In preparation for spring practice, the 91直播 football team goes through military- styled challenges in Waimanalo.
Drawing inspiration from Allen Hoe, a combat medic who served in Vietnam and was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star, and retired Col. Trey Johnson, who was awarded medals for heroism during a 27-year Army career, associate head coach Chris Brown created the 鈥渕ission mindset mentality.鈥� Patterning how Special Forces prepare for a task, Brown sought offseason training that promotes single-minded purpose.
鈥淚 wanted to have a great team that wins together, sticks together and doesn鈥檛 leave in the portal,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淥ur culture is a mission mindset and brotherhood.鈥�
To the rousing support of the players, Brown showed up early for a series of obstacle challenges in Waimanalo on Friday. A few days earlier, Brown underwent reconstructive surgery on his left shoulder.
鈥淐ut my shoulder off and gave me a new one,鈥� said Brown, who told the Rainbow Warriors, 鈥淵ou thought I鈥檇 miss this? If I鈥檓 teaching you guys about the mission mindset, it wouldn鈥檛 be right if I weren鈥檛 here.鈥�
Later, Brown declared, 鈥淲e鈥檙e ready.鈥� The first of UH鈥檚 15 spring practices is Tuesday morning.
Quarterbacks
In a season of grit, left-handed QB1 Micah Alejado played through injuries to his right ankle, left foot and throwing arm. Two weeks ahead of the 91直播 Bowl, his right foot was in a medical boot. Alejado gets a much-needed break this spring, with contact reps to be split between freshman Maika Eugenio, an early enrollee from Bishop Gorman High, and Virginia transfer Bjorn Jurgensen. Similar to last year, head coach and play-caller Timmy Chang plans to limit the QB room to four. The Warriors expects to add a walk-on quarterback ahead of training camp this summer.
Running backs
Cam Barfield did not fumble while averaging 9.1 touches as a running back, receiver and returner in 2025. Two years ago, Bishop Gorman High alumnus DeVon Rice was set to join the Warriors. But Rice de-committed and signed with Kansas State. Now Rice is a Warrior. Last year, Chang and offensive coordinator Anthony Arceneaux tweaked the offense to take advantage of Landon Sims鈥� versatile bully-ball style. This spring, UH will see whether freshman TJ Fo鈥榠lefutu, an early enrollee from Arizona鈥檚 Liberty High, or Sitani Mikaele can succeed Sims.
Receivers
The Warriors reloaded on the outside after Jackson Harris transferred to LSU, Brandon White went to Kansas State, and Karsyn Pupunu lost his appeal for an extra season. Pupunu has numerous job offers and should be fine. So, too, will the Warriors, who added three Power 4 wideouts from the portal 鈥� Tre鈥� Griffiths from Oklahoma State, Devin Alves from Virginia Tech, and Carson Brown from Iowa State. Early-enrollee freshman Robert Haynes also is regarded as 鈥渢ransfer鈥� after de-committing from Arkansas to join UH this semester. Griffiths, who is 6-3 and 205 pounds, was recommended by Margin Hooks, a noted Dallas-based trainer. Griffiths is fast (sub-4.5 seconds over 40 yards) and lengthy (6-7 wing span). Alves, who is 6-3 and 195 pounds, has been electronically timed at 21 mph in the flying-10 sprint. Brown, who has logged more than 500 Big 12 snaps, also has been clocked at 21 mph. Brown鈥檚 father is a former Iowa State sprinter who ran 100 meters in 10.6 seconds. Brown has had conversations with former UH wideouts Steven McBride and Dekel Crowdus on the intricacies of UH鈥檚 four-wide offense.
The biggest signing of the offseason was slotback Pofele Ashlock renewing his scholarship agreement for the 2026 season. Ashlock, who was named the 91直播 Bowl鈥檚 MVP, has started 37 of a potential 38 games in his first three UH seasons. His 220 receptions were the most by a Warrior in the three-year period. 鈥淧robably the biggest win in the offseason was not losing Pofele,鈥� receivers coach Jared Ursua said.
Tama Uiliata is the leading candidate to replace Nick Cenacle at right slotback. Titan Lacaden, Kainoa 鈥淜aikai鈥� Carvalho, Koa Eldredge, Blaze Kamoku and Washington transfer Audric Harris will get extensive reps at inside receiver. Utah transfer Diezel Kamoku, who scored the decisive 86-yard punt return for Kahuku in the 2023 state title game, is a candidate at wideout or slotback.
