Timothy Kealii'okaaina Awa Chang (born October 9, 1981) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently the head coach of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. During his playing career at Hawaii, he set several major college football passing records, including the NCAA record for most all-time passing yards; this record was later eclipsed by Case Keenum in 2011, and Dillon Gabriel in 2024, although Chang still remains in third place.[1][2][3]

Timmy Chang
Chang in 2022
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamHawaii
ConferenceMW
Record12–25
Biographical details
Born (1981-10-09) October 9, 1981 (age 43)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Playing career
2000–2004Hawaii
2005Arizona Cardinals[a]
2005Detroit Lions[a]
2006Philadelphia Eagles[a]
2006Rhein Fire
2007–2008Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2008Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2012–2013SMU (GA)
2014–2015Jackson State (OC/QB)
2016Emory & Henry (OC)
2017Nevada (WR)
2018–2020Nevada (TE)
2021Nevada (WR)
2022–presentHawaii
Head coaching record
Overall12–25
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
As a player
  • First-team All-WAC (2004)
  • Second-team All-WAC (2002)
  • WAC Freshman of the Year (2000)
  • Hawaii Bowl MVP (2003, 2004)

Chang has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Rhein Fire, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Early years

edit

Born in Waipahu, Hawaii, Chang attended St. Louis School in Honolulu and was an honors student and a three-year letterman in football and basketball. Chang was selected a prep All-American by eight major organizations and publications. As a member of the St. Louis School football team, Chang completed 464 passes for 8,001 yards and 113 touchdowns in his three-year career. Chang graduated from Saint Louis High School in 2000.[4]

College career

edit

Following high school, Chang played five seasons (2000–2004) for the University of Hawai'i Warriors where he started 50 of 53 career games at quarterback. Chang completed 1,388 of 2,436 passes (57.0 percent) for 17,072 yards and 117 touchdowns, breaking the old NCAA Division I-A all-time records of 1,231 completions in 1,883 attempts by Kliff Kingsbury of Texas Tech University (1999–2002) and 15,031 yards by Ty Detmer of Brigham Young University (1989–91). Chang participated in 2,587 plays, breaking the old NCAA career record of 2,156 by Kingsbury. Chang's 16,910 yards in total offense broke the previous NCAA record of 14,465 by Detmer. Chang also had six rushing touchdowns and was a four-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection.[5]

Chang currently holds NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision all-time records for total plays (2,587), passes attempted (2,436), and interceptions (80).[6][7] He ranks second in total offensive yards (16,910) and career passing yards (17,072) and is eleventh in touchdown passes (117).[8][9][10] Chang holds the school record for career passing yards and total offense, and is second in career passing touchdowns and total touchdowns.[11]

Chang was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 Hawaii Bowl in a triple-overtime victory over the University of Houston,[12] and was named Co-MVP, with Chad Owens, of the 2004 Hawaii Bowl in a victory over the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[13] Chang was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the 2004 season.[14] He made a cameo in NCAA Football 06.

College statistics

edit
Season Team Passing Rushing
Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
Hawaii Warriors
2000 Hawaii 245 469 52.2 3,041 6.5 19 19 112.0 23 -49 -2.1 2
2001 Hawaii 83 140 59.3 1,100 7.9 6 6 130.9 9 -51 -5.7 0
2002 Hawaii 349 624 55.9 4,474 7.2 25 22 122.3 39 -17 -0.4 1
2003 Hawaii 353 601 58.7 4,199 7.0 29 20 126.7 43 -60 -1.4 1
2004 Hawaii 358 602 59.5 4,258 7.1 38 13 135.4 37 15 0.4 2
Career[15] 1,388 2,436 57.0 17,072 7.0 117 80 125.1 151 -162 -1.1 6

Professional career

edit

Chang was signed by the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in the 2005 NFL draft, but was cut in training camp. That year, Chang also played in the preseason for the Detroit Lions but did not make the final roster. He then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, who allocated him to the NFL Europe in 2006. He played for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europa for the 2006 season, in which he completed 50 of 89 passes for 656 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, while sharing playing time with Drew Henson.[16] He was in training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006, but was cut before the start of the regular season.[17]

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL acquired the negotiating rights to Chang in a February 12, 2007 trade with the Edmonton Eskimos.[18] Chang signed with Hamilton on March 13, 2007.[19]

During the 2007 season, he started two of 18 games played, completing 42 of 89 pass attempts for 467 yards, one touchdown, and seven interceptions. Chang played in his first regular season game on June 30, 2007, against the Calgary Stampeders when he replaced the struggling Jason Maas towards the end of the fourth quarter, completing his first career CFL pass, a 51-yard pass to Jesse Lumsden, overall finishing 4 of 7 for 86 yards. He threw his first career CFL touchdown on July 14 during the Ticats 29–20 loss to Montreal, a 71-yard pass to Brock Ralph.

