Quotes from the La Tech game

HA = Honolulu Advertiser
HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
TSN = The Sports Network
TNS = The News Star (Monroe News Star)
SPT = Shreveport Times
LTS = Latechsports.com (official site)
RL = Ruston Leader

Quotes from the UH Coaches
About the 15-yard penalty they got before the game started for doing the haka, despite being off the field at the time, JJ said:
"We couldn't do the haka on the field so we came up here (on the hill) to do it and they penalized us for it." (HA)

Happy to escape Ruston with the win, JJ said:
"We were glad to get out of here with a win. This has always been a tough place for us. Louisiana Tech did a great job all night playing with a tremendous amount of intensity and belief in themselves and it showed, the way this game went down to the final seconds." (HA)

Praising how his players for the way they came from behind on the road to win, JJ said:
"These guys have so much character. I wouldn't want to win it any other way. We won it on the road and by coming from behind. It's a big statement, and it says a lot about each of the players. I am so proud of them. They had that attitude they were not going to lose the game." (HA)

Praising Colt's play in the game, JJ said:
"I'm proud of him. He did a nice job when we had to have it." (HA)

About Colt's 25-35 2nd half performance, JJ said:
"I'm glad we won for him because he really took us down the field in that 31-point second half (and overtime). With all the pressure, he showed what he was made of." (HA)

About Colt's INT in the 4th quarter, JJ said that Colt:
"had one bad decision when he misread the coverage. He didn't go through his progressions — he had C.J. (Hawthorne) open — but he misread the coverage and the kid (Marquis McBeath) made a nice play." (HA)

"He made one mistake, the interception. He didn't go through his progressions, and would've had C.J. (Hawthorne) for a touchdown. I'm glad we could win it for him. He took us down the field with the pressure on him." (HSB)


About the game and the win, GM said that:
"we were born under fire." (HA)

Praising La Tech for pushing their players to their limit, GM said:
"Jiminy Christmas. You gotta give them credit. Our guys played to exhaustion." (HSB)

About their halftime adjustment to stop Patrick Jackson's running (he had 14 carries for 56 yards in the first half, 9 carries for 42 yards in the 2nd half), GM said:
"We made an adjustment at halftime, back to fundamentals. They (the UH defenders) were exhausted and kept playing hard. And I love this offense. It's fun to play with this offense." (HSB)


About how La Tech was able to run the ball on them and they need to improve, Rich Miano said:
"They ran a little better than we thought they would and they kept us off-balance. We gotta get better." (HSB)


Quotes from the UH players
About how they refused to lose, Colt said:
"We had so much to lose, but we refused to lose. That's what I love about this team. Every guy in this locker room thought we were going to win." (HA)

About how he kept positive during the game, Colt said:
"Every time things were bad, I'd look up at the clock, and thought, 'We've got time.' As long as we had time, I knew we'd be all right." (HA)

About their shaky start, Colt said:
"I think we definitely lost some confidence and weren't ourselves (early) today. I don't know if it's the travel or what. But they had a great game plan and made an unbelievable game out of it." (HSB)

"I think we definitely lost some confidence and weren't ourselves early. I don't know if it's travel or what, but they had a great game plan and made a great game of it." (TNS)

Praising La Tech, Colt said:
"Hat's off to Louisiana Tech. I can't take anything away from them. They had a great game plan. They executed really well. They took advantage of both the offense and defense. The offense made some real stupid mistakes, and put the defense in a bad position a couple of times." (HA)

About how they got the ball first in OT, Colt thought:
"if we score first, the pressure is on them." (HA)
HA Note: "Before the overtime, the Bulldogs won the coin toss, electing to play defense first, seemingly putting the pressure on the Warriors' offense. What's more, left tackle Keith AhSoon was on the ground, writhing in pain from humidity-induced cramps. Aaron Kia, who had never played in a game with Brennan, replaced AhSoon."

