University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa head football coach Timmy Chang announced three new members to his coaching staff—defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Dennis Thurman, co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison, and defensive tackles coach Jeff Reinebold. The three have more than 100 years of coaching experience combined.
Thurman, who has 35+ years of coaching experience, joins the Rainbow Warriors after spending last season at the University of Colorado, where he served as director of quality control. Morrison and Reinebold both return to UH after previous stints — Morrison was quarterback’s coach from 1999–2007 and Reinebold was defensive line coach from 2006–07 and director of player development in 2022.
Thurman, a nine-year NFL veteran mostly with the Dallas Cowboys, has a wealth of coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate ranks.
“Coach Thurman brings a wealth of experience with an NFL pedigree,” Chang said. “Coached some of the best this game has ever seen. I am excited for him to lead our defense.”
Morrison returns to Mānoa, where he spent nine seasons as quarterbacks coach, including 2000–04 when he mentored Chang. While at UH, he developed two of the NCAA‘s most prolific quarterbacks — Chang and Colt Brennan, the latter of whom was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2007 — along with Dan Robinson and Nick Rolovich on former head coach June Jones’ staff.
“I’m excited to welcome back a mentor,” Chang said. “He has an in-depth knowledge of our offense and our quarterbacks will benefit greatly from his experience.”
Following his time at UH, Morrison coached at SMU for seven seasons, helping the Mustangs to four bowl appearances and two Conference USA divisional titles. At the Hilltop, he mentored Garrett Gilbert, who would go on to a 10-year NFL career.
Reinebold rejoins Chang’s coaching staff after serving in a non-coaching capacity in 2022 as director of player development. He returned to the Canadian Football League in 2023, where he spent the majority of his 40+ year coaching career, with his third stint with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as special teams coordinator.
In addition, Chang announced that linebackers coach Chris Brown will also assume the role of associate head coach. Brown, a UH letterwinner, begins his third season with the program. Following his UH playing career, Brown played for the NFL‘s Baltimore Ravens from 2003–05, where Thurman was on the defensive coaching staff.
For more visit HawaiiAthletics.com.
