Thursday, January 31, 2008

Mack hopes to keep the local players home

About getting the local players to go to Hawaii, especially after the Sugar Bowl season excited the entire state, Mack said:
"We need to keep all our players at home, and keep the journey going, look at what happened this last year, everybody's still excited about what happened, we have to keep that excitement." (KHNL)

About his plan to keep in contact with the schools and coaches all eyar long, Mack said:
"It's going to be a year round thing, I want to get into all the high schools in Hawai'i and our coaches will put on clinics, just let the coaches know they're all welcome to Hawai'i football and we're all in the same situation and share our ideas and just be together." (KHNL)

Loving how Mack plans to reach out to the high schools, Farrington Head Coach Randall Okimoto said:
"I think that's a great gesture on his part, to show interest in the local high schools and to come out and meet us and show his interest is really gratifying to hear. That's why it's so special here is because of the culture, and that's what I want the foundation of our program to be based upon, and we have great players here in Hawaii." (KHNL)

KHNL Note: "In the two weeks Coach Mack's worn the head coaching hat, the team's already hosted almost 20 local recruits."

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Aloha Stadium may be transferred to UH control

About how UH does not want to be responsible for repair, maintenance and capital improvement costs of the stadium, Linda Johnsrud, UH VP for academic planning, said:
"It's not economically feasible, and in fact, would be a detriment to the university." (HA)

HA Note: "Nine years after then-University of Hawai'i Warriors football coach June Jones suggested it, the state Legislature is again considering transferring control of Aloha Stadium to UH in an effort to raise more money for the athletic department. The proposal contained in House Bill 2429 cleared three House committees yesterday but faces an uphill climb after a state agency, the Stadium Authority, two unions and even the University of Hawai'i expressed concerns. Some of these concerns, such as the security of civil service positions at the stadium, will be addressed in the amendment moving to the House Finance Committee. Other concerns, particularly who would end up responsible for a backlog of repairs and much-needed refurbishment, are still up for discussion.

About how the state should take care of the upkeep of the stadium and then turn it over to UH, Tony Guerrero, chairman of Koa Anuenue, said:
"I think we all appreciate what happened in the last season. In order to continue success, we need better revenue sources." (HA)

HA Note: "Guerrero, a vice chairman at First Hawaiian Bank, said that in order to use the stadium to raise revenue, it needs to be run less like a government entity and more like a business. He pointed out that transferring management to the university would not mean that the stadium could no longer be used for high school sports, carnivals, concerts and the swap meet, one of the many issues raised during the hearing."

When telling lawmakers that only 13% of the stadium's $9.4 mil in revenue comes from UH events, Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan said:
"Aloha Stadium doesn't merely service the University of Hawai'i." (HA)

HA Note: "Stadium officials said about 60 percent of the stadium's revenue comes from the swap meet, and trying to increase revenue in that area by raising rates could have the unintended effect of driving vendors out."

About how he believes it would be more effective to give money directly to UH instead of drawing attention away from the stadium's need for repairs and a complete refurbishment for all users, state Comptroller Russ Saito said:
"This bill attempts to channel money to the UH program but offers no compelling reason why it should do so." (HA)

HA Note: "Rep. K. Mark Takai, D-34th (Newtown, Waiau, Pearl City), who supports the proposal, said he was glad that the issue was finally back on the table. Jones first suggested the proposal during his first year, 1999, yet it has only had a hearing once, Takai said. According to Takai, seven of the 12 schools invited to the BCS games could raise twice the revenue of UH, and he suggested that stadium management could be tailored to capitalize on the football team's success.

About how stadium management could be tailored to capitalize on the success of UH's football team, Takai said:
"It could be win-win-win all around. We just need to expand the box a little bit." (HA)

HA Note: "While only Rep. Barbara Marumoto, R-19th (Wai'alae Iki, Kalani Valley, Kahala), voted against the bill, several House members voiced strong reservations. Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R-50th (Kailua, Kane'ohe Bay), for instance, asked whether giving UH the stadium would help, or just saddle the university with more debt and a bigger headache."

About an alternative plan, Rep. Hermina Morita said:
"It might not be necessary to dismember the authority, but just change the rules under which they operate." (HA)

Recruiting quotes

About how Mack and Cal Lee are visiting Kahuku today, Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said:
"Coach Mack really wants to get to know the (high school) coaches." (HA)

HA Note: "Former UH head coach June Jones had not visited Kahuku in his nine seasons, while coaches from Mainland schools made routine stops, Torres said. Sometimes, coaches weren't even there to recruit, but just to let Kahuku know their schools were always interested if it had a prospect."

About how Mack attended a meeting of OIA principals and ADs and was well-received, OIA executive director Dwight Toyama said:
"He said he plans on going to each school. Before he even talks to the coaches, he wants to get to know the principals and ADs. I think that adds some value." (HA)

HA Note: "Meanwhile, Kahuku All-State linebacker Paipai Falemalu and defensive end Alema Tachibana will make official recruiting visits to the UH campus this weekend, Torres said. This is the final weekend recruits can make official campus visits. The first day high school recruits can sign binding national letters of intent is Feb. 6."

About how the 6'3", 220-pound Paipai has narrowed his choices to Cal, Washington, and Oregon State, Torres said that Falemalu is a good student and:
"is always thinking about his future. He's a coach's dream. He's a good student and a great athlete." (HA)

Tachibana, who 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds, can play linebacker or defensive end, Torres said.
About the 6'3", 200-pound Alema Tachibana can play LB or DE, Torres said:
"Alema is better at the down position. He likes to be in a three-point stance and charge." (HA)

About his choice of college, Leilehua OLB Art Laurel said:
"I'm going to be a Warrior." (HA)

"I have family down here, and I want to be a Warrior. I want to play in front of my friends and family." (HA)

HA Note: "Laurel received interest from Washington, Idaho and Idaho State."

HA Note: "Laurel's older brother, Clayton Laurel, is a UH lineman."

The 6'1", 205-pound Laurel said that he would like:
"to reach at least 235." (HA)

About how it has been hard to gain weight while competing on his basketball team, Laurel said:
"I'm running all of the time. I'm trying to gain weight, but I keep losing it."

HA Note: "Still, pound for pound, Laurel is a physical, tough-hitting linebacker. He was named to The Advertiser 2007 All-State first team. Laurel was a key contributor for the Mules, who upset Saint Louis School, 20-16, in the state championship game."

About their state championship win, Laurel said:
"It was incredible. I had that good feeling. It was unbelievable that we actually won. A lot of people doubted us. They thought Saint Louis would win. But we pulled it off. It felt good. It was a long time since Leilehua won a state championship game." (HA)

About his love for football, Laurel said:
"Since I was in first grade. I always wanted to play football." (HA)

About the name of one of his youth teams, Laurel said:
"We were the Warriors. That was a really good team." (HA)

About how his family has also lived in California, Ohio, and North Carolina, Laurel said his family:
"likes traveling, and doing different things." (HA)

HA Note; "When he was 14, his family moved back to Hawai'i. Laurel, who is Samoan and Filipino, said most of his father's family lives in Hawai'i. His mother's family is from the Mainland."

About having his brother Clayton serving as his host on his recruiting trip, Art Laurel said:
"It was fun. We ate a lot. All of the coaches were good to us. They gave us a tour of the school. It was fun meeting people from out of state, and from other schools on the Islands." (HA)

About the Super Games, Mack said:
"It's a good way to build team chemistry." (HA)

About earning points in the Super Games, Mack said:
"There will be minuses for missing classes and study halls, plusses for good grades and progress in training." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Offseason organized weight training begins Monday, with three sessions a week, under the supervision of strength and conditioning coach Mel deLaura. The fun day is next Wednesday, when the Super Games commence. The teams will compete in a variety of events including basketball, water polo, relays, arm wrestling and shuttle relays."

About the Super Games, Mack said:
"We did this at Texas Tech. Its a fun way to condition and for the players to learn to be part of a team. The guys will enjoy it. I feel like our conditioning is in great hands. (DeLaura) and Tommy (Heffernan) and their staff have added to our fourth-quarter play." (HSB)

HA Note: "To spice up the offseason, head coach Greg McMackin is implementing a Super Games competition. This Friday, there will be a draft to form 10 teams from the UH football players who are on the spring roster. The players will go through conditioning drills and weight-training workouts Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Teams can amass points when members show improvement in the drills and workouts. Points will be awarded — and deducted — for academic performances. Miss a class? Lose 50 points. Each Wednesday, there will be Super Games, in which teams will compete in such activities as arm wrestling, no-rules basketball and water polo. Points will be added from the conditioning program, academic performances and results of Super Games. Right before the start of spring practice, the two teams with the most points will meet in the Super Games championship."

About how QB Trudnowski is waiting to know if he will be able to join the Warriors, Jeremy Bryant said:
"Hes actually supposed to know pretty soon. Hes good. Were both a little under the radar. Andrew because hes a true freshman who came out of nowhere. Me, because I tore my ACL." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Its been nearly 40 years since George Lumpkin went to school and played football at Los Angeles Harbor College. But the Hawaii assistant coachs ties to his alma mater appear to remain strong. Lumpkin still has enough pull to recruit there. The Warriors got a commitment from cornerback Jeramy Bryant over the weekend. And Bryant hopes to be joined by a teammate, quarterback Andrew Trudnowski."

About how they want to recruit a QB, Mack said they:
"want to get a quarterback." (HSB)

HSB Note: "He expects 12 to 15 visitors this weekend, and will have about three to five scholarships remaining to offer. Lumpkin and quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich were in California yesterday recruiting, reportedly making home visits."

Not planning to fill their final opening right away, Mack said:
"After recruiting, and before spring ball. We will hire one more guy, but Im not in a hurry. It will be an offensive position coach. We can make sure the guy will be a perfect fit." (HSB)

About how DT coach Ikaika Malloe will be their special teams coordinator, Mack said:
"He and I will get together on the philosophy. He has a good philosophy, but we still need to sit down and talk." (HSB)

About being more aggressive in trying to block kicks, Mack said:
"Everything we do is attacking, offensively and defensively. So why not on special teams?" (HSB)

HSB Note: "McMackin will officially announce coordinators and job titles of holdover coaches. Cal Lee, Ron Lee, George Lumpkin and Rich Miano are the holdovers. Cal Lee is expected to be named defensive coordinator, Ron Lee offensive coordinator, George Lumpkin linebackers coach and Rich Miano secondary coach. Lumpkin and Miano will also likely receive assistant or associate head coach titles."

