Sunday, November 30, 2008

Bess did great in his first start!

MH = Miami Herald
PBP = Palm Beach Post
SFSS = South Florida Sun-Sentinel
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About not getting drafted, Bess said:
"It was pretty depressing not getting drafted, but I put that whole experience behind me." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Sunday, he put some Rams behind him, leading the Dolphins with six catches and showing the same stamina, sharp route-running and run-after-catch quickness that made him a staple of the free-flowing Hawaii offense. He gained 19 yards on a cross on third-and-9 to set up the first touchdown. He caught a 21-yard floater down the right sideline to set up the first field goal. And he got the Dolphins across midfield for the first time in the second half with a 37-yard reception."

After getting a team-high 6 catches for a team-high 84 yards (more than any other Dolphin had receiving or rushing, plus he had their only punt return and gained 17 yards on it), Bess said:
"They did just what we saw (on film) all week and it was just a matter of going out and executing." (PBP)

About missing his chance at a 17-yard TD at the end of the half, Bess said:
"I jumped a little too early. You get a little overanxious. My eyes lit up, I wanted it and it was there. I just got a little too excited." (PBP)

"I mistimed my jump." (SFSS)

About his 37-yard reception, Bess said:
"They lined up exactly how we thought they would. So Chad [Pennington] knew exactly where I was going to be." (SFSS)

About starting in place of the injured Camarillo, Bess said:
''It felt like a normal game. I didn't see a big difference. Similar routes. I think I was just really in a few more plays. I just needed to continue to grow, and I had more opportunities to do that.'' (MH)

About how they wanted to use this game to evaluate Bess as a starting WR, Miami head coach Tony Sparano said:
''We wanted to get Davone involved. It was a chance to evaluate him and see exactly where he is in this full-time role.'' (MH)

About how he used his increased practice reps to help him to prepare for this game, Bess said:
''I take a lot of reps in practice, so I took that over to the game knowing I had to be physically ready." (MH)

MH Note: "Sparano thought he handled man-to-man coverage very well, adding impressive runs after the catches. Bess, an undrafted rookie free agent, said he never really felt winded."

Quotes from the UH-Washington State game

HA = Honolulu Advertiser
HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
UH = University of Hawaii official site
ST = Seattle Times
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HSB Note: "Losing by 14 was something new for the Cougars (2-11). Their 10 other losses were by 25 points or more."

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----------------- Quotes from the UH coaches ----------------

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About facing Washington State's offense, UH head coach Greg McMackin (Mac) said:
“I really didn’t know how tonight would play out. They ran a different offense almost every week. Two weeks ago, against Arizona State, they spread it out and passed the whole game. Last week, they tightened up and ran it against Washington. I thought we would see something in between. And that’s exactly what they did.” (UH)

About earning a spot in the Hawaii Bowl and having a winning season, Mac said:
“I honestly feel a responsibility to our players, coaches and family, as well as for the state of Hawai`i, our fans and the university to have a winning season. I know we had some tough times and our ups and downs this year, but there was no way that we weren’t going to make it to a bowl game this season. We played a tough schedule, with probably four or five teams that will be playing in bowl games. And we had some adversity. But we stayed together. I think the leadership on this team has held us together, and I couldn’t be any prouder of our team. I feel humble, happy and fortunate to have a winning season. Winning is hard. Having a winning season is a really tough thing to accomplish. I have so many people to thank for getting us here. But our season isn’t over yet. So I’ll save the thank you’s until after the season’s done.” (UH)

"I'm proud of our players and coaches. We had our ups and downs, but when adversity hit, we came through. ... It's been a thrill. These players really deserve it. My coaches have worked hard, and they've done it the right way. I'm so proud of them." (HA)

"They could've dispersed at any time." (HSB)

"I feel a responsibility to the fans and the university and there's no way we weren't going to go to a bowl game. We had some adversity, but we stayed together." (HSB)

"Above all I want to thank my players -- they're special and they worked their tails off. It's an honor to play for Hawaii and we can't wait to represent Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl." (HSB)

