Spring Practice Quotes from the local papers

About how his hands have to be close together at the start of a block, Ray Hisatake said:
"You've got to keep it tight. You look at Aaron (Kia) and Steiny (Keoni Steinhoff) and they keep their hands really tight in the cradle on their chest. Before, when I'd come out, I'd be out here." (HA)

HA Note: "It was Hisatake's tightening grasp of such technical essentials that made the battle for the starting left tackle spot one of the most intriguing of spring training. With Laupepa Letuli out with a hamstring injury and Raphael Ieru sidelined with a bum ankle, Hisatake made the push for No. 1 a two-man race between himself and fourth-year junior Kia. Both saw significant time with the starting units before Kia emerged as the top option at the position. Still, the palms-close competition proved beneficial to both players."

About Kia beating him out for #1 LT in the Spring, Hisatake said:
"I'm fine with it. Aaron is a great utility guy. He's played all positions, so being behind him is actually a good thing because I get to learn. It's a battle and I work hard every day to try and keep up with him." (HA)

Expecting the competition in the Fall to be tough, Hisatake said:
"Everything is open so I'm still going to battle Kia and no matter where Pepa steps in, I'll battle him, too." (HA)

HA Note: "Despite not playing football in high school — he was a three-time league champion in the shot put — Hisatake proved an intriguing collegiate prospect coming out of the College of San Mateo in California, where he earned second team all-conference honors After biding his time as a redshirt last season, Hisatake quickly made his imposing 6-foot-3, 315-pound presence felt on the UH practice field. Hisatake, who has shown the greatest improvement on his front-side sets, says he'll spend the summer refining the position and use of his head and hands coming off the line."

Comparing football to track and field, Hisatake said:
"Football is a bit easier than track and field. In track, there's a individual mentality. It's completely on you. In football, you're always surrounded by your teammates and you can count on them to have your back." (HA)

HA Note: "Hisatake competed in the Terry Albritton Invitation track and field competition in February, placing first in shot put and second in discus."

Praising Hisatake, Kia said:
"Ray is a good player and he has a lot of talent. He's learned a lot since he's been here and it wasn't easy (to earn the starting spot). It's still not over." (HA)

HA Note: "Kia had expected to compete with Steinhoff for the right tackle position, but says he's happy to remain on the left side, where he has more experience. He says his ability to play both sides is a "win-lose" situation."

About the disadvantage of being able to play multiple positions, Kia said:
"There's a downside because if you're able to play both sides, you're more likely to play both sides instead of staying in one spot. I just want to play hard and not lose this spot. I want to start this year." (HA)

HA Note: "Kia said refining his technique is a perpetual process. Kia said he learned much of what he knows from watching former Warrior tackle Tala Esera and listening carefully to assistant coaches Brian Smith and Alex Gerke."

About how he's still refining his technique, Kia said:
"I don't have it down pat. It's going to take a lot of reps. You can never get too many reps. I'm in no ways sound, but nobody is ever sound. Nobody is ever perfect. I just have to keep working hard at it." (HA)

About how one bad play can ruin an OL's practice or game, Kia said:
"All it takes is one sack and everybody looks at it as a horrible practice or a horrible game, and I look at it the same way, too. I give up one sack and it blows my mind. If I'm the one who gave up the sack, my heart drops and I get pissed off at myself. But when that happens, you have to focus, relax, and concentrate on the next play." (HA)

HA Note: "Kia said the highlight of his spring practice experience was the shuffle play he and his offensive teammates executed to perfection during Saturday's scrimmage. Reacting to the blitz, quarterback Inoke Funake shovel passed the ball forward to Leon Wright-Jackson, who followed his blockers upfield for a big gain."

About that big gain on a shovel pass, Kia said:
"Hell yeah. I didn't get the perfect block on the linebacker, but I got a block and it helped bust it for a good amount of yards. On offense, everybody has to work as one to make something happen. When you do your job and everybody else does their job, it's like 'Yeah, we accomplished something.' " (HA)

About how JJ told him to stay for his senior year if Mack got the UH job, Adam Leonard said:
"Coach Jones had advised me to leave if coach Mac didn't get the job." (HA)

About Adam Leonard deciding to return for his senior year, Cal Lee said:
"I had some sleepless nights (before the decision). But when I heard he was coming back, oh, boy, I'll tell you I slept like a baby." (HA)

About how he can have a great senior year and enhance his draft status, Adam said:
"I know that as good as last year was, this could be so much better. This could be the best year of my career yet." (HA)

