Fifty-three days after the end of its 2017 season, the University of Hawaii football coach staff is whole again.
Head coach Nick Rolovich announced the final two hires on Tuesday, filling all 10 full-time, assistant-coaching positions. Andre Allen was named the receivers coach. Ricky Logo will coach the defensive line. On Monday, it was confirmed that Mark Weber would coach the offensive line.
The Rainbow Warriors were short-staffed after the sixth week of the 2017 season when Chris Naeole resigned as offensive line coach. Offensive coordinator Brian Smith and graduate assistant John Estes coached the linemen the remainder of the season.
Last month, defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa and receivers coach Kefense Hynson resigned to join the Oregon State coaching staff. It also was confirmed that Sean Duggan would not return for a third season as linebackers coach. With the NCAA’s addition of a 10th assistant coach for FBS teams, Rolovich needed to fill five full-time positions.
Two weeks ago, Rolovich hired Corey Batoon as defensive coordinator and Mark Banker as assistant head coach/linebackers coach. Batoon, a Saint Louis School graduate, was Florida Atlantic’s co-defensive coordinator this past season. Banker, who previously coached at UH in 1995, has been a defensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers, Oregon State and Nebraska, as well as assistant head coach at USC and Stanford.
Rolovich met with several candidates at last week’s National Football Coaches Association’s convention in Charlotte, N.C. After extensive vetting, Rolovich chose Allen, who was offensive coordinator at City College of San Francisco, and Logo, who was Colorado State’s defensive line coach the past three seasons.
Allen was CCSF’s receivers coach when Rolovich played quarterback for the Rams in 1998 and 1999. CCSF has won 10 junior college national titles, including six since 2000. Last season, the Rams averaged 42.9 points and 485.5 yards per game.
Colorado State’s defensive staff was released after defensive coordinator Marty English retired at the end of the 2017 season. The Rams, who were 7-6 this past season, defeated Marshall 31-28 in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The Rams averaged 5.2 tackles for loss and 2.1 sacks per game.
Prior to his stint at CSU, Logo was at Houston for three seasons through 2014.
Weber, who has 37 years of coaching experience, drew praise from former Fresno State head coach Pat Hill. Weber played for Hill at Los Angeles Valley Junior College in 1976. He also was the offensive line coach for Fresno State in 2004 and 2005 under Hill and 2016 under Tim DeRuyter.
“He played for me back in the ’70s, my first coaching job,” Hill said of Weber. “I’ve been close with him ever since. He worked for me at Fresno State.”
Hill described Weber as “a very good recruiter. He’s a very good tactician. He’s very good at teaching fundamentals. Everybody that I’m going to be with is going to be a good fundamental teacher, especially in the offensive line. He’s very good.”
Hill said Weber is diligent and enthusiastic.
“He’ll do an outstanding job with those kids,” Hill said. “He’ll get them to play hard. He’ll make sure they go to school. He’ll do a good job recruiting. He’ll do all the things that are necessary to be a good football coach.”
