Quotes from 12/28

About the negotiations over his contract, JJ said:
"Like other years, Leigh is taking care of it. When this game (against Georgia on Tuesday) is over I'll take some time off and analyze everything." (HSB)

HSB Note: "With every job opening Jones is linked with, whispers of the possibility of him leaving become a little bit louder. The latest speculation involved UCLA and SMU, neither of which came close to reality. UH players are aware of the situation, but haven't let it distract them from Sugar Bowl preparations."

About how they aren't letting JJ's situation distract them, David Farmer said:
"I haven't had a single conversation with another player about whether Coach Jones will be back or not. We understand how it is and he's got to do what he's got to do. If that's the case, then all the more reason to come out firing and make this going out with a bang for Coach. I really hope he comes back. I don't see any reason why he leaves, but I don't know." (HSB)

About how he would be more likely to stay at UH if JJ stays at UH, Bess said:
"I hadn't taken that into consideration. But that would be a good reason for me to consider staying." (HSB)

About how he loves Hawaii, JJ said:
"The thing that keeps me there is the people of Hawaii. That's what brought me to the university and what keeps me there. I have had lots of opportunities to leave before and I just really have strong feelings for the people and it's a great place, nothing quite like it. It's a fantastic place." (HSB)

HSB Note: "But frustrations stemming from -- among other things -- a fickle fan base, anemic funding and wanting facilities keep Jones from saying he will definitely sign on the dotted line. But he said he hopes UH's first appearance in a BCS bowl game and the attendant publicity help lengthen the profile of Hawaii -- the football team, and the state."

Hoping that things will change for their program with the success they had this year, JJ said:
"I think there are people downtown and in the community that realize what the program means to the state and the Sugar Bowl has done that. Our whole economy is tourism and how we survive is tourism and you can't buy that (publicity) for Hawaii. And I knew that our football program could be visible nationally by NFL standards." (HSB)

About how they football budget is dwarfed by teams like Georgia, JJ said:
"In reality, if you wanted to do this every year, you need (financial) help." (HSB)

JJ said that he receives inquiries about NFL jobs:
"every year." (HSB)

About why he would go to the NFL, JJ said:
"It would have to be a special situation. The right situation. If I never went back to the NFL, I've got no problems. When I had jobs in the NFL, I feel we accomplished a lot of things. We had the No. 1 offense in the National Football League. We had four 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. I proved the offense works in the National Football League." (HSB)

Asked if he thought JJ might end his UH career at the end of this season, JJ's good friend Artie Wilson said:
"That's a very good question. June loves Hawaii and the kids. I think it would take an unbelievable opportunity." (HSB)

Asked what it would take to keep JJ, Wilson said:
"Not only a good contract, but a better working environment. Not make everything such a battle. Why should he always have to climb uphill just to get bare essentials?" (HSB)

HSB Note: "Jones was only half-joking yesterday when he complained about a carpet in his office having been installed when Dick Tomey was UH coach in the 1980s."

About what would happen if JJ left, Wilson said:
"The (administration) has got to recognize if he doesn't stay, we're starting over." (HSB)

About how it is hard for UH to simulate their offense in practice, Colt said:
"It's really hard for them to simulate it because when they watch film, every time we run a play it goes different than how the defense is playing us. I don't know how they can teach their kids to make this adjustment. I would assume it would be pretty difficult. But football is a game where you have to show up and play. Obviously, if they show up with a great game plan and a lot of confidence, and come up physical, obviously anybody can beat anyone, and obviously it can work both ways. It's difficult for us to come up with an athletic look from our defense as well. It works both ways." (HSB)

About how their scout team can't duplicate UH's offense, Richt said:
"You can't duplicate it. You can try to line up in the same sets and try to run the same routes, but it is very difficult to run it with the same precision as they run it and the same precision as Colt Brennan throws the football. Plus, they have different paces. You can only hope to show the basic formation and routes that they have." (HSB)

About how Georgia has played against a lot of teams that use at least some of their offensive principles, JJ said:
"Everybody plays some form of what we do now. Whether it is Florida running their pull-out offense and the formations they play. Now they have a little bit of an idea after they have 30 days to prepare and I'm sure they will have new wrinkles and new things that they are going to do to us. They have great, talented players. They have very good coaches and they will have a good scheme to compete against us, obviously." (HSB)

About how he offered to help JJ with his preparations for the Sugar Bowl, Saints executive VP and GM Mickey Loomis (also from Oregon and knowing JJ through their friend Dolphins GM Randy Mueller) said:
"Normally what happens every year is the Sugar Bowl people will call and ask if they can use the facilities for one or both of the teams if they so choose. So that was the process, though I called June when they got selected ... and said, 'Hey listen, anything you need from us?' because of the relationship he and I have had." (HSB)

