Hawaii Football Now - Episode 93

[Music] all right how's it going everybody it is episode 93 here on Hawaii football now Jordan hel Hunter Hughes back with you got our guy Jonathan on the controls producing this episode as always we record this Wednesday June 7th uh just after 7 a.m. Hawaii time uh nice sunny day outside and uh ready to get this thing going as usual release this Thursday tomorrow uh June 8th at our usual release time uh shout out to Uncle Ron uh who always is like ready to go when it debuts on YouTube faceb and uh you can like watch it sort of in real time uh so shout out uncle Ron who's uh always tuning in every Thursday uh quick opening drive here uh also wanted to say Mahal to Jonah kav Welch for joining us last week um that was a fun conversation uh kind of interesting feedback uh just based on kind of his um I think it was kind of interesting for folks to listen to him uh and his perspective as a guy who's been around for a while um to uh to kind of put it that way uh and has seen a lot of things at the program experienced a lot of things and brings a lot of that maturity I think to the locker room so uh I know that was a fun one for us last week as well Hunter totally uh Jonah is one of the last remaining Rollo guys still on the team uh I think he and so many others have benefited from coid and the NCA going you get another year and you get another year and hey if you can stay there as long as possible um but on on a serious note Jonah's taking up the Reigns as one of the leaders on the team you can tell he um probably takes that with a great sense of Pride and the way that he was speaking about uh work ethic and uh dedication um and standards and certain guys on the team always being the first ones in the locker room in the wait room um it to me it all sounded like signs of a good um locker room environment which um usually not always but usually um means wins on on the schedule so uh to me as a former player and a fan uh that that's that's what you want to see it didn't hurt right um having a good lock room envir especially for a group that's um you know still I think uh coming together obviously with the with the coaching staff that is fresh um I know they got one year under their belt but as they try to build the foundation that's still being um laid I think you know it's it's going to be um it's going to help them big time to have a a solid locker room a solid leadership base that can kind of help help bring that along right so that's going to be something we'll enjoy following uh with guys like Jonah and some of the others as well some dudes that we've talked to here on the podcast over the course of the offseason as well an offseason that continues to kind of Roll Along uh into June we're basically like two and a half months right or so away from uh opening kick um August 26 uh over in Nashville against Vanderbilt and that kind of leads us into our game time here uh and before we do so we want to remind you that Hawaii football now is brought to you by Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union as Hawaii's largest credit Union they are committed to serving individuals and businesses through its 14 branch locations Statewide and convenient digital banking services as a leader and providing support for the islands Hawai USA is committed to strengthening Hawaii's Financial wellness and sharing successes with members local businesses and the greater community visit hawaiiusafcu.com big thanks to them big thanks to Spectrum mobile as well for sponsoring episode 93 here on Hawaii football now all right game time National TV schedule is out uh Hawaii having four of their 13 games picked up uh by national networks a few of those we had kind of known uh because of uh you know the conference networks if you will Road games at Vanderbilt and Oregon uh so we'll run through that here uh and talk a little bit about what that could mean what kind of opportunity that presents basically a third of the schedule will be on National Television uh including the August 26th opener at vanderbild a return game after last year's opener if you remember the uh the first game of the Timmy Chang era excuse me at Ching field um that'll be on the SEC network um the very next week when they come home Friday September 1st uh the home opener against Stanford will be on CBS Sports Network that kickoff time will be at 5:00 pm uh so an hour earlier than the usual home kickoff time uh then a couple weeks later when they head to Eugene September 16 at Oregon that'll be on Pack 12 networks and then uh about a month later October 14th the Lone Mountain West game against San Diego State um that will be on national TV on CBS Sports Network as well also a 5m kickoff so the two games at home on national TV not too much of a drastic change right sometimes those kickoffs are like one o'clock in the afternoon or something like that right it's a little hot uh five o'clock so just an hour earlier um of course the Friday five o'clock kickoff maybe some traffic around um around campus there uh I believe that's also Labor Day weekend so it's going to be a little hectic so maybe take the day maybe just make it a 4-day weekend um for those folks heading down uh to the home opener on Friday September 1st I don't remember ho playing on a Friday in a while maybe since definitely not last year maybe maybe Todd Grahams last there was like one road Friday game in Boise or something like that that I remember but there hadn't been a lot of non Saturday games for this program in a while but anyway um your thoughts Hunter on the four games picked up I think you know obviously the three non-conference games no surprise um and then you figured there was going to be a conference Mount West gaming there or too but um we can get into some other of the details but uh your uh your early impressions as Hawai will get four opportunities to to play in front of an expanded television audience yeah uh I think anytime we get to play in the secc even if it is against Vandy uh is a terrific opportunity for us as a program for us as a brand uh all of University of Hawaii um super stoked for the guys to get over there and uh even guys in house with ESPN Honolulu they've admitted they've never traveled east of the Mississippi so uh it's uh it's kind of cool I'm uh I'm sure we're going to be headed out super early for that um I remember Norm Chow days on anything east of the Mississippi was a two Tuesday flight out so just