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As the newest member of the University of Hawaii football team, wide receiver Aaron Cephus joins the Rainbow Warriors as a graduate transfer from Rice. Cephus did not play in the 2019 season due to an indefinite suspension that stemmed from an unspecified violation of team rules during his freshman season. During his suspension, he used that time to work on himself and earned a degree from one of the nation's top academic schools.

As a graduate transfer, Cephus has one year to play for UH but will be immediately eligible. Cephus caught 10 touchdowns during his rice career - five as a freshman and five as a sophomore. During his redshirt freshman season in 2017, he led the FBS in yards per catch as his 25 total receptions came with 24.9 yards per catch. During his sophomore season, Cephus caught 40 passes for 565 yards. Perhaps his best game that year came against Hawaii in a 43-29 loss for the Owls as he caught five passes for a season-high 97 yards and a touchdown on Sept. 8, 2018. - Nexstar Broadcasting

(DS#999 WR) rSr/2023

WR Aaron Cephus, Hawaii
News Source: Nexstar Broadcasting
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06/18/20 - Rico Bussey, rSr/2021, Hawaii, 6-0, 186 (DS#53 WR) + More +

The NCAA on Wednesday issued a multi-phased model that would permit the University of Hawaii football team to begin full practice as soon as July 31, pending all necessary city, state and university approval. UH is scheduled to open its season Aug. 29 against Arizona in Tucson, depending upon the COVID-19 impact. Under the blueprint announced by the NCAA Division I Council, the Rainbow Warriors could begin team workouts, weight training, conditioning and film review sessions with coaches on July 6 as what is being called an "enhanced summer access."

On July 17 they could begin meetings and walk-through sessions but would not be permitted the use of pads or helmets. "Our goal is to be able to meet the schedule in an approved, healthy and safe manner," said David Matlin, UH athletic director. In addition, the NCAA is waiving the 110-member training camp roster limit to give teams flexibility in case there are positive COVID-19 tests. The plan had been proposed last week by the NCAA Football Oversight Committee. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#53 WR) rSr/2021

WR Rico Bussey, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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05/31/20 - Rico Bussey, rSr/2021, Hawaii, 6-0, 186 (DS#53 WR) + More +

The Hawaii football team continued to add speedy receivers with Saturday's commitment from Rico Bussey Jr. Bussey, who played the past four seasons at North Texas, announced on Twitter he is joining the Rainbow Warriors as a graduate transfer this summer. Bussey is 6 feet 2, 193 pounds and capable of sprinting 40 yards in sub-4.5 seconds. He was limited to three games in 2019 after suffering a knee injury. But he qualified for a medical hardship because he played in fewer than four games, enabling him to play a fifth season in 2020. Bussey entered the NCAA transfer portal in February.

In 2018, Bussey caught 68 passes for 1,017 yards, and ranked eighth nationally with 12 touchdowns. He averaged 15 yards per catch, including 16.8 yards on third down. He had 10 receptions of 25-plus yards. Bussey entered the 2019 season on the Biletnikoff Award watch list as the nation's top college receiver. In the 2019 opener, he caught four passes for 156 yards against Abiline Christian. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#53 WR) rSr/2021

WR Rico Bussey, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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05/01/20 - Rojesterman Farris II, rSr/2020, Hawaii, 5-11, 179 (DS#62 CB) + More +

Former Hawaii football player Rojesterman Farris II is mindful that the story does not end with the invitation to the Big Dance. "The dream didn't come true yet," said Farris, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent. "I have to make the team. And I have to see the field. Then I can say my dream came true. Anything can happen. I'm staying optimistic. I'm staying ready. I'm making sure my body is ready to go." The past four UH seasons, Farris was reliable (playing in 53 of 55 games) and skilled (as a cover defender and in-box cornerback). After being bypassed in last week's NFL Draft, Farris was one of 20 undrafted free agents, including three cornerbacks, to commit to the Falcons.

