Passing future
Quarterback Aaron Zwahlen is set to complete his two-year church mission on May 3, 2015, according to his father Dr. Lynn Zwahlen.
The plan is for Zwahlen to enroll in UH’s Summer Session I, which begins on May 26.
Dr. Zwahlen said his son, who is serving his mission in the Baltimore area, has been working out daily.
As of now, the 2015 quarterbacks are Ikaika Woolsey, Beau Reilly, Max Wittek, Eric Prater and Zwahlen.
* * * * *
The Warriors are scheduled to depart this afternoon for their fourth road trip of the season. It is hoped the travel plans will be smoother than the men’s volleyball team’s plans.
The volleyball Warriors were delayed four hours out of Honolulu yesterday. As part of their fall training, the volleyball Warriors traveled to California to play exhibition matches against UC San Diego today, Lewis and Long Beach State tomorrow, and an all-day tournament in Long Beach on Saturday.
NUMERO UNO!
That is an encouraging list of qbs lined up for next year!
GOOD MORNING, HAWAII!
Beautiful day in Ft Collins mid to upper 60’s for the next couple days around 40 at night…….sunny. They are expecting about 26k for the game. Here is hoping for a good effort—-Go Warriors
Morning Tsaikos!
ST, is there any indication that Zwahlen will decommit if NC doesn’t return?
Yes this is a promising list of QB’s. There are a lot of promising recruits coming in and players coming back. We have a chance to be a very good football team next year. If there is a coaching change this might get derailed for a year or two in transition. And yet if don’t win anymore games I am not sure how keeping the current staff could be justified. So the best outcome is we win most of our games, NC swears to get an OC who has proven his chops for next year and we end the season with optimism. If we keep losing then the whole thing comes apart again for awhile. Saturday’s game is going to be very very tough and a win unlikely. But a win would change the mood around the program and fan base drastically.
#5 If Norm goes, pretty sure all the LDS guys go too. Hopefully not… GO BOWS!!!
maddog50:
unsure if you 99 club
he will make the long drive from Texas for this game like he did for Rice – took him 6 1/2 hours from his home to Houston – only to see UH lose
cannot complain as we traveled nearly 4,700 miles to see them lose – that’s with a stop over in SF
hope Zwahlen keeps his commitment and good to hear he is working out daily
from his HS video, he has a strong arm, accurate, runs like the wind (anchor for his 4×100 track team), and quick feet – hope he has not lost too much – for sure, he has not felt the “hits” since he began his mission.
#8:
you sure know how to mess things – s/b “you know 99 club”
Speaking of LDS recruits, if I recall correctly, Ursua, whose dad is my childhood partner in crime, all the way back to Nagamines and Halawa Housing, said his son is looking forward to playing ball at UH…..
When UH decided to let McMackin go, I said then it would take the new coach 4 – 5 years to re-build the team to a competitive level for a variety of reasons — new system, player attrition, different type of players to run both the new offensive & defensive systems, “mastering” the playbook, etc. This is Chow’s year 3.
If there is a switch, hopefully only a 3 – 4 year transition if the new coach runs the same or similar systems; but it may take longer. Remember, the first year of recruiting may be “lost” given how UH historically selects coaches.
Once again great article by Stephen Tsai. Let’s face facts. I wouldn’t be worried about their ability to attract interest for the 2015-2016 season. Like it or not they are the only game in town. I will be back next year and the year after. Hopefully, they will have a good start and as a result draw more spectators. If there is hope there is a way.
I know we are having a bad season but unless UH can get a firm committment from a coach better than Chow we need to stop rolling people under the bus.
LOL, so AdmrVT, since you’re SO SMAHT. What “competitive level” will UH be at exactly the next 2 years, if we keep Chow?
I just want to get this on the record: you actually are guaranteeing UH will be better next year?
It seems AdmrVT thinks Chow has been busy building the program this year. Does it look like that to anyone else with half a brain?
Good morning Tsaikos!
GO WARRIORS!!
GO WAHINE!!
Hope the Volleyball Warriors have a great and successful trip. Can’t wait for the start of the season in January.
BTW, any idea where UCLA is playing their vb/bb games since Pauley Pavilion got flooded this summer and is unusable?
California TV reporting that former UH Basketball Player Gavin Smiths body has been found by hikers in the mountains in California.
Police suspect foul play.
I believe UH is in its fourth straight year of losing seasons. Three under Coach Chow. Any division one school and it’s fans probably would not tolerate 6-27 in less than three years.
So I am scratching my head. Why is the oline rolling around? How is that going to fix their mistakes? Shouldn’t they be spending more time working on what caused those mistakes? I keep hearing coaches saying how players need more reps to get better. So instead of wasting time rolling around on the ground I would think that it would be better for them to have line drills. I can see a player rolling around if it was a personal foul penalty or unsportsman like conduct penalty.
