The University of Hawaii’s decision to choose Norm Chow as head coach could not have been more sound as a way of regaining football fan support and rebounding from red turnstile numbers upon next year’s entrance to the Mountain West Conference. The Hawaii-raised Chow is familiar to local football fans, and sentimental decisions can be risky. In this case, Chow’s outstanding record as assistant coach at numerable successful college programs should restore success at UH.
Some followers had been concerned that arranging former coach Greg McMackin’s "retirement" a year ahead of time, at the cost of a $600,000 buyout of his $1.1 million salary, would be imprudent during the current economy. Chow’s five-year agreement of an annual wage of $575,000, a little more than half of McMackin’s yearly intake, plus pay raises for assistant coaches, will make up the loss. He reportedly has been paid $275,000 a year as offensive coordinator at Utah, and his new salary will be similar to other Mountain West head coaches. That’s appropriate.
Beyond that, the anticipation of having Chow aboard should help next year’s game attendance overcome what UH Athletic Director Jim Donovan said was more than an abysmal $200,000 drop in ticket receipts that had been projected in the past season. The gridiron is the biggest moneymaker of the 19-sport UH athletic program, which operates on a $29 million annual budget.
Part-Chinese and Native Hawaiian who was raised in Hawaii and graduated from Punahou School, Chow, 65, naturally will enjoy a huge following at Aloha Stadium as he becomes the first Asian-American to be head coach of an NCAA football team. His first coaching job was at Waialua High School in 1970. UH pigskin enthusiasts have followed Chow over 38 years as assistant coach at Brigham Young University, North Carolina State, Southern California, the NFL Tennessee Titans, UCLA and, in this season, Utah, bound for the New Year’s Eve Sun Bowl.
Warrior fans can expect a drawback from the pass-dominated offense under McMackin and his predecessor June Jones, if Chow follows his past success with more controlled passing attacks. During those years, Chow coached Heisman Trophy winners Ty Detmer of BYU and USC’s Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, as well as future All-Pro quarterbacks Steve Young, Jim McMahon and Philip Rivers.
Chow applied for the UH head coaching job in 1995 but was edged out by Fred von Appen, who would register the worst record in recent Manoa history over a three-year period. Chow undoubtedly is motivated to prove that the UH regents were mistaken 16 years ago and made the right choice this time around. Fans, who would certainly enjoy seeing successful seasons, will be rooting for the same.