Farris, who was born and reared in Florida, said he recently finalized the deal. "They e-mailed the papers, and then I scanned (the contract), and sent it back to them," said Farris, who experienced a deja vu moment. "Don't you have to sign the letter of intent (with UH). It kind of felt like that. This time, it was speaking about money." The standard contract for undrafted free agents is three years, with only the signing bonus guaranteed. According to the collective bargaining agreement, the 2020 base salary for a first-year player is $610,000. Farris did not disclose the amount of his signing bonus. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#62 CB) rSr/2020

CB Rojesterman Farris II, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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04/30/20 - Kohl Levao, rSr/2022, Hawaii, 6-5, 324 (DS#31 C) + More +

Before suffering a knee injury that would reduce his 2019 season to four games, offensive lineman Kohl Levao was regarded as the Hawaii football team's top prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft. Levao is returning for his second senior year - he qualified for a redshirt in 2019 - and is expected to have a prominent presence on the Rainbow Warriors' deep offensive line this coming season. Levao's role? "I'm going to have him put his hand on the ground and knock people off the ball," head coach Todd Graham said.

This has been a hectic period for Graham, who was hired as Nick Rolovich's successor in January. In his four previous head-coaching jobs, Graham has never had to cobble together a recruiting class in three weeks and go through a spring semester without a single practice. Graham and his staff have conducted meetings on Zoom and monitored the players' academics while evaluating personnel and implementing offensive and defensive schemes. "We're swamped trying to be on top of that," Graham said. But Graham has remained true to a baseline of aggressiveness and discipline - a theme that he hopes will be set by the offensive line, particularly physical blockers such as Levao. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#31 C) rSr/2022

C Kohl Levao, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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04/27/20 - *Cole McDonald, rJr/2020, Hawaii, 6-3, 215 (DS#15 QB) + More +

If the annual NFL Combine is a little like pro football's version of speed dating, then Indianapolis is where quarterback Cole McDonald and the Tennessee Titans found some instant chemistry in February. The kind that prompted the Titans to take the former University of Hawaii quarterback in the seventh round of Saturday's NFL Draft with an eye toward the future. "He (McDonald) was somebody that stood out for us at the combine and through our evaluations and our conversations," Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said in a media conference call. "Our coaches were certainly intrigued by the player."

Between initial and subsequent conversations, Titans' general manager Jon Robinson told reporters, "We spent quite a bit of time with him (there) in the process, just getting to know him a little bit. Arthur (Smith, the offensive coordinator) and Pat (O'Hara, the quarterbacks coach) did and (they) developed a good relationship with him. (We) felt like, from a tools standpoint, he was a guy that we'd like to work with." Robinson said, "He's a guy that's got really good size, really good athleticism, ran fast, he moves around (and) he's got good arm strength." - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#15 QB) rJr/2020

QB *Cole McDonald, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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04/15/20 - Kalen Hicks, Sr/2020, Hawaii, 6-2, 215 (DS#73 SS) + More +

The desert city is deserted. The Las Vegas Strip is empty of tourists. The casinos are closed. Restaurants are offering only take-out meals. "It's not different for me," said Kalen Hicks, a former University of Hawaii football player who was born and reared in Las Vegas. "I'm a homebody." Hicks has spent most of his time at home working on his body as he awaits a possible pro-football future. Hicks, who is 6 feet 2 and 210 pounds, is an intriguing prospect. He was the Rainbow Warriors' leading tackler through last season's first seven games before suffering an injury to his right hamstring against Air Force. He had hoped to return for the 2019 SoFi Hawaii Bowl but conceded the hamstring "was still feeling kind of iffy."

