Let’s hope the smooth hiring continues for Hawaii football

It will be at least a couple of seasons from now before we know if athletic director David Matlin made a good choice in Nick Rolovich as the University of Hawaii’s new football coach.

What we can do now, though, is give a nod of approval to the way the process of the hiring went. And we haven’t always been able to say that about UH.

Often, even routine things take a ridiculously long time to get done in Manoa. And hiring processes have often been tainted by meddling and attempts at agenda advancing. UH is infamous for interference by people from within and outside of the school who should have nothing to do with personnel moves.

Technically, the Manoa chancellor is the person who makes the hire. But his job is just to approve the recommendation made by the athletic director.

The chancellor can reject the recommendation, but is not supposed to do so because a booster or some other powerful friend of the university has someone else in mind.

But Matlin was allowed to do his job and make the choice. Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman — who could’ve been the entry point for outside influence — stayed in his lane. He did not express any preference, or “blackball” any candidates, Matlin said.

“I told him who the five (interviewees) were, and he basically said OK and to get back to him with the recommendation,” Matlin said.

When Matlin submitted Rolovich, Bley-Vroman approved him with little comment.

This is only noteworthy because of the way the previous football coach hiring went. In 2011, Norm Chow got the job when Dirk Koetter, the recommendation of AD Jim Donovan and a committee, was rejected by UH president M.R.C. Greenwood.

The AD’s choice being nixed was at least partly a product of a rift between upper and lower campus. Could it be that chasm is closing?

When asked about how much quicker and smoother this process seemed than previous hirings, Matlin said it was the result of “teamwork” on both sides of Dole Street.

“I think it was about having a plan and adjusting it as things changed,” he said.

Now, after confirming that Chris Naeole and Abe Elimimian will remain, let’s see how quickly Rolovich can fill out the rest of his staff. I agree it’s important not to rush and make a mistake. One of the things the unsuccessful coaching tenures of Fred vonAppen and Chow had in common was a revolving door of assistants.

I’m sure it’s high on Rolovich’s to-do list to get out to Mililani and re-recruit UH commits McKenzie Milton and Kalakaua Timoteo. They’ve kept true to their verbal commitments to Hawaii so far, but both have other options.

If I’m Timoteo, I want to know who the receivers coach will be.

If I’m Milton, I want to know what kind of offense I will be expected to quarterback.

Hopefully, these as well as other top local recruits like Rolovich, and can hold off other suitors while awaiting the answers.

UH did its job by getting the new coach in place quickly. Now he must take advantage of that and hit the ground running, especially in regard to recruiting.

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