About the 19-yard pass to RGM on their first play of OT, Colt said:
"Ryan made such a good move, we were going to knock it in. We weren't going to wait around for second, third or fourth down. We were going to run a play we knew we could score on." (HA)


About the TD pass he caught in OT on a fade route, where he had run slant all game in critical situations, Jason Rivers said:
"Coach mixed it up on them." (HA)

About his 8 catches for 129 yards in the first half, Rivers said:
"I always try to bring energy to my teammates -- they know me as energetic. The beginning of the game? I don't know (what was wrong)." (HSB)

About how 3 different CBs covered him in the game, Rivers said:
"I don't know if it was scheme, or they were just trying different guys. But we give their team all the credit. They ran, they're big, they played with heart and they're strong. We knew it would be this kind of battle. We weren't ready and we had to settle down." (HSB)


About Rivers, their most physical WR, Ryan Grice-Mullins (RGM) said:
"He's our banger. He goes in their faces. He's the tank, on the ground banging. We (fellow slot Davone Bess and wideout C.J. Hawthorne), we're the fighters, we're in the air, dropping bombs." (HSB)

About the 19-yard pass he caught on their first play of OT, RGM said:
"They thought they could come up and play man (coverage). If we're the No. 1 offense in the nation, we have to make plays against man coverage. That's what we did." (HA)

About how they have had the goal to win the WAC since the Aloha Bowl, RGM said:
"After that bowl game, we yelled out, 'WAC champs.' " (HA)

About how they shouted that out at the end of every offseason workout, RGM said:
"We yell it out for a reason. We believe in it. It helped us tonight. We were losing. The crowd was rocking so loud we couldn't hear anything on the field. But we believed in each other, we made plays and we won. And we can still yell out 'WAC champs.' " (HA)


About how the win is the important thing, Bess said:
"We got a win and we're still unbeaten. Now we have to take it to Las Vegas and do the same thing." (HSB)


Quotes about the 2-point conversion
About La Tech's decision to go for the 2-point conversion and the win, JJ said:
"I liked their decision to go for two. If it was good and they had won, it would've meant so much to that team and program." (HA)

"Tech mixed it up well — they had a good little game plan. I liked the decision to go for two. If it was good and than had have won it would have meant so much to that team and program." (TNS)

"I think he made the right decision. He was at home, they didn't have much luck stopping us and they felt like it was their best chance to win it right there. To go 25 yards on offense (in overtime), I think the advantage would be ours." (HA)

"I play for ties at home and go for the win on the road; that's what I would do." (HA)

"When you go 25 yards, their offense and our offense, we've got an advantage. So he made the right decision. Had he won it right there it would've meant so much for their team." (HSB)

About the play call on the 2-pt conversion, JJ said:
"We were thinking they might do a Boise State (trick) play." (HSB)

About Lewis, JJ said:
"He's a baller." (HSB)

HSB Note: "When Louisiana Tech lined up with three receivers to the right instead of in kicking formation, Gerard Lewis was among several Warriors defenders to quickly ask for a timeout. The Bulldogs came back in the same alignment, and Lewis and his teammates were ready. LaTech quarterback Zac Champion tried to audible out of the called play. But the snap came first. And so did the Warriors, on a zone blitz."


About how JJ called a TO before the 2-point conversion, GM said:
"June was really smart." (HA)

HA Note: "[GM] noticed the Bulldogs had aligned a back on the right side. With the ball on the left hashmark, McMackin figured the Bulldogs would run a sprint-out play to the wide — right — side of the field. During the timeout, McMackin designed his counter attack."


About GM's defensive call on the 2-point play, Rich Miano said:
"I thought Mac was really trying to roll 7s. It was a big-time gutsy call for him to call what he called. We were rolling to that side. If they go the other way, we're not as strong." (HA)

HA Note: "McMackin's strategy was to blitz Kalilimoku and safety Jacob Patek into the right side of the Bulldogs' backfield and, presumably, into the anticipated path of Champion. The scheme calls for a rotation, with Lewis defending the right wideout."