About how the Saints (who made the playoffs last year despite the Katrina damage) and Warriors have things in common, Loomis said:
"Our story of last year is similar to Hawaii. When you exceed expectations, you have a, I wouldn't want to say, miraculous, season, if that's the right term, but have a special season, after overcoming a lot of obstacles." (HSB)

HSB Note: "In his news conference yesterday, Jones talked about how he couldn't get any playing time at quarterback in four years at Oregon and Hawaii, and voila, in one year in the run-and-shoot at Portland State he broke passing records. "Does that mean you were a system quarterback?" KITV's Robert Kekaula asked. Laughter filled the room"

Laughing as he answered, JJ said:
"I was a system quarterback." (HSB)


Asked which D they faced this season most resembles Georgia, Colt said:
"LaTech, I don't know if the coaching staff is similar with them or they got a coach from them or something. But they do have some similarities to LaTech and what LaTech did to us. We have an idea what they (the Bulldogs) are going to do, we've just got to wait until game time to really know. One of our biggest advantages is it is tough to defend what we do. If you watch film and what we do to zone -- we kill zone -- so I don't know if they are going to want to drop back. I think with the athletes that they have, the speed they have, they're going to try to blitz and bring the pressure and man up and try to knock us off our timing. And just try to rattle us. That would be a good game plan, but we'd be prepared for it." (HSB)

About the NFL scouts watching the Sugar Bowl, Colt said:
"I'll get a lot of respect, I think, if I show up and have a good game against Georgia. It's going to be a war and it's going to be tough. I've been telling everybody that once we get over the fact that this will be the toughest team that we've played, we'll be fine." (HSB)

As some Saints players and he watched UH practice, New Orleans executive VP and GM Mickey Loomis said:
"There's a lot of good players." (HA)

HA Note: "When UH spent a week in Houston during a September layover between the Louisiana Tech and Nevada-Las Vegas games, the Warriors had wanted to work out at the Texans' practice facility but were turned away, they said, by an NFL policy rooted against giving one team a scouting advantage over others. So, the Warriors spent the week working out at Rice University instead. Yesterday, UH said it had a go-ahead to use the Saints' facility through a deal between the Sugar Bow and NFL."

About how UH had a choice of several facilities to practice in, including the Superdome, Tulane, and some school facilities, HF said:
"You know June. He went right for the pro facility." (HA)

HA Note: "Indeed, it was like old-home week with Jones and some of his coaches exchanging greetings and stories with Saints' staffers."

About practicing at the Saints' facility, Carl Clapp said:
"apparently the NFL approved, but I don't know what the difference was. Maybe it was because the Sugar Bowl was handling things and it wasn't the University of Hawai'i dealing directly." (HA)

Loomis claimed that the Saints were not looking for a scouting edge:
"Really, we're not. We didn't let them use the facility to scout them. We allowed them because it is the right thing to do. The colleges have been real good to us and we wanted to reciprocate." (HA)

About how 408 media members are already assigned to cover the Sugar Bowl, Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said:
"It (this year) is a good turnout." (HA)

Walking onto the plush artificial surface in the Saints' practice facility, Colt said:
"Sweet. It's awesome." (HA)

About the surface in the practice facility, Keith AhSoon said:
"This reminds me of my backyard back home (in Samoa)." (HA)

About how they entered shortly after the Saints finished practice, Francis Maka said:
"We saw (Saints quarterback) Drew Brees working out with some of his receivers. It was cool to see the pros working out." (HA)

Some Warriors went to the weight room to look for Reggie Bush, but Tim Grasso stayed to watch Brees practie, saying:
"I've got Drew Brees on my fantasy football team. He's my starting quarterback. He's way good. He's got a cannon for an arm." (HA)

Asked how his fantasy team fared, Grasso said:
"I just lost in the semifinals. Thanks for bringing it up." (HA)

HA Note: "During the regular season, the Warriors were restricted to a 65-player travel roster. The postseason has no such limitations, and the Warriors brought 113 players to New Orleans, of which 110 practiced yesterday. The excused were three injured players — quarterback Kiran Kepo'o, and safeties Le'Marcus Gibson and Keao Monteilh. Monteilh has been cleared to participate only in non-contact drills. The expanded roster meant the Warriors were able to field full scout teams to compete against the starters."

About their practice, JJ said:
"It was a good workout." (HA)

About how his coaches wanted him to boom punts but Saints officials asked him to avoid hitting the water pipes criss-crossing beneath the ceiling, Grasso said:
"I got close a couple of times. It was pretty tough. You can't hit them as high as you wanted to. But the coaches still wanted perfection." (HA)

HA Note: "Grasso said he will practice sky punts at the adjacent outdoor field today."

Unhappy that it was sunny yesterday during practice, Adam Leonard said:
"It feels good to have a roof over your head when you practice. But I wanted it to rain so I would know what it's like to practice and not get wet." (HA)

About how they will get their work done, Adam Leonard said:
"There are more distractions over here. But I feel our team understands how important this game is. We know what we've got to do." (HA)

About how they will be ready for the game, Colt said:
"We understand what's waiting for us in that dome. We're excited to be down here, and we want to live up to this opportunity." (HA)

HA Note: "Jones did not impose a curfew on the Warriors the past two nights. That ends tonight."

