Time for change?
Saturday’s 35-14 loss to Utah State was the first game this season where it looked like the University of Hawaii football team showed signs of lack of intensity and even strong parts of the team seemed fractured.
In today’s column, I propose that barring an unlikely strong finish to the season a change at head coach is necessary — despite protestations from UH that there is no money to pay the $750,000 necessary to buy out the last two year’s of Norm Chow’s contract.
COMMENTS
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I suspect that the general concensus amongst the UH fans is to terminate Coach Norm Chow’s contract. The buy out term and sum appears to be similar to an acceleration clause. As such, if 75,000 people donate/contribute $10.00 each, the lump sum payment for the buy out may be attained.
Norm Chow’s era:
2012: 3-9
2013: 1-11
2014: 2-7… and counting
To date: 6-27 win-loss record
I really wanted to believe UH’s turn around year would be in the 3rd year under Chow.
I heard on espn 1420 radio this evening, someone mentioned the reason UH is not winning is because UH does not have the speed. He also said NC is the correct person for the job.
I agree with that caller on one point. Norm Chow is the correct person for the job if the objective is to downsize the program and eventually make the fan base fit a smaller stadium.
Does UH admin really want a D1 program or is downsizing in the long term part of their vision for the program?
If speed is the problem, isn’t it the coaches job to recruit some speed. I admire how the Air Force and Navy do it every year. Their coach finds a system to match their players. For Chow, it is all or nothing, find the players to match his system. If it doesn’t work, practice harder. I guess we will have to wait if change will happen before the end of the year.
808. I agree with you. UH lacks speed especially at the edge on defense. I really noticed that in the last 2 games.
There is money, the high dollar boosters, have the will and $$$$ for it, we are all fed up, the stadium is empty!!
I suspect that by the end of the season, UH under the leadership (or lack thereof) of Coach Chow will result in 30 losses in 3 seasons, thus averaging 10 losses a season. How many D-1 football programs would tolerate so many losses in 3 seasons?
I agree we need speed for UH to fire Chow now and to hire a new coach immediately. No need to form a search committee. Enough reasons already provided by the Rainbow Warrior fans. I believe a guy like Rich Miano can turn the program around in a short time. I cannot find a good reason why he shouldn’t be given the opportunity.
Dave Reardon, you should be fired. NC should be allowed to finish out his contract. The players need to step up and stop making these mental errors. We the fans need to support the players by attending the games, win or lose. If it’s going to take a winning season to bring back the fans why bother bringing in another coach? To be a successful Division I program, we need to support the players win or lose.
Chow time is over. Really great guy but his previous success just hasn’t translated as head of a D1 program. We all drank the kool-aid, but it is all too clear another year will not produce better. Yes, a pricey buyout, but there are ways. Best to start to re-build now as another dismal season could kill off the program entirely. Some might think that is a hidden agenda. It is not. The program is already downsized by the fans themselves who rightfully don’t support such losing ways.
Re.:UH search committe for football HC
The committee that helped in choosing Chow were any of them at least a coach or player at college? I just hope they don’t use that same search committee for the next UH HC.
I do think BJ’s hands are tied. I do think in today’s UH administration, BJ cannot make those calls of firing the football HC. It is someone or persons in charge above BJ that is making all the call. BJ will eventually be the fall guy after all the dust has settled.
Why should we donate to a losing program lead by a spineless leader Ben Jay. I for one will not renew any of my season tickets or no longer donate to Koa Anuenue while Ben Jay is our AD. If we buyout Chow Ben Jay will only get us another loser. June Jones should be our AD he can fund raise with the best of them and help get us out this runt that the Ohio State loser got us into.
No Wait He Promise He was going to Chase Championships….Fire The Basturd.
In three seasons, 6-27 win-loss record with four games to go. Unless all UH opponents forfeit their game with UH, the likelihood of ending at 6-31 is eminent.
I think only then can a full end of the year evaluations be made. I guess they need an overall picture and all information to assess the positive and negatives of 3 losing seasons under Chow. Or, maybe Chow and BJ still believes they are still chasing championships.
