When it comes to deciphering defenses and defensive tricks, the Hawaii football team relies on AI.
“Alejado Intelligence” is starting quarterback Micah Alejado’s ability to problem-solve, make decisions and release flutter-free passes in the time it takes to count to two Mississippi.
“He has the gift of reading defenses,” said UH quarterbacks coach Chad Kapanui, who also coached Alejado at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. “He is so far ahead of the game, he can read everything.”
In football offenses, a quarterback goes through a progression of options. If the first is covered, the quarterback goes to the second, and then third and, maybe, fourth before running. Alejado appears to read two options at a time. It starts as he prepares to take the shotgun snap, scanning the defensive alignments and potential shifts.
“When he’s coming to the line, he can identify what defense they’re in,” Kapanui said. “But sometimes whatever you see pre-snap is not going to happen after the snap. Things change really quick for a quarterback. You’ve got to identify the changes in half a second.”
In the pocket or on a rollout, Alejado creates a scientific contradiction: his hard throws land softly.
“It’s like catching a pillow,” slotback Nick Cenacle said. “Micah has a touch to it. It makes it so much easier to catch.”
It is a skill Alejado developed in a football household in Ewa Beach. “My dad was a quarterback,” Alejado said. “I think I was just bred into it.”
Paul Alejado made sure his southpaw son would practice right-handed throws. “Just to get used to it,” said Alejado, who now can accurately throw right-handed passes up to 30 yards. “It’s paying off now.”
Galu Tagovailoa, father of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tuaa Tagavailoa, was Alejado’s youth-league head coach with the Ewa Sabers. After practices, Alejado would have additional throwing sessions at Ewa Beach Park.
“Growing up, I kind of looked up to Tua and how he carried himself,” Alejado said. “It was kind of surreal having his dad coach me and giving me the tips he was giving his son, and seeing how successful they were. I was trying to process it, take it all in, and over time apply the lessons to my life.”
Alejado moved to Las Vegas ahead of his freshman year at Saint Louis School. Jon Amano, who also relocated to the Ninth Island, taught Alejado the intricacies of the run-and-shoot offense that UH uses. At Bishop Gorman High, Alejado steered a West Coast offense that had elements of the run-and-shoot. Alejado was not intercepted as a senior during Bishop Gorman’s national championship season in 2023.
As a UH freshman in 2024, Alejado was limited to four games to preserve his redshirt status. In the regular-season finale, he was 37-for-57 for 469 yards and five touchdowns against New Mexico. In the final two games, he completed 69.6% of his passes.
A common nightmare for many is taking a final exam for a class you did not attend all semester. Alejado sleeps peacefully every night.
“He’s always prepared,” Kapanui said.
Before picking up golf two years ago, he learned to chart courses and read greens. He now shoots in the 80s.
Alejado studied bowling techniques for several weeks before playing the sport in high school. He figured a 15- or 16-pound ball would provide the most movement on struck pins, and that a two-handed roll would give the most controlled spin. He has bowled two 300 games.
For football, the cinephile studies hours of videos, from UH’s practices to opposing teams’ games, to correct mistakes or spot tells in a defense.
“A lot of it is being dedicated to watching film and off-the-field work and being ready when you get on the field,” Alejado said.
Kapanui said: “As much as he’s a good practice player, he’s a gamer, too. He studies the game so much. Everything goes slow for him. When you make things slow down, you become a great quarterback. That’s the way he’s going now. He slows the game down by identifying a lot of things the defense is doing. When you identify a lot of things, the game becomes slower for you, which helps you. You can play fast. That’s the benefit for him.”