Abou how his mother is from Guam and that will help him adapt to the island lifestyle in Hawaii, Bryant said:
"I think my mom had a lot to do with (committing to UH). She said, Thats your roots. I loved it as soon as I got off the plane." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The 5-foot-9, 177-pound Bryant was joined by two other California JC commitments on Sunday: receiver Mike Tinoco (6-2, 195, Saddleback) and cornerback Chris Black (5-11, 170, College of the Canyons). The incoming recruit class now has six potential cornerbacks. Two-year starters Myron Newberry and Gerard Lewis completed their eligibility with the Sugar Bowl. McMackin said everyone will get a look, but seniors Ryan Mouton and Guyton Galdeira and junior J.P. Davis are the returnees with the most experience."

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Ikaika Malloe is the Warriors' DL and Special Teams coach

About his job at UH, Malloe (1992 Kamehameha grad, his wife Tara is also a Kamehameha grad) said:
"It's a dream job for me." (HA)

"Just to come back home, that’s a blessing, and obviously to try to maintain the winning ways (at UH), that’s another honor. I can’t explain in words just how happy I am to be home. It’s always been a dream of mine to come home and coach for my hometown." (HSB)

About his 3 kids, Malloe said:
"Now they get to spend time with the cousins and aunties and uncles." (HA)

About how he kept cheering for UH, Malloe said:
"Sometimes I’d have a hard time staying up because UH plays so late our time. But anytime we got to watch, we were cheering just like we were in the stands. No matter where we were, we were always representing Hawaii." (HSB)

Excited about his job at UH, Malloe (UTEP's DL coach the past 5 seasons) said:
"I'm really excited about this opportunity. I hope to bring enthusiasm, and help maintain the winning tradition. I'm not a savior. I'm not replacing anybody. I'm not there to be somebody else. I'm there to help as much as I can, and help Hawai'i continue the winning ways." (HA)

HA Note: "Malloe was an All-State safety at Kamehameha Schools. He played cornerback, safety and linebacker at Washington."

HSB Note: "Malloe walked on at Washington and eventually earned a starting job in the secondary. He was named the Huskies’ hardest hitter for three seasons, led the team in interceptions as a sophomore and won the program’s most inspirational player award.

After sticking around the program for a five-year stint as a student and graduate assistant, he got his first full-time coaching job at Western Illinois. In three years with the Leathernecks, he spent time as defensive line coach and special teams coordinator and supervising the strength and conditioning program for a year. His term at UTEP under head coach Mike Price followed. Through the years, Malloe maintained contact with UH assistant Cal Lee and jumped at the chance when a position opened on the Warriors staff."

About being offered a graduate assistant stop at U-Dub after his playing career ended, Malloe said he requested to work with the DL:
"The one position I didn't know was defensive line. I fell in love with it." (HA)

Malloe said that a defensive lineman:
"can't avoid contact. Every play, you have a deciding factor in it, good or bad. That was a challenge for me." (HA)

HA Note: "Malloe was on the Washington coaching staff for five years, before joining Western Illinois as defensive line coach and then special teams coordinator."

About getting a job at UTEP after U-Dub DC Tim Hundley moved from U-Dub to UTEP in 2004, Malloe said:
"It's funny how the world works." (HA)

HA Note: "In El Paso, Malloe broadened his recruiting contacts. When the Miners were members of the Western Athletic Conference, Malloe recruited in Utah and Southern California, from San Diego to Ontario. When the Miners moved to Conference USA, Malloe was assigned East Texas and Louisiana. He said he worked the triangle of Dallas to Shreveport to Houston. He averaged four to five signings per year."

About recruiting, Malloe said:
"I love recruiting." (HA)

Malloe said that recruing in such diverse areas:
"helped to gain experience not only in getting past the door but also closing the door in recruiting." (HA)

HA Note: "Malloe said he enjoyed his stay in El Paso, where head coach Mike Price created a family-friendly atmosphere. The UTEP staff was given off the month of July, a vacation time the Malloes spent in Hawai'i."

About spending each July in Hawaii, Malloe said:
"It was good to bring my family home. You're talking about things you cannot put a price to." (HA)

About going back to El Paso after a month in Hawaii, Malloe said:
"Every time we'd come back (to El Paso), we'd have to bring back our own rice and shoyu." (HA)

About how he told Cal Lee he was interested in the job, Malloe said:
"When the opportunity came about where they might have a defensive line opening, I told him I was very interested. I had a lot of help from (Price). Being that I’m from here, he knew that it was a dream of mine to one day come back and coach at home. He called Coach McMackin at least five or six times trying to get me an interview, trying to get me an opportunity to come home." (HSB)

About the last football game between UH and UTEP (in El Paso in 2004), Malloe said:
"I couldn't wait to see coach (Cal) Lee, even though we were competing. I'm so proud of the (UH) program. I hoped one day I'd have an opportunity to come home." (HA)

HA Note: "That came after Greg McMackin was named UH head coach. At the recommendation of Hundley, McMackin's close friend, the Warriors received permission to contact Malloe. UTEP's Price, as much as he valued Malloe, declined to stand in the way."

About how Hawaii is special, Malloe said:
"No matter where I'm at — Washington, Illinois or El Paso — my heart has always been in Hawai'i." (HA)

HA Note: "Malloe is expected to energize the Warriors' special teams. He said UH's schemes will be designed in consultation with McMackin."

About changing their special teams, Malloe said:
"We will be an attacking special teams. We're going after blocks. We'll try to return kicks for touchdowns." (HA)

About getting the "hidden yards" to win field position on each punt and kickoff, Malloe said:
"My goal, every game, is to win those hidden yards. We want to get first downs [gains of more than 10 yards] on punt returns. Those things people take for granted have an effect on the game." (HA)

About his troubles at Washington, Malloe said:
"It helped me build character and just understanding where I stand. I’m thankful for what I’ve got. They are old news but it’ll never leave me, that’s just part of life. The things that were bad at the time for me are good right now. Those are things that helped me become the man I am now." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Malloe got into a couple of scrapes while coaching at Washington, one involving long-distance phone calls -- his portion of which he paid back in full -- and another dealing with his participation in an NCAA Tournament pool. He said those matters have been settled and he’s been able to grow from those experiences."

Monday, January 28, 2008

Colt interview after the Senior Bowl on scout.com

Asked how much of an honor it was to be selected for the Senior Bowl, Colt said:
"For me it was a tremendous honor. I come from one of the smaller schools and this Bowl is supposed to be for the top seniors in the country. Just to be invited was a great honor. I had a great week down here. I loved meeting all of the great guys from all over the country. Everyone says that this is it, it’s the next step to the next level. It was a great experience and I loved it." (scout.com)

Asked about the controversy over his weight being measured at 185, Colt said:
"It was tough, but when I walked in to get weighed everyone was talking about my weight before I even got here. They said I was skinny and that I needed to get bigger. The fact that I weighed in light really wasn’t a surprise to me or anyone else. But now it was justified that I was kind of light. I felt heavier than that at the end of the week, and I’d guarantee right now that I’d be around 190 – 195. I was coming off of a stomach flu, which some of the players down here experienced, and it was bad timing for me. The good news is that this is the least important weigh in. The next two weigh-ins are the most important. If my weight is up by then, not only will it show my work ethic, but people will be happy." (scout.com)

When it was mentioned that he had a slow start to his week in Mobile but got more comfortable as the week progressed, Colt was asked what was the cause for his slow start and said:
"I think everyone had their own progression down here. Everybody said that their worst day was probably going to be one of the first days. I had a great seven-on-seven the first day, but I kind of struggled in other stuff. On Tuesday, we did routes vs. air trying to get timing down. But as you progress and keep doing it and getting more experience, you get more confidence. Once I started having success, I built off of that. Also on Tuesday, we did seven-on-seven and other team stuff, and I had success. I was really excited about Wednesday. I felt really good after Wednesday and I knew on Thursday that I really wanted to put it all together, because it was our last day of practice. I felt that I went out and did a good job on Thursday and made things happen." (scout.com)

Asked how much of an advantage it is to have pro coaches coach him and to be put into an NFL system during Senior Bowl week, Colt said:
"That’s huge, because if you don’t have the opportunity to play in this game, your first NFL mini camp is your first experience [around NFL coaches]. The Senior Bowl was sort of like a minicamp in a sense. We got a taste of what the NFL is like, and I think that’s going to help me be prepared when I hopefully get drafted and move onto the next level." (scout.com)

Adked what it was like to be coached by 49ers OC Mike Martz and how his system utilizes his strengths, Colt said:
"I really enjoyed Coach Martz’s system. One thing I think that helps is that it’s a numbers system. If you know the route tree, you’ll have a good idea of what to do. We were only seeing Cover 1 and Cover 3 this week with no blitz, so it makes things simple. Coming from my offense, we would never see Cover 1 and Cover 3, because we’d kill it. Just knowing what I come from and how I’d prepare for those defenses, and being in a numbers system and knowing each route when I hear it in the huddle, I walk up to the line knowing where I want to go with the ball." (scout.com)

Asked what was the biggest adjustment or challenge that faced him each pay in practice, Colt said:
"I think playing within the system. At Hawaii, I had so much confidence, and I’d do a lot of things on my own, and I would implement things Coach Jones taught me. Towards the end of the week in practice there were two plays where I got into my old habits, although it wasn’t detrimental, it wasn’t what the coach was teaching us. For instance, I was trying to throw a back shoulder route on a fade route, instead of just throwing it up. Then I tried to pump a flat and up in the endzone when I had a guy dragging across the middle wide open. As long as I stayed within the system and did what I’ve been taught, I was hoping to be consistent and efficient during the game." (scout.com)

Asked about being around all of the great players during Senior Bowl week and what he learned about his game and what he needs to imrprove on, Colt said:
"The one thing that I learned is that I feel like I belong. Being out there making plays, doing good things, that is something I can definitely do. I had confidence throughout the week. I like the fact that they balanced the playing field for everyone, so that they can compare everyone on the same level. I really enjoyed that and blossomed during the week and felt I got better each day." (scout.com)

Asked about his great chemistry with Florida WR Andre Caldwell all week in practice and it was about his game that made him comfortable, Colt said:
"He’s really smooth in his routes. You can anticipate where he’s going to be really well. It just so happened when I was watching film I realized that it seemed I was always throwing to Caldwell. Now, it has to do sometimes with the safeties dropping out of coverage, but whenever I looked his way we had great chemistry, and I knew where he liked the ball." (scout.com)

Asked for his impression of the entire scene at the Senior Bowl, with pro scout watching every practice and dealilng with team representatives and media after practice, and signing autographs for every fan that approached him, Colt was asked how he was able to handle all of those demands and he said:
"It’s funny, because when you go to a school like Hawaii you kind of forget what all the other schools have to go through. I realized how much we had to overcome playing in Hawaii. The team meetings and the media requests weren’t that difficult to get through. In fact I’ve enjoyed it. In Hawaii, the structure wasn’t there. It felt like you had to over compensate for a lot of the resources that weren’t there for you. We did a lot of traveling, and it felt like we were always entering different time zones. But to come out here for a week like this and work through a slow progression where in the beginning it was hard and then it got easier at the end of the week, I think it was really nice and everyone got adjusted. For me it was awesome, and when I get to the NFL with all the resources every team has, it will be a lot easier for me to handle."

