SALT LAKE CITY — University of Hawaii head football coach Greg McMackin has apologized for making a disparaging comment during today’s speech to reporters at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview.

In describing a battle of chants between Notre Dame and UH during last year’s Hawaii Bowl Banquet, McMackin said the Fighting Irish performed a “little f----- dance.”
He repeated the phrase twice more in trying to apologize.
“I would sincerely like to apologize for the inappropriate verbiage of 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. It really makes me mad that I said that. I’m disappointed in myself.”
McMackin described the loss to Notre Dame as the worst in his 40-year career.
“It ticks me off that I said that because Notre Dame played a great ball game,” McMackin said. “What I was trying to do was be funny, and I wasn’t funny, and it’s not funny. Even more, it isn’t funny to me. I was trying to make a joke. It was a bad choice of words. I really, really feel that.
“I wanted to apologize,” he added. “I’m going to apologize to my team. I’m going to apologize to the people of Hawaii. ... All I can do is apologize, and I feel bad that I used those words. It was really stupid. I just feel really bad. I apologize.”
Middle linebacker Brashton Satele, who also attended the meet-the-media event, said it was out of character for McMackin to use the phrase.
“He loves everybody,” Satele said. “He never says anything bad about anybody.”
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the issue will now be handled by the university.
Benson said there is a sportsmanship clause in the WAC bylaws, and that McMackin might face sanctions ranging from a reprimand to suspension.
Each WAC coach is allotted 30 minutes to give a preview of his team. The segments are recorded on video, and shown on the WAC’s Web site.
Benson said McMackin’s comments will not be posted.