UH set to hire DL coach Suiaunoa

All signs point to Legi Suiaunoa joining the Warriors as the defensive line coach.

Suiaunoa, 37, is a highly regarded technician who has coached Montana’s d-linemen since 2011. In 2015, the Grizzlies amassed 102 backfield tackles, including 43 sacks. In 2014, Montana was seventh among FCS schools in sacks (3.2 per game).

Suiaunoa won a junior national championship as a Palomar linebacker in 1997. He played linebacker at Nevada from 1998 to 2001.

He served as a graduate assistant at Nevada, and then full-time assistant coach at Western Washington (2005-08), Eastern Oregon (2009) and Portland State (2010) before joining Montana.


Suiaunoa would be the sixth member of Nick Rolovich’s coaching staff, following Zak Hill (offensive coordinator), Brian Smith (running backs), Chris Naeole (offensive line), Abraham Elimimian (defensive backs) and Jake Cookus (special teams).


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Ryan Pasoquen, Jason Muraoka and Duke Bukoski
Ryan Pasoquen, Jason Muraoka and Duke Bukoski
Julian Gener and Ne'Quan Phillips
Julian Gener and Ne’Quan Phillips
Lance Williams and Justin Vele
Lance Williams and Justin Vele
Ben Clarke and Marrell Jackson
Ben Clarke and Marrell Jackson
Marrell Jackson
Marrell Jackson

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COMMENTS

  1. Daddy December 19, 2015 9:41 am

    🙂


  2. H-Man December 19, 2015 9:45 am

    Welcome back ST


  3. cocobean December 19, 2015 9:49 am

    ST. Hope all is well. Good to see the Beat goes on….


  4. Old School Dave December 19, 2015 9:49 am

    Welcome back, Stephen. Hope all is going well with your recovery and you’re resting well.

    Also, welome to Coach Suiaunoa. Another “Young Gun” coach. Looking forward to seeing improved play on the D-line. Any word on the new DC/LBs coach? Strength & Conditioning Coach?

    BTW, any chance that DC who was ready to come to UH, but was offered more money by a P-5 school was USU’s Ikaika Malloe? Word coming out that UW just hired Malloe as their D-line coach. I think that the former UW D-line coach was making something like $350,000. Malloe had been earning something like $65,000 at USU.


  5. Luki December 19, 2015 10:12 am

    Get well Stephen…


  6. Warrior Dave December 19, 2015 10:21 am

    So proud of these college graduates. A pro career has a definite end, a college diploma is there forever.

    Welcome back ST. Long road ahead but at least there’s a plan of action and great chance for a full recovery. Make the most of your 2nd chance for your family.


  7. Old School Dave December 19, 2015 10:34 am

    Congrats to the grads!! Well done!!


  8. Tempmanoa December 19, 2015 10:47 am

    Considering the money he has to spend, Rolo is doing a good job finding guys. He is the lowest paid Head Coach in the MWC– so assistants can’t be much higher. Suiaunoa was also a strength and conditioning coach while coaching the Dline– I don’t think we are going to be that cheap.

    BTW Smith has been switched from RB to TE coach.


  9. Warrior nation December 19, 2015 10:54 am

    Hope VaVae Tata will be the DC. Hope he’s interested in the job


  10. Ron December 19, 2015 10:57 am

    These photos remind me how much I like these guys regardless of their win and lose record. They came to Hawaii and did their best. I was also relieved to see you back to work.


  11. Frannyk December 19, 2015 10:57 am

    A great accomplishment for the graduates! Your families must be very proud of you, and so are we!

    ST take it easy. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.


  12. hitmanhart December 19, 2015 10:58 am

    welcome back ST hope all went going well with your recovery !!!!!
    welcome coach Legi Suiaunoa !!
    and best of luck to UH football college graduates!!


  13. PONO December 19, 2015 11:08 am

    Hoping you’re healing quickly ST.


  14. 3-Prong December 19, 2015 11:34 am

    Congratulations Grads. That’s what it’s all about!


  15. jm2375 December 19, 2015 11:43 am

    Congratulations to the graduates!

    ST, best wishes on your procedure and recovery. Listen to the professionals, and most importantly, your better half, Wena. I expect to see you back at the SSC press table covering #WarriorBall ASAP.