It does not take that long to rebuild. Colorado State is a good example of how a team can be turned around with a coaching change in almost no time. In 2009-2011 they had three consecutive 3 win seasons– that is as bad as Chow. Today, Colorado State is experiencing sellouts at their stadium. When we hired Chow, CSU hired a head coach who was the offensive coordinator at Alabama during two national championships. In his first year, MCelwein had only 4 wins (including a blowout over us in a battle of first year coaches). In his second year, CSU was bowl eligible, this year CSU is 8-1 and a contender for the MWC championship.
Learning does not work like that, Z. It’s not like you keep teaching rep-by-rep and the players learn a little rep-by-rep. The reality is that you learn until you get to a “roadblock”, then you can’t learn for a bit. But when you break through the roadblock, then a tsunami of learning happens.
#14, 15. Our team this year is better this year than last year and last year better than the year before (in my opinion). Yet, this year’s team is not good enough. Does this mean our team is being “built” adequately? Probably not. But I don’t think it is “less than half brained” to consider waiting another year. If it was my call (and of course it is not) I would probably bail on this coaching staff now as the trajectory of progress is not enough and it’s hard to really believe it will be different. The simple math says NC is out the door. But I can also see reasons to hold on awhile longer. I still think the rest of the season needs to be taken into account. If we lose all/most of the remaining games it will be hard, if not impossible to retain NC. If we win most I can understand hanging in there another year.
Is Zwahlen arrival contingent on Norm Chow being kept as HC? The only possible way I can handle 1 more year of Chow ball is if he understands that he needs to be a HC and hire a OC that is going to put together a creative offense that can get his best athletes the ball in space. Wynn can probably be groomed into a OC down the road but right now, we need a spark offensively. Week in and week out, opposing defenses have easy time making adjustments versus Hawaii after 1st couple series. Nothing complex about our offense at all.
#12
Don’t you think there shold be some kind of improvement in each year. This is the year 3 and there is very little improvement. There’s no improvement on the Offensive side of the ball including the Offensive coaches. The Defense has improved but because the Offense is so pathetic, the Defense is now completely worn out. Right now Clune is the ONLY one would is earning his pay check.
How in the heck is anyone talking about keeping chow?!?! Just becuz of a few recruits?? What guarantees do we have to still get those kids under chow?? The best chance this program has is to fire or retire chow now and have a coach ready to come in by seasons end. That way he can get his coaches by Jan and go hard recruiting and keeping the recruits we have on board.
No benefit. Rolling around just scrambles your brain. Chow’s idea of instilling discipline.
25. Not talking about keeping Chow. It was a simple question on if Zwahlen coming only if Chow is here.. Just because I want Chow gone, doesn’t mean my say has any impact.
Good morning, Tsai-kos!
Well, good to hear our back up returning QB is getting workout time!
Thanks, ST! 🙂
Safe travels, Warriors and Warrior Nation!
why are we assuming that zwahlen is mormon quarterback jesus come to save UH football? Why do we also assume that if chow leaves, so goes zwahlen? Is zwahlen a top player coming off his mission that has/had solid offers from other big programs? Why do we assume that the new head coach (whenever that happens) would even want to keep zwahlen?
Les: 19k went through the turnstiles to watch UH get demolished by utah state and their 4th string qb. i would say that the athletic department should be worried about the football team drawing interest. YOU may be there game after game and year after year, but apparently not very many other people will.
also, it’s not a bad season. it’s been a bad three seasons (a.k.a. a bad coaching era) and it sure looks like the wheels are starting to come off of the UH football bus right now.
and you won’t get a “firm commitment from someone other than chow” because as of now, the job isn’t open yet. If you want a coaching change, you fire the head coach, then open up the search and post the job vacancy and follow the process. not have the job filled, but then run an undercover search and interview, then when the other person commits, fire chow and then have the new guy sign the paperwork and ninja him into the school.
also, les, of those 19k, a bunch of them started leaving during second quarter, and of the people who remained, there were those who moved to the front row and were heckling chow and some of the players.
interest and the only game in town indeed.
I’m not gonna get on my soap box this morning. You probably won’t be able to see me anyway.
But I have to say, no matter if UH Manoa wins or loses at games, the University needs support. Not just by going to the games, but monetary support to run the program. Without the money, there will be no football. Support the student-athletes and donate to UH Manoa. Thanks!
And to those who are following the team to America this weekend and next, you’re so awesome!
So what do you do if the same player keeps making the same mistakes? Whatever they are doing have not worked so far. Perhaps creating situations that the players were in and having them work thru it? I don’t know. I still don’t agree with them wasting their time rolling around as punishment. Waste of valuable time. I think it should more about overcoming mistakes. Having player breakthru a road block is the coaches job. I guess they just can’t get the job done.
Smith was a basketball player on the 1975 UCLA championship team led by legendary coach John Wooden. Smith went on to become an actor and later a film executive at 20th Century Fox.
He also played at Hawaii. He never met a shot that he didn’t like. In the days before the three point shot, he would light up the scoreboard at Blaisdell Center where UH played at the time.
