Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors 2026 Season Preview

Alejado is the centerpiece and the reason expectations are high. As a redshirt freshman he earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors, throwing for better than 3,100 yards with 24 touchdowns against nine interceptions while completing roughly 66 percent of his passes and averaging around 282 yards per game, numbers that ranked among the national leaders in passing. He did it while fighting through injuries to his right ankle, left foot and his throwing arm, so keeping him upright is the year's priority. His quick release, decisiveness and command of coverages have been described as the best the program has seen at the position in more than a decade. He sat out contact work in spring, which gave Virginia transfer Bjorn Jurgensen and early-enrolled freshman Maika Eugenio reps in the competition to back him up.

The slot remains the strength. Fourth-year producer Pofele Ashlock has been remarkably consistent, piling up better than 200 catches with well over 20 touchdown grabs across three seasons, and he is joined inside by holdovers Tama Uiliata and Blaze Kamoku. The Warriors reloaded on the perimeter after losing pass catchers to Power Four programs, bringing in transfers who add vertical speed, including Carson Brown from Iowa State, Devin Alves from Virginia Tech (electronically timed at 21 mph) and Tre' Griffiths from Oklahoma State, with Washington arrival Audric Harris another option ticketed for a slot role. Tight end Devon Tauaea factors into the power packages.

Cam Barfield steps into the lead role after a productive complementary season of 80 carries for 371 yards, 27 catches for 257 yards and eight total touchdowns. He is also a weapon in the return game. Kansas State transfer DeVon Rice arrives to share the backfield and give the offense a change of pace.

The front is a renovation project charged with keeping Alejado healthy, a genuine concern a year ago. Center Ethan Spencer and tackle Dean Briski are the full-time returning starters, and Briski slides to the right side to protect the blind side of the left-handed Alejado. San José State transfer Denaris DeRosa Jr. is a well-regarded addition who projects inside at guard, with Boogie Henderson, Lautaimi Manuma and Judah Kaio filling out the rebuilt group. New starters at roughly three-quarters of the line make cohesion the summer's big question.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, who carries concepts from his NFL days, aligns in multiple fronts, and everything up front runs through athletic junior end Lester Lagafuaina. He posted eight tackles for loss last fall and shifts roles by scheme, rushing the passer in the four-two-five base and setting the edge as a run stopper in three-man looks. Luther McCoy is an athletic interior rusher at the three-technique, while Geoffrey Speight Jr., who logged more than 1,600 snaps at West Georgia, gets first crack at nose tackle. Ha'aheo Dela Cruz is in line for a larger role off the edge.

The linebacker corps has been redesigned. Wynden Ho'ohuli, a former four-star recruit who began his career at Nebraska, takes over in the middle and profiles as the unit's leader. Jamih Otis, an honorable-mention all-league pick before tearing his ACL in November, is the wild card: one read has him recovered and sliding to a dime linebacker role, while another leaves his timeline for a full return uncertain. However that resolves, Ho'ohuli anchors the group early, with Matteus Ioane in the rotation.

The secondary returns limited starting experience but has depth and pieces to work with. Elijah Palmer, an honorable-mention all-conference pick, is a fourth-year starter at nickel who spent most of his snaps in the box as a run stopper and shifts toward more of a coverage assignment this fall, matching up on inside receivers and screens. Caleb Brown returns to the Warriors after a year at Virginia Tech to man a boundary spot alongside Zion Allen. At safety, Kona Moore is back from a shoulder injury and Matagi Thompson brings experience after starting three games, giving the back end some downhill punch.

The kicking game must replace a consensus All-American. Kansei Matsuzawa, who taught himself to kick and converted 25 of 26 field goals before exhausting his eligibility, is gone, with kickoff specialist Sean Olvera-Harle first in line to take over placekicking. Texas transfer Gehrig Heil is competing to fill the punting job vacated by a portal departure. Barfield's return work, which earned second-team all-league recognition, is an added weapon.