About facing Cincinnati next week, Mac said:
“It’s going to be a great game next week. Cincinnati won the Big East, and they are probably going to play in the Orange Bowl or the Sugar Bowl. This gives us a chance to show what we are capable of doing against this type of team. I think we’re playing at our peak right now and it’s the best time to face this kind of opponent.” (UH)

About dancing in the locker room after the game to celebrate their qualifying for the Hawaii Bowl, Mac said:
"I think I hurt my knee." (HA)

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About how Washington State tried to make it hard for them to read their defenses, Ron Lee said:
"Washington State did a nice job of disguising their coverages and making changes at halftime. This was a tough team because they showed a lot of different coverages, and that made it tough for us to read." (HA)

About the 44-yard TD pass to Washington when the score was 17-10 midway through the 3rd quarter, Ron Lee said:
"That was a heck of a throw and Mike did a super job of getting to it. The execution was perfect. It was a crucial situation because they were only seven down and they had the momentum turned around. That was the turning point of the game." (HA)

About Alexander's scrambles (including runs of 22 and 11 yards in this game), Ron Lee said:
"Saved us. He made plays. He scrambled around and made the throws. He did all of that ad libbing. He does a lot on his own. He's big and he can see. He's got a strong arm. He played a heck of a game." (HA)

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About Alexander's improvement this season, Rolo said:
"He did everything in his power to get ready to bring this team out of turmoil and bring it to a bowl game." (HA)

About how Alexander knows when he should scramble, Rolo said:
"He's got a good knack for knowing where to go, knowing when to take off." (HA)

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------------- Quotes from the UH players ------------------

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About Washington State, QB Greg Alexander said:
“We knew Washington State would play well coming off their big win over Washington last week. They have a great defense and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Overall, we got the win, and that’s all that matters. It’s always good to jump out fast, and that helped. But if you continue to let teams stick around long enough, they start to think they can win.” (UH)

About earning the Hawaii Bowl bid, Alexander said:
“It feels good, especially with the way we started. We had to face two really tough teams at the beginning of the season, and we went through some adversity. We knew that a lot of the fans jumped ship early on, but we stayed together as a team. I have to credit the seniors. They really provided great leadership and I’m happy that we got that extra game for them.” (UH)

"It feels great, really great. Especially with the way we started." (HA)

"The season's a marathon, not a sprint. It was tough early, but everybody stuck together and now we've made a bowl game. We can take a little breath till Cincinnati. They're a BCS team so we can't relax too much." (HA)

"We had a lot of adversity through the year and had a lot of people jump off-board and write us off. We have a great group of leaders. Our seniors got us together and said we've just got to stick together and good things will happen." (HSB)

About dodging pass rushers to buy time in the pocket and to scramble to gain yardage, Alexander said:
"I try to get out of sacks, do whatever you can. Sometimes it doesn't work out where you have some negative yards. I just try to focus on not having any negative plays." (HA)

About his 44-yard TD pass to Washington, Alexander said:
"Mike just set it up real good, and hit the post. He was wide open." (HA)

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About facing Washington State, Greg Salas said:
“We knew it would be tough. Even though they only had two wins coming in, we knew they had Pac 10 athletes and that they would want to come in here and show that they could be a WAC team. We wanted to get a fast start, but we kind of let it fizzle away later in the game. It’s a good win and we are going to a bowl. That’s all that matters.” (UH)

"We knew they were going to be tough, they still have their Pac-10 athletes and we knew we had to get out fast." (HSB)

Praising Alexander, Salas said:
"He's the reason our offense is in check right now." (HA)

About running over the Washington State CB at the 1-yard-line to get into the end zone to finish his 19-yard TD reception, Salas said:
"I caught it, and I knew I had a little bit of running room. I tried to get good speed and find my way into the end zone. It worked." (HA)

About how they wanted to get an early lead to prevent Washington State from getting any momentum, Salas said:
"We wanted to come out fast, because we knew they were riding high off the Washington win (last week). We knew they're not gonna lay over for us. We definitely wanted to come out fast and make a statement. We did that, (the offensive movement) kind of fizzled away (late) but we got the win." (HSB)

