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David Matlin is still two months away from the fifth anniversary of his hiring as the University of Hawaii’s athletic director, but just hours from an opportunity unmatched by all six Division I predecessors.
With the selection of the Rainbow Warriors’ next football coach, Matlin will have hired four head coaches from among the three most lucrative revenue sports — football, Rainbow Wahine volleyball and Rainbow Warriors basketball.
He’s brought on men’s basketball coach Eran Ganot (2015), football coach Nick Rolovich (2015) and women’s volleyball coach Robyn Ah Mow (2016). And, with the review of applications scheduled to commence today, he is now on the clock in choosing a successor for Rolovich, who went to Washington State last week.
Through 44 years of UH’s NCAA Division I standing, that’s the most of any AD.
Consider that Herman Frazier (2002-08), Ray Nagel (1976-83), Stan Sheriff (1983-93) and Hugh Yoshida (1993-02) all had longer tenures yet had fewer hiring opportunities to impact the department’s bottom line. Matlin made two picks in his first seven months and Ben Jay had none in two years.
You’d have to go back to the 1968-75 tenure of Paul Durham, who was hired to implement Gov. John A. Burns’ mandate of putting UH on a trajectory toward Division I and conference membership, to find a UH AD who has had more opportunity to shape athletics in Manoa.
Durham hired Dave Holmes (football), Larry Price (football), Bruce O’Neil (men’s basketball), Les Murakami (baseball) and Dave Shoji (Wahine volleyball), among others.
And, sometimes, as we have been reminded, ADs haven’t been allowed to even make the call. For example, Jim Donovan sought to hire then-Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator and former Boise State and Arizona State head football coach Dirk Koetter to replace Greg McMackin in 2011. But his recommendation was shot down by then-president M.R.C. Greenwood and UH hired Norm Chow instead.
Matlin’s choice of Rolovich to replace Chow in 2015 turned out to be a home run. The selection of Ah Mow to succeed the legendary Shoji in 2016 gets high marks three years in. And how this season plays out will say more about the pick of Ganot.
The selection of Rolovich’s successor will be another place where Matlin earns his $318,156 annual salary. Football is the financial engine that drives the 21-team department, not only paying its own way, but in good seasons, through direct and indirect income streams, also helping to underwrite non-revenue teams.
And coming off that milestone 10-5 Mountain West divisional title and SoFi Hawaii Bowl championship season, UH can ill afford a significant drop off right up front.
The Rainbow Warriors need somebody who can keep the offense humming, see that defense is restored and further engage fans in order to help propel attendance beyond the current low 20,000s.
This is a potentially pivotal season for the Rainbow Warriors, and finding the right coach to take on and answer the challenge in the wake of Rolovich’s departure has become Job One.
Even for someone who has already filled three previous marquee hirings, this looms large.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
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