Look at all the empty seats. The product is not bring in fans to watch this team. If you let Chow finish his contract, don’t expect fans to show up to stadium in droves.
I watch all the games on PPV or other stations because I’m a fan and I watch a lot of college football, in High Definition. The last game I went to live at home at the stadium was when Colt Brennan was playing his last game against Washington to cap an undefeated season. Personally, Hawaii needs to go in another direction, and I don’t mean to vote for Djou!
808,
The search committee originally chose someone other than Chow. That move got vetoed by the President. A search committee is the norm when hiring football head coaches at D1 universities. However, there are often a lot more former football alumni on other universities committees, than what UH has had the past two times.
2008 Committee(no former UH football players; one current player)
-Tony Guerrero, Chair of Ahahui Koa Anuenue and Vice Chair of First Hawaiian Bank
-Debra Ishii, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, UHM
-Adam Leonard, UHM student-athlete and football team member
-Dee Jay Mailer, CEO of the Kamehameha Schools
-Peter Nicholson, UHM Professor and Faculty Athletics Representative
-John K. Tsui, Chair of Towne Realty Development and former President and COO of First Hawaiian Bank
-Artie Wilson, Partner and Realtor, Prudential Locations
2011 Committee(No former UH football players)
Dr. Rockne Freitas-vice Chancellor; Oregon State Alumn
Peter Ho- Bank of Hawaii Chairman, President & CEO
Bert Kobayashi – Jr. Partner, Kobayashi, Sugita & Goda
Duane Kurisu – entrepreneur, owner, PacificBasin Com. and Hawai‘i Sports Network, and the San Francisco Giants
Dr. Edison Miyawaki, Cincinnati Bengals football team minority owner, Family Health I and II
Jean Rolles, Vice President of Community Affairs, Outrigger Enterprises, Inc.
Here’s the way 90% of other schools do it:
President OR Chancellor(not both). In most schools the President is the Chancellor.
Athletic Director
Former Football Player turned businessman
Former Football Player turned businessman
Former Football Player turned businessman
need to fire chow now, don’t wait until the season’s end. need to get the recruits now, otherwise it will be too late and the next coach will have lost a recruiting year and set the program back a year longer. by firing chow now, current recruits will see that uh is doing something to improve the football program. the longer uh waits, the longer it will take to get the program on track again. chow is too old style, he wants to force a system on the players when they are not suited for the system. he wants to play smash mouth football but the players don’t have the size, speed and ability to do so. most of the people he recruited are 2 stars or less and many are less. he did not bring in one good freshman QB, he relied on transfers that their former colleges did not want. good coaches fit a system to his players and not force a system on players not suited for that system. he has to go now, otherwise there will be greater problems. chow keeps saying his kids do not quite, well what happened this past weekend, it appears that some did not put out 100%, they are frustrated with the coaches, having them do something they cannot do.
Thanks for the information. I didn’t know that. I guess we will never know if the search committee’s original choice would have done better.
But, this is 2014. I see attendance and PPV decreasing if current win-loss trend continues. For current admin or whoever makes the call, what would it take to make a change in HC?
What is the attendance # or ticket sales # UH is willing to reach before a change is made?
During the prep Bowl years, I remember attending high school games with larger attendance # than Saturday night.
History is repeating itself for UH. I never thought I would see Von Appen like numbers again. Thanks again for the info.
Buying out Norm Chow’s contract is the only way the UH football can do. Losing games, losing fans, and losing money cannot be sustained any longer. Losing athletes might be another factor. To build a reputation of a good football program will also be fractured. Must buyout as soon as possible. We have too much to lose.
All you naysayers that want NC fired, terminated, etc…are you willing to put up the monies to buyout his contract. That’s what I thought…all of a sudden, there is silence. What about you Dave Reardon?? You talk up a good “storm” in your column but are you willing to donate big bucks or lead a campaign in raising funds to buyout NC’S contract….ALL TALK and NO ACTION!!!!! I’m tired of all these negative comments…yes, we have a losing program such that the football program does not bring in enough monies to finance the other sports in the athletic department. Sometimes “patience” is needed and yes, its stupid to say patience is needed when there is an emergency need for a change now but without the monies or the university or individuals like Dave Reardon that are willing to put up, then all of you naysayers should just “button your lip.” Those of you that say you will not attend any more games or buy season tickets next year should NC return, you probably haven’t gone to any games anyway nor have you bought season tickets…just like I said….all talk……….cheers!!
