WEST POINT — Sleeping at the job is something Jeff Monken was accustomed to back in the day.

The University of Hawaii’s football office was affectionately known as “The Rainbow Hilton” because it doubled as a place for Monken to sleep during his first coaching job as a graduate assistant in 1989-90. Monken made $439.76 a month for nine months.

“It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had,” said Monken, who was 22 years old when he was hired by Hawaii. “It was just a great experience to be out there and to learn. You didn’t have any money but you didn’t care. It was just for the experience.”

Army’s home game against Hawaii on Saturday is a reminder of how far Monken has risen in the coaching ranks. College Football News listed Monken as its top coach in its 2017 rankings after leading Army to a 10-3 record and the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports ranked Monken No. 12 on his list of 25 intriguing coaches for the 2018 season.

Monken credits his Hawaii past for his current success. He was mentored by coach Bob Wagner, coordinators Paul Johnson (current Georgia Tech head coach) and Rich Ellerson (former Army head coach), and assistant Buzz Preston. Preston got Monken the Hawaii position and his next job as an Arizona State graduate assistant.

“I was so green,” Monken said. “I didn’t know anything about coaching. I grew up in a coaching family but until you do it you don’t really realize what is expected and everything that comes under the job description as coach. I learned so much football and I learned so much about working.

“There are things I learned from Bob (Wagner) that I still use today as a head coach that have really benefited me personally and have benefited our football teams.”

During Monken’s first season at Hawaii, the Rainbow Warriors were 9-3-1 and ended a 10-game losing streak to Brigham Young. Hawaii won seven games in Monken’s second season.

“(I remember) the days of Aloha Stadium being packed to the gills and the confetti falling down,” Monken said. “What a great experience for a kid that played Division III football (at Millikin University) to go to an atmosphere like that.

“I had a great experience living in Hawaii. I loved the people of Hawaii. Some of my very dearest and best friends of my life are folks that I met when I was coaching at Hawaii.”

One of those friends is Sean Saturnio, Army’s tight ends coach. Saturnio couldn’t play his senior season at Hawaii due to injury in 1989. He remained with the team as a student assistant. When Saturnio needed to type a paper, Monken would let him into the football offices to use a computer.

“I would be done with my paper and we would be shooting the breeze for hours afterward,” said Saturnio, who grew up in Hilo, Hawaii. “He’d come over to my family’s house on the big island. I have a picture of him next to lava literally shooting like a fire hydrant into the water.

“I always knew it was a matter of when, not if, he was going to be a head coach. You could tell how driven he was, how knowledgeable he was. He's got a great heart. He's tough but he's a guy that would give you the shirt off his back.”

Monken has followed the program closely since he left after the 1990 season. This season, Hawaii is off to its first 3-0 start since 2007, scoring 48 points per game.

“I’m a Hawaii fan, except for this week,” Monken said. “Having been a part of that culture and that community, I know the pride that Hawaii has in (its) team. … I love to see them win for Hawaii and the people there. It’s a lot of fun to see that. It’s not a lot of fun when you have to face them because you realize how good they are.”

sinterdonato@th-record.com

Twitter: @salinterdonato