Assistant coach Ron Lee begins his second season as the Warriors’ offensive coordinator and 11th season overall on the coaching staff.
In his first season as offensive coordinator, Lee overcame the loss of nine offensive starters from a record-breaking 2007 squad and managed to help lead the Warriors to a winning season and a third consecutive bowl berth. During a critical stretch during the season in which UH won six of eight games, the Warriors averaged 28.8 points and 365 yards per game and quarterback Greg Alexander secured the starting position with a 162.5 quarterback rating and 10-to-1 touchdown-interception ratio.
Head coach Greg McMackin is not surprised by Lee’s ability to direct an offense. He and Lee coached together at Oregon Tech in the late 1980s when McMackin was head coach and Lee was the offensive coordinator. OTU led the nation in passing all three years with Lee as offensive coordinator.
During his first nine seasons at UH, Lee coached the receiving corps that annually ranked among the best in nation. In 2007, receivers Ryan Grice-Mullen and Davone Bess ranked fifth and seventh nationally in receiving yards, and both received free-agent contracts with NFL teams after foregoing their respective senior seasons.
In 2002, Warrior receiver Ashley Lelie was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the 19th overall pick in the NFL draft, the school’s highest draft pick.
In 2004, receiver Chad Owens led the WAC and finished fourth nationally in receptions per game (7.85) and ninth nationally in receiving yards per game (99.2). In the last 10 seasons under Lee’s tutelage, Warrior receivers have caught for more than 33,000 yards and scored 271 touchdowns. Wideouts coached by Lee currently own or co-own 18 school receiving records. The top five receivers statistically in school history have played under Lee (Bess, Grice-Mullen, Jason Rivers, Owens and Lelie).
Lee graduated from Willamette University in 1967 and immediately began his coaching career as an assistant at Kalani High School, where he eventually became head coach in 1969. Five years later, he took over the reins at Kaiser High School, where he coached the Cougars to four consecutive Honolulu District titles and a Prep Bowl championship in 1979. While at Kaiser, Lee coached current Warrior associate head coach Rich Miano.
Soon after, Lee moved on to the collegiate level as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Willamette. One season later, he found himself back on the island as the assistant coach to his brother Cal at St. Louis. He served as offensive coordinator and helped build the Crusader program into a dynasty that won 14 state titles and was ranked among the elite in the nation for almost a decade.
After brief stints as a graduate assistant at UH and offensive coordinator at Oregon Tech, Lee continued his duties on the St. Louis staff before arriving in Manoa in 1999.
Lee and former UH head coach June Jones met while Jones was a quarterback at Portland State. Lee traveled to Portland more than 25 years ago to learn the intricacies of the one-back offense from the legendary Mouse Davis.
Lee enjoys playing golf and spending time with his daughter, Tiffany.
