New UH football coach recalls challenging times

Nick Rolovich might not have become the University of Hawaii football team’s new head coach if he had not experienced miserable days in 2000 and 2012.

Following his introductory news conference Monday, Rolovich reflected on life-altering situations as a UH quarterback and offensive coordinator.

It was Sept. 9, 2000 — nine months after the Warriors won the Oahu Bowl — when Rolovich, a junior-college transfer, made his UH debut against Division I-AA Portland State before a capacity crowd at Aloha Stadium.

“It was awful,” Rolovich said of the 45-20 loss that dissolved into a boos party. “But that was my own fault. That was all self-inflicted. My approach was not nearly what I needed it to be.”

In the gloom of that 3-9 season, Rolovich sorted through the rubble of disappointment.

“When I realized how many people I let down, that was a huge step for me,” Rolovich said. “It was a huge lesson in my life. I wouldn’t be here without that realization, that turnaround. I came in thinking it was Cancun spring break. I had a bad outlook on what I was coming in here for. My priorities weren’t straight.”

Rolovich ceded the starting job after two games in 2000. But he rebounded the following year, punctuated with three consecutive 500-yard-plus passing games.

In November 2011 Greg McMackin was forced to resign as UH head coach. Rolovich, who was offensive coordinator, was asked to help with the transition to new coach Norm Chow’s staff. “I wanted to see this place succeed,” Rolovich recalled. “I gladly helped.”

Then in January 2012 Chow, after much debate, decided not to retain Rolovich on staff.

“I was doing him a favor getting him out of here,” Chow said in a telephone interview Monday, adding that he told Rolovich, “I could keep you, but you’re not going to get any better. You’ve got to go.”

Married with two young children, Rolovich faced an uncertain — and frightening — future. But he eventually joined the University of Nevada as offensive coordinator, learning under head coaches Chris Ault, creator of the pistol offense, and Brian Polian. UH athletic director David Matlin said Rolovich’s experiences in several systems and under innovative mentors were instrumental in hiring a 36-year-old with no head-coaching experience.

Rolovich said Chow was “prophetic” in the advice to gain experience “out of my comfort zone.” Rolovich said he is a better coach now than four years ago. “I believe (Chow) was right,” Rolovich said.

Chow said, “He will do a good job.”

MATLIN SAID Rolovich was impressive during the interview phase of the coach’s search.

“He must have been preparing for this interview for several years, because the stuff he put together you just don’t put together in a day,” Matlin said.

Told of Matlin’s observation, Rolovich smiled. During Monday’s speech Rolovich said he wanted his players to “live aloha, play Warriors.” He referenced the message of “The Lion King,” likening the Rainbow Warriors to protagonist Simba’s return to Pride Rock. “We were great once,” Rolovich said. “We can be great again. We can all be Simba.”

Rolovich told reporters, “I have out-of-the-box thoughts — spontaneous. I try to be creative. That matches with the uniqueness of Hawaii. … I’ve been thinking about this moment for a long time.”

Rolovich said he will not serve as offensive coordinator, instead focusing on head-coaching duties. He said there is no timetable for hiring offensive and defensive coordinators.

“It’s better to get the right guys than quick guys,” Rolovich said.

At UH Rolovich played in a four-wide, pass-heavy offense. At Nevada Ault’s run-oriented pistol offense featured a running back aligned 3 yards directly behind the quarterback in the shotgun.

“I think the quarterback-read game is here to stay in college football,” Rolovich said. “We were kind of going in that direction (at UH) in ’11 with (quarterbacks Bryant) Moniz and (David) Graves. It gives defenses a headache. I can see us airing it out a little bit more.”

He said he expects to utilize a tight end as a receiver-blocker. “There’s a value to that,” Rolovich said.

His preference is an “attacking” defense.

“It’s the way these players are raised,” Rolovich said. “I think they’re better players that way. I talked with (former UH defensive coordinator) Dave Aranda, and he said, ‘Those guys want to attack. They want to blitz. They want to be aggressive.’”

Rolovich said he does not want to “pigeonhole” the coordinators.

“I don’t want to feel (the coordinator) needs to be conservative,” Rolovich said. “Fans want to see football. Let’s go play football.”

Rolovich said there are about 21 available scholarships for the 2016 recruiting class. He said the embargo on offering scholarships, which was placed following Chow’s firing on Nov. 1, has been removed.

“We want to build it inside-out — offensive and defensive linemen,” Rolovich said. “We want to make sure that’s sound. It doesn’t matter what offense you run if you don’t have offensive linemen.”

On recruiting, he said, “We have a plan. We want to start locally.”

MOST OF ALL, he wants to reclaim the metaphorical Pride Rock.

He recalled his senior night in 2001.

“It was the greatest day of my life, as a football player, before husband and a father,” Rolovich said. “All I want is for our student-athletes to be able to walk out with a similar or better experience. … I want them to feel, Is it shaking? What is that sound? That’s Aloha Stadium moving? Why is it moving? Because people are so excited to be there. It’s a special place when it’s rocking. And I believe these kids that we have in our program right now make this community better by living aloha and playing Warrior. I think they can impact this community in such a positive way, and we can get back to the winning tradition we all want around here.”

Nick Rolovich

» Hometown: Novato, Calif.

» Family: Wife Analea, daughter Alana, sons Daniel, William and Patrick

EDUCATION

» Bachelor’s degree, University of Hawaii, 2004

» Master’s degree, New Mexico Highlands, 2007

COACHING EXPERIENCE

» 2012-15: Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks, Nevada

» 2010-11: Offensive coordinator, UH

» 2008-09: Quarterbacks, UH

» 2006-07: Quarterbacks, City College of San Francisco

» 2003-04: Student assistant, UH

» 2002: Assistant coach, San Marin (Calif.) High School