About how they have been getting much more coaching attention now that Brian Kajiyama is assigned to work with the special teams specialists, Dan Kelly said:
"Coach Mouse (Davis), he'd be with us, but he never really devoted the entire time to us like Brian. We never had an actual piece of paper charting what we've done. It helps us improve. He gives us the daily workout and we go by it. Jake's velocity and accuracy is improving. And my accuracy is better, too. Today I only missed three (of 32 field goals) from 45 yards. On the first day I missed nine." (HSB)

About how Brian K is a knowledgeable special teams coach, Ingram said:
"He knows what a good get-off time is, what a good snap time is. He's legit. His recording of the times and locations of the snaps really reassures me that they're there. Sometimes when the punter gets the ball, they don't even remember. So with Brian watching I can just look at the paper after and know what I need to work on." (HSB)

About how both Jake Ingram and Dan Kelly have NFL potential and he likes working with them, Brian K said:
"Jake has been doing great. His snaps have been averaging .66 seconds for punts and the NFL average is .67, so he's right there. Kickers are a unique breed, so it's interesting to listen to Kelly talk throughout his workout. He's having a great spring. I still have lots to learn, but it's been neat, and Dan's been teaching me as he's been kicking about what is good form or not." (HSB)

HSB Note: "They practice apart from the rest of the team on the soccer field adjacent to the football field, amid scattered footballs. The three enjoy each other's company."

About Brian K, Dan Kelly said:
"He always has wisecracks, so you have to watch yourself. He listens more than he talks and he'll call you on it if you say something stupid. He can't let it go. He'll give you a look." (HSB)

Inspired by what Brian K does just to get to practice by 7am, Ingram said:
"He wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to be with us. He's unbelievable. Anybody who has anything to complain about, like they're too tired or whatever, turn around and look at him." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Kajiyama said he has read about Doug Blevins, a man with cerebral palsy who coached kickers for the Miami Dolphins for six years. UH coach Greg McMackin said he's very pleased with Kajiyama's work, which also includes running the team's computer center."

Praising Brian K, Mack said:
"He's a gold mine in my estimation. He's an inspiration to everybody and he's been there every morning and late at night. He's dedicated and really making the transition to being a coach." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Kajiyama began appearing at UH football practices as an undergraduate student several years ago. In 2006, UH assistant coach Jeff Reinebold suggested to defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville and head coach June Jones that they put Kajiyama's extensive computer abilities and passion for the game to use. Kajiyama became a volunteer assistant, preparing tape of opposing teams for Warrior players and coaches as a scouting tool. He earned a game ball for helping UH start a nine-game winning streak. Jones promoted him to graduate assistant last spring, and Kajiyama was nominated for the Football Writers Association of America's annual Courage Award."

About how Brian K is helping to improve their team, Mack said:
"This is him helping me prepare these players and doing a great job at it." (HSB)

About the 6'5" Joe Avery, Ron Lee said:
"Size is not the problem. He has got to work on his hands a little more." (HSB)

About how he's trying to improve himself, Avery said:
"Every day I try to find things that I was at flaw at last practice or during the fall. I'm just trying to find ways to (make things perfect)." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Avery is a perfectionist, which is why he's not satisfied with his spring performance. His biggest struggle has been an inconsistency catching the ball, something that hampers a lot of freshman receivers."

About Avery's dropped balls, Ron Lee said:
"Everybody goes through this process where they're learning the routes and have too much on their mind, and (when) the ball comes they drop it. For a redshirt freshman, he has come a long way. What he does in the summer is going to be critical to where he ends up on the depth chart." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Teammate Greg Salas was in the same situation a year ago, and is now one of the guys at the head of the receiving pack. It's one reason Avery looks up to Salas."

About Salas, Avery said:
"He has great hands and that's an aspect about him that I'm going to eventually have to get, too. His athleticism and route-running is almost perfect. I set my standards based off of him because he's obviously a good athlete." (HSB)

About how today's practice will prepare them for the Warrior Bowl, with the Green and Black teams facing each other, Mack said:
"We'll do our individual, 7 on 7, and then we'll split it up and have a mock game and we'll close it with the ha'a." (HSB)

About how he'll have surgery on his injured shoulder and will not practice anymore this Spring, Korey Reynolds said:
"I'm just trying to be careful. Trying to get ready for fall now." (HSB)

About returning to practice after missing several practices due to a tight hamstring, Mike Washington said:
"It's doing better, but I can't sprint on it yet. I tried to plant on it and the pain shot up. I'd say it's about 90 percent." (HSB)

HSB Note: "A reception for all former UH football players is scheduled for today from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Lettermen's Club building on lower campus. Refreshments will be served."