So Long, Sensei of the San Shi

Glanville says goodbye, through Dave Reardon.

He is taking his wife, Brenda, to their home in Georgia before returning to Portland to start work Monday. He said he regrets that he won't be able to address his former UH players in person.

"I can't get back, so the only way I can thank the players is through the papers. We love what the kids did for us," Glanville said. "I think I told them everything and now I was just getting in the way. They all did a great job of growing in the system."

Backup cornerback Guyton Galdeira said he will miss Glanville.

"Personally, I really like the guy, the energy. I like his coaching style and he brought another perspective to our defense and our team in general," Galdeira said. "I think he got us on a roll and the next coach is going to have to continue that."

Linebacker Adam Leonard said the Warriors have to "look forward."

"I believe the mentality of playing physical and aggressive that he brought us will continue," Leonard said.

Good to hear the players will carry on the hard-hitting style that Jerry brought. Coach Jeff Reinebold will be a big part of that, whatever he ends up doing for UH. As Stephen Tsai writes:

Jeff Reinebold is the leading candidate to replace Jerry Glanville as the Hawai'i football team's defensive coordinator.

Head coach June Jones said there are two candidates from the Mainland and Reinebold, the Warriors' defensive line coach the past two seasons.

Jones said there is no rush to name a defensive coordinator before the April 2 start of spring training.

Jones said the Mainland candidates have National Football League experience, although he would not identify them or their backgrounds.

The Sun God would be be awesome as Hawaii's defensive coordinator. We'll find out, hopefully soon. I also hope UH gets to keep the Big Bag, though reading the first part of Reardon's article...

Jerry Glanville wants to make a trade with June Jones.

Glanville -- as of yesterday Jones' former defensive coordinator and the new Portland State head coach -- will mail his company car keys and cell phone to Hawaii in exchange for the Big Bag, the huge blob the Warrior defenders use for gang-tackling practice.

...is a little worrying. But then, reading Stephen Tsai's article...

"Basically, everything he went up there and asked for, they gave him," Jones said. "They're committed to developing their football program."

PSU offered a four-year contract at an undisclosed higher salary, increased the annual recruiting budget to $150,000 (from $46,000) and pledged to spend $11 million to renovate the locker room, meeting rooms and offices.

...and the ideal arrangement becomes clear. Since Portland State seems to have more money to throw at their football program than UH, Portland State can buy Jerry a new bag. There you go.

Anyway, I hate for Jerry to leave on the cusp of the mythical undefeated season as prophesied by the hairy oracle, but it was good to have him while it lasted. We will not only miss his football knowledge, but also his endless quotable quotes. And he leaves the team with a great one, at the end of Tsai's article:

"There's sadness because I won't get to tell (the UH) players goodbye in person," Glanville said. "Brenda and I want to thank every person on the island. Every person we met has treated us tremendously. It's really tough to leave the players, and it's tough to leave June. He's a good person."

One thing will ease his departure. "At least Portland State has a schedule," Glanville said.

Ouch!

UPDATE: Speaking of the schedule, Stephen Tsai has a great post in the Warrior Beat, though the news is kind of depressing, at least in the short term.

Herman Frazier did an incredibly cool thing yesterday.
He admitted the 2007 football schedule was not complete and that he was having difficulty filling it.
He said it in public (during the Circle of Honor induction ceremony) and gave a plausible reason (the Warriors' success was scaring off potential opponents).
And, despite the difficulty, he said he would continue to work until the schedule is complete. He said it has changed 22 times in the last 90 days.
It was an honest assessment — the sort that was needed for months, maybe during all of Frazier's tenure here.

So when I said April yesterday, maybe I was being too conservative. At least it's good to hear, and it sounds like, Frazier is turning a new leaf.