Posted on: Friday, January 21, 2005

Bringing BYU back to Islands

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

As a college football recruiter, Robert Anae usually makes the phone calls. But when the Kahuku High graduate was named the offensive coordinator at Brigham Young University last month, a curious reversal took place.

"I got calls; a lot of calls, countless calls, from the North Shore," said Anae, who coached the offensive line at Texas Tech before taking the BYU post. "There's a lot of pride with folks out there when somebody gets an opportunity like this. Friends, family, well-wishers were calling me, you name it."

There were congratulations that came with being one of the first Division I-A coordinators of Samoan ancestry to be sure. But also tips on prospective recruits. And questions about renewing a rivalry with the University of Hawai'i. Perhaps, you suspect, also a bid to get a leg up on some future tickets.

For the first time since Norm Chow left BYU, the Cougars have someone in a position of influence in Provo who grasps from the heart the essence of the UH-BYU series. For the first time in a while, there is reason to believe these two enduring adversaries might one day get back to dates fans circled on their calendars months in advance.

"No doubt about it, recruiting Hawai'i is a major priority for our program," Anae said. "And, boy, it would be great to get back to those (UH-BYU) matchups. I don't think there was a time when either stadium had (many) empty seats."

The 46-year-old Anae has seen it from both sides, having coached and earned degrees at BYU and UH. His father, Famika, played at BYU in the mid-1950s and Robert, who was an all-Western Athletic Conference offensive lineman on BYU's 1984 national championship team, was followed by brothers Brad and Matt. It was at UH in 1986 that Robert got his start in coaching.

"Robert hasn't reached his peak yet, either," said Duane Akina, Texas' defensive coordinator and a Punahou School graduate.

You suspect Anae's presence and input are reasons why new head coach Bronco Mendenhall has quickly reversed the course of his predecessor, Gary Crowton, and favors resuming hostilities. Anae has undoubtedly driven the point that BYU's great teams had several contributors from Hawai'i and it probably isn't coincidental that as Utah began to beat the Cougars here, the Utes' fortunes climbed past BYU.

Anae has only been on the job only since Dec. 31, after winding up bowl obligations with Texas Tech, and already BYU has jumped back into the market with both feet.

"I'm not very smart but I do know that when you line up to play someone, it is better to have a lot of interest from the people as well," Anae said.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.