SAN JOSE — It was barely two years ago when Chevan Cordeiro considered retiring instead of having to leave the only place he’d ever called home to continue playing college football.
Cordeiro had just completed his redshirt sophomore season at the University of Hawaii, but things under then-head coach Tom Graham had become unbearable. Players said the locker room culture had become toxic, and Cordeiro felt his only option to keep playing was to transfer to the mainland.
It was one of the toughest decisions the two-time team captain ever had to make.
Fast forward to Saturday, where Cordeiro will be back on the island for Homecoming — but in a San Jose State jersey.
“The first four years I played at Hawaii meant a lot to me and the school still has a special place in my heart,” Cordeiro said this week. “But at the end of the day, I’m playing with San Jose State and I’m focused on winning.”
Cordeiro helped guide the Spartans to seven wins and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last season, and has SJSU trending upward following a difficult early-season season schedule. SJSU (3-5, 2-2 Mountain West) has won two in a row heading into Saturday night’s game at Hawaii. (Kickoff is at 9 p.m. Pacific time).
Cordeiro faced his former team last season, helping the Spartans to a 27-14 win in San Jose. Cordeiro said he and his former teammates talked a lot of trash in that game, but he’s hoping Saturday’s homecoming will be different.
“Hopefully I get a warm welcome,” Cordeiro said. “But I’m not really focused on that. Whatever happens will happen, but I’m just focused on my team and the game.”
SJSU head coach Brent Brennan said he’s not worried how Cordeiro will handle playing at home.
“I think Chevan’s such a pro,” Brennan said. “He’s played a lot of big games. He’s experienced a lot of big moments. And so I think for him, it’s just about playing good football, trusting his reads, trusting his talent and doing what he does.”
The Hawaii native is among a long line of great quarterbacks produced at Honolulu powerhouse Saint Louis High School. Cordeiro played behind Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for three years before becoming the Crusaders’ starter. As a senior, Cordeiro passed for 3,130 yards and 29 touchdowns and was named the Hawaii High School Gatorade player of the year.
Cordeiro committed to Hawaii in 2018, which was like something out of a fairytale for a kid who grew up watching Hawaii star quarterbacks Timmy Chang, Colt Brennan and Bryant Moniz.
“Of course for me it was a dream come true,” said Kelly Cordeiro, Chevan’s mother. “He’s my first born, so I didn’t want him too far from home. He’s always loved the University of Hawaii and it was good for him to learn and grow.”
Cordeiro played in just four games as a freshman in 2018 but made an instant impact, leading comeback wins over Wyoming and UNLV to help Hawaii earn a bowl berth. In four seasons as a Rainbow Warrior, Cordeiro passed for 6,167 yards and 45 touchdowns. But days after the agonizing 2021 season ended, Cordeiro announced he was entering the transfer portal. In the end, 19 players left the program, but Cordeiro was the highest profile departure.
“The conversation was he was either going to stop playing football or he was going to transfer,” said Chevan’s father, Leon Cordeiro. “As a parent we told him he needs to transfer because he couldn’t stop just because he wanted to stay home.”
After receiving serious interest from other schools like Colorado State and Western Kentucky, Cordeiro decided to commit to San Jose State in 2022.
Since becoming the Spartans’ starting quarterback, Cordeiro has passed for 4,989 yards and 34 touchdowns in 20 games. The Spartans are 10-10 with Cordeiro as a starter, and have a chance to play in bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1986-87.
Hawaii players and coaches said this week they are eager to welcome back their former quarterback — but are focused on making sure he does not have a good game.
“That’s my brother,” said former Saint Louis and current Hawaii center Eliki Tanuvasa about Cordeiro. “It’s going to be good fun. It’s going to be a lot of emotions for him, but we’re gonna make sure to give him some of that brotherly love.”
Chang, in his second season as Hawaii’s head coach, added, “Chevan is a good player and an even better person. Our team and myself, we have a relationship with Chevan. We want to win this game and we know he wants to win this game. It’s going to be a good battle.”
For Kelly and Leon Cordeiro, this has been a game they have circled on their calendar since Chevan transferred to SJSU. The family has bought close to 30 tickets for friends and family and have been on the lookout for more.
Leon also coaches Chevan’s brother Nalu at Campbell High School in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Campbell has a state playoff semi-final on Saturday, but Leon will be at TC Ching Athletics Complex to watch Chevan play his final game in Hawaii.
“It’s going to be sad,” Leon Cordeiro said about seeing Chevan play on Saturday. “Last time he was on that field, he was playing for Hawaii. He went through so many battles there and just seeing him in a different uniform, it’s going to be pretty sad.”
Saturday’s game will be crucial for the Spartans who are trying to keep their Bowl game hopes alive. SJSU has won two in a row is currently a 10.5-point favorite over the Rainbow Warriors (2-6, 0-3 MW), but the Spartans are not taking this game lightly against
“This is always an incredibly challenging football game,” Brennan said. “The quarterback is an outstanding player. They have really good receivers that have speed. They have guys who can make plays. This is a huge football game for us.”