When Hawaii head coach Norm Chow began assembling a list of honorary coaches for this season’s home football games, Hugh Yoshida’s name was at the top.
It would appear to be a curious recommendation because Yoshida was the UH athletic director who interviewed — but did not hire — Chow for the head coaching job vacated when Bob Wagner was fired in 1995.
"That’s never been a problem with me at all," said Chow, who chose Yoshida as honorary coach for Thursday’s opener against USC. "They were kind enough to interview us, and I think they obviously had somebody else in mind, and that’s certainly their prerogative to do that."
Chow, who was Brigham Young’s quarterbacks coach at the time, noted: "People don’t understand that in this profession, you have nine assistants and only one guy gets to be the head guy. Anytime there’s a job opening, nine different guys want to be the head coach."
Yoshida recommended Fred vonAppen, who went 5-31 in three years, including a winless 2008 season. Tested on his hindsight, Yoshida mused: "When you go 0-12, what the hell? What can I say?"
The rejection might have been a blessing for Chow. In 1996, BYU promoted Chow to offensive coordinator. After that, he was the offensive coordinator for North Carolina State, USC, the Tennessee Titans, UCLA and Utah. The Titans paid Chow $1 million annually.
Yoshida noted Chow would have earned a maximum $120,000 annually at UH, in accordance with the head coach’s salary range.
"That was so far below the benchmark," Yoshida said. "I think things happen for a reason. I believe that."
Reflecting on the 1995 interview with UH, Chow said: "You trust that things will work out. I’m not even sure I was ready for that job at that point in time. A lot of people don’t think I’m ready now. … And I did want to do different things."
Chow said he received three head-coaching offers in the years following that 1995 interview.
"They didn’t feel right at the time," Chow said.
After Greg McMackin’s forced retirement as UH head coach in December 2011, Chow was encouraged to apply for the job.
"This time," said Chow, a Punahou School graduate who was raised in Palolo Valley, "it felt right, especially being from this area. It’s nice to look out your window and be close to where you were born and raised. I can see Saint Louis Heights. Not many people in this profession can say that."
Chow and Yoshida remained in contact through the years.
"I just think (Yoshida has) done a tremendous job representing what we’re all about," Chow said. "He grew up on Kauai, went to school, rose to the highest position at this university athletic-wise. I think that’s a nice story to tell."
