Quotes from the Star-Bulletin on 12/31

About UH being in the Sugar Bowl, UH Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said:
"This has all been very positive, and will help show that in spreading the word about UH, it's not just about athletics, but academics and the entire state as well. It's great that so many fans have come all the way here, and I'm sure they'll notice the Southern and Hawaiian cultural similarities. By bringing our community here, it's a wonderful way to celebrate. The football team's accomplished a lot, and it's reflected by the support of these people. We're going to ride the pride all the way." (HSB)

US Rep Mazie Hirano said about the Warriors:
"I'm a big booster and alumnus, celebrating not only the team's success, but also the 100th anniversary of the university. ... New Orleans has welcomed us with open arms, with people saying, 'Aloha, y'all.' At the ladies function in the French Quarter earlier this morning, Virginia and I had a little taste of what Mardi Gras must be like, tossing green beads into the crowd while in a horse-drawn carriage." (HSB)

Eric Masutomi, VP for planning for foundation donor Outrigger Enterprises Group, said that what happened this football season is:
"wonderful and speaks to longtime, long-suffering fans who've seen the team go from the Rainbows to now the Warriors. It's spectacular. It feels that half the state is out walking about the streets of New Orleans, coming from all strata of Hawaii's communities. I'm beaming from all of this. And Hawaii goods are selling so well, vendors have told me that if they knew Hawaii fans were this rabid, they would've brought more to their stores." (HSB)

Na Koa charter board member Robert Akimaka said about this season:
"It's been the ultimate impossible dream. This follows the two previous impossible dreams, one, beating (Brigham Young University) and the other, beating Illinois in the Holiday Bowl." (HSB)

Asked if he thought the football program could build on their success, Akimaka said:
"I'm an optimist. I have to be. (Coach) June (Jones) has done such an incredible job -- to think big after all these years -- by not only being good at home, but tough and winning on the road as well." (HSB)

Asked if he thought the football program could build on their success, Hannemann said:
"It's all due to an excellent coach, a great crop of athletes and maybe how the stars aligned for us this season. Athletics can be a breadwinner, and the fact that they did it shows it can be done. It was a unique set of challenges to overcome." (HSB)

Praising Colt's leadership, Bess said:
"He's a leader, not just a vocal leader. He proves everything with his actions." (HSB)

About the extreme demands on Colt's time, Dan Morrison said:
"Colt's always been an external thinker, sensitive to those around him. Now he has to deal with being Colt the rock star." (HSB)

About his criticizing of UH's facilities, Colt said:
"The athletic department should be a diamond. I really do hope they improve things, because it's been a long time coming." (HSB)

About how the need to focus on Georgia, David Veikune said:
"It's time to draw down and focus on the game. After two days, (defensive coordinator Greg) McMackin said after that stop messing around and partying." (HSB)

About their focus in practice, Michael Lafaele said:
"Everybody's serious today. A little intensity and kick to our step. We can't wait 'til Tuesday." (HSB)

About how he can't wait for the game, Hercules said:
"It's been a long week; long practices and we are just ready for the game. We have been ready for the game ever since we arrived here in New Orleans. It's been a long week for us and we loved it over here, but it's time to get down to business." (HSB)

About how he loves to kick indoors, Dan Kelly said:
"It's so much easier because you don't have to worry about the elements. Field goals are like a dream. I told Coach (June) Jones I want to be drafted by an NFL team that plays in a dome." (HSB)

About how they might have to use a silent count due to the enhanced noise by being in a dome, Colt said:
"We can only speculate now (on crowd noise). We've put all the silent counts in, all the checks. We have different types of them and we just have to wait to see how loud it is during the game. Obviously it will be nice if we can go on our normal count. Our normal count's easy. But we've done nothing but silent counts the past three weeks and we're very prepared for it." (HSB)

About how they don't expect any communications problems, RGM said:
"We feel Aloha Stadium can be as loud as anywhere in the nation. We played at Boise, where it's loud, we pretty much know how to play when it's loud. We don't have to change too much. I'm sure (the noise) might come into play a little bit. It all depends, you never know until you get there." (HSB)


