It’s only been two years since Ken Niumatalolo was a college football head coach and his absence remains palpable.
Thankfully, that may be coming to an end. According to multiple reports, San Jose State is turning the focus on its coaching search towards Niumatalolo, the former Navy coach who’d grind opponents down with his triple option offense.
Niumatalolo went 109-83 at the service academy, winning the American Athletic Conference in 2015, 2016 and 2019 while delivering six bowl victories to Annapolis in 16 season before he was let go in 2022.
He’d been out of the college game since then until UCLA announced he was joining Chip Kelly’s staff as tight ends coach this month. Oddly enough, If he does become a head coach again, we’ll have Nick Saban to thank.
Niumatalolo is expected to target an offensive coordinator for some type of wide-open and pass-heavy system.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 20, 2024
After Saban retired at Alabama, the Crimson Tide hired Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer. Washington then hired Arizona’s Jedd Fisch leading the Wildcats to hire San Jose State’s Brent Brennan.
While you process that, here’s another piece of information that’s hard to digest: Niumatalolo reportedly won’t bring his triple option offense to San Jose.
College fans were equally thrilled about Niumatalolo potentially getting back on the sidelines as they were devastated he’d be doing so with out the scheme most closely associated with his teams.
Man I love this for Kenny. And for San Jose State!
— Matthew Edwards (@TheCoachEdwards) January 20, 2024
No Triple Option? pic.twitter.com/LVyc3aK4yu
— The Dawgzilla (@TheDawgzilla) January 20, 2024
Quadruple option if he’s focusing on passing too.
— Richard DeSalvo (@desalvorw) January 20, 2024
All it took to get an academy head coach another FBS head coaching job was Nick Saban retiring
— Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) January 20, 2024
Happy for Ken. Sad for what could have been a masterful rushing attack at SJSU
— 206sticktalk (@206sticktalk) January 20, 2024
San Jose State: Are you going to run the triple option?
Ken Niumatalolo: https://t.co/3cnygOrgBm pic.twitter.com/VzYWutEs72
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) January 20, 2024
UCLA TE coach Ken Niumatalolo for about a month. What an era. Undefeated. https://t.co/v4ubr87iNV
— The Mighty Bruins (@themightybruins) January 20, 2024
Happy for Niumatalolo but disappointed that he will not be running the triple option in San Jose https://t.co/APECAFEVTi
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) January 20, 2024
HE IS A LEADER OF MEN! Not just a dang option coach!
(although people know how much I enjoy the flexbone) https://t.co/YGfewTrHfn
— Michael Conway (@meconway703) January 20, 2024
