Ex-Arizona State coach Todd Graham is named Hawaii’s next head football coach
ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2016
Then-Arizona State head coach Todd Graham looks on during an NCAA college football game against Arizona in Tucson.
COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS
Robert Anae
Todd Graham, who has been head coach of four Division I programs, has been named the University of Hawaii football team’s new head coach, school officials announced today.
Graham, 55, will be introduced Wednesday at a 2 p.m. news conference at the UH-Manoa athletic department’s lecture hall.
Graham will succeed Nick Rolovich, who resigned last week to become Washington State’s head coach.
Rolovich recently made offers to seven members of the Rainbow Warriors’ staff, including five coaches. Among those set to join Rolovich at WSU are Brian Smith, who was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator the past four UH seasons, and Craig Stutzmann, the quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator.
Todd Graham Named As UH’s Head Football Coach
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Smith and Stutzmann were considered to be the favorites if UH chose to continue a program that went 10-5 in 2019, a season in which the Warriors represented the West Division in the Mountain West title game and defeated Brigham Young in the SoFi Hawaii Bowl.
Instead, UH athletic director David Matlin, in consultation with hand-picked advisers, chose Graham.
Graham had been head coach at Arizona State (2012-2017), Pittsburgh (2011), Tulsa (2007-2010) and Rice (2006).
In 12 seasons as head coach, he has compiled a 95-61 record with 10 bowl appearances. He led Tulsa to a 62-35 victory over UH in the 2010 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
Graham reportedly received $12 million after separating from ASU in 2017. He has not coached the past two seasons, although he turned down offers in 2019.
Today was the end of the waiting period of five business days, as set by the school’s hiring policy.
Earlier in the day, Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae and former UH head coach June Jones rescinded their applications for the coaching job.
Jones is general manager and head coach of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL, which begins its inaugural season in February.
