Each time he walks out of the darkness of the tunnel and into the sunlight on the field at Aloha Stadium Ivin Jasper has occasion to reflect on how the decision to come to Hawaii changed his life.

It was, he admits, the best choice he never made.

Going on 30 years later and the offensive coordinator at Navy, UH’s home-opening opponent Saturday night, the seminal decision is both an occasion for counting his blessings and to chuckle for how it all came about.

Because his choice coming out of Jordan High in Los Angeles had been to attend the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., “I committed to Hue Jackson, who is now the coach of the Cleveland Browns,” Jasper said. “But my high school head coach, Ed Woody, who always scared me to death, talked me out of it. Well, he basically told me I was going to Hawaii and that was it. I think (then-UH assistant coach) Buzzy Preston kind of got to him.”

In Jasper the grizzled coach saw someone of potential beyond the field, somebody who needed to get far beyond the Watts neighborhood that was a gang battleground for the Crips and Bloods.

“You always had to look over your shoulder and be careful what colors you were wearing,” Jasper said. “He wanted me to get far away from all that, and what better place than Hawaii? I got to go to Hawaii, that was paradise, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”

He played quarterback and slotback for the ‘Bows in their 1992 Holiday Bowl championship season, earned a degree, met his future wife, Donna, and began his study of the option offense that would eventually open the door to a coaching career.

When Paul Johnson, his former coach at UH, called with an offer for him to coach at Navy, Jasper ran with it, working his way up the coaching ladder from a graduate assistant, earning the respect of his players and fellow coaches along the way.

“He is really personable and is going to tell you straight up how it is,” said quarterback Malcolm Perry. “He’s really a good coach.”

So much so that when Brigham Young and Arizona approached his former UH teammate, Navy head coach Kenny Niumatalolo, about their job openings this past offseason, there was little need for Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk to draw up a list of possible candidates in case Niumatalolo left.

Jasper was — and remains— the head coach in waiting.

Entering his 17th year at Navy and eighth as offensive coordinator — “He is master of what he does, a great recruiter, wonderful and stable family man and thoroughly professional,” Gladchuk said. “I mean, some coaches are destined to be assistants and, for others, it is just a matter of time before their time comes. I think he has all the qualities to be a successful Division I coach, especially for the style of offense he has mastered.”

In the meantime, Jasper maintains, “I don’t worry too much about waiting (to become a head coach). My main focus is to keep the job I have here as offensive coordinator. If I stay here as an assistant I’ll be able to ride into the sunset and be satisfied. I work for a great person and at a great place. I could be here another 18 to 20 years. I love coaching these guys. They aren’t high maintenance and they say, ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘No, sir.’”

Jasper said, “I’ve been pretty fortunate the way things have turned out for me in my career, beginning with coming to Hawaii.”

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.