Sometimes you don’t know what you’re going to get until you open the package.
A bunch of reporters were waiting to speak with an intriguing new University of Hawaii football wide receiver via a Zoom conference Wednesday. His name is Rico Bussey Jr., a senior transfer from North Texas. Supposedly, the word is he has NFL talent.
And in these strange times of COVID-19 and social distancing where fans and reporters are not allowed to attend the closed practices, getting to know what this potential star is all about three days before the season opener would have been at least a little bit illuminating.
But it didn’t happen. Instead, we got to enjoy the Zoom company of two young starters who are also expected to be playing a huge role — quarterback quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and wide receiver Nick Mardner, both sophomores.
The guess here is that Bussey is saving his real introduction to fans and reporters for Saturday, when the Rainbow Warriors open the abbreviated season with a game at Fresno State. Hey, let’s face it, players do their best talking by their actions on the field.
Chevan Cordeiro is a fine example of that kind of relative quietness off the field. A proven baller already, he downplayed himself during his Zoom time. He’s got a good amount of experience, including as a starter, in his three seasons (including one redshirt year) with the team. But the former high school star at Saint Louis is not about to go out there and start making any bold predictions and hype things up unnecessarily.
You could tell that he really intends to do his talking on the field.
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- HAWAII (0-0) at Fresno State (0-0)
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 1:30 p.m. Hawaii time
- TV: Spectrum Sports PPV (Ch. 255/HD 1255) and Hawaiian Telcom Ch. 969)
- Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM and 92.7-FM
- Live Stats: HawaiiAthletics.com
- Series Information: 53rd meeting, Fresno State leads, 29-22-1
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One thing has been pretty clear in hearing from four players and coach Todd Graham after two days of Zooming with them: This team is the furthest thing from hype. They plainly feel very fortunate to be getting a chance to play at all, even without fans, during this major health crisis.
And you can see in their eyes that they’re ready, or, at least they feel ready. There is a confidence that emanates from their demeanor. On Saturday, we’ll all see if that confidence and dogged preparedness against the odds means anything at all. As was mentioned on this website one day ago, the expectation by Graham is for this team to be has hard as nails with an extreme amount of discipline.
against Fresno State rolls around. (Photo courtesy of UH athletics).
That’s what they’re saying, that’s what they’re believing. We have no reason to doubt any of that at this point. Saturday is the place for learning what they’re going to be like. Coming off a 10-5 season and with more talent and veterans in the bunch, what they’re going to be like is something that fans just may really end up, well, um, liking.
Mardner, the 6-foot-6 receiver, was part of the most joyous moment of all for the team last season — the recipient of a Cole McDonald pass to beat BYU 28-24 in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve. See video below.
Mardner is looking ahead, though, not back.
“The game-winning catch, forget about it,” he told reporters. “That was last year. You can talk about it, but nobody cares. Everybody wants to know what you’re doing right now. I’m grinding with the guys I have here and now.”
Graham mentioned on Tuesday that the corps of receivers is among the deepest position group on the team. Cordeiro, who is excited to come into the season as the starter at QB for the first time, believes that to be a fact.
“This is a dream come true,” he said about the guys he’s going to be throwing to. “We’ve got depth, first, second and third string. We’ve got tall, big, quick guys (catching the balls) and guys with fast hands.”
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RELATED STORY at Bedrock Sports Hawaii: Expect the 2020 University of Hawaii Football Team To Be Hard-Nosed and Disciplined
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And while Cordeiro didn’t promise anything (while keeping that hype close to the vest), he did say he and his boys are out to make the season count.
“We want to make it count every season,” he said. “Every season our goal is to win the championship. And our families know it, too.”
(Photo courtesy of UH athletics)
Cordeiro also gave an indication that he thinks the team will be more physical than last year and that the conditioning program has been upgraded.
“As coach Graham says and you’ve heard him talk about, TTH, tougher than hell,” Cordeiro added. “He’s always got us running. Running in the preseason. Running every time during practice. Running on the field, running off the field. When the fourth quarter comes around, I think we’ll be playing (with the same energy we had in) the first half.”
