Afoa would have liked
By Paul Arnett
to stay at UH, but . . .
Star-Bulletin
Ulima Afoa addressed several areas of concern with the University of Hawaii athletic department in the resignation letter he turned in yesterday to Rainbows head football coach Fred vonAppen.The Rainbows' offensive line coach, who is the last tie to former Hawaii head coach Bob Wagner, will be returning to San Diego State, where he coached from 1982-93.
Much like Trent Miles, who left earlier this year to join the Fresno State coaching staff in frustration over the way athletic director Hugh Yoshida was running the department, Afoa feels the Rainbows have to address several major areas in order to be competitive with the top teams in the Western Athletic Conference.
"What I said was really no different than the 30 points Coach vonAppen addressed last year," Afoa said yesterday. "When you want some stability in a program, even in a bad year, you need the athletic director to stand up and say Fred's our guy.
"If he is not the guy making that decision, then whoever is needs to let the staff know that Fred will be here beyond two years."
VonAppen is 18 months into his three-year contract. Neither he nor Yoshida has received a rollover from the UH Board of Regents. That perceived instability is one reason why Afoa, who will coach special teams and tight ends for the Aztecs, is willing to return to San Diego State to join head coach Ted Tollner's staff.
"He's in the first year of a 10-year deal," Afoa said. "That's unheard of in the California system. The athletic director and president were willing to say he's our man.
"They went to battle for him. I'm a professional coach. I don't want to be a vagabond coach next year. I want to go to a place where you can compete and have a chance to win. I also think the athletic director should allow the head coach to be involved in scheduling.
"The ones who want to be successful consult the head coach when they're making up schedules. He probably has the best fix on what kind of team you have and who you can compete against."
Afoa is the fourth coach to leave the staff this season. Besides Miles and Afoa, Ken Margerum departed to be the head coach at Menlo College and Walt Klinker joined the University of Kansas staff as the offensive line coach.
After coaching the defensive line his first year under vonAppen, Afoa was moved over to the offensive front this spring, replacing Klinker. This inconsistency is what concerns vonAppen most.
"This will be the fourth offensive line coach in two years," vonAppen said. "It's tough losing somebody this time of year. It's crippling. We will miss him - his hard work and integrity. We wish him the best."
VonAppen has interviewed one man for the job, but said finding a good offensive line coach at this late date is difficult.
As for Afoa, the former St. Louis School standout said he would miss Hawaii, but had to do what was best for his family.
"I just wish the administration had given Fred the tools to get this thing turned around quickly," Afoa said. "Our kids played hard, but we just didn't have the same level of talent.
"They need to upgrade the program here because we're already way behind. I realize Hawaii is a unique place. I grew up here. But why does it mean we have to take so long to get things done here?
"And where was a contingency plan when they knew the legislature was going to be taking money away from us over a three-year period? We knew we have to be self sufficient. We should have been like squirrels putting nuts away for the winter.
"My hat goes off to Coach Wagner and Coach vonAppen. They let me fulfill a dream. But you've got to do what's right for you and your family. I think this job is best."
The San Diego Union reported yesterday that Afoa would replace Kennedy Pola, who joined the University of Colorado staff. But Tollner wouldn't confirm it.
"I can't comment on anything other than to say he's the leading candidate," Tollner told the San Diego Union. "Nothing is official. No one has been hired. Hopefully, we can get this all done very soon. Right now, Afoa is the leading contender for the opening."