Asked about the interview process at the Senior Bowl--how many teams he met with, what the discussions were like, and did anyone show more interest than another, Colt said:
"There were a lot of teams that I met with; I’d say I met with 15 – 20 teams over the three-day interview process. I walked away feeling very strong in some areas and not so strong in other interviews. There was really only one interview I walked away from wondering how it went. I kind of questioned it; I couldn’t get a feel for it. Every other interview I went in on, my agents and I got great feedback. They said I did a great job through the interview process and that I was well prepared. As long as I maintain that and do a good job when I get to the Combine, obviously it’s going to help me." (scout.com)

Asked how much a factor the weather was in the game, Colt said:
"The weather could have been better, but when you play football you have to play in all kinds of weather. You have to be able to play through that stuff. I just had a lot of bad luck happen to me last night. I couldn’t really get anything going. Things like this happen sometimes — that’s football. But from everything that I’ve heard, they (scouts) don’t read into this game too much. It was a chance for me to improve my game and my draft stock, but unfortunately I wish I could have done more during the game."

Asked about the INT he threw on his opening drive, throwing to a double-covered TE, Colt was asked what he saw on the play that made him decide to challenge the D and he replied:
"I was trying to squeeze the ball in between two defenders and the linebacker broke on the ball. The ball kind of ricocheted and it ended up in his hands. Luckily, I wasn’t the only quarterback who turned over the ball last night. I think there were eight turnovers in the game and a couple of quarterbacks threw some interceptions. In an all-star game like this you have to make the best of what you’re given, and I wish I could have done a little bit more. I don’t think this game will be too detrimental to me. I think it will be detrimental to me in how media people look at it, but I think when the coaches and scouts and people who know football look at it, they will think this week helped me and not hurt me." (scout.com)

Asked about his 3rd drive in the first quarter, where he led the team past midfield but then Tulane RB Matt Forte fumbled, Colt said:
"I finally got something going on that drive, but unfortunately the running back fumbled the ball after a nice run. That’s the all-star game. There’s a lot of that’s stuff going on. I feel like I was the guy who had the most to prove, because of where I came from and the system I played in, so everyone was looking at me and wanted to see what I could do out there. I’m not saying things went bad, but not everything went well for me." (scout.com)

Asked how good it felt for his team to win the game, Colt said:
"That was cool. It was a great ending to a fun week. I thought our team had great chemistry and we got a long really well, and to see us win the game like that was a lot of fun." (scout.com)

Asked how the Senior Bowl prepared him for the coming weeks as he prepares for the Combine, Colt said:
"The interview process definitely prepares you. It gives you a great look at what you’re going to go through at the Combine. I’ve gotten to know a lot of scouts and coaches and had the opportunity to speak with them. You also get a feel for what teams are looking for. This is a huge thing for guys, especially guys who are not considered to be top picks in the draft, guys who are trying to move their draft stock up. If you come in here and embrace the situation and do a lot of good things, it prepares you that much more for the Combine and hopefully elevates your draft status." (scout.com)

Asked what he was doing now that the Senior Bowl was over, Colt said:
"I’m competing in the Quarterback Challenge this week at the Super Bowl. I’m going to try to hit some targets and maybe win a TV or something. After that, it’s right back to training. Hopefully I can get my weight up to about 200 before the Combine. I have four weeks of training to polish up on my footwork under center. I’m going to take what I learned this week and build on it and show up at the Combine and have a great workout. I’m going to just concentrate on the things I need to do to get people interested in me and get teams wanting to draft me." (scout.com)

Sporting News article on Colt

About the team he hopes to join in the NFL, Colt said:
"I want to go to a place where the coaches want to invest time with me and I can be the guy down the road." (SN)

SN Note: "There is a demand for his services, too. Did you see all of the mediocre quarterback play in the NFL this season? Plenty of teams need quarterback help. And plenty of teams had their eyes on Brennan last week. Brennan's strengths and weaknesses are not camouflaged. When he jogged onto the field for Senior Bowl practices, it was hard not to notice how frail he looked next to the South team's other two quarterbacks -- Tennessee's Erik Ainge, who was listed on the Senior Bowl roster at 6-5 and 215 pounds, and Kentucky's Andre' Woodson (6-4, 220). Brennan was listed as 6-3 but admitted he weighed even less than 185 pounds two weeks ago, when he had a bout with the stomach flu. "

One AFC GM said about Colt:
"Look at him. How could you not wonder about his durability?" (SN)

SN Note: "Brennan's arm was clearly not as strong as that of Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, who was also at the Senior Bowl. When Brennan threw the ball more than about 25 yards in drills, his spiral lost some tightness. And although his delivery was quick, it came from a semi-sidearm motion near his ear. Brennan, however, was very impressive in live drills against defenders. He spotted open receivers quickly. He threw accurately. He was nimble enough to elude pass rushers, he threw well on the run, and he improvised nicely when a play broke down."

About how people are divided in their evaluation of Colt, former Redskins OC Al Saunders said:
"There's a lot of divided opinion about him, but arm strength is very overrated in the NFL. Bill Walsh used to say the most important attributes for a quarterback are accuracy, courage and intelligence. Those things all override a strong arm, and this kid has them." (SN)

SN Note: "What scouts find hard to ignore is how prolific Brennan was in college. Hawaii's offense gobbled up real estate faster than Donald Trump. If Brennan can run an NFL offense, nobody will care what he weighs or how strong his arm is."

About QBs, 49ers coach Mike Nolan said:
"Line up all the great quarterbacks and they all come in different sizes and styles. First you see if a guy's accurate and if he can execute when the play works. Then when the play breaks down, can he still make a play? Those are the guys who make it." (SN)

About his critics, Colt said:
"We're all system quarterbacks. Why worry about critics? Our system at Hawaii worked pretty well. Now my goal is to learn another one." (SN)

SN Note: "He showed that determination last week. The two top-rated quarterbacks in the draft, Brian Brohm of Louisville and Matt Ryan of Boston College, skipped Senior Bowl week, but Brennan was up at 7:30 a.m. daily, studying with 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz. And Brennan was focusing on getting over 200 pounds by the Scouting Combine in a few weeks."

UH gets 3 JC commits

H Note: "Mike Tinoco, a wide receiver from Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Calif. Chris Black, a cornerback from College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif. Jeramy Bryant, a cornerback from Los Angeles Harbor College. All three have two seasons of eligibility remaining."

About the UH coaching staff, Tinoco said:
"I love the offense. The coaching staff is great. They're awesome." (HA)

HA Note: "Tinoco gives the Warriors another big (6 feet 2 1/2 and 200 pounds) wideout, joining incumbents Greg Salas, Malcolm Lane and Dylan Linkner, and newcomer Daniel Lofton. Tinoco said he has run 40 yards in 4.53 seconds. Tinoco also received interest from Boise State and Connecticut."

About his hobbies that will fit nicely with Hawaii, Tinoco said:
"I love to surf and bodyboard and bodysurf. I've been doing that for 10 years now." (HA)

About Hawaii, which he was visited a few times, long-biard surfing off Hale'iwa and Waikiki, Tinoco said:
"I love the Islands. It's kind of my style." (HA)

Asked if he committed to the Warrriors, Black said:
"Yes, sir, I'm going to be a Warrior. Being out here for the weekend, I like the surroundings. It's kind of laid back. I like the football team. I have a chance to come in and play right away." (HA)

HA Note: "Black, who is 5 feet 10 and 170 pounds, said he has run 40 yards in under 4.5 seconds. He was raised in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but opted to attend a junior college in California. Black received interest from Indiana, Nevada, Central Michigan, New Mexico State and Idaho State. But after the past weekend's visit, he decided nothing compared to paradise."

Black said that during his visit:
"I met great people. I love how they show the Hawai'i football program so much love. I feel like I can fit in." (HA)

About Bryant, L.A. Harbor coach Andrew Alvillar said:
"He's a great kid. He'll be a great asset to the program. He's a hard-working kid. He gets the most out of any situation. He'll be missed in our program. He was a leader on our team." (HA)

"I round it up to 4.5." (HA)

About Bryant who set the team record last season with 14 pass breakups, Alvillar said:
"Athletically, he's always around the football." (HA)

HA Note: "Bryant visited Akron and Washington State. He also received interest from Oregon State, Iowa State and Utah State."

