David Matlin got his man. The Hawaii athletic director hired the football coach he wanted from the start. He held off the multiple blitz packages of supporters of other popular candidates.

As Matlin said early in this process, whatever decision he’d make would leave people angry with him. So, he figured, there’s no reason not to just pick the coach he thinks would be best for the program.

And, in his mind, it’s Nick Rolovich.

Today, Rolovich’s detractors are pointing out, among other things, that he is unproven as a head coach. But that was true at one time for every head coach who ever walked the earth.

Here’s one thing that is proven: Rolovich’s love for Hawaii (not to say Rich Ellerson, June Jones, Rich Miano and Brian Norwood don’t have that — they do).

Rolovich was homesick for Hawaii as soon as he was exiled by Norm Chow.

Since then, he is to football coaches what Neil Everett is to sportscasters — the poster child for missing the islands and not being afraid to let anyone know it. He was nearly as popular here in his absence as he was at Aloha Stadium after throwing eight touchdown passes to clobber BYU in 2001.

It’s not just on the field. I don’t know anyone who has met him who does not like Nick Rolovich. They might not even like football, but they like him.

Does that mean he’s guaranteed to be a successful head coach? No, of course not. Hey, there are people in Nevada who don’t even think he’s a good offensive coordinator, and the numbers don’t disprove it.

But, for better or worse, ability to get along with a wide variety of people is a necessity for today’s college football head coach — unless you win almost all of your games, in which case you are enabled to do pretty much what you want.

It is said that Jones, 62, would sell plenty of tickets. Yes, and he also would generate some national exposure and financial support from well-heeled friends. Plus, Jones has successfully performed CPR on flat-lining programs here in Hawaii (0-12 in 1998 to 9-4 in 1999) and at SMU (where he led the Mustangs to their first bowl game since being slapped with NCAA’s death penalty in 1987).

If you want a veteran who has worked miracles, a quick shot of adrenaline, Jones is your man.

But if you want a young coach with the potential to grow with a program that has hit pretty close to rock bottom, then Rolovich, 36, is the choice.

In some ways, he’s like Matlin’s first big hire, men’s basketball coach Eran Ganot. Young, likable, but seemingly, on the surface, benign … a “good soldier” type. Ganot has a low-key confidence and a deep caring not just for his team, but the program and the university. It’s obvious Matlin sees some of that in Rolovich.

“He’s very intelligent, very smart,” says Ashley Lelie, the guy who was on the receiving end of so many Rolovich bombs in 2001. “The players will love him, he’s definitely a players’ coach, and a people person in general.”

Unlike the basketball situation, Rolovich is not taking over an exciting, winning team that has almost all of its key members returning. He’s inheriting a collection of players the most experienced of whom have averaged less than three wins a season since 2012.

Let’s be honest here. The dream pick was Dino Babers. Head-coaching experience, star on the rise, exciting offense, former UH player. But it was obvious from early on that the Bowling Green head coach would have much better options, and every time another coach in the midwest or east gets fired the list of suitors gets longer.

UH has to play moneyball, and Matlin determined Rolovich is the best the program can afford.

On Monday, we meet Nick Rolovich. Which is kind of weird, since so many of us already know him. The questions won’t be about his hobbies and how he and his family will adjust to living in Hawaii (his wife’s from Maui). It will be other things, like, how ready is he for the myriad administrative duties? What is he going to do for a staff? Recruiting priorities? First move to restore the fans’ confidence?

Yes, we know Rolovich. But no one knows if he’s got the right stuff to be a successful head coach. We’re going to learn soon, and the future of UH football depends on it.