The University of Hawai‘i football team knows it will have to be at the top of its game on Christmas Eve to defeat California in the Hawai‘i Bowl, regardless of who actually takes the field for the Rainbow Warriors.
When the NCAA decided to move the transfer portal window period for football to Jan. 2-16, playing bowl games without the distraction of the portal was part of the rationale. That hasn't stopped a handful of 'Bows from leaving the team ahead of the bowl game — and there could be more departures on the way.
The proliferation of NIL agents — no certification required — has already led to player movement and bowl opt-outs across the country. Standout Hawai‘i receiver Jackson Harris left the team following the regular season. Meanwhile, UH defensive backs Ben Drake and Deliyon Freeman have already announced plans to enter the transfer portal.
To Hawai‘i defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, preparing for Cal and its potent offense is already a tall task in itself. With an extra allotment of practices leading up to the program's first Hawai‘i Bowl since 2019, Rainbow Warrior coaches have taken the time to evaluate younger players on the roster, as well.
"The biggest thing we have to do is take care of our own business," Thurman told Aloha State Daily following a recent practice. "I mean, they're a good football team. They have a good football program. They got talent. Offensive line, running back, wide receivers, good tight ends, they do a multitude of things. We got to be ready for what they do. But right now, we're focusing a lot on us. We got to get some things cleaned up, ironed out, and get ready to play this game. We have time, so we're going to make sure we get things done in a fashion that allows us to go out and perform at a high level.
"The guys who played a lot of reps during the regular season you kind of back off of them, especially early in bowl practice, and let their bodies recover. Now you're looking at the other young guys to see what their what their future looks like. But the closer we get to game time, the more we got to get those guys back up to speed and get them going and prepared to play in this bowl."
Multiple Cal players have announced plans to enter the transfer portal in linebackers Buom Jock and Curlee Thomas, as well as seldom-used quarterback EJ Caminong.
One player who recently announced plans to return to the Bears in 2026 despite financial overtures from other Power Four programs is star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who threw for 3,117 yards and 17 touchdowns as a true freshman.
"He's really calm. When he sets up in the pocket, he can deliver the football. And for a young guy, he's handling their offense fairly well," Thurman said of Sagapolutele. "He's like a lot of talented individuals that play that position. You got to try your best to disrupt them, get them off their spots, certain things like that. But when you watch him sit back and throw the football, he can throw."
Sagapolutele, an ‘Ewa Beach native, was at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex earlier in the month to cheer Campbell on in the HHSAA Open Division championship game. Sagapolutele has worked closely with Cal interim head coach Nick Rolovich, who will shift to the QB coach role under new Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi when the bowl game is over. Rolovich, a former Hawai‘i quarterback, was UH's head coach from 2016 to 2019.
The Bears also have a standout true freshman from Hawai‘i on defense, as Kahuku alumnus Aiden Manutai won a starting safety job to open the season.
"It's fun to watch Aiden Manutai. It feels like just yesterday we were watching him at Kahuku High School. Now he's on the big stage and doing really, really well. He's a great football player," Hawai‘i receivers coach Jared Ursua said. "He's playing as a freshman because he's intelligent, he's savvy. There's a lot of connection to other Hawai‘i guys and so forth."
As of Wednesday, Harris remains the most prominent player on either team that has opted out of the bowl game. In echoing Thurman's sentiments, Ursua says the past weeks have given him an opportunity to evaluate the group's younger players more intimately. Though no one player can replace Harris this late in the season, Ursua expects other Rainbow Warriors to make the most of their increased reps.
Ursua says players such as Nick Delgadillo, Karsyn Pupunu, Brandon White, Max Ware, Kainoa Carvalho and Titan Lacaden are players that have seen an increased workload following Harris' departure.
"Collectively, we've all got to play better, but you got a number of guys are gonna have some opportunities, some other guys that can really step up," Ursua said. "It doesn't change anything that we do. We played two games this year without Jackson. We were able to get wins in those games. We are, for sure, going to miss the guy. He's a heck of a football player and did a lot of good things for us."
It was Ursua who took a flier on Harris in the transfer portal last year after two scant seasons at Stanford. Though Harris hopped right back in the portal after one season at UH, Ursua says he's not taking it personally, nor will it stop him from pursuing and developing the next under-the-radar gem if the opportunity presents itself.
"I don't think this is a Jackson question. This is a college football question," Ursua said. "This is something that we need to get resolved to help continue in the process and growth of development of players. Jackson made a decision. We love and support him, and what he decided, that's how it works. That is not exclusive to us at Hawai‘i — this is happening all over the country. We got in this profession because we love creating great relationships."
Added associate head coach Chris Brown when asked about Harris: "The boys are focused, they understand what it is, and it doesn't faze these guys. The guys know there's still a mission at hand. Our mission is to win this game. We say next man up and it definitely is, whether somebody gets injured, somebody is not part of the team, it's the next man up. We never lose a step. All we're going to do is just play harder and get this thing together and go get this victory."
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