He said he did not return to full health until February. By then, most of his training sessions were at Game Changers Sports, a gym that his father co-owns. The facility features a 40-yard turf field, indoor basketball court, and a physical-therapy room. Under guidance from Tysson Poots, a former NFL receiver, Hicks had targeted his workouts for UH's pro day in Los Angeles. But when it was apparent that pro day would be canceled, Poots arranged a combine-like event that would be recorded on video and made available to pro scouts. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#73 SS) Sr/2020

SS Kalen Hicks, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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04/05/20 - Cedric Byrd II, Sr/2020, Hawaii, 5-09, 175 (DS#45 WR) + More +

How fast is former Hawaii receiver Cedric Byrd II? He earned an associate degree in three semesters at Long Beach City College, and then took another three semesters to receive a UH bachelor's degree the past December. In recent testing, Byrd showed his speed by racing 40 yards in a laser-timed 4.37 seconds. Byrd is hopeful that 40 time, and his two-season production with the Rainbow Warriors, will be enough to merit consideration as this month's NFL Draft approaches. Eric Eastham, an agent with ALIGN Sports Management, had been contacted by seven teams expressing interest in Byrd as an inside receiver and punt/kickoff returner. The past season, Byrd had 98 catches for 1,097 yards and 10 touchdowns. Of Byrd's 177 career receptions, 52% resulted in first downs. He also has returned kickoffs and punts, as well as been used as a rusher on jet sweeps or direct snaps. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#45 WR) Sr/2020

WR Cedric Byrd II, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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03/26/20 - *Cole McDonald, rJr/2020, Hawaii, 6-3, 215 (DS#15 QB) + More +

McDonald had hoped to boost his stock at UH's pro day. But the joint event, which was set to be hosted by UCLA this past Tuesday, was postponed - and likely canceled - because of the pandemic concerns. McDonald understood the reasoning, but still was disappointed. Seventeen former Warriors were set to compete in the event, in which players go through speed, strength and agility drills, as well as field workouts. "Some guys use it as a steppingstone," McDonald said. "(Former UH receiver) John Ursua used it, and had a really good look. I feel a lot of guys may be overlooked and not be given an opportunity because they can't showcase their talents. It was a bummer not to have it." Ursua was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in last year's seventh round of the NFL Draft.

McDonald said he has stayed fit working out at friends' home gyms. He said there's an open field where he works on throwing and footwork. Because of the pandemic, he has not had any private workouts with NFL teams. But teams have been in contact with McDonald's agent. On Tuesday, McDonald was contacted by an AFC team. "The quarterback coach called me," McDonald said. "He wanted to chat, and see how this whole thing is going. We talked a little. It was a nice conversation. We'll see." - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#15 QB) rJr/2020

QB *Cole McDonald, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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03/22/20 - Rojesterman Farris II, rSr/2020, Hawaii, 5-11, 179 (DS#62 CB) + More +

During his college football career, Rojesterman Farris II was on a literal island while living on Oahu and a metaphorical one playing cornerback for the University of Hawaii. For the past eight weeks, Farris has trained at Per4orm, a sports-performance center in Davie, Fla., but now he's on a metaphorical island yet again - one of uncertainty as he awaits his football future. "Unfortunately, with all that is going on," Farris said, referencing the COVID-19 crisis, "everything is shut down. We're in a halt right now."

That has meant Farris has not been able to build off his impressive showing in the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January. Farris met with representatives from nearly every NFL team at the all-star game and accompanying workouts. Defensive backs coach Ricky Manning told NFL.com that Farris "has as an opportunity to make a 53-man (NFL roster)." Farris also was set to be among the 15 former Rainbow Warriors participating in UH's pro day on the UCLA campus. But that combine-like event, which was scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed and is unlikely to be reset. Farris said he was supposed to depart for Los Angeles on Saturday. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#62 CB) rSr/2020

CB Rojesterman Farris II, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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03/17/20 - Dayton Furuta, rSr/2020, Hawaii, 5-11, 255 (DS#7 FB) + More +

