Feature on Keao Monteilh

About marrying his long-time girlfriend, Jessilee, yesterday, Monteilh said:
"My dad said you got two kids and you've got to be a good example and get married and settle down. It's time to put my life into order." (HSB)

About their defense this season, Monteilh said it is:
"one of the best defenses UH has ever had." (HSB)

About being injured and not being able to play in their final games of last season, Monteilh said:
"It was so depressing to see everyone out there. I can't just watch. I have to play. I couldn't do anything about it." (HSB)

HSB Note: "An integral part of UH's first eight wins as the starting free safety, Monteilh missed the rest of the 2007 season after suffering a broken scapula against New Mexico State."

About suffering a broken scapula, Monteilh said:
"I had never heard of it. I was like you mean a spatula? The doctor's laughing, 'No, you got a broken scapula.' I still don't know what it is. I thought it was just a stinger." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The shoulder injury came at a time Hawaii was heading into its stretch run of games against the league's top teams. Every week as Hawaii got closer to an undefeated regular season, Monteilh would itch more and more to get back on the field, even if his shoulder was still hurt."

About Monteilh having to miss their big games to end the season, Fale Laeli said:
"It was tough for him, he always was telling me he like play. You can tell he was hurt. He wanted to be playing in the Sugar Bowl." (HSB)

About how he and Monteilh were teammates at Saint Louis before becoming Warriors, Laeli said:
"(At Saint Louis) me and Keao, we always told each other we were going to leave (Hawaii). Things just turned different and we came to UH." (HSB)

About how former UH player Eddie Klaneski (a coach at Saint Louis then) encouraged then to go to UH where he said they could play right away, Monteilh said:
"(Klaneski) always said I had a good chance to play next year and I always took that strong and thought maybe I could play. At first I was like 'Ah whatever, that's what he's going to tell me.' But he kept telling me that after the season and during basketball season and during track season and I started to believe." (HSB)

HSB Note: "From a scrawny walk-on to a leader on a defense that could be one of UH's greatest ever, Monteilh battled his way to the top of the depth chart, first at cornerback, and now at safety. Once almost too skinny to play Pop Warner football at age 11, Monteilh says he's close to 200 pounds after arriving at UH at around 170."

About their confidence on defense, Monteilh said:
"Defense-wise, our attitude is we're going to line up and we're going to beat you. No matter what you throw at us, that is how we think. We've got the attitude that we're going to take you 1-on-1." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Monteilh and senior Desmond Thomas are the top two safeties entering camp, but have plenty of competition behind them. Dane Porlas returns as one of the top backups and senior Erik Robinson, junior Viliami Nauahi and Le'Marcus Gibson also will contend for playing time. Sophomore's Kenny Estes and Spencer Smith are also in the mix, as well as Oregon State transfer Mana Silva."

About how their depth will make them a great team, Monteilh said:
"We're going to have a great team because we have so many guys. Some people kind of say, you know, I'm battling positions with you, I'm not going to help you out. Over here is nothing like that. Everyone helps everyone out and may the best man win. A battle is a battle and we just push each other harder." (HSB)

About Monteilh being married, Laeli said:
"I'm telling you man, he's going to be wearing the smallest handcuffs in the world." (HSB)