Dick Tomey used to be the University of Hawai'i football coach and he once was "promised" the school's athletic director job.

Now, there's a chance for him to do both — at once — and perform a huge favor for his old school.

With the comings and goings — mostly goings — in Manoa yesterday, the Warriors have two huge openings and the need for the kind of leadership and experience Tomey could provide in a pinch.

And this is, to be sure, quite a pinch that Manoa finds itself in today with its most successful coach (June Jones) on the way to Southern Methodist and the man who couldn't keep him, Herman Frazier, on his way out the door.

Ideally, you mount a search and find the best possible candidates for both positions. But coming as these changes do less than a month before national letter of intent day (Feb. 6) for football recruits and amid the most chaotic UH athletic period in 30 years, "ideal" went out the window a while ago.

What the Warriors and their administration are trying to do now is just hold disaster at bay. With each passing day, the public's disenchantment grows. Factions form and potential recruits become more wary.

Jones took UH from 0-12 to 9-4 in the greatest single-season turnaround in NCAA football history. It would be a crying shame if UH thanked him by reverting back to the dark ages from whence he rescued them.

It shouldn't be that way a week after the athletic program's shining moment, an appearance in the Sugar Bowl. But at UH there is little time for bemoaning the mess they've stepped in and not much more for additional finger-pointing. It is time to roll up some sleeves and find creative solutions, pronto.

Without an athletic director in place, few football coaches of any quality will entertain an offer when they don't know who their boss is going to be. And taking time to hire an administrator will likely result in the kind of delays UH can ill-afford in securing a coach.

UH President David McClain said yesterday UH might be able to fast-track a coaching hire in "5-to-10 days." So much the better if you can pull a two-for-one deal that wraps up everything at once.

At 69 with 27 years as a head coach (UH, Arizona and San Jose State) and a 161-118-7 record, Tomey is not your long-term solution. But he can provide what UH needs most in the short term, stability and credibility until a timely transition can be made and he rides off into a celebrated retirement. Never mind that he is coaching at San Jose State and has loyalty to the Spartans, who gave him a late-career opportunity. His heart is here, where he has always maintained a home since leaving UH in 1986. And this certainly qualifies as a rare situation.

Moreover, Tomey knows Hawai'i, our uniqueness, quirks and drawbacks. And we know him. Having rescued UH athletics from the dustbin in the late 1970s, paving the way for Western Athletic Conference membership, he earned his place in the school's Circle of Honor and a lot of enduring respect.

Clearly, Tomey wouldn't perform both jobs full time but could lean on existing staff or additional hires to handle much of the day-to-day work. Bring in Tomey and you could likely keep Rich Miano, George Lumpkin, the Brothers Lee (Cal and Ron) and whatever others don't follow Jones to Dallas.

More than likely you also attract a Duane Akina, Joe Seumalo or other far-flung ex-UH coaches and players. All people with heartfelt investments in UH with little learning curve.

As a former UH player and assistant coach, Seumalo, now at Oregon State, put it, "He (Tomey) needs to come home."

For sure UH needs him to.

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