Much of the focus on University of Hawaii football this spring is about the turnover of the coaching staff, in particular the coordinators. All three are new: Don Bailey (offense), Tom Mason (defense) and Jake Cookus (special teams).

But a couple of the other first-year assistants are familiar names and faces for UH fans … and they bring back happy memories.

The three years when Lance Samuseva and Abraham Elimimian played together were all winning seasons. The Warriors went 28-12 with two Hawaii Bowl appearances from 2001 to 2003. 

Defensive line coach Samuseva and defensive backs coach Elimimian were great technicians at tackle and cornerback. Obviously, their job is to teach their charges how to play their positions most effectively. But — especially since their victories as players included two over Top 25 teams and another against Alabama — it is also to teach them how to win … regardless of the opponent.

Featuring Ohio State, Wisconsin and Boise State on the road, the 2015 schedule would be daunting even if UH were not coming off four consecutive losing seasons. But Samuseva and Elimimian are living proof players in Hawaii uniforms can beat brand-name teams.

"It’s good that Abe’s here now," said Samuseva, who was promoted after three seasons as an intern. "We know what kind of defense we were back then and we’re going to instill that warrior mentality. When you watch the games you know they don’t quit. We want to make sure we have that mentality in practice too."

Like Samuseva, Elimimian feels a connection to players going through the same things he did more than a decade ago.

"It’s kind of surreal to be here as a coach as opposed to a cornerback," said Elimimian, who was most recently defensive coordinator at Simon Fraser University. "We want these guys to experience what we did, winning consistently and going to bowl games. Winning makes football a lot more fun."

Elimimian wasn’t just one of the best shutdown corners in UH history. He also played a lot of nickelback, which meant a lot of tackling, as well as a view from the middle of the field of how to slow modern offenses.

"I want to get back to the old days of tackling and punishing recievers, punishing running backs. Yards-after-catch is very big now. A lot of offenses are that one-step spread. If you don’t have linebackers and DBs who can tackle it’s going to be a long day. Those 3-yarders turn into 10-yarders," Elimimian said. "We want to be vicious and feared on the field at all times. I want to bring that toughness back. It’s a process. I gotta remember I gotta be patient. Great things take time."

In addition to a new fulltime job, Samuseva has big responsibilities at home now, too, with the birth a month ago of his first child, Levi. He sees a defensive unit as a family, too, regardless of positions.

"That’s the thing — when Abe and I were playing, we all went out together, had barbecues together," he said. "One guy messes up and that’s it for our defense. We all have to be on the same page. Everybody has to speak the same language."

That should be easier to facilitate with coaches on staff again who wore the green and black.

"It’s a kind of camaraderie you have that you don’t have if the coach didn’t play for the same team you do, fought for the same school you do," senior defensive end Luke Shawley said. "It’s very special to have that."

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.