to get out there and get used to the time um that'll be really good even just be on SEC network I mean that's as big as some networks these days Jordan um it is um CBS uh that's usually our our standard for nationally televised games here um at home so that'll be really good against Stanford Stanford is uh at least not uh ping well if I can merge it with politics uh Stanford is uh not predicted to uh win that many games this year and I could see that being kind of a trenches game for us so I'm I'm excited for that one for sure um yeah Oregon uh that's going to be just a a memor like a a memory Builder I think for us with getting to go over there see the Nike complex everything that's involved with that um that'll be I mean that that'll be cool and you know the interesting one was San Diego State um I guess you know CBS Sports Network sees them as a draw with their Market I think with Southern California um the the other interesting one for me that could have been the conference National Television bid was uh the UNLV game at uh ad alent I thought that one just uh with the Hawaii uh fan connection ction everything there um just reads is kind of a better story uh than home against uh against San Diego State but uh again I'm not in charge but that was just some thoughts that uh I had for our national TV schedule yeah I I'm with you I think the SEC network the expanse the reach um is is as big as you know any of those kind of conference networks uh obviously it's a huge deal uh on an abbreviated weekend where there aren't a Full Slate of games right on that week zero game I guess uh as as what it's been termed um the Sanford game is going to be pretty interesting because they've as you pointed out they're they're not projected to win a ton of games uh I think their win total is kind of similar to hawaiis like three three and a half uh which again that's not very good they weren't very good last year um and and David Shaw um no longer the head coach there right he resigned kind of felt that it had run its course um they went ahead and and hired Troy Taylor who kind of an opposite offensive philosophy like they but he just he came from Sacramento State uh former Stanford player um but I I'm curious because they they might look completely different from what they did uh under Shaw where they were tring out like 17 tight ends at a time um but Troy Taylor was uh was like a wide openen you know kind of modern spread guy not that he didn't use tight ends or anything like that but like they were tempo they scored like 40 something points a game or whatever it was last season he took them to the um like NCAA quarterfinals uh they were like really exciting yeah uh and like the antithesis of Stanford football and I know uh David sha kind of tried to morph into a little bit more of a spread look um late I think they were kind of grasping at straws but um that'll be kind of intriguing because I I believe that's Stanford's first game as well um obviously it'll be on National Television it'll be a debut of sorts for them it'll be a debut of sorts for Hawaii back home the first time the home fans I know they'll play bandil the week before but you know of the not just the Timmy Chang uh tenure but uh the run and shoot you know era re 4.0 or whatever version of the run and shoot we're on now um right with uh you know from June to to Rollo as OC to to Rollo as head coach not a not a Timmy changen as as the guy at the you know the controls of of this offense so I'm kind of that was one that I had circled um because I think it you know Stanford will bring a lot of intrigue because it's a brand new day for them uh Hawaii coming back home and and a chance that you know I don't know what the early line is the advanced line on that one is but it's like well if they're going to beat any of these three power Conference teams on the schedule like that's the one I think um even though VY you know they weren't great again last year um but we saw what happened last season when they came down right like well these guys got SEC athletes that's a that's a little bit of a different story I think Oregon's going to be really good it's going to be tough going on the road there um and a chance to play on Pack 12 Network which you know that's been well documented in terms of the bre of the pack Fel networks and whatnot obviously in Hawaii I think we get a little bit more of it uh but if you start going east nobody pays attention uh because they're they're they're just not in as many households um and then as you point out San Diego State right they have become kind of like Boise I think the darling of uh of the national networks you know it was used to be Boise on ESPN now obviously with CBS and fox having the the Mountain West contract um SDSU is going to play a lot on National Television they're a program that seems destined for a different conference we'll see how much longer they're a member of the Mountain West um and the other interesting thing here last year we saw basically just the Vanderbuilt game on National Television at home right um the the national networks weren't really coming down uh to broadcast games at Ching uh they did a couple during the coid years um when it was a little different but they also like weren't doing it remotely they weren't sending the uh The Game announcers here I don't know how they'll set it up for Vanderbilt uh excuse me for for Stanford and San Diego State how CBS Sports Network will set that up but um you know it's kind of it's It's good to see a couple of games picked up um at home um because you know it's not like we're we're saying anything that that isn't known but the the facility at at Ching is you know it's getting bigger it's getting better um but it's still you know is kind of Jerry rigged in a sense when it comes to the Press Box and and um and the Vantage points and things like that and so um that was always kind of one of my things like I'm a little you know weary it's like are the networks going to want to come down and and uh we'll get into the ha bable news a little bit later in the pot as well uh that'll be continuing on the date been announced and and some of the details there but um I was pleased to see that you know two of the four games will be at home and so that's that's nice to see as well um I presume the rest will be aired by Spectrum we haven't seen the the announcement yet from Spectrum as to all the games what the package will look like for the pay-per-view um