Former Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin passes away at 77

Former University of Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin passed away at the age of 77, according to a message shared by his family on Tuesday. McMackin led the Rainbow Warriors for four seasons as head coach, and was the team’s defensive coordinator during their undefeated 2007 season. Hawaii fell in the Sugar Bowl to Georgia, but the season remains the greatest in school history and their only trip to a New Year’s Six game.

Today, the world lost the most generous, loving soul to grace this planet.

Most knew him as Coach Mack but to us he was our Papa.

He passed peacefully on February 14th, 2023 surrounded by his loved ones playing his favorite songs.

We love and miss you more than anything ❤️ pic.twitter.com/K3aA9tfpHH

— Mack (@KaylaMcMackin) February 15, 2023

“Today, the world lost the most generous, loving soul to grace this planet,” read the message. “Most knew him as Coach Mack but to us he was our Papa. He passed peacefully on February 14th, 2023 surrounded by his loved ones playing his favorite songs. We love and miss you more than anything.”

Greg McMackin’s time at Hawaii

McMackin’s coaching career lasted longer than 40 years, and he first joined Hawaii in 1999 as their defensive coordinator after a stint in the same position with the Seattle Seahawks. After coaching at Texas Tech and returning to the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers over the next six years, McMackin came back to Hawaii as defensive coordinator for the 2007 season.

The Rainbow Warriors put together a 12-1 season — with the Sugar Bowl loss — and head coach June Jones left for SMU the following year. McMackin was tapped as the next coach of the program, although the team struggled to continue the level of success they had found the previous two years. McMackin left the team after four seasons at the helm with a total record of 29-25, including two Hawaii Bowl losses.

Additionally during his career, McMackin served as the head coach of Oregon Tech from 1986-1989, and worked with Utah and Miami as a defensive coordinator. He completed his college coaching career with a record of 53–39–1 overall, and a WAC championship for Hawaii in 2010.