About how Lewis and Newberry were sharing time with Mouton, Miano said:
"We were struggling, so we were alternating. But they kept their heads up and Gerard makes the play to win the game." (HSB)


About his game-winning deflection, Lewis said:
"I had to do my job. I had the flats, and he threw into the flats. I had to take care of business." (HA)

"On that last play I was just where I was supposed to be." (HSB)

"Just doing my job." (HSB)

About how he had to decide whether or not to play the WR or the ball, Lewis said:
"I had to go for the win. If we lost, there's no BCS, no WAC championship, no nothing. That's what we played for tonight: the WAC championship." (HA)


About their 2-pt defensive play, Brad Kalilimoku said:
"We call it the 'save-our-life play.' " (HA)

About how La Tech's QB noticed their defensive shift as the ball was snapped, too late to call timeout, Kalilimoku said:
"He panicked a little." (HA)

HA Note: "As Champion rolled to his right, Kalilimoku and Patek sprinted into the backfield. Patek dived toward Champion's legs, hitting the left thigh pad as Champion lofted a pass toward 6-foot-3 Brian Jackson in the end zone. But Lewis, who is 5-8, cut in front of Jackson to knock down the pass."


About Lewis knocking down the 2-pt conversion, Keao Monteilh said:
"I could see G-Lew's eyes, and they were big. I thought he was going to pick it and take it to the house. I was about to say, 'I'm not running after you. You do that by yourself.' He stepped up big time." (HA)


Praising Lewis, Colt said:
"He's a great football player, and that's the bottom line." (HSB)


Praising Lews and Newberrty (both 5'8" or so), Jason Rivers said:
"They (Lewis and fellow starting corner Myron Newberry) play 7 feet tall. That's how their attitude is." (HSB)


After the play, RGM said to Lewis:
"Sky's the limit, cuz, sky's the limit." (HSB)


About the importance of stopping that 2-point conversion, Bess said:
"This could be the turning point of our season." (HSB)


About the 2-point try, Dooley said:
"We felt we needed to go for two because we could not get in a scoring fest with them. It was supposed to be a sprintout with a change if a blitz came off the corner. But we had poor execution." (SPT)

About how they wanted to go for 2 to avoid a shootout with Colt and the UH offense that would have resulted in a loss, Dooley said:
"We didn't want to get into a (overtime) scorefest with those guys. So we felt it was best to go for two and try and win it. We had poor execution with it." (TNS)

“Our guys had poured their hearts out and I felt like we could have a hard time getting into a scoring fest with them. I didn’t want that to happen. So after they scored first in overtime, I told Tommy (Spangler, defensive coordinator) that his team was done for the night, that we were going to go for two points.” (RL)

About their missed 2-pt conversion, Dooley said:
"It was a play where Zac was checking off to a new play and the ball was snapped early. It was a communication breakdown, and good teams don't let that happen. But you can't pin a loss on just one play. We played well and showed improvement, but we didn't finish when we had the chance. We didn't finish last week when we had the chance and still got away with the win. Hawaii was too good to let that happen." (TNS)


About how he was trying to change the 2-point play when the center snapped the ball, QB Zac Champion said:
"It was one of those things where I was checking into a new play and the center just didn't hear me. Some of the lineman heard it, but it was loud and he didn't hear it and snapped the ball before we were ready." (TNS)

About how they were going to go for the win, not the tie, so had planned to go for 2, Champion said:
"We were going for two all the way. We didn't huddle or anything after we scored because we were set to try for two rather than kick it." (TNS)

"We had the right call in there, but the noise was really loud and we had some trouble communicating the checkoff. They blitzed off the edge and made the right play when they needed it." (TNS)

TNS Note: "The decision to go for two and the win in overtime was based on Hawaii quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan and the Warriors' high-octane offense."


Quotes about Dan Kelly's game-tying FG
About Kelly's clutch kick (and earlier miss), JJ said:
"maybe we should just put him in pressure situations where he has to make the kicks." (HA)

"[it] was a big-time kick — a huge kick." (HA)

"I don't like to watch those type of kicks. I never watch. Morten Andersen (former NFL All-Pro kicker) I used to watch, but that's about it." (HA)

"I have faith in Dan. He's had his moments when he's not on. But when the money's on the line, he's made them the past two years. When he has to come through, he does." (HA)

"I didn't look." (HSB)


