Quotes from the local papers and the Associated Press

About facing Fresno State, JJ said:
"(It doesn't matter if we're 8-0 or 0-8) it's Fresno. They will play their (butts) off when they come here, I assure you of that. In 2004, they put 70 on us and then came here the following year and won. I think it has more to do with them being Fresno. Since the 1999 game, I think this game has been more emotional with more hype." (AP)


After they beat Utah State last week, Pat Hill said:
"I am very satisfied with the win. With all the depth problems we have, we are a tired football team right now. I need to do something in practice to make sure this team stays fresh. I thought our effort was good. I liked the way we played in getting the win. We are 5-1 heading to Hawaii and we have the opportunity to do something really special against a very good football team." (AP)


Asked if he would play vs. Fresno State, Pilares said:
"Not this week. I'm not practicing. I'm not just going to jump in." (HA)

"Since I'm not practicing, it kind of signals that I'm not going to play. I'm not going to just jump in there and play without taking reps." (HSB)


About how Pilares probably will have to miss the game, JJ said:
"I don't think he'll be ready to play, but we'll see how he is on game day." (HA)

"Kealoha might not play, but he might. We'll see how it is game day. Leon said he's ready to go (after some nagging injuries). Leon and Dave, we'll be fine." (HSB)


About how Daniel Libre has been added to their 3 RB rotation, JJ said:
"(Libre) is doing good. Leon's doing good. Farm Dog is Farm Dog. We're OK back there." (HA)

HA Note: "Libre, a junior from the Big Island, transferred from Menlo College last year. He opened the season as a slotback before becoming the running back for the scout-team offense. Libre's work against the first-team defense caught Jones' attention."


About how his hard work got him noticed by the coaches, Libre said:
"Work hard, do what you're told and hopefully it pays off. The coaches are always watching" (HA)

About getting to play during their huge ending stretch, Libre said:
"I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a lot of pressure, but it's what I wanted since I got here." (HSB)

About how JJ compares him to former UH RB Michael Brewster, Libre said:
"That's a pretty big compliment. (Brewster) did a lot of good things over here. I used to watch him (on television) when I lived on the Big Island. It's an honor." (HA)


Praising Libre, whose speed on special teams against NMSU was noticed by the coaches, RB coach Wes Suan said:
"He has some good versatile talent." (HSB)


About how he was injured on the next-to-last play of Monday's team drills, Maka said:
"Somebody got thrown into my leg, took me out." (HA)


Maka said that his fracture would keep him out a:
"maximum of four weeks. Hopefully, it's sooner than that. It depends on my pain level. It's not a complete break. It's a little fracture." (HA)

HA Note: "Maka was a rush end in the nickel (4-2-5) and Oky (3-3-5) defensive schemes."

Unhappy with the loss of Maka, DL coach Jeff Reinbold said:
"He's a guy who each week has made bigger and bigger contributions. It's a step back." (HA)


About how the loss of Maka makes a difference, Michael Lafaele said:
"You can tell our defensive ends are not the same as far as rotation and resting time. Especially the way (Maka) plays. He makes plays. To not have him out there is heartbreaking." (HA)


About how Maka mentored him, John Fonoti (also rotating at rush end) said:
"Whenever I didn't know something, he told me what to do. I'm sad to see him out." (HA)


About how Victor Clore will replace Maka in the rotation, Reinbold said:
"Victor Clore is in a position where he sees the light at the end of the tunnel." (HA)

"That would be the natural progression of things. We're deep and we have some flexibility in the Okie and nickel packages, where Francis made a lot of his contributions. We're still four-deep that we feel really good about at end." (HSB)


About Maka's injury, Reinbold said:
"That's life in the food chain. These are the kinds of things that happen. It's unfortunate, but it's part of the game, so you can't cry about it. Guys have to rise up. We'll be OK." (HA)


About how their rotation at DL helps to cushion the impact of losing a player to injury, GM said:
"It's a tough loss, but we play 10 guys on the defensive line regularly." (HSB)


About getting his chance to play, Clore (who gained 20 pounds in the past year and now weighs 250) said:
"All of the senior guys helped me get ready. I'm good to go. We're going to miss (Maka). He was fast off the edge, a good pass rusher. I'll do what I can." (HA)

HA Note: "Maka is the third key special teams player to suffer a serious injury. Safety Keao Monteilh has a fractured left scapula and linebacker Rustin Saole has a partially torn MCL in his left knee. Jones said safety Kenny Estes will replace Saole on the kickoff team. Estes, a freshman who enrolled at UH in January, had not played in a game this season in anticipation of redshirting. But Jones said Estes has played well enough in practices the past month to join the active roster. Jones said Estes will play on all of the special teams."


About Kenny Estes giving up a redshirt chance, JJ said:
"It doesn't concern me. What concerns me is getting the best guys out there to win." (HA)

Unsure at first if he wanted to give up his redshirt year, Kenny Estes said:
"I was kind of like, 'There's only four or five more games and I missed out on more than half of the season.' " (HSB)

HSB Note: "Then, Estes said, he realized that it's an honor that the coaches would want him to contribute to what is so far an undefeated season."


Not worried about giving up his redshirt year, Kenny Estes said:
"I figure if there's any year to play, this is the year." (HA)

"This is the year to play. This is the year obviously that (UH is) going so far." (HSB)


About Kenny Estes on special teams, Dennis McKnight said:
"I like him. He's fast. He's competitive. He's like a junkyard dog." (HA)


About how Kenny Estes will get more reps with the DBs now, DB coach Rich Miano said:
"He'll get more reps now that he's part of our travel crew and our game crew. He's going to get some experience in the back end. When you have passion like he does and skill and athleticism, it's just a matter of time before he gets in the mix." (HSB)

Praising Kenny Estes, Miano said:
"He's fast, he's tough. Every time we look out here on scout team, our guys can't block him (on kickoffs). Every game means so much. Let's get our best athletes on the field. We still have four games, then a bowl game. You never know when your number's going to get called. He's going to get the opportunity in all these big games." (HSB)

About how the coaches evaluated their whole roster to improve their special teams for this final stretch, Miano said:
"We sat down as a staff, and (decided) if that means using some starters, a guy we were going to redshirt, so be it." (HSB)

Special teams player Guyton Galdeira said Estes earned his shot.
About how Kenny Estes earned his spot, Special teams player Guyton Galdeira said:
"He's been busting his butt and giving us a good look on scout team. That pretty much sums it up." (HSB)


About how his chance to move up the depth chart was lost due to his hyperextended knee injury he suffered in the NMSU game, Pau said:
"I blew my chance." (HSB)