A sportswriter once said that Gavin Smith was worth triple the price of admission all by himself.
His body was found in a remote area of Palmdale in a shallow grave. His car was found shortly after his disappearance in a storage facility of a known drug dealer.
It was reported that Gavin Smith was having an affair with his wife. The reputed drug dealer is now serving time for another crime.
Gavin, thanks for playing for UH and for all the great memories.
May you Rest in Peace!
if I recall correctly…a certain head coach came here and took a winless program to an ncaa turnaround record nine wins in one season eventually becoming the winningest coach of all time at manoa…culminated by the Sugar bowl appearance.
He who has stated that he will be listening to coaching opportunities now that he has been idol for a month. He also figures that he has 5 to 8 years of energy left to rebuild a program.
Another interesting candidate, if he’s interested, is Brian Johnson. Johnson was a QB at Utah, was 1st team All MW in 2008, and the MVP of the Sugar Bowl in 2009.
He is now the quarterback coach at Mississippi St., the #1 ranked team in the country. He is well versed with a lot of the Utah coaches and I believe he was an offensive coordinator at the Utes also. Obviously, he’s a very good coach and I would suspect that he is a good evaluator of talent.
The guy that I’m excited about seeing play is John Ursua. From his tape, I saw versatility, shiftiness, instincts, and play making capability. He’s also a very good point guard on the BB court w/ great court vision. He could be like Ostrowski.
Jeezy33 #23
Good question…. I was wondering that myself….. As Jeezy has stated its not about keeping Chow it’s about Zwhalen coming here with or without Chow….
Get a qb who can throw and chows offense works. Look at the second half of last year. The guy has been trying to recruit qbs of the future – zawhalen and tuileta, but unfortunately one went on a mission for 2 years and the other spurned UH on signing day. He also tried to bring in stop gap qbs like graham, Schroeder, and witted with some success for Schroeder in year 2. If graham didn’t get hurt I think he would have done similar things that Schroeder did. You can only work with what you are given. But a norm chow offense needs someone who can throw the rock. The best thing for him to do is let Reilly play the rest of the year so you have a legit competition next year with 3 guys with d1 experience and one guy who is suppose to have an electric arm. Plus, the Oline depth has been getting better, which was an issue his first two years. And the defense is getting better under clune. I know everyone is expecting a magical turn around, but it takes time to build a program when you lack the foundation
#29, He was talked about pretty highly by some people especially at ESPN where he was a ESPN top 300 recruit (rated #153, 4 stars) although not as highly rated by some other services. He was at the Oakland’s elite 11 camp and did well. Supposedly good arm and quick release but who knows until he plays but that is why some people may be talking about him. His connection with Chow is his father who played for Chow.
Derek:
your #35 – true, but also must remember that Mississippi St had, and correct me if I’m wrong, the #1 recruiting class 2 or 3 years ago and the #1 HS QB was part of this class
like Chow, maybe, he is surrounded by many gifted athletes which makes his job much easier than it would be at UH – totally different level of players
The numbers do not show improvement, but do show why we do not win. Since Chow took over our offense has dropped– it was last in the conference in points scored except in 2013 when our offense was two teams up from the bottom. Our defense has been one of the worst in the MWC since Chow took over—it was last in 2012, two up from last in 2014, but it improved to 6th or middle of the conference in 2014. Against only conference opponents, we drop a little below our performance against all opponents on both offense and defense—last or near last in every year, except for defense in 2014 where we are 7th in the conference—below average for the Mountain West. It will be worse next year with the players we lose on offense and defense and the time it will take to bring inexperienced plyers up to snuff. We score fewer points than our defense can hold opponents to– which equals losing and not winning.
#29 Don’t think it’s too far of a stretch to say that these LDS players are iffy if Chow’s gone. Pretty sure they decided to come to UH primarily based on Chow, maybe the chance to play immediately.
On keeping Zwahlen; Chow or not, UH has to find a way to get the kid to come based on talent and possible competition alone.
GO BOWS!!!
ArcumFortis: What are the reasons for holding on? Go ahead. Because we want to give Chow a chance to build up to a 6-7 team (or whatever the “competitive level” that AdmrVT is guaranteeing), 5 years after we fired McMackin for doing that? And then fire him at that time? Please, explain. I’ll give you a history/precedence lesson: We fired McMackin after his third .500 year.
Time to cut bait. We gave Chow his chance, he is not what some people thought he was. He used to be a good coach, but he’s just old now.
Actually rolling around like that ain’t that bad.
You can get some z’s. Close your eyes and sleep.
Just don’t fall off a cliff.
🙂
Punahou’s Kaumatale to Oregon…
http://www.pacifictakes.com/2014/11/2/7146921/oregon-football-recruiting-ducks-canton-kaumatule
These are the kinds of guys we need. Norm?
