What happened to Defend Priderock?

[EITSwarrior]

True but he had enough support from them to offer to raise his contract to $1.7 mil. Plus they also did end up building the new athletic facility he wanted for the longest time. Point is there was enough there for Jones to reasonably stay but left compared to Rolo.

They only did those things cause he left. They only did those things cause a Colt called the school and state legislature out for not supporting. Remember “soapgate”. JJ and other coaches even stated that the coaches offices they had were the same as when JJ was a player at UH. They didn’t even change the carpets. I doubt those things get done had he stayed.

They only offered after he accepted the SMU job. For a while JJ was trying to get a deal done but useless Frazier put him off.

I know that deal was for increased pay for his assistant coaches and some action, less talk on facility renovations and new construction. Some of that Frazier could do, but Frazier also has bosses too and they didn’t take action. Only when it was clear he was leaving did they decide to act.

[J-Rod]

This is Phase 3! The natural progression of the Group of 5 experience: losing your head coach and having to maintain success. That's the next phase.

[cabanalane]

P1 Build
P2 Win
P3 Cash Out, winning.

[Wild Warrior]

True but he had enough support from them to offer to raise his contract to $1.7 mil. Plus they also did end up building the new athletic facility he wanted for the longest time. Point is there was enough there for Jones to reasonably stay but left compared to Rolo.

They only did those things cause he left. They only did those things cause a Colt called the school and state legislature out for not supporting. Remember “soapgate”. JJ and other coaches even stated that the coaches offices they had were the same as when JJ was a player at UH. They didn’t even change the carpets. I doubt those things get done had he stayed.

They only offered after he accepted the SMU job. For a while JJ was trying to get a deal done but useless Frazier put him off.

IMO, this is history repeating itself. Back to the JJ situation in early 2007, remember he offered to re-up for a contract extension and even offered to take a pay cut so that he could shift money to his assistants and to recruiting. Despite June's generous offer Herman "Do Nothing" Frazier never even replied to June or Leah Steinberg. Frazier did absolutely nothing, so then when the 2007 season played out with UH being undefeated and going to the Sugar Bowl, Frazier still did nothing until June was already down the road with SMU. Only then did UH try to come in at the last minute and try to hold onto June. Fast forward to today, and we have Rolo building a successful program and only making base salary of $400K, plus incentives. Don't forget that Coach Mack back in 2008 signed a contract at $1.1 million. So Rolo is building a program and being paid about 1/3 what Mack was being paid in 2008 - 2011. Same old athletics administration at UH, they don't appreciate good coaches when they have them and they are not proactive in keeping their coaches happy. For this reason, the UH job will continue to be a stepping stone to a better job, and not a stepping off point for a coach to stay and build long term success. Rolo's new base salary is five times what he would have made max at UH - Anybody who says that doesn't matter and they would stay and "defend Priderock" is either delusional or full of cr@p.

[UnBiasFan]

It is much better to have a coach leave due to success than have to fire one due to failure.

[cabanalane]

I see this to be more like Dick Tomey leaving. There was no complaints. No issues. It was simply a man that had an opportunity to further his football coaching career.

I can still recall Tomey crying at the press conference. He loved Hawaii. That's why we still love him (RIP). Rolo has taken the same playbook. He quoted Tomey often this past season.

I like to think Rolo will be remember that way in leaving UH.

JJ left because there was no soap in the showers.

[Palolo_2LA]

I admit that there was some animosity at first, but this is a business and as an executive I can understand the feel Rolo had when weighting his options .

1) stay and have limited options for himself and his staff monetarily, limited support from the public and legislature, a half a$$ new stadium in the works and little room to accomplish more
2) Leave and have 6x current salary, public and legislature support, play in Pac 12 to build the Cougars into prominence and have huge resources for his staff.

Any reasonable person who select WSU. Plus, he made it a point that if someone left, the program and system continues ahead with same offense. #PrideRockLivesOn

[My3Cats]

UH will always be a stepping stone, or head coaching graveyard. Take your pick. In the Division 1 era:

Larry Price - fired, never head coached again
Dick Tomey - successful and moved on
Bob Wagner - fired, never head coached again
Fred Von Appen - fired, never head coached again
June Jones - successful and moved on
Greg McMackin - fired, never head coached again
Norm Chow - fired, never head coached again
Nick Rolovich - successful and moved on
Next up?