Asked if he had any fear when he was getting ready to try the game-tying 49-yard FG late in the 4th quarter (especially after having a 48-yard FG blocked and missing a 41-yard FG), Dan Kelly said:
"None. When I step on the field and go kick I just go blank. I don't feel anything, I really mean it. God gave me the ability to shut off my emotions when I go out to kick. From the time I step on the field until the time I kick the ball, I really don't feel anything. At least I don't remember anything." (HA)

"Of course if you want to ask me what my stomach felt like before I went out to kick, it was in a ball. I felt like my stomach was up to my throat. I was nervous. But, for some reason as soon as I hit that field, it quit." (HA)

If you asked me what my stomach felt like on the sidelines, it was in knots. But as soon as I step on the field, I don't think of those things. It's a blank. I didn't feel any more pressure than when I kick an extra point." (HA)

"Nervous? Before the kick yes. But not during it. During it I didn't feel anything. I've been blessed by God to be able to forget everything." (HSB)

Not happy with the way he kicked in the game, Kelly said:
"I screwed up more times than I succeeded (last night), that's for sure. To tell you the truth, I want to make all of them because if we would have lost by one point — and we gave up six points in the kicking game — that's just unacceptable in my book. I'm irritated by my performance and I'm definitely going to be looking at it and working on it." (HA)

Happy to have contributed to the win, Kelly said:
"I'm just glad I was in a position to help us win it. I always want to be there to help us win when it is necessary. That was really intense. Now all I want to do is go (to the hotel) and sleep now." (HA)


About how he encouraged Kelly before the kick (though I noticed he didn't watch the kick itself), Colt said:
"When he missed those other two, he was hungry. I went up to him before it and told him, 'You got it. No worries.'" (HSB)


Quotes from the Louisiana Tech Coaches and Players
About how they felt they did a good job vs. Colt despite his 500+ yards, La Tech coach Derek Dooley said:
"If you're going to blitz Colt Brennan, you can't be late. I thought we did a good job at getting to him at times, but he also made us pay with some big plays. It's not everyday a guy throws for over 500 yards against you and you feel like you did a pretty good job against him." (TSN, HA, HSB, LTS)

"If you're going to blitz Colt Brennan, you can't be late. I thought we did a good job of getting to him at times, but he also made us pay with some plays. It's not every day a guy throws for 500 yards against you and you feel like you did a pretty good job against him, but he's that kind of quarterback." (TNS)

Not satisfied with a moral victory, La Tech coach Derek Dooley said:
"I know everyone is going to say this is a moral victory but I'm not buying it. We didn't win. We had our chances. Our players and fans, they don't have a thing to be ashamed of or hang their heads about. It would have been great to win and we were close, but I think today we showed we can hold our own when we have this type of effort and performance." (HA)

"I know everyone is going to say this is a moral victory, but I'm not buying it. We didn't win. We had our chances, and we didn't take advantage of them. Hawaii made the plays to win the game." (TSN, HSB, LTS)

"We're not going to talk about moral victories, because that's not why we play the game. Obviously, this was a great college football game and our guys played their hearts out. But Hawaii is a great football team and they made the plays they needed to make." (SPT)

"I know everyone is going to say it's a moral victory, but I'm not buying into that. We didn't win. We had our chances and didn't take advantage of them." (TNS)

About how they are still working on their passing game, though they improved in this game, Dooley said:
"We're still looking for some big plays out of our passing game. We made improvements throwing the football but still missed on some big passes that would have helped us. Zac did do a better job with his passing game this week." (TNS, LTS)

About how they showed improvement in this game and need to learn how to finish games, Dooley said:
"I'm disappointed for our players, but we showed improvement. If we play this hard every Saturday night, the wins will come. We just have to learn to finish games." (SPT)

About how they wanted to have a ball-control offense to take time off the clock and keep Colt and the UH offense off the field, Dooley said:
"That was our game plan heading in to the game. We knew we'd have to have long, sustained drive resulting in points. And we were able to do that. We just didn't finish." (TNS)

Praising QB Zac Champion's play in the game, Dooley said:
“I was real pleased with Zac. He played calm and with poise. He made some plays with his feet and did a good of game management.” (RL)

