Todd Graham and Hawaii. A story of differing philosophies.
I want to start this by saying I had positive feelings towards the Graham hire and I do believe in what he is currently doing. However that does not absolve him of much deserved criticism. I will lay out my points and be as fair as possible. However I wanted to share my current mindset before I begin.
January 21, 2020. The day Graham was hired to replace Nick Rolovich as Head Coach of the University of Hawaii football team. Rolovich would leave for Washington State alongside assistants Brian Smith, Craig Stutzmann, Michael Ghobrial and Director of Recruiting Jason Cvercko. Graham was set to begin what would be another exciting UH football season before COVID through a notch in said season. Despite this, Graham’s first season was a success. 5-4 with victories over rivals Fresno State and Nevada. The season was capped off with a victory over Houston in the 2020 New Mexico Bowl.
His second season was not as successful. A tough start with a daunting Pac-12 road schedule found UH at 1-2. UH began their conference schedule with a last second loss to San Jose State. A game for which UH should’ve won. They didn’t and a last second incompletion saw their record go to 1-3. A win at New Mexico State saw Hawaii welcome in arch rival Fresno State. A team ranked 18th in the nation and fresh off a victory over UCLA. Starting QB Chevan Cordeiro was out with an injury and Graham’s recruit Brayden Schager stepped in and stepped up. Combined with huge performances from Calvin Turner Jr., Dae Dae Hunter and Khoury Bethley saw UH’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2010 under Greg McMackin. Cordeiro would return two games later and start for the rest of the season, most likely to preserve Schager’s redshirt. UH would go 3-3 in their final six under Cordeiro to finish the season at 6-7. A disappointing season capped by a huge Senior night victory followed by a win against rival Wyoming, Hawaii’s first win in Laramie since the nineties. A Hawaii Bowl birth would be awarded to UH but they would have to drop out due to lack of players and COVID.
Now it brings us to our current situation. Rumors of displeasure in the locker room began to rise with all fingers pointed at Graham. A twitter space led by former UH offensive lineman RJ Hollis saw players express further displeasure, with some pointing to Graham’s attitude and claims of verbal beratement and abuse. In the following weeks, UH starters Chevan Cordeiro, Dae Dae Hunter, Justice Tavai, Darius Muasau, Jonah Laulu, Cam Lockridge and Nick Mardner all announced their intention to transfer. DB Kai Kaneshiro had announced his retirement and St. Louis (Hawaii HS) Quarterback AJ Bianco has held off signing his LOI to UH despite verbally committing to Hawaii earlier in the year. Bianco has also recently been offered by Nevada. Due to the loss of Hawaii players, noise has risen in the community and throughout the Bows fanbase with many people calling for UH AD Matlin to fire Graham. Here’s my thoughts.
The only UH coach in recent memory not to coach at least four seasons was Fred von Appen. His third season ended without a win and was replaced by June Jones. Graham deserves at least three full season to bring in his own players and his own system. Graham has also improved Hawaii in the transfer window with two recruits coming in from powerhouses Georgia and one from Oklahoma. Graham has made two bowl games in his first two seasons, the first UH coach to ever do that. Graham is 2-0 over Fresno State and he has won against every UH rival except Boise State where in his first game against Boise, Hawaii lost by eight, the closest margin of loss since June Jones left. Graham has had an impressive early signing window in 2022 capped by DB Chigozie Anusiem from Cal and Virdel Edwards II from Iowa State.
Graham has also had some failures. An inability to close out tough games, adapt to Hawaii culture and keep tenured starters in the program. The biggest controversy was giving his son Michael a football scholarship and promoting his other son Bo to Offensive Coordinator. I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable in the game of football, especially from the offensive side of the ball. My offensive philosophy is heavily influenced by the Run N Shoot offense. My main criticism of the Run N Shoot is the lack of a running game. Hawaii’s inability to run cost them dearly, especially in the 2008 Sugar Bowl where Georgia was able to drop eight defensive backs into coverage and dominate the ballgame. I like the fact that Hawaii’s current offense incorporates a run game, however the passing game has suffered dramatically. I am a big believer in horizontal routes and forward short gain passes. Graham believes in check downs behind the line of scrimmage and deep balls. Graham’s play calling for the most part has been atrocious. The only games for which I do not have criticism is the Wyoming game and Portland State. He calls plays scared, shown in the final drive against UNLV and he fails to establish proper route concepts. He does not utilize his receivers strengths and absolute weapons like Jared Smart have become shells of their former self. I do believe, along with the challenges presented by COVID that he needed to settle in and learn how to be a proper play designer and play caller. However if he continues to falter and Todd Graham doesn’t remove his son, that should be grounds for termination for both.
