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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Glanville planning on staying

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

"Every day is a thrill," the University of Hawai'i's Jerry Glanville says of his time as the Warriors' defensive coordinator.

JOAQUIN SIOPACK | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Barring a head coaching offer, Jerry Glanville is expected to return for a second season as the University of Hawai'i football team's defensive coordinator.

"He'll be here, like he has said and voiced," UH coach June Jones told reporters during his weekly news conference. "I'm sure you guys have asked him. He's going to be here as long as I'm here, so my intentions are to be here. I would anticipate that — unless he gets a head coaching job somewhere — that he would be here."

Told of Jones' comments, Glanville said: "Whatever June says is right. ... I do whatever the boss says."

Jones has three years remaining on his contract. Glanville, like all assistant coaches in the UH athletic department, has a one-year contract. Glanville is UH's highest-paid assistant, earning about $125,000 annually.

Glanville, who has been head coach of two National Football League teams, signed with UH after a 12-year hiatus from coaching. He has said he signed as a favor to Jones, who served as an assistant to Glanville with the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons.

After returning to coaching, he received inquiries from two NFL teams. Last month, a third party asked if Glanville would be interested in filling the coaching vacancy at Temple.

Yesterday, Glanville said he is content at UH.

"Every day is a thrill," he said. "Every day is good. Life could not be better except if we win."

The Warriors have played unevenly while trying to adjust to Glanville's 3-4 defense. Jones said the scheme is similar to the previous year's 4-3 alignment. The difference, Jones said, is that weakside linebacker Kila Kamakawiwo'ole is aligned as a stand-up end this year instead of a down lineman in a three-point stance.

The other change is that the 3-4 employs essentially three defensive ends — Kamakawiwo'ole, Ikaika Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell — instead of the two ends and two tackles in the 4-3.

"Now the rules and the techniques and the things we're teaching in the line are different," Jones said. "But the bottom line is, the zone blitzing and the pressures and all of that stuff are pretty much the same. Jerry, really, has kind of put his stamp on some of the zone-blitz stuff and some of the aggressiveness we had done, so that part of it is different."

Glanville insisted the Warriors have progressed on defense. "We're getting better every day," he said. "If you could see where we were after (the second week's game against) Michigan State, it's light years, just light years. (The improvement) doesn't show up when you're sitting in the stands watching, but it does on the tapes. I wish the season started right today."

Jones and Glanville already have crafted a recruiting wish list topped by cornerbacks and pass-rushers.

"You have to have those guys to continually go," Jones said. "I think we have some good linebackers waiting in the wings to go, too. ... But the need areas that you're always looking at ... guys who can make differences, are corners and pass-rushers. That kind of stuff."

ROLOVICH WILL TRANSFER TO I-AA SCHOOL

Quarterback Jack Rolovich said he will transfer to a Division I-AA school, a move that will allow him to play during the 2006 season. He said he is considering UC Davis, Montana, Montana State and Eastern Washington.

If he transferred to another Division I school, he would have to redshirt in 2006, according to NCAA rules. There is no waiting period for a player transferring to a lower division.

"I want to be back in there," said Rolovich, a third-year sophomore. "I don't even know what it's like to throw a touchdown anymore. That's the reason I came out here, to play football. I didn't really feel like I was getting an opportunity to play."

Last week, Rolovich requested a release from his football scholarship, an action that would allow him to talk to other football teams. Jones signed the release Wednesday. Rolovich will remain on scholarship through the end of this semester.

"I totally enjoy Hawai'i," Rolovich said. "I'm not content with just going to school. It was nothing against the program or the guys. I love the guys. I love it out here. But I don't think I'm going to play. The only time I would play is if Colt (Brennan, the starting quarterback) were to get hurt, and I would never want that to happen. Colt's my friend. I would never wish him to get hurt. I'd rather go and try to compete again somewhere else."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.