Posted on: Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Souza leaving for Oregon St.
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff
Kamehameha Schools varsity football coach Kanani Souza will take a leave of absence until January to become a graduate assistant football coach at Oregon State.
"I've always wanted to work for Mike Riley," Souza said. "I'll have a chance to be with him and his staff and get back with Mark Banker, who was with UH with me, and Greg."
No successor has been named, but Souza was to have met with his assistants last night. It is not a special meeting, he said, as the coaches usually gather weekly in the offseason to prepare for the following season.
"I can't comment on any of that," Souza said of a successor.
When his term is up at OSU, he said he will return to his duties as varsity football coach and assistant athletic director at Kamehameha.
Souza said will leave as early as this month in time to make the team's spring workouts, which start March 28.
At Oregon State, he said he will help with recruiting, but won't be doing any "in field recruiting," or making visits face-to-face with recruits.
Souza has experience coaching at the Division I level. He was at UH under coaches Dick Tomey and Bob Wagner from 1984 to 1995. He began as a graduate assistant, then offensive line coach and became offensive coordinator in his last year.
Souza led the Warriors to their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu title since 1979 and first state championship last season with a 10-1-1 record. During his nine season as Kamehameha's head coach, he compiled a 79-25-2 record.
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
He will join an OSU staff headed by Mike Riley and reunite with former University of Hawai'i assistant Mark Banker, the team's defensive coordinator, and Greg Newhouse, defensive line coach. Also joining that staff is former UH offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, who will have a similar position at OSU.