Bryant said that before the end of his recruiting trip yesterday he decided that:
"Hawai'i is where I want to be. I love coach Mack. I love his coaching style, and the way he approaches things, the way he handles his business. And I met my personal coach, (Rich) Miano. He's great. He knows his stuff." (HA)

About how their two freshmen starting safeties looked to Bryant for leadership, Alvillar said:
"He's a real physical type of player. He's physically strong. He's really determined to be the best player he can be. He strives to be the best. He works hard. He does a lot of extra stuff. He's really going to dive into this opportunity and make the most of it, for sure." (HA)

Adding that Bryant performs a lot of community service and his active in his church, Alvillar said:
"He's a good role model. And he's low maintenance. Tell him what to do and, and he'll do it above and beyond. You'll never have to worry about him." (HA)

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Maui News feature on GM and recruiting

About how he will visit all of the schools in Hawaii and establish relationships with all of the coaches, in an effort to keep all of the local boys in Hawaii, GM said:
“You know, we are always looking at a place like Maui. But definitely in the future, when we go out this spring, I want to personally get into every high school in the state of Hawaii, get to know the coaches and hopefully get all the coaches to a clinic in the spring. That is a big goal of the spring. We will always have to complement them with Mainland players, but we want to keep the local boys in their home in Hawaii.’’ (MN)

About the talent in Hawaii, GM said:
“Hawaii is the top state per capita for having guys in the NFL, so that is a pretty good indicator of how much talent there is in this state. Sometimes we don’t get the specific guys coming out, but we will always be able to get our linemen from Hawaii and Samoa. We have got great athletes in the state of Hawaii every year.’’ (MN)

MN Note: "McMackin said the Warriors had five commitments so far for their 14 scholarship openings – a number that is limited because he is honoring scholarship agreements to several “grayshirts,’’ players who delay enrollment for a season so a school can stay within the scholarship limits."

About how they are recruiting Hawaii well, GM said:
“I can’t talk about any recruiting, but we are looking at the whole state of Hawaii. We really have only two more weekends. We are really getting a late start, but 90 percent of our team is coming back, so we are more in the mode of supplementing, getting depth.’’ (MN)

About how they need recruits at QB, WR, and a JC CB, GM said:
“We need some very, very specific positions. We lost our ’fab five’ on offense – QB and the receivers. We would would like to bring in another (junior college) corner. The fronts and ’backers are in pretty good shape, but we still need to get more depth.’’ (MN)

MN Note: "McMackin said that 25 players are taking official visits this weekend and about the same number will be in next weekend."

Asked if UH would play a spring game or nonconference regular-season game on Maui, GM said:
“I tell you what, I am thinking about one thing, recruiting; well maybe four or five things, but number one is recruiting for our football team and making sure I have met with them. Then buying a house, and getting my family over here, and assembling a coaching staff, those are my priorities. When we get recruiting done, we will dive into spring ball and what we do in future and that kind of thing. I wouldn’t rule anything out, but it has been such a whirlwind, I haven’t had time to think about anything else.’’ (MN)

MN Note: "As of Thursday, McMackin had not even signed his contract, although he said that is only a formality."

About the support he has been given in the state, GM said:
“It has just gone on and on. I think it is because of the season and the players, the acceptance of the football team and the staff. It has been amazing to me, very humbling. I just feel really good about being here and bringing my family here – living in paradise, but with a lot great people.’’ (MN)

Quotes about Colt at the Senior Bowl

About the Senior Bowl, Colt said:
"It was a great game (as a whole). I wish I could have played a lot better. But our team had a great chemistry and it's been a fun week. I just hope I can work out in the next couple of months and get bigger and stronger and have a great combine." (HA)

HA Note: "It was equipment problems — namely with the microphone in his helmet malfunctioning — that kept Brennan from setting the world on fire with his passing. Brennan, who was in for only 17 plays, completed 2 of 6 passes for 29 yards and one interception for the South squad, but there was one bright spot for him in the game — the South defeated the North, 17-16, thanks to a 2-yard touchdown run by Florida's Andre Caldwell on the game's final play."

HA Note: "Communication issues also created problems for the other two South quarterbacks — Kentucky's Andre Woodson, who finished the day 3 of 6 for 27 yards and a touchdown, and South Offensive MVP Erik Ainge of Tennessee, who was 13 of 21 for 159 yards and led the South on its winning drive."

About the communication problems, Colt said:
"Every time I went in, my headpiece kept messing up and I couldn't hear the plays right. I didn't know if I was calling the right play or not." (HA)

About Colt having problems due to the communication problems, Mike Martz said:
"He (Brennan) couldn't get the plays because of the microphone problems, and it caused him to be a little bit discombobulated. But he had a great week of practice. He'll be fine (in the NFL) because he sees things so well and gets the ball out quick." (HA)

Dave Aranda is the new DE coach

About becoming UH's DL coack, Dave Aranda said:
"I'm very appreciative to be here," said Aranda, who arrived in town Friday. "The coaches seem like great people. They're very welcoming, very humble for what they just put together."

HA Note: "The leader of the best pass defense in Division II football last year is joining the Hawai'i football coaching staff. Dave Aranda, 31, will coach on the defensive line, specializing in tutoring defensive ends."

HA Note: "Aranda and freshly hired UH head coach Greg McMackin will be reunited. Aranda was a graduate assistant and defensive assistant at Texas Tech when McMackin served as the Red Raiders' defensive coordinator. Aranda, who is married and has two daughters, was Delta State's co-defensive coordinator last season. In 2007, the Statesmen led Division II in pass-efficiency defense (77.9 rating), was second in total and scoring defense, and third in run defense. Earlier this month, he accepted the job as Southern Utah's defensive coordinator when Ed Lamb was named as head coach. But when UH promoted McMackin, Aranda received Lamb's permission — and blessing — to move to Manoa."

About taking UH's job a few weeks after taking the DC job at Southern Utah, Aranda said:
"Part of you feels like Bobby Petrino or something. Coach Lamb was very understanding. That made it a lot easier for me. It was a blessing in that way." (HA)

"(Lamb) was very understanding with the whole situation here in Hawaii and Coach McMackin and knew our prior relationship. I owe a lot to him for being that way. It could have been a very tough situation but because of Coach Lamb it wasn't -- it was a very easy decision." (HSB)

HA Note: "Aranda also was the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Cal Lutheran, and linebackers coach at Houston, when the Cougars played the Warriors in the 2003 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. Aranda will bring a unique — and modern — approach to coaching. Skilled in multi-media techniques, he has used computer-generated visual aids to help his players. For instance, he produced a video interspersing footage of an All-Pro defensive lineman and one of his defensive ends. The video was synchronized to music."

Aranda said that DE:
"might say, 'OK, (the All-Pro) is leaning this way, I might want to do that.' You want to do all kinds of fun stuff." (HA)

The best way to reach Generation Xbox, Aranda believes, is to relate to them with videos, music and other multi-media forms.
Aranda says that the best way to relate to players today is via videos, music, and other multi-media forms:
"Instead of having a fox-hole mentality and 'this is football and everything else is separate,' bring the best of everything else to it. We should use whatever (players) go through in their daily lives — music, videos, clips from favorite movies." (HA)

About how his wife (they have been together sice sophomore year of high school) will remain in Mississippi until they sell their home, Aranda said:
"It's difficult being a coach's wife. You get to take off and live in a nice hotel, and recruit, and stay up late with coaches while she's trying to pack, sell the house and raise two girls." (HA)

About how his family is in 20 degree weather with "some freezing rain", Aranda said
"They can't wait to get out here." (HA)

"My wife, when we were here before, loved it," Aranda said. "(His daughters) both just love to run around and play outside. Right now in Cleveland, Miss., it's 20 degrees and it was freezing rain yesterday. So they're very excited to get out here." (HSB)

Abouut his 6 moves since 2000, Aranda said:
"I'm glad to have finally found a place. My wife and I, we have two little girls, and we've been moving around really too much. So it's nice to settle down and keep the winning tradition going on here at Hawaii." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Aranda's connection with McMackin goes back to Texas Tech, where he spent three years working with the then-Red Raiders defensive coordinator as a graduate assistant, concentrating on the defensive ends."

Happy to be reunited with GM, Aranda said:
"I'm thankful to be here, it's good to be reunited with Coach McMackin for sure. I know it's going to be a great situation with a lot of guys returning and a lot of talent. I know Coach McMackin is very excited about the front seven. I'm looking forward to it." (HSB)

About coaching Houston against UH in the brawl-marred Hawaii Bowl, Aranda said:
"It really was a great experience being down for the bowl game. What an unfortunate way to end the game, what an ugly incident, but I try not to let that mar the experience here. It's kind of been the same question, 'Have you ever been down here?' and I mention that game and they all go back to the fight." (HSB)

Excited to work with the other UH coaches, Aranda said:
"I'm really excited to be working with them. The water is nice and the landscape is nice, but it's really the people that make or break where you're at." (HSB)

About his plans for his daughters, Aranda said:
"We're going to the parks. The zoo is going to be a big part of our lives, too." (HA)

HA Note: "There are two spots left to fill. McMackin is expected to hire a coach to oversee the defensive tackles. The last opening will go to a coach who can work with the running backs and offensive linemen."

About the reaction to their coaching staff at the Alabama game, Rich Miano said:
"Some guy in the crowd, who was like 60 years old, said, 'I've never seen a football (coaching) staff that old. It's gotta be the oldest football staff in America.' " (HA)

HA Note: "At age 44 that season, Miano remarkably was the youngest member of the 10-man UH full-time staff that averaged 57.6 years. (UH even had a graduate assistant older than Miano). Last year the average was 55. But when UH kicks off the 2008 season, Miano will be more in the middle. With two vacancies to fill, new head coach Greg McMackin's staff is averaging 47 1/4 years and could get younger.

The addition of 29-year-old Nick Rolovich to coach the quarterbacks, 28-year-old Brian Smith to coach the offensive line and 31-year-old Dave Aranda to coach the defensive line is giving the Warriors a welcome youthful tint it hasn't had for years. The fact that the Warriors are doing it largely by choice and, hopefully, not by tapped-out budget constraints would be a good sign.

Clearly the "geriatric staff" — as some staff members came to jokingly refer to themselves — made that experience pay off with an 11-3 finish in 2006 and record 12-1 showing in 2007. But the change in head coaches also affords UH an opportunity to rebuild — and reload — its coaching staff for the future. It offers an opening to bring in "younger blood" as assistant coach Ron Lee likes to put it. Not to mention fresh perspectives."

