former players are remembering coach Bob Wagner for much more than being a football coach they're thankful for the lessons he taught them that they still use to this day in life after football as for accomplishments on the field coach Wags as he was affectionately called was the third winningest coach in University of Hawaii football history he led Hawaii to its first ever bowl game in 1989 and the high point would come in 1992 when the rainbows won theack back title and beat Illinois in the Holiday Bowl he was named conference Coach of the Year twice but for all the winning he did on the field former players remember a man who loved our University our state and his players share I actually share the love of this state and our University um you know the same as him with him um because he absolutely loved Hawaii he loved our University City and uh I'm very thankful to have him uh part of my life gave me the opportunity to uh live in this wonderful State um get a college degree uh meet my wife and have a child Bob was a good man I I I'm still a little bit in shock um but yeah there's no question that he wanted to see us succeed on and off the field he wanted us to be educated he would give life lessons he'd bring in guest speakers he recognized that a lot of us would end up living here and he was going to live here so I think the importance of being good people was also important to Bob Wagner Wagner died last night at his family's home on the big island after dealing with recent health challenges he leaves behind his wife Gloria and their daughter Christie and new at nine Wagner's family said in a statement quote he loved Hawaii and its people and knew he was loved and admired by family and friends before his passing he shared in recent days that as a young boy growing up in New York Ohio he never imagined a wonderful life like this coach Bob Wagner was 76 years old