  16. Old School Dave December 19, 2015 11:46 am

    The folks at Virginia must not be feeling too good about their new head coach Bronco Mendenhall (along with his assistants who are coming over with him) at the moment.

    Kalani Sitake to be named Mendenhall’s replacement.


  17. dannyp December 19, 2015 11:50 am

    Joey Iosefa got promoted to the Patriots active roster. He might get carries behind Bolden/White.


  18. Tempmanoa December 19, 2015 12:04 pm

    Old School Dave, not sure what you mean– why Virginia fans would not be feeling good in connection with Sitake’s hiring. Stake left Utah to got to Oregon State where he has been the DC (at a salary of $763,000). He is going to be Mendenhall’s replacement, but what does that have to do with Sitake? Maybe I misunderstood the post.


  19. Tempmanoa December 19, 2015 12:21 pm

    It is not possible to keep up with the salaries for assistant coaches if we are competing with Pac 12 schools. Adrian Klemm gets over $750,000 at UCLA, Joe Salave’a gets $325,000 at Washington State– one of several assistants at WSU getting over $300,000. Stake at Oregon State got $763,000 a year. All the PAC 12 teams each have 3 or4 assistants on staff earning $400,000 a year. Schools in the MWC like Boise and Air Force are beginning to get close to these levels as they compete for assistants– paying $300,000 to retain or hire staff, and Colorado State pays one of its coordinators $500,000 a yer. If we have to pay even half of these salaries, we might as well give up.


  20. Old School Dave December 19, 2015 12:26 pm

    Tempmanoa: I was referring to Virginia fans (perhaps) not feeling very confident about their new head coach, Bronco Mendenhall, in watching his BYU team getting beat 35-0 in the first half by Utah in the LV Bowl. Maybe it means nothing to them, I don’t know. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

    The Utah press views Sitake’s hiring as a boon to BYU regarding recruiting Poly athletes.


  21. A-House December 19, 2015 12:37 pm

    ST:

    hope we weren’t too loud last night!

    well done graduates!!!


  22. A-House December 19, 2015 12:45 pm

    throwing out pay numbers for any Power5 conference will not help UH nor most of the mid-majors who do not have the big TV contracts

    it’s easy for most Power5 conference schools to shell out the big bucks who may average, in the PAC, $12 million annually from TV $$ alone — plus they have very wealthy alumnae who contribute mucho $$ to the school while UH alumnae give to their high school

    some say Hawaii has the highest per capita millionaires in the US, but their millions are bound to real estate; not cash.

    Hawaii will never be in that level during our entire life time – that’s a fact! however, that does not say that UH cannot have an exiting team with a good win/loss ratio


  23. A-House December 19, 2015 12:49 pm

    watching the Alcorn game earlier – defense totally mugs the WR from the 5 yard line to the end zone – official wearing the big H on his shirt sees the play, but does not call pass interference – why is that?


  24. oneseason December 19, 2015 1:30 pm

    Comparing UH’s football coaching budget to the rest of the Mountain West Conference public universities would seem to be fair. Hopefully once the hirings are done, we can see what the numbers look like.


  25. rabbitears December 19, 2015 2:09 pm

    No HS coaches please. Huge difference!


  26. MAKA December 19, 2015 2:41 pm

    For those that might be interested in asst. coaches pay, as compiled by USA today.

    http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/football/assistant


  27. oldtimer808 December 19, 2015 2:53 pm

    ST glad to see you’re up and about. May you be blessed with rapid healing and a healthy life style. Congratulations to all our student/athletes who received their college degree. Outstanding!!


  28. PONO December 19, 2015 3:18 pm

    DL coach seems like a good hire if he has recruiting contacts in the San Diego area and the PNW.


  29. SteveM December 19, 2015 4:45 pm

    Best wishes to ST!
    Looks like its only intermission time and the fat lady has to sing yet, but we appreciate him tending to the blog when he can.


  30. z December 19, 2015 4:52 pm

    UH hires Legi. Uh website.

    http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/12/19/FB_1219153555.aspx


  31. z December 19, 2015 4:52 pm

    Take care ST.