HA Note: "In that Rolovich and Smith, UH graduates both, make for interesting studies if not prototypes. As former Warriors, they not only possess a knowledge of the offensive system and the place, but have a considerable investment in the program. If there was anybody you'd like to think might stick around a while in this most transitory of occupations, where we're told the average stay is less than four years, it could be guys such as these. One of the best things the Warriors had going for themselves in the June Jones era was continuity and it showed. Turnover was so minimal as to be the envy of the WAC."
Prior to his year at Delta State, Aranda was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Division III California Lutheran. There he crossed paths with Brian Smith, who was named UH offensive line coach last week, in 2005. The duo will see a lot of each other once practice starts when the lines go up against each other in one-on-one drills.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Quotes about Colt and the Senior Bowl

About the colder weather at the Senior Bowl, Colt said:
"It was a little thick out there today, but the good thing is I once played football in Boston (Worcester Academy) and once played football in Colorado (redshirt in 2003. So I know what it's like to play in this weather. In fact, today (Thursday), which was the coldest day, was my best day out there, so that was a good thing. Basically, I had a great week. I really felt like I came out here and accepted the challenge and I'm really excited trying to go out there and making something happen." (HA)

About how he's improved in the practice sessions as he got more comfortable, Colt said:
"Every day (during the practice sessions) I've gotten a little bit better than the day before. I feel that I'm starting to get a grasp of the offense and starting to understand things. If everything falls together, I hopefully will go out there and have a good day, do some good things and impress some scouts and coaches." (HA)

Praising the 49ers coaching staff, who are the coaches for his Senior Bowl team, Colt said:
"Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has been doing the hands-on work, while head coach Mike Nolan's a cool coach. I really like the way he addresses his team and talks to us. I also like the way he coaches a little bit of everybody out there at practice." (HA)

About how this game will let him bounce back from the Sugar Bowl, Colt said:
"I didn't really come in here (to the Senior Bowl) under a whole lot of pressure or anxiety. I really came here to meet people and to have as much fun as possible. Obviously, you're always judged by your last game. It (the Sugar Bowl) was a tough game for us, and I battled through it and I wished that things had gone a little different. This game will give me an opportunity to bounce back and come out here. I could have had a great game and there would still have been all those questions. This week, I get to learn a new offense, and get to answer all those questions — hopefully in a positive way." (HA)

About the Senior Bowl, Colt said:
"This is a great experience for me, because I'm kind of the big question mark as far as the quarterbacks in the draft. Everybody's kind of waiting to see, 'Is he a good kid? Is he a good football player?"' (AP)

About questions on whether or not he can play well in a different system, Colt said:
"People just question, can I be as effective in a different system. Obviously there's a learning curve and I'm going to have to get used to lining up at center. It can come back to really benefit me because I don't think people expect me to be good under center. The truth is that I grew up my whole life with Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer in Orange County learning the West Coast offense. I went to Colorado to play the West Coast offense. I'm going back to my roots." (AP)

Colt also wants to prove he's:
"a good kid who's got a good heart." (AP)

Enjoying the Senior Bowl evaluations, Colt said:
"For me this is a great opportunity and I understand how much this can benefit me. Instead of shying away, I'm really up for it. I'm really excited when a coach approaches me or a scout approaches me. I'm really eager to talk and eager to be part of the process." (AP)

AP Note: "He regards a 169-yard, three-interception performance in Hawaii's Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia as a "last lesson" for his college career. It showed him how to better handle the abundant attention and the large crowds that go with being an NFL quarterback -- or playing in a BCS bowl."

About the Sugar Bowl, Colt said:
"It's like the saying, 'I'd rather have loved and lost than never have loved at all.' I can always say I went to the Sugar Bowl my senior year. They can never take that away from me." (AP)

New apparel contract being negotiatiated for UH

About their new apparel deal, John McNamara said:
"We don't know, at this time, who the new apparel partner will be going forward. We're in discussions right now and the situation is very fluid." (HA)

HA Note: "One of the areas in which the University of Hawai'i athletic department hopes to reap quick benefits from its Sugar Bowl and top 20 exposure is a new apparel contract for its football team. With its Nike contract set to expire in May, UH is currently negotiating with what it terms, "several interested parties" on a new agreement that it hopes will reflect the status of a program that went 12-1 and made its first Bowl Championship appearance. Speculation that a new, more lucrative deal is in the works has been circulating."

HA Note: "To date, UH's annual apparel contracts have been strictly agreements in which UH receives free or discounted merchandise. Several top 20 teams have deals that also involve cash. But McNamara declined to say what terms UH is seeking."

Friday, January 25, 2008

Rolo mention in the Marin Independent Journal

About deciding to become a full-time coach after being released by the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League, Rolo said:
"Then this (the Hawaii opening) came up so I gave it (playing pro football) up so what are you going to do? I'm really happy. It is a pleasure for me to come back." (MIJ)

JJ feature article in SI

About cheering for UH while watching the UH-Washington game, SMU AD Steve Orsini said:
"I'm like, 'If they win, they'd be the only undefeated team in the nation and our society would love to see that team get a chance to move up to a BCS bowl.' " (SI)

About how as an AD, UH's comeback win was the "fly in the ointment", Orsini said:
"I started to say to myself, 'Wait a minute Hawaii, don't win.' " (SI)

About how a BCS bowl bearth would delay his coaching search, Orsini said:
"One thing I said to myself was, 'I am not going to hurt the opportunity of a coach and the student-athletes at that university. Let's let them finish out the year because SMU is in this for the long run.' " (SI)

About the 71 days it took for him to fill their coaching spot, Orsini said:
"Yes, it took 71 days, but I look back on it and I hope we look at it years from now and say that's the best 71 days invested in SMU football in the history of SMU football." (SI)

About how their facilities did not improve over his 9 years at UH, JJ said:
"I was there for nine years and basically nothing changed in those years." (SI)

SI Note: "More importantly, Jones says it was about the chance to revitalize another program -- and himself. He says he was twice prepared to leave Honolulu because the athletic department was "in a paralysis state of doing the things that were necessary to maintain a high level within the department," once before the 2005 season (but the hiring of Jerry Glanville as defensive coordinator re-energized him) and again before last season (but no NFL position he was interested in materialized). Just before Christmas, he told agent Leigh Steinberg there were only two programs he was interested in: Duke and SMU, two teams that posted 1-11 records in 2007."

About telling Steinberg about his interest in SMU and Duke, JJ said:
"He thought I was crazy for even saying that." (SI)

SI Note: "But he believes his players-first approach -- which is rooted in positive-reinforcement instead of yelling -- is better served at a school looking to rebound."

About how rebuilding a team appeals to him, JJ said:
"I think by nature these things have been attractive to me because I know the philosophy I have in treating the players and dealing with the players, and offensively it works and can turn these situations, and it kind of motivates me to be a part of it." (SI)

About how he told JJ when they met face-to-face a few days after the Sugar Bowl that SMU was low-irsk, high-reward, Orsini said:
"We're 1-11. We haven't been to a bowl in 23 years. If you're 7-5, we'll probably have a parade for you because we're going to our first bowl in 23 years. And the high reward is you'll be successful in this very successful market called Dallas, a la Cowboys and Mavericks and Rangers and a lot of successful businesses, and the rewards will be high as well. You will be known as the guy to rebuild SMU football and its proud traditions. That's something that would be attractive to you." (SI)

SI Note: "Under SMU policies, Orsini had to form a search committee to find Bennett's replacement, and he made it clear that the school would be looking for a proven commodity at coach, instead of bringing in a coordinator (which it did in hiring Bennett, who was previously defensive coordinator at Kansas State). Orsini is unwilling to disclose who else was on his short list, but it definitely included former Navy and current Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, who visited campus, and is rumored to have also included fired Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione and former Miami (Fla.) coach Larry Coker. But it was Jones who Orsini had targeted all along. Hawaii did try to keep him after Orsini's pitch, offering a reported five-year deal with a base salary of $1.3 million annually and a $1 million bonus if he stayed for the duration of the contract. But Jones' mind was made up. It was time to leave Hawaii with a 76-41 record, the most victories in school history and seven winning seasons."

About how his frustration with UH made up his mind to leave awhile ago, JJ said:
"I think I had made the decision three years ago that I needed to go and it was just time to go. I needed to be re-energized, and SMU has done that for me already. People here are very motivated to win. They have everything in place that I dreamed about having in place when I was at Hawaii. It's ready to go and now it's my job to get it done on the field." (SI)

SI Note: "To do that he's enlisted some coaches familiar with the Jones way. Several assistants followed him to the mainland, including Dennis McKnight (offensive line), Dan Morrison (quarterbacks), Jeff Reinebold (special teams) and Wes Suan (running backs). Bert Hill, a former Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins assistant, will coach the defensive line, while Jones has yet to hire a defensive coordinator."

About SMU, JJ said:
"I think after losing for 20-plus years, they're ready to go." (SI)

Brian Smith is officially the Warriors' OL coach

About getting to coach with Rolo, Smith said:
"Nick and I always had a good relationship since we stopped playing together. And once we both got into coaching we talked about coaching together, because he's a quarterback guy and I'm an O-line guy, it kind of fits that we'd try to work together somewhere. But a lot of that just becomes talk. So it's awesome that we're going to get that opportunity to work together at our alma mater." (HSB)

Asked if Rolo sang "Reunited" to welcome his former roommate to the UH coaching staff, Brian Smith said:
"I will neither confirm nor deny that he sang that." (HA)

HA Note: "In UH's 8-1 stretch run in 2001, Rolovich was the quarterback and Smith the center. They used to practice long snaps in their apartment hallway."

About their snapping practicies, Smith said with a smile:
"Never broke anything." (HA)

About how it was useful for him to be Rolo's roomate, Smith said:
"One of the good things about being a quarterback's roommate is I'd get to ask a lot of questions. 'What's going on with this play?' 'What are you looking at?' " (HA)

About how coach Cav, the OL coach at the time, made sure UH's centers knew the pass routes in the offense and could identify defensive coverages, Smith said:
"It made it easier to learn the calls." (HA)

HA Note: "Smith kept the playbooks from his five UH years. He added to it when he tried out with the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, when he was a UH graduate assistant (2003), and during coaching stops at Cal Lutheran, Oregon State and, last season, Portland State. He worked under Cavanaugh at OSU and under Mouse Davis, the inventor of the run-and-shoot offense, at Portland State."