42. SA…..take a breath my friend. I don’t disagree with your position. I agree that the program is not where it needs to be and firing the HC is an obvious consideration. The simple math is our win/loss doesn’t add up. So if I have my finger on the “fire” button I would push it. Actually I would push it now, assign an interim coach and try to have an announced replacement before the end of the season or shortly thereafter. But if we don’t push it now then we have to wait and see how the rest of the season unfolds. If we keep losing then it does become a no brainer. If we win most of the remaining games then I would feel differently. I also don’t have a lot of confidence in UH admin and their ability to smoothly make the transition. If we wait until the end of the season and again start some long and goofy search for a new coach then the recruiting year is compromised, a bunch of recruits we have now may go elsewhere and we could wind up worse off. But I hear you and find myself in a similar place at times.
Good morning everyone!
RE: #8
maddog50 will be meeting up with a group of friends. I do not know if 99club, Committed Road Warrior (D.C.), or UH4eva (NM) made plans since I sent out the game group email last Sunday.
http://stevem.altervista.org/away14.html
I would expect Committed Rod Warrior (our Washington D.C. Chaptah Tsai-ko president) makes it to the game and maybe meets up with 99club. I remember the time he flew to SFO from D.C. on the day of the UH-SJSU game, drove down to the game in a rental, showered in Stretch’s hotel room after the game, and drove back to SFO that night to catch a plane back to D.C.. Committed indeed!
4 prong – This must be what June alluded to when he left Hawaii to go to SMU. He said Hawaii does not support the team. I am beginning to believe he was right. And, now some pundits are thinking he is coming back? Hardly. And if was contemplating something like that something must be wrong with him.
That was no class what the jockstraps (supporters) did if they booed and heckled Chow and the players.
Let’s not make change for the sake of change. There needs to be a strategy to avoid buy outs and confusion. If Ben Jay told Norm that 2015 was to be his last year and his contract would not be extended and could he help in finding a successor everyone involved would be relieved. Enough of this knee jerk, scorched earth, rotting corpses modus operandi.
#34. That offensive minded coach brought in Cav and coach Mac. My concern during hiring was who Chow would bring in. Successful offensive minded coaches bring in good oline coaches when they get the job. We have struggled there. I do think that we are getting better but not enough to win games. It will be a rebuild again next year.
Article on Gavin Smith:
http://news.yahoo.com/remains-missing-hollywood-executive-identified-082915256–finance.html
All I remember watching on tv was the announcer for the MBB games saying Gavin Smith…over and over again as he kept on scoring.
Aloha Gavin.
#45 Unfortunately, I think that’s the greater problem… UH administration. Firing Chow removes only a portion of the problem, albeit a big one, but we will now be left to watch the circus show that we call UH decision makers fumble and muddle thru the hiring process. Lord save us… GO BOWS!!!
Norm Chow’s punishment of having the offense roll on the field is as modern as his twenty year old offense. Laura Beeman’s approach to punishment is more is keeping with the times. She benches them. Besides Dick Tomey used to call those infractions administrative penalties. In other words poor coaching.
Z
was 4 rolling with the linemen too? hes been called for several illegal chops this year. Had 2 on consecutive plays too. the team lacks knowledge of the basic fundamentals of football. It shows in their terrible blocking, tackling, and coverage.
4-P. I was at the game. Stayed till the end. I didn’t notice anyone heckling Chow and the players. I sit in the Blue M same side as the team. It’s a real shame for fans to go out their way to demean the players.
How long going take to catch a championship? Still chasing.
GO WAHINE!
If Chow goes…..so goes Zwhalen. I believe Zwhalen’s dad was a former player at BYU, when Chow was coach. He’s coming to be coached by Chow.
Plus, upon returning from a mission, I also believe you can be a free agent so to speak, and sign with any school. So if Chow was fired….well, Zwhalen could sign with anyone.
Hilo and Maui comes into town for the D1 football playoffs. Wish them well but I say the Oahu teams, Kahuku and Farrington will win handily.
Also, good luck to all the teams in the D2 football playoffs.
cocobean: i was there. a friend was there to and reported the same thing. not like mass throngs of whoever was left (idk if the original turnstile amount counts as a throng anyway) were heckling, but there were definitely people there.
#34 …Al… AMEN to your comments brah !!!!!
Whittex would probably be gone too!
Ouch!!!!!
McMackin was let go for reasons beyond his win-loss record. He had lost the players, lost his coaches, embarassed the university (anti-gay slur) and was generally known within the athletic department as mentally unstable. Chow, on the other hand, will be let go specifically for his win-loss record.
#39 A-House
Hate to correct you but Mississippi State never had anything close to a #1 recruiting class. You are thinking of Ole Miss which has had several highly rated classes the past few years. Bama has had the #1 class something like 4 of the past five years.
Unless Wittek graduates, he has no more options. The starting job (next year) is his to lose anyway, unless the new coach brings in someone spectacular. CSU’s running back is a 5 star recruit who followed his OC from Alabama. So the question is this, which OC/DC from a big 5 school would be willing to be a head coach here who could bring 4/5 star transfers unsatisfied with their playing time? Jeff Ulbrich?
