HONOLULU -- Utah football coach Ron McBride interviewed Saturday for the head coaching job at Hawaii, but it's unlikely he will wait around long enough for the search process to play itself out.
McBride wants to know by early next week whether he will be leaving Utah to coach UH, because recruiting for the Utes is being affected by the indecision. He presented the UH coach search committee with a five-year plan for what needs to be done to make the program competitive again.UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida says he wants to name a coach by the end of next week, but may wait until Christmas to see what happens to San Diego Chargers interim coach June Jones.
Jones may get the San Diego job on a permanent basis; if not, he is said to be the top choice for the UH job.
"I couldn't wait that long," McBride said. "I told our players before I left that I would know something by Monday or Tuesday at the very latest. I believe I could put a winner on the field here if given the opportunity to do so."
Chargers spokesman Bill Johnston said Saturday night that Hawaii asked for and received permission from San Diego general manager Bobby Beathard to speak with Jones.
UH is expected to send officials to San Diego as soon as Tuesday to meet with Jones.
"I think he kind of expected it," Johnston said. "He expected to hear from them. We expected also that we'd get a call from them. It was just a matter of time."
Jones took over the Chargers head coaching job on an interim basis on Oct. 13 after Kevin Gilbride was fired.
The Chargers said they'd evaluate the situation at the end of the season, but there have been recent indications that the job would go to Jones, if he wanted it. The players have responded much better to his laid-back style than they did to Gilbride.
There are five others are finalists for the UH job -- Arizona assistant head coach Duane Akina; Southern California defensive coordinator Bill Young; NFL Coaches Association executive director Larry Kennan; Navy assistant Kenny Niumatalolo; and St. Louis School coach Cal Lee.
Yoshida said Friday after a meeting with Rainbow players that some of the players will be allowed to take part in the interviews, but won't have a representative on the selection committee. Players said they are glad to have a say in the process.