UH football going back to its past in hopes of finding success

The University of Hawaii football team is reloading the run-and-shoot offense.

Head coach Nick Rolovich confirmed he will call the plays and re-implement the run-and-shoot as the Rainbow Warriors’ base offense this coming season.

“I just feel most comfortable with it,” said Rolovich, who ran the system as UH’s quarterback (2000 and 2001) and quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator (2008-2011).

When Rolovich returned to UH as head coach in December 2015 after four seasons as Nevada’s offensive coordinator, it was widely assumed he would bring back the run-and-shoot. It is a four-wide offense in which the formation is spread and the receivers run routes based on the defensive coverage. Prior to Rolovich’s arrival, the Warriors ran a version of the pro-set offense, which featured a tight end or H-back, in four seasons under Norm Chow and then interim replacement Chris Naeole. That scheme averaged 21.7 points and 348.2 yards per game.

But after evaluating the incumbent personnel ahead of the 2016 season, Rolovich opted to go with a hybrid offense that had elements of the run-and-shoot, run-pass option (RPO) and read schemes picked up at Nevada.

“I felt the personnel and the transition to the run-and-shoot may have been not the right move to get us to winning games,” Rolovich said of that decision.

The RPO, which has gained popularity nationally in recent years, was introduced by Craig Stutzmann, UH’s pass-game coordinator, who was successful with the scheme at Emory & Henry. Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota engineered a version of the RPO at Oregon.

But the Warriors produced uneven offensive results the past two seasons, averaging 25.7 points and 396.5 yards. Rolovich, who took over the play-calling duties in the final five games of the 2017 season, said the time is right to bring back the run-and-shoot.

“I think I can call it from the sideline much easier,” said Rolovich, who will receive bird’s-eye intel from offensive coordinator Brian Smith in the coaches’ booth.

Rolovich marveled at how June Jones’ version of the run-and-shoot quickly turned a team that was 0-12 under Fred vonAppen in 1998. VonAppen’s Warriors averaged 16.6 points and 281.9 yards per game in 1998. Under Jones, the Warriors averaged 29 points and 427.8 yards per game in 1999. In Jones’ eight seasons as UH head coach, the per-game averages were 35.9 points and 373.7 yards. Rolovich has studied the offense from Jones and Mouse Davis, the run-and-shoot’s architect.

“I remember 2009, ’10, ’11, we didn’t win every game” with the run-and-shoot, Rolovich said, “but we moved the ball. We put points on the board.”

The UH receivers ran adjusted routes last season. “I think they’re going to do more,” Rolovich said.

Rolovich said the run-and-shoot is a framework, and there are alterations available. For instance, Kade Greeley, who is 6 feet 6 and recruited as a tight end, can be used as a slotback. “There are times when you can create mismatches with that player,” Rolovich said.

Quarterbacks Dru Brown, who has started 22 games in a row, and Cole McDonald, the top backup, appear to be ready for the wide-open offense. Chevan Cordeiro, who enrolls in June, ran a similar offense in leading Saint Louis School to the state championship.

“Dru’s been itching for it,” Rolovich said. “Cole McDonald has done a little bit of it. … The big-four routes are going in. We’ll build off of that.”

Rolovich acknowledged there might be an extended orientation period during spring training, which opens March. 21. “Maybe we’ll stink at it this spring, but we’ll keep working at it,” Rolovich said.

He also made two promises. “I know the receivers better be ready to run come spring ball. The quarterbacks better be ready to throw.”