the United States Air Force Academy and later graduated from the University of Houston.
  • 1971 – Larry Cole becomes the first former Warrior to represent UH in world championship competition in Super Bowl V for the Dallas Cowboys.
  • 1972 – Larry Cole becomes the first former Warrior to start for a world champion football team with the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
  • 1973 – The Rainbows record what is widely considered to be the biggest upset in school history, defeating Washington 10–7 in front of 52,500 in Seattle. The Huskies were favored to beat Hawaiʻi by as many as 50 points.

Larry Price era (1974–1976)

Dick Tomey era (1977–1986)

Bob Wagner era (1987–1995)

  • 1989 – Hawaiʻi plays in the program's first major bowl game — the Jeep Eagle Aloha Bowl. Hawaiʻi falls to Michigan State, 33–13, before a sellout crowd at Aloha Stadium.
  • 1990 – The Rainbows rout BYU, 59–28, on December 1. Earlier that day, BYU quarterback Ty Detmer won the Heisman Trophy.
  • 1992 – Hawaiʻi wins a share of its first-ever WAC championship which qualifies it for the Thrifty Car Rental Holiday Bowl. In the game, the Rainbow Warriors earn their first bowl victory, a 27–17 defeat of Illinois. Hawaiʻi would finish the season ranked 20th in the nation and post a team-record 11 victories. The 1992 Rainbows had 10 regular season victories and two future NFL veterans: defensive end Maa Tanuvasa, who played seven seasons; and place kicker Jason Elam, who played 17 seasons and was selected to three Pro Bowls. [4]

Fred von Appen era (1996–1998)

  • 1996 – Rich Ellerson extends coaching tree for former UH Warriors by being named as Head Football Coach for Southern Utah. In his single season, Ellerson accrued a 4–7 record.
  • 1998 – Hawaiʻi suffers through the program's first-ever winless season, going 0–12 under head coach Fred von Appen. Von Appen coached the Rainbow Warriors. to a 5–31 record in his three years at Hawaiʻi. He would be fired after the season.

June Jones era (1999–2007)

Game between Boise State and Hawaiʻi in 2007. Hawaiʻi won 39–27.

Greg McMackin era (2008–2011)

Norm Chow era (2012–2015)

Hawaii players perform a war dance before a 2012 game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Nick Rolovich era (2016–2019)

Todd Graham era (2020–2021)

  • 2020 – Coming off a ten win season and a division title, head coach Nick Rolovich suddenly departs from the program to take the head coaching position at Washington State University, taking most of his coaching staff and support staff with him. Starting quarterback Cole McDonald also departs from Hawaii, declaring for the NFL Draft. Approximately 1 week later, athletic director David Matlin announces the hire of former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham. Graham retains two assistants, Jacob Yoro and Abe Elimimian from Rolovich's staff, and hires G. J. Kinne and former Hawaii linebacker Victor Santa Cruz as offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator respectively. The Rainbow Warriors win their first game of the season against rival Fresno State, 34–19, accumulating over 300 yards of rushing and forcing four turnovers; Graham becomes the first UH head coach to win in his debut since Bob Wagner in 1987.[7] The season was also highlighted by an upset of previously undefeated Nevada, which effectively gave the Rainbow Warriors a bowl berth ahead of San Diego State and Fresno State on a tiebreaker. They capped off the year by winning the New Mexico Bowl over Houston, 28–14. The bowl victory clinched a third straight winning season and the 100th win in Graham’s career.
  • 2021 – Issues with Aloha Stadium led to that venue halting the scheduling of new events as of December 2020.[8] As a result, the Rainbow Warriors announced plans to play home games on campus at the Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex "for at least the next three years".[9] Despite a season that saw the team reach a program-record fourth consecutive bowl game even with a 6-7 record, an upset over Fresno State, and reclaiming the Paniolo Trophy with a 38-14 win over Wyoming in Laramie, Graham resigned after multiple reports surfaced of player mistreatment on January 14, 2022. It was also later discovered the Hawaii Bowl was only canceled because Hawaii players refused to play in the game due to injuries, COVID-19 issues, and competitive disadvantages, done by a players-only vote without Graham's knowledge.