Curious as to what Chow did to prepare the O-line for the “illegal antics” of the USU defense. He complained to the refs pre-game. Did we implement anything to counteract the anticipated conduct? did the Offensive coaches roll across the field with the players? Seems like they deserved equal punishment.
Do tapes of UH games broadcasted by KGMB exist? I have a very blurry, blurry recollection of Gavin Smith playing. I remember a headband.
Hodad, while they (MSU) have not had the no.1 recruiting class, they certainly have hovered around the top 10, see:http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/classrankings for the last couple of years. Which practically speaking is all you need to fashion a run…
I remember Gavin Smith when I played for the UH Band back in the day…He had a nice (I think Red) convertable and a big beautiful sheep dog (i.e. shaggy dog) that he would bring up to the football field.
After seeing the Nevada and Utah State games, I won’t pay to see a fourth season of promises, insufficient resources, losses, platitudes, excuses, and shifting of blame. It was a reasonable experiment to try, but it failed.
Guud Afternoon Tsaikos…bootiful day.
After reading all the post here, not sure why any recruit would want to come here…imho.
Anyhoo, IMUA WARRIORS!
If the oline was distracted by USU’s defenders they should have went to a silent count. I hate to see when they play Fresno in the Dawg Pound.
30 foot, turn around, fall away jump shot. Nothing but net. Someone said that he was the pro poker player. No, but shared the same name. Aloha, Gavin Smith.
Warrior Fans, sorry for the miscommunication the other day.
The correct condolences goes out to former Mililani c/o 2001 and Warrior RB Brian Daniels. He passed away last week in Colorado.
(I mistakenly said Brian Gordon “e kala mai”)
This is a great write up about him commiting to be a Warrior in 2001.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2001/Aug/02/sp/sp04a.html
Per S Tsai in today’s paper, he wrote about the Utah St. calling defensive calls while UH was doing its cadence.
Hawkpeter on another forum posted this rule:
Rule 7-1-5-a-3
1.
No player shall use words or signals that disconcert opponents when they are preparing to put the ball in play. No player may call defensive signals that simulate the sound or cadence of (or otherwise interfere with) offensive starting signals.
——————————————————————————————-
If the refs weren’t calling a penalty on Utah St. for this , then UH defense should have tried the same tactics.
54… That’s how UH got Beau Reilly. He was a Colorado St commit originally, then with the coaching change to McElwain while he was on mission, he decided to come to UH.
58.. Wittek isn’t going anywhere. He’s had to sit this year and next year will be his final year of eligibility. If he leaves, transfer rules would mean he’d have to sit out, leaving him no more eligibility to play if he left.
In any case, he’s going to be the strong candidate for the #1 QB once this season is done, regardless of who’s coaching. So from a playing time standpoint, he’s in a pretty good spot unless he gets hurt or Reilly/Zwahlen turn out to be better.
Max should graduate either this winter or next spring.
He could then apply for grad school and play his final season at any D1 school.
Or he could play at an FCS school
I hope he stays
If he still got game, John Ursua could be the next Miah playing slotback and point guard
Regardless of the HC, I hope LDS missionary Mack Richards remains a Hawaii WR in 2015 or 16
Regardless of the HC, I hope someone on staff is keeping in contact with our grayshirt recruits, so we don’t lose them like we lost WR Ellis Henderson during the late 2011 season to 2012 LOI day.
#14 & 45. My comment in 12 was not suggesting Chow should be retained. Rather to note that the way UH proceeds to fill vacancies, it probably means a 4 – 5 year rebuild unless the new coach has systems similar to the ones in place — if the selection was a good one. Sometimes you get lucky like with JJ when he went 9-3 his first year (but losing in the next two).
Like Arcum notes, if a change is made, it should not be at the end of a season which mean year 1 is a loss and the first recruiting class will essentially be lost. Every time you make a change — expect a “learning curve.”
actually, UH went 9-3 and won a share of the WAC title in 1999. They had a losing season the next year, but went 9-3, 10-4, etc, and didn’t have a losing season until 2005.
kinda blows up the whole “at least 4-5 years” theory. he even pulled off the same feat at SMU, only he had a losing season the first year, then didn’t have a losing season until 2013.
but then again, june jones is an exceptional coach. and norm chow…. weeeeell….
I liked Chow at one time, but he cannot win. It takes many, many little things to win and Chow does not take care of those many little things. He ignores them because he is stubborn. He could have Colt Brennan as QB and not win. He had the QB he recruited out of high school who transferred from Ohio State– So he had the QB he wanted with all the stars, and he had a good quarterback (as shown by the numbers), but he couldn’t win– even when we had Joey. I know Chow says he does not have the players to run what he wants to run– but that statement in itself is so wrong.