And Cordeiro obliged by talking about the potential of Bussey (1,914 yards and 21 TDs receiving in three years for the Mean Green): “He can take it deep and he’s a good route runner, a great leader, and I’m glad he’s my teammate. We’ve got a great receiving corps, O-line, running backs and defense.”
OK, maybe he did hype it up just a little. But, mind you, the media AND FANS are extra hungry for stuff like this.
Cordeiro (1,291 yards and 14 TDs passing in 16 career games) started four games a year ago with McDonald injured and he also came off the bench to guide wins over Arizona State and San Jose State.
Mardner concurred with Cordeiro about the increase in athleticism this season: “We have so much more depth (at receiver). We have bigger guys and more choices to go with. Last year, we didn’t rotate out as much (as we will this year). Things will be crispy when everyone has fresh legs and going full speed. … We’re going to go hard.”
And he gave the vote of confidence to Cordeiro.
“It’s more of his team now,” Mardner added. “Chevan’s getting that confidence going, his swag, his communication.”
The Rainbow Warriors were expected to fly out Thursday to Sacramento and then bus to Fresno for Saturday’s game at Bulldog Stadium.
Hawaii starters vs. Fresno, Saturday
Offense
>> LT: Ilm Manning, 6-4, 280, Jr. (Glendale, Ariz.)
>> LG: Kohl Levao, 6-6, 350, Sr. (Aberdeen, Wash.)
>> C: Taaga Tuulima, 6-2, 310, Sr. (Ewa Beach)
>> RG: Solo Vaipulu, 6-2, 300, Sr. (Riverside, Calif.)
>> RT: Gene Pryor, 6-3, 310, Sr. (Visalia, Calif.)
>> WR: Rico Bussey, 6-2, 190, Sr. (Lawton, Okla.)
>> WR: Lincoln Victor, 5-10, 165, Fr. (West Camas, Wash.)
>> WR: Zion Bowens, 6-1, 200, Jr. (Long Beach, Calif.)
>> WR: Jared Smart, 6-0, 190, Sr. (Dublin, Calif.)
>> RB: Miles Reed, 5-8, 190, Jr. (Corona, Calif.)
>> QB: Chevan Cordeiro, 6-1, 190, So. (Honolulu)
Defense
>> DE: Penei Pavihi, 6-3, 245, Jr. (Pago Pago, American Samoa)
>> NT: Blessman Ta’ala, 6-1, 300, Jr. (Inglewood, Calif.)
>> DT: Jonah Laulu, 6-6, 280, So. (Las Vegas)
>> DE: Darius Muasau, 6-1, 230, So. (Ewa Beach)
>> LB: Jeremiah Pritchard, 6-0, 230, Jr. (Leone, American Samoa)
>> LB: Khoury Bethley, 5-10, 200, Jr. (Chino, Calif.)
>> LB: Quentin Frazier, 6-1, 195, Sr. (San Diego)
>> CB: Cortez Davis, 5-11, 180, Sr. (Decatur, Ga.)
>> S: Eugene Ford, 6-2, 210, Sr. (Venice, Calif.)
>> S: Kai Kaneshiro, 6-2, 180, So. (Honolulu)
>> CB: Cameron Lockridge, 6-0, 180, So. (Tampa, Fla.)
Special teams
>> PK/KO: Matthew Shipley, 6-1, 175, Fr. (Liberty Hill, Texas)
>> P: Adam Stack, 6-2, 180, Jr. (Kailua)
>> LS: Wyatt Tucker, 5-10, 205, Jr. (Chino Hills, Calif.)
>> HOLD: Stan Gaudion, 6-3, 210, Sr. (Melbourne, Australia)
>> PR: Lincoln Victor, 5-10, 165, Fr. (West Camasm Wash.)
>> KR: Dae Dae Hunter, 5-10, 200, Fr. (Denver)
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