About touring New Orleans, Colt said:
"It was unreal. They talk about Bourbon Street, and we went out and saw it. It lives up to its reputation. It's crazy. It's really crazy. It was fun. We had a blast." (HA)

About how he saw a man pee in the middle of the street, Dan Kelly laughed and said:
"When you've got to go, you've got to go. But there were some really cool stuff, like the live bands. We went to a little club. There was a band playing live music. It was a real fun time." (HA)

Happy about their practice, Colt said:
"I thought we had a lot of energy. We came out and we were in good spirits. We flew around. We weren't sharp yet, but everything looks good. Because we had a couple of days off, we were really fresh. It was good to get out there. It's the countdown to game time, so it's on." (HA)

About how it is important for their team to do well, Dennis McKnight said:
"This is for Hawai'i. This isn't just for this team and these coaches. It's for everybody who can't be here. They're with us, in their own way. We're carrying the 'H' logo with us for the people who can't be here." (HA)


About their bus that is decorated to look like a football with "University of Hawai'i" and "WAC" marked on the sides along with the Sugar Bowl logo, Colt said:
"I wish it was one of those gifts we could take back home with us." (HA)

"You don't think they'll let us take a bus home with us, do you?" (HA)

GM has been to the Orange Bowl and other bowls with the University of Miami and said that that Sugar Bowl is:
"the most impressive." (HA)

About the first-class treatment they are getting, JJ called it:
"super ... just like a Super Bowl." (HA)

About their bus, Jeff Reinbold said:
"There wasn't some cardboard sign with magic marker that says 'Hawai'i' on it. This bus was the real deal." (HA)

HA Note: "For all the pampering — and the Warriors have a game room full stocked with diversions and snacks at their private disposal in the hotel — the concern is that the heads in those UH helmets might stay up in the clouds for a while. For the jazz band that serenaded them at breakfast and upon arrival, the fear is that those cleats might not touch the ground in time for the kickoff of the Jan. 1 showdown with Georgia at the Superdome."

During practice Reinbold could be heard walking the sideline shouting:
"remember, guys, this isn't a vacation. This is about work, right?" (HA)

HA Note: "But even going to "work" yesterday was unlike any other day for the Warriors. When the buses pulled up to the practice site, it was the New Orleans Saints' well-appointed, climate-controlled facility where quarterback Drew Brees was still working out indoors and where officials and an army of photographers and reporters came to greet the Warriors."

Arriving at the Saints' practice facility, Bess said:
"This is what it is all about." (HA)

About the Saints' practice facility with the media there for them, Adam Leonard said:
"This is a big, big, big-time atmosphere." (HA)

About how they cannot be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and surroundings, Reinbold said:
"When we got here you could just see our players' jaws drop. And that's OK, for a while. What you have to guard against is becoming that country cousin who comes to the big city and is, all of a sudden, enamored with it all. We have to snap them back to Earth and remind them that we're here to work. That we have a big football game to prepare for. It is a balancing act. You want them to enjoy it, but you also want them to remember why we're here." (HA)

HA Note: "Which is why, we're told, that behind the massive doors that were closed to the media after the first 15 minutes of practice that "June got on their butts pretty good, getting on their backs about why they are here and what it means," said someone who was privy to the practice."

About how they want to win the Sugar Bowl for their seniors, Knowshon Moreno said:
"Most definitely we want to win this game for the seniors. But we also know if we can put on a good showing on national TV, it will help us with our goals next year. Right now, all we're thinking about is beating Hawaii." (HSB)

Focused on beating Hawaii, Mark Richt said:
"Our players are just getting the feel of New Orleans. We did practice last night and went relatively late. We do want to enjoy the bowl experience, but we are very serious about playing the University of Hawaii. We know they are a very good football team. They are undefeated and there is a lot to be said for a team that has not been beaten. We know they will be a tremendous challenge for us." (HSB)

About how winning the Sugar Bowl would get them a good preseason ranking, QB Stafford said:
"We're trying to set ourselves up for a good ranking next year. And definitely try to end this year on a high note. You have to start off the season up there (in the rankings) in preseason to really have a legit chance, unless you run the table. (Not being in the national title game) that was probably a one-day deal. Where we're at right now is where we want to be, playing a great Hawaii team. We're excited about playing in the Sugar Bowl, really." (HSB)

Looking forward to facing UH, CB Asher Allen said:
"Most definitely coming out with a big-time win (against Hawaii), obviously people would be looking at us. A lot of this talent out here is coming right back. Not playing in this year's national championship, we're definitely over that. We have enough on our hands with Hawaii, so we don't have time to worry about that." (HSB)