which I know is kind of a bad word to a lot of folks um The Only Exception in the last couple years were like Road games at New Mexico state where they have their own rights um because they were an independent I don't know what that looks like now that they're joining the sunb belt um uh there's a conference USA either way they're joining a conference uh so I don't know what that looks like now but either way they're it's a home game for Hawaii so that would uh usually fall under Hawaii's television agreement uh so could be up to n gam yeah well hopefully hopefully we'll be we'll be uh we'll be put to work there um just uh just one of the eight conference games so we we could see a lot of the conference games on on pay-per-view uh but some early exposure and the other the other aspect of it as well if they can start quick right three of their first four games going to be onal television three of their first four games obviously the Marquee opponents with Vanderbilt Stanford and Oregon and an Albany game squeezed in there which you would figure is a pretty winable game against the FCS opponent so they will be exposed to uh to the National audience early and often uh in that first month of the 2023 season which could be good or uh or bad depending on how you start but uh nevertheless it's it's always good to get this program exposure and um as they uh you know try to try to build things up change B recruits um and uh and get that thing going this is is an opportunity to really do it and especially I like that the two home games are five o'clock kickoffs which will still it's not quite the 6 PM which makes it midnight on the East Coast or anything like that but you know anybody you talk about with white football it's like that late night game man and so I like that uh it's kind of that late window kickoff um on national television now the the one caveat to that five o'clock um is is actually if CBS Sports sends a crew down here to work the game um they're going to be in for a rude surprise really up until the middle of the second quarter uh where they can't see the numbers on the jerseys little C the the the sun and the angle off of Ching is brutal um up until about the um the the second quarter Mark whenever it disappears behind uh the um um the St Sheriff so um that that presents itself some unique challenges for broadcasters where um the the rest of the folks who are just there watching the game as long as you're you're staying cool it's it's a beautiful environment still to watch watch some football but uh that that will present some challenges I think uh Jordan I I know it it did for um our guys in the booth um for that Vandy game which I believe was a 5:00 start last year as well yeah it was right around there it was right around there it was it was definitely late afternoon so um yeah that's that's the only thing right um you've got the the low stands which isn't going to block much of the sun which isn't a bad thing because you get a nice view uh of the sunset but also the fact that um you know the Press Box is on the Mala side facing facing the sunset whereas Aloha Stadium it was it was flipped right you had your back um to the Shoreline and the sunset said so yeah that that is something um and I don't know if they'll send guys down I imagine for for some of you know for for maybe the Stanford game that's a pretty high-profile one but um that is that is something to contend with right and and that's one of the one of the uh factors of of broadcasting a game at chin um later in the day um May maybe we'll get a little overcast sky or something like that that'll that'll help things out you never know uh but it it is one of the logistical challenges that the University of Hawaii and and kind of the the the staff there right and the Administration has had to to contend with and and you give them a lot of credit and trying to try to make that thing as as um as first class as possible uh to put on these events because you want as many of these games on National Television as possible you want the exposure you want the money that comes with it um all of these things factor in so yeah that's a good point by you do you uh in the same kind of vein of talking about first class you mentioned San Diego State kind of becoming the new Boise um darling of the Mountain West um it's interesting because they're kind of riding the momentum and coattails of basketball making it to the final four oh yeah um and also just coincidentally being one of the only Southern California um decently big Market teams to still be in a conference on the west coast with USC and UCLA jumping over to the Big 10 um however I still don't consider them from a football standpoint necessarily Elite they're not on the same level as Fresno um and I don't see them at the same level as Boise at this at this point I mean we played them all the way down the stretch and were um one bad clock management drive away from tying that game uh late in the year last year and forcing overtime um in kind of a weak Hawaii football year so um a after you know coach long left a couple years ago for San Diego State they're they're still very much on the rebuild um at least that's how I'm reading it but um it's just intriguing how you know timing is is working out well for San Diego State right now even though they're they're not murdering the Mountain West or uh competing against UCF or Cincinnati as one of the the best group of five schools it's just not the case when it comes to football so um it will be interesting though after a national championship for basketball if they're able to I haven't been keeping up on their recruiting but it will be interesting to see if they're able to kind of par lay that into some good transfer portal finds yeah I haven't I haven't checked uh some of the recruiting news there either uh but you're I I think you're absolutely right with San Diego State and and what they've been able to capture right because yeah um you know with with Brady Hulk back there it hasn't they haven't been quite as um powerful as as they were I think at the end of the the Rocky long time um I think they're they're definitely trending in the right direction ction um right for Hawai I that that that game will stick I think with Hawaii fans for a long time where they just basically Trot it out like a safety uh at quarterback and uh the dude was tossing it all over the lot uh in a game that Hawaii very much as you pointed out easily could