Feature on Colt by AOL Sports

Asked if playing at Hawaii was a disadvantage when it came to the Heisman Trophy, Colt said:
"It sure seems like it. I mean, considering everything that went down the past two years? Everyone talks about my schedule this year. Last year, I played Arizona State, Alabama, Oregon State Purdue and a 13-0 Boise State, had the best statistical career in the history of college football and I didn't get invited (to the Heisman ceremony) or win any awards. This year I don’t have as tough of a schedule, I put up less numbers but we're undefeated so I'm headed to New York? It's hard to understand what's right and what's wrong, right now. It just seems like the integrity of where awards should go and who's the best team in college football is all messed up." (AOL)


Asked who can compare with him since he owns 20 NCAA passing records, passed for more yards, TDs, and completions, and are undefeated and in a BCS game, Colt said:
"I didn't win the Heisman but there's not one Heisman finalist who can say he experienced what I've experienced this year or had the year I've had. To have the two biggest games in our school's history at the end of the year and to win both those games and get ourselves into a BCS Bowl Game? There's not one person in college football who got to experience what I experienced in Hawaii this year." (AOL)


About how the NY Times said that for him just getting invited to NY was equivalent to winning the award, Colt was asked if that is how he felt about it and said:
"In my case, yeah. I mean when Coach (June) Jones called Tim Tebow a "system quarterback," ESPN brought on 50 analysts and created their own segment just to defend Tim Tebow. I’ve been called a system quarterback for three years. Last week, some guy put together my stats against BCS opponents and against WAC opponents and I had better stats against BCS opponents. It just seems like nobody has taken the time to watch me over my career. No one has taken the time to sit down to make a good, legitimate decision as to what type of player I am and it's been frustrating. It really feels like I've been at a disadvantage compared to every other kid out there. Really, it's not very fair but that's the way it goes and the only thing I can do is win football games." (AOL)


About how they are the only undefeated team and asked how anyone can say that they are not #1, Colt said:
"Because of our conference, we don't get the respect or the credit to get the number one spot. We understand that. We've had some close games against conference teams. But everybody knows when you plan in your conference it's tougher because everybody knows you. So when we play in the WAC, teams know how to play us a little better. That's why we had some tough games this year. But the fact is, no matter what, we got the victory. No matter how many points we were down or what situation we were in, we got the victory. And that says a lot about the character of this team." (AOL)


When it was pointed out that Stanford beat USC and Washington beat Stanford and UH beat Washington, Colt was asked if they would get the same lack of respect if they were Pac-10 champs:
"Look at last year! We barely lost to Oregon State and that was the only team USC lost to. Our only losses were to Boise St. Alabama and Oregon State, and we could barely get in the Top 25." (AOL)


When it was pointed out that BSU beat Oklahoma and Utah and Fresno St. won their games against much larger schools and UH beat Arizona State, Colt said:
"I truly believe that better football is played in the mid-major conferences. The talent is definitely in the BCS conferences but I don’t think their football is as good. Look at Boise St. they got trick plays, they're doing fake punts. That's what we see all year, a genuine throwback style of football. Whereas when you go play a BCS team they just line-up and beat you with their athletes. Or at least that's what they try to do. And I think that's the balance that's coming out in college football now. It's not just the talent that matters. It's how you come together and play as a team. Those mid-major conference teams out there are showing they can play with the big boys." (AOL)


Asked about how the BCS rewards blowouts more than regular wins and if it is recognizing the wrong things, Colt said:
"I think so. But it's not a question of whether the BCS is working or not, it’s a question of what do we do with it now. I look at last year. Ohio State didn’t have trouble with anybody. So I wonder how good the Big Ten was last year considering their top two teams got blown out in their bowl games. Is that right? Just because of their football tradition certain teams get to go to bigger bowl games instead of looking at who actually is the better football team? Ohio State cruised through their schedule last year and Florida won seven games by three points or less and they smashed Ohio State. We gotta start looking at what is a better football team, what makes a better football team and not let the traditions be such a factor anymore." (AOL)


