Rise of the Rainbow Warriors

In the summer of 1977, first-time head coach Dick Tomey and his staff cobbled together a team of local boys and mainland recruits just weeks before the start of the season and launched a pivotal new era in University of Hawaii football. The Tomey era was a game changer—from the first improbable season through a decade of gridiron drama played out before packed houses at Aloha Stadium. With new faces, a new conference and a new 50,000-seat venue, the Rainbow Warriors quickly emerged as a force to be reckoned with—challenging and even beating some of the biggest powerhouses in college football. In this lively, play-by-play memoir, Coach Tomey recalls the glory years: of rabid fans and muddle huddles, of big wins and heartbreaking losses, and a roster of players—Sapolu, Noga, Allen, Gaison and so many others—who proudly carried the banner of the Rainbow Warriors.