The total high school attendance average is nowhere near what UH has currently for the season. Of course there are a couple of games that may reach or eclipse 20k, but the majority have small crowds.
The taxpayer is already struggling from the current effects of UH football. Not from UH athletics, which self generates(through ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations) nearly 90% of its revenue, of which Football is the big money maker. It is Aloha Stadium(AS). The stadium is losing money now, and needs to be subsidized by the state. However, when UH was average(around .500), the AS would break even or post a small profit. When UH was successful(above .500), AS would make roughly $1.5 -$3 million in revenue each of those years. State law requires that all net revenue from AS must be put into the state general fund.
How does AS make so much during successful UH campaigns? The stadium controls most of the advertising, which they can sell for more when UH is successful. They also control concessions, parking, and merchandise. I have read that AS gets nearly 45% of gross revenue from the sale of items in the stadium.
It’s as simple as this: More wins= more fans=more parking sold=more food sold=more beer sold=more UH apparel sold=big time profit for Aloha Stadium=no taxpayer money used for Aloha stadium.
Even though the stadium would make $3 million(earned directly from UH football) for the state, UH athletics would probably run at a deficit of around $1 million that same year with no government assistance. If that income from the state general fund were funneled into UH athletics, there would have been no deficit to begin with.
Like I said before, we are 2 people short from being a very decent team. A good QB and a very good wide receiver in runs crisp routes. Chow has had 3 years to find such players. On top of that we will be losing the heart of our defensive linemen after this year. We have needs everywhere. It doesn’t seem like the staff is getting the talent to fill those needs for future years. Chow has never recruited a very good QB at UH.
JMO, McKenzie Milton is an excellent QB. He will get bigger, stronger, and faster. He is a playmaker. He’s the best in Hawaii right now and if I was a coach I would offer him a scholarship as a QB. In college, he could play multiple positions, including, QB, receiver, or defensive back.
Thanks for the info. I know high school crowds are smaller. I was referring to some of the prep bowls when St Louis was dominant almost every year. I saw crowds that almost hit 20K.
I hope UH can turn the football program in the right direction. It’s good that there are two sides to the argument. If not, everyone will just follow the status quo. Win or lose will feel like indifference.
Why can’t UH get a bigger cut of the stadium revenue? Since UH and Aloha Stadium are both state entities, does it really matter if the stadium is in the black? Why not make UH athletics be in the black and have AS in the red? Is the reason tied more toward state law and how things are run? Thanks again, have a good evening.
One reason why the first choice was not hired was because serious crimes by players were committed on his watch, one of which caused this: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=3871666
And at the time UH was searching for a coach in 2011, the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State was a hot topic. Any coach with a scandal on his resume was going to have a hard time getting a college job.
DR, Thanks for the info.
Let’s remember back when Chow was hired:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/NORM_CHOW_SELECTED_AS_NEXT_UH_FOOTBALL_COACH.html?id=135942508
Look at all the lemmings with their praise.
It’s up to AD Ben Jay to resolve this quickly – to find the funds to buy-out Norm Chow’s contract. With four games remaining this season, UH football is anticipated to end the season with a 2-11 win-loss record. UH Athletics cannot financially withstand further erosion of the fan base and associated football revenue resulting from perhaps the worse 3-year win-loss record in its history. Resolution of this financial demise must reside with the University and not the fan base via donations as some have suggested.
Coach Chow should be let go now and have the assistants finish the season. This will allow the administration time to do all the necessary red tape for selection of the next head coach in a timely manner. Otherwise, the recruiting season will be lost, which seems to always happen.
hossanna: that was the stupidest post i’ve ever read in my life. It’s not the fans’ responsibility to buy out the coach. Look, I don’t know if you’re aware of how major college football works, but it’s a business. The athletic department and the university makes A LOT of money from this, not only from ticket revenue and merchandising, but TV contracts, bowl game appearances and so on. Their job, and the players’ job, is to put out an entertaining product, win games, and draw more people to the stands and strengthen the UH brand.
