When the Mountain West Conference announced that its teams will play an eight-game schedule starting on Oct. 24, coaches, players and administrators leaped into scramble mode. There’s so much to get done before the start (restart?) of the season. Scheduling, trip planning, practices, game plans, etc. – everyone is getting ready.
Our question to you is, Are YOU ready?
Here’s a short Pop Quiz to reacquaint yourself with the University of Hawaii football team, with questions highlighting last season’s accomplishments as well as this year’s players and coaches. Let’s go, Warrior fans!
1. The last time we saw Hawaii play was last Christmas Eve, when the Rainbow Warriors beat BYU, 38-34, in the SoFi Hawaii Bowl. Who caught the game-winning TD pass with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter?
A. JoJo Ward
B. Nick Mardner
C. Jared Smart
2. Who led the UH defense in total tackles last season?
A. Khoury Bethley
B. Solomon Matautia
C. Ikem Okeke
3. If the 2020 season went as originally planned, who would have been Hawaii’s first home opponent?
A. Arizona
B. UCLA
C. Fordham
4. Who led UH in receiving yards last season?
A. Cedric Byrd II
B. Jared Smart
C. JoJo Ward
5. What was Todd Graham’s most recent head coaching stop before coming to Hawaii?
A. Arizona State
B. Rice
C. Tulsa
6. Returning QB Chevan Cordeiro started three games for UH last season. Who were the opponents?
A. Nevada, Fresno State and San Jose State
B. UNLV, New Mexico and Fresno State
C. San Jose State, UNLV and Army
7. Abe Elimimian is one of two 2019 UH assistant coaches who were retained by a Coach Graham. Who is the other?
A. Mark Weber
B. Jacob Yoro
C. Mark Banker
8. Name the heralded incoming transfer receiver who was on the Biletnikoff Watch List in back-to-back seasons at North Texas.
A. Zion Bowens
B. Rico Bussey
C. Quin Bright
9. Who was the lone Rainbow Warrior to be selected First-Team All-MWC last season?
A. Cedric Byrd II
B. Ilm Manning
C. Cole McDonald
10. What new assistant coach was a player on Hawaii’s 1992 Holiday Bowl-winning team?
A. Brennan Marion
B. Sam Bennett
C. Victor Santa Cruz
11. Cole McDonald played in 14 games last season. Who was the only opponent to hold McDonald without a passing or rushing TD?
A. Boise State
B. Air Force
C. San Diego State
12. “Defend Pride Rock” is no more. What’s Hawaii Football’s new slogan?
A. “One Warrior Nation.”
B. “Win Every Day”
C. “We Are Warriors”
ANSWERS:
1 – B. Mardner caught a 24-yard TD pass from Cole McDonald for the winning score.
2 – A. Bethley, Hawaii’s top returning defensive back, led the Rainbow Warriors with 83 total tackles last season (61 solo).
3 – B. The Bruins would have made their first-ever regular season appearance at Aloha Stadium.
4 – C. Although Byrd, Ward and Smart all had 1,000+ receiving yards in 2019, Ward led the trio with 1,134 yards.
5 – A. Graham left the Sun Devils’ program after the 2017 season.
6 – C. All three of Cordeiro’s starts resulted in UH wins.
7 – B. Yoro is now the team’s Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach.
8 – B. Bussey has been called an NFL prospect by some draft pundits.
9 – A. in addition, McDonald, Manning and JoJo Ward were Second-Team All-MWC selections.
10 – C. Santa Cruz, who is Hawaii’s new Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach, was a standout linebacker for UH from 1991 to 1994.
11 – A. The Broncos held McDonald without a TD (passing or rushing’ in the MW championship game in Boise.
12 – B. “Win Every Day”
HOW DID YOU DO?
All 12 correct: You are the Ultimate Warrior!
9 to 11 correct: You are all-conference material.
5 to 8 correct: You’ve made the starting team.
2 to 4 correct: Hold this clipboard for us, okay?
0 to 1 correct: Ummm…just wow.
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