Hawaii hires Nick Rolovich as football coach

Former University of Hawaii quarterback and current University of Nevada offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich has been named the new head coach at Hawaii, Athletics Director David Matlin announced.

“Being raised a Warrior, there is a great sense of excitement and responsibility about bringing back a winning tradition to Hawaii football,” Rolovich said in a statement. “I can’t wait to get started. I’m honored to be selected to run this program which has made me into the man I am today.”

Rolovich starred for UH from 2000-01 and later joined the Greg McMackin’s coaching staff from 2008-11, the latter three years as the team’s primary play-caller. He joined Nevada in 2012 and spent the past four seasons as the offensive coordinator under head coach Brian Polian.

“I’m pleased to welcome back Nick Rolovich to the UH ‘ohana,” Matlin said in a statement. “Nick is a Warrior at heart and someone I know our fans will support. He understands what it means to be a Warrior having played and coached here and what affect a winning program has with this community. I have no doubt we picked the right man for this job. The future is bright for Hawaii football.”

UH concludes its regular season tomorrow night against Louisiana Monroe. Rolovich will coach his final game at Nevada tomorrow at San Diego State.

Hawaii to open 2016 season in Australia against Cal

The University of Hawaii and the University of California will open the 2016 football season in Sydney, Australia, on August 27, 2016, at ANZ Stadium in a game dubbed the “Sydney College Football Cup.”

The game is the first college football game played in Sydney, and first in the country in nearly three decades.  Two previous college football games have been played in Melbourne, Australia – Wyoming versus UTEP in 1985 and BYU versus Colorado State in 1987.

“The University of Hawaii is thrilled for this wonderful opportunity to open the 2016 college football season in Sydney against the University of California, Berkeley,” said UH Athletics Director David Matlin. “Our football program has tremendous pride in not only representing the state of Hawai‘i, but all of the Pacific region. From a cultural perspective, this game will afford our student-athletes an experience they will always remember and give most of them the chance to travel outside the United States for the first time in their lives. Traditionally, the University of Hawaii has been fortunate to welcome many student-athletes from Australia and we hope this game opens doors for many more.”

UH and Cal will meet for the fifth time and first since 1994, when the Rainbow Warriors won 21-7 in Berkeley, Calif. The series began in 1935.

Four Australians played college football for Hawaii, most recently former Australian Rules Football player Scott Harding, who was a punter and receiver for the Rainbow Warriors from 2011-14. Mat McBriar (2000-02) and Alex Dunnachie (2009-12) also punted for UH, while defensive lineman Colin Scotts (1983-85) was the first Australian to receive an American football scholarship and first Australian drafted in the National Football League.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services