Hawaii adds two new Coordinators to staff

Coach Norm Chow announced the addition of Offensive Coordinator Don Bailey and Defensive Coordinator Tom Mason, who will be joining Hawaii at the end of the month, just in time for spring training.

Mason comes to Hawaii from SMU, where he served as the interim coach in 2014 after June Jones' resignation in the second game of the year. Prior to SMU, Mason coached at Fresno State, Nevada, Northern Iowa, Boise State, Portland State, and Eastern Washington. He will be replacing former DC Kevin Clune, who returned to Utah State after one year at Hawaii in January.

"Tom comes highly recommended and with a wealth of experience as a defensive coordinator for many different schools.", said Chow, "He took over a tough situation at SMU last year and finished the season as interim head coach. He's a proven coordinator and will implement a similar style of defense that we played last year."

On the offensive side of the ball, Bailey comes from Idaho State, where he was both the Offensive Coordinator and the Quarterbacks Coach. In 2014, he was named Football Scoop's FCS Coordinator of the year after his ISU team led the nation in passing offense (348.1 yards per game) and was second in total offense (562.0 ypg). Bailey is the first offensive coordinator not named since 2013, when Aaron Price held the position for roughly six months before stepping down. Since then, Norm Chow had taken over play-calling duties.

"On offense, we realized we needed a full-time play-caller and we found that person in Don Bailey, said Chow, "FCS coaches are known to be creative, energetic, and aggressive and that's exactly the way Don's offense played at Idaho State. He was the FCS's offensive coordinator of the year and took ISU to record heights. He's very enthusiastic about the opportunity and we're excited to have him."

The rest of Coach Chow's staff will be in place by the start of the next month. Spring ball for UH begins April 4th, and will run through May 2nd.