Pregame quotes for the UH-Nevada game

About how they will rent heaters for the sidelines, JJ said:
"We'll have all that stuff. We'll do what we need to do." (HSB)


Praising LWJ's improvement this season, with 6 carries for 65 yards vs. Fresno State, JJ said:
"Leon's gotten better every time in there. He played more physical." (HSB)


About how they used Nevada's pistol formation for many of LWJ's plays, JJ said:
"We just felt like we could do some things with it, create different alignments for the plays we wanted to do. And it did." (HSB)


About Nevada's defense, Inoke said:
"I think they (Nevada) have a good scheme. Not only are they physical, but they have good coaching and schemes. It'll be important for us to try to have a mental edge. If we have a good idea of what they're throwing at us it'll help us go through our reads faster." (HSB)


About how Nevada has scored 25 TDs of 20 yards or longer, JJ said:
"We've got to limit the big plays. They make a lot of big plays. They run a lot of misdirection. There's two guys we gotta worry about back there." (HSB)


About how Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick is 2nd on their team with 465 yards, Solomon Elimimian said:
"He's been very effective. If he can't find someone open, he just runs it himself, and a lot of times he'll make a great run." (HSB)


Praising their defense vs. Fresno State, JJ said:
"They were really flying around. We had some guys really step up at linebacker. Brad Kalilimoku played unreal. Blaze Soares played physical. The D-line played good and everybody kind of stepped up. We have to do that two weeks in a row now, with a short week." (HSB)


About how he's been constantly looking to improve his offense, Nevada coach Chris Ault (in his 3rd stretch of coaching Nevada) said:
"I've always been one of those guys who feels you have to change and grow with what you think might be best in the era. In the '90s, we were one of the best passing teams in the country. When I came back (after serving as Nevada's full-time athletic director), I wanted to still pass. But I felt to do the things we want to do now, we have to be able to run the ball a little bit more." (HA)


About how he tries to change 20% of their offense each year, JJ said:
"Like this week, we're using stuff we did 20 years ago. You kind of steal (ideas) off tapes from other teams, what other people do. I really stole a lot of things from Bill Walsh." (HA)


About how developing players motivates him, JJ said:
"I like watching (receivers) Greg Salas and Malcolm (Lane) coming into their own. It's been fun watching (right slotback) Ryan (Grice-Mullins), who couldn't catch a ball when he first came here. He didn't want to play receiver. Now he's probably going to play in the NFL." (HA)


About how his strength (which helps him keep away the DBs hands) has been a key to his 6.8 YAC average, RGM said:
"I don't like the DB to put his hands on me when I'm running the route. If he doesn't get his hands on me, I'm doing something right." (HA)


About how he needs to work on improving his 2.31 YAC, Hawthorne said:
"I need to work on turning the 5-yard catch into a 25-yard play. The key is to lock into what the defense is doing. You need to know where to go once you catch the ball. The slightest hesitation makes a difference. At this level, people can run up and catch you in no time." (HA)


About the key to his yards-after-broken-tackle average of 8.4 yads, Libre said:
"We do a lot of rope drills, line drills, working on our foot work. That helps a lot." (HA)


About how their RBs are taught to force defenders to try to make arm tackles that are easier to break, LWJ said:
"That's what we've been trying to do." (HA)


About playing at Nevada's 4,546 feet above sea level, Myron Newberry said:
Outlook: Altitude? It's about attitude. "Once we get running and sweating, we'll be all right. We run a lot, anyway." (HA)


About how they ran extra sprints this week to prepare for the altitude, Rich Miano said:
"Nobody runs more than we do in practice; it's like a track meet. They'll be fine." (HA)

HA Note: "In the last two games, Newberry and Lewis played most of the way. Mouton, who is the No. 1 nickelback, will join Newberry and Lewis to form a three-cornerback rotation. JoPierre Davis and Keenan Jones also will receive expanded roles. In situations calling for five defensive backs and when Mouton is at cornerback, then Guyton Galdeira will play nickelback."


About his 3 pancake blocks on kickoff returns vs. Fresno State, Jason Rivers said:
"It's pretty simple. If you get the ball, you run. If you don't, you block." (HA)

HA Note: "Kelly, who struggled with his kickoffs in the first eight games — his average boot was to the 6 — said he has found his groove. His kickoffs had an average hang time of 3.7 seconds in the first eight games; last week they averaged 4.1 seconds. That should increase in the thin air."


About how Kaepernick is good with play-action plays because of his skill in hiding the football, Ault said:
"He's got big hands. Play-action passes are a big part of the system. He does well." (HA)


About how he simplified their offense for the freshman Kaepernick and often has him come to the sideline before each play, Ault said:
"Because he doesn't have that experience, he and I exchange a lot of conversation." (HA)


About how Nevada has taken advantage of Kaepernick's scrambling ability, Jeff Reinbold said:
"we feel they have two backs in the game." (HA)


About Lippincott, who leads the WAC in rushing with 117.1 yards per game after being a DB just 1.5 years ago, Ault said:
"We're proud of Luke. He practices hard, he runs hard and he plays hard." (HA)


About Lippincott's running style, Reinbold said:
"He's an old-school runner. He's all about straight-ahead, no-fair-dodging running. If you stop him, he'll come back the next time, finding an open seam." (HA)


About how their defense has improved lately, Ault said about their early struggles:
"We really played poorly. The last few weeks we played better. We're still climbing that hill." (HA)


Praising Hines, Dennis McKnight said:
"If you have 20 of him on your team, you wouldn't even have to practice or coach them." (HA)


About how Colt has a large group attending the Nevada game, his father Terry Brennan said:
"We've got over 50 — relatives and friends. They're coming from all over California. I'm on my way to get some more tickets now." (HA)


Nevada spokesman Chad Hartley said that at least 25 NFL scouts have sought credentials for the game, mainly to see Colt:
"Mostly because it is their last chance to see him play here (on the Mainland). Although some are coming to see our (linebacker) Ezra Butler, too." (HA)


About the importance of this game, Myron Newberry said:
"It's real big for our whole team. We're one step closer to winning the WAC championship." (HA)


Gerard Lewis said that the game is considered to be:
"a playoff game. We lose one, we're out. We want to have perfection this season." (HA)

HA Note: "Two weeks ago, the UH coaches began installing the game plan. The Warriors worked on specific schemes for Nevada in practices Monday through Wednesday at UH's grass field."

Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin wore his traditional day-before attire — slippers and black sweat pants.
About wearing his traditional day-before clothes (slippers and black sweat pants), GM (UH won 9 games in his previous season with them and 9 game so far this season) said:
"These pants helped me get 18 wins." (HA)


About how the team is focused on the game, RGM said:
"You can look around the team, and they know what's at stake. Guys are focused. You look at everybody's eyes. They want the same thing." (HA)


About how their tough games so far this season has prepared team, GM said:
"The good thing, is we've been through adversity. They're all pounding the drums waiting for us. It depends on how we handle adversity. So far, our guys have done a great job of handling that. I have the utmost confidence we're going to handle it well." (HA)


Silver Legacy sports book worker John Pinto said that oddsmakers are:
"expecting Brennan to play [otherwise the betting spread (currently at 7 to 8 points)] would have come out about Hawai'i three (points)." (HA)


About the betting on the game, Pinto said that:
"right now we're seeing a lot of Hawai'i money. Come (today) it will be Hawai'i money since we get a good draw (of) people from Hawai'i at the hotel." (HA)