One of the top passing minds in the country, Nick Rolovich returns for year two of his Nevada tenure and will assume all aspects of the offensive control for the Wolf Pack as he serves as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In 2012, Rolovich helped Cody Fajardo develop into one of the top young quarterbacks in the nation as Fajardo completed 67 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,786 yards and 20 touchdowns and running for 1,121 yards and 12 more scores.
Rolovich came to Nevada after a wildly productive four-year run at Hawai`i, where he directed one of the top passing offenses in the nation. He was the quarterbacks coach all four seasons and spent the last two years as the Warriors' offensive coordinator.
With the Pack, he inherits the WAC Freshman of the Year in Cody Fajardo along with fellow sophomore Devin Combs and redshirt freshman Tanner Roderick as Nevada enters the Mountain West this fall. The Wolf Pack also has a pair of highly touted three-star prep quarterbacks en route in 2012 signees Hassan Henderson (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Tyler Stewart (Simi Valley, Calif.).
For the three years Rolovich had play-calling duties at Hawai`i (2009-2011), the Warriors threw for 13,915 yards - an average of 347.9 yards per game - and 96 touchdowns. That includes the 2010 season in which Hawai'i averaged 394.29 yards per game and led the nation in passing offense while finishing sixth in the nation in total offense. That year, Rolovich guided quarterback Bryant Moniz to the top of the total offense chart and to an eighth-place standing in passing efficiency.
Rolovich joins a Nevada team that has featured a record-breaking rushing attack since Ault's creation of the Pistol offense in 2005. In 2009, Nevada led the nation in rushing and became the first school in NCAA history to have three players - Colin Kaepernick, Luke Lippincott and Vai Taua - each rush for more than 1,000 yards. Since 2008, Nevada has finished fifth, second, fourth and sixth nationally in total offense and third, first, third and eighth in rushing offense.
Rolovich, a two-year letterwinner for Hawai`i from 2000-01, was the quarterbacks coach at City College of San Francisco, where he helped guide the Rams to a J.C. Gridwire National Championship in 2007. He also coached all-conference quarterbacks Zak Lee and Jeremiah Masoli, who went on to earn Division I scholarships at Nebraska and Oregon, respectively. As a player, Rolovich attended CCSF prior to Hawai`i and was a two-time All-American. He directed the school to a national championship in 1999.
As a player, Rolovich started the bulk of the 2001 season at Hawai`i, leading the team to an 8-1 record as a starter. During those nine games, he threw for 3,361 yards and 34 touchdowns. In the season-finale against fourth-ranked Brigham Young, Rolovich threw for a then-school record 543 yards and current record eight touchdowns against the Cougars. Rolovich ranked 10th nationally in passing efficiency with a 150.5 rating and broke 19 school passing and eight total offense records. He participated in the 2002 Hula Bowl and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
Following his UH career, Rolovich participated in the Dallas Cowboys mini-camp before signing with the Denver Broncos. He was released after the team's final preseason game in 2002. The next year, he was allocated to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, where he threw for 907 yards and led the Fire to World Bowl XI.
Rolovich returned to Denver in 2003 and was cut following training camp. From there he began a five-year career in the Arena Football League, beginning with the San Jose SaberCats. Serving as veteran Mark Grieb's backup, Rolovich was a member of the Arena Bowl championship team. He then spent time with the Chicago Rush, Arizona Rattlers and Las Vegas Gladiators. While with the Gladiators, he threw for 1,248 yards and 23 touchdowns and had a passer rating of 104.8 in 2007, before retiring and accepting a spot on the Hawai`i coaching staff.
The File on Nick Rolovich
Born: Feb. 16, 1979 Hometown: Novato, Calif. Family: Wife - Analea, Daughter - Alana, Son - Daniel Education Bachelor's, Hawai`i, 2004 Master's, New Mexico Highlands, 2007 Coaching Experience 2012-: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, Nevada 2010-11: Offensive coordinator, Hawai`i 2008-09: Quarterbacks, Hawai`i 2006-07: Quarterbacks, City College of San Francisco 2003-04: Student Assistant, Hawai`i 2002: Assistant Coach, San Marin (Calif.) High School Playing Experience City College of San Francisco: Quarterback (1998-99) Hawai`i: Quarterback (2000-01) Rhein Fire (NFL Europe): Quarterback (2002-03) San Jose SaberCats (Arena): Quarterback (2004-05) Arizona Rattlers (AFL): Quarterback (2006) Chicago Rush (AFL): Quarterback (2006) Las Vegas Gladiators (AFL): Quarterback (2007)