Timmy Chang era (2022–present)

Hawaii players tackle a Michigan ball-carrier during a game in 2022
  • 2022 - Following the resignation of Graham in January 2022, Hawaii signs former quarterback Timmy Chang to a four year deal to be head coach.[10] Jacob Yoro and Abe Elimimian were once again retained as part of the staff, but most of the rest of the staff was new, including Ian Shoemaker as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. 19 players from the 2021 team transferred elsewhere in the fallout of Graham's tenure as coach, leaving the 2022 team depleted of depth. With these issues, the team struggled much of the season, recording a 3–10 record and a 2–6 record in conference.

Conference affiliations

Championships

Conference championships

Season Conference Coach Record Conference Record
1992†
WAC
 Bob Wagner 11–2 6–2
1999† June Jones 9–4 5–2
2007 12–1 8–0
2010† Greg McMackin 10–4 7–1

† Co-champions

Division championships

Season Conference Division Coach Conf. record Overall record Opponent CG result
2019† Mountain West West Nick Rolovich 5–3 10–5 Boise State L 10–31

Bowl games

See also: List of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors bowl games

Bowl games played from 1934 to 1952 were not NCAA-sanctioned. In December 1941, just prior to the

attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaiʻi was scheduled to play in a three-team round robin tournament called the Shrine Bowl, which included Hawaiʻi, San Jose State, and Willamette University of Salem, Oregon
. Only one game was actually played, with Hawaiʻi defeating Willamette 20–6.

Year Bowl Coach Opponent Result
1934 New Year's Classic Otto Klum Santa Clara L 7–26
1935 New Year's Classic Otto Klum California W 14–0
1936
Poi Bowl
 Otto Klum USC L 6–38
1937
Poi Bowl
 Otto Klum Honolulu All-Stars W 18–12
1938
Poi Bowl
 Otto Klum Washington L 13–53
1939
Poi Bowl
 Otto Klum UCLA L 7–32
1940
Pineapple Bowl
 Eugene Gill Oregon State L 6–39
1941
Pineapple Bowl
 Eugene Gill Fresno State L 0–3
1947
Pineapple Bowl
 Tom Kaulukukui
Utah
 W 19–16
1948
Pineapple Bowl
 Tom Kaulukukui
Redlands
 W 33–32
1949
Pineapple Bowl
 Tom Kaulukukui Oregon State L 27–47
1950
Pineapple Bowl
 Tom Kaulukukui Stanford L 20–74
1951
Pineapple Bowl
 Archie Kodros Denver W 28–27
1952
Pineapple Bowl
 Hank Vasconcellos San Diego State L 13–34
1989 Aloha Bowl Bob Wagner Michigan State L 13–33
1992 Holiday Bowl Bob Wagner Illinois W 27–17
1999 Oahu Bowl June Jones Oregon State W 23–17
2002 Hawai'i Bowl June Jones Tulane L 28–36
2003 Hawai'i Bowl June Jones Houston W 54–48
2004 Hawai'i Bowl June Jones UAB W 59–40
2006 Hawai'i Bowl June Jones Arizona State W 41–24
2008 Sugar Bowl June Jones Georgia L 10–41
2008 Hawai'i Bowl Greg McMackin Notre Dame L 21–49
2010
 Hawai'i Bowl Greg McMackin Tulsa L 35–62
2016 Hawai'i Bowl Nick Rolovich Middle Tennessee W 52–35
2018 Hawai'i Bowl Nick Rolovich Louisiana Tech L 14–31
2019 Hawai'i Bowl Nick Rolovich BYU W 38–34
2020 New Mexico Bowl Todd Graham Houston W 28–14
2021
Hawaii Bowl
 Todd Graham Memphis Canceled A

