2016-17 Football Previews – (Mountain West) – Rainbow Warriors
Looking for 2016 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors predictions? In Norm Chow’s four-year run at the University of Hawaii (2012-2015), he managed to go an unimposing 4-25 in conference play and 10-36 overall. Chow was fired on Nov. 1, 2015 and replaced by offensive lineman coach Chris Naeole.
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2016-17 College Football Preview – Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
NCAA Division: Mountain West
2015/16 Record: 3-10
Head Coach: Nick Rolovich
Hawaii Futures Odds
Odds to win MWC: +5000
Odds to win National Championship: 10000/1
Win Total: 2.5 (Over -120 / Under +100)
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Naeole was given the interim tag to close out the year, and it’s now former quarterback Nick Rolovich’s job to get this program headed in the right direction.
2016 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Predictions: Team Strengths
The Rainbow Warriors have been a passing team historically, but their most potent offensive piece can be found in the backfield.
Paul Harris, a 5’11”, 190-pound tailback, has the always-desired combination of quickness and toughness to excel at this level. As a junior college transfer, Haris totaled 1,132 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Maybe more important for this offense, he also caught 14 passes.
Harris will be complemented by Melvin Davis, a 6’2″, 235-pound back, who will take on the task of being a true bruiser.
This team also has the fortune of having nine of its top 10 receivers from a year ago returning.
The Warriors ranked just 99th in the country last season in terms of passing yards (192.4 per game), but continuity, chemistry and consistency are important, and this group will have all three with so many familiar faces around the program.
2016 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Predictions: Team Weaknesses
Hawaii forced just 11 turnovers all last season. That is bad.
Hawaii is bringing back Kevin Lempa as the defensive coordinator, who was one of the most effective ones at that during the time when June Jones was roaming the sidelines. That is good.
The frontline for the Warriors has a chance to be decent, but the stars must align to make that come to fruition.
The team’s best defensive tackle, Kennedy Tulimasealii, was released from the team for off-the-field reasons, and Kory Rasmussen and Samiuela Akoteu are recovering from lower-body injuries.
Offensively, this group is coming off a year that saw it throw just 12 passing touchdowns.
This is clearly not the same Case Keenum- or Colt Brennan-led groups that were setting records left and right.
The hope is that a new regime Rolovich can get this group back on track, but even if the team throws more productively this season, those stats will remain hollow if the defense isn’t able to complement the production.
This team also has one other major factor working against it: the schedule.
Hawaii is always going to have a travel-heavy schedule because of its geographical location, but roach games against Michigan, Arizona and California make up three of its first four contests. Oh yeah, the game against Cal is in Austrailia.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 2016 Prediction: (3-10)
This team should look and feel like a more competent program this season, but there are going to be plenty of rough stretches between Week 1 and the end of the year.
Another losing season is on the horizon, and quite frankly, anything more than one conference win looks ambitious at this juncture.
2016 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Football Schedule
- Friday, Aug. 26 vs. California – 10:00 PM ET
- Saturday, Sept. 3 @ Michigan – 12:00 PM ET
- Sat, Sept. 10 vs. UT Martin – TBD
- Sat, Sept. 17 @ Arizona – 10:45 PM ET
- Saturday, Oct. 1 vs. Nevada – TBD
- Saturday, Oct. 8 @ San Jose State – TBD
- Saturday, Oct. 15 vs. UNLV – TBD
- Saturday, Oct. 22 @ Air Force – 2:00 PM ET
- Saturday, Oct. 29 vs. New Mexico – TBD
- Saturday, Nov. 5 @ San Diego State – 7:00 PM ET
- Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Boise State – 7:00 PM ET
- Saturday, Nov. 19 @ Fresno State – 7:00 PM ET
- Saturday, Nov. 26 vs. UMass – TBD
What do you think about our 2016 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2016!
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