  32. al December 19, 2015 5:31 pm

    ST…truly a Man of strength and commitment.


  33. al December 19, 2015 5:32 pm

    Congratulations to all these graduates.
    Quite a n accomplishment.


  34. al December 19, 2015 5:33 pm

    Welcome aboard coach Legi


  35. Haleakala December 19, 2015 6:05 pm

    Final score Utah 35, BYU 28. In the middle of the 1st wuarter, the score was the Utes 35, Cougars 0 , due to quick consecutive turnovers by BYU.

    The results of a quarter, a half, one game, or even a season doesn’t determine the success of a coaching career.


  36. papajoe2 December 19, 2015 6:06 pm

    al #30~ like!


  37. islandman December 19, 2015 6:22 pm

    Welcome back to the soothsayer. Do you know who the DC might be ?


  38. mileHIwarrior December 19, 2015 6:33 pm

    #TeamPrideRock is coming together baby!!

    Welcome Coach Legi!


  39. 808 warrior fan December 19, 2015 7:26 pm

    It’s official … S & C Coach Gary Beemer is “Aloha”

    http://coachingsearch.com/coaching-search-ticker


  40. 808 warrior fan December 19, 2015 7:29 pm

    Just thinking out loud … now that Kalani Sitake has been named the new BYU HC I wonder if he’ll hire a certain former UH HC with the initials NC as his OC … hmmmm


  41. Leahi2 December 19, 2015 8:17 pm

    #38. I was thinking along the same line. NC is a Mormon and besides he was an asst coach there. Now heres hoping a MWC team would hire him as HC. After all we need a win.


  42. 3-Prong December 19, 2015 8:28 pm

    Hmmmmm, Sydney or The Bog House, Sydney or The Big House….decisions, decisions.


  43. 3-Prong December 19, 2015 8:29 pm

    ….Road Warriors Unite.


  44. Da Dog Catcher December 19, 2015 11:20 pm

    If Rolovich had any clue who Kurt Gouveia is and what he has accomplished as a player he’d know to keep this guy on board his coaching staff. This guy has won just about every Championship there is. From Pop Warner to J.V and Varsity at Waianae,on to a College National Championship at B.Y.U,then couple of Super Bowl Championship’s with the Washington Redskins. And he was a starter on “all of these teams”! This man has a passion for the game of football and was a great outstanding player on all levels. Not no stand out coach from a minor league school. If Rolovich doesn’t know this then he’s as clueless as his record at Nevada.


  45. Legistlature December 20, 2015 4:22 am

    Nick Rolovich yesterday conducted Skype interviews with six candidates for wide receivers coach.
    DL coach Suiaunoa was it a Skype interview also? Inquiring minds hmm.. or was it via coconut wireless.
    Can we know any names of the six WR coach ??


  46. leron December 20, 2015 6:25 am

    Awaiting the debut for #47 of the Patriots today.


  47. Waikapu December 20, 2015 7:48 am

    Best wishes to Mr. Tsai for a speedy recovery. Hope you doing well we need you man.


  48. Old School Dave December 20, 2015 7:55 am

    Gary Beemer to Rutgers. I believe that his salary at UH was paid for by boosters:

    http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2015/12/rutgers_hires_another_strength_coach_with_u_of_flo.html


  49. tom December 20, 2015 8:05 am

    GOOD MORNING, HAWAII!

    Happy to see ST up and back on the job!!

    A-HOUSE writes in #22
    “watching the Alcorn game earlier – defense totally mugs the WR from the 5 yard line to the end zone – official wearing the big H on his shirt sees the play, but does not call pass interference – why is that?

    Bad otomologist?


  50. 3-Prong December 20, 2015 8:12 am

    Jo-ey! Jo-ey! Ho kinda hard chearing for both offenses. Go Marcus too!


  51. NorthShoreFan December 20, 2015 8:17 am

    Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful day.

    find it strange I pulling for the Patriots….td!….but now….Go Titans!

    did Joey just whiff on his block?..


  52. oneseason December 20, 2015 8:28 am

    Congratulations Mr. I!


  53. Stephen Tsai December 20, 2015 8:57 am

    New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=34995


Comments are closed.