Quotes from the Spring Practice Week 3 Day 4

About how his Dad has been serving as his trainer since he was a kid, for example putting weights on his back when he was 9 while he did push-ups, David Veikune said:

"My dad has been training me since I was little. He put on little plates, not too heavy for a kid. He wanted to make sure I would be strong. He did it to prevent injuries. He felt if I got strong, I wouldn't be injury prone. He was right." (HA)

HA Note: Veikune is now one of the strongest Warriors. In testing last month, Veikune, who is 6 feet 3 and 260 pounds, bench pressed a team-high 455 pounds. He also benched 225 pounds 35 times, second to linebacker R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane's 37 reps, and was one of six Warriors to squat-lift 500 pounds."


About bench-pressing 400 pounds while a junior at Campbell High School, Veikune said:
"If you bench 400, you get a '400 Bench' T-shirt. I really wanted one." (HA)


Veikune credits his quickness to:
"small legs. I don't have the Poly-huge legs." (HA)

Note: Veikune is Tongan and Irish. Last month he was timed at 4.75 in the 40, which was faster than 2 QBs, 3 WRs, 9 RBs, 6 DBs, and 11 LBs. 4.75 is a crazy time for a DT/DE!

HA Note: "Veikune's blend of strength and quickness fits defensive coordinator Greg McMackin's high-pressure schemes. Veikune can play end or tackle in the 4-3 alignment. He is the No. 1 nose tackle in the 3-3-5 Okie package. McMackin said he considers Veikune to be a "No. 1 guy" at the three positions."


About going to Colorado out of high school and redshirting there, Veikune said:
"I wanted to try something different. That's why I tried the Mainland. It was freezing. I really missed home." (HA)

Note: I've been to Boulder in the Winter and it can be brutally cold...


Veikune went to Fresno City College after Colorado and then joined UH, saying:
"My junior college coach had a lot of other schools he could have led me to. I told him the only place I wanted to go to was Hawai'i. I got in touch with (UH assistant coach) Rich Miano. I talked to him one day, and the next day he offered me a scholarship. It was like a dream. I'm really happy to be here." (HA)


About how the starters at left and right tackle aren't set yet, DM said:
"I would have to say, right now, at this instant, it's too close to call. How's that for politics?" (HA)

"Right now they're just getting to know who to block. Now that they've got that down, we have to get them into the techniques of how to block. There's no way we're going to replace Dane, Tala and Sam, and just go 'business as usual. We're going to have three guys replace them who are going to be scrappers, fighters. They're not going to be as pretty or clean all of the time, but they realize the importance of taking care of No. 15 (quarterback Colt Brennan) and taking care of our running backs. They'll get the job done somehow." (HA)

HA Note: "McKnight said Keoni Steinhoff, Laupepa Letuli and Ray Hisatake are probably the top candidates at left tackle. Mc-Knight said Steinhoff and Keith Ah Soon are ahead at right tackle. Adrian Thomas yesterday practiced extensively at right tackle against the first-team defense."


About taking Lafaele's place (Lafaele has a hand injury) this Spring, Siave Seti said:
"I'm just trying to do whatever I can to contribute to my team. I'm just substituting for Mike. Mike's a great player and I'm just his assistant for now." (HSB)


About how the new 4-3 defense fits Seti much better than the 3-4 (where he was undersized for a nose tackle at 6' 280 pounds), JR said:
"I think the change has given him new life. He's got real good quickness and he's tough. Mike being hurt has been a blessing for him, because it's given him an opportunity to get reps, which he really needs." (HSB)


Not worried that Lafaele is missing Spring Practice, JR said:
"I'm not worried about Michael. I know he'll come back in shape and I know he won't have any challenge processing the information once we get back for training camp." (HSB)


About playing DT in the UH 4-3 defense, Seti said:
"Instead of just rushing up the field, you have to get your keys down. In order to play in this system you have to learn the way the offensive linemen react to the rush." (HSB)


Knowing that he'll get playing time if he's part of the 2nd unit, Seti said:
"Like Coach McMackin says, it's about eight defensive linemen, and I want to be part of the eight." (HSB)


About needing to play at least 2 full units on the DL, Seti said:
"As hard as we demand that our guys play, we can't expect we'll be able to play only four guys and survive. We have to play 10 to 12 in a game. "The good thing about the group is they're unselfish and they understand that we're not asking them to play six or 10 plays in a row, but we're asking them to play four as hard as they can." (HSB)