University of Hawaii football defensive coordinator Tom Mason has been reassigned to a non-coaching role ahead of Saturday’s season finale against Louisiana-Monroe. 

Mason was notified on Monday afternoon, two days after the Rainbow Warriors suffered their ninth consecutive loss. Chris Naeole, who has served as interim head coach since Norm Chow’s firing on Nov. 1, confirmed the change following this morning’s practice. 

Naeole insisted the change was made to maintain the Warriors’ “academic success.” Mason, who was hired on March 1, was assigned to the athletic department’s academic center. 

Mason said he was stunned by the move, and would have preferred to “have finished the season out.”

Abraham Elimimian will serve as defensive coordinator for the final game. Elimimian is a former UH cornerback who was hired as defensive backs coach in March. Elimimian declined to comment following today’s practice. 

Mason also had coached the inside linebackers. Kurt Gouveia, who handled the outside linebackers, now will coach all of the linebackers. 

UH is  2-10 overall and 0-8 in the Mountain West Conference.

Two days after Chow was fired, running backs coach Wayne Moses was reassigned to administrative duties.