have won uh up there at Snap Dragon uh because that's the other huge factor I think is is yes basketball has been good for a long time um you kind of pair that with football right the the the the stat that San Diego State fans love to throw out there is they're like top five in the country uh over the last decade in terms of football plus basketball wins like they're amongst the best in the country uh when it comes to to to adding up those two results and obviously look a lot of the the power five snobs will tell you like yeah look you're play in the Mountain West it's a little different than than say um you know USC trying to navigate the Pack 12 or or some what were some of the other programs out there I think Ohio State's pretty high up there um bragging about a score from the white te's yeah and so it's like you know they they they trying to make their case right why they should be considered amongst the elite but hey look making a run in the national championship game in basketball helps legitimize a lot of those things absolutely getting to a New Year's six bowl game in football and playing well in that New Year's six bowl game would help to legitimize things absolutely they haven't done that yet but they've done the basketball side of things uh and I think on the basketball court they've proven like they're they're very very good uh and they can hang with the big boys and basketball is a little bit of a different equation and we've seen PR programs like you know the gonzas of the world and whatnot from smaller conferences routinely be able to play with the big boys if you will the Blue Bloods but the other I think huge part of the equation is that Stadium um and what it's done to kind of legitimize their operations right they're not playing and rundown Qualcomm Jack Murphy whatever it's been called over the years um in a in an empty kind of you know out in the yeah it wasn't out in the boonies but you know kind of out of the way stadium that just sat in the middle of a giant parking lot right that seemed very old and sterile and kind of uh you know not that exciting but now that they've got this new beautiful state-of-the-art Stadium snap Snapdragon right for their home games but what it's getting in terms of like they're playing right it's home to um the women's professional soccer team there it's going to be home to the new MLS franchise there um they're getting big big International like summer soccer tournaments there um they are um bringing in all kinds of events uh and so it is it has become a sought after destination it has become a sought-after venue um and and look that's not all directly tied to San Diego State uh but it is their home facility right and so um I think it all kind of factors in it's on campus right there uh and so they're getting a lot of use out of it they're getting a lot of pretty big- time use out of it um some of those bigger you know European soccer clubs are coming over during the summer they're playing there right they're they're not just going to Vegas and Chicago but they're going to San Diego they're playing in Snapdragon and so all of those things kind of help to legitimize the program um and I think will you know they bottom line they mean dollars uh and dollars mean you can spend on things uh and spending on things means you can usually improve things bring in better recruits all of the above um and so you know I I know we went on a little bit of a tangent here but uh it kind of shows you know hey if if if you invest sometimes these things pay off uh and it's not the most complicated formula and I get it it's it's a little bit easier to get events and things to to Southern California than it is to to Honolulu but um you know when we talk about the stadium deal when we talk about um the basketball program and what it can mean not just for the basketball program but maybe for some of the other sports there um it's a it's a big deal to me yeah to me San Diego State is the model when it comes to what we could do with our Stadium uh rather than look at uh Power five schools or uh you know Vegas with their their whole new stadiums that they're putting in over there or you know the Buffalo Bills are putting in a state-of-the-art billion dollar thing over that's the NFL we shouldn't be looking at that we should be looking at what San Diego State is able to accomplish because we're competing with those guys what we're at the same level and you might argue that San Diego's um Market is maybe bigger than than Hawaii but in some aspects with our um our draw from Asia and some of those markets um them able to attract um other vendors if you will like um international soccer and uh um National United States soccer over there it's it's an intriguing thought where that's been thrown out as um a potential thing for us here in Hawaii with new Aloha Stadium and so it to me I I find it encouraging if they're able to do something like that why can't we so I I don't consider them leagues Beyond us um in some ways I could even argue because I'm I'll be a homer till till I die um that Hawaii is um perhaps more advantageous or uh strategic for for some things like that but uh yeah I I see what they've done as kind of uh forerunners and uh and Pioneers for what we could do also yeah if if you invest um there are usually payouts um and San Diego State I think is waiting for that big payday when it comes to potentially a new conference and so hey you gota you got to spend some money to make some money right uh and that's that that's the big part of the equation and I get it for Hawaii they're in a little bit of a different situation when it comes to the fact that the whatever the brand new stadium looks like and and we've talked about it at link won't be theirs right it will be off campus um but uh there can be be some Synergy there uh and and and it can carry over to the football program and and U I'm sure that's something that uh we'll talk about again and again so yeah that'll be the four nationally televised games August 26 the home open uh the opener excuse me on the road at Vanderbilt on SEC network Friday September 1st home opener against Stanford on CBS Sports Network uh September 16th at Oregon on the Pack 12 networks and October 14th at home against San Diego State on CBS Sports Network those two home games on national TV will kick off at 5:00 p.m. local time there all right let's take a break we'll come back for more conversation in the second half a few