Niumatalolo says he’ll retire at contract’s end

ANNAPOLIS, Md. >> Ken Niumatalolo said he hopes to coach football in Hawaii someday.

But not at the University of Hawaii. At a high school.

The seventh-year Navy head coach told the Star-Advertiser on Wednesday he plans to retire from the college ranks after his current contract runs out. Niumatalolo, 48, said he recently signed a long-term deal, but declined to reveal terms.

“I see myself finishing it here and getting out, coming back home and retiring,” said the 48-year-old Radford High and University of Hawaii graduate. “Anyone that coached Division I football will tell you this job is very demanding. It takes every ounce of your being to be successful. My wife (Barbara) tells me I have 20 more years of work in me. I just want to come home and maybe help out at Kahuku.”

He was an assistant for the first 18 years of his career, with stints at Hawaii and UNLV in addition to Navy. His compensation for being Navy head coach was reported recently as $1.6 million per year.

Navy’s best record under Niumatalolo was in 2009, when the team went 10-4 including a win in the Texas Bowl and a loss at Hawaii.

His career mark as a head coach is 44-30, with winning records in four of his five complete seasons.