Tight ends
Last year, UH began subbing tight end Devon Tauafea for a slotback in power packages. Frank Abreu 鈥� the 33rd Frank Abreu in his family, and third to play for the Warriors 鈥� and Oakie Salavea will get extended spring reps. Jeremy Kerr, a special teams analyst in 2025, will coach the tight ends this year. Kerr is a former Florida State tight end who was an analyst under Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M,
Offensive linemen
Ethan Spencer, one of the Mountain West鈥檚 top centers, and left tackle Dean Briski are the lone full-time returning starters. Judah Kaio, who committed one penalty in 389 snaps as a utility lineman last year, will compete for one of the guard spots. San Jose State transfer Denaris DeRosa is contending at left guard. Elijah 鈥淏oogie鈥� Henderson is making a push for a starting tackle job. Former South Florida tackle Khalil Walker and Oregon transfer Lipe Moala have been enrolled at UH for nearly two weeks. At 6-5 and 330 pounds, Moala can play guard or center.
Defensive linemen
With interior D-line coach Jeff Reinebold鈥檚 departure to Canada and England as a coach and football analyst, D-end coach Jordan Pu鈥榰-Robinson has done a workmanlike job overseeing the entire front during conditioning drills. Lance Samuseva, a former UH D-tackle, is expected to be hired as Reinebold鈥檚 replacement. The eligibility expired for the top two D-ends 鈥� sack leader Jackie Johnson III and Tariq Jones. Spencer Elliott, who transferred from Portland State; Virginia Tech transfer Adam Tomczyk, a former junior college All-American; and Ka鈥榚o Akana are contending to be in the D-end rotation. Akana, who transferred from Utah last summer, has added 15 pounds to his 6-3 frame. Josh Sagapolutele has moved from tackle to end. Lester Lagafuaina is the primary rush end.
The Warriors lost four interior linemen to graduation and another to the portal. But Luther McCoy, who excelled at 3-technique, can play the edge when the Warriors employ a three-man front. Geoffrey Speight (who logged more than 1,600 snaps at West Georgia and VMI), Jordan Lynch, Ozzy Pollard, Iosefa Letuli, Zoram Petelo and Waipehe Winchester are in the mix inside. Last year, Reinebold rotated as many as eight defenders at the nose/3-tech positions.
Linebackers
After dropping 30 pounds last summer, 230-pound Wynden Ho鈥榦huli moved from D-end to linebacker. This spring, Ho鈥榦huli is being trained for more of a vocal role. Brown, who coaches the linebackers known collectively as the Lion鈥檚 Den, said middle linebackers are expected to run meetings, 鈥渞un the Lion鈥檚 Den.鈥� Brown said Ho鈥榦huli draws comparisons to his father, a former UH linebacker. 鈥淲ynden is violent, not afraid to take on tacklers,鈥� Brown said.
Jamih Otis, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is expected to be fully healthy ahead of training camp. Otis is moving from middle to the weak-side spot known as dime linebacker.
Matteus Ioane will compete at middle linebacker. while Zaden Mariteragi, Junior Fiaui, Julian Smith, Tasi Tadio and Aisiah Paogofie are dime candidates.
Defensive backs
Although nickelback Elijah Palmer spent a significant amount of his team-high 665 defensive snaps in the box as a run stopper, his membership was renewed as a defensive back. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a sniper,鈥� safeties coach Nick Locher said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 with us.鈥�
Palmer is the leader of a secondary that lost to graduation the starting safeties (Peter Manuma, Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen) and corners (Virdel Edwards II, Devyn King, Jaheim Wilson-Jones). Matagi Thompson and Kona Moore are the next safeties up. Riis Weber and Ezekiel Rodrigues also will get significant spring reps. Makana Meyer, described by Locher as a 鈥渃oach on the field,鈥� can play safety or nickel.
Through former graduate assistant Woody Blevins, the Warriors signed West Georgia safety Joenel Figueroa. Blevins, WGU鈥檚 defensive coordinator, believed Figueroa would match the Warriors鈥� aggressive schemes. Kodi DeCambra, who began his career at Oregon, is transferring from UNLV.
Cornerback Caleb 鈥淐-Bo鈥� Brown is back after a season at Virginia Tech. Brown will be held out of contact drills while mending from a knee ailment. Two more Bishop Gorman alumni are contending for starting corner jobs. Jeremiah Hughes is transferring from Michigan State after beginning his career at LSU. Jaylon Edmond, who also can play nickel, previously played at Wake Forest and Washington State. Kydel Stone and Jahren Altura are true freshman enrolled in UH鈥檚 spring semester.
Specialists
Special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield is seeking to replace last season鈥檚 kicker (Kansei Matsuzawa), punter (Billy Gowers) and holder (Caleb Freeman). Kickoff specialist Sean Olvera-Harle gets the first shot at replacing the All-American 鈥淭okyo Toe.鈥� Gehrig Heil, a Texas transfer who was named after New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, and Gannon Miller, who attended the Air Force Prep Academy this past semester, are competing for the punter鈥檚 job. Heil also can be used as a point-scoring kicker and kickoff specialist.