Navy made right pick with Niumatalolo

SAN DIEGO — It's about time Ken Niumatalolo became a head football coach, Kalani Sitake was saying.

He darn well deserves it.

Not because he's Polynesian.

Because the man can full-on coach.

Affirmative action? How's this for affirmative action: A 43-19 record in the last five years at Navy, thanks in large part to Niumatalolo's work as an assistant head coach. He was a major factor in installing the Midshipmen's triple-option attack, which ranks No. 1 nationally in rushing.

Sitake, the inside linebackers coach at Utah, comes from the same hometown of Laie, Hawaii, as Niumatalolo. They know one another and their families, though the Navy coach is 15 years older. They spent time working camps in Laie last summer. Sitake is happy to see Niumatalolo become what is believed to be the first Polynesian Division I head coach in history, and the first Samoan head coach at any collegiate level. But don't read too much into it.

"I'm not saying it's about time they hired a Polynesian head coach," said Sitake. "It's more like they just did the right thing.

"I can't say, 'Finally they hired a Polynesian coach.' It's not like we've been held back and are in bondage. It's more like, 'Yeah, that's about right.' I can't say that in five years there should be five Polynesian head coaches. There should be coaches from all kinds of races."

Wow, hiring people based on qualifications. What a concept.

When the Utes meet Navy in Thursday's Poinsettia Bowl, Niumatalolo will direct his first game as a head coach. He took over when Paul Johnson left to coach Georgia Tech. A few days later, Navy introduced its new, history-making choice. Niumatalolo, like Sitake, was fairly low-key about his ethnic background.

"Hopefully, if I do well it will open doors for some other guys," said Niumatalolo in a press conference.

"The huge emphasis on race can overshadow things," continued Sitake. "I think he just decided to be a head coach, rather than holding the banner for Polynesians. It's not like walking on the moon ... he was in the right position. Had he been white or black, too, it would have been the right decision, too. The fact that it happened to a Polynesian is a great thing."