Posted on: Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Tomey joins San Jose State
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Advertiser Staff and News Services
Dick Tomey, the career leader in coaching victories in football at the University of Hawai'i and Arizona, has been hired to revive San Jose State's struggling program.
San Jose State scheduled a news conference for today, but didn't disclose the reason.
Hawai'i will play at San Jose State in 2005, although a date has not been finalized. Both schools are members of the Western Athletic Conference.
The 66-year-old Tomey is an assistant head coach for defensive ends at Texas under Mack Brown, helping to prepare the team for Saturday's Rose Bowl. The Longhorns declined comment through a spokesperson.
Tomey was 63-46-3 at Hawai'i from 1977 to 1986, leading the program's move to a full Division I schedule. UH joined the WAC in 1979 after being an independent.
Tomey spent the next 14 seasons at Arizona compiling a 95-64-4 record. He helped build the famed "Desert Swarm" defense. The Wildcats won four bowl games during Tomey's tenure, including victories in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl and the 1998 Holiday Bowl, and compiled the second-most Pac-10 victories in the 1990s.
After Tomey left Arizona following the 2000 season, he spent two years as a broadcaster, including doing color commentary for UH football telecasts. He joined the San Francisco 49ers last year as an assistant defensive coach, then joined the Longhorns as Brown's assistant and the defensive ends coach in January.
Tomey's hiring is the first big decision for athletic director Tom Bowen, another former 49ers employee hired just last week.
Tomey has a challenge ahead of him at San Jose State, where Hill resigned in part over frustration at his inability to drum up support for the program from the school or the community. The Spartans' Division I status has been under scrutiny because of the school's poor home attendance.
A San Jose State University source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed yesterday that Tomey was chosen to succeed Fitz Hill, who resigned earlier in the month after four losing seasons.
