Todd Graham, new head coach, ready to win UH championshop
By: Megan Lucas
22 April 2020
Lower Campus was filled with lei, the sounds of the marching band and the chants of the cheerleading team as The University of Hawaiʻi football program formally introduced Todd Graham as the University of Hawaiʻi’s 24th Head Coach in a press conference in the Athletics Lecture Hall on the Mānoa campus today at 2:00 p.m. HT.
Graham started off by thanking UH Athletics Director David Matlin and President David Lassner, both in attendance.
Matlin announced this addition to the University on Tuesday night. The @HawaiiFootball Twitter account posted the story at 6:00 p.m. HT. The official post can be read here, http://bit.ly/NewCoachUH.
Matlin announced him to the media and public by saying, “He is here for our guys, Todd is a players’ coach, he has an incredible knack for teaching and developing players to be the very best they can be; he shares our values of ohana.”
A handful of current football players were in the building today, including Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, who is presumed to be the starting quarterback in Cole McDonald’s place.
Graham is familiar with how to operate a successful offense. His Tulsa teams led the nation in total offense in consecutive years in 2007 (543.9) and 2008 (569.9).
Graham, a former Conference USA and PAC-12 Coach of the Year comes to the islands with twelve years of coaching experience. His most recent stint was at Arizona State University, a member of the Pac-12 conference. He was head coach at Arizona State University from 2012-2017.
Rainbow Warrior football fans want to make sure the offense will still lead the team next season, since they played such a big role in much of the team’s success last season. The Warriors finished the season ranked 13 nationally in total offense (471.0 ypg).
“I’m excited for the team, he’s a great guy and he has great values that align with those of our program and university,” said Derek Inouchi, Head Media Relations Director.
Graham said: “We are gonna attack; we are going to play with great speed, and great physicality. We will be the hardest working; we will be the most disciplined, the most physical, best prepared team in the country.”
Throughout his speech it was clear that he is motivated, driven and will do whatever it takes to bring the football team that represents the entire state of Hawaiʻi to the top of The Mountain West Conference, where they deserve to be. He is a family man, husband to Penni, and father to six children.
Many reporters were concerned that his two years off of head coaching may have been a downside for him but he is not concerned: “The last 24 months have been probably the greatest learning experience of my life. I believe the good lord put me on this earth to impact young people and to teach them, and I want to tell you, I would never take that for granted. I got to tell you that I've missed it,” he said.
