Cade Socha QB coach & pass game coordinator leaving the team

[gpmcconnell]

Does this mean no OC and TC calling plays?

[Palolo_2LA]

Does this mean no OC and TC calling plays?

Timmy is the playcaller and will get input from Socha on game plans. That's how most QB coach/pass coordinators contribute.

I assumed they couldn't get a proven coach. Think about the huge fall off with Socha taking over for Dan M!. It's considerable.

They shouldn't reference Soshs coaching up #13, bc that guy never improved week to week. Let that sink in.

[gpmcconnell]

Does this mean no OC and TC calling plays?

Timmy is the playcaller and will get input from Socha on game plans. That's how most QB coach/pass coordinators contribute.

I assumed they couldn't get a proven coach. Think about the huge fall off with Socha taking over for Dan M!. It's considerable.

They shouldn't reference Soshs coaching up #13, bc that guy never improved week to week. Let that sink in.

Couldn’t get a proven coach because of $$?

[BigWave96744]

Should have promoted Ursua

[cabanalane]

Socha worked with quarterback Brayden Schager, who set a school-record for consecutive QB starts with 33 from 2022-24. Schager finished his career ranked No. 3 all-time in passing attempts and completions and was fourth in passing yards and total offense.

BS13 is 3rd all time at UH. 4th in completion. Now imagine if some of the stuff were cleaned up earlier. Less dropped pass or pass that had too much zip.

[Palolo_2LA]

Socha worked with quarterback Brayden Schager, who set a school-record for consecutive QB starts with 33 from 2022-24. Schager finished his career ranked No. 3 all-time in passing attempts and completions and was fourth in passing yards and total offense.

BS13 is 3rd all time at UH. 4th in completion. Now imagine if some of the stuff were cleaned up earlier. Less dropped pass or pass that had too much zip.

He also played 4 years. Does winning matter to you? His timing was horrific and he would hold the ball until ppl were open, and then it was too late. I observed the same issues for years.

[kapakahi]

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1882575294298726473

Socha worked with quarterback Brayden Schager, who set a school-record for consecutive QB starts with 33 from 2022-24. Schager finished his career ranked No. 3 all-time in passing attempts and completions and was fourth in passing yards and total offense.

Interesting narrative to give full credit to Socha for working with BS13....without any mention of Dan Morrison.....when it was plainly obvious to anyone who attended practices & games that "Cool Dan" was the UH coach who worked mostly closely with BS13.

[BigWave96744]

Socha worked with quarterback Brayden Schager, who set a school-record for consecutive QB starts with 33 from 2022-24. Schager finished his career ranked No. 3 all-time in passing attempts and completions and was fourth in passing yards and total offense.

BS13 is 3rd all time at UH. 4th in completion. Now imagine if some of the stuff were cleaned up earlier. Less dropped pass or pass that had too much zip.

So is Socha being credited for BS13's rise in year 4 or Dan Morrison? I think the latter

[Duster]

Socha could be some prodigy. Who knows? If anyone thought Dave Aranda had the potential to become a DC at Wisconsin and LSU then head coach at Baylor when he was hired as position coach then DC here, I’d say they are full of it. Some said Coach Mack was out of his mind. TC is in a better position to determine who is best suited for positions on the coaching staff - it’s TC’s okole on the line. It’s not a nepo hire like Bo. We shall see.

As for the press release, there always is some puffing to try to accentuate positives. The offensive staff remains, and there seems to be synergy and no pettiness such that they won’t let Socha fail.

[Palolo_2LA]

Socha could be some prodigy. Who knows? If anyone thought Dave Aranda had the potential to become a DC at Wisconsin and LSU then head coach at Baylor when he was hired as position coach then DC here, I’d say they are full of it. Some said Coach Mack was out of his mind. TC is in a better position to determine who is best suited for positions on the coaching staff - it’s TC’s okole on the line. It’s not a nepo hire like Bo. We shall see.

