2021 Position Breakdown: Quarterbacks - University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics (2024)

Throughout the course of fall camp, HawaiiAthletics.com will provide a breakdown of the 2021Rainbow Warrior football team, position-by-position, as the team prepares for its season opener at UCLAon Saturday, Aug 28.

It's year two of the Todd Graham era and preparations have been full-throttle after a disjointed and abbreviated 2020 season. A full spring season of teaching, a solid off-season of conditioning and an on-time start to fall camp have given the team the lead-up to take things to the next level. With an expanded playbook and increased tempo, expect a more explosive Rainbow Warrior offense in 2021.

The maestro of that offense will once again be Chevan Cordeiro. Entering his fourth year in the program, Cordeiro is firmly entrenched as QB No. 1 for the Rainbow Warriors. The 2020 season marked his first as a full-time starter and he showed his worth, taking nearly every single snap during the year.

Cordiero capped last season by throwing three first-half touchdowns in a New Mexico Bowl win over Houston and finishing second in the Mountain West in points responsible (128). According to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bo Graham, the Honolulu native is hungry for more in 2021.

"I've never seen a quarterback who's trains as hard as Chevan in the off-season," Graham says. "He definitely leads by example with the understanding all of our future is in his hands. He's the single most important figure in the program and when he says something it matters. There's no doubt our guys believe in him."

Returnees

2020QBs lost:Justin Uahinui

Newcomers

The Running Man: Cordeiro is as much a threat with his legs than his arm. Last year he was the first quarterback to lead UH in rushing since Michael Carter in 1991 with 483 yards. He ranked second in the Mountain West in rushing touchdowns (7) and had three of the longest runs from scrimmage for UH, including a pair of 54-yard dashes at Fresno State and versus UNLV.

"Chevan is very versatile," Bo Graham says. "He can beat you in a lot different ways and we're building an offense that's friendly to his skill set."

The Backup Battle: Two quarterbacks are competing for the backup spot: third-year sophom*ore Boone Abbott and true freshman Brayden Schager. Boone served as the backup last year, but an ultra-durable Corderio relegated Boone to the sideline the majority of the year. Still, Graham likes the versatility of Boone, who like Cordeiro poses a threat not only as a thrower, but also as a runner. Schagerhas a live arm as well and according to Graham also possess "point guard" qualities and the ability to make quick reads.

Bo Graham says: "Those guys are in the fire right now and who comes out of that fire is yet to be determined. It comes down to knowing what you're doing, showing command and getting everyone on the same page. Both those guys are competing and hopefully we'll continue to build confidence in that second spot."

The Rest of the Stable: Other returnees include Kamali'i Akina, Armani Edden, and Jake Farrell, while Connor Apo joins fellow freshman Schager as the new faces. Reps have benn limited for this group in camp, but Graham likes what he sees from them. "They're extremely unselfish," Graham says. "All these guys love football, have bought into the offense and what we're doing and everyone of these guys have worked hard in the offseason to put themselves in a spot to help this football team."

All In The Family: Kamali'i Akina's father Duane has been a collegiate coach for four decades. Currently the defensive back's coach at Stanford, the elder Akina also had a five-year stint (1981-85) as a defensive coach for the Rainbow Warriors under Dick Tomey. Meanwhile Kamalii''s brother Kainoa was also a collegiate quarterback, suiting up for both Eastern Michigan and Hawai'i (2003-05).

Giving Back: Since 2017, freshman quarterback Brayden Schager has helped run the HP Buddy Bowl, an annual football event in special-needs youth in Highland Park, Texas. Schager envisioned the event as a 14-year-old and with the help of his family and the local community has been able to provide a meaningful experience on the football field for special needs players.

Coaches Notes: Bo Graham takes over the reins as UH offensive coordinator after serving as pass game coordinator and one of the primary play callers last year….Graham was an offensive assistant on the for a Tulsa program that led the nation in total offense in back-to-back seasons (2007, '08).

Bo Graham's FInal Say: "We were limited last year with a short season and it forced us to be more vanilla," Graham says."Now we're really opening up the playbook. Chevan's got more on his plate in that sense, but he's done a great job. He's very efficient. I really like his skill set, I like him as a leader. I like everything he's doing. I don't think there is anything he can't handle."

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