Quotes from Thursday morning

About being named one of the 7 finalists for the Bear Bryant College Coach of the Year, JJ said:
"It is truly an honor to be recognized amongst the top coaches in the country. I was lucky to grow up during that era. Bear was not only a legend, but a real man." (HA, HSB)


Praising Georgia's D, JJ said:
"They look like the Baltimore Ravens. They've got a whole bunch of guys and they're good at everything. Every one of those guys looks like he will play in the NFL." (HSB)


Asked if he expected any problems with player eligibility for the Sugar Bowl due to academics, JJ said:
"We're OK." (HSB)


Proud of how hard they have been working on D, GM said:
"I'm proud of how hard our coaches and players have worked." (HA)

HA Note: "But the 11-day break was lost on the coaches, who have worked daily since the Warriors completed an unbeaten regular season with a victory over Washington. The defensive staff, in particular, has not rested. Terry "Duff" Duffield, the quality-control coach for the defense, apologized for including an extra tight end in a play drawing. Duffield was excused. After all, he drew the play at midnight. Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin, meanwhile, has charts of all of Georgia's 807 offensive plays this season."


About how they have improved in every defensive category they target, GM said:
"Our goals are to get the offense back on the field, because we have such a great offense and we don't want them to stand on the sidelines. Getting the offense back on the field is our job." (HA)

HA Note: "Because the number of defensive plays varies among teams, McMackin said, a true measurement of efficiency is to break it down by play. This season, UH opponents are averaging 3.43 yards per rush and 4.72 yards per play. Last year, opponents gained 3.93 yards per rush and 5.68 yards per play. In 2005, the averages were 5.39 per rush and 6.14 per play. UH is ranked 16th nationally in turnovers gained with 19 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. They ranked 17th last season, 61st in 2005, and 40th in 2004. This season, opposing offenses converted 28.7 percent of their third-down plays. They were successful on 39.3 percent of third-down plays in 2006 and 48.5 percent in 2005."

About their improvement on D, GM said:
"I give the other (assistant) coaches real credit for that. I sort of introduce everything and teach it to the coaches, and they teach it to the players. I can't ask for a better job they've done." (HA)

HA Note: "This year, McMackin implemented the 4-3 as the base defensive formation. But UH also has an Oky scheme (3-3-5) and two types of nickel defenses (4-2-5) involving different personnel. Including the different blitz plans, the Warriors have used about 140 defensive schemes this season."

About how their players have learned so many different schemes on D, GM said:
"These guys have picked up a pro package, and done it really well." (HA)


About how they were able to learn a pro defense despite only having the time a college team has to work on things, GM said:
"They're a real smart bunch of guys. You learn that when you go through spring (training). We've gone way beyond what we gave the first group when we were here (in 1999). ... This is a very smart football team. We've been able to take them to a lot of places that some college teams couldn't do because of their football intelligence and their willingness to work at it and learn it." (HA)


About how he'll be recovered enough to make the travel roster for the Sugar Bowl, Kiran Kepo'o said:
"I'm doing fine." (HSB)

HSB Note: "On Sept. 18, Kepo'o was in a bicycle accident on lower campus and ended up with serious head trauma and requiring surgery for a fractured cheek. Kepo'o has recovered enough to probably start running this week."


About how his goal is to return to active duty with the team by spring practice, Kiran said:
"That's what I'm hoping." (HSB)

About how his accident and later complications caused him to miss 3 weeks of school, Kiran said:
"It took me a while to get back to normal at school because of the trauma to my head. At first I had a tough time focusing and my vision was blurry at first. It was very hard to see at lectures." (HSB)

About how his sinus headaches and congestion last month forced him to stop all football work, Kiran said:
"I tried to get back into the (football) flow. But when I got sick I missed a week and a half and haven't been down there recently. I know they're busy." (HSB)

About getting to go to the Sugar Bowl, Kiran said:
"It's really exciting. I was happy for how this team has done so far. Even though I haven't been there, I've been with them spiritually and watched the games on TV when I could." (HSB)


About how he wasn't aware that the UH soccer camp had to be cancelled, HF said:
"I haven't even been focused in on that, that's the first I've heard of it." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The University of Hawaii's winter soccer camp was canceled because the Boise State football and UH baseball teams are using UH's soccer practice field next week. The Broncos will be here for the Dec. 23 Hawaii Bowl and UH offered its facilities to its Western Athletic Conference rivals. The BSU football team arrives Sunday to begin preparing for its game against East Carolina. Boise State will practice in the morning, and the Rainbows baseball team is scheduled to use the field in the afternoon because Les Murakami Stadium is being resurfaced. The Warriors will be using their football practice field, getting ready for the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl. The soccer camp had been set for Dec. 21-23, but the camp's mailing list of 130 was notified last week it was canceled."

HSB Note: "Some of the profits from the camps for youngsters go to UH assistant coaches Josh Fouts and Derick Kato, and UH Wahine soccer players get paid for working as instructors."


About how they had been hoping for a good turnout for the camp, Fouts said:
"Since we won the WAC, we were hoping for a really good turnout and to celebrate our seniors. The kids really look up to the players. I totally understand the situation and by no means are we upset with UH or the powers that be. We could've tried to do it somewhere else." (HSB)