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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 7, 2008

Frazier out as UH athletic director

 •  Jones introduced as SMU football coach

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Herman Frazier is under contract through Aug. 31, 2010. It is not know if he will be fired with or without cause, which will determine how much the university will have to pay.

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Embattled Herman Frazier is out as University of Hawai'i's athletic director, according sources familiar with the situation.

Carl Clapp, associate athletic director/administrative services, is expected
to be named interim AD.

Frazier's future with UH will be announced tomorrow, UH-Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said today following June Jones' departure as football head coach.

Jones resigned to become football head coach at Southern Methodist.

"Herman Frazier and I have met and discussed his future at UH-Manoa, and there will be announcement regarding that situation tomorrow," Hinshaw said at a press conference today.

Frazier has been under scrutiny because of his failure to land a 13th game for the football schedule, the delayed hiring of basketball coach Bob Nash, the ticketing shortage to the Sugar Bowl, and his failure to sign Jones to an extension until it was too late.

Neither Hinshaw nor University of Hawai'i President David McClain would elaborate on what tomorrow's announcement would be.

But McClain, when asked who was in charge of the football, said, "Today, Herman Frazier is the athletic director."

Frazier did not attend the press conference with UH officials.

Frazier is under contract through Aug. 31, 2010. It is not know if he will be fired with or without cause, which will determine how much the university will have to pay.

McClain apologized to Hawai'i and Warrior fans "for matters getting to this stage in the first place" after Jones made his announcement to leave for SMU.

"Exceptional performance deserves exceptional recognition, and your university was slow to step up," McClain said. "My focus as your president is to keep the drama on the athletic field and in the stadium, where it belongs, and not at the ticket window, or in contract negotiations."

"Like all of Hawai'i, I'm greatly disappointed that Coach Jones has decided to take this new opportunity at SMU," McClain said. "June has done so much for our university and our community, and we wish him every success."

McClain, who took the lead in negotiations, said he believed UH addressed Jones' concerns about plans to improve UH's athletic facilities and the football program's resources.

"We gave it our best shot, and it has been very much a team effort," McClain said. "I want to thank in particular, the fans for their outpouring of love and affection for the coach. I can tell you, he was greatly moved."

Frazier was hired as UH's 17th athletic director in August 2002.

Before arriving at UH, Frazier spent 23 years as an administrator at Arizona State. He got his first athletic director job at Alabama-Birmingham in 2000.

He is a former Olympic champion.