different topics to touch on when we return you're listen to episode 93 Hawaii football now this is Hawaii football now from ESPN [Music] Honolulu second halftime here on episode 93 Jordan and Hunter back with you uh episode 93 brought to you by Spectra mobile and Hawai USA Federal Credit Union all right jumping around a little bit uh we talked about TV so we'll uh we'll start the second half here uh the Hawaii Bowl set for December 23rd ESPN networks uh a Saturday uh avoids going up against the NFL on Christmas Eve which would be the usual December 24th kickoff time for Hawaii so a little bit of a um unfortunate situation there but this happens you know every what six years or whatever as it as it rotates throughout the dates um Hawai would love to be there you know six wins might get them there seven wins should just about Do It um the that usual Christmas Eve kick date was always great because there was like nothing else going on right the NBA takes center stage on Christmas day um the NFL obviously with their usual um schedule and so like that midweek Christmas Eve date was always uh really advantageous and especially for Hawaii right uh this could potentially be ath nationally televised game if they can get two Bowl eligibility um but Saturday December 23rd not not the worst case scenario it'll be its usual uh kind of mid-afternoon kickoff time um and so we uh get that affirmation for sure and it's also good to see the commitment from the Hawaii bow ESPN um whatever their entity is called now ESPN Advance Regional television um that uh they're committed to that Hawaii Bowl even if it's at Ching even if it's not at Aloha state ium um even if Hawaii wasn't in it last year um and so and even after it was canceled in 2020 in 2021 um when oi was supposed to play Memphis uh so so good to see that not that we thought it was in Jeopardy or anything like that we do get confirmation it's on Saturday December 23rd and uh something for way to shoot forward to yeah um I'm looking at our schedule right now Jordan wondering where the seven wins are going to be um if that's what the numbers uh going to be at provided that they're Aren't Enough player uh Aren't Enough teams at that Mark and then at that point then there's kind of a roll of the dice on six- win ball clubs uh getting a chance to jump in there as well um that's what I'm really focused on but yeah uh December 23rd Saturday uh bowl game would be a a good way to kind of cap off the season and I know for the boys and for uh coach tamy and his staff with the the pressure I don't know it feeling like as high as it's maybe ever been uh for University of Hawaii football uh that that needs to be maybe even more than a shooting uh a a good thing to shoot for for this season it almost feels like that's a necessity yeah it would be massive um you know this this football program more often than not has played in bowl games over the last um going back to rollo's first year right so 2016 over the last eight years or so right eight seasons I guess you could say right going to going to bowl games in a couple of rollos years uh going SL qualifying um in both of the Todd Graham seasons and obviously now that um Timmy is taking over looking to go to his first bowl game and so this is you look and obviously it's candidly easier to bowl to a bowl game than it's ever been because of the number of games that are out there and and for Hawaii like six wins probably get you there um would have gotten play in the Hawaii Bowl they they yeah look that's what the game is there for yeah it's it's better if Hawaii is in it I think anybody that runs the game anybody that works for the television networks they'll tell you like it's it's better when Hawaii is in the game uh it's better for ticket sales I think it's better for Ratings uh I think you know inherently it's going to it's going to look better on TV and I think it's going to draw people in uh especially if Hawaii is uh I I think it's still a recognizable brand I think there's still a lot of college football fans a lot of college football degenerates um that that that still have a great affinity for Hawaii and uh and the football program I think you just just go on Twitter uh and you you can see that week in and week out so that's this will be good hopefully Hawaii will be there again hopefully it'll be another chance for them to play on National Television uh potential for a 14th game potential for all the extra practice all the good that comes with it uh and for the players uh you know December 23rd not too bad you probably make it home by Christmas uh if that's the case right for the guys uh that maybe got to travel back home after the season so it's not a bad setup not a bad setup at all me and Jr hinley got uh stranded one time in Salt Lake City trying to get back trying to get back to Oklahoma um the morning after the Hawaii bille we had a layover in Salt Lake and got snowed in over there and we were stuck in the Salt Lake City airport for like nine hours uh before they cleared the runway and we were able to fly to Oklahoma City um for Christmas dinner so yeah know all about that oh man yeah that's uh that's a little rough that's always the um when you got to connect like through uh through anywhere kind of North during winter it's always a little dicey right uh but uh yeah worth it worth it right after the Hoy bow guaranteed and we got a ring out of it so that's that's all that matters that's right that's right that's um you know something these guys can can hopefully aspire to there and um you know it it was kind of interesting you know kind of circling back to the Jonah kaha by Welch conversation last week I mean he kind of talked about it right and how he he views the season it was very um very coach likee right and kind of breaking things down seeing what the attainable goals are wanting to play well at certain times of the Season uh I just kind of kind of kept thinking about that this week and and just um you know how how enlightening I think it was to hear him kind of talk about a couple of different topics um speaking of uh the roster uh future roster makeup uh will include Kil nahim mola Jensen former puno standout Pearl City uh Native who's transferring home from UNLV defensive back um has experienced playing on both sides of the football uh over the course of his career spent a couple of Seasons up at UNLV and it didn't quite work out uh and he becomes uh the latest example of a guy who hey gave it