HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team has adopted the nickname the “Braddahhood” for their tight-knit connection on and off the field.
For brothers Blaze and Diezel Kamoku, it’s quite literal.
“It means everything. It’s really everything I ever wanted,” Blaze said.
Younger brother Diezel transferred home to UH this offseason to play with Blaze.
“I went to Utah, had the chance to come back, and we were talking about it like ever since I came out of high school,” Diezel said.
This will be a first for the pair. Despite only being two years apart, they’ve never played on the same team together.
“When the opportunity came about, you know, I was like, shoot, let’s do it,” Blaze said. “My last year, if you wanna come home, let’s make it happen.”
Blaze is a 2022 Kamehameha Schools Kapalama graduate and played on the continent at Olivet Nazarene University his freshman year.
Since arriving at UH, he’s solidified his role on offense and special teams.
He hauled in nine catches last year, including a touchdown against Fresno State, helping UH in a near comeback.
“Me going through the process first with him following kind of sets himself up for, you know, kind of a more rewarding and better journey for him,” Blaze said.
Diezel is back in familiar territory, graduating from Kahuku in 2024. He spent the last two seasons at Utah, and is now set to play in the same stadium he helped the Red Raiders claim a state title with a game-winning 86-yard punt return touchdown.
“That was probably the biggest play of my life, nothing near that I can explain,” Diezel said. “When I first committed here I said like being back here on home turf with my brother with all the people that I know, everyone behind my back like, I’m just comfortable here.”
Now in the middle of spring practices, the brothers are leaning on each other as they prepare for the 2026 season.
“Growing up with him, going through shared hardships ourselves growing up,” Blaze said, “it just makes it a much easier transition for him and just for the team with how close knit we are.”
It’ll be a fulfilling moment for the brothers when their family and friends watch them on the field at home.
“Just knowing that all their sacrifices that they made for me and him, my older sister, my little siblings, all the way up to now, is just paying off and coming tenfold for them,” Blaze said. “It’s more of a reward and blessing more to them than it is to us.”
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