Hawaii football: Nick Rolovich and spring game entertain

By Brian McInnis on April 27, 2019 | Court Sense, Featured, Football
Football coach Nick Rolovich handed out clown noses to kids after the spring game Saturday night. / Photo by Andrew Lee, Special to the Star-Advertiser

The final score, in the words of Hawaii football coach Nick Rolovich, was as follows.

Team Mauka: 11,100,000 points
Team Makai: 9,200,000 points

It was that kind of evening at the T.C. Ching Complex field. No one was taking the UH football spring game too seriously, least of all Rolovich, who was decked head to toe in a clown costume that would make Pennywise cringe. There was a circus theme for the evening, with RJ Hollis, the MC, dressed as a carnival barker. Between “quarters” there were jugglers, gymnasts and other such performers invited to the middle of the field.

>> SPRING GAME PHOTO GALLERY

The Mauka squad, led by incumbent quarterback Cole McDonald, scored first — McDonald linked up with receiver Jason-Matthew Sharsh for the first of two such connections — and the Makai squad, led by redshirt freshman QB Chevan Cordeiro, was playing catch-up the rest of the way, although there were nice plays to be had on both sides. Cordeiro notably had a keeper touchdown from beyond 25 yards.

The jovial tone was set early with a dance-off in lieu of a coin flip:

Rolovich periodically used a launcher to shoot confetti into the air. The event was attended well. Beneath the new (and still unused) TC Ching press box, the concrete bleacher seating was mostly full with fans. Between that and the metal bleachers on the other side, and others milling around the track and vendors, there was probably upward of 2,000 people there.

The spring game is actually the last sanctioned practice of the spring. Up next for the players will be offseason (voluntary) workouts. It was a big moment for younger, up-and-coming players looking to leave their mark before fall camp.

“Seeing everyone in the stands, all the fans, family, it kind of hypes you up,” said freshman defensive back Kai Kaneshiro, a Saint Louis graduate who redshirted last year. He had a couple of nice pass breakups for Team Mauka. “I think all my teammates felt that. We were all hyped, all wanted to do good, and show really, the fans, what’s going to be in the season. It was a good time.”

Freshman defensive back Kai Kaneshiro signed autographs after the spring game. / Photo by Brian McInnis

UH did not use the kicking games or other special teams maneuvers, except for one mock punt return. Third-string quarterback Justin Uahinui and other Rainbows backups saw most of the action in the third and fourth periods.

Here’s postgame interviews with Rolovich, McDonald, Cordeiro and Sharsh, followed by action clips taken by Warrior World.

COMMENTS

  1. Palolo_2LA April 28, 2019 9:40 am

    The offense looks primed to be explosive this year. The amount of starters returning and the familiarity with the offense should pay off. On the other hand, the defensive backfield is still in need of improvement and someone to take control of from a playmaking stand point.

    I am happy for the young fans to connect with the team. Say what you want about Rolo, but never say he doesn’t have passion for UH Football.

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