And make no mistake about it, is IS a job for the players. Myth of the “student-athlete” aside (which was a fictional term made up in the 60s so the NCAA didn’t have to pay medical costs for a player who was injured during a football game), the players’ job is to pretty much win football games. This isn’t high school. And if it was, norm chow would still get fired because he has a graduation rate of 40%, which is much lower than any of the maligned football factory schools (like i said before, why this isn’t covered by the star advertiser, i have no idea, unless they don’t want to piss off their reader base of 50 year old uncles that remember fondly the days of UH football in the termite palace).
So going from this premise, if UH football is a business, then the fans are consumers (especially hawaii fans). If you put out a crappy product, nobody will show up. It’s not the responsibility of the fans, then, to donate money and get chow fired. It’s the responsibility of the athletic director and UH leadership to find the funds and boot chow, or else the fans (who are PAYING customers) will respond by spending their money elsewhere. Like june jones said, hawaii has a very “pro” type fan base. when the team is winning, they’ll come out. when they’re losing (and historically, hawaii has been a losing football program), they won’t.
So the way I see it, there’s two options here, and none of them are as stupid as “fans either pay the big bucks to buy out chow or shut up, including you, DAVE REARDON! you meanny!”: 1) if ben jay finds in his projections that finishing out chow’s contract will actually cost UH more money than buying him out, then buy him out at the end of the season. hire a new coach that can put a good product on the field and attract fan interest again. or 2) conduct an extensive grassroots campaign effort that will span multiple years (as in 20 years+) in a comprehensive plan to get people to actually identify and connect with, and also build a sense of community and pride in the University of Hawaii. This isn’t just an AD issue. This is a school wide issue. when fans actually connect on a personal level with the university and feel a sense of community with it, that’s when change will happen. after all, there’s a reason why people in hawaii identify much more with their high school than their colleges.
(although i highly suspect that even the most rabid fan bases in the SEC would be calling for chow’s head right now. in fact, chow would’ve already been fired mid-season if this was any school in the power-5. Let’s be honest here. Chow isn’t von appen-like. chow has basically hit von appen status).
but until then, please kindly shut up about saying nobody should have dissenting opinions on the UH program, including a columnist like dave reardon who works for an industry that’s at least SUPPOSED to provide dissenting voices and questioning of the status quo, and that fans need to donate money or something to buy out chow.
4-Prong: Without getting into a long discourse with someone devoid of any common sense, I am saying those that are criticizing the A.D. or school or whatever for not buying out NC’s contract should also think of ways where they can get the monies…its easy for you to say the monies are there or they should do it now…can you imagine the clamor that will come in from the public about the monies issue even though its an absolute necessity for Chow to resign (which he won’t) or where are the monies going to come from in the athletic dept. to buy him out…..think about it….where!!!! its easier said than done……..aloha stadium is one problem and its a state entity where UH does not share in much of the revenue and that is a sticking point..can you imagine if UH DID share in some of the advertising, concession, and parking revenues, then maybe monies wouldn’t be an issue but, in reality, that’s the problem….UH is alone like a dark horse in the night trying to find revenue to finance its other programs in the athletic dept…..Chow knows UH don’t have the monies to buy him out or does he?? He comes out smelling like a rose bowl as if they bought him out, that’s an easy million and if they don’t, well, every year for the next 2 years we will be going around in circles saying the same thing until his contract ends in 2 years…well, have a good day…..cheers.
After 20+ some odd posts, SC’s suggestion’s the best, indeed. We da–n well might be able to pull something like that off (remember — got UH fans on the mainland, too). Would send the strongest message, too. Bravo, SC.
Hossana: so much writing.
innocent observer (especially since you’re always seemingly insulting MY posts): what gibberish you offer here. “smash mouth football”; you certainly love your clichés, no? And your opening words, “we need to fire chow”; wow. Einstein-level analysis. Wow. Get thee to a cadre of unlimited scholarships. Not.
