Luther McCoy packed up and started over at Hawai'i — the fit is the whole question.
6′5″ · 270 lb · Saint Johns, FL
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
sacks · 2026
6 tackles
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs UNLV
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Hawai'i's 2026 roster.
Luther McCoy
Luther McCoy arrives at Hawai'i with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
Hawai'i fans keep putting his case on trial, week to week.
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Timmy Chang.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: passes defended (99th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Road1g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Timmy Chang
Pass share
63.7%
142 pass / 81 run
Plays / game
74.3
3 games
Team sack rate
5.2%
155 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Pass-heavy.
Player standing · 2025
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Three-star recruit. Now #382 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Mountain West
Based on 2025: #31 of 35 Mountain West DLs
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 29–19
1 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 PD
With M. Alejado — 346 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · -4 rush yds (3 car) · G. Heil — 45 AVG · 5 IN 20 · 63 LONG
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 27-37@ Stanford | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 6-21vs UNLV | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 29-19vs New Mexico State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 3 |
Play style
Disrupts the pocket from the interior.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Hawai'i
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Hawai'i
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Hawai'i · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #115 · 2026 recruiting class #124
Player DNA
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to De'Monte Russell’s 2022 season.
Matches De'Monte on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Markell Utsey's sophomore season at Arkansas (2021).
Matches Markell on
Player DNA
12 more on the roster · Hawai'i team page