My Top 5 Hawaii Head Coaches
June Jones (1999-2007) The All-Time Winningest Head Coach in Hawaii history has quite the resume in Manoa. Two WAC titles, the first and only outright conference Championship, four bowl victories and Hawaii’s only BCS/ NY6 bowl appearance. Jones finished his tenure in Hawaii with 76 wins including multiple wins over ranked opponents. In terms of career yardage, 3 of the top 6 passers were under Jones, 7 of the top 8 receivers were recruited and played for Jones and 8 of the top 10 career reception leaders were coached and recruited by Jones. Timmy Chang became the NCAA’s All-Time passing completion and passing yards leader, Colt Brennan (#1) became the single-season and NCAA All-Time passing touchdowns leader to go along with his Heisman finalist nomination and Jones holds the record for biggest single season turnaround taking the 1998 squad under HC Fred Von Appen who went 0-12 and going 9-4 with an Oahu Bowl victory over Oregon State and Dennis Erickson.
5 of my top 10 players played under Jones. He hold Hawaii’s highest preseason ranking, Hawaii’s highest ever ranking and Hawaii’s highest post season ranking. He is also the only Hawaii HC to defeat Boise State since Boise became a member of the FBS. Jones also holds the record for players drafted by the NFL out of Hawaii, Hawaii all conference selections and Hawaii’s highest statistical offensive output. His players have went on to achieve major success in the NFL and Canada capped off by multiple Grey Cup victories.
Bob Wagner (1987-1995) The longtime Hawaii assistant first made his way to the islands under then HC Larry Price before being promoted to Defensive Coordinator under HC Dick Tomey. Inheriting the squad after Tomey left for Arizona, Wagner wasted no time making his mark.
Promoting Paul Johnson to OC, Wagner and Johnson put together the pieces for Hawaii’s explosive triple/ flex option offense. The result was nine win seasons in 1988 and 1989. It also secured Hawaii’s first ever FBS bowl birth in 1989. His best season came in the record year of 1992. Hawaii won it’s first ever conference title, its first ever double-digit win season, secured its first ever mainland birth and its first ever bowl win in the 1992 Holiday bowl, a defining triumph over Illinois. It was also the first time Hawaii finished the season nationally ranked, a feat Hawaii wouldn’t achieve again until 2006.
Wagner would finish his UH tenure with 58 wins. Wagner would rejoin Tomey in 1998 with the Arizona Wildcats as an assistant before finishing his career as the DC of the UTEP Miners. Wagner then acted as the Athletic Director of Kamehameha Kea’au High School from 2002-2012.
Wagner is ranked third all time in career wins at Hawaii. Until 2020, the 1992 Holiday Bowl was Hawaii’s only mainland Bowl win. After Wagner left, Hawaii wouldn’t have another winning season until 1999.
Nick Rolovich (2016-2019) Getting the Warriors out of the hole Norm Chow dug them in was no easy task but to secure Hawaii’s first non losing season since 2010, capped off with Hawaii’s first bowl win in 10 years was an incredible feat that Nick Rolovich accomplished in his first year in Manoa. Not having a solid idea who his starter should be to start 2016 compounded by playing the Pac-12’s California Golden Bears in Australia and the Big 10’s powerhouse Michigan in Ann Arbor in back to back weeks to start the season seemed like a recipe for another poor season in Manoa. However the tide began to turn with a victory over both Nevada and San Jose State, securing Hawaii’s first back to back conference wins ever in the Mountain West. Hawaii would also beat Air Force in Colorado Springs for Hawaii’s first win against Air Force since 2001 and their first win in Colorado Springs since 1992. Hawaii would cap the 2016 season with a 52-35 victory over Middle Tennessee in the 2016 Hawaii Bowl.
Rolovich would secure Hawaii’s first winning season in nine years in 2018 and in 2019, he coached an offensive masterclass led by Cole McDonald, featuring Chevan Cordeiro, JoJo Ward, Jason-Matthew Sharsh, Cedric Byrd II, Jared Smart, Dayton Furuta and Nick Mardner. Hawaii would secure their first double-digit win season since 2010 with victories over Arizona, Oregon State, San Diego State, Army and the Zach Wilson lead BYU squad in the 2019 Hawaii Bowl. Hawaii would also win it’s first ever Mountain West division title. Cole McDonald would go on to be the first Hawaii QB drafted since Colt Brennan and the second Hawaii QB to be drafted ever.