The past six weeks, former UH running back Dayton Furuta has been training in Arizona ahead of pro day. After learning of the postponement, Furuta recalled, "I had same reaction as everyone else training. I was bummed out at first. But at the end of the day, it's the people we have to think about. We have to hope this pandemic doesn't get too far out of hand. Hopefully, we can get on it soon, and still have a chance (for pro scouts)." At 5 feet 11 and 250 pounds, Furuta had drawn interest as a fullback before the start of the 2019 season. But he suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for nine games. "After my injury and being out so long, just the process it took to come back, I wasn't sure if I would have the opportunity without playing the majority of my senior year." Furuta accepted an invitation to the Hula Bowl, where he showed his blocking ability. He said he received encouragement from scouts attending the all-star game. Furuta said the plan is to video workouts and then send them to NFL scouts. "Hopefully, we can open some eyes and get some interest from at least one person," Furuta said. - Honolulu Advertiser

(DS#7 FB) rSr/2020

FB Dayton Furuta, Hawaii
News Source: Honolulu Advertiser
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03/04/20 - Jared Smart, rSr/2022, Hawaii, 5-11, 189 (DS#117 WR) + More +

Smart finished last season No. 2 in the Mountain West with 87 receptions and No. 3 with 1,129 yards, but fellow receiving threats Cedric Byrd II, JoJo Ward and Jason-Matthew Sharsh are gone and Hawaii has to replace McDonald, who was benched on multiple occasions last fall in favor of Chevan Cordeiro. Smart and the Rainbow Warriors also may have to learn a new playbook after Todd Graham was hired in January to replace Nick Rolovich, who resigned to fill Washington State's vacant position. - Idaho Statesman

(DS#117 WR) rSr/2022

WR Jared Smart, Hawaii
News Source: Idaho Statesman
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02/25/20 - *Cole McDonald, rJr/2020, Hawaii, 6-3, 215 (DS#15 QB) + More +

2020 NFL COMBINE INVITE: Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii,...Last month, McDonald announced his decision to forgo his senior season and apply for the NFL Draft. The La Mirada, Calif., native finished his career fourth all-time on the school's passing yardage (8,032) and passing touchdowns (70) lists. This past season, he led the Rainbow Warriors to a 10-win season and was selected Most Valuable Player of the SoFi Hawai'i Bowl after UH's 38-34 victory in which he threw for a career-high 492 yards. - Hawaii Football

(DS#15 QB) rJr/2020

QB *Cole McDonald, Hawaii
News Source: Hawaii Football
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02/07/20 - Rico Bussey, rSr/2021, Hawaii, 6-0, 186 (DS#53 WR) + More +

North Texas wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr. has entered the transfer portal and will look to continue his career at another school. The senior suffered a serious knee injury last season during a loss to Cal and was not expected to return to UNT. Max Olson of ESPN was the first to report that Bussey had entered the portal. Bussey's 21 career touchdown passes puts him in a tie for fourth in program history with Johnny Quinn, while his 1,941 receiving yards ranks ninth. - Denton Record-Chronicle

(DS#53 WR) rSr/2021

WR Rico Bussey, Hawaii
News Source: Denton Record-Chronicle
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01/15/20 - Jordan Murray, rSr/2023, Hawaii, 6-4, 242 (DS#45 TE) + More +

Bobby Petrino, a coach with a track record of on-the-field success and off-the-field embarrassments, will be the next coach at Missouri State. The Springfield-based university said Wednesday that Petrino, 58, will be introduced at a news conference Thursday. He will replace Dave Steckel, who was fired last week after winning just 13 games in five seasons. Petrino has a 119-56 record in 14 seasons at Arkansas, Western Kentucky and Louisville. He also spent part of one season coaching the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, where he coached 13 games in 2007 before abruptly resigning. Petrino was 31-9 at Louisville from 2003-06, including an Orange Bowl win after the 2006 season. He left to coach the Falcons, where he failed to last even one season. He resigned with three games remaining to return to college coaching at Arkansas. - AP College Football

(DS#45 TE) rSr/2023

TE Jordan Murray, Hawaii
News Source: AP College Football
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