Quotes after the Sixth Day of Spring Practice

Giving high praise about UH's linebackers, GM said that they are the best group:
"I've ever been around." (HA)

"anywhere I've been. Ray (Lewis) was outstanding. But these guys could have played there as a group. As a group, playing together, they're really talented." (HA)

Note: GM has coached Ray Lewis, Julian Peterson, Jeff Ulbrich and Derrick Smith. GM praised Cal Lee, who is now in charge of all of the LBs.


Praising his coaches, Blaze Soares said:
"Coach McMackin is an excellent coach. He explains everything into great detail. Then you have coach Lee, who explains it even better. We've been picking it up pretty good." (HA)


About using all of the terminology that he used at UH in 1999, GM said:
"Coach McMackin is an excellent coach. He explains everything into great detail. Then you have coach Lee, who explains it even better. We've been picking it up pretty good." (HA)


About how UH has a defensive playbook now (they didn't have one under Glanville), GM said:
"Now we have a playbook. It's thick, like a dictionary. It shows us all of the details we need to know." (HA)


About how this team is different than the 0-12 team he and JJ took over in 1999, GM said:
"I have nothing but great things to say about that '99 team. We came so far and they played with such heart. At the end, they were a really good football team. But when we started (the 1999 season), they had to learn how to win. These guys (on the 2007 team) are winners now. We don't have to deal with that." (HA)


About his defensive philosophy, GM said:
"We want speed on the field." (HA)
HA Note: "The past four practices, Amani Purcell and David Veikune were used as defensive ends. In the nickel defense, those two will be used as defensive tackles while Karl Noa and Francis Maka will be the rush ends."


About how they have used the same 1st team on defense all week, GM indicated that the competition for starting spots is still open:
"that was just a starting point for guys who sort of played last year." (HA)

"We're grading our players every day because we want to get the best guys on the field. We're really being precise in evaluating them, and they know that. We're straight up with them. We're going to evaluate up to the first game." (HA)


About how he is currently with the 1st team at safety, Dane Porlas said:
"I have to make the best of my opportunity. I have to try to fight for (the starting job) no matter what." (HSB)


About their situation at safety, defensive backs coach RM said:
"It's good to know you've got one veteran who's played a whole bunch of football (in Patek). Dane has made some plays in the past and has been around the system to know what he's doing. We do enough package-wise where I think all those guys are going to help us in some way. (HSB)

Note: UH has Patek, Porlas, Keao Monteilh, Desmond Thomas, and highly rated JC transfer Erik Robinson (not at Spring Practice) as safety options in the Fall.


About replacing Leonard Peters this season, Patek said:
"Leonard's shoes are big shoes to fill, but we have guys that want to get out there and be on the field. There's great competition out there at the safety positions right now." (HSB)


About working to improve during the offseason, Porlas said:
"I've got enough experience to try to get ready for this year. I was just in the weight room all the time, working hard, doing anything extra I could." (HSB)

Note: Porlas started vs. Fresno State during his freshman year and had a game-clinching interception vs. SJSU. He also was with the 1st team in practice last season when Peters had to sit out due to injury. In their first practice in pads (Monday), Porlas had an interception over the middle when they started the 7-on-7 period.


About Monteilh, who has been converted to safety after starting 5 games in 2005 for UH at CB, RM said:
"We do so many different things, safeties have to be athletes. (Monteilh) has good coverage skills and he's very instinctive. He's gotten faster and I credit that to (strength coach) Mel deLaura. I tell our guys when Keao came here he was a skinny little corner who wasn't that fast. He's faster now at 195 pounds than he was when he was 160, because he's put on good weight, so he's gotten stronger and faster." (HSB)


Feeling they have made good progress after their first 6 sessions (9 more to go), JJ said:
"I see a lot of positive things. We got a lot done, but we've got a long way to go still. We're still trying to get a snap from center half the time." (HSB)


About the problems with center snaps during practice yesterday, JJ said:
"You have new centers, you have to live through the growing pains for a while. We go through it all the time." (HSB)