Norm Chow’s firing as head coach of the University of Hawaii football team was the right move to help salvage the struggling program. And athletic director David Matlin should maintain a quick pace to replace Chow and rebuff any community or political influences that would slow down the hiring process.
Matlin already is working speedily. On Sunday he announced Chow’s dismissal. That same day the job was posted. It’s a five-day posting that could be extended. But there is little need to drag this out — if candidates are interested, they’ll make it known by the fifth day.
It doesn’t seem so long ago that fans were wearing shirts emblazoned with “Chow Time” in anticipation of the local boy’s start as head coach. But he managed to string together one losing season after another, and with dim prospects for improvement, UH officials had to react.
The timing of the decision was key. The university has to position itself during recruiting season, and the hope of better days ahead under a fresh UH coaching staff should be more attractive to potential Rainbow Warriors than playing for a team that has struggled for four seasons.
Monday morning quarterbacking is easy — to pick apart Chow’s tenure and analyze what went wrong. But what’s important now is to find a leader who will turn the program around so that fans will once again begin to fill Aloha Stadium.
In order to choose wisely, Matlin must avoid the usual pitfalls. He should act decisively and avoid undue push-and-pull from boosters or elected officials.
Chow’s tenure wasn’t all bad. While his win record was nearly non-existent, he taught his players discipline. He wouldn’t allow tardy players to practice and ordered players who missed a class to hold a book over their heads for 30 minutes. His athletes seemed to always maintain a positive, can-do attitude. And the football squad’s graduation rate was at an all-time high under his tutelage.
It’s important that Chow’s legacy of instilling discipline and academic excellence among his athletes be maintained by his successor. For now, we hope that interim head coach Chris Naeole will be able to help the team finish the season on a strong note as UH vets its applicants.
The pool of expected applicants is an interesting mix: June Jones, a former UH head coach and quarterback; Nevada offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich, a former UH quarterback and coach; and Rich Miano, a former UH safety and associate head coach.
Everyone seems to have an opinion about who should be chosen and what the UH football program should eventually look like. Suggestions range from downgrading from the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) to FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) level, to losing football altogether. But at least one study found that those options wouldn’t produce huge savings for the university down the road.
If the community at large wants the UH football program to improve, its members needs to start footing some of the bill. State Rep. Isaac Choy, who chairs the House Higher Education Committee, has suggested that UH athletics be subsidized as part of the regular two-year budget request since it runs a deficit year after year.
That added stability should make the coaching position more attractive to potential, worthwhile candidates. But whatever the line item cost may be, it should be matched with a strong level of commitment from the business community and other donors.
When the University of Alabama at Birmingham announced plans last December to drop its football program, some $17.2 million was pledged by businesses and other private sources to save football. At this stage, financial struggle is likely the only similarity Warrior football has shared with the Blazers program, but here’s the point: If our community feels so strongly about UH football, then it’s time to start showing that support in dollars.
Warrior football is Hawaii football. Naming a top-notch coach by mid-December will be merely the start; much community and financial support will be needed along the tough road to rebuild UH’s struggling program.