Winning is a product of many little judgement calls– like how many minutes to practice running plays, and how many to practice passing plays– and calls on who to recruit, who starts, who are the coaches on the staff– and in all these cases, Chow has made bad decisions (if they were not bad decisions, why did he fire so many coaches off his staff?).
chow wouldn’t have even had the foresight to recruit colt brennan.
to debunk more of this 4-5 year building cycle that admrVT was talking about, bob wagner had a losing season his first year at 5-7, then went 9-3, 9-3-1, 7-5, had a losing season the next year at 4-7-1, then came the 1992 year where he went 11-2.
Dick Tomey had a losing season his first year in 1977, then didn’t have a losing season until 1985.
Then Fred Von Appen had three years and had 5 wins. June Jones came along. June Jones left, and now we have the debacle that is the Norm Chow Experience. Currently 6 wins in almost 3 full years.
Although it’s true that there’s a learning curve with a new head coach, this 4-5 year rule that mysteriously only applies to UH that admrVT is talking about doesn’t seem to hold any water.
sorry, in between the norm chow debacle and june jones leaving was greg mcmackin, who, aside from that 10-4 season which ended in an annihilation against tulsa in the hawaii bowl, was basically noteworthy only for its mediocrity.
A couple of days ago ST had a blog entitled “Be Young, Have Fun”.
“Tom-Warrior Nation” had an excellent idea; start a fund to BUYOUT NORM CHOW. His math is if 37,500 fans each kick in $20 = $750,000. Aloha Norm…now “Tom-Warrior Nation” said he’d kick in $200…Tom, I’ll put my money where my mouth is and match that.
Now what we gotta do is see if those “in charge” at UH (Ferd Lewis’ column Star Advertiser Sports section 11-4-2014)…Interim Chancellor Robert Vroman, Atty Bert Kobayashi Jr whose son Jon is mentioned as possibly the nex UH AD…gee go figure that one, Atty / B of Regent Jeff Portnoy, and John “Jack” Tsui, will go along with the buyout. Here is “Tom-Warrior Nations” comment…..
193 tom-warriornation November 3, 2014 at 10:57 pm
Let’s do a “We get ‘em” fund raising to buy out Chow.
Like Reardon suggested, we need a change NOW. We are now a bottom 10 team; and sinking fast. Chow’s 6-27 record is only surpassed by the Idaho coach–we are NOW compared to the Idaho football program. The players seemed to have given up; less than 20,000 fans show up; RECRUITING WILL BE AFFECTED if we don’t do something now, and we are losing thousands of dollars each week.
If 37,500 fans donate $20 each; we would easily have the $750,000 to buyout Chow’s contract. Let’s do another crowd-sourcing venture to save our once proud Hawaii football program!
How many of you would donate $20 to buyout Chow’s contract? I will donate $200.
Somebody start selling t-shirts.
Hilarious. If you crowd funded any other cause for the athletic department you might scrape up a few thousand. Raise money to fire the coach, everyone is gung ho. Maybe everyone, me included, should have helped out earlier and we wouldn’t be i this mess.
“in this mess”
#19 “Z” & #51…”Old Diver”…I agree; that time spent “punishing” the players could have been used for possibly more hands on coaching/teaching…
I’m curious able 2 things…A) This punishment indicates that Norm is blaming the players and not the coaching / teaching of his offensive, and I do mean “offensive” assistant coaches. They should have been doing the drills as well; especially NORM…B) I really wonder, behind the scenes, how the plays and not the LDS ones feel about Norm ??? In my opinion it seems the effort gives an indication of the team giving up. Remember that article, was it Sunday or Monday (?), about team capt. Lance Williams telling the team “shape up or ship out”…..
At the end of Chow’s 5 year contract if he is still here, attendance will be less than 15K for home games.
People can spend their discretionary money anyway they choose. It’s like trying a new restaurant. If the food and service is good, chances are you are going to go back to that restaurant to eat. If the food is horrible and the service is bad, you probably won’t eat there again. UH football is competing for our discretionary money. If the product on the field is good, consumers will buy tickets. If the product on the field is not good, then consumers won’t buy tickets.
As to who is responsible for UH football, well UH admin is responsibe because they are vying for consumers money and it is up to UH administration to make sure they place a good product on the field so fans will buy tickets. The idea that fans need to do more is beyond reason.
If a business is not doing well, it is up to the owner to improve service or close down. Consumers are not going to eat at a restaurant even though the food is bad just so the company can be prosperous.
I go to 3-4 games a year because that is all I can afford. This year I have gone to one game. Simple, if you like the product UH football is putting on the field and if you can afford it, go to the game. If you don’t like it, don’t go. The responsibility is on UH administration to make sure UH football is attractive enough to make consumers use their discretionary money on football.
I will be listening to the game this Saturday. Let’s see what they can do against CSU.
it seems like people here are implying that the LDS players look up to norm chow as the football joseph smith. i wonder if that’s really the case.
Sorry folks but since I’m in a “venting mood” … don’t know how many of you out there caught this but it was the post game press conference after the Wyoming game with Norm. He was talking about the win and said “yeah I understand we even won a trophy of some kind” … a trophy of some kind… hey Norm for your information it’s called “The Paniolo Trophy” … he doesn’t even know that ?????
