Quotes from the local papers

About his injured ankle, Colt said:
"It's good, it's coming along. Practicing and playing on it doesn't help. The bye week (after next week's San Jose State game) will be a really good thing for me." (HSB)


About UH's BCS chances, WAC commissioner Karl Benson said:
"Hawai'i is well positioned right now." (HA)


About how the computer portion of the BCS formula has generally been good to the WAC, Benson said:
"Historically, the computers have actually treated WAC teams better than the polls. Whether that will continue, we don't know." (HA)


About how Bess will keep his punt returning job, JJ said:
"Davone will do it." (HA)


About keeping his job despite returning 7 (2 were muffs) of the 26 punts kicked to him, Bess said:
"I'm thankful (Jones has) been with me. It's been rough. I'm going to get it done." (HA)

HA Note: "Discounting the two muffs, Bess is averaging 12.8 yards per punt return, reducing opponents' net average to 27.8 yards per punt. The net-punt average is 45.5 yards when he allows the football to bounce and 41.3 yards when he makes a fair catch."


About how Bess blames "misjudgement" on not fielding more punts, JJ said:
"He hasn't been back there a lot. That's what happens. The more he does it, the better he gets." (HA)


About how Bess does not have to prove that he can do the job, JJ said:
"To me, he's already done that. I know what he can do." (HA)


About how he's gotten more reps in practice fielding punts, Bess said:
"Hopefully, that will help. It's a matter of settling down, not taking punts for granted. I have to take advantage of the opportunity given to me." (HA)


About the job for the punt returner, JJ said:
"The No. 1 thing is to catch the ball, give the offense an opportunity to take over." (HA)


About elevating Keenan Jones to 1st team kick returner, JJ said:
"He's practiced really hard, and he's athletic as heck." (HA)


About getting the kick returning job, Keenan said:
"I'm ready for whatever coach has in store for me." (HA)

HA Note: "Keenan Jones is completing a comeback from last March, when he was suspended from spring practice and stripped of his scholarship for missing mandatory team functions. But he is doing well in school, and he has ascended to No. 2 right cornerback. He has been told his scholarship might be reinstated in January."


About earning his scholarship back, Keenan said:
"I have to keep working, not only on the field, but off the field." (HA)


About working intensively on kick returns the past few weeks, Keenan said:
"You've got to be focused. You have to make sure you catch the ball, you know where your blockers are, and basically do your assignments. As long as you do what the coaches tell you, you can't do wrong." (HA)


About his strained right hamstring, which likely led to his knee problems, Michael Lafaele said:
"I'm all right. It's nothing serious." (HA)

"It's just a small strain, nothing serious. I'll be out there (at practice), but I might take it easy. We'll see how it feels (today). I'm definitely suiting up for the game." (HSB)


About how they sent Lafaele to get an MRI to be sure he was okay, GM said:
"He looked like he was favoring it a little bit, and I didn't want to take any chances. I asked June to send him in. We have to take care of him. I asked the trainers if we can get an MRI so we won't take any chances. I'm not concerned at all. It's a precautionary deal." (HA)

"We don't want to take any chances." (HSB)


About Lafaele, JJ said:
"He'll play." (HA)


About how Lafaele is their leader on D, CB J.P. Davis said:
"He's the guy, our leader. I call him Big Unc'." (HSB)


About his left thigh injury, suffered when he collided with CB Jakeem Hawkins in practice, RGM said:
"I'm fine. It's just a little bruise." (HA)


Asked how much he thought about transferring from Utah State, WR and returner Kevin Robinson said:
"Zero. I never thought of leaving. I'm one of the people wherever I go I stick it out to the end." (HSB)


About how Kevin Robinson is their biggest threat, Utah State coach Brent Guy said:
"Right now, he's our big-play guy, for both offense and special teams. We're trying to get him as many touches as we can because he can break the game open for us." (HSB)


About how he's used as a WR, RB, KR, and PR, Robinson said:
"They're finding different ways to get me the ball. I get some reverses and short passes and we do a good job spreading people out." (HSB)


About his 7-32 record at Utah State, Robinson said:
"It's starting to get to me a little bit, but I can't focus on that, I've got to focus on a new game every time I go out there and just do my best every game. I can't go around thinking about the last game and how we lost it, or how we lost the game before that. I've just got to realize that a new game is a new game and hopefully I can do something better this time so that we can get a win." (HSB)


About how it would be fun to be a WR in UH's offense, Robinson said:
"It'd be a fun offense, talented players all the way around. Any receiver would like that." (HSB)


Asked about their chances vs. UH, Robinson said:
"We'll just try to keep the game close and hopefully win in the fourth quarter." (HSB)