The University of Hawaii could have a decision today on its next football coach.

The question is: Whose decision will it be?

Athletic director Jim Donovan’s? President M.R.C. Greenwood’s? The Board of Regents’? A mixed plate of all of the above?

Behind the answer lies almost as much intrigue as the name of the new coach itself.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, Utah offensive coordinator Norm Chow and Baylor associate head coach Brian Norwood look to be the top three based upon five candidates’ weekend interviews.

Which one is designated by the puff of white smoke in Manoa will likely say a lot about not only the process but the balance of athletic power.

Historically it has been the province of the athletic director to make the recommendation to the president and Board of Regents, who have routinely signed off on the pick. It is a process that, more times than not, has served UH well.

The selections of Dick Tomey, Bob Wagner and June Jones worked. Fred vonAppen not so much.

The only time in the Division I era it hasn’t unfolded that way was the 2008 hiring of Greg McMackin eight days after the dismissal of athletic director Herman Frazier. With a lame duck president and without a permanent AD, the Manoa chancellor, interim AD and a committee all had input on the hiring of McMackin. Which is something not to be overlooked.

The process to replace McMackin has been a curious one to date. Donovan’s proposed advisory committee was ordered redrafted, with both sides of Bachman Hall weighing in. The give and take on the eventual panel is said to have taken on the tenor of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.

When the committee was finally seated, we’re told the AD was allowed to sit in on interviews, with panel approval. But the committee was said to be charged with passing on a list of worthy candidates and, now, an unranked short list of final contenders for McMackin’s job.

What nobody has illuminated is what shape the process takes from here. Does Donovan make a formal recommendation — or offer an advisory opinion? Is this a give-and-take exercise or a Socratic examination? Do the powers that be have certain qualities in mind or is a Ouija board brought in to divine a suitable choice?

What is clear is that increasingly UH has chosen to go with the management-by-committee approach when big — and not-so-huge — decisions come around. We saw some of it in the move to the Mountain West Conference, which worked, and in the laborous handling of the contract of men’s basketball coach Gib Arnold, which was not such a shining success.

At some point UH decides whether it has confidence in Donovan to make the choices convention says his office should be responsible for. Or, it doesn’t.

How this selection plays out might tell us not only who the next football coach is, but whether it is time to crank up one for athletic director.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com of 529-4820.