Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
With the 2026 college football season fast approaching, the University of Hawai‘i football team is putting the finishing touches on its special teams units.
On the latest episode of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night, Rainbow Warriors special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield, entering his fifth season at UH, discusses the excitement surrounding the upcoming season and breaks down his special teams unit, including the players who have earned starting roles.
Sheffield also reflects on a memorable 2025 season, highlighted by the record-setting performance of kicker Kansei Matsuzawa.
Matsuzawa became the first consensus All-American in program history and was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year. He also made 25 consecutive field goals to open the season, matching the FBS record set by Washington’s Chuck Nelson in 1982.
Sheffield shares what he learned from coaching Matsuzawa and reflects on the impact the standout kicker had on the program.
The fifth-year UH assistant also looks back on his arrival in Hawaii and discusses what was sold to him when he joined the Rainbow Warriors five years ago, and how that vision compares with the reality he is experiencing today.
Sheffield also explains his “ride or die” mentality and what that philosophy means to him both on and off the football field.
Family remains a major source of motivation for Sheffield. He discusses his wife, Emily, and their children, Peyton, Cannon and Blair, and how they inspire him and keep him grounded throughout his coaching career.
Catch the full conversation with Thomas Sheffield on the latest episode of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night.
New episodes of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night premiere Sundays at 7 p.m. on the KHON+ app, available on Apple TV, Roku and Firestick. Episodes are available on demand after airing.
The latest episode also will be rebroadcast Mondays at 10:35 p.m. on KHON2.
Hawaii News, Hawaii Weather, Hawaii Sports
See more of the team that is Working for Hawaii on our website: khon2.com
Stay informed about Hawaii news, weather, sports and entertainment, subscribe to the KHON2 YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/KHONNewsHawaii?sub_confirmation=1
Check out our morning news podcast: khon2.com/khon-2go
Sign up to receive the latest Hawaii news in your inbox: nxslink.khon2.com/join/6sd/signup
Stay informed about Hawaii news, weather, sports, and entertainment! Follow KHON2 on our social channels:
youtube.com/user/KHONNewsHawaii
facebook.com/khon2news
twitter.com/KHONnews
instagram.com/khonnews
With the 2026 college football season fast approaching, the University of Hawai‘i football team is putting the finishing touches on its special teams units.
On the latest episode of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night, Rainbow Warriors special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield, entering his fifth season at UH, discusses the excitement surrounding the upcoming season and breaks down his special teams unit, including the players who have earned starting roles.
Sheffield also reflects on a memorable 2025 season, highlighted by the record-setting performance of kicker Kansei Matsuzawa.
Matsuzawa became the first consensus All-American in program history and was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year. He also made 25 consecutive field goals to open the season, matching the FBS record set by Washington’s Chuck Nelson in 1982.
Sheffield shares what he learned from coaching Matsuzawa and reflects on the impact the standout kicker had on the program.
The fifth-year UH assistant also looks back on his arrival in Hawaii and discusses what was sold to him when he joined the Rainbow Warriors five years ago, and how that vision compares with the reality he is experiencing today.
Sheffield also explains his “ride or die” mentality and what that philosophy means to him both on and off the football field.
Family remains a major source of motivation for Sheffield. He discusses his wife, Emily, and their children, Peyton, Cannon and Blair, and how they inspire him and keep him grounded throughout his coaching career.
Catch the full conversation with Thomas Sheffield on the latest episode of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night.
New episodes of Hawai‘i Sports 2Night premiere Sundays at 7 p.m. on the KHON+ app, available on Apple TV, Roku and Firestick. Episodes are available on demand after airing.
The latest episode also will be rebroadcast Mondays at 10:35 p.m. on KHON2.
Hawaii News, Hawaii Weather, Hawaii Sports
See more of the team that is Working for Hawaii on our website: khon2.com
Stay informed about Hawaii news, weather, sports and entertainment, subscribe to the KHON2 YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/KHONNewsHawaii?sub_confirmation=1
Check out our morning news podcast: khon2.com/khon-2go
Sign up to receive the latest Hawaii news in your inbox: nxslink.khon2.com/join/6sd/signup
Stay informed about Hawaii news, weather, sports, and entertainment! Follow KHON2 on our social channels:
youtube.com/user/KHONNewsHawaii
facebook.com/khon2news
twitter.com/KHONnews
instagram.com/khonnews
