San Jose State is focusing on former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo as the varsity’s subsequent head coach, sources advised ESPN.
A deal is anticipated to come back collectively inside the subsequent 48 hours, sources say. Niumatalolo brings intensive head teaching expertise however will range his offense, as sources advised ESPN that he isn’t anticipated to run the triple choice at San Jose State.
Sources stated that Niumatalolo will prioritize hiring a youthful workers that features an offensive coordinator who’ll carry some sort of wide-open and pass-heavy system.
Niumatalolo is Navy’s all-time winningest coach, as he went 109-83 in his 15 full seasons there.
San Jose State athletic director Jeff Konya sought an skilled head coach who might keep on the momentum from former coach Brent Brennan. He’d led San Jose State to bowl video games in three of the final 4 seasons. Konya additionally aimed to maneuver shortly after Brennan left for Arizona on Tuesday.
With the anticipated upcoming rent of Niumatalolo within the close to future, Konya seems to have achieved each of the search’s major goals. With the San Jose gamers eligible to enter the switch portal, Konya has moved swiftly to usher in a coach who will carry each stability, imaginative and prescient and expertise.
San Jose State’s candidate pool prioritized coaches with head teaching expertise, and Niumatalolo has loads of that from his Navy tenure. He coached 192 video games at Navy, together with 11 bowl appearances and eight seasons with eight or extra wins.
Maybe most necessary for the Navy coach, he had a 10-5 document towards Military, essentially the most wins by any coach within the collection. Niumatalolo’s 109 profession wins imply that he’ll arrive as one of the completed and revered coaches within the Mountain West, as solely Bronco Mendenhall (135), Troy Calhoun (130) and Jeff Tedford (127) have extra profession wins.
In 2015, Navy went 11-2 below Niumatalolo with a 7-1 document within the American Athletic Convention and blew out Pittsburgh within the Navy Bowl. In 2016, Navy beat Notre Dame and reached the AAC title recreation, shedding to Matt Rhule’s Temple staff.
Niumatalolo, 58, is anticipated to tailor his workers round youthful power and West Coast ties. San Jose State officers prioritized a wide-open system, which channels the Bay Space’s recruiting sources of sturdy quarterbacks and talent place gamers. Which means a possible offensive coordinator rent who’ll mark a system pivot for Niumatalolo.
He is a former quarterback at Hawaii who started his teaching profession there and in addition labored at UNLV from 1999-2001. He additionally brings sturdy nationwide recruiting ties, as Navy forged a large web for its gamers.
San Jose State gained the Mountain West title below Brennan in 2020. He led them to 3 of the varsity’s 11 whole bowl births, which included the Hawaii Bowl this season and the Well-known Idaho Potato Bowl final yr.
Niumatalolo’s function at UCLA in 2023 included the title director of management. He spoke overtly about going to UCLA to be taught the nuances of the switch portal and NIL to arrange him for an additional head teaching alternative.
Niumatalolo stated in an interview with The Athletic in June that one more reason he went to UCLA was studying Chip Kelly’s offense, as Niumatalolo overtly acknowledged he could not run the choice at his subsequent head teaching cease.
“Not solely am I studying portal and NIL stuff, however you get to be taught Chip’s stuff,” he stated in that June interview. “There’s a variety of issues coming right here. I acknowledge there are solely three colleges working the choice. For me coming right here, it permits me, if there is a chance, coming right here will present some issues which will assist me if I look towards the long run.” –
