Search for It will be several weeks before Kevin Lempa leaves Hawaii for Boston College. But the question of who will replace the departing UH football defensive coordinator is one Warriors fans want answered quickly.
successor begins
Miano and Lee are among
possible replacements
of Kevin LempaBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comDon't hold your breath.
UH head coach June Jones was traveling and unavailable for comment yesterday, other than in a prepared statement.
"We will miss Kevin's football savvy, but most of all we will miss the person inside," Jones said. "I will address the vacancy over the next few months."
That doesn't seem to indicate a quick decision is in the offing. Although Lempa has been the subject of moving-on rumors since last year, this is somewhat of a surprise because it happened so quickly.
"They called last week," said Lempa, who returns to the school where he coached from 1981 to 1990. "I flew out for an interview and was offered a job (as defensive backs coach). I came back Wednesday and talked to my wife and June and decided yesterday (Thursday)."
This will be just the third coaching staff change during Jones' four-year tenure. Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin left after the 1999 season and was replaced by Lempa, and special teams coach Dennis McKnight left after 2000 and was replaced by Tyson Helton.
Obvious possibilities for Lempa's successor include current UH secondary coach Rich Miano and former Saint Louis School head coach Cal Lee.
Miano, a former NFL safety, has done an excellent hands-on job in developing UH's defensive backs the past three years. Yesterday he said he hopes to be considered for the coordinator's position, but is happy doing what he's doing.
"Of course I'm interested. It would be a normal progression. I don't know what my personal timetable is, but if I'm sitting at this desk coaching defensive backs 20 years from now I'll still be happy," said Miano, 40, who walked on as a player at UH out of Kaiser High School in 1982.
If Miano does get promoted to DC, it will be hard to replace his individual teaching of technique to young players.
That's one of the reasons Lempa, 50, said he took the Boston College job -- to get back to working with players one-on-one.
"I'm all about teaching," he said. "I just like to coach, work with the players on a day-to-day basis."
Lee enjoys that aspect, too. The state's most successful high school coach got the coaching itch during his first season of retirement, and the Saint Louis athletic director stepped in to help with special teams at Saint Louis last fall.
Lee also signed on to coach the Hawaiian Islanders of arenafootball2 this coming season. But he has an escape clause in his contract, and Jones has often talked about adding Lee to his staff.
"I would definitely be interested," Lee said. "Anyone would. I have two jobs that I'm happy with. But with anything you always have to keep an open mind and be ready to listen."
It is conceivable Lee could coach the Islanders before joining the Warriors, since the pro team plays in the spring and summer.
"Cal was my high school defensive coordinator," Miano said. "He's a great guy and a great coach. He has a job, but this will definitely make him think."
Former UH head coach Bob Wagner, who is now the athletic director at Kamehameha Schools' Big Island campus, said he is absorbed in his new job and not interested in applying for UH defensive coordinator.
Another possible candidate, former UH and Arizona head coach Dick Tomey, was en route to the mainland yesterday and unavailable for comment.
Lempa spoke with reporters yesterday after meeting with players to tell them he was leaving.
"I've grown to love these guys. They're the toughest football players I've ever been around," said Lempa, whose brother, sister and mother live near Boston. "But it's time for me to go back home. I think people in Hawaii can relate to that, because so many of them go away and then come back home."
The Warriors defense has been overshadowed by the offense in Lempa's three seasons, but his players liked him for his caring and maturity.
"I already miss him," junior cornerback Abraham Elimimian said. "He was more than a coach. A person you could talk to about things. He's a really good person, a good mentor. During the summer he would call everyone on the defense and give them some encouraging words and tell them what to work on for the next season."
Miano said he will miss working with Lempa.
"He's great at preparation and has a very good work ethic. He has some big-time strengths," he said.
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