Mac is back

Dennis McKnight is officially the Warriors' offensive line coach

Football season is five months away, but the Hawaii coaching staff officially completed one homecoming yesterday and another is expected soon.

And it wasn't a surprise, as UH made official the hiring of Dennis McKnight as offensive line coach.

McKnight, 47, was a graduate assistant at Manoa last year, but it was clear even before that he was overqualified for the position; McKnight had served on June Jones' UH staff in 1999 and 2000 as special teams coach and offensive line assistant.

Another veteran of Jones' charter staff will likely rejoin UH in the coming weeks. Greg McMackin, who was defensive coordinator in 1999, might fill that post again.

Jones declined comment earlier this week regarding McMackin.

McKnight, an 11-year NFL offensive lineman, coached at Grossmont College and San Diego State before returning to the Warriors prior to last season.

A last piece of paperwork required for state hiring practices arrived at UH late Tuesday, allowing athletic director Herman Frazier to announce the move via a news release yesterday.

"Who said you can't come home? After working as a graduate assistant last season, I'm very gratified and appreciative of the opportunity to work with the staff and kids on a full-time basis," McKnight said.

His responsibilities will be similar to what he handled during the Warriors' 11-3 season of 2006, according to Jones.

"He'll do what he did last year, working on the kickoff and kickoff return teams," Jones said.

"We'll have him help out in other areas as needed."

McKnight fills the opening created by the departure of offensive assistant Mouse Davis. After three seasons at UH, Davis left to be offensive coordinator at Portland State.

Jerry Glanville, who was defensive coordinator at Hawaii since 2005, is now the Portland State head coach.

With spring practice starting Monday, UH still has an opening to replace Glanville, and it will probably be McMackin.

Jones said he won't name a defensive coordinator right away.

Terry "Duff" Duffield, a former assistant at Dixie State and Eastern Arizona who lives in Hawaii, is a top candidate to fill McKnight's vacated graduate assistant post.