About how Smith knows the offense well, Rolo said:
"He's very knowledgeable of the system from the O-line to the receivers. He knows everything about the offense. He'll be able to do more than a lot of people who know the offense but not the pass protection. He'll be valuable to the program." (HA)

About being a 27-year-old coach will help him relate to the players, Smith said:
"When you're a young coach, you have to be able to separate yourself from the players. You can't be their buddy. Some young coaches get into trouble because they think of themselves as still being players. I'm definitely not a player anymore." (HA)

About how he'll teach his OL the full offense, Smith said:
"We want to have communication. If everyone's on the same page, there's understanding of the scheme ... and you have a better chance to succeed." (HA)

About how he and Rolo (who is engaged with a 5-month-old son) will be roomates for at least another week, Smith said with a laugh:
"The way I snore, he might be on his way again." (HA)

About the difference between he and Coach Cav, Smith said:
"I'm a little more toned down from where Coach Cavanaugh was. I'm definitely a teacher, I have high expectations for my players and I am demanding. It's a little different personality, but I think I get good results from my players." (HSB)

About the year he spent as a coach at Portland State with Mouse Davis and Jerry Glanville, Smith said:
"We were constantly talking about the same people and following the program." (HSB)

About how Glanville gave him his blessing to go after the UH job, Smith said:
"He was really understanding. He knew it was a good opportunity for me. Hawaii has a great program right now and it's just going to get better. I learned a lot from Coach Davis this last year as far as the run-and-shoot offense goes and what he's looking for in players and how he attacks defenses." (HSB)

About Smith, the 3rd member of UH's 2001 team (Rolo, Stutzman), GM said:
"He's just like Rolo, a leader. I saw that in him in 1999. He's a student of the game and a scholar. In talking to Mouse and June and Dennis McKnight, they all said he knows as much about blocking schemes for the run-and-shoot as anyone. He played in it, and he learned all the finer points. ... He's a scholar of offensive line play." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Smith's playing career at UH spanned from 1998 to 2001, experiencing the program's lowest depths and some of its peak moments. He was part of Fred vonAppen's last recruiting class and started at long snapper as a freshman in 1998 when Hawaii went 0-12. VonAppen was fired after the season and June Jones orchestrated the nation's most dramatic turnaround ever the following year. He started all 24 games his junior and senior years, closing his career by snapping the ball to Rolovich in a 2001 season capped by a landmark 72-45 win over Brigham Young."

About looking at the OL with a clean slate, Smith said:
"The great thing about new coaches coming in is that there is a clean slate. Those kids are all starting out fresh and I'm looking forward to pushing them and seeing how they get better and seeing who rises to the top." (HSB)

The Sugar Bowl had 3x more viewers than any previous UH game

About the large TV audience for the Sugar Bowl, John McNamara said:
"In addition to the extensive national television exposure that UH and the state of Hawai'i received on ESPN telecasts during the regular season, it's fantastic to cap the football season with such a large TV audience for Fox's Allstate Sugar Bowl telecast. This is exposure that you just can't put a price on and it will pay dividends for years to come." (HA)

HA Note: "Nearly eight million households tuned in to watch Georgia beat Hawai'i 41-10 in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's day, ranking the game sixth in viewership among the 32 bowl games played for the 2007 season. While the Fox audience was a 17 percent drop from the previous New Year's game (Boise State vs. Oklahoma), it was more than three times larger than any game in the Warriors' history.

HA Note: "Fox said the decline from the Boise State-Oklahoma game was "understandable given that this year's game was a 31-point blowout and last year's was one of the great college football games of all time." Georgia led 24-3 at halftime."

About the Sugar Bowl ratings, Ban Bell, Fox VP for communications said:
"We are pleased with the rating because the Sugar Bowl helped us dominate all other television competition that night." (HA)

Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said that the Sugar Bowl rating was:
"a very solid rating. Given the fact that the game was lopsided, it was still a good number." (HA)

HA Note: "Until the Sugar Bowl, the largest audience to view a UH game was the 2.33 million households that saw the Warriors beat Arizona State in the 2006 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. The 1992 Holiday Bowl, where UH beat Illinois, drew a higher percentage of viewership than the Hawai'i Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl attendance, 74,383, was the fourth highest among bowls, according to figures compiled by the National Football Foundation. Only the Rose Bowl (93,923), national championship game (79,651) and Chick-Fil-A Bowl (74,413) outdrew the Sugar Bowl. It was the third largest in UH history behind Alabama (92,138) in 2006 and Nebraska (75,615) in 1978.

The 2007 Hawai'i Bowl, which matched East Carolina and Boise State, ranked 28th among the 32 bowls in TV viewership. It attracted 1.4 million households, down more than 40 percent from the UH-Arizona State game of '06.

It could be another month or more before UH finds out how much it will receive from its first Bowl Championship Series appearance. While the school is guaranteed at least $4.2 million before expenses, people involved say the payout could reach as much as $4.5 million."

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Colt Chat on ESPN

Asked what his favorite food was, Colt said:
"In-n-Out Burger." (ESPN)


Asked what his biggest strength as a QB was, Colt said:
"I think I have a natural ability to throw the football. And I do a good job of having fun when I play the game." (ESPN)


Aske what his biggest accomplishment was, Colt said:
"When I ended my senior year undefetaed against Washington. It was the greatest sense of accomplishment." (ESPN)

Asked what NFL QB he compares himself to, Colt said:
"Growing up I loved Brett Favre. But I like to watch a lot of QB in the NFL and apply their strengths to my game." (ESPN)

Asked who he did NOT want to hit him this week, Colt said:
"Good question. Keith Rivers from SC is one guy. We really have not gotten to see the other team yet, so I will know the answer to that question better come Saturday." (ESPN)


Asked about his weight at 185 and how much he needs to gain, Colt said:
"At the end of each season you usually end a lot lighter weight wise than when you started. I got the stomach flu earlier this week and did not eat the same for about four days. I think if I stepped on the scale today you would see a drastic improvement from 185. But I have two more chances." (ESPN)

Asked who was his favorite WR to throw to this week, Colt said:
"I really enjoyed throwing to the bigger guys like DJ Hall and Limas Sweed. But the TE are the guys who have impresed me the most. They are fun to throw to and big targets." (ESPN)

Asked what team he liked growing up, Colt said:
"I grew up gooing to Rams and Raider games. But they left us. And since then I really have not had a team." (ESPN)

Asked how he's feeling going into the game, Colt said:
"I am feeling good. If I can just make sure to fine tuen everything I leanred this week. And come out and play with confidence, hopefully I will have success." (ESPN)


Asked what was his favorite characteristic as a QB and what he needs to work on the most, Colt said:
"I think my favorite charcteristic is the fact I have fun playing the game. What I need to work on is my size and strength." (ESPN)

Asked what NFL WR he'd like as a teammate, Colt said:
"It is a very good question. I have never really thought about that. I like WR who are smooth with their routes and the way they catch the ball. For me the smoother they are the easier it is for me to estimate where they are going to be on the route." (ESPN)

Asked how the southern food in Alabama compared to the food from Hawaii, Colt said:
"To be honest we have not been able to experience it that much. Even when I was in New Orleans it was not the season for craw fish and those traditional type foods. All we got was fried chicken and catfish which tasted great; but I had had those things before." (ESPN)

Asked what type of offense he ran in the NFL, Colt said:
"I grew up running the West Coast offense, and obviously experienced both the spread and run and shoot. So I am kind of excited to try whatever offense I land in. I really hope to prove I can play in any offense." (ESPN)

Asked about not knowing where he is going and about the possibility of going to a losing team, Colt said:
"It does feel awkward right now, because nothing is certain. But when I got to Hawaii, me and my teammates established a reputation for winning. I hope that wherever I go I can accomplish the same thing." (ESPN)

Fox Sports article on Colt

Colt said that his Senior Bowl performance:
"will determine how pro coaches and scouts look at me." (Fox Sports)

Colt said that QB prospects Andre Woodson and Eric Ainge are the ones under:
"a lot of pressure. For me, it's just fun." (Fox Sports)

FS Note: "Some analysts believe Brennan can translate his standout play at the University of Hawaii into NFL success. Skeptics label Brennan a "system quarterback" who will suffer the same fate as Andre Ware, David Klingler and Kliff Kingsbury and other failed college stars from run-and-shoot schemes.

About criticism that he is a system QB, Colt said:
"We're all system quarterbacks. I think I ran the system really well. I look at some things I did and obviously I had a real high completion percentage and was very efficient. No matter what system you're in, that's very key." (FS)

FS Note: "Brennan had a 70.4 completion percentage with an NCAA-record 131 touchdown passes. He also threw only 42 interceptions in 1,584 pass attempts."

Comparing Colt to Jeff Garcia, NFLdraftscout.com analyst Rob Rang said:
"The question with Colt is the arm strength, but I think he has enough of it. Anything within 20 yards or so, he's OK. Once you get to 25 yards, that's where his ball starts to flutter. But the vast majority of NFL passes -- at least on a rope -- are within 20 yards. He's very intelligent and anticipates openings in the field. He's very accurate and has poise and touch. He makes different types of throws, not just dink-and-dunk types of passes." (FS)

Not worried about Colt's sidearm delivery getting his passes batted down by NFL defenses, Mike Nolan said:
"On the intermediate and short game, he's pretty quick with the release and gets it out. That's key." (FS)

FS Note: "Having made Alex Smith the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft, Nolan is familiar with the obstacles that must be overcome by college quarterbacks who come from non-NFL systems. Smith was a star in Urban Meyer's spread offense at Utah but has struggled in three seasons with the 49ers."

About Alex Smith's struggles with the 49ers, Nolan said:
"There's an adjustment. Some make it better than others. From what I've seen, (Brennan) has been OK. I think his improvement this week has been dramatic." (FS)

About his adjustment to the offense used in the Senior Bowl, Colt said:
"Unlike some of these other guys who came from traditional offenses, I really haven't had any experience. Obviously, there are a lot of question marks. If I have a good week of practice and do good in the game, it could answer a lot. Can he play in a different type of system? Can he play under center? And hopefully going through the interview process, I can impress the coaches with my character." (FS)

Note: In addition to the flu that made him lose a lot of weight, Fox Sports reports that Colt has a hip pointer injury!

About Colt's problems at Colorado, Rang said:
"From the people I've talked to, he's more mature now. Some guys on the Hawaii team would die for this kid. He's just a natural, charismatic type of leader and they rally around him. I think it's one of the reasons he's been so successful." (FS)

About his critics, Colt said:
"If people doubt you, it's fun going out here and trying to show them up. It definitely drives me. I love when people keep driving me." (FS)

Rolo is officially UH's QB coach!

