Nearly two and a half years after the future of football was questioned at the University of Hawaii, members of the Board of Regents pledged a “commitment” to head coach Nick Rolovich on Thursday.

Rolovich, the first sitting UH head football coach invited to address the board in decades, received two rounds of applause in a 27-minute presentation and question-and-answer session with the committee on intercollegiate athletics.

In 2015 then-athletic director Ben Jay mentioned the option of dropping football — but later backpedaled — amid discussion of a report titled “The Financial State of Hawaii Athletics:Version 2.0 — Revising the Game Plan.”

Although no finances were discussed Thursday, regents praised the program. Regent Stanford Yuen thanked Rolovich and his coaches and players for building a “positive image” in the community with its outreach.

Regent Wayne Higaki said UH is committed to supporting football because “at most universities it is a flagship sport and, in this community, when we don’t have much in the way of professional sports, it is important.”

Committee chairman Jeff Portnoy said, “What we have said publicly is that it is an element of the university experience. I wouldn’t isolate just football because the whole athletic program is important, but it (football) is the most visible, most expensive, most income-generating and one that more of the community probably focuses on.”

Rolovich asked regents what they wanted out of the football program. Portnoy said, “What we’re looking for is a team that is competitive and that graduates its players, who are good citizens.”

Rolovich said, “It was good for me to hear that and be able to take that back to not only our coaches but I’m going to use it as motivation for our players.”

Told, in jest, that the community probably wants him to win all 12 (regular-season) games this season, Rolovich said, “I want to win 12, too.”