‘We are so very talented on every island’: ‘Bows football coaches visit Hilo
HILO — While their peers were likely enjoying the cooling waters off of Keaukaha last Saturday, some of the Big Island’s top football lineman prospects braved the blazing sun and took to the field at Wong Stadium to work on their skills prior to the start of the 2026 football season.
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HILO — While their peers were likely enjoying the cooling waters off of Keaukaha last Saturday, some of the Big Island’s top football lineman prospects braved the blazing sun and took to the field at Wong Stadium to work on their skills prior to the start of the 2026 football season.
The clinic and other programs sponsored by 808 BIGS are designed to help prepare the island’s offensive and defensive lineman for competition at the youth and high school levels and beyond.
When 808 BIGS reached out to University of Hawaii Associate Head Coach Chris Brown with an invitation to attend the clinic, it coincided with a desire by the Rainbow Warriors to do more neighbor-island outreach and specifically to Hilo — which they had yet to get to.
According to Brown, it is important for the UH staff to be visible among all the islands to not only find the talent, but to help inspire all football players in the state to pursue greatness. In addition to Brown, tight ends coach Jeremy Kerr was also on hand to work with the athletes
Under University of Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang, the Rainbow Warriors have emphasized local recruiting by emphasizing the “braddahood” that ties all players from Hawaii together. This approach has worked well allowing the Rainbow Warriors to convince some of the top talent in the state to stay and play for the home team. The fact that the team finished 9-4 in Coach Chang’s fourth season, including a Hawaii Bowl win over Cal, has made that task a little easier. There have also been a number of players who left Hawaii to play at Universities on the continent only to enter the transfer portal and return to play at Manoa.
While football’s skill position players have many opportunities to develop their game at 7-on-7 tournaments nationwide, linemen clinics and training programs like the one offered by 808 BIGS are becoming more common, and give the players who do work in the trenches a chance to improve their games.
During the clinic, Brown talked about the importance of keeping the best players from the islands on the islands.
“It’s huge, if we can keep every player in the state at home playing for the home team, that is what we want,” Brown said. “We are so very talented on every island and we want that talent playing at UH, and that is why we are in Hilo”.
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The 808 BIGS program and others like it in the state give UH the opportunity to perform, outreach and support players and teams throughout the islands while keeping an eye out for talented players who can compete at Manoa.
The recent success and positive press surrounding the University of Hawaii football team meant that these young athletes would gladly give up a summer weekend day to have the opportunity to work with and learn from UH coaches.
“It was really consistent and organized, it was cool to work with DI coaches, a lot to learn and install so it was a good experience,” Waiakea’s Alepeleke Kalaau said.
One of the youngest competitors — Keauakaha Elementary sixth grader Triton Mauga — said, “I liked working with the coaches and playing football with my friends, it was fun to work with the UH coaches.”
With the day winding down, 808 BIGS founder Abelearl Mokoma said this about the clinic: “The main focus is trying to help the kids understand the game and get better, but it is also coaches coaching coaches so we can get better”.
The support for the clinic from UH and having coaches Brown and Kerr was a big deal for 808 BIGS who support the idea of working to keep the best football talent in the islands playing for the home team.
When the University of Hawaii football team performs well, it energizes football programs and players at every level around the state to work harder and perform better. That energy was on display throughout the day during the 808 BIGS OL/DL clinic with staff, coaches and players coming together for a great learning experience.
Keep track of UH Rainbow Warrior Football and the 808 BIGS program by following them on Instagram at @rainbowwarriorsfootball and @808_bigs_program.
