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Five Takeaways

By Lance Tominaga, ESPN Honolulu Web Editor.

University of Hawaii Athletics Director David Matlin held a press conference earlier today via Zoom. The media event, which lasted nearly an hour, included a brief opening statement by Matlin followed by a Q&A session with members of the local media. Here are five of the biggest takeaways from the press conference:

  1. Matlin opened the press conference by apologizing for the way the hiring process to replace Todd Graham played out. He specifically directed the apology to former UH head coach June Jones. “I know that June bleeds green, and he only wants to see great success for the UH football program. I hope we can find a way where he can continue to be a part of the program.”
  2. Matlin said the idea of a succession plan for the coaching position was originally brought to his attention by Jones himself in 2015, when UH was in the process of finding a replacement for Norm Chow. Jones’ suggestion, according to Matlin, was him to mentor the next UH coach (Nick Rolovich) from three to five years.
  3. UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl chimed in at one point of the press conference to take full responsibility for Saturday’s ill-fated press conference, in which he said Jones displayed “zero credibility” for the hiring process. “That [press conference] was something I initiated,” he said, later adding, “If I could have a do-over, I’m sure there are a lot of things I would have said and done differently, especially in hindsight. I definitely meant no disrespect to Coach Jones or anybody involved in the process.”
  4. Matlin said it’s unlikely UH will be able to expand the seating capacity of the T.C. Ching Complex to the Division I minimum of 15,000 in time for the 2022 season. “I think it’s more likely [to happen in] 2023,” he said. “I think we’ll have some expansion this year, maybe a thousand seats in one end zone, and then the following year we’re planning on hitting [15,000].”
  5. When asked about whether he had offered to resign or considered resigning as UH Athletics Director, Matlin responded, “No, I have not offered my resignation. Have I pondered it with everything that’s been going on? Yes. But I serve at the pleasure of the university, and as long as I serve I’m going to get up every day and do my best to make things better. That’s just how I am, and that’s what I owe [to] my employer and, really, the whole state.”

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