As for the press release, there always is some puffing to try to accentuate positives. The offensive staff remains, and there seems to be synergy and no pettiness such that they won’t let Socha fail.

Playing devils advocate, would Stutz or B Smith be more effective? Socha played defense and was defensive analyst vs ppl who have only known the RnS like Stutz and Brian.

[Duster]

Socha could be some prodigy. Who knows? If anyone thought Dave Aranda had the potential to become a DC at Wisconsin and LSU then head coach at Baylor when he was hired as position coach then DC here, I’d say they are full of it. Some said Coach Mack was out of his mind. TC is in a better position to determine who is best suited for positions on the coaching staff - it’s TC’s okole on the line. It’s not a nepo hire like Bo. We shall see.

As for the press release, there always is some puffing to try to accentuate positives. The offensive staff remains, and there seems to be synergy and no pettiness such that they won’t let Socha fail.

Playing devils advocate, would Stutz or B Smith be more effective? Socha played defense and was defensive analyst vs ppl who have only known the RnS like Stutz and Brian.

They probably did not apply. I do understand the concern. An example of a defensive guy flopping when becoming OC was Don Lindsey, who was a top tier college DC. My recollection is that he took one fir his friend Fred von Appen when he agreed to be the OC in Fred’s third year after Fred had a falling out with Wally English. The logic was that after so many years as a DC, Don knew what worked against defenses. The rest is history. Again, it’s TC’s okole on the line. Socha must have shown some spark or potential. We’ll see this coming season, with TC’s recruits and TC’s coaching staff of his people.

[BigWave96744]

So the so called theory is the RNS takes 2-3 years to master. CS never played or coached in the RNS and now he's the pass game coordinator?

[BigWave96744]

Cade Socha (under Timmy Chang)
Coaching Experience
Hawai'i, Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks (2024)
Hawai‘i, Analyst - Offense (2022-2023)
Nevada, Graduate Assistant - WRs (2021)
Keiser, Student Assistant (2020)
San Diego, Defensive Intern (Spring 2020)

Playing Experience
Keiser University (NAIA) WR, 2017-19

********************
Bo Graham (under Todd Graham)
Coaching Experience
Hawai'i, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks (2021)
Hawai‘i, Pass Game Coordinator/Running Backs (2020)
Louisiana, Offensive Quality Control (2018)
Arizona State, Running Backs (2013-14), Director of Recruiting (2012)
Pittsburgh, Graduate Assistant (2011)
Tulsa Central HS (Okla.), Offensive Coordinator (2010)
Tulsa, Running Backs (2007-08)
Rice, Assistant Strength Coach (2006)
Tulsa, Student Assistant (2003-05)
West Virginia, Student Assistant (2002)

Playing Experience
2001 West Virginia WR
*****************************
Jordan Wynn (under Norm Chow)
Coaching Experience
2014-: Hawai‘i, Quarterbacks
2013: Hawai‘i, Graduate Assistant

Playing Experience
2009-12, Utah QB

[kapakahi]

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/01/ ... -warriors/

Stephen Tsai: New QB coach Socha a good fit for Warriors

At the end of the 2024 football season, Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang went into a hurry-up mode to address key situations.

Starting quarterback Brayden Schager completed his NCAA eligibility, two other quarterbacks were entering the transfer portal, and quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison put in retirement papers on a 52-year coaching career.

Chang signed quarterbacks Jarrett “JJ” Nielsen and Luke Weaver to join Micah Alejado, set in motion plans to expand running backs coach Anthony Arceneaux’s duties, and reloaded with a “young gun.”

In promoting 26-year-old Cade Socha from offensive analyst to quarterbacks coach/pass-game coordinator, Chang was following a growing trend. Dave Canales, who was hired as the Carolina Panthers’ head coach last year, began his coaching ascent after meeting then-Seattle coach Pete Carroll at a football camp. Chang cited others who began their coaching careers as interns or analysts, such as University of Mississippi offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who started as an 18-year-old quality control coach.