a shot went to a program on the continent maybe it didn't work out for whatever reason um and we'll be uh we'll be coming home and uh I think he's pretty excited about it you've seen some coverage uh in the local media um K did a story on him here recently as well if you want to check that out uh but he's a guy he not big um he's really athletic got good ball skills uh good coverage skills uh should compete uh maybe as like a slot Defender like a nickel guy um you know for for a a a defensive back field that I think has shown a lot of improvement over the last couple of years uh and I think it was a point of emphasis as we've talked about on this podcast because they brought in a bunch of guys uh during the recruiting season uh to play those positions uh and so uh he will be in a a pretty I think very competitive environment uh but another Quality quality um athlete that they're going to have back there to potentially use you know um in coverage uh in special teams right we've seen some of those slot Defenders whether it's guys like Peter manuma right who could get after um in run support maybe rush the passer as well I think mindel leg Jenson is is much more of a cover guy uh but some versatility in some of those spots isn't a bad thing at all yeah and you know for for me the the thought comes that we're not only that that open door policy right where uh you know Timmy's talked about it on the show and um that's kind of their attitude towards guys that happen to go on the mainland or did during coid that the door is open for people to come home and that is kind of our strategy uh with transfer portal uh that's that's my first thought the second one is this is a a good DB grab after um the departure of Coach Abe who we've talked at length on this show as being one of our strongest um DB recruiters over close to the last decade um and so to to me that's a good sign that guys want to come and play for this coaching staff obviously that the draw to come home and play here at Hawaii is something different for local guys than than really for anybody else but uh uh that's that's certainly encouraging at this point in the year I uh not sure exactly what depth chart quite looks like yet uh we'll get more info for you guys uh coming in to uh Camp here in man just about a month's time but uh yeah it's not far off um yeah all all that we will certainly uh get you guys whenever the time comes yeah it's going to be exciting to see um and yeah as you point out with some uh with some transition there uh in the defensive backfield uh coaching wise yeah with some with some transition there in the defensive back backfield coaching wise you know how these guys all kind of fit into the equation and as well all right from uh current uh roster moves to maybe some future ones right uh it was a big weekend uh for the University of Hawaii they had a a bunch of recruits on campus uh some high-profile recruits visiting this past weekend uh you had some of the local boys um K Kai Bernett uh Tui Muti from puno a couple of uh guys on the line line of scrimmage uh Bernett a really good Edge recruit uh three star guy there all these guys I believe if I'm not mistaken class of 20 24 guys so Rising seniors in high school nah carvalo from kameha schools uh was also uh on campus and then you had uh Michael alado and his Gorman contingent down there right verbal commit quarterback Michael alado and he has continued and we've talked about this on the Pod man he has been like the number one guy um on Twitter on social media trying to convince everybody and their mom to join him uh at the University of Hawaii bless his Soul Man uh but he had his teammates they had a three star running back Michel kapana was there on campus his weekend three star athlete Devon rice uh those dudes have offers from like all the power five kapana um if you believe in the crystal ball thing which you know on the recruiting websites uh is Crystal bald to Michigan so uh that's the kind of running back he is uh three star wide receiver audre Harris is also there and then they got fourstar tight end Elijah Lofton who's like one of the best recruits in the and one of the best tight end recruits in the country so all those guys were here this weekend of course they had to get the the picture with Chris Brown uh in there uh I love it a lot of these guys were down there and I I bring this up because obviously it's it's huge right these weekends can mean so much um and it's a chance to to to get these guys on campus talk to them sit them down show them around pretty early right um some of these guys have have maybe made up uh their mind somewhat obviously Al's given a veral commitment but uh you know this is this is an early opportunity right it's not the middle of the season for them it's it's it's an early chance to sit them down and I just love right because you see some of the social media from some from the kids from from some of the coaches as well that they kind of put that out there right obviously from the coaches it's a little more strategic uh but I just love that the uh the recruiting weekend included like a putt luuck at the beach like it's the most Hawaii thing ever uh there's like a tent uh it's got like the the on it uh and these guys are down at the beach having a blast and it's like foil pans uh with like uh foil over the top guys are bringing it down like there there's there's like a rice cooker um right there's like spam musu like there's there's there's anything you can think of man that that would be your usual like cookout at the beach down at alamana or wherever you're at um and that's uh that's part of like the recruiting uh experience when you come take a visit to the University of Hoy and I just I love it I think it's great um and kind of gives you a real feel of what it would be like man if you come play here yeah there's uh for all the bells and whistles eventually life settles down you know um I I remember W just observing that with uh guys that we would bring and wine and dine over here and stuff like that that yeah that really only exists for that weekend um right right for for them almost to show them hey we can have a good time and it's really casual and really humble we're just going to go down to the beach and there's uh a family right next door and uh our barbecues are kind of right next to each other and there frisbee comes over and you throw it back to them you know what I mean like it's um it it's a perfect introduction