Kauhaahaa to coach Utes’ defensive line

Baldwin grad ‘thrilled’ to return to Utah as assistant coach

February 5, 2011

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SALT LAKE CITY - Former Baldwin High School football coach and standout player Chad Kauhaahaa has been named the new defensive line coach at the University of Utah, his alma mater.

The report was posted on the school's website Friday.

Kauhaahaa has been the defensive line coach at Utah State for the last two years after four years in the same position at Weber State.

"I'm thrilled to be back home at the University of Utah and I'm grateful to Coach (Kyle) Whittingham for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Utah family again," Kauhaahaa told the website. "I appreciate everything Utah State and (Aggie head coach) Gary Andersen did for me and the development of my career."

Kauhaahaa was a second-team all-Western Athletic Conference selection as a senior defensive end at Utah in 1996 on a WAC co-championship team. He was an honorable mention all-WAC selection as a junior.

He was head coach of the Bears from 2002 to 2004 - all three of his teams ranked in the top five in the state. He had a 25-5-2 record, won two MIL titles and coached current Cleveland Browns linebacker Kaluka Maiava at Baldwin.

"Chad Kauhaahaa was a very tough, physical football player and he brought that mentality into the coaching profession," Whittingham told the website. "He has developed into a very good coach with a passion and energy for the game of football."

Whittingham was the defensive coordinator during Kauhaahaa's last three years at Utah.

Kauhaahaa helped Weber State to the quarterfinals of the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and a share of the Big Sky Conference title.

He joins fellow Hawaii native Norm Chow on the Utah staff - Chow was recently hired away from UCLA to be the offensive coordinator. The Utes will join the Pacific-12 Conference in the fall