Chang was released by the Tiger-Cats on August 29, 2008, and signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers the following day.[20] He retired in 2009 and returned to the University of Hawaii to complete his bachelor's degree.[21]

Coaching career

edit

Southern Methodist University head football coach June Jones, who coached Chang at Hawai'i, announced in May 2012 that Chang would join his staff as a graduate assistant.[22] Chang was chosen as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Jackson State in February 2014, assisting newly named head coach Harold Jackson.[23] In his first season as offensive coordinator, Jackson State averaged 25.8 points per game. QB La Montiez Ivy threw for 3,209 yards and 22 touchdowns. WR Daniel Williams finished the season with 73 catches for 1,004 yards and 9 touchdowns. Both were named to the All-SWAC team.[24]

It was announced in December 2016 that Chang would join Nevada as an inside wide receivers coach.[25] He moved to the tight ends coaching position in 2018 before moving back to coach wide receivers in 2021.[26]

When Nevada's head coach Jay Norvell was hired by Colorado State following the 2021 season, Chang followed him to Fort Collins and was named the wide receivers coach for the Rams.[27]

Hawaii

edit

Chang was named the 25th head coach in program history at his alma mater, Hawaii, on January 22, 2022.[28] He signed a four-year deal.[29]

Personal life

edit

Chang and his wife have five children; he also has a son from a previous relationship.[30]

On July 2, 2009, Chang was arrested on suspicion of robbery. Police stated that he had seen a woman filming a fight in Honolulu's Pearlridge neighborhood, demanded that she stop filming, and upon her refusal and a subsequent struggle, had taken her camera and thrown it to the roof of a nearby building.[31] Booked on criminal property damage and harassment, Chang pleaded guilty to both crimes in February 2010. His plea deal included six months probation.[32]

Head coaching record

edit
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (Mountain West Conference) (2022–present)
2022 Hawaii 3–10 2–6 5th (West)
2023 Hawaii 5–8 3–5 T–8th
2024 Hawaii 4–7 2–4
Hawaii: 12–25 7–15
Total: 12–25

See also

edit

Notes and references

edit
  1. ^ a b c Offseason and/or practice squad member only
  1. ^ Helmkamp, Jon (October 26, 2024). "Oregon Ducks' quarterback Dillon Gabriel reaches second all-time in numerous quarterback stats with dominant game". A to Z Sports. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Fragoza, James (October 12, 2024). "Can Dillon Gabriel Catch Case Keenum's All-Time College Football Passing Yards Record?". College Football Network. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "Keenum passes Timmy Chang, sets career passing record". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Associated Press. November 6, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Murray, Chris. "Pack's Timmy Chang looking forward to first game versus his alma mater". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Hawaii's Chang trying to prove he's NFL ready". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  6. ^ "NCAA Individual Records for Total Offense". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  7. ^ "NCAA Individual Records for Passing". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  8. ^ "Total Yards Career Leaders and Records". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "Passing Yards Career Leaders and Records". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "Passing Touchdowns Career Leaders and Records". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. ^ "Individual Passing Statistics for Hawaii". Sports Reference. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  12. ^ "Rainbow Roundup Throwback- 2003 Hawai'i Bowl vs. Houston". University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "Hawai'i vs. UAB - Game Recap - December 25, 2004 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  14. ^ Tsai, Stephen (August 11, 2009). "Chang aired it out for Warriors". The Honolulu Advertiser. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  15. ^ "Timmy Chang". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  16. ^ "Timmy Chang NFL Europe Stats". Archived from the original on July 6, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2007.
  17. ^ "QB Chang cut by Philadelphia Eagles | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper". the.honoluluadvertiser.com. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  18. ^ CBC Sports (February 13, 2007). "Tiger-Cats ship Goss to Edmonton". Cbc.ca. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  19. ^ "Hamilton Tiger-Cats :: Official Site of the Tiger-Cats". Ticats.ca. October 27, 2008. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  20. ^ "Blue Bombers agree to terms with QB Chang". Tsn.ca. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  21. ^ "Back to UH for Timmy Chang". StarAdvertiser.com. May 30, 2009. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
  22. ^ "Chang to join SMU". StarAdvertiser.com. May 19, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  23. ^ Billy Nichols (February 1, 2014). "SMU grad assistants Chang, Poynter hired by Jackson State". www.dallasnews.com. The Dallas Morning news. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  24. ^ "FB: Six Tigers named All-SWAC team members". December 6, 2014. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  25. ^ "Timmy Chang headlines five additions to Pack staff". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  26. ^ "Timmy Chang - Assistant Coach / Tight Ends - Staff Directory". University of Nevada Athletics. Retrieved October 27, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ "CSU football coaching tracker: Which assistant coaches are joining Jay Norvell's staff?". Yahoo via Coloradoan. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  28. ^ "Former UH Legend Timmy Chang Named Head Coach". University of Hawaii Athletics. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  29. ^ Shimabuku, Christian (January 25, 2022). "New Hawaii football coach Timmy Chang's contract details released". KHON2. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  30. ^ McInnis, Brian. "Hawaii football coach Timmy Chang, 'Braddahhood' formally introduced on Manoa campus". Spectrum News Hawaii. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  31. ^ The Associated Press (July 3, 2009). "NCAA career passing yards leader, ex-Hawaii QB Chang arrested". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  32. ^ Kakesako, Gregg K. (July 27, 2010). "Former UH standout Chang reaches plea deal". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
edit