The occasion was national signing day.

Jehuu Caulcrick, the Pirates’ All-American fullback, was putting his name to paper, confirming that he was accepting a full scholarship to continue his football and academic career at Michigan State University.

Seated to his left, was his mother, Bonita. Standing behind them were head coach Howard McMullin and athletic director Jeff Wheeler.

Although Howard never truly cared to be in the spotlight in any circumstance, it was only fitting that he was looking over Jehuu’s right shoulder in that milestone moment.

In this November 1999 photo, Clymer head football coach Howard McMullin celebrates after the Pirates’ win over Batavia in the Class D Far West Regional at Fauver Stadium at the University of Rochester. P-J file photo

As Jehuu posted on his Facebook page the other day: “You’ll always be ‘Coach’ to me, but more than that, you’ll always be family.”

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Howard passed away earlier this week at 87, and to suggest he’ll be missed is a huge understatement. A Clymer resident for 62 years, Howard began his coaching career in 1963 as an assistant for the football team, ultimately becoming the head coach in 1971, a position he held through 2003. During that span, Howard amassed 152 wins; four Vine Conference championships; five Section VI titles; one Division 10 crown; and four Far West Regional crowns. Notably, he led the Pirates to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship game in 1999.

But Howard’s coaching successes weren’t limited to the gridiron. He helped to restart the Pirates’ track & field program in 1983, guiding his athletes to multiple championships over the next 20 years. Yet all those accomplishments were only a special bonus for the students at the rural Chautauqua County school.

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Jehuu, whose all-state career with the Pirates helped earn him induction into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2015, said in his Facebook post that Howard was “more than a coach.”

“You were a mentor, a father figure and a guiding light, both on and off the field,” Jehuu said. “You taught me discipline, toughness and accountability, but — more importantly — you showed me what it means to lead with heart, faith and integrity.

“You believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, pushed me past limits I didn’t know I had and helped shape the man I’ve become. The lessons you taught went far beyond football. They were lessons about life, character and perseverance.”

Zachariah Ingalls, a 2004 Clymer graduate, took notice of Jehuu’s post, prompting him to share his thoughts about Howard on that social media platform.

“The foundation he built during my freshman and sophomore years — though I pursued other paths in my junior and senior year — ignited a lasting drive to overcome obstacles through perseverance and ongoing leadership principles,” Ingalls wrote. “This inspiration carried me into the Virginia Defense Force, a volunteer military organization where commitment is unpaid, yet profoundly rewarding. I’m deeply grateful for how his example fueled my journey, leading to the rare honor of being recognized as Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and the opportunity to serve as acting first sergeant for Bravo Company, 11th Civil Response Battalion, First Regiment. I can only hope and pray that I can lead others the way that Coach Mac did, while compassionately looking out for their welfare.”

I experienced that compassion first-hand at one of the Pirates’ games when he expressed his frustration at something I had written earlier in the season. I have no memory of what that might have been, but what I do recall is the “fatherly” reprimand he gave me. While we agreed to disagree, I left the school with even more respect for Howard than I had before I arrived, because it was clear how much he cared about his players.

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Jehuu, who arrived at Clymer Central School from Liberia when he was in elementary school, concluded his Facebook post by thanking Howard “for every early morning, every tough practice, every moment you held us to a higher standard.

“Your impact can’t be measured in wins or losses, but in the lives you’ve changed along the way.”

Ironically, Howard could have cared less if he received credit for any of it.

In November 1999, for example, after the Pirates edged Batavia 13-12 in the Class D Far West Regional, I sought him out for comment.

The following was his response:

“We’re lucky, I guess. We consider ourselves very fortunate. That’s all I can say.”

Well, now it’s my turn to offer my “reprimand”:

No, Howard, all of us who knew you, played for you, were taught by you or had their lives touched by you, are truly the “lucky” ones.

That’s the least WE can say.

Rest in peace, our dear friend.