About the end of his playing career, Rolo said:
"I guess I should announce my retirement (as a player). I'm announcing my retirement right now." (HA)

About how he finds coaching rewarding, Rolo said:
"As much as I love throwing touchdowns, and as much as I enjoy getting hit and coming up with something clever to say to the guy who hit me, working with young players and seeing the light go on, that's a greater feeling of satisfaction." (HA)

HA Note: "The past two years, Rolovich moonlighted as the quarterback coach at City College of San Francisco, which won a 2007 national championship. During one game, he was set to signal an audible."

About why he let the QB make the call instead of signaling an audible, Rolo said:
"Something caught me. I thought, 'Let me see if you can do it now. This is your chance.' And he got it, and we scored a touchdown, and we went on to have a great year.

Contrasting coaching vs. playing, Rolo said:
"It's a different satisfaction. You almost have 100 times the effect. Maybe what I teach them, they're going to teach to somebody some day. I like to call it 'good football morals.' Good football stuff is passed down. For one, it's the greatest game in the world. It should be played and taught with football morals. There's a right way to teach things, and a right way to approach players." (HA)

HA Note: "In 2001, Rolovich led the Warriors to one of the most successful stretches in program history. He was 8-1 as a starter that year, including a spectacular final three games in which he threw for 1,548 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 543-yard, eight-touchdown performance against Brigham Young in the season finale led to the creation of the Hawai'i Bowl. The 9-3 Warriors were not invited to a postseason bowl that year.

After that, Rolovich played in parts of five seasons in the Arena Football League. Because the AFL plays in the spring, he was able to serve as a Warrior student manager in 2004 (quarterback Tim Chang's senior year) and 2005 (Heisman finalist Colt Brennan's first UH season). Part of his role was to work with Chang and Brennan."

About what Colt asked him in Colt's first season at UH, Rolo said:
"Colt would ask me a lot of questions about the offense, living in Hawai'i, dealing with the media." (HA)

HA Note: "Last year, Rolovich earned his master's degree. He also played for Las Vegas in the AFL. In the offseason, Rolovich, who is married and has a 5-month-old son, worked for the Rabbitt Construction Company in the Bay Area, as well as coached at CCSF. As the Rams' quarterback coach, he earned $1,500 for the season. He said only a UH coaching job could lure him away from the Bay Area. His wife is from Maui."

About raising his son in Hawaii, Rolo said:
"There's no better place for my son to grow up. The ocean, the smiles of the people, it's a very positive environment for him to grow up in." (HA)

Looking forward to coaching UH's QBs, Rolo said:
"Your coach is really your father away from home. That's where I want to excel this year. I want to make sure they're all good with school, they're all good with their personal life." (HA)

About how he always planned to coach, Rolo said:
"Everyone told me (the playing career) is going to end some day. I said, 'Yeah, right. I'm going to play until my knees fall off.' But it does (end). You really need to have a plan. I was lucky enough to be able to play, and I'm fortunate this (coaching) opportunity came along." (HA)

About how his playing experience at UH and his young age (28) will help him relate to UH QBs, Rolo said:
"I can relate with some of the things they're going through. I feel like maybe I can be like an older brother rather than a dad thing." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Rolovich is now reunited with the first Hawaii coach he ever had contact with; new head man Greg McMackin recruited him in 2000."

About how he'll try to do a lot of what Dan Morrison (his position coach at UH and the only QB coach UH had under JJ) said:
"Coach Morrison's good at being a life coach kind of guy. When I was in here with him, not only did we watch a lot of film, but we had a lot of good discussions, and not just about game situations, but life situations. It was one of his strengths." (HSB)

About how he wants the players to know that he'll be there for them for their off the field problems too, Rolo said:
"I'm probably not as qualified with the psychology background (Morrison) has, but I do think you have to have a genuine concern for the overall person." (HSB)

About his first day on the job, Rolo said:
"Today was kind of a real organizational day. I probably didn't get through a tenth of them, there's so many. The day flew by." (HSB)

About wanting to pass the NCAA recruiting test so that he can help out there, Rolo said:
"I want to be able to do whatever Coach (Greg) McMackin wants me to do." (HSB)

About how GM recruited him, Rolo said:
"He was the first (Hawaii coach) I had contact with. It was fairly late in the process for me. I had tripped Minnesota, Cal and Marshall. I just liked how he approached me, and he told me what was happening in Hawaii. I felt like he was a genuine person." (HSB)

HSB Note: "McMackin left for Texas Tech after that season. Rolovich didn't meet up with him again until last season's game at San Jose State."

About seeing GM at the SJSU game, Rolo said:
"I thanked him for getting me started here (as a player)." (HSB)

HSB Note: "When it began to look like June Jones would leave Hawaii for SMU, Rolovich thought he might have a shot as the Mustangs quarterbacks coach. But when Morrison accepted Jones' invitation, Rolovich was left with what he considered a very good possibility."

Happy that Rolo has joined them, GM said:
"I'm really excited that he's joining us. I've watched his career and have always been proud of him and knew that he had an inner strength and would be a great coach. He's going to bring us a lot of power." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Rolovich's move here brings his wife, Ana, home. She is from Maui, and they have a baby son, Daniel."

About how his wife is excited to return to Hawaii, Rolo said:
"She's excited, just to be back in Hawaii. And this is a great place for our son. The sights, the feeling of warmth. I can't think of a better place." (HSB)

Quote about new season ticket sales

About how they feel they can surpass their goal to get to 30,000 season tickets, John McNamara said:
"We feel good, at this point, that we will be able to get north of 30,000." (HA)

HA Note: "If you're ever going to be able to get back to season-ticket highs of the past, this would seem to be the season for it. Never have the Warriors had a more positive experience or more pleasant memories to sell. Thankfully, unlike what has too often been the case in the past, UH isn't just sitting back and, in a posture that has smacked of arrogance, said, in essence, take it or leave it. No longer is it curiously trying to raise money by charging fewer people much higher prices.

This time UH is finally trying to win back fans and grab new ones, putting plenty into the push beyond the usual contest drawings, etc. Prices are frozen at 2007 levels and an additional eighth home game added. UH officials also are pledging to get season-ticket holders pay-per-view road games either free or at a significantly reduced price. The two biggest areas to gauge the UH football future are recruiting and season-ticket sales. While it might take a couple years for a true read on the recruiting class, season-ticket results will have an immediate impact."

Quote about how UH appeals to local players after their great season

About how Leilehua LB Robert Siavii (HA Defensive Player of the Year) and All-State LB Art Laurel will make official recruiting visits to UH this weekend, their head coach Nolan Tokuda said:
"They would be excited to go there, play for the home fans, especially after the kind of season (UH) had." (HA)

ESPN Interview of Colt

About Georgia's speed, size and skill on D was far better than what they had seen all season, Colt said:
"We weren't ready for that. I wasn't ready for that." (ESPN)

About how the Sugar Bowl loss might be good for him in the long run, Colt said:
"Adversity is something that doesn't really scare me. It doesn't really bring me down. The only thing that bowl game did for me was that it gave me great motivation and determination for these next few months. The fact that we lost that game and the way we lost it kind of brought me back down a level. I've really attacked my workouts and been able to get ready. This is my chance to show what I can do when everything's the same for everybody." (ESPN)

Comparing Colt to Drew Brees, Washington Redskins' associate head coach and offensive coordinator Al Saunders said:
"What you're looking to see in this environment is accuracy and how he handles it with a lot of different people. He reminds me a lot of Drew Brees, a guy who's been in the shotgun for his college career and never been under the center. Now, he's in a different environment and coached by another group of NFL coaches. June [Jones] did a great job with him and speaks very highly of him, and you can't discount how productive he's been during his college career. This is a big step for him, another part of the evaluation process. Let's see how he handles it." (ESPN)

About the focus on him being under center, Colt said:
"Nobody thinks I can play from under center anyway. So if I go out and have success next to these guys who've been playing in a traditional pro offense in college, it's going to say, 'This kid came out here in a week and got real good at it.'" (ESPN)

About how he wants to gain weight, Colt said:
"I want to get above 200 pounds by the draft." (ESPN)

Sad that his career had to end with the Sugar Bowl loss, but remembering the good times, Colt said:
"It's not the way you want to end your career. But when I stepped away and looked at everything that happened, it just showed us how far we came. To watch our band and watch our fans … that's something I'll take with me the rest of my life. It's like the old saying, 'I'd rather have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.'" (ESPN)

About how none of the 5 BCS bowl games were close, Colt said:
"So it's not like Hawaii was the fluke." (ESPN)

About how it is sad that JJ left UH, but how he thinks that UH needed that to happen before it would change, Colt said:
"I think it's sad because it's the end of a great era. Coach Jones did so much for that program. But at the same time, it's the kind of shake-up that I think the school needed. I mean, how can a coach take you to the Sugar Bowl and he's waiting for his contract?" (ESPN)

ESPN Note: "Brennan called the facilities at Hawaii "a joke" and said things were so bad that players were racking up thousands of dollars in parking tickets when they went to practice in the mornings."

About how the blame goes beyond HF, Colt said:
"I never intended for my athletic director to get fired. I intended it to be felt upstairs with the administration and where the money gets handed down. I wanted to say, 'Look, you need to do more for the program. You've got the money. Why is it all falling apart?' Hawaii is a special place. What they pride themselves on is being very simple and enjoying what they have. That shouldn't be taken advantage of. Just because Hawaii can be successful with little money, that shouldn't be taken advantage of. We should have started a lot earlier to make the [football] environment around us better." (ESPN)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Colt talks about JJ

Not surprised that JJ left UH due to the problems at UH, Colt said:
"I had talked (before the season) about the facilities and the way the program was being run. I think Coach Jones, after taking us to the Sugar Bowl, was waiting for his contract. That's a joke. He should have had his contract long before we got to the Sugar Bowl. He's got to do what's best for himself and his family. I think he needed a new challenge, and that's why he went to SMU." (rivals)

Warning SMU's C-USA rivals, Colt said:
"That program's going to be a terror a couple of years from now, if not next year." (rivals)

Praising the selection of GM, Colt said:
"He understands the program, understands the culture and people really well. The players will react really well to him because he was probably the players' coach of all coaches." (rivals)

Quotes about Lewis Walker

About how he felt he had an immediate shot at playing time (due to UH graduating 3 DBs), but what was more important was that from UH's players and coaches he got:
"a really good vibe." (Deseret Morning News)

About how he enjoyed his visit, Walker said:
"I felt really, really comfortable. I said, I could see myself fitting in right there." (DMN)


About how Hawaii's passionate fans were a selling point for him, Walker said:
"It's like the whole state is behind them. It feels like an NFL team there, like how Denver is with the Broncos. They really embrace them." (DMN)

DMN Note: "Walker's commitment eased a lot of stress in his life. He was offered a scholarship by the University of Utah last spring and called the Utes to accept in early November. But when he called, he was told by the Utes that they no longer had a scholarship for him. Walker said recruiting was a learning process for him, and that he's just ready to move on to Hawaii."