Head coaches

Main article: List of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors head football coaches
† Interim head coach
Years Coach Record
1909–1911 Austin Jones 8–6
1912–1914 No team
1915 John Peden 5–1–1
1916 William Britton 3–2–1
1917–1919 David L. Crawford 11–1–2
1920 Raymond Elliot 6–2–0
1921–1939 Otto Klum 82–46–7
1940–1941 Eugene Gill 10–6
1942–1945 No team
1946–1950 Tom Kaulukukui 42–19–3
1951 Archie Kodros 4–7
1952–1960 Hank Vasconcellos 43–46–3
1961 No team
1962–1964 Jim Asato 15–12
1965 Clark Shaughnessy 1–8–1
1966 Phil Sarboe 4–6
1967 Don King 6–4
1968–1973
Dave Holmes
 46–17–1
1974–1976 Larry Price 15–18
1977–1986 Dick Tomey 63–46–3
1987–1995 Bob Wagner 58–49–3
1996–1998 Fred von Appen 5–31
1999–2007 June Jones 75–41
2008–2011 Greg McMackin 29–25
2012–2015 Norm Chow 10–36
2015 Chris Naeole† 1–3
2016–2019 Nick Rolovich 28–27
2020–2021 Todd Graham 11–11
2022–present Timmy Chang 8-18

Rivalries

Fresno State

Battle for the Golden Screwdriver

Main article: Fresno State–Hawaii football rivalry

With the BYU rivalry losing steam after the Cougars left the WAC in 1999, the rivalry with

2004 and a 68–37 Warriors victory in 2006 over Fresno. In 2007, allegations that Fresno State fans were physically and verbally abused by hometown Hawaiʻi
fans circulated the internet and television media added to this rivalry.

It was being reported that several Fresno State fans attempted to warn Boise State fans from attending Hawaiʻi football games due to potential violence against them, however no incidents were reported by Boise State fans and many photographs from Hawaiʻi-based publications covered incidents where Hawaiʻi and Boise State fans were seen mingling together before and after their 2007 game. The rivalry still continues to be one that is anticipated by both sides and continues to the present, with Fresno State having joined the Mountain West Conference in 2012, reuniting it with Hawaiʻi and other former WAC members in Nevada and Boise State.

It is Hawaii's most-played rivalry series.[11] The two teams have met 55 times, with Fresno State leading the all-time series 30–24–1 through the 2022 season.[12]

Air Force

Battle for the Kuter Trophy

Main article: Air Force–Hawaii football rivalry

This is one of the oldest rivalries involving Hawaii, along with the Fresno State rivalry. This rivalry is attributed to the late General Laurence S. Kuter, who was stationed on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam as commander of the Pacific Air Forces. This led to the creation of the Kuter Trophy, a symbol of sportsmanship and school pride, but also the eternal friendship between the Air Force and Hawaii. The Falcons are in possession of the trophy following a 56–26 win in Honolulu in 2019. The two teams have met 22 times, with Air Force leading the series 14–7–1.

Wyoming

Battle for the Paniolo Trophy

Main article: Hawaii–Wyoming football rivalry

The rivalry began in 1978, when Hawaii joined the

Waimea on the Big Island at the Parker Ranch Center. Wyoming won that game in Laramie 59–56 in overtime. Before that, the last time the two schools met was in 1997 in the old Western Athletic Conference with Wyoming winning 35–6 in Honolulu. Hawaii holds the Paniolo Trophy as they won the most recent meeting, 38–14 in Laramie, their first since 1991. [when?][citation needed
]

San Jose State

Dick Tomey Legacy Game

Main article: Dick Tomey Legacy Game

The two schools were each led by legendary coach Dick Tomey, who died in 2019. The winner of the rivalry game each year takes possession of the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. San Jose State currently holds the trophy after winning the last 4 meetings, the most recent in

Oahu, Hawaii
in 2023.

The two schools first met in 1936. The

Rainbow Warriors
and Spartans have played each other 46 times as of the 2023 season.

