Timmy Chang is Centurians #16

HSB Note: "Ultimately, Chang's lasting impact with the Warriors goes beyond his NCAA records of the good (17,072 passing yards) and the bad (80 interceptions).

Some teammates remember a charismatic leader who could get them to give it their all simply by flashing his happy-go-lucky grin in the huddle. His quarterbacks coach remembers a gritty player who would bounce back from his worst performances by rising to the occasion with one of his best. And they still speak to his high character, despite Chang's recent arrest for allegedly throwing a woman's video recorder on a roof (no charges were filed) and his missing of a game due to academics.

And they credit him as being essential in the rise of Hawaii football to its greatest heights."

HSB Note: "Perhaps his biggest (and most overlooked) victory came at Fresno State in 2002, when UH had lost two straight and Chang orchestrated a come-from-behind effort in the fourth quarter to give the Warriors their first victory there in 30 years."

About Chang's improvement during his time at UH, Dan Morrison (his QB coach at UH) said:
"His evolution is just the number of reps and his willingness to say, 'I'm really going to learn this offense.' He spent the time to learn it, and he got better and better at it. Just throwing more than anybody else did. Which is why he has the record for yardage." (HSB)

About the criticism Chang took while he was at UH, Gerald Welch (Chang's longtime friend and a WR with Chang at both UH and Saint Louis) said:
"We stayed with him, didn't give up on Tim himself. I think as long as we were on his side, I don't think it mattered much what anybody else would say. He tried not to read into all that, what people think and stuff. It's mainly what your teammates think about you. I think he got over the fans thing really quick." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The criticism came to the fore against Alabama in 2003, when Chang struggled to a 7-for-23 outing and was booed by the home crowd at Aloha Stadium. Whieldon emerged to lead UH to victory."

About the fans booing Chang during the Alabama game, WR Jeremiah Cockheran said:
"I felt it was disrespectful because Tim got booed, and for all that he's done for people. That's what he knew he had to take from being like a rock star around Hawaii. If you do good, everybody's going to love you. If you do bad, everybody's going to boo you or hate you.

But it sucked, dude, to know that we go out there and bleed for the islands, and they go ahead and trash on him like that. But that's what you expect when you're on that level. I thought he handled himself with class that day and he took all that as motivation. There's always some haters out there. For me, those are the guys who didn't make it, and wished they could have been there." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Two games after Alabama, Chang came off the bench with a masterful performance in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl against Houston. He threw for five touchdowns and 475 yards against one interception in the triple-overtime win.

And despite a disappointing nine-game start to his senior year in 2004 (UH was 4-5 and had suffered 70-14 and 69-3 losses to Fresno and Boise State) he closed out his career in style. Chang earned the career passing record against Louisiana Tech and notched consecutive wins over Big Ten schools Northwestern and Michigan State to squeeze UH into the Hawaii Bowl again. He was named co-MVP in the Warriors' 59-40 bowl win over Alabama-Birmingham."

Chang canceled a scheduled interview for this article, but sent this text message to the reporter:
"I'm sure you can find something to write about. Thank you for the honor." (HSB)

About how Chang's accomplishments at UH are overlooked, Welch said:
"He was overlooked a lot. When he played ... I wasn't the fastest guy. He didn't have the Davone Bess ... he did have Chad Owens, but speed-wise, game-changing receivers ... I don't think he had as much in his arsenal as the later quarterbacks." (HSB)

About how Colt's greatness shouldn't lead to people forgetting about Chang, Cockheran said:
"Colt was a very good quarterback and even though he brought us to the promised land, people in the islands shouldn't forget about Tim, because he's the one that started it all. That's one thing I was worried about -- I was going crazy during that (2007) season, but I didn't want them to forget about how great Tim was. He's the one who got the engine going for Colt." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Morrison noted how the names of Chang, Bess and Brennan are well-known around his current digs in Dallas. Hightower High School in Texas has even adopted the Hawaii "H." "

About Chang's legacy, Morrison said:
"I think he put the University of Hawaii on the map nationally and consistently. And through it all, the ups and downs, he still finished in a way that said he obviously was a quarterback that made a huge difference in our program throwing the ball. Every time he had tough times, he always came back and had better times." (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/20090715_Greatness_and_inconsistency.html