QB
C+Davis at QB (79, freshman, stamina 92). Top-3 of 74.0.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 5.6 / 10
Hawaii
Architect Chang with the rare Run & Shoot offense and Davis at freshman QB anchoring the multi-year build.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Timmy Chang program where the rare Run & Shoot offense meets a freshman QB and a B DB grade, Hawaii is the Mountain West team built to throw the ball with a four-year QB build. Manuma anchors strong safety at senior 85 with stamina 92 and pursuit 90. Cenacle leads WR at senior 84 with medium route running 91. Palmer takes the corner at junior 83 with acceleration 94. Ashlock complements at junior WR 83 with short route running 93 and acceleration 92. Davis enters Year 1 of his career at freshman QB 79 with throw power 90 and stamina 92 — the longest multi-year QB anchor in the editorial set. The home pipeline is Hawaii at Tier-2 with Southern California and North Texas at Tier-2 as the long-distance reaches.
What makes Hawaii different from the other 1-prestige Mountain West programs is the scheme and the QB. Most 1-prestige programs run Spread or Pro Style with a senior QB in front of a development depth chart. Hawaii asks you to ride the rare Run & Shoot with a freshman QB anchor and an A+ campus lifestyle pulling West Coast skill recruits. Same conference, same prestige floor, completely different dynasty math: Hawaii is the only Mountain West team starting a four-year QB at the freshman position.
The 5.6 lands on the Davis freshman QB anchor, the rare Run & Shoot offense, and the Cenacle-Ashlock-Palmer multi-year skill cluster. Davis at freshman with throw power 90 plus Ashlock at junior WR plus Palmer at junior CB give Hawaii a three-year talent base most 1-prestige programs lack. The catch is the 68 overall, the C- coach prestige, and the 6-of-10 senior cliff at the supporting positions. Don't pick Hawaii for a Year 1 ceiling chase. Pick Hawaii for the Davis development save where Chang's Architect scheme wraps the freshman QB in senior coverage support while the multi-year skill room compounds.
Head Coach
Timmy Chang
ArchitectChang is an Architect archetype with C- coach prestige and C- coach stability. The launch hands him Davis at freshman QB, Cenacle and Ashlock at WR, Palmer at junior CB, Manuma and the senior front-edge on defense. The Davis freshman QB anchor is the multi-year identity Chang's Run & Shoot scheme is designed to develop, and the A+ campus lifestyle gives Chang a recruiting differentiator on West Coast skill players. The catch is the 1-prestige floor and C- coach grades that hold the program at the bottom of Mountain West recruiting volume.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Mountain West |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Timmy Chang · Architect |
| Team Prestige | 1 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 68 |
| Top Position Group | Defensive Back · B · top-3 avg 82.0 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C- · top-3 avg 69.7 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | C- |
| Brand Exposure | D- |
| Coach Prestige | C- |
| Coach Stability | C- |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 6 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Peter Manuma | SS | Sr | 85 | Stamina 92 |
| 02 | Nick Cenacle | WR | Sr | 84 | Stamina 92 |
| 03 | Elijah Palmer | CB | Jr | 83 | Acceleration 94 |
| 04 | Pofele Ashlock | WR | Jr | 83 | Stamina 94 |
| 05 | Elijah Robinson | REDG | Sr | 82 | Pursuit 91 |
| 06 | Jalen Smith | WILL | Sr | 80 | Injury 89 |
| 07 | Landon Sims | HB | Sr | 80 | Toughness 92 |
| 08 | Dermaricus Davis | QB | Fr | 79 | Stamina 92 |
| 09 | Jackie Johnson III | REDG | Sr | 79 | Injury 87 |
| 10 | Cam Barfield | HB | Jr | 78 | Acceleration 92 |
Position Group Grades
RB
B-Sims at HB (80, senior, toughness 92) and Barfield at HB (78, junior, acceleration 92). Top-3 of 78.3.
WR
BCenacle at WR (84, senior, stamina 92) and Ashlock at WR (83, junior, stamina 94). Top-3 of 80.3.
TE
CTop-3 of 73.5.
OL
C+Top-3 of 74.7.
DL
B-Robinson at REDG (82, senior, pursuit 91) and Johnson III at REDG (79, senior, injury 87). Top-3 of 79.7.
LB
B-Smith at WILL (80, senior, injury 89). Top-3 of 78.3.
DB
BManuma at SS (85, senior, stamina 92) and Palmer at CB (83, junior, acceleration 94). Top-3 of 82.0.
ST
C-Top-3 of 69.7.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Run & Shoot (Hawaii Default)
Run the Run & Shoot because Davis at freshman QB plus the Cenacle-Ashlock WR pair anchors the design. Davis lets it rip at freshman with throw power 90 and stamina 92, durable and four years away from being the senior QB anchor. Cenacle works the boundary at senior 84 with medium route running 91 and short route running 90. Ashlock runs the slot at junior 83 with short route running 93 and acceleration 92. Sims and Barfield rotate at HB with the run game as a tempo break.
Why this fits
A B WR room (top-3 80.3) plus Davis at freshman QB gives the Run & Shoot the four-vertical concept the scheme demands. Davis's freshman eligibility plus Ashlock's junior eligibility plus Barfield's junior eligibility carry a three-year offensive bridge.