#89 … “808” … you got it right. I buy a ticket for $40, parking is $5, and maybe a beer $8 = $53.00. Only to see a “sub-standard” product. I’ve got airline tickets for the SJSU game …BUT… may go the City College of San Francisco vs College of San Mateo JC game instead. It’ll probably be more entertaining & better played
My question is where are we going to find a decent coach at this time of year. I think we would get more people applying if Chow is let go at the end of the season or just before the FSU game. I expect we’d want someone from a winning program. Those programs are still fighting for league championships or bowl eligibility. I’m not sure if they’ll change the qualifications they used when Chow was hired….prior head coaching experience or coordinator experience. It’s hard to imagine that level of people applying at this time. Not while their teams are focused on making the post season,
Another thing to remember is we’re on a beer budget for a new coach. In fact it’s actually a domestic, canned beer budget. I think a better use of the fund raiser is to augment the salary of a new coach to widen the applicant pool.
The Hawaii News Now story on Benji Taylor is tasteless. They are resorting to supermarket mag stuff and it may be Blangiardi’s way to get back at UH for not taking the KGMB offer seriously. I have no doubt it is true but if they are going to check his personnel financial status and family battles then they need to make that a regular part of investigative stories for all coaches. I’m not a Benji guy, in fact I would hope they will be able to attract a higher profile coach and more proven coach at the end of the year unless they blow up on the court, which I highly doubt will happen but the choice to air his personal problems is not right. And I say this with over 25 years in the local television news business.
Good morning, Tsai-kos!
Have a nice day!
Tomorrow is game day!
GO WARRIORS!!!
Fort Collins weather should be nice on Saturday….if you’re from the area. Forecasting a high of 63 and low of 36 with clear skies. Game time (5:00 pm) temperatures expected to be in the 50’s dropping to the low 40’s.
#94
it’s not finding a “coach” right now!
it’s a matter of letting others know that UH will be hiring a new HC for 2015 and beyond – will it be a proven HC or assistant HC? an excellent assistant coach fro a BSC team looking to improve his resume?
whatever the case, the word must get out fast – sooner the better!
Does BJ have the “guaebose” to fire Chow? financially, UH maybe worst off keeping him rather than paying the buy-out.
shoko:
I fully expect UH to be sucking “wind” from the start – playing in higher elevation than Denver with the crisp cold air – that will “sear” your nostrils and lungs – breathing through your mouth will not help as it will “dry up”
Turfwar: I concur with your comments about HNN’s TMZish report on Coach Taylor’s financial matters. I don’t know Coach Taylor, but agree that the report was uncalled for and tasteless. Blangiardi is still pissed off, and it’s a great opportunity to kick a coach and program while it’s down. HNN needs to run an investigation of all UH coaches and Administrators, and those from Upper Campus, to be fair.
It must be sweeps week in local TV.
Could the seating at Ching Field be expanded? What would be the max, if that is possible?
If attendance going forward would be 30k, is it possible to build around that field to accommodate that number. Maybe it would have to be bench seating, but other stadiums have that arrangement.
There were some 500 students at last night’s exhibition MBB game. I think there were maybe 50 at last week’s USU game at No Aloha Stadium. Might be time to reconsider building an on-campus stadium to get more student involvement – I mean it is a university. I remember when the naysayers spoke out against building a 10,000 seat on campus arena at UH, citing traffic, parking, and noise issues.
Top College Football Student Sections:
http://www.ncaa.com/video/football/2014-11-04/cfb-high-five-student-sections
99. Yep, altitude and cold air will have an affect no doubt. It won’t be as bad as Wyoming last season, though.
Here’s an interesting thought about Hauck’s status as head coach at UNLV.
“The speculation about a potential successor (to Bobby Hauck) is taking place, though, with Jim Fassel and June Jones most commonly mentioned, and Chris Ault’s name also has surfaced. But knowing what’s real and what isn’t is difficult at this point.”
http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/unlv-rebels/football/5-burning-questions-unlv-air-force
Jim Fassel?
They should probably look at 40 year old John Fassel instead.
A-House. To me it doesn’t make a difference in terms of getting the word out now or waiting a few more games. Once Chow is fired the whole college football world will know in a matter of hours. If he’s fired after the CSU game do you really think UH would receive interest from the type of coach they are looking for. I’m just assuming a quality coach/person would wait until their own team’s season is played out before they actively seek another job.
103.
An on campus stadium will not happen. It’s tough enough to handle the higher attendance nights for the Stan Sheriff Center as it is. Not to mention Halawa is bad enough already with traffic on some gamedays too (with decent attendance).
The father of one of the players told me that the team was staying overnight in LA; then traveling to Colorado–is this the right way to travel–isn’t it more tiring this way; two airports and two trips?
Although UNLV isn’t looking at making a decision until after the season is done, they should probably be going through the process and have a wish list ready if and when the inevitable happens. In my opinion, someone in the department has to always keep his or her finger on the pulse of potential head coaches even during years when you don’t think tha you need one. Always have a wish list and update it constantly.