As of 2023, the Spartans lead the series 23–22–1.

UNLV

Ninth Island Showdown

Beginning in 2017, the annual game between

'Bows lead the all-time series between the two schools 19-13 as of 2022. [15]

Stadiums

Individual awards and recognitions

Retired numbers

See also: List of NCAA football retired numbers
No. Player Position Career No. ret. Ref.
15 Colt Brennan QB 2005–2007 2021 [16]
32 Tom Kaulukukui HB 1934–1937 [17]

All-Americans

AP All-Americans

AP Little All-Americans

Other All-Americans

Scripps/FWAA Freshman All-Americans

CoSIDA Academic All-Americans

Awards

Mosi Tatupu Award

Sammy Baugh Trophy

Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year

Super Bowl Performers

Notable players

See also:
List of Hawaii Warriors in the NFL Draft

Notable coaches

Future non-conference games

The NCAA permits Hawaiʻi to play one more than the normal 12 games during the regular season to recoup its unusually high travel costs to and from the mainland.[18] The team's opponents who play at Hawaiʻi each season are also allowed one more game than their normal limit.[19][20] This rule was modified before the 2016 season; Hawaii is now open to play before Labor Day Weekend (during FCS Kickoff Week).

The exemption was modified to avoid a 13-game schedule with no bye weeks.

Announced schedules as of November 27, 2023.[21][22]

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032
Oregon Stanford at Stanford at UMass Kansas Arizona at Stanford at Oregon at Kansas
UCLA at Arizona at Arizona State Northwestern State Fordham at Washington
at
Sam Houston
Sam Houston
 New Mexico State at New Mexico State at UCLA
Northern Iowa Portland State UMass UCLA

References

  1. ^ "Campus Signature Examples". University of Hawaii Office of Communications. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. ^ Staff (May 14, 2013). "Nickname Of UH Men's Teams To Be Rainbow Warriors". University of Hawaiʻi. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  3. ^ Nakama, Wes (March 10, 2007). "Tommy Kaulukukui, sports legend, 94". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  4. ^ "Jason Elam Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  5. ^ "UH coach Greg McMackin resigns under pressure". Hawaii News Now. December 5, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  6. ANZ Stadium
    . Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  7. ^ "UH football opens the 2020 season with a 34-19 road victory against Fresno State". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. ^ "New events halted at Aloha Stadium over virus, budget issues". The Washington Times. AP. December 18, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  9. ^ Chinen, Kyle (January 11, 2021). "'Bows to play football home games on campus after Aloha Stadium fallout". hawaiinewsnow.com. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Shimabuku, Christian (25 January 2022). "New Hawaii football coach Timmy Chang's contract details released". KHON2. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  11. ^ Warszawski, Marek (November 9, 2017). "Fresno State & Hawaii: 50 years of football, screwdrivers and ... 'odd' elbows?". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  12. ^ "Winsipedia – Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Hawaii Warriors football series history". Winsipedia.
  13. ^ "The Case of the Missing Paniolo Trophy". cowboyaltitude.com. June 27, 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  14. ^ "UH hopes to revive trophy games in Mountain West". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. June 26, 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  15. ^ "2022 UNLV Football Media Guide" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Football Retires Jersey #15 In Honor of Colt Brennan". hawaiiathletics.com.
  17. ^ "Warrior Football By The Numbers". hawaiiathletics.com.
  18. ^ "Bylaw 17.27.2 Alaska/Hawaii, Additional Football Contest" (PDF). 2011–12 NCAA Division I Manual. NCAA. p. 305. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  19. ^ "Bylaw 17.9.5.2 (j) Annual Exemptions: Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico. (FBS/FCS)" (PDF). 2011–12 NCAA Division I Manual. NCAA. p. 264. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  20. ^ Kevin K. "The Hawaii Exemption" FBSchedules.com, 25 May 2010.
  21. ^ "Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  22. ^ "Hawai'i-Washington Announce 2030 Football Game". hawaiiathletics.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.

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