Difference between revisions of "Ken Niumatalolo"

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Kenneth Va’a Niumatalolo is an American football player and coach. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was one of the six members of the Church profiled in the documentary film "Meet the Mormons" that was released in October 2014.

Up until his abrupt firing in December 2022, he was head football coach at the United States Naval Academy. Niumatalolo, the school's all-time winningest coach, went 109-83 as the Midshipmen’s coach after taking over following the 2007 regular season. He led Navy to three double-digit win seasons during his tenure and the Midshipmen twice finished ranked in the final Associated Press poll, in 2015 and 2019. He was assistant coach there since 1995, with the exception of a three-year period from 1998-2001 when he was an assistant at UNLV.[1]

"Navy played in 10 bowl games under Niumatalolo. He’s the only coach in the Army-Navy rivalry to begin his career with eight straight wins in the series. He also is the only coach in Navy history to win four consecutive bowl games, and he tied a program record by beating Notre Dame three times in his tenure."[2]

Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk released a statement that said, “Our sincerest gratitude to Coach Ken for what has been a distinguished and impactful legacy at the Naval Academy,” Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said in a statement. Navy football flourished for many years under his leadership. He will forever be remembered for the influence he has had on the lives of those who played for him. We all have great respect and appreciation for his 25 years of service to the Academy.”[3]

Gladchuk told ESPN that the goals for the Navy program are to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and to become bowl eligible. “That’s been the constant bar we strive for, is to achieve those two goals, which I believe are very realistic, very reasonable and have been consistent for 20 years and therefore this does not come as any surprise,” Gladchuk said. “It’s just an expectation that unfortunately fell short.”[4]

At the time of the coach's dismissal, Navy had gone 2-5 against both Army and Air Force in recent years and hadn’t won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy outright since 2019. The team has also missed bowl eligibility four of the past five seasons.[5]

Born May 8, 1965, Niumatalolo is a native of Laie, Hawaii, and graduated from the University of Hawaii in 1989. After serving as a Spanish-speaking missionary in California for two years, he returned to the university as a sophomore and lettered as a quarterback for three years. He was part of Hawaii’s first bowl team in 1989. He was hired as a graduate assistant and then full-time assistant at the University of Hawaii. When his Hawaii coach Paul Johnson went to Navy to become the offensive coordinator, Niumatalolo became Johnson’s running back coach. A year later, Niumatalolo took Johnson’s position at Navy when Johnson left for Georgia Southern University. Niumatalolo left Navy to take a position with UNLV for three seasons, then returned to Navy in 2002 when Johnson, now back at Navy, hired him. He was assistant head coach and offensive line coach for six years.

Niumatalolo was appointed head coach in December 2007. In his first staff meeting, he announced that the team would cease holding formal meetings on Sundays. He won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy in his first two years as head coach at Navy. He won the trophy for the ninth time in 2013 (within 11 years). During his first six years as head coach, the Midshipmen have had five winning seasons and have played in five bowl games. They won the 2009 Texas Bowl and the 2013 Armed Forces Bowl. His 49 wins are the most in school history by a coach in his first six years.

In December 2016, Niumatalolo was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. He led the Midshipmen to a 7-1 conference record in 2016, taking the West Division title and earning a spot in the December 3 conference championship game.

He is the first Samoan collegiate head coach on any level. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in January 2014.

Niumatalolo and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of three children.

In January 2019, Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, a General Authority Seventy, extended a call to Niumatalolo call to become the president of the Annapolis Maryland Stake.

The call occurred just weeks after Navy wrapped up a disappointing 2018 campaign. As the service academy’s all-time winningest football coach, Niumatalolo had grown accustomed to winning. He had led his team to bowl games, been welcomed to the White House, gleaned coaching honors and—most importantly to Navy fans—beat Army multiple times.

But the Midshipmen uncharacteristically dropped 10 games in 2018, including a season-ending loss to the Army Black Knights.

“The difficulty of the season caused me to get on my knees and ask the Lord, ‘What’s going on?’”

Praying for coaching direction was nothing new. He had often petitioned God for direction as he prepped for games, recruited athletes and worked with his players and staff.

“But this seemed like the first time that I was not receiving anything,” he said. “I think the Lord just tested me to see where my faith was. It caused me to get on my knees even more. It caused me to ponder more and read my scriptures.”

He also devoured the words of Latter-day prophets during the most challenging and confounding moments of the season. Listening and re-listening to recorded general conference talks delivered by President Thomas S. Monson, President Russell M. Nelson, President Henry B. Eyring and other apostles eased the tumult of the moment.

Personal growth was happening even amid professional strife—readying the coach for an unexpected call to preside over a stake even while directing one of the country’s most storied football programs.

So when Elder Hamilton asked about his relationship with Christ, “I realized that I was the closest that I had ever been to the Savior. I realized it was all in preparation . . . . I had to get on my knees, pray and hear the things that were important to me.

“Looking back, it’s amazing to see God’s hand.”[6]

Niumatalolo Looks to the Future

When interviewed about Andy Reid's coaching during the Kansas City Chiefs' 2023 Super Bowl win, Niumatalolo said his own future is coming into focus.

His 15-year stint at Navy ended abruptly after losing a bowl game in December, so he and his wife, Barbara, went to Hawaii to see his father and their daughter, then to Guam to see Barbara’s family.

He got offers to be an assistant coach from two Big 10 schools but passed. He’s talking with TV networks about analyst jobs, too, but it wasn’t until he was released as a stake president earlier this month that things became clearer.

“It wasn’t till after being released recently that I got offered the job I feel the best about, and I kind of feel like that’s where the Lord’s guiding our family,” Niumatalolo said. “We should find out soon if it will work out, but I feel good about what’s happening.

“I was just letting the Lord guide wherever that would be. I wasn’t really pressing, I was just trusting in the Lord. Some stuff came up early, and I was grateful for the opportunities, and I think most coaches might have jumped at it to stay in the profession, but I wasn’t fully at peace with any of it.”

The potential job is in the western United States, he said.

“That’s where I was looking to go because I want to get closer to my dad and my daughter and her family that live in Hawaii,” he said.[7]

New Positions

Announced at the end of March 2023, Niumatalolo was named as the UCLA Director of Leadership and will serve as an advisor to UCLA football's staff and student-athletes.[8]

In January 2024, UCLA announced that Niumatalolo had been hired as tight ends coach. “Ken is a tremendous example for our program off the field through his character and experiences at the Naval Academy,” said UCLA head coach Chip Kelly in a statement. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to add his knowledge and leadership to our tight ends room and coaching staff.”[9]

On the heels of that announcement, he was named the head football coach at San Jose State University.

The school officially announced the hire of Niumatalolo on Jan. 21, less than a month after he was named the tight ends coach at UCLA.

• Meet the Mormons
• Newsroom, "Former Navy Head Coach Tells BYU–Hawaii Students How Personal Revelation Guided Him Through Wins and Losses"