The University of Hawaii football team is finalizing the hiring of Dennis Thurman, Dan Morrison and Jeff Reinebold to the coaching staff.
Thurman will serve as defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Morrison will be co-offensive coordinator, pass-game coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. Reinebold will coach the defensive tackles and nose guards.
They will fill spots vacated when UH did not renew the expiring contracts of offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker, co-defensive coordinator Eti Ena, and cornerbacks coach Steve Irvine.
UH also is promoting linebackers coach Chris Brown to associate head coach, essentially the vice president to head coach Timmy Chang. Special teams coordinator Thomas Sheffield doubled as associate head coach the previous two seasons.
During a coaching career spanning three decades, Thurman, who was a quality-control coordinator under Deion Sanders at Colorado last season, was a defensive coordinator with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Morrison was UH quarterbacks coach for nine seasons through the 2008 Sugar Bowl. Reinebold was the Rainbow Warriors’ D-line coach and co-recruiting coordinator in 2006 and 2007. Brown was a standout linebacker for the Warriors.
The additions renew several ties. When Morrison coached at Santa Monica High, Thurman was a star two-way player at quarterback and defensive back. Thurman went on to become a two-time, All-America safety at USC and then NFL defensive back, most notably with the Dallas Cowboys.
During his first UH stint, Morrison coached record-setting quarterbacks Nick Rolovich, Colt Brennan and Chang. Last year, Morrison served as a volunteer non-coaching consultant, helping develop starting quarterback Brayden Schager.
During Brown’s three-year affiliation with the Baltimore Ravens through the 2005 training camp, Thurman was a defensive coach.
After his stint with the Ravens, Brown turned down an opportunity to play in NFL Europe to return to Hawaii. Brown, who grew up in Kahaluu, said his mother’s death factored in his decision.
Former UH teammate Craig Stutzmann, who had been hired as head coach of Saint Louis School’s junior-varsity team, asked Brown to join his staff.
“He was in that core group that I considered a brother to me,” said Stutzmann, now the pass-game coordinator at Texas State. “His knowledge of football and ability to motivate young men were some of the reasons why I knew he would be a good coach.”
Brown ascended to defensive coordinator of Saint Louis’ varsity program, and then DC at Damien. He then served as defensive coordinator at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High. Soon after Chang was hired as head coach in January 2022, Brown was offered a coaching job at UH.
Brown said Chang told him: “This school gave us so much in our lives, now it’s time to give back to it.”
In two years, Brown has been an influential recruiter and creator of the linebackers’ room known as the “Lions Den.”
Of his promotion, Brown said, “I’m here to support Timmy in everything he does. I’m just a second voice. I’m more of the safety net if he needs someone to discuss things. At the same time, for any reason, if he can’t speak, I’ll speak on his behalf. And I will always support his ideas and what he’s trying to do at the University of Hawaii.”
Stutzmann said: “I’m very proud and excited for him. He’s a heck of a coach and a great motivator. He’s going to continue to help Timmy and UH football.”