to what it would really look like and be like over here um I was uh intrigued by some of uh uh football's social um posts and things because uh they had alado and and these guys uh in the middle of TC Ching Turf um repping full-on uniforms and at first glance I'm like oh new uniforms um I I didn't know what the situation was but then I had to dig in a little bit I'm like oh this is like a recruiting day of all recruiting days this is like it for uh for Hawaii football right right here um yeah it we've we've noticed things like this in the past you know five star QB who's going to Tennessee came over um and we just kind of did the the same sort of deal rolled out the red carpet for him a little bit and um some would ask what's the point it's it's how you play the game it's how you play the game they they remember a phenomenal weekend over here at Hawaii uh dapping it up with all the coaches uh um I guarantee all of them the last thought before they go to sleep is I hope I have shoulders like Chris Brown one day um I know that's what's uh in the mind of a lot of those young guys because it's in my mind um so it's it's how you play the game a little bit if I can uh quote Herm Edwards uh it's why you play the game but uh yeah it's to me Jordan This is evidence that our coaching staff knows how to play it um if guys like Micah are excited and continuing to uh you know kind of play the affiliate marketing game for us in in in uh you know some aspects that's it's all a win even if these guys don't necessarily sign with us at the beginning we still have open door policy uh at the end of the day and and it makes it easier than ever for these guys to come home so um yeah I don't know it just this to me gets me excited for what the future of Hawaii football could look like even in spite of the BS from the stadium sorry it it just shows that our coaching staff in this program is willing to fight in the trenches um fight the good fight if you will yeah I think that's a good way to put it right because it it really is a lot of kind of digging in um you can wow with bells and whistles and fancy lockers and and facilities and things like that like does that matter absolutely it matters otherwise these huge programs wouldn't spend a ridiculous amount of money on those things to impress recruits and and get get up get caught up in basically an arms race um but at the same time like a lot of it is leaving guys or having recruits leave with a feeling right so much of it is is is intangible so much of it is um leaving just a positive impression like they've got to feel good about a place uh they've got to feel comfortable about a place or being at a certain place right and maybe you know a bigger program or a higher profile place will win out maybe some of the shiny Trinkets and and whatnot will will help in the uniforms like they that matters no doubt about it but for the University of haai yeah you trout them out you show them some of the Adidas uniforms right especially the one alih was wearing that that was a new one right the the gray um like Battleship color that I I caught that that CAU me as well I was like oh that's new um which would be cool uh but for Hawaii like the thing that we can sell the most I think the thing that sets us apart is going to be the intangible like it's going to be the feeling right it's going to be the the emotional connection that you can create with and for these recruits yeah and that's why I think is as you point out right like you're only GNA like you're going to live in a lot of ways at the facility at the locker room what it's going to take up a ton of your time but you're also going to spend a lot of time pot locking barbecuing with your boys uh with family you make or bring um down at the beach whatever it is like that those are the things say hey man like I know it's kind it's kind of nice in some of these other places that are recruiting you but like what other place can you get every body together blast some music head down to the beach tent food potluck get in the water you know like uh put in a little work maybe um pretty much anytime you want anytime you want like 12 months a year 365 days like that's that's what we're selling in a lot of ways right to these guys and and and the the local connection the family connection um the feeling uh I think is what it comes back down to uh and so I I just loved a lot of what they're doing and I love and and hopefully this pays off right it might not I think it will for some of these guys um you know dudes with ties obviously kids like Michael kaana who have ties here um you know some of these kids from Gorman who who played or Chris Brown uh and eventually that direct connection will will dissipate because time will go on years will go on but there will still be a lot of connections there from a program that routinely pumps out really good talent and so yeah it's it's feeling man you gota you got to leave these guys feeling like this is home feeling like this is a place that is a little different you know and feeling like this a place that they want to come play football whether right now or maybe as you point out with the open door in a couple of years where it's like yeah man it didn't work out I don't know what I'm going to do it's like you know what remember that time we went to we went to the beach with the coaches and the guys and it's like yeah that was kind of fun like maybe maybe that's someplace I want to go finish my college career uh and you never know you never know what could happen there uh so that'll be something we'll keep our eye on this obviously won't be the only recruiting weekend of the period And so uh looking forward to some other guys coming down and um you know some more uh some more putt luuck at the beach uh that'll be that'll be uh I think definitely on the checklist for the recruiting pitch uh as they go throughout so it'll be cool stuff any any last thoughts on that Hunter before we kind of transition uh into wrapping this one up um just because we're on a podcast and we're able to uh say some uh things that maybe we wouldn't say on the air uh I I mean this with all uh I guess uh tenderness um take them to sandies okay sandies uh for the college experience is where they should take them uh not only are you getting the young local vibe over there um the girls don't look too bad over at Sy I'm just gonna yeah I was gonna say so s Sy is like the um like the potlock the cookout with the