CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Tim Chang, who spoke at the Quarterback Club yesterday, is the top quarterback going into the fall.
Another TIM Chang never needed a second chance before. Now he's happy to have it.
shot at No. 1
Chang has a chance
The Chang file
to prove himselfBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comGoing into last season Chang was Hawaii's undisputed No. 1 quarterback, the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in 2000. He graced the cover of the Warriors media guide and was the local boy smoothly sailing toward more wondrous deeds.
But three games into the season -- near the end of UH's second consecutive loss -- Chang braced himself with his right wrist while falling to the Aloha Stadium turf.
"It wasn't the right move at all," he told the Honolulu Quarterback Club yesterday.
The St. Louis School graduate spent the rest of the season with his throwing wrist in a sling, watching his road roommate and former understudy Nick Rolovich lead the Warriors to a 9-3 final record.
After surgery for ligament damage on Jan. 3 and more than six months of rehab, Chang said he is stronger physically and mentally and ready to resume the state's highest profile athletic position.
"Physically I'm capable of doing all the things I could do before. I'm there, and I'm much more than I've ever been before," Chang said. "They (the doctors) gave me a second chance. I'm going to make the most of it."
Partly because of Rolovich's emergence and partly because of the nature of Chang's injury (it didn't look serious and took a long time to diagnose), some fans began to question Chang's toughness.
They forgot about how he threw blocks as a freshman, instead focusing on his apparent disdain for running the ball.
Or they compared numbers. Despite big passing yardage numbers, Chang's interceptions matched his TDs (25 of each) and the most important numbers read four (wins) and eight (losses) in his 12 starts. Rolovich, meanwhile, finished with 20 school passing records, and a 72-45 blowout of Brigham Young.
Rolovich's image became that of a humble tough guy who won and had fun doing it, while, unfairly or not, Chang became to be viewed as fragile.
Now Rolovich is in Denver trying to make the Broncos and Chang is here, trying to regain the confidence of the Warrior faithful and not-so-faithful.
Hawaii coach June Jones has been around enough to know that fans are fickle, especially about quarterbacks.
"That always will happen. Steve Young was compared to Joe Montana. That's just the way people are," Jones said. "Everyone has their unique way of getting it done. Timmy will find his way of getting things done."
Although Chang maintained a smiling front most the time after getting hurt, he said the injury depressed him and his grades suffered (but he is not in danger of losing his eligibility, he said).
"I didn't do so well. Mentally, I was in shock," Chang said. "It was the first time I've ever gotten hurt where I needed surgery. I didn't know how to handle it at first. It could've been my career. Going through that I always had to ask, 'Why?' But I eventually learned why. Maybe it was my time to sit back and say to myself, 'Hey, you're not Superman.'
"I learned that as easy as you got it you can lose it. That's not what it's about anyway, it's not about me. It's about the team and winning, and that was happening."
Chang said he and Rolovich remained good friends, and he learned "to be a good person regardless of the circumstances," from him.
"He never complained when he was behind me. I'm glad Nick had his time," Chang said. "Nick's a great person off the field. He adopted the aloha way. We'd stay up 'til 2 a.m. talking story."
Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said the team is confident Chang can lead them effectively.
"I think he's come a long way from last year. It's kind of good people still question him. He has a chance to prove himself and prove them wrong. Last year people lost confidence in him, but he has a fresh start now," Tinoisamoa said. "He's showing more leadership. He has it in him, naturally. A born leader."
If any of the Warriors thought Chang's injury wasn't severe at the time, they are convinced now, the linebacker said.
"When you get hurt, only you know how bad it is. A lot of people didn't think it was bad, but it was real close to career-ending. That's as extreme as it gets. Now people know his judgment is good," Tinoisamoa said. Then, chuckling. "But he is a quarterback, and the defense will always have their little comments."
There are many different kinds of toughness. Injury rehab is one, and Chang battled his way back this summer, according to coaches and teammates.
"He's always been a hard worker. He has worked hard every summer since we had him," Jones said. "This one even more because he's trying to get his health right. He has the dedication on and off the field."
He throws around 75-100 passes a day. Before he started throwing in June, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Chang worked out his legs. He said his body, especially his legs, are the strongest they've ever been.
And his football mind?
Chang, who has been directing versions of the run-and-shoot since intermediate school at St. Louis, didn't throw in spring practice. But he was there, watching and learning, honing what is already second nature -- in his mind.
"I still have to do it in the pocket, in a game," he said. "I haven't done that in a long time. That's the challenge.
"I'm going into my ninth year (as a run-and-shoot quarterback), but there's always something I can learn."
The most important thing is relaxing, quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said.
"We want that furrowed brow to be an anticipatory smile," Morrison said. "What we want those guys to do is have a lot of fun."
And Chang knows success is more rewarding when you have to fight to get back to where you were.
"Everybody has to learn to deal with it when things don't go the way they plan," Jones said. "That's when you better suck it up mentally and learn from it. He's that type of guy that can do that. He's better than he was because of the adversity and how he dealt with it."
Last year, Chang had a role model for being ready when your turn comes again. That was Rolovich.
"When he got his second chance he proved to the doubters that he was good," Chang said. "We need to win games. Nick did that for us. He won games. That's what I want to do. There's no doubt in my mind I'm ready."
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1997-99: 491 completions, 8,115 yards, 114 touchdowns at St. Louis School. Named national high school player of the year in 1999 by Dick Butkus Football Network. The Chang File
2000: 245 completions, 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns at UH. Named WAC Freshman of the Year.
2001: 83 completions, 1,100 yards, 6 touchdowns at UH. Led nation in total offense when injured for season in third game. Granted fifth season due to medical hardship.
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