About how the noise will force Georgia to adjust also, Keoni Steinhoff said:
"They don't play in domes, we don't play in domes. The atmosphere is going to be crazy, more noise. Playing-wise I think it will be an even matchup. There's going to be loud cheering both sides, so it'll be a crazy game. The silent count for this game is going to be a big factor, 75,000 people. This game we're going to have to use it a lot more in the red zone and stuff. It'll be loud. Because when we played the Vandals it was a lot less people and it was very loud. The sound doesn't have anywhere to go. It stays in that building." (HSB)

About how heat could be a factor, as the climate-controlled warmth in the Superdome can dehydrate and fatigue players faster than cold weather, Steinhoff said:
"Yeah, there was a little bit of a fatigue factor (due to the heat) at Idaho. And we had to warm up because it was cold (outside). Throughout the game it got better." (HSB)

About how they should be used to the heat because they have been practicing indoors all week, RGM said:
"Practicing in here in this dome (the Saints practice facility in Metairie) it's been getting a little hot up in here. That helps out a lot. I'm pretty sure it's a little hotter than if we'd be outside, but not much." (HSB)

About how they would learn about the Superdome in their walkthrough today, Lafaele said:
"We're going to go test it out tomorrow at the dome and see how it is. I'm pretty sure we're in pretty good shape for this game." (HSB)

About their walk-through at the Superdome today, Colt said:
"If you know us (offense) our walk-through isn't a normal walk-through; it's a full-on practice, so we do not get the joy of a last practice. I know Coach (June) Jones will run us down and make sure we have everything down and going. We just can't wait for (today) and get down to the Superdome." (HSB)

About how this Sugar Bowl is quite different than the last time they were in a Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Richt said:
"This is a lot different than the last time we were here in 2002. Back then, we were trying to figure out who we were, even as a staff. I was actually a lot more involved in the play-calling. I was also the quarterbacks coach that year as you might remember. It was a lot different for me personally, too. And the responsibility I had every minute, every day. Now, I'm a little bit freer just to look around and enjoy the bowl a little bit more. Bowls are for the wives and kids. Coaches don't get to enjoy it as much." (HSB)


About how he was born (his family left the area when he was 4 or 5) in Levau, LA, a town between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, William Monteilh (Keao's father) said:
"I've been away a long time." (HSB)

About how his team is ready for the game, Mark Richt said:
"I believe we're ready to play. We've taken a very business-like approach to this game, which is good. We had fun when we needed to have fun. And we worked hard when we needed to work hard." (HSB)

About the importance of this game, safety Kelin Johnson said:
"There is so much riding on this game. They are undefeated, the only team without a loss. We take that to heart and we want to be the team that gives them that one loss. This is a wonderful opportunity to be in the Sugar Bowl. I mean, who would ever have thought we would be in a BCS game after losing to Tennessee and South Carolina early on in the season?" (HSB)

HSB Note: "One reason for the first-half struggles was youth. Georgia has four freshmen and five sophomores scheduled to start against the Warriors tomorrow night. They haven't been allowed much free time on the streets of New Orleans. Granted, they went to see the New Orleans Hornets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, but an early curfew since they arrived the day after Christmas has kept the Bourbon Street distractions to a minimum."

About their experience with West Virginia's spread offense in their Sugar Bowl loss, Richt said:
"We went down 28-0 because West Virginia spread us out. I think what happened was we had not seen that type of offense before and we did not fully understand how fast and talented those guys were. We also turned the ball over three times to their zero. We did make some adjustments and made it a close game." (HSB)

About their respect for UH, QB Matthew Stafford said:
"We're very respectful of what Hawaii has accomplished. This is a very good football team that's more than Colt Brennan and his wide receivers. Their defense has been key in a lot of their wins this year. We're not going to be overconfident just because we're the favorites or are from the SEC." (HSB)

Praising UH, RB Knowshon Moreno said:
"This is a good football team on both sides of the football. We'd like to be able to control the ball on offense to keep Hawaii's offense off the field. The fewer times they have the ball helps our defense. It's a team game. We have to help each other in order to get the win." (HSB)

About how they have to pressure Colt, LB Dannel Ellerbe said:
"We've got to be able to put pressure on their quarterback. If we let Brennan sit back in the pocket it's going to make it hard to get the win." (HSB)