After coming off a 5-7 season, Rainbow Warrior football is back as spring practice kicked off today with high expectations for the 2025 season.
 
UH looks towards its leaders and veterans to continue to build upon last season as redshirt freshman Micah Alejado will get his shot as the full-time starting quarterback.
 
"There's some really good leaders in every room and it starts with the quarterback," head coach Timmy Chang said. "Micah has that in him. He's come to play some big-time football and he's just really grown into our system and the way that we play in Hawaii football."
 
Alejado threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns in Hawai'i's final game of the season against New Mexico State.
 
"(I'm) just riding off the high note from the last game," Alejado said. "Just being able to come in, we have a lot of experience here on the team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. So I definitely feel like the chip on the shoulder is there, and the confidence level is through the roof."
 
Although optimistic, Chang remains realistic about where his football team is and where it needs to be.
 
"It's getting closer," Chang said. "It's nowhere where it needs to be, but it's getting closer. The guys understand where games are won and lost and the importance of everyday preparation and everyday choices."
 
With the loss of several key players on defense, the return of cornerback Virdel Edwards II from injury is a boost. He used last season to truly understand his love of football.
 
"Just helping out last year, just coaching was very heartwarming for me," Edwards said. "But now just being in the fire with everybody is different. I just have a love for the game, it grew in the offseason when I was taking the year off. But just coming back on the field, it was like wow, this is what I was working for, this is what I was waiting for. Right now, I have no time to take anything for granted, not because I have a year left, but only because I love the sport that much more."
 
Chang looks forward to seeing what his team has to offer and evaluate how players grow.
 
"Some of these guys, this is their fourth spring ball with us. And, you know, it's just come from a place of growth…. And by the time August hits, we want to make sure that we're peaking at that time," Chang said.
 
UH opens its 2025 schedule with a home game versus Stanford on August 23. The Warriors will also play at Arizona, and vs. Sam Houston and Portland State. The full schedule, with Mountain West games, will be announced later this spring.