Defense
4-2-5 (Hawaii Default)
Run the 4-2-5 because the senior front-edge plus Manuma at strong safety anchors the design. Manuma reads run-pass at senior SS with stamina 92 and pursuit 90. Robinson sets the edge at senior REDG with pursuit 91 and tackle 88. Palmer shadows the boundary at junior CB with acceleration 94 and agility 92. Smith reads at senior WILL with injury 89 and play recognition 87.
Why this fits
A B DB grade (top-3 82.0) led by Manuma and Palmer carries the back end. Palmer's junior eligibility carries the multi-year secondary into Year 2-3.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- HawaiiTier 2
- Southern CaliforniaTier 2
- North TexasTier 2
- Northern CaliforniaTier 1
- East TexasTier 1
- ArizonaTier 1
- Pacific NorthwestTier 1
- UtahTier 1
- LouisianaTier 1
You'll recruit the West and Hawaii. Hawaii at Tier-2 is the home anchor; Southern California and North Texas at Tier-2 form the long-distance regional reach. The A+ campus lifestyle (the highest in the editorial set) gives Hawaii a real recruiting differentiator on West Coast skill players that most 1-prestige programs lack. Chang at C- coach prestige can land specific Hawaii and West Coast recruits the bigger Mountain West programs pass on, but the recruiting math doesn't compound past the three-region Tier-2 cluster.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 6-senior cliff. Quarterback recruiting is not the priority because Davis at freshman is the four-year anchor — instead, OL is critical because the C+ OL grade caps the Run & Shoot's protection. After OL, replacement WR depth behind Cenacle, replacement REDG behind Robinson and Johnson III, replacement SS behind Manuma.
Avoid the long-distance Tier-1 cluster (Northern California, East Texas, Arizona, Pacific Northwest, Utah, Louisiana) entirely beyond a single targeted player. Six Tier-1 reaches across the West are recruiting noise at 1-prestige. Lock the Hawaii + SoCal + North Texas Tier-2 cluster and ignore the rest.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Hawaii
Year 1
The Davis Freshman Year
You're inheriting a 1-prestige roster with a 68 overall and Davis at freshman QB. Don't experiment. Run the Run & Shoot, ride Cenacle and Ashlock at WR with Davis taking real reps, let Manuma and Palmer anchor the defense. Year 1 is Mountain West bowl eligibility at 5-6 wins while Davis develops. While you're winning, sign the OL Year 1 class that A+ campus lifestyle plus Chang's Run & Shoot identity closes.
Goal
Mountain West bowl eligibility, 5-6 wins, OL-heavy top-150 recruiting class.
Years 2-3
The Davis Window
Six senior anchors graduate (Manuma, Cenacle, Robinson, Smith, Sims, Johnson III). Davis becomes the sophomore QB; Ashlock becomes the senior WR1; Palmer becomes the senior CB1; Barfield becomes the senior HB. The Year 1 OL class becomes Year 2 starters protecting Davis. Chang's Architect archetype turns the multi-year skill cluster into a Mountain West contention window.
Goal
6-7 wins, Davis at 86+ as a junior, multi-year skill room held.
Year 4+
The Senior Davis Compound
By Year 4, Davis becomes the senior QB anchor and the dynasty is whether his development arc plus the Hawaii-SoCal-North Texas pipeline closed enough multi-year talent for the Mountain West top half. Realistically, sustained 7-8 wins in the Mountain West with Davis at 88+ and the Run & Shoot identity intact.
Goal
Mountain West top-half program with the senior Davis four-year arc completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawaii good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for an Architect Chang four-year build around freshman QB Davis with the rare Run & Shoot offense, with caveats. Hawaii enters CFB 26 with a 68-overall roster, C- coach prestige and C- coach stability under Architect Timmy Chang, and a B DB grade led by Manuma at senior SS 85 and Palmer at junior CB 83. The 1-prestige floor and 6-of-10 senior cliff at the supporting positions are the structural caps.
What's Hawaii's prestige in CFB 26?
Hawaii enters CFB 26 with a 1-star prestige rating, paired with C- coach prestige and C- coach stability. Three Tier-2 reaches (Hawaii, Southern California, North Texas) plus an A+ campus lifestyle (the highest in the editorial set) form the recruiting differentiator most 1-prestige programs lack.
What playbook does Hawaii use in CFB 26?
Timmy Chang's Hawaii runs the Run & Shoot offense and the 4-2-5 defense. The Run & Shoot fits Davis at freshman QB plus the Cenacle-Ashlock WR pair. The 4-2-5 deploys Manuma at SS (85, senior, stamina 92), Palmer at CB (83, junior, acceleration 94), and Robinson at REDG (82, senior, pursuit 91).
Who is Hawaii's best player in College Football 26?
Peter Manuma at 85 OVR, senior strong safety, with stamina 92, injury 92, and acceleration 90. Manuma is the highest-rated player on the roster and the back-end identity of Chang's 4-2-5. Nick Cenacle at WR (84, senior, stamina 92) and Elijah Palmer at CB (83, junior, acceleration 94) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Hawaii or take an easier team?
Hawaii is a four-year freshman-QB build, not a Year 1 contender. The Year 1 ceiling is bowl eligibility while Davis takes real reps; the Year 2-4 floor depends on Davis developing into the four-year QB anchor as the Hawaii-SoCal-North Texas pipeline compounds. Take Hawaii if you want the rare Run & Shoot scheme with a multi-year QB anchor at 1-prestige. If you want a similar Mountain West profile with senior anchors instead, look at Air Force.