The 2021 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rainbow Warriors played their home games on the campus at the Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex as members of the West Division of the Mountain West Conference.[1] They were led by second-year head coach Todd Graham.
Despite losing three straight games en route to finishing the regular season 6–7 overall, the team was invited to play in the Hawaii Bowl as a conditionally eligible team after the NCAA added an extra bowl game to the schedule.[2] The team accepted the bid on December 3, 2021,[3] marking the team's fourth consecutive postseason appearance, a new program record. However, due to a COVID-19 outbreak, season-ending injuries, and transfers, the team was forced to withdraw the day before the game, marking the Hawaii Bowl’s second consecutive cancellation.[4]
On January 14, 2022, Graham announced his resignation as head coach after reports surfaced of player unrest with his coaching style, along with a report that an apparent players-only vote to not play in the Hawaii Bowl had taken place without his knowledge. He finished 11–11 with two bowl appearances in two seasons, winning the New Mexico Bowl in 2020.
The Rainbow Warriors have signed eight recruits out of high school as of February 3, 2021.
In addition to the staff departures, the program moved their chief of staff Trent Figg to an on-field coaching role to help save the university's athletic department $100,000 in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
Listed in the order they were released
The Mountain West media days were held from July 21–22 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada.
The preseason media poll was released at the Mountain West media days on July 21, 2021. The Rainbow Warriors were predicted to finish in fifth place in the West Division.[17]
The Rainbow Warriors had two players selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team.[18]
Defense
Cortez Davis II – CB
Specialists
Calvin Turner – PR
The schedule was announced on March 5, 2021.[19][20]
To open the season the Rainbow Warriors traveled to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to face Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the UCLA Bruins out of the Pac-12 Conference. Hawaii got the ball to begin the game and went three-and-out. A botched punt gave the Bruins' offense the football at the Bows' 15. However, the Hawaii defense held the Bruins to a 27-yard field goal by Nicholas Barr-Mira, giving UCLA a 3–0 lead. Corderio and the Bows' offense went three-and-out again on their second series. Thompson-Robinson would then proceed to lead the Bruins 87 yards in 9 plays, capped by a 21-yard run by Zach Charbonnet. UCLA now led 10–0. The Bows' offense continued to struggle as Chevan Cordeiro was intercepted by Datona Jackson. The Bruins took over at the Hawaii 9. Four plays later, Brittain Brown scored on a 1-yard run, putting UCLA ahead 17–0. The Hawaii offense responded by finally driving into UCLA territory, but it was forced to settle for a 48-yard Matthew Shipley field goal to cut the deficit to 17–3. The Bows' defensive woes continued as Charbonnet scored again, this time from 47 yards out, putting UCLA ahead 24–3. The Bruins led 24–3 at the end of the first quarter. To begin the second quarter, the Bows' drove into UCLA territory. However, the ball went over on downs after Cordeiro failed to connect with Caleb Phillips on 4th-and-9. UCLA responded by taking a 31–3 lead after Charbonnet's third touchdown of the game, a 21-yard run. After trading punts, the Bows' offense achieved a 1st-and-goal at the Bruins' 9. However, the ball went over on downs after Cordeiro failed to connect with Nick Mardner. The Bruins took a 31–3 lead into the locker room.
The Bruins opened the second half by driving 75 yards in 5 plays, culminated by a 44-yard touchdown from Thompson-Robinson to Kazmeir Allen. Barr-Mira's extra point was no good, so the Bruin's lead was now 37–3. The special teams woes for Hawaii continued as Matthew Shipley's punt was blocked by Ale Kaho and recovered by David Priebe for a Bruins touchdown. UCLA's lead was now 44–3. After trading punts, Cordeiro executed a 9-play, 90-yard drive, finding Caleb Phillips for the Bows' first touchdown of the season. The UCLA lead was now 44–10. After a three-and-out for the Bows, Cordeiro on his next series was intercepted by Jay Shaw. True freshman Brayden Schager out of Highland Park, Texas saw his first collegiate action on the Bows' final series, driving to the UCLA 31 before failing to connect with James Phillips on 4th-and-3. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Garbers finished out the game for the Bruins. The Bruins won the contest 44–10. Cordeiro completed 25 of 47 passes for 220 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Schager was 3 of 6 for 23 yards. Thompson-Robinson completed 10 of 20 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Charbonnet ran for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns on only 6 carries. The Bruins' rushing attack outgained that of Hawaii 244 to 26.
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV
at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
at War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY
Hawaii is an alternate ahead of any 5-7 teams because it participated in 13 regular-season contests and finished the season with six wins that count toward meeting the definition of a 'deserving team.'