Quotes from the Spring Practice Week 3 Day 5

About the amazing deal they got (demanded) from UH (3x bigger check than USC and Oregon State got!), Charleston Southern AD Hank Small said:
"They were motivated — and so were we." (HA)

HA Note: "Charleston Southern will receive roundtrip airfare for 75 people, 45 hotel rooms for three nights, bus transportation, $15,000 for incidentals and a $125,000 post-game check. Moreover, the Buccaneers will also get a second game here in 2011 to recruit to and be guaranteed the same terms or better, according to the contract."

"UH's lone I-AA opponent last season, Eastern Illinois, received 110 roundtrip fares, hotel rooms and a $30,000 check. Meanwhile, Oregon State got 120 roundtrip fares, 70 hotel rooms for three nights and $40,000 while Purdue received 125 roundtrip fares, 85 hotel rooms for four nights and $50,000. In 2005, two-time defending national champion Southern California received airfare for 175, 95 hotel rooms and $40,000. USC is scheduled to receive similar terms but $50,000 in 2010."


About accepting scholarship offer from UH, 5'11" 197 pound safety Le'Marcus Gibson said:
"I'm looking forward to it. I feel very blessed." (HA)


About how he was living in Gulport, Mississippi which was directly hit by Katrina, Gibson said:
"The day after we left Gulfport, it hit. The day we left, the winds were blowing hard. Getting out of town was crazy because traffic was backed up so bad. Everyone was trying to evacuate." (HA)


About returning to Gulport a few weeks later, Gibson said:
"Everything was torn apart. There were apartment buildings gone. Nothing was left behind but the stairwell. A lot of houses near the beach got flooded." (HA


About how his apartment (he lived with his cousin Harrison Central High football coach Nekemia Rich) was destroyed by Katrina, Gibson said:
"We lost our apartment. We lost a lot of clothes and memorabilia. But you can't cry about that. There were some people living here all of their lives. They lost everything. Their life savings. All of their valuables. There were some people who are retired who lost their homes. I mean, what else have you got? We didn't lose anything that couldn't be replaced. We have the mindframe that we're very fortunate to basically be alive. We're young. We can bounce back. There are so many who aren't so fortunate. The entire Gulf Coast is trying to get past this. It's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take a couple of years to get over the devastation." (HA)


About how he took Gibson in after accepting the coaching job in Gulfport, Rich said:
"He needed someone like myself to be around him for a little guidance. It's more of a big brother thing. Staying with me would benefit him a whole lot, not just athletically but academically." (HA)


About how Gibson went from a 2.5 GPA as a sophomore transfer to now an honor student, Rich said:
"He really got it together. Some of the teachers come up and brag about him, how they enjoyed having him in their class." (HA)


About how it was his dream to play for UH, Gibson remembers telling Rich:
"It might be a long shot, but I want to send my tapes to Hawai'i and see what happens." (HA)

Note: "Gibson was recruited by Houston, Buffalo and Louisiana Tech. But he harbored a dream of playing for UH. Gibson said UH wideout C.J. Hawthorne is a family friend. Because of that, Gibson always took the Warriors when he played the NCAA football video game. From that, he became a UH fan."


About how Gibson made it through Katrina's devastation (they lived on a part of the high school campus that was turned into a shelter for the past 1.5 years) and now will be on scholarship with UH in January, Rich said:
"Some of the things you go through make you stronger. He worked hard. This is a good reward." (HA)


About his big hit on Kepo'o (the full-contact practice allowed for hitting the backup QBs Kepo'o and Funaki), LB Joshua Rice said:
"I was expecting him to try to put a move on me, but I just went right through him. When you have hits like that, it feels sweet. Feels like you go right through him and you stand up and everyone's just going crazy." (HSB)

About the importance of the scrimmages, Rice said:
"The whole spring you're just working hard trying to get the plays down and then out here you just have to put what you practice into use and let loose. The scrimmages are a big deal to get your face out there and people get to notice you and get more reps." (HSB)


About Las Vegas-raised Rice's hit, RM said:
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." (HA)


