Hawaii hires Montana DL coach Legi Suiaunoa as defensive assistant
Montana defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa will be a defensive assistant for new Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich, according to a source.
The 37-year-old Suiaunoa has held his position at Montana since 2011. He spent 2010 as Portland State's defensive line coach and was Eastern Oregon's defensive coordinator in 2009.
He was Western Washington's defensive coordinator from 2005 to ’08 and a graduate assistant at Nevada in 2004. He got his start in coaching at Palomar College, where he saw oversaw linebackers from 2002 to ’03.
An Oceanside, Calif., native, Suiaunoa played linebacker at Palomar in 1997 and Nevada from 1998 through 2001. The highly regarded Rolovich is considered one of college football’s top young offensive minds.
The 36-year-old was hired last month after spending the last four seasons as Nevada’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. When Rolovich was a Hawaii assistant from 2008 to ’11, he spent the first two years as quarterbacks coach before adding offensive coordinator duties as well.
While quarterback for the Rainbow Warriors from 2000 to ’01, he passed for 4,176 yards with 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games. He was also a student assistant at Hawaii from 2003 to ’04 and played in NFL Europe and the Arena Football League.
Rolovich replaces Norm Chow, who was fired in early last month after a 2–7 start. The Rainbow Warriors finished with a 3–10 record this season, including an 0–8 mark in the Mountain West.
