Coaching changes

[Irse]

Bo Graham is now OC
Trent Figg will be a coach
Tony Hull not returning. I guess there goes our Louisiana connection.

https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2021/3 ... anges.aspx

[kapakahi]

Bo Graham is also the QB Coach....in addition to being the OC. Wonder if he's also still responsible to coach the RBs too.

Figg still retaining his Chief of Staff responsibilities. BTW what is an "Associate Head Coach of the Defense"(which is Figg's new title)? Sounds almost the same yet is different from "Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator" (which is Victor Santa Cruz's title). Regardless of the position titles, it's obvious who is in charge of the defense.

"By moving Coach Figg to a full-time coaching position and keeping his Chief of Staff responsibilities, we absorb one position," Graham said. "The move saves the department nearly $100,000 and helps relieve some of the financial burden due to the pandemic."

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368365927805427713

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368380991945990149

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368396064513007618

[kapakahi]

Tony Hull not returning. I guess there goes our Louisiana connection.

Tony Hull evidently returning to his home state.....to University of Louisiana-Monroe.

https://twitter.com/coachtonyhull/status/1368381647196938240

[kapakahi]

With these announced staff changes, there are now only 3 (down from 5) offensive assistant coaches (OL Sam Bennett, OC/QB/RB? Bo Graham, WR Marcus Davis) yet now 6 (up from 5) defensive assistant coaches (CB/NB Abe Elimimian, AHC of D Trent Figg, SS/FS Laiu Moekiola, DL/ST Dan Phillips, AHC/DC Victor Santa Cruz, co-DC/LB Jacob Yoro)....which may imply that the staff changes might not quite be completed yet.

Hmmm....

[gpmcconnell]

What an absolute joke. Beyond embarrassing Bo is OC

[kapakahi]

What an absolute joke. Beyond embarrassing Bo is OC

Bo knows.....that he has job security.

Maybe not just a coincidence on the timing of Stovall entering the transfer portal on the same day just before the coaching changes are officially announced (with Hull leaving)....3 weeks after Marion left for Pitt & 2 weeks after GJ left for UCF.

Hmmm....

[BigWave96744]

I'm fine with this and not worried or surprised of coaches leaving. Hawaii will always be a revolving door for young coaches. We simply cannot afford salaries for assistants that other schools are offering.

Many here complained about Kinne and Marrion being too inexperienced but Graham must have done something right to groom them. Also lest we forget our first year coach did end with an above .500 record and mainland bowl win. Something Mack, Rolo or Chow can't say claim.

But if Coach Graham can continue mentoring and molding new young coaches, like he's done in the past, the team should not take a step backwards.

[kapakahi]

UH has always struggled to retain younger up & coming assistant coaches (particularly those with no previous UH or Hawaii ties)....although it's still less than ideal to lose 3 of 5 offensive assistant coaches after just 1 season....in order to retain some position coaching continuity for returning players while still transitioning to a new offensive scheme.

Also don't quite understand the purpose of the lengthy position titles (for assistant coaches).....which would seem to be superfluous fluff.....unless maybe as a substitution (or possibly supporting justification) for commensurate salaries (which would typically be associated with a job promotion and/or increased job responsibilities).

Hmmm....

BTW what is an "Associate Head Coach of the Defense"(which is Figg's new title)? Sounds almost the same yet is different from "Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator" (which is Victor Santa Cruz's title). Regardless of the position titles, it's obvious who is in charge of the defense.

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368396064513007618

[BigWave96744]

UH has always struggled to retain younger up & coming assistant coaches (particularly those with no previous UH or Hawaii ties)....although it's still less than ideal to lose 3 of 5 offensive assistant coaches after just 1 season....in order to retain some position coaching continuity for returning players while still transitioning to a new offensive scheme.

Also don't quite understand the purpose of the lengthy position titles (for assistant coaches).....which would seem to be superfluous fluff.....unless maybe as a substitution (or possibly supporting justification) for ocommensurate salaries (which would typically be associated with a job promotion and/or increased job responsibilities).

Hmmm....

BTW what is an "Associate Head Coach of the Defense"(which is Figg's new title)? Sounds almost the same yet is different from "Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator" (which is Victor Santa Cruz's title). Regardless of the position titles, it's obvious who is in charge of the defense.

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368396064513007618

In 2008 Rich Miano was the Associate Head Coach (overseeing the defense) and Cal Lee was the Defensive Coordinator. Titles probably has something to do with Salary Ranges they can offer a coach.

[Irse]

UH has always struggled to retain younger up & coming assistant coaches (particularly those with no previous UH or Hawaii ties)....although it's still less than ideal to lose 3 of 5 offensive assistant coaches after just 1 season....in order to retain some position coaching continuity for returning players while still transitioning to a new offensive scheme.

Also don't quite understand the purpose of the lengthy position titles (for assistant coaches).....which would seem to be superfluous fluff.....unless maybe as a substitution (or possibly supporting justification) for ocommensurate salaries (which would typically be associated with a job promotion and/or increased job responsibilities).

Hmmm....

BTW what is an "Associate Head Coach of the Defense"(which is Figg's new title)? Sounds almost the same yet is different from "Associate Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator" (which is Victor Santa Cruz's title). Regardless of the position titles, it's obvious who is in charge of the defense.

https://twitter.com/HawaiiFootball/status/1368396064513007618

In 2008 Rich Miano was the Associate Head Coach (overseeing the defense) and Cal Lee was the Defensive Coordinator. Titles probably has something to do with Salary Ranges they can offer a coach.

I think that's correct.

[gpmcconnell]

Really bad offseason so far in my opinion. Seems to be constant bad news between the transfers, coaches leaving and the stadium mess. I wonder if Coach Marion would have been promoted to OC had he stayed.

[shrek2]

It seems like all of this is motivated by budget concerns according to the HSA.
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/03/ ... d-defense/

“The move saves the department nearly $100,000 and helps relieve some of the financial burden due to the pandemic,” Graham said.

It is a trend the football program has embraced the past few months. To help UH’s finances, Graham and his assistant coaches declined their bowl bonuses. According to his contract, Graham was entitled to $40,000 for the Warriors’ victory in the New Mexico Bowl. The assistant coaches were eligible for a bonus equivalent to a month’s salary.

This is a sad day for UH athletics but honorable on the part of Graham and his assistants.

[Palolo_2LA]

Don't expect a high flying offense that was promised given Bo has a penchant for having the RBs run into walls and QB running for his life. 2 yard routes and incompletions on WR streaks won't cut it against the top tier of the MWC, let alone the PAC 10 teams.

I hope I'm proved wrong, but this smells like nepotism.

[BigWave96744]

- Bobby Bowden had son Jeff as his Florida St OC
- Steve Spurrier had son Steve Jr on his S.Carolina staff for 11 seasons and worked his way up to co-OC
- Lou Holtz had son Skip as his Notre Dame OC
- Frank Beemer had son Shane as Virginia Tech AHC/RB coach

There have been many more and veteran coaches will continue to do so without nepotism

[poidog]

wah wah wah why so much crying? we don't know anything about these coaches and we barely know anything about last year's coaching staff, being that access was so limited because of covid restrictions. Calvin Turner is coming back and we had a pretty good recruiting class. Graham doesn't really have a core group of "his guys" on the staff like JJ, Mack, or Rolo had and I think he will have a steady churn of assistants, except for Yoro, Elimimian, and probably Santa Cruz. In a way, it's good that his son is going to be OC because at least there will be a better chance of stability at that position. It's not like we run a super complicated offense, anyway. the days of having offensive "gurus" on the staff are likely over.