Spring Practice Quotes from the Local Papers

About the benefit that UH got from their Sugar Bowl season, Chancellor Hinshaw said:
"Our successful football season and Sugar Bowl experience created tremendous pride and positive exposure for the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Our challenge is to make this a trend and not just a momentary spike." (HA)

"For example, interest in attending UH-Manoa may be up but we still have far to go to impress potential students and their families who visit our campus because our facilities are suffering from decades of neglected repairs and maintenance. We're working to sustain our 'Manoa Moment' and we'll need our community to help do so." (HA)

HA Note: "When quarterback Doug Flutie led Boston College to an improbable 1984 season, the school reaped a wide array of off-the-field benefits in what became known as the "Flutie Factor." At the University of Hawai'i, the Colt Brennan-led magical 2007 march to the Sugar Bowl is already showing signs of resulting in something of a Brennan Boom, officials say. Fall semester applications are up eight percent, UH Alumni Association memberships have risen 21 percent and football season ticket sales, which are on-going, have climbed steadily, according to the school. In addition, fundraising is rising significantly although, because it coincides with the school's $250 million centennial fundraising campaign, a spokesman said it is difficult to put a precise number on football's contribution to the effort. But there has been no doubting that a 12-1 season that was the school's most successful and earned a No. 17 finish in the USA Today coaches' poll, gave UH an enhanced awareness, not only in the state among alumni and fans, but nationally."

HA Note: "While the student application process for the fall semester is ongoing, Manoa reported 9,872 applications compared with 9,153 last year. It said alumni memberships have risen by 1,354 to 6,770."

About how online fundraising inquiries and contacts increased sharply, UH Director of Communications Gregg Takayama said:
"we just don't have any hard numbers to the degree that they were stimulated by (football)." (HA)

About how he doesn't talk much, Jameel Dowling said:
"I'm here for really two things, that's to get my degree and try to play football to get to the next level. To me, it's more of a business thing, understanding probably because I'm a little older, too. I've been around, and I just basically know why I'm here and what I gotta do. I think that's probably why I'm quiet -- I don't worry about it that much." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Dowling's actions have spoken for him with spring practice in its stretch drive. While splitting time with JoPierre Davis and Calvin Roberts at right corner, he's amassed six interceptions during team drills. His play caught the eye of coach Greg McMackin, who is high on Dowling's amazingly low posture."

Praising Dowling, Mack said:
"Oh yeah, he's gotta play somewhere. He's too good to have on the bench. He's so coachable, and it impresses me that he plays so low, being so tall. The thing is, too, his height takes so much away from people -- they can't get the ball over him. Plus, he's got the speed to run with them (4.4- to 4.5-second 40-yard dash)." (HSB)

Praising Dowling, Monteilh said:
"He gets so low in his back pedal, it's amazing. His technique is so good, and it surprises us because he's so tall." (HSB)

About how Dowling is much quieter than their other DBs, Monteilh said:
"We got me and (Ryan) Mouton; I think Mouton's part Portagee he talks so much. Then we have Jameel, who's mute, he doesn't talk. So I make a call (on the field) and he just nods at me, and I'm like, 'Did you get the call, Dog?'" (HSB)

HSB Note: "A good time for Dowling, a Tacoma, Wash., native, is "going to Fun Factory" or spending quality time with his girlfriend, Melissa. After two all-conference years at Butte (Calif.) College and playing in 11 games in his junior season at Oregon, he transferred out because he felt pressure from the Ducks' coaches to return from a severe ankle injury before it fully healed; Dowling thought it could have damaged his long-term prospects for pro football."

About why he transferred from Oregon, Dowling said:
"Me not being 100 percent, my stay (there) wouldn't really help me. Fall camp was already coming around, and I'm still in a boot and still in crutches. There's no way I was going to be ready." (HSB)

About his 4-year-old daughter Jalaina (who lives in Washington), who visited him during Halloween, Dowling said:
"She liked it a lot. The beach, the water, some things she'd never seen." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The versatile corner -- he can also play free safety if called upon -- could see some extensive play in the Warriors' dime and nickel packages, even if he doesn't lock up a full-time starting job. Two junior college DBs arrive in the summer, adding to an already deep field at the position."

About how they are deep at CB, Mack said:
"We've solidified. Both times I've been here (1999 and 2007) we've been really shallow at corner. But (now) we have some physical, fast corners that can hit you. So we've really helped ourselves out there." (HSB)