Throughout the course of fall camp, HawaiiAthletics.com will provide a breakdown of the 2022 Rainbow Warrior football team, position-by-position, as the team prepares for its season opener versus Vanderbilt on Saturday, Aug. 27.
When Chris Brown roamed the field as a Rainbow Warrior linebacker in the early 2000s, he was among the most fearsome defenders around. Nearly two decades later, he is now imparting that same aura to the next generation of Rainbow Warriors as the linebackers coach.
"We're the lion's den," Brown said. "These guys are the leaders and their mentality is to be the greatest guys out there. I expect them to be 100 miles per hour and playing with complete fire behind them and making their presence known. You want to make sure that when an offense is scouting the defense, they cannot ignore the two linebackers. And when they hit you, they make sure you know who hit you."
All-conference linebacker Darius Muasau transferred to UCLA in the off season and there's a void left to be sure, specifically in the name of 213 tackles over the last two seasons. But the cupboard isn't exactly bare, particularly with the return of stalwarts Penei Pavihi and Isaiah Tufaga.
Returnees
2021 linebackers lost: Payton Awaya, Kalani Kamakawiwo'ole, Darius Muasau
Newcomers
| Linebackers |
Ht |
Wt |
Cl |
Hometown (Last School) |
| Demarii Blanks |
6-0 |
240 |
Jr. |
Belmont, Calif. (College of San Mateo) |
| Noah Kema |
6-2 |
225 |
Jr. |
Lawrence, Kan. (Snow College) |
| Jalen Smith |
6-0 |
210 |
So. |
Bakersfield, Calif. (Bakersfield) |
| Diego Betancourt |
6-1 |
180 |
Fr. |
Levittown, Puerto Rico (Campbell HS) |
| Kruze Keanu |
5-11 |
215 |
Fr. |
Ka'a'awa, O'ahu (Kahuku HS) |
The Godfather: Penei Pavihi enters his sixth season in the program and has seen it all. The native of American Samoa has appeared in 47 career games and been a part of three bowl squads. "Penei is the OG out here," Brown said. "He's the one that everyone knows and everyone respects around here. He's that one that has been to war and he's a guy that stands out because of his physical stature. He will do things that will make your jaw drop when he comes and hits you. He's been my go-to guy since he's been here so long."
All Eyes On Isaiah: Isaiah Tufaga takes the reins of the WIL position. Since transferring home to Hawaii from Oregon State he has been an impact player on the field with his penchant for takeaways and timely stops. Brown couldn't be more high on what's ahead for the former Saint Louis School standout.
"He's probably one of the smartest linebackers I've ever been around," Brown said. "He is unbelievably smart and can think faster than most linebackers can. Physically he's come a long way, so his speed is better. I definitely think he has NFL potential. The way he thinks, I know he can play in the NFL. I told him, 'you have to lead this defense in tackles, that should be your goal.' He's taken it upon himself to do just that."
Next In Line: While Tufaga is entrenched as a starter at weakside linebacker, a pair of returnees are also pressing for playing time.
Logan Taylor redshirted last year after an injury-shortened 2021 campaign and according to Brown is the most improved player out there.
"He excels at everything," Brown said. "His feet look great, he's vocal, and he knows the playbook now. He's come such a long way and he's shown he can play with the first group."
Riley Wilson enters his third season in the program after previously seeing time as a receiver, defensive back and a key special teams player. "Riiey is a freak," Brown said. "He's our best tracker on the entire defense and can go from one side of the field all the way to the other faster than anyone else. Somehow, someway we gotta get that kid on the field because he's so athletic."
JC Infusion: A pair of junior college transfers look to eventually make an impact with the Warriors. Born in Kansas but of Hawaiian ancestry,
Noah Kema comes to UH from Snow College in Utah where he earned All-America honors while playing for the nation's top-ranked team. "He used to play D-line and now he plays linebacker so he has really strong hands," Brown said. "He knows how to strike people and he's really smart as a linebacker.
Demarii Blanks is another junior college All-American who played both ways for the College of San Mateo in California. "His speed and change of direction are unbelievable," Brown said. "He's fearless and I love his fire. Once he puts it all together he's gonna be a big-time linebacker."
Coach's Note: Brown was a three-time all-WAC linebacker at UH, earned a stint with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, and helped coach Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas to a pair of high school national championships. And now he's back where he belongs….at his alma mater.
"I always said in my heart, my dream job is to be the linebackers coach at the University of Hawai'i," he said. "I wanted this job because I love the state, I love this island, I love this school, and I love this team. One of the things that made this island so happy was the University of Hawai'i football team. It's important for me to come back and build that culture back up again."
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