Ron Lee is officially the Offensive Coordinator

About how he always attends the seminars on the latest defensive strategies whenever he goes to football conventions, Ron Lee said:
“I want to learn as much as I can about defense.” (HA)

HA Note: “Lee was the Warriors’ receivers coach the past nine seasons. Prior to that, he was coordinator of a run-and-shoot offense that dominated Hawai’i high school football for nearly two decades, first at Kaiser High School (where he served as head coach) and then at Saint Louis School. Lee is set to implement an offense that is similar in look (two wideouts, two slotbacks) and philosophy (throw first, run when needed) to the four-wide offense June Jones ran at UH before he resigned to take the head coaching job at Southern Methodist last month.”

About how his offense will rely more on power running plays, Ron said:
“we want to make the defense at least try to tackle.” (HA)

HA NotE: “Jones required his receivers to run specified routes. Lee wants the routes to have more options, which are based on defensive coverage. Lee emphasized the options are part of a structured plan.”

About the options the WRs will have, Ron said:
“It’s not like they can run all over the place. It’s not like streetball.” (HA)

HA Note: “Lee and the new staff members on offense — quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich, line coach Brian Smith and graduate assistant Craig Stutzmann — will meet frequently to discuss strategies. The newcomers are former UH players.”

About how he and the other offensive assistants will meet frequently to discuss strategy, Ron said:
“We’re going to spend a lot of time together. We’re going to get to know each other like we’re brothers.” (HA)

About how their new coaches should fit quickly with their system, Ron said:
“They’ve been part of the system. They love Hawai’i. The players will love these guys.” (HA)

About how they will replace Colt and the WRs, Ron said:
“We lost the Fab Five, to borrow Bob Nash’s group. It’s a chance for the guys to step up. Michael Washington, Aaron Bain, Malcolm Lane, Greg Salas, Jon Medeiros. All of the guys who were backup guys, this is their chance.” (HA)

Asked for his prediction on how they will do, Ron said:
“They’ll do fabulous. They were capable of playing last year. They’re getting their chance. They have a schedule they’re going to enjoy.” (HA)

HA Note: “There will be some experiments for spring practice. Running backs Daniel Libre and Kealoha Pilares will learn the slotback routes. Lee said there are some plays in which the running back will run slotback routes. He also said this will give the Warriors more flexibility with the lineup.”

About how they may use Libre and Pilares as slotbacks, Ron said:
“Pilares and Daniel sitting on the bench doesn’t help at times. This might help. We want to get the best people on the field. It’s a long season. It’s going to be physical. We want to keep that speed, that quickness the whole game. If we run 80, 90 plays, we want to have more people ready to play.” (HA)

About how LWJ will stay at RB, Ron said:
“He’s going to have a big year. I’m confident he’ll be better. He’s got the ability. He needs more reps in practice, a little more of an opportunity in practice. That’s why spring practice is going to be important. You can’t emphasize enough how important it is for players to position themselves. It’s all up to them.” (HA)

HSB Note: “When Ron Lee was offensive coordinator for Greg McMackin at Oregon Tech, the Hustlin’ Owls led the NAIA in passing for three consecutive seasons. It should come as no surprise that McMackin again would go to Lee when selecting an offensive coordinator for the Warriors football team. Lee, 63, has been the Hawaii receivers coach the past nine years.”

About choosing Ron for his offensive coordinator, Mack said in a press release:
“Ron has over 30 years of experience running the run-and-shoot offense. He has done a great job with June (Jones) in our offense and I truly believe he will continue his successful career.” (HSB)

QB Brent Rausch commits to the Warriors

About committing to join the Warriors, 6′4″, 190-pound freshman (College of the Desert) Brent Rausch said:
“Yes, I’m going to be a Warrior. I love it here. I love the people and the program.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rausch will be a sophomore in the fall, and have three seasons of eligibility for UH. Last season, he threw for more than 2,600 yards, with 28 touchdown throws against five interceptions.”

About how Brent was rarely sacked, College of the Desert coach Dean Dowty said:
“He’s got great movement in the pocket. He’ll just slide from side to side. It’s amazing to see. He has a great feel for pressure. And he doesn’t panic. That’s what makes him so effective.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rausch received offers from Youngstown State and Montana State. Dowty said Rausch would have been heavily recruited if it were widely known that he could transfer after one season.”

About Rausch being able to transfer after one season, Dowty said:
“My job as a JC coach is to help him succeed and move on. Although I would love to have him back for another year, that would be selfish. He’s a very good player, and he will succeed at the next level.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rausch had hoped to enroll at UH this semester, going as far as buying a plane ticket. But when he learned he needed two more classes, he took the trip, anyway, visiting UH with his parents two weeks ago. This weekend, he is on an official visit.”

About UH’s offense, Rausch said:
“I love the offense. It seems like the right fit for me.” (HA)

Dowty said that Rausch has a quick release and:
“he can make all of the throws. He can throw the sideline routes, and he can lay it over the top. I’ll tell you this, he can throw on the move. He can swing to his left or to his right, and throw it. He’s got a variety of tricks in his bag.” (HA)

About his confidence in his ability, Rausch said:
“I trust myself to make the throws.” (HA)

Dowty said that Rausch is thin, but:
“he’s a tough kid. He’ll get in there and compete. Hawai’i will be very happy with him. He was the sharpest passer I’ve seen of anybody last year, and I’ve seen some of the better (JC) quarterbacks last year.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rausch was named his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. He was selected to the All-State Region 4 first team, and was voted Most Valuable Player of the Golden Empire Bowl.”

About how he owns 2 dirt bikes, a lifted truck and a snowboard, Rausch said:
“I’m into a little bit of extreme sports. I try to stay away from it during the season to make (Dowty) happy.” (HA)

About how they changed their offense after he had success passing, Rausch said:
“We started last season in the Power-I. But I made a couple of good throws, and Coach started to spread it out. By the end of the season we were running just 10 times a game.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “COD went 9-2, and Rausch completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,632 yards and 28 touchdowns. He said he’s 6-feet-4 and 190 pounds. Rausch chose Hawaii over Youngstown State and Montana State. He said he has escaped the attention of bigger schools because he played 8-man football at Desert Chapel High School in Palm Springs, Calif.”

About how he was a high school basketball teammate of UH baseball catcher Landon Hernandez, Rausch said:
“Yeah, he’s one of my good friends. I talked to him last week a couple of times, and he told me a little bit about what I might expect. He told me it’s a great place and I would like it.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Rausch has three seasons of eligibility. He said he thinks he can fit into UH’s run-and-shoot offense, but admits he “has some big shoes to fill” following Colt Brennan, and competing for playing time with fifth-year senior Tyler Graunke and other returnees will be a challenge.”