[reignjah11]

They only did those things cause he left. They only did those things cause a Colt called the school and state legislature out for not supporting. Remember “soapgate”. JJ and other coaches even stated that the coaches offices they had were the same as when JJ was a player at UH. They didn’t even change the carpets. I doubt those things get done had he stayed.

They only offered after he accepted the SMU job. For a while JJ was trying to get a deal done but useless Frazier put him off.

IMO, this is history repeating itself. Back to the JJ situation in early 2007, remember he offered to re-up for a contract extension and even offered to take a pay cut so that he could shift money to his assistants and to recruiting. Despite June's generous offer Herman "Do Nothing" Frazier never even replied to June or Leah Steinberg. Frazier did absolutely nothing, so then when the 2007 season played out with UH being undefeated and going to the Sugar Bowl, Frazier still did nothing until June was already down the road with SMU. Only then did UH try to come in at the last minute and try to hold onto June. Fast forward to today, and we have Rolo building a successful program and only making base salary of $400K, plus incentives. Don't forget that Coach Mack back in 2008 signed a contract at $1.1 million. So Rolo is building a program and being paid about 1/3 what Mack was being paid in 2008 - 2011. Same old athletics administration at UH, they don't appreciate good coaches when they have them and they are not proactive in keeping their coaches happy. For this reason, the UH job will continue to be a stepping stone to a better job, and not a stepping off point for a coach to stay and build long term success. Rolo's new base salary is five times what he would have made max at UH - Anybody who says that doesn't matter and they would stay and "defend Priderock" is either delusional or full of cr@p.

Exactly! But what I meant by different had to do with Rolo having significantly less in everything compared to what JJ had. In this case, I don’t fault Rolo leaving as much as JJ. Your last statement is the truth!

[poidog]

This is Phase 3! The natural progression of the Group of 5 experience: losing your head coach and having to maintain success. That's the next phase.

Very true... And it isn't impossible to stay successful. Boise has done it and has been doing it ever since Hawkins left (and they got better under Petersen).

[ubercow]

Larry Price - fired, never head coached again
Dick Tomey - successful and moved on
Bob Wagner - fired, never head coached again
Fred Von Appen - fired, never head coached again
June Jones - successful and moved on
Greg McMackin - fired, never head coached again
Norm Chow - fired, never head coached again
Nick Rolovich - successful and moved on
Next up?

Next up is apparently two coaches that will get fired and never coach again.

[shoichikun808]

UH will always be a stepping stone, or head coaching graveyard. Take your pick. In the Division 1 era:

Larry Price - fired, never head coached again
Dick Tomey - successful and moved on
Bob Wagner - fired, never head coached again
Fred Von Appen - fired, never head coached again
June Jones - successful and moved on
Greg McMackin - fired, never head coached again
Norm Chow - fired, never head coached again
Nick Rolovich - successful and moved on
Next up?

Based on this trend...of Fired, Fired, Success, Fired, Fired, Success...

I'd hate to be the next 2 coaches lol...

Unless maybe its a more of a Mack situation. We go through some very good seasons of rankings, large crowds, etc. Then the fanbase gets big headed and suddenly the team starts to struggle to get to .500 and the coach gets fired/"retires". Fills both a successful and fired criteria

Also keep in mind Chow is coaching again. He's the OC for the XFL's LA Wildcats

[BigWave96744]

UH will always be a stepping stone, or head coaching graveyard. Take your pick. In the Division 1 era:

Larry Price - fired, never head coached again
Dick Tomey - successful and moved on
Bob Wagner - fired, never head coached again
Fred Von Appen - fired, never head coached again
June Jones - successful and moved on
Greg McMackin - fired, never head coached again
Norm Chow - fired, never head coached again
Nick Rolovich - successful and moved on
Next up?

Based on this trend...of Fired, Fired, Success, Fired, Success...

I'd hate to be the next 2 coaches lol...

Unless maybe its a more of a Mack situation. We go through some very good seasons of rankings, large crowds, etc. Then the fanbase gets big headed and suddenly the team starts to struggle to get to .500 and the coach gets fired/"retires". Fills both a successful and fired criteria

Also keep in mind Chow is coaching again. He's the OC for the XFL's LA Wildcats

Wags never HC'd again, but went on the be an assistant at Arizona and UTEP, then became the AD at Kamehameha BI

Mack would have been picked up by another school if his health were better

[cabanalane]

Bring Norm Chow back. One more time. He owes UH money for terminating his contract.

[shrek2]

The lion sleeps tonight.