SALT LAKE CITY >> Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin used a derogatory phrase during his press conference this morning at the Western Athletic Conference Preview and later apologized for the term.

McMackin used the term considered offensive to homosexuals (f——-) when talking about a cheer Notre Dame performed during last year’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl banquet. He returned to the interview room after the session to apologize for using the phrase and again later for a formal statement.

“I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage and words that I used,” McMackin said. “I have nothing against the University of Notre Dame. I don’t talk like that. I’m really ticked off at myself for saying that. I don’t have any prejudices and it really makes me mad that I even said that. I’m disappointed in myself.

“What I was trying to do was be funny and it wasn’t funny.”

    UH Athletics Director Discusses McMackin's Comments

   

 

University of Hawaii Athletics Director Jim Donovan speaks to reporters about the gay slur football coach Greg McMackin made at a press conference.

[Watch]

 

After McMackin’s statement, WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the matter was a “University of Hawaii issue.” Any action the league might take would come after UH addresses the situation.

“There is a sportsmanship piece in our code that may apply and at the appropriate time we’ll address it,” Benson said.

When contacted this morning, UH athletic director Jim Donovan declined to comment on possible disciplinary action, citing it as a personnel matter.

“Part of apologizing is making amends,” Donovan said. “I’ve already discussed this with him today. Much of that falls on his shoulders.”

Donovan he said he placed a call to the Notre Dame athletic director, apologizing on behalf of the university and athletic department. He said he had not yet heard back from Notre Dame.

McMackin is scheduled to return to Honolulu tonight and Donovan said he anticipates meeting with the coach tomorrow.

University of Hawaii president David McClain said he was “angered and disappointed” by the matter in a statement issued this afternoon.

Here is the complete transcript of what McMackin said in describing last year’s Hawai Bowl banquet when Notre Dame players did a cheer and UH responded with a ha‘a. McMackin was illustrating how that probably fired up Notre Dame for the game.

“;The whole country’s watching and they want us to win and it made me sick after that game. I screwed up and I’ll never do this again. (Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis) had his guys, ‘we do something special at Notre Dame,’ and they get up and do this little cheer, like this (clapping), this little f——- dance.

“;My guys are looking at them they’re alll looking and trying not to laugh, so I gave them the … don’t write that ‘f——-’ down (laughter), I misquoted. I give them the shaka so our guys get up and it’s the best (ha’a) I’ve ever seen. I mean they’re on their chairs, they had beads on, they’re ripping their beads off, I mean it was a little scary.

“;I think Notre Dame watched that and said we’d better have ourselves ready. They really played a good game I can’t take away, the quarterback was on fire and I even challenged the last play of the half because there’s no way that guy could have caught it.

“;We had two guys on him and he caught it out of bounds, but his toe’s in, and it was. It was just great execution. Anyway, just please, last year you covered for me as far as my recruit, cover for me, (jokingly) go ahead say f——- dance. No, please don’t, right Karl (Benson, who was in the back of the room). I’ll deny it. Anything else?”;

(The last part was in reference to last year’s media day when he mentioned the name of a recruit).