Asked about how teams with 6 wins are playing in bowl games and how Indiana is 7-5 and playing in a game on New Year's Eve, Colt said:
"It’s tough. All you can do is hope the mid-majors -- the Utahs and Boise State’s and Hawaii’s -- go up there and prove something needs to be done." (AOL)


When his 559 passing yards in the Hawaii Bowl set the NCAA highest single game passing total, Colt was asked if he feels good about this year's Sugar Bowl and said:
"We definitely feel good about the opportunity in front of us. But we understand what's in front of us and that’s one tough football team -- a team that was up for national championship contention. We need get to work and make sure we represent ourselves and Hawaii right and not become just some fluke." (AOL)


Asked if they win there should be a final game to see if someone can beat them, Colt said:
"A small playoff could be the right thing to determine who the outright national champion should be. Playing one or two less regular season games and playing a few playoffs games sound like a good idea to me." (AOL)


Asked if he would accept a tie for the title, Colt said:
"That's gonna be real hard to see happening the way the rules are set up.We really don't know right now who the best football team in the nation is. Maybe a tie is what's right. There’s a lot teams that deserve recognition and it's not right to leave teams out. It's probably better to give more credit than less credit." (AOL)


Asked where he would be without Jason Rivers and the rest of his fine WRs, Colt said:
"This season I missed two games due to injury and was knocked out a few games. That’s four victories I only played so much of a part in. When I think about what happened and what developed in those games, it was outstanding play by the receivers, the O-line and running backs and having Tyler Graunke step in and do some big things. I really think Tyler had the confidence he did because he knew the talent he had around him.There's no doubt in my mind that the best receiving corps hands down, without a doubt, in the nation is at the University of Hawaii. I don't even think it's close. What they accomplish collectively, nobody can touch 'em." (AOL)


Asked about how he calls audibles in Samoan, Colt said:
"(laughs) Last year, four out of our five O-lineman were Samoan. There’s a foreign language requirement at Hawaii and there’s a great relationship between the Sports Department and the Samoan Department because there’s a lot of kids that are from Samoa who plays sports. Since there are so many Samoan football players I figured “Why not go check it out?” After a couple semesters I got good at it, started having fun with guys on the practice field. Then before you knew it they were implementing audibles in Samoan. We do it a little bit this year but last year last we did a lot of it." (AOL)


Asked if it is true that he and his WRs decide most plays silently at the line of scrimmage just before the ball is snapped, Colt said:
"It's basically about understanding the offense and repetition. Coach Jones' offense is extremely easy to run. Getting good at is the key. It helps that we’ve all been in the offense for a couple years now, established a relationship and had success. So by now there's an understanding without words that we have with one another. Now more than ever we'll walk up to a defense and everybody on offense knows what we're gonna do before the snap of the ball. We’re on the same page. When we keep that chemistry going and we're on fire during a game, it doesn't seem like anybody can stop us." (AOL)


Asked about how Hawaii would be tough to leave and if Hawaii got an NFL team, Colt said:
"That’d be interesting. I don't know how realistic it is considering the travel. Would NFL teams be alright coming out to a Hawaii on a given week? I think that it could happen but we need all the right pieces to come together. What's great right now is that the university represents for Hawaii what professional sports represent in other cities. I'm doing a thesis project right now on being a student athlete. Listening to the women's soccer and volleyball teams talk about their experiences -- they get five times more fans compared to the mainland teams. It's just funny how things work out there. People really take the pride in the university and come out to see all the sports. Because of the success in the football this year, the fan and community support has been sky high." (AOL)


Asked if the healthiest sugar in the world, Turbinado sugar, is from Hawaii, Colt said:
"Ha! You know I never really thought about that. We do produce a lot of sugar and sugar cane. It's a really good point. I'm gonna start bringing that up." (AOL)