20. Nobody except the extreme trolls and people with serious dislike for somebody they have likely never met are gonna be sour when a new coach is hired. There is such a thing called hope and positive attitude.
The comments would have been similar back when Von Appen was hired had their been blogs and online forums back then.
It doesn’t have to be doom and gloom all the time… Unless you’re a politician.
Dang, we have some long comment posts today
Here’s the scary proposition that’s eventually coming…
Does anybody have any shred of confidence that UH leadership is going to select a good candidate for the FB or BB coach? What aspiring coach is going to want work under the clowns that run the university?
They seem to be purging all members of leadership and revenue sport coaches that they don’t like. I would say that UH has one of the worst working environments in Division 1 not counting location.
Like with any new coaching vacancy there will be lots of interest immediately, which is normal as agents and head hunters, who actively look for openings for their clients. What will be interesting is once the interviews start and the candidates start learning about how things are run. Then it gets a little less fun.
Then there’s contract negotiations. UH leadership will be under heavy pressure to hand out the cheapest, shortest contract they can because they have burned a lot of money in contract buyouts in the last few years (Arnold, Apple, Donovan, Greenwood, McMackin, the previous WBB coach and the former BOR Chairman).
hossanna: even your last post doesn’t make all that much sense either. how can anyone not working for the UH athletic department say where they can get money from, or where they should cut in their budget or what not without having access to the actual figures of how all the money in the organization is allocated? is it realistic to demand that a bunch of anonymous users on the internet know the inner workings of the UHAD finances so well that they can provide action plans to buy out chow?
do you even know for a fact that there is absolutely NO money (or conversely, there is enough money) to buy out chow and that the players will have to start selling chili tickets to get him out?
because there’s a difference between actually knowing and making things up and convincing yourself that you’re right.
I’m not saying that the money is there to buy out chow (although to be honest, i’d be VERY surprised if there was absolutely no mechanism for them to fire him, especially if their projections show that the effects of retaining chow over the duration of his contract exceeds how much it would cost to terminate him), because to be honest, i have no idea how UHAD budget looks or if they have some kind of contingency money pot designated to buy out a failing coach.
i’m saying that fans don’t seem to support this team. chow is running the program into the ground, and the UHAD needs to do something about this, fast. sell chili tickets, start the Fire Chow Now donation fund and have a telethon, whatever. just do your job and find some solutions, because that’s what he’s getting paid the big bucks for.
coach knows he is not wanted as coach ne more…he should do the right thing… step back.. n resign.. with the buy out payable in 10 yearly installments..at no interest..if he really has uh at heart…then we will see where his heart really is at..
problem solved.. no need money from the fans to show their displeasure ne more..
n if he wont then ask him to accept those terms…be good to see his answer…
n a win at colorado should not change,,or allow him to stay on ne longer..
just saying..
#28
Totally agree, UH is extremely dysfunctional and definitely not a dream company to work for right now. Just like previously, the school will need to narrow its’ search to “local” boys who wanna come home, young upcoming assistants with no HC experience, longtime assistants looking to salvage a career or anybody who can overlook the school’s obvious shortcomings. Fingers crossed… GO BOWS!!!
hosanna – you don’t know what you are talking about. yes, uh athletics is a business, but if a business puts out an inferior product, do the consumers (fans) pay to improve the product? it is the responsibility of the business to improve the product so people will buy the product. so why must the fans pay for uh to improve its athletic programs? ludicrous.
He should go. No doubt.
Another important issue for the future is the language of the early termination clause for the next coach. I propose the following:
If you loser, captain of team will deliver 10 hard punches to your stomach and five hard slaps to your face. No money for you. You clean out your office in the dark and leave right after you get your punches to the gut and slaps to the face.