Graham has had some ups and downs, that is without a doubt. However to say he inherited a championship team is incorrect. Yes, the team in the previous season did go 10-5 with a birth to the Mountain West title game. Yes they did beat Arizona, Oregon State and Army. Yes, they did beat BYU (with future second overall pick Zach Wilson) in the Hawaii bowl. The 2020 team for which Graham inherited after the early signing window did not have multiple starters from that year. Starting Quarterback Cole McDonald, staring receivers JoJo Ward, Cedric Byrd and Jason-Matthew Sharsh, running backs Fred Holly and Dayton Furuta along with defensive backs Rojesterman Farris II, Ikem Okeke and Solomon Matautia. All of which left before Graham landed in Hawaii. That’s a lot of players, key players to replace.
Graham also has the most wins in a second season at UH since Bob Wagner along with two rivalry game trophies. Graham has Hawaii’s second ever mainland bowl victory. Graham was 4-2 against Arizona at ASU, hired Mike Norvell and Billy Napier as OC, both have gone on to become the Head Coaches of Florida State and Florida respectively. He also recruited NFL players N’Keal Harry, Kalen Ballage, Zane Gonzales, Matt Haack, Damarious Randall and Eno Benjamin.
Yet Graham has allowed top UH players to transfer out. It is a mark on his record. I do want to break down several transfers though.
Chevan Cordeiro: The two year starter and four year Hawaii man will spend the next two years at San Jose State. Let’s be real, Cordeiro would not have started in 2022. Shrager has clearly established himself as the next UH shot caller. Regardless of any Graham controversy, Cordeiro would’ve left for a better opportunity anyway.
Now lets talk about those who announced their desire to leave after the Hawaii Bowl was suppose to be played.
Jonah Laulu: The D Lineman was a havoc maker. Funny that less than 48 hours after he announced his intention to transfer, Laulu was offered a scholarship from multiple top programs including LSU, Oklahoma, Georgia, Miami and FSU.
Nick Mardner: UH starting receiver who has the frame to go to the next level. Offers from Cincinnati and Virginia Tech.
Darius Muasau: Chuck Bednarik award watchlist, Hawaii middle linebacker. Will get offers, none announced as of 12/29/2021
I think its funny that majority of players leaving are either leaving for better schools/ programs or would not be starters next year. Now I don’t believe that Graham did not use strong, possibly abusive language towards players. However from what reports were saying, whatever Graham had said seems mild to what I have personally witnessed on the field during Hawaii High School games. It sounds like Graham has a group of players he likes and if you are not in that group, you don’t receive special privileges. I haven’t heard anything said to corroborate such a story from stars like Calvin Turner or Khoury Bethley. Not saying it didn’t happen, perhaps I was anticipating something worse.
I want to leave everyone with this. I understand Graham has left a sour taste in the mouth of UH fans. I am a UH fan and I can not say I’ve been satisfied with what Graham has done in his first two years. I also understand success takes time, especially in Hawaii and in a program whose stadium was just condemned and whose budget seems to be hemorrhaging money regularly. Here’s how I see it. There is only one local guy who I think could take UH to new heights and that is Rich Miano. Miano is a phenomenal recruiter and coach, shown by his time at Kaiser High School. However Graham is a phenomenal recruiter too with roads into the west coast, the south and his home state of Texas. UH will never keep the top prospects home, there’s too much opportunity, money, and better situations in the mainland. Hawaii has always had to supplement their rosters with JUCO and transfer talent. Graham has provided UH a gateway into the talents of Power Five schools. The shit has not hit the fan. No games have been lost. For the first time since at least Bryant Moniz but more likely Colt Brennan, Hawaii has a consistent Quarterback in Brayden Shrager (from Texas). If UH ever wants to win an outright division title and/or return to a NY6 bowl game, Graham gives Hawaii their best shot. Let’s be real, Hawaii was never going to win a title with the players that are leaving. There are multiple winnable games lost in the 2021 season due to Cordeiro’s inconsistent play and lack of an accurate arm. Graham is not Norm Chow. I lived through Norm Chow. There were only two bright spots in the Norm Chow era. Being undefeated on Senior Night and Marcus Kemp. I am tired of the notion Hawaii can only win with people who understand the culture. Dick Tomey landed in Manoa, fresh off the plane from UCLA and became a legend. June Jones did not have incredible success because he played and was a GA at Hawaii. He had success because he’s a former NFL OC and Head Coach, he’s a winner because he was a great recruiter, he was a winner because he had a phenomenal staff with the names of Jerry Glanville and Greg McMackin coaching up the team. Graham took an ASU team who didn’t win a thing since the 90’s and made them relevant again. I am tired of the same old, same old. Rolovich was never going to beat Boise, Rolo struggled constantly against Fresno and Wyoming. Rolo was struggling in the Pac-12 before he got fired. I want the team to be great and if Graham thinks he’s able to replace those guys with better talent then I say good luck and I hope you’re right. I’m willing to bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that UH will not regress because these players are leaving. If Memphis coached by Graham’s former OC Mike Norvell can make it to the Cotton Bowl, we can’t we? Why can’t that beautiful green colored H be shown in the Rose Bowl?
