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When Jimmy Morimoto, the former Baldwin High School football star and later the Bears' coach, learned of his new position the University of Nevada-Las Vegas - director of player personnel and assistant recruiting coordinator - his first call was not to his wife.

Tammie Morimoto was the second one to know, behind Jimmy's lifetime friend, former teammate and former Baldwin coach Chad Kauhaahaa.

Morimoto, who was on the UNLV staff as an assistant video coordinator and defensive assistant coach before moving from part time to his new position, called Kauhaahaa earlier this month to let him know that the former kindergarten classmates at Kihei Elementary School were now both full time in Division I college football.

Kauhaahaa is the defensive line coach at Weber State and both he and Morimoto graduated from Baldwin in 1991.

''I'm very excited - this has been a dream of mine for a long time, to get a full-time position,'' said Morimoto, who led the Bears to the Division I state semifinals in each of his seasons in 2005 and 2006 after succeeding Kauhaahaa on the job. ''Officially, I was part time - part-time pay, full-time hours. I know I got this position, definitely, through my hard work.

''I never imagined it. I never thought that this could be reality. I talked to Chad as soon as the job was offered. I called him up and he was excited. We go back to kindergarten together. He knew before my wife did. Even now, thinking about it, these two boys from Kihei accomplishing what we are - I never thought it would happen.''

Morimoto's new position takes him away from officially coaching, but he is still at practice every day.

''I am still around the guys and I get to be part of Division I college football and that still makes me happy,'' Morimoto said. ''It is clearly a step up.''

He took the spot vacated when Phil Magbanua went to Division III Lewis and Clark in Oregon as a secondary coach.

''It entails a lot of daily activities, just being in the office a lot,'' Morimoto said. ''Whatever comes up, NCAA compliance issues, whatever. It is pretty much helping out the football players when they need something - paperwork, tickets, all the behind the scenes kind of work.''

As the school's only assistant recruiting coordinator, he has three students working under him.

''I'm the office recruiter, sending out weekly mailers to all the prospects and other stuff like that,'' Morimoto said. ''So any kids on Maui getting letters from us, it is because I got that out. If the

(UNLV) coaches want to offer a scholarship to a kid, I type that letter up. I am on the phone recruiting all the time and I handle the unsolicited guys or the walk-ons basically.''

Morimoto declined to disclose what his new salary is, but added, ''It is about a 300 percent raise - I wasn't making too much before. Basically, I just tried to keep working hard and hopefully someone would see it. I have been kind of blessed. (UNLV head) coach Mike Sanford saw how hard I work and offered me the position about a day after I told him I was interested.''

One of the players Morimoto sees daily at practice is offensive lineman Sean Tesoro, a true freshman from Baldwin. Tesoro spent June in Las Vegas before coming home for three weeks and reporting to fall camp Aug. 3.

''Sean Tesoro is doing a great job right now,'' Morimoto said. ''He is doing all the right things and he is going to make a big impact on our O-line. Right now, he is in the rotation. A starting spot is still on him. He needs to take that starting job - it is not his right now, but if he keeps working hard he will start at some point. He will play as a freshman. He has already been told he will not redshirt this season because he will help us.''

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com