Before Chad Kapanui was back coaching at his alma mater, he was helping his son, Champ, pick his own college destination.
Chad Kapanui, who was a linebacker for the University of Hawai‘i from 2000 to 2004, was the quarterbacks coach for Bishop Gorman high school in Las Vegas back when Champ Kapanui, a standout two-way player for the Gaels, was picking a school. Of course Chad would have loved to see his son follow his footsteps to Mānoa. Although Hawai‘i was one of the finalists, Champ ultimately committed and signed with San Jose State.
Champ Kapanui desired to build his own legacy at a new school. Plus, flights from the San Francisco Airport to Las Vegas were an hour and a half each way. He would be relatively close to family.
"As a parent, all you do is try to set him up for success, for him to earn a scholarship on his own," Chad Kapanui recently told Aloha State Daily. "He chose to go to San Jose and we were happy for the decision he made, because it was a decision he made for himself."
Champ Kapanui signed with the Spartans in December 2024. Then in April, an unexpected opportunity came Chad Kapanui's way when his alma mater was looking for a quarterbacks coach following the departure of former UH QB coach Cade Socha. After over 20 years away from the Islands, Chad Kapanui came home to join the Hawai‘i coaching staff.
On Saturday, the University of Hawai‘i football team take on San Jose State for a 4:30 p.m. HST kickoff. The Rainbow Warriors (6-2, 3-1 Mountain West) will look to remain in the conference title hunt, while the Spartans (2-5, 1-2) are aiming to stay on track to go to a bowl game for a second consecutive year under head coach Ken Niumatalolo, a Hawai‘i alumnus himself.
San Jose State's coaching staff features a handful of former 'Bows in Niumatalolo, offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann, wide receivers coach Billy Ray Stutzmann, offensive line coach John Estes and offensive analyst Kolney Cassel.
While there aren't any former Spartans on the Hawai‘i coaching staff, nobody in the matchup other than Chad Kapanui can say he's coaching against his son this weekend.
"Nothing different. Just excited for my son," Chad Kapanui said. "He's over there, but I bleed green, you know? We talk every single day, and even though we're playing each other, it's still a game. We gotta play the game out."
Champ Kapanui, who was named after Champ Bailey, Chad Kapanui's favorite NFL player, is a linebacker for the Spartans. He's on track to redshirt as a true freshman, although his play on the SJSU scout team on both defense and special teams has earned him praise.
"I think they're cheering for both," Chad Kapanui said of his household ahead of Saturday's matchup. "Obviously cheering for my son right now. ... It's exciting that they get to cheer for both teams. I know for sure they're cheering for both of us at the same time."
Following Saturday's game, father and son will go their separate ways, as Chad Kapanui will hop on a flight back to O‘ahu with the rest of the Rainbow Warriors. Champ Kapanui will continue to be a player the Spartans view as part of their future core, while Chad Kapanui's work with the UH quarterbacks, led by standout Micah Alejado, will continued to be viewed as a key piece of the program's turnaround.
"Our days are early mornings to (staying) late at night, from practice to meetings. We're here for the kids, you know? And we want to make sure they're successful. We got to make sure we prepare them well enough so when the game comes it's slow for them, and that's what we've been doing every single day," Kapanui said. "My quarterbacks, they're special because they want to be there, they want to learn, they want to get better. It kind of aligns with everything, with coach Chang, with all those things we're preaching to these kids. They're understanding, they're taking it in, and that's why I feel that we're doing great this year."
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
