History of Nick Rolovich in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: September 27, 2024

"Nicholas Robert Rolovich is a former American football coach and player. His most recent position was as the head coach at Washington State University (WSU). Rolovich, who holds an economics degree from the University of Hawaii and a master's from New Mexico Highlands University, was a quarterback for the Las Vegas Gladiators in the Arena Football League (AFL)."

February 16, 1979: Birth

Nicholas Robert Rolovich was born on February 16, 1979.

1998: Junior College All-American

Rolovich was named a junior college All-American while playing for the City College of San Francisco Rams in 1998.

1999: Junior College All-American and National Champion

Rolovich achieved junior college All-American status for the second time and led the City College of San Francisco Rams to a national championship in 1999.

2001: Starting Quarterback for University of Hawaii

Rolovich became the starting quarterback for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, leading the team to an 8-1 record. He threw for 3,361 yards and 34 touchdowns during those nine games.

May 18, 2002: Signed with Denver Broncos

Rolovich signed with the Denver Broncos on May 18, 2002, after a strong performance at a mini-camp.

2002: Hula Bowl MVP

Rolovich was named one of the two MVPs of the 2002 Hula Bowl college all-star game.

2003: Led Rhein Fire to World Bowl XI

Rolovich led the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe to World Bowl XI in 2003, where they lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy in the championship game.

2004: Joined San Jose SaberCats

Rolovich signed with the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League in 2004, serving as backup to Mark Grieb.

2005: Continued with San Jose SaberCats

Rolovich remained with the San Jose SaberCats for the 2005 season.

January 16, 2006: Shoulder Injury

Rolovich sustained a shoulder injury during a non-contact scrimmage against the Las Vegas Gladiators on January 16, 2006, leading to his release from the Arizona Rattlers.

October 31, 2006: Signed with Arizona Rattlers

Rolovich was signed by the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League on October 31, 2006.

April 10, 2007: Signed with Las Vegas Gladiators

Rolovich was signed by the Las Vegas Gladiators on April 10, 2007.

2008: Retired from Professional Football and Became Quarterback Coach

In 2008, Rolovich retired from professional football and joined the coaching staff of the Hawaii Warriors as a full-time quarterback coach.

2010: Promoted to Offensive Coordinator

Rolovich was promoted to offensive coordinator for the Hawaii Warriors in 2010.

2012: Hired as Nevada Offensive Coordinator

Rolovich was hired by the University of Nevada as their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2012.

January 9, 2013: Remained at Nevada with Salary Increase

Rolovich was set to become the offensive coordinator at Temple University, but on January 9, 2013, he backed out after Nevada doubled his salary to $240,000.

November 27, 2015: Appointed Head Coach of University of Hawaii

Rolovich was hired as the new head football coach at the University of Hawaii on November 27, 2015, replacing Norm Chow and interim head coach Chris Naeole.

2017: Offensive Coordinator at Hawaii

In 2017, while head coach at Hawaii, Rolovich appointed Brian Smith as offensive coordinator. This followed a two-year period where Rolovich himself acted as the de facto offensive coordinator and implemented a balanced spread offense. He later transitioned back to the run and shoot offense, incorporating run-pass option (RPO) plays.

2017: Setbacks at University of Hawaii

The University of Hawaii football team, under Rolovich's leadership, faced setbacks due to injuries, finishing the 2017 season with a 3-9 record and losing their last five games.

2018: Offensive Shift to Run and Shoot

Rolovich implemented a change in the University of Hawaii's offensive strategy, shifting to the pass-oriented run and shoot offense in 2018.

November 23, 2019: Secured Mountain West Championship Game Berth

The University of Hawaii, under Rolovich, secured a spot in the Mountain West Championship Game with a 14-11 win over San Diego State on November 23, 2019.

January 13, 2020: Named Head Coach of Washington State University

Rolovich was appointed as the new head coach for Washington State University on January 13, 2020, succeeding Mike Leach.

August 2, 2020: Allegations of Threatening Player's Status

On August 2, 2020, Washington State wide receiver Kassidy Woods alleged that Rolovich had threatened his position on the team. This occurred amidst a movement by Pac-12 athletes advocating for improved treatment and safety protocols related to COVID-19.

April 2021: Vaccine Skepticism Emerges

Concerns about Rolovich's stance on vaccination arose in April 2021. During a meeting with Dr. Guy Palmer, a specialist in infectious diseases, Rolovich reportedly raised questions consistent with anti-vaccine viewpoints circulating on social media.

September 2021: Rolovich's Associate Fired for Vaccine Refusal

Billy Ray Stutzmann, who had previously worked with Rolovich at the University of Hawaii, was let go from his position as an offensive assistant at the US Naval Academy in September 2021 for declining to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

October 2021: Termination from WSU

In October 2021, Rolovich was terminated by Washington State University after being denied a religious exemption to the state's COVID-19 vaccination mandate for state employees.

October 18, 2021: Dismissal from WSU for Vaccine Non-Compliance

Rolovich was fired from his position at Washington State University on October 18, 2021, along with several assistant coaches, due to their refusal to comply with the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state employees.