Athletic director-elect David Matlin has already begun looking at future football scheduling with an eye toward easing the University of Hawaii’s path toward bowl appearances, he said.

"I want to schedule for bowl eligibility and I think you can do that in a lot of different ways," Matlin said.

Although he officially takes office April 27, Matlin said he has already been briefed on UH’s upcoming schedules, and Friday "met with some people on football but not yet basketball."

In less than six months UH will embark upon one of its most challenging nonconference schedules, playing three Power Five Conference schools in the first month, two of them — national champion Ohio State and Wisconsin — on the road.

The third, Colorado, will be the Sept. 3 season-opening opponent at Aloha Stadium.

"My scheduling philosophy is I think you have to schedule to give yourself the best chance to play in the postseason," Matlin said. "That means a combination of some competitive games but you need to schedule yourself a chance, too."

UH has not played in a bowl game since 2010, a four-year drought that is the longest since the advent of the Hawaii Bowl in 2002.

Matlin worked for the bowl since its inception, the last seven years as its executive director.

"I believe part of the reason that Hawaii went to the Sugar Bowl (in 2008) was playing in all those Hawaii Bowls enabled them in recruiting and with those extra practices," Matlin said. "So, I think (the postseason) is very important."

UH played in four bowls in five years prior to its Sugar Bowl appearance.

Matlin said the rule of thumb is "to go at least .500 in your (eight) conference games and then pick up the other games you need out of conference to get the six or seven (victories) you need for bowl eligibility. So, you need to look at the whole picture."

UH currently needs to add one game for its 2016 schedule and can add one each or stay at 12 for 2017, ’18 and ’19.

Matlin said he will review the issue of whether UH should play all 13 games. "In years like this (2015), in which you don’t have a bye, that’s a question you need to ponder," Matlin said. "I want to get (coach Norm Chow’s) thoughts before I determine that."