“These young guns,” Chang said, “are fast, up-and-coming, rising coaches. They get it. They understand relationships. They understand work ethic and adding value. And they’re hungry. Cade falls into that category. He’s a young gun, like Charlie Weis Jr. Cade is a hungry, young coach.”

Morrison, who also coached Chang in his first UH stint in the early 2000s, praised Socha as being “really good. He has energy. He’s going to be really good in that position. He has a good understanding of what Tim’s doing. They have the same background, so they’ll be on the same page with each other. I think his enthusiasm, his knowledge, his work ethic and his ability to relate to players is going to work out very well.”

The Warriors are expected to employ in-game coaching assignments similar to what was done in the 2024 finale, when Alejado threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns against New Mexico. Arceneaux, Socha and two analysts probably will be in the coaches’ booth sending observations to Chang, who will call the offensive plays from the sideline.

Chang said all the offensive coaches will have a role in crafting the game plan. Following Morrison’s lead, Socha also will incorporate input from the players, particularly the quarterbacks.

“We’re not playing the game, they are,” Socha said. “We’re trying to create 11 coaches on the field. They’re going to be part of the process, whether it’s naming a play. Dan always told them: ‘This is the run-and-shoot offense, but you’re going to make it your own.’ You have to make them involved and feel they have a value and a voice. I always thought that was important.”

In addition to his detailed coaching style, Socha offers critical analysis of situations, as well as a deep knowledge of trends and tactics. Morrison said Socha is a diligent note-taker, data-collector and processor.

Pick a day, any day. Socha takes hand-written notes during every meeting and lecture.

“I’m a big pen and paper guy,” said Socha, who then uploads the sheets to Rocketbook, a reusable smart notebook that prints a PDF and saves the information to a cloud service. The printed copies are placed in binders.

Socha’s notes include information on defensive coaches across the country. For upcoming games, he can cite the defensive coaches’ past strategies, pairing it with notes on how offenses attacked those schemes. While he is a diligent note-taker, Socha said, Morrison’s catalog was far more extensive.

“That motivated me,” Socha said. “It gets important when we’re getting into game planning and how we’re going to attack those coordinators, and what they’re trying to do schematically, and what we’re trying to take away. If we forget, we can always go back (to the binders). ‘We ran a certain concept like this two years ago and now it’s evolved and changed to this …’”

Socha’s passion for coaching is genetic. “I was born into a football family,” said Socha, whose father, Doug, is head coach at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne. “When I was young, people asked me: ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ I’d say, ‘I want to go to the NFL.’ Everybody laughed at me. But I said I wanted to go to the NFL to coach, and everybody understood.”

Socha earned three letters at Keiser University, where his father was head coach. His first year on a coaching staff was actually two jobs. During the pandemic, Keiser played during the 2020 fall semester. The University of San Diego, where he worked with the defensive line, had a six-game season in the spring of 2021. After earning a position as the University of Miami’s recruiting intern and offensive assistant in 2021, he learned of a graduate assistant’s position at Nevada. Chang was the Wolf Pack’s receivers coach. In 2016, when Doug Socha was a Buffalo Bills assistant coach, Chang earned a summer internship there. Nevada hired the younger Socha to be Chang’s graduate assistant.

After driving 40 hours from Miami to Reno, Socha recalled that when “I walked into that building, I was going to be a hard worker. I was going to help Timmy coach the receivers to the best of my ability.”

After the 2021 season, Colorado State hired Nevada head coach Jay Norvell. Chang and Socha also joined the CSU staff. A couple of weeks later, Chang was offered the UH head coaching job. Chang’s first hires were Socha and Matt Chon, who would serve as the Warriors’ chief of staff.

“It isn’t just a work relationship,” Socha said of entering his fifth year working with Chang. “It’s family to me. I look at him as a second father and also a mentor.”

[BigWave96744]

Socha has left the building

https://twitter.com/StephenTsai/status/1899896020546552215