About how he's happy that the recruiting process is over, Walker said:
"I've never been through this process before. I learned a lot from this ... but now I have a chance to go to Hawaii. There's a lot of stress off of me now and I can just focus on other things." (DMN)

Proud of Walker, his coach James Cordova said:
"I'm just really proud and happy for the kid. The recruiting process is tough on kids, tough on families, and tough on coaches. I'm glad to see him going where he can make a difference." (DMN)

Feature article on Jake Heun

About turning down offers from Bemidji State and Idaho State to instead play 2 years of JC football to raise his prospects, Heun said:
"You know how it is in Alaska, you're lucky to get a Division II scholarship. I wasn't ready for that." (Anchorage Daily News)

About how JC football offered him a way to prove himself, Heun said:
"It was a huge stepping stone. I could have gone right to a Division I school, walked on, sat one or two years, then maybe make special teams." (ADN)

ADN Note: "Heun also seriously considered Nebraska, among other schools, but the Cornhuskers wanted him only as a linebacker. Hawaii offered the prospect of playing running back. That, plus the thought of palm trees and beaches, led Heun to choose Hawaii."

Looking forward to living in Hawaii, Heun said:
"It doesn't get much better than living and playing in Hawaii." (ADN)

About how he was impressed with the excitement about the Warriors before the Sugar Bowl, Heun said:
"It seemed like the whole island, the whole state, was into (the Warriors). I've been in college towns, but I've never seen an entire state get into a team like that." (ADN)

Feature article on Colt

About the questions about how he will do in the NFL, Colt said:
"I'm one of those quarterbacks that's a big question mark. I can be rising up the draft board or falling down depending on how I show up and execute." (rivals.com)

About what scouts are looking for from Colt in the Senior Bowl practices, Frank Coyle (draftinsiders.com) said:
"They want to see you take the ball under center, drop, set up, read the defense and make the play. You don't have to do that when you sit in the 'gun.' " (rivals)

About how he was under center at Mater Dei and Colorado, Colt said:
"I'm kind of going back to my roots root now, but I need to get back into it. There are some rhythm things I need to get back. It's a learning process. I'm just glad to be here and glad to be experiencing it." (rivals)

About how he loved playing in UH's offense, Colt said:
"I loved playing that (run-and-shoot) system. It did great things for me from a confidence standpoint. Now that I've moved on from that system, I feel like I can play in any system. That's why I think this will be a great week for me." (rivals)

About addressing concerns about his character, Colt said:
"This is a chance for people to get to know me as a person and learn about me, not just the system but obviously with the Colorado situation I went through. There are a lot of things people have to figure out about me. For me to familiarize myself with coaches and to come out here and practice and play - hopefully I can answer a lot of those questions." (rivals)

Rivals Note: "The last performance of Brennan's college career resulted in more questions about his NFL potential. He was sacked eight times, threw three interceptions and fumbled twice in a 41-10 Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia. Brennan admitted after the game that the performance probably damaged his NFL draft stock. He faced even more adversity this week before he ever stepped on a practice field. Brennan, who is 6 feet 2, weighed in Monday at only 185 pounds, which could raise concerns about whether he's big enough to withstand the physical pounding that comes from playing quarterback in the NFL. By contrast, the other two quarterbacks on the South team are the 234-pound Woodson and 225-pound Erik Ainge of Tennessee. Brennan blamed his weight loss on a recent illness and said he hoped to bulk up to 205 or 210 for the Combine."

About why he lost weight, Colt said:
"I got the stomach flu last week when I was home in California. I lost a ton of weight. I thought I'd be able to gain it all back, but I guess I didn't." (rivals)


About how Colt earned his respect when UH played Alabama (Colt threw for 350 yards in the 25-17 loss), Alabama CB Simeon Castille said:
"I think he's as good as advertised. He makes good decisions. He's accurate with his throws. A lot of people say it's just because of the system that he runs, but I think he'll be able to adjust to an NFL-style system and be able to succeed." (rivals)

Quotes about Rich Miano

About how he was not tempted to go to SMU, Rich Miano (rumored for promotion to Associate Head Coach) said:
"I made that clear from day one. I'm living in Hawai'i regardless." (HA)

HA Note: "It would be a natural ascension for Miano, who joined UH as a walk-on in 1980 and developed into an All-Western Athletic Conference safety and 11-year National Football League veteran. He has served as the Warriors' defensive secondary coach the past nine seasons."

About UH, Miano said:
"I firmly believe in the University of Hawai'i. I'm an alumnus." (HA)

About how his background makes it easier to speak with recruits, Miano said:
"When I talk to a recruit, he knows I'm not a hypocrite. I played for the school, and I'm proud of that. I've graduated from the school. I'm proud of that. I think the world of the state of Hawai'i. I have a hard time faking something. If I don't truly believe in it, I can't sell it. I believe in this, and it's easy to sell." (HA)

HA Note: "With the expected new title, Miano will retain his roles of coaching the defensive backs, coordinating the walk-on program, and serving as the pro-football liaison."

About handling his various jobs, Miano said:
"There are 24 hours in a day. It's a matter of making sure you structure your time and get things done that need to get done. Right now, my main focus is on recruiting." (HA)

About the importance of recruiting, Miano said:
"We understand the importance of recruiting. We want to build a foundation so we can continue June's dream of a continual top-25 program, which is going to take a lot of work and a lot of resources. We need everybody from the fans buying tickets to legislative and community support. All of those types of things." (HA)

Quotes about the AD search

UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said that UH hopes to name a new AD:
"within the next four to six weeks. My intent is to move forward expeditiously in conducting the search and recommending an individual for the position. The goal is to accomplish that process within the next four to six weeks. In that way, we could complete the process well before the end of the semester." (HA)

HA Note: "Clapp's appointment — and raise to $227,808 — is for up to a year. UH said it is "standard procedure" to fill vacancies with interim appointees for a "one year duration unless sooner relieved.""

About the AD hiring process, UH President David McClain said:
"When Virginia has a name to recommend to me, and with my concurrence, that name can be forwarded to the Board of Regents for their approval." (HA)

About how Hinshaw will move quickly, McClain said:
"I'm sure this matter is very 'front of mind' for her and she will be proceeding expeditiously." (HA)

Declining to say if he would apply for the permanent AD spot, Clapp said:
"What I have agreed to do is provide leadership during this time and then give the chancellor an opportunity to assess the qualities, characteristics and talents that would be appropriate for the new director of athletics." (HA)

Hoping that he can stay at UH, Clapp said:
"It is my intention to continue working for the University of Hawai'i. I would really, really like to do that. Which role that is in or how it goes is really up to the chancellor." (HA)

HA Note: "Meanwhile, Frazier returned this weekend from an interview for the vacant athletic director's position at the University of Miami, where he is believed to be on the short list of candidates to replace Paul Dee, who resigned after 15 years. Two associate ADs, Jeff Compher of Washington and Rob Mullens of Kentucky, are believed to be among the finalists. Frazier has also been encouraged by people in the track and field community to apply for the vacant position of chief executive officer of USA Track and Field. That position, which has paid upwards of $300,000, became vacant when Craig Masback resigned the day after Frazier's firing to work for Nike. Frazier had a $250,000 annual salary at UH."

Quotes about PPV

About how they will make significantly more money from PPV due to their success last season, McNamara said:
"Last year's total take was very good considering the games which we lost (to ESPN) that would have been significant revenue generators on the PPV package." (HA)

HA Note: "Associate athletic director John McNamara said UH will receive about $794,000 as its share of PPV sales, compared with $400,000 for 2006. Overall, UH expects to realize $2.54 million from the sale of local TV rights, he said. UH is guaranteed $1.75 million plus a percentage of PPV sales under a contract now being renegotiated."

About how they are looking to make road games cheap or free in the next PPV package, McNamara said:
"That's very important to us. We want to continue building the season-ticket base and as we look forward to doing that for the 2008 season, we feel this benefit will really help us, not only to (attract) additional folks, but to keep current season-ticket holders on board." (HA)

HA Note: "UH, which sold about 23,000 season tickets in 2007, has a goal of 30,000 for 2008."

About how they have started talks with UH, KFVE VP and general manager John Fink said:
"We've had initial discussions and we'll certainly get back with UH in the next 30 to 45 days. We'll try to put together something that makes sense for all parties involved and that's what we've done the last 25 years and, we hope, can move forward." (HA)

HA Note: "McNamara said UH has also begun negotiations with its radio partner, ESPN 1420 (KKEA). The station paid UH $1 million over three years."

Recruiting quotes

About his son Tui's commitment to UH, former UH DL (1981-1985) Ana Tuisasosopo said:
"There's going to be another Tuiasosopo in Anuenue Dorm." (HA)

Tui received offers from Oregon State and California, but:
"after visiting UH, it made me want to stay home. It was a tough decision to make, but it was the right decision." (HA)

HA Note: "Tuiasosopo is projected to compete at guard. He can bench press 405 pounds. At last year's U.S. All-Army Combine in San Antonio, he benched 185 pounds 35 times. Tuiasosopo has a 4.2 cumulative grade-point average. He scored 1,640 on the new expanded SAT."

About choosing UH, Tui said:
"What made me pick Hawai'i was the opportunity to play in front of my family. My dad played for UH." (HA)

Impressed with Mack, Tui said:
"Coach Mack is a really good coach. I see UH keeping up its winning ways. I met all of the players. I asked them why they chose UH. They told me: 'When you play for UH, you play for the whole state. When you play for Oregon State, you're only playing for Corvallis. The whole state backs up UH. When we're up, they're up. When we're down, they support us.' " (HA)

About choosing San Diego State over UH, Punahou DE J.J. Autele said:
"As much as I hope coach (Greg) McMackin and UH have a great season, I just felt the need to go away to college. After my official visit to SDSU, I felt it was the right place for me. The coaches, the school and the area all just felt right." (HA)