AGREED:
________________________
Signed Coach Loser
#31 It was mentioned during the last hiring process that comments from previous coaches like Tomey and Wagner reflected their desire that a coach with UH ties be given the opportunity to be the next UH coach but Chow was eventually chosen. The UH “coaching tree” has certainly grown and developed over the last 10 years and it may have been a good time to hire one of those guys. They will come with an understanding of how things are done here and how important the job is to our State. I wasn’t so sold on those requirements the last time but I’m a firm believer now. My disappointment with Chow is like the old adage says ” success is when preparation meets opportunity”. He wasn’t prepared and as someone who has always pulled for the guy who has been a “loyal soldier” I’m disappointed Chow couldn’t get it done. If Rolo, Kenny, Dino, etc. don’t get it done I wouldn’t feel so bad. At least they were given a shot. Speaking of Babers just saw his daughter on SEC TV playing volleyball for Texas A&M against Missouri and Punahou’s Carly Kan. She’s a middle blocker and played very well as did Kan who did pretty much everything for Mizzou.
This might sound like a joke, but, it’s kind of not. Ahem: can some of you PLEASE PROOFREAD and try to truncate your narrative in a more easy-to-read fashion? (i.e., innocent observer would sorely gain from capitalization maneuvering.)
I mean, some of you just go on and on, run-on sentences, etc. Just confusing.
Come on, now.
I don’t know why I feel so sad reading all of this. I feel for Norm Chow. Publicly being called old, retire him, fire him…do you think he is NOT doing his best. He has relationships with his players as was evidenced by their feeling of family when Diane Chow had an aneurysm. Why not a “we’re all in this together…we are an ohana…let’s support each other ” in the lean years as well as celebrating what we do well.
#34 As they say, Hawaii is just different; the people, the culture, the mentality, the pace. But one thing’s for sure, Hawaii loves football… if you win lol. The big sell on Chow was he was gonna change UH ball from a “gimmick” offense to his “pro style” with big linemen, solid rb’s, and pocket qb’s… He tried, just didn’t work. For the next coach whoever whenever that may be, hope he goes wide open. I just think small schools with limited resources (talent, size, speed) can benefit from these spread schemes which are no longer gimmick but proven successful… GO BOWS!!!
14- You are obviously angry too but venting in the wrong direction. I would put 20 bucks towards an immediate buyout and I live on the east coast. Lets get it started now!…or you sir, can button your lip…Cheers!
What about Darnell Arceneaux for future QB coach, had a successful college career at Utah – All conference, and is doing a good job at Occidental College. Has local ties with ILH and OIA schools and HS coaches. Wondering if he was offered the job this year??
I am not very much of a UH Football fan (follow UH women’s Vball religiously), but would donate $10.00 gladly to get a spread coach once again. GO BOWS!!!
It maybe true that Coach Chow should be considered to be on the chopping block, but it’s not all his fault for games lost. We need to have receivers who can catch balls, especially the ones that hit their hands/body then pops out. This starts the snowball affect, with so much 3 and outs the defensive have little time to rest. Many games we start strong then the defensive stays on the field too long and the other team starts to run away with points. Players start to get tired, pissed at what is happening then start making stupid mistakes, (penalties and such).
So the question should be what about the position coaches who cant get their players to perform as expected or to have discipline which starts the demise of our own faith?
Ben Jay is another UH official that should. Be terminated. Why. Because he doesn’t know what Baseball coach Mike Trapasso is doing to the program. The team has not been able to execute the bunt, hit and run, steal a base and in general unable to execute small ball to their advantage. Running of bases is atrocious. The runners are looking at the ball instead of the base coaches. We need a coach that can recruit local players and have a team that locals can be proud of.
One thing UH football can do is to improve on substitutions. Tired players cannot perform. They miss tackles , fail to carry out blocking assignments and cannot act in critical situations. Running backs and receivers should be changed to rest their tired legs. At home we have 100 players suited up, so, why not use them. On the road use the entire squad. A college term is a short one so, a player must be given a chance to play.
Norm Chow is a control freak which translates to him being in control of the entire game. He apparently has instructed his special team unit to rush, rush at all times. Two specific instances backfired. 1. Personal foul when UH player hit the passer. Next play touchdown. 2. Personal foul on UH player for roughing the kicker. Next play touchdown.
If at the end of the football season, Norm Chow decides to forgive his remaining contract,people will remember him as the greatest Assistant coach in collegiate football. Leaving the football program after the season is the honorable way to go.