Fourteen years ago quarterback Nick Rolovich was summoned from the bench to replace the injured Tim Chang and rallied a struggling University of Hawaii football team to eight victories in its final nine games, including a record-setting upset of ninth-ranked Brigham Young.
On Friday UH tasked Rolovich with a more daunting challenge as its new head coach, picking up the pieces from five consecutive losing seasons and rebuilding waning fan interest.
UH, 2-10, closes out its season today against Louisiana-Monroe. Attendance has fallen to the lowest levels in 41 years at Aloha Stadium.
The 36-year-old Rolovich, who still owns or shares seven school records, is scheduled to be formally introduced at a campus press conference Monday, UH announced.
Athletic director David Matlin said he met with Rolovich on Tuesday in Reno, where Rolovich is offensive coordinator at the University of Nevada, and offered him the job Wednesday night.
Matlin said Rolovich accepted the position with a trembling voice. “He was emotional,” Matlin said.
Rolovich, who coaches the Wolf Pack today against San Diego State and has so far declined comment, said in a statement, “Being raised a Warrior, there is a great sense of excitement and responsibility about bringing back a winning tradition to Hawai‘i football. I can’t wait to get started. I’m honored to be selected to run this program which has made me into the man I am today.”
Rolovich was one of five finalists to replace Norm Chow, who was fired Nov. 1 after a 58-7 loss to the Air Force Academy assured a fifth consecutive losing season and fourth under Chow.
ROLOVICH’S former coach and mentor, 62-year-old June Jones, had been the odds-on favorite. Jones, who remains the school’s most successful football coach (76-41), moved back to the state after resigning from Southern Methodist in 2014. The other finalists interviewed by Matlin and his eight-member advisory committee were former UH assistant Rich Miano, Tulsa associate head coach Brian Norwood and former Army head coach Rich Ellerson, all ex-Rainbow Warrior players and/or coaches.
Matlin said he was impressed with Rolovich’s plan and passion for the position but said, “Nick will explain on Monday.”
Matlin said, “I’m pleased to welcome back Nick Rolovich to the UH ‘ohana. Nick is a Warrior at heart and someone I know our fans will support. He understands what it means to be a Warrior, having played and coached here, and what effect a winning program has with this community. I have no doubt we picked the right man for this job. The future is bright for Hawai‘i football.”
Rolovich is Matlin’s second major hire in eight months as athletic director, following that of men’s basketball coach Eran Ganot.
Rolovich fills a similar profile as a young, upcoming coach with Hawaii ties without previous head coaching experience and modest salary demands.
Terms of the deal were not announced, but Rolovich is expected to receive a three-year contract worth less than the $550,000 Chow had been receiving.
At Nevada Rolovich’s salary was listed at $150,090 in 2014.
Former Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo (@CodyFajardo17) tweeted, “Extremely happy for @NickRolovich hands down my favorite coach of all time. I’m looking forward to seeing his success as a head coach.”
Nevada head coach Brian Polian said in a statement, “We were thrilled to learn today that Nick Rolovich has been named head football coach at (UH). This is a well-deserved opportunity for Nick and his wonderful family. We will miss him professionally, but even more so as a person. UH made a great decision.”
UH ASKED permission to interview Rolovich, and Polian said, “Both Nick and UH have been transparent throughout the whole process, and I appreciated that very much.”
Rolovich arrived at UH in 2000 as a junior college transfer from City College of San Francisco in the shadow of the much-heralded Chang, who had quarterbacked powerhouse Saint Louis School.
Rolovich struggled early in the sudden transition to Jones’ run-and-shoot offense as Chang emerged as the starter and won Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors.
But when UH called Rolovich’s number in the wake of Chang’s season-ending wrist injury in 2001, Rolovich was ready.
AFTER PLAYING professionally in the NFL’s Europe League and in the Arena Football League, Rolovich served on Greg McMackin’s coaching staff from 2008 to 2011, the last two years in the role of offensive coordinator.
When McMackin was fired after the 2011 season, Rolovich joined Nevada. He spent the past four seasons as offensive coordinator, first under Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault and more recently Polian.
As a coach, Rolovich liked to say, “As much as I love throwing touchdowns and as much as I enjoy getting hit and coming up with something clever to say to the guy who hit me, working with young players and seeing the light go on, that’s a greater feeling of satisfaction.”
