Posted on: Saturday, June 21, 2003
Lumpkin, Miano to run UH defense
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i football assistants Rich Miano and George Lumpkin will coordinate the Warriors' defense this coming season, although Lumpkin will hold the title of defensive coordinator, UH head coach June Jones announced yesterday.
With the addition of Saint Louis School athletic director Cal Lee as a defensive assistant, Jones completes his staff of nine full-time assistants and fills the void created when Kevin Lempa resigned as defensive coordinator in February to coach the defensive backs at Boston College.
"Any time you get a challenge, you look forward to meeting it," said Lumpkin, who was UH's defensive coordinator in 1995, Bob Wagner's last season as head coach. "I look forward to this challenge."
Jones said Miano will be in charge of the pass defense and Lumpkin will handle the run defense. During practices, Miano and Lumpkin will oversee the defense and co-author the upcoming game plan, Jones said.
During games, Jones said, Lumpkin will call the defensive plays from the coaches' booth on the loge level and Miano will be on the field tutoring the players.
"This is not unique," Jones said of the coordinator-by-committee approach, noting the same system was used during the Warriors' 15 official off-season practices in March and April.
"They both will do a very good job," Jones added.
Lumpkin will remain as associate head coach. He said he also will continue to coach the linebackers until Lee becomes familiar with Jones' defensive schemes. After that, Lumpkin said, the plan calls for Lee to coach the strong-side linebackers while Lumpkin instructs the weak-side linebackers and middle linebackers.
"June, as always, will have a lot of input," Lumpkin said, noting Jones calls all of the Warriors' offensive plays. "He's very smart and he understands what hurts him (defensively). He understands that what hurts him can be used to hurt other (team's offenses)."
Lee, the most successful high school football coach in Hawai'i history, is no stranger to the UH coaching staff. His brother, Ron Lee, coaches the UH wide receivers. Miano played for the Lee brothers at Kaiser High in the late 1970s before playing at UH and then for 11 years in the National Football League. Quarterback coach Dan Morrison joined UH on Lee's recommendation. Jones also helped implement the run-and-shoot offense at Saint Louis in the early 1980s.
"It's time," Lee said of his decision to leave Saint Louis, where he won 14 O'ahu Bowl titles and one state championship before resigning as head coach following the 2001 season.
Jones said he tried to "hire Cal the last three or four years. Timing is everything, and the timing was finally right. I'm happy he's joining us. Not only is Cal a quality coach, he's a quality person."
According to UH compliance officer Daniel Arakaki, NCAA rules allow Lee to coach at UH and remain head coach of the Hawaiian Islanders of arenafootball2. Lee said he has not decided if he will return to the Islanders next season. Lee reportedly earns $40,000 as the Islanders' head coach and $40,000 as part of a separate deal with the Wang family, the team's owners.
In addition, Lee earned more than $100,000 annually as both Saint Louis' athletic director and manager of the Crusader lounge, a clubhouse administered by the Saint Louis Alumni Association. Lee is expected to remain as the clubhouse manager.
Lee declined to disclose his combined Saint Louis salary, but said the UH coaching job will pay him "slightly more" than what he earned as the Crusaders' athletic director.
Lee's contract as athletic director ends June 30, and Lee will join the Warriors when the Islanders' season ends next month.