About how they have to learn how to finish drives and games, Dooley said:
“Learning how to finish a game is so important and we had our chances to win this one on Saturday. Looking back on two drives that we didn’t score on in the first half brings up again the need of finishing out things. With 3:20 to go in the first half, we had the football at Hawaii’s 40-yard line. But we did a poor job of blocking on the first and second downs and then we wind up punting. Then, at the end of the game, with about 1:29 left and the score tied in regulation, we had some drops that kept us from getting a field goal that maybe could have won it for us. On a fourth down, the receiver fell down on a route.” (RL)

“We had the opportunity to go up by two scores by halftime. As good as we played, those two drives really hurt against such a seasoned, talented team as Hawaii. We’re still learning how to finish a game, but as long as we keep playing this way, our fans are going to continue supporting us and enjoy watching us play.” (RL)

About how they did a great job against the UH offense, Dooley said:
“The good news defensively is that we had 12 knockdowns, four sacks, four batted balls, 11 pressures and one interception. There was a helmet being put on Brennan (Colt, Hawaii quarterback) consistently and I thought our defense did just about as much as you can do against such a great offense. That’s a senior team we were facing and they never got rattled, never flinched and never lost their composure when things weren’t going their way. We’re still trying to find that out with our team, but while we should be disappointed in losing, we also should realize that we had a chance to win this game. And later on, we’re going to have that chance again.” (RL)

Dooley talked about the mistakes his defense made:
“we gave up eight plays that had either mental or technique errors. The mental mistakes had nothing to do with Hawaii. If we do our techniques right and have less mental mistakes, then it could have been two fewer touchdowns given up. Overall, we executed our game plan, but we just gave up too many big plays on defense.” (RL)

Praising Colt, Dooley said:
“I really think he’s a very good quarterback because he’s such a competitor. We were putting some big hits on him and he just kept coming back. He is a very accurate thrower. I know if I’m coaching in the NFL, I’d be wanting him on my team.” (RL)


About the loss, La Tech President Dr. Daniel Reneau felt it was a moral victory:
"It felt like a win to me." (TNS)

"I believe we won that game." (SPT)


About how they couldn't afford to make the mistakes that they did, La Tech QB Champion said:
"Some mistakes at times hurt us and you can't do that against a team like Hawaii. Not with the kind of offense they have. They can score so quickly." (HA)


Other quotes from the game
About why he attended the game, Dwayne Lewis of the Sugar Bowl said:
"I figured since they were down here might as well come see them. I've heard and read a lot of great things about them and wanted to take the chance to see them." (HA)

HA Note: "Several magazines and online services have projected the Warriors to the New Orleans-based Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 if they go unbeaten and earn BCS qualification. UH has appeared in only one Mainland bowl, the San Diego-based Holiday Bowl in 1992. The difference between a BCS appearance and playing in the hometown Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl for UH would be approximately $4 million — before expenses — according to people familiar with bowl payouts.

Representatives from the Mobile, Ala.-based GMAC Bowl also attended last night's game. The WAC has an affiliate relationship with the bowl. In the event a WAC team plays in the GMAC Bowl, a Mid-American Conference team would play in one of the WAC-related bowls."

HA Note: "Seven NFL scouts representing six teams attended the game. The New Orleans Saints had two scouts. The Edmonton Eskimos were the only Canadian League team with a representative."


Concerned about Bess not returning punts and giving up lots of yardage by letting the balls drop, Stretch went back to watch both games and posted this to The Warrior Beat:

Re: Punt Returns
To verify what I was seeing, I went back and watched the first two games.
Northern Colorado
1Q 6:00 hit at 45 down at 36
1Q 2:30 31 – 37
2Q 12:10 30 – 16
2Q 4:40 29 – 20

La Tech
2Q 15:00 7 – 1 okay since inside 10
2Q 2:16 13 fair catch
3Q 10:20 42-37
3Q 1:38 36-35
4Q 11:40 19 – 14
4Q 6:39 34-17

That last punt in the 4th Q when Hawaii was leading 35-31, 17 yards makes a big difference.

10 punts, 1 fair catch, loss of 60 yards due to letting it drop.