Kepo'o, who had a chipped tooth from the scrimmage, said about the hitting:
"It woke me up a little bit, like it's not high school any more. It was a little different. It was good to get that first hit, kind of brought back those memories from back in high school." (HSB)

"Welcome to the college level. When coach told me it was live, I was, 'Oh, shoot.' It's different from high school. They've got better hitters. Usually the defense doesn't get to hit the quarterback. It was a great opportunity for them. Unfortunately, I was the guy they got to hit. But it was good for me to get used to the speed. It was good to play real football again." (HA)

About how the starters were held out of the scrimmage and the backups fighting for spots on the roster played, JJ said:
"We have to make a lot of decisions on about 30 players who'll be coming back in the fall, so we're trying to give everybody a chance to make it. They know we've been giving them opportunities. You have to give them all a chance and make sure we don't miss on someone who can play." (HSB)

"We're trying to give guys a chance to show what they can do." (HA)

HSB Note: "Along with Rice, safety Dane Porlas was in on a couple of hard hits. Receiver Dylan Linkner turned in the biggest gain for the offense, catching a pass over the middle and finding running room down the right side."


About living up to the number worn by previous UH players, Paul Harmon (who is wearing Alama-Francis' 91) said:
"You have to make that number. You have to make people remember it and talk about you. It's a lot of legacy; I have big shoes to fill." (HSB)

"I came to practice and there it was and I automatically knew I had some big shoes to fill because Ikaika's a really good defensive end, a really good player and a really good person. I was pleased because I really look up to him." (HSB)


About wearing Samson Satele's 64, Ray Hisatake said:
"Having this number meant a lot to me. They gave me this number and I knew I had to live up to it. We all know Samson was a great athlete and was a great player for UH, so wearing this number makes me want to work harder." (HSB)

About adjusting to offensive tackle, Hisatake said:
"I'm getting the stuff down really quick. It's new and exciting. The adjustment is still pretty difficult because as a D-lineman you're always taught to attack, attack, attack, and go to the ball. On offense you have to sit and be patient." (HSB)


Daniel Otineru, who has Tala Esera's number and Dane Uperesa's jocker, said:
"Right on top of my locker there's a sign that says, 'Dane Uperesa' on it. So you're reminded about that every day. I don't try to think about it too much when I'm on the field." (HSB)


Francis Maka, who has Mel Purcell's number said:
"I saw (Purcell) a few days ago, but I never got a chance to talk to him. I was a little intimidated, I was just sitting over to the side." (HSB)


About wearing Leonard Peters' 42 (Peters had that number for SIX years), Guyton Galdeira said:
"I was really shocked. I was just trying out for the team and they gave me this number." (HSB)

"(The players) have little jokes, that I have long hair just like (Peters)." (HSB)


About how his knee felt good yesterday, Jason Ferguson said:
"Days like this. I wake up, I was just hyped." (HSB)

"Another day of my life. Another day. Still working. Still being optimistic." (HSB)


About how he's missed two football seasons, with a 2nd surgery on his knee coming a year after the first surgery, and is still recovering from the 2nd surgery, Ferguson said:
"I mean, I can't really say it's been working yet, but why not? You know what I mean? I've been doing everything. I've been doing that, I've been doing shiatsu. I've been doing literally, dog, everything in my power, everything in my power to get back on this football field. I have my own ice machine at the house. Load it with ice, dog, and it's good for 5 hours; ice it, 30 minutes at a time." (HSB)


Asked when he got his ice machine, Ferguson said:
"Actually I had it from my first ACL in high school." (HSB)


About how hard it has been for him to not be able to play, Ferguson said:
"I ain't going lie, man. There's days where I'm like, 'Do I even want to do this?' Because it's hard, the last three and a half, four years of my life, bro, I've been having to watch other people play football. And not even during games, but in practice every day. So it's like, it hits you some days. 'Do I even want to play any more?' But in the end, like, it's not in me to be ... those words, I can't even imagine them coming out of my mouth." (HSB)


Noting that he'll at least get his degree, Ferguson said:
"I'm getting my degree. I'm a eat! That's my quote. Put that in there. He said, 'No matter what he does in his life, he's going to eat.' There's going to be plenty of food on my plate." (HSB)