Diocemy St. Juste would become Hawaii’s All-Time single season rushing yards leader under Rolovich, Jehlani Tavai and John Ursua would be the first duo of Hawaii players to be drafted since 2010 and Nick Rolovich only had 1 losing season in his 4 years in Manoa.
Dick Tomey (1977-1986) A program needs a true leader with great vision and a skill set, forged through experience and relationship. When Hawaii and AD Ray Nagel was looking to make the next step as a program, they looked to Dick Tomey to deliver. He did and then some. Learning under great coaches such as John Pont, Bo Schembechler, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue, Tomey came to Hawaii via UCLA with his vision.
His first step was to keep the best local talent home and he did. Tomey coached up multiple top 100 players, including several in the top 20 including Al Noga, Jesse Sapolu, Gary Allen, Niko Noga and Rich Miano. Four of those players attended Hawaii High Schools.
He was also responsible for keeping Blane Gaison amongst others home when he first came in. Tomey helped lead Hawaii through tumultuous times. During Tomey’s tenure, he helped keep Hawaii as a D1 school, guided the team through it’s transition to the WAC and through three straight seasons of at least five losses. Tomey then won 8 and 9 games in 1980 and 1981.
When Tomey moved on to Arizona, his assistant Bob Wagner (#2 HC) took over and took the program to new heights. Tomey left Hawaii as the All-Time winningest coach in program history. At Arizona, he won a Pac-10 title and a Fiesta Bowl. He finished in the AP Top 25 polls on four occasions and in the top 10 twice. He left Arizona as the All-Time winningest coach in program history. As an assistant at Texas, he won a Rose Bowl before becoming the HC at San Jose State University. He would give the program their first winning season in 6 years and their first bowl win in 16 years.
Tomey won WAC coach of the year in 1981, won 63 wins during his time in Manoa and never finished below 5th in the WAC.
Greg McMackin (2008-2011) Greg McMackin was given the reigns to a program that just came off a WAC title and a Sugar Bowl appearance. However his roster and staff departed in great numbers. Starters Colt Brennan, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Davone Bess, Jason Rivers, C.J. Hawthorne, Hercules Satele, Mike Lafaele, Soloman Elimimian, Myron Newberry and more left the program for the NFL Draft or through graduation. Assistant coaches Jeff Reinebold and Dennis McKnight left with June Jones (#1 HC) to SMU.
Needing a new starting QB, four starters at receivers, a new center and multiple pieces on defense, the 2008 season looked grim. The team would have to play Florida in Gainesville, Oregon State in Corvallis, Boise St on the road and nationally ranked Cincinnati at home. So what does McMackin do? Wins seven games, finishes second in the WAC and qualifies for the Hawaii Bowl.
He promoted Hawaii High School coaching legends Cal and Ron Lee to coordinators and despite an intense QB battle which saw Inoke Funaki, Greg Alexander and Tyler Graunke see starting snaps, the offense put up over 35 points on 4 separate occasions. He also upset No. 22 Fresno State in Fresno, giving Hawaii it’s first ever win over a ranked opponent on the road.
McMackin would promote Nick Rolovich (#3 HC) and Dave Aranda to offensive and defensive coordinator in 2010 and reaped the rewards. Not only did both coaches go on to achieve national success, they led a Hawaii team that went 10-4, was nationally ranked and won the WAC. Bryant Moniz, Alex Green, Greg Salas, Kealoha Pilares, Royce Pollard, Rodney Bradley, Corey Parades, Aaron Brown, John Hardy-Tuliau and Mana Silva had stand out performances. They upset No. 19 Nevada as well. The Colin Kaepernick led squad’s loss to Hawaii was their only loss of the season. Greg Salas became UH’s career leader in reception yards that season.
McMackin would be forced out after an injury riddled season in 2011. He has stayed out of the media spotlight ever since.