Fort Collins is also 5000 feet above sea level–what is the best way to handle this elevation for a football game–arrive 2 days earlier?
Chow’s losing record is a special case. Since he came here, we have played 33 games, and he has lost 26!! How do you lose 26 our of 33 games over not quite three seasons? Something is obviously wrong with the team and the coaches are doing. We have never beaten any of the teams of the three other coaches hired when Chow was hired (all of those teams have beaten us badly– New Mexico, Colorado State, and Fresno State) and those teams have won two Mountain Wet Champions, two of those three teams have been bowl eligible at least once. New Mexico and Colorado State were in much worse shape that Hawaii was when Chow took over– New Mexico had won a single game each of three seasons before their coach was hired, and Colorado State had not won more than 3 games in the three seasons before they hired their coach. We had a better won loss record for the three years before we and Fresno hired our new coaches and Fresno has won two MWC championships.
#107. I have no opinion on which way is better. There’s one red eye non stop that arrives early the next morning and two early morning connecting schedules that arrive in the evening between 630P-800P.
I do have an opinion that Chow is too involved in the manini details of being a head coach. All the travel plans have his fingerprints all over them. He must have spent hours poring over the schedules, looking at accomodations, weighing various options, cost comparing, planning the hour to hour itinerary player itinerary.
I’ve always maintained Chow has his nose in to many things that should have been delegated. The the upteenth time I will say Chow is too involved with the manini and can’t see the forest for the trees. Take care of things that lead to winning and delegate the rest.
cocobean: usually people put in job apps while they’re still working at another job. They don’t quit first and then apply for other positions.
point being, if the opening was posted say, after tomorrow’s game, it gives more time for people who would consider leaving their current jobs as head coaches or coordinators to think about leaving, plan who their staff would be and so on.
And yes, there have been instances of coaches (good coaches) who left their teams during the season (although usually before a bowl game, not during the regular season) to take a new job. Brian Kelly is the first one that pops in my mind.
4-P. I understand what you’re saying but I still disagree. Take for example a coach at UCLA. Do you really think that he’d put in an application before their season was over? I’m talking about the regular season including league championship game.
He may be thinking on it but I doubt he’d apply until his season were over.
maybe you are totally correct, but it certainly would “peak” the interest in some coaches around the country
not only the coaches, but those prospect(s) already committed – will they want to sign on NLI day? or seek their fortune at another school?
conversely, those on the fence and considering UH – this would go a long way in helping them make a decision
for example, if Chow goes so will Zwahlen – although I wish he remains committed to UH
If we let Chow go, pretty clear who is next on the hit list…or is the job already pau?
Governor Abercrombie
UH President Greenwood
Chancellor Apple
AD Jay
Football Chow
Basketball Arnold
For some reason, I just recalled a funny scene in the movie “Silver Streak,” when Richard Pryor stands up and yells during a chaotic gunfight between the police and bad guy, “HEY!! WHO THE HELL IS IN CHARGE HERE??”
UH flight plans on road games
Mrs A-House spoke to at least 10 players at the Houston Space Center and to the core each said the 7 + hour direct flight was very tiring
They left Hawaii around 10 pm on Thursday and arrived around 6 am on Friday. They were at the space center about 11 am. Guess they didn’t sleep much since they left and arrived in Houston.
for me, going “east” is a lot tougher than going “west” – body takes longer to adjust
but we all know that USU beat UH last Saturday even with all their travel plans gone haywire – half of the team arrived on Thursday and the rest on Friday.
guess the commentator for the Rice game was correct – UH has not recruited well the past 3 years.
on the other hand, why do the Wahine do so much better on road games? is it because their physiology differs and better adjust to time travel?
I don’t believe that the “new coach” idea is as simple as replacing the old one.
Comparing Norm’s situation to that of his upcoming opponent is not the same. CSU made it a point to upgrade their athletic program and has shown that in facility upgrades and the like. UH has not and will not, given the current state of financial affairs of the entire system. CSU does not have the travel issues that UH has. CSU does not the detached situation UH has (CSU on the continent. UH has the Big Pond).
There are some things that help recruiting both staff and players. UH operates with one hand (maybe 2) tied behind their back.
I agree that coaches like June could do it and did it with nothing, so for that Norm has little excuses. But June could not sustain the effort and got frustrated and left.
Institutional commitment means a lot. We do not have it here and we have a weak fan base. I’d say that what you have at the end of the season will probably represent the “true fan”; one that sticks with the team no matter what. The others that make up the desired 40k plus everyone wants will only sporadically show up when the team wins (in a way they desire a win. No small fundamental wins. Needs to be showy and spectacular).
So, it is tough on getting that desired coach to come. Someone will come, no doubt. But it would probably not be from that “much desired” list folks dream of as pay is poor, institutional support is weak, fan base is fickled, travel is tough and detachment is a reality.
We’re here in Fort Collins.
Here’s today’s entry: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=25849