coaches is one thing and then like your hosts right like your the the guys on campus or on the roster already um like that's that's probably their job right like that's that's probably that part of the uh the recruiting experience like all right like come on let's go let's go uh there there are a few more beaches on the island that uh you know you might want to check out uh before we put you back on the plane and and send you back home um like that's that's that's I I think that's that's that part of the the equation maybe that's right um that that's also what I have in mind with recruiting in the trenches uh we there's creative ways of going about this and in my mind ways that have uh proven successful in the past so in the interest of going to the beach let's go to the right ones there you go there you go yeah it's it's strategic you only got so much time right you got you got to take advantage of make most of it there uh good fun stuff uh we we'll have a lot more to talk about on recruiting as the uh as the offseason unfolds as well all right getting into some of your comments uh again uh our guy Leonard dropping us a line said by the way he just bought his season tickets uh the other morning uh he's looking forward to the fun season uh so uh shout out to Leonard uh another another year season tickets there good stuff uh Alf from VA dropping it in uh making another pitch uh because he was he was very high on uh on um Hunter's notes about uh you know making things more of a state we're talking about the uh football coaches being on Maui um this past uh or a couple of weekends ago uh but he said uh one uh game per year at warm Stadium uh and again that uh you'll never hear me complain about that uh so yeah uh that was a message to new ad Craig Angeles from alred VA uh so that'll be uh something cool there um if it ever worked to come to fruition so shout out to Al I also love the uh the Jonah kahab Welch uh interview uh he said it should be required viewing for any uh football recruit for a What It Takes mentality uh thanks a lot Al we'll uh we'll maybe maybe talk to the coaches see if we can get some Snippets there I'll play that in the the intro video get these guys hyped um to potentially join the University of Hawaii there so uh thanks everybody for dropping us a line we appreciate it as always uh quick little two-minute drill so we'll uh we'll put the two-minute timer on for Hunter Hunter I figured you know you're a big golf guy so we'll just end the podcast here and just like just get your thoughts on the uh the PGA DP World Tour which I had to Google didn't know what that was apparently it's the European tour um and uh and the PF the uh public investment fund or whatever the heck that Saudi Arabian thing uh is called where they just invest Oodles of money in sports all over the place um um I woke up got I woke up to some texts yesterday morning uh and so uh in 120 seconds or less Hunter what does this all mean um it means that Saudi has boughten a sport they bought golf um if uh you haven't been following uh the the drama for really the last two years on the PGA has pitted itself against this rival Golf League called Live and Not only is it a you know golf tour versus golf tour thing the PGA Tour really made their players to feel if you go over there you are anti-america you are anti the Free World you care only about money you you care very little about where the money comes from because a lot of those guys over there hey they're terrorists that was the um the word given from PGA to their guys in hopes to retain them and a lot of those guys mainly Tiger Woods tiger said no to $900 million just shy of a billion Rory maroy said just shy of 500 million said no I'm good I'm sticking with my crew you can't buy me John ROM another one 400 million Hideki matama north of 300 million all these guys fought the good fight what happened yesterday was that the PGA the board up top they were bought whatever the number was G given from Saudi to unify all of this and they're they're painting the picture that they're um this is good for the game of golf this is good for the Future No the guys that are on top of the PGA basically said hey yeah don't take that money oh now they're offering it to us hey you know what we're GNA take that and so they're bringing all these guys that fought the good fight and said no they're bringing them over to join with Saudi whether they like it or not it is baloney Jordan I from just a um a players perspective those are the guys making money for the tour anyway um from an Ethics standpoint and just a you don't do that bro like you you completely um double crossed and uh are going back on your word it's it's so hypocritical and just it's also sad I woke up to the reality yesterday that everybody can be bought and it's just an unfortunate reality of the world that I I don't agree with so um in I hope that was less than 120 seconds those were many of my my feelings that I'm still kind of having to work out yeah it was right about at the horn there so well done by you yeah it was crazy I woke up yesterday morning with a handful of texts uh and uh yeah I just can't imagine how those guys on the two are felt uh I would be absolutely livid uh and we've uh we've seen some of the reaction there so yeah uh I I I'm I bring it up in part because I am curious to see what it means for the Turner tour events in Hawai right OB viously uh the Sony Open on Wahu but also the uh centry Tournament of Champions on Maui which is supposed to be the first event of the 2024 season like they've gone back to the calendar season um and that would be the very first event of the new calendar year of the new 2024 season of the new whatever this is and it's a designated event yeah so I don't know I don't know how it how it changes how it impacts things what I'm very curious to see how this some factors in especially for us here in Hawaii uh all right man that'll do it for us uh appreciate you Hunter appreciate the uh the little insight on uh the massive shakeup in the Golf R big shout out to our guy Jonathan um putting this one together cutting it up splicing it up making us sound good uh and uh also thanks to Spectra mobile and Hawai USA Federal Credit Union for sponsoring episode 93 Jordan Hunter signing off we'll see you guys next week take care everybody you been listening to Hawaii football now with Jordan hel and Hunter Hughes all from ESPN 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