He had a football team to prepare for Florida and a starting quarterback to begin picking, so what was University of Hawai'i head coach Greg McMackin doing Thursday night when his team was practicing?

He was at Waipahu Intermediate School speaking passionately before the Board of Education, adding his voice to the chorus in opposition to plans to cut junior varsity sports in state public high schools.

While McMackin's words were right-on, possibly helping carry the day, just his presence was noteworthy and telling. After all, how many times can you recall one of his predecessors doing the same?

Fred vonAppen wouldn't even set foot at Washington Place when the governor tried to help raise badly needed money for UH football.

To pry many major college coaches away from a practice this close to the opener, especially for a coaching debut against the No. 5 team in the country, would take the promise of a Ferrari as a courtesy car. Or, a spiffy new contract.

McMackin is enjoying a honeymoon as a new coach who has yet to lose a game but, in his position, most wouldn't expend any of that goodwill on issues not immediately impacting themselves or their teams. Even if they had lifted their eyes from gameplanning long enough to know what the hot issues were.

A succession of UH athletic directors have counseled their coaches, especially those new to the nuances of local bureaucracy and ignorant of the pitfalls of politics hereabouts, to just take care of the coaching and smile at the cameras. Better to clam up and feign ignorance than risk political payback later.

Yet, there was McMackin, front and center, telling the BOE the issue was "more important than a game." He was carrying the ball for a silent majority of coaches. As Rainbow Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji put it, "I'm glad Greg actually went down and spoke to them. I don't think there's any doubt that we (agree) with what he said."

Of course, whether JV sports — and football in particular — survive in the future will have a down-the-line impact on UH. Just how much would come during the tenure of the 63-year-old McMackin is anyone's guess.

But you get the feeling this was about more than any immediate dividends to be gained. This was for the program he heads and will someday pass on. This is about where he lives. And, above all, it concerns "the kids."

Said Shoji: "He wasn't thinking about himself ... which is the kind of guy he is."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.