About Washington's 44-yard TD reception, Salas said:
"That play was run to perfection and it worked out great." (HSB)

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About their performance in the game, Michael Washington said:
"In conditions like this, you have to focus because you're fighting the wind and the rain. We also knew from watching tape that they were going to be good despite their record. We knew they had a strong front four and we were going to get pressure, so we had to make sure that we set ourselves up as quick as possible to help Greg out." (HA)

About his 44-yard TD reception when the score was 17-10 midway through the 3rd quarter, Washington said:
"When I got that pre-snap read, my eyes lit up. I came out as a decoy, posted on the safety and when I looked back, Greg put the ball up. If he's going to put it up in there, I'm going to go and get it." (HA)

"Pre-snap read I'm thinking touchdown, but I didn't want to get too excited and alert the defense. I just ran my route, read the defense and me and Greg were on the same page." (HSB)

"It's called the divide play. It's a pre-snap read. I had the safety on my outside. When that happens, I run a post (route). Hopefully, me and Greg (Alexander) are on the same page." (HA)

"We knew we needed a big play. We call that play, 'Somethin' Big.' I saw the defense with the pre-snap read -- I was thinking touchdown from the way the defense was playing me. So I just ran my route and executed, (beat the) second safety, by the time I looked around Greg threw that thing out there and I just had to make a play." (HSB)

About the pink Gatorade he had on his uniform after the game, Washington said:
"I hope this stuff comes out." (HSB)

About getting soaked by Gatorade when tackled on the sideline after a 26-yard catch, Washington said:
"Oh yeah, it was refreshing. I got it in my face, my gloves, down on my legs, my body, my feet. I'm just humble and blessed that I didn't get hurt, 'cause it was kind of crazy." (HSB)

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About their game plan, Aaron Bain said:
"They were bringing the pressure, so we just tried to get open as much as we could. Our game plan is always to hit them in the mouth right off the bat and utilize as many people as we can." (HA)

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About the difference between last season and this season, John Estes said:
"Last year, we had experienced guys everywhere. This year, we had to work harder to make the bowl game. We cut it close to the end, but we won the game we were supposed to win." (HA)

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About making the Hawaii Bowl, Lafu Tuioti-Mariner said:
"This is good, especially with the season we've had. It's been kind of bumpy. But we stuck together, and we played as a team." (HA)

About recovering the errant pitch by the Washington State returner who was running after they blocked a FG, Lafu said:
"I just did what I had to do, get the ball back." (HSB)

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About their D, Adam Leonard said:
“We have been fundamentally sound overall as a defense. Our defensive line has been doing great and that makes things easier for us linebackers to go out and make plays. We took it upon ourselves to not have our defensive backs make get too many tackles and to get stops before it gets to them.” (UH)

"Our D-line is doing a great job of just causing havoc. When they do that, it makes playing linebacker a lot easier." (HSB)

About how they had to win to make the Hawaii Bowl, Adam said:
"We knew (Washington State) wanted to come in and take one from us. This was the must-win. We definitely didn't want to be in a situation where we had all the cards dealt for Cincinnati. To be bowl-eligible now, it relieves some of the pressure and we can just have fun." (HSB)

Happy to have the Hawaii Bowl extend his Warrior career, Adam said:
"I'm cherishing every moment down here and to know that I've got another month's work down here is definitely exciting for me." (HSB)

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About how they were determined to win this game, Sol said:
"We were playing with emotion tonight." (HA)

About how it feels to make it to the Hawaii Bowl, Sol said:
"It feels great. One of our goals was to go to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. It keeps us going. It keeps us hungry." (HA)

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About their early season struggles, David Veikune said:
"What were we, 1-3? It was scary starting out that way. But leaders stepped up and helped turn around the team." (HSB)

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About how they were focused on making the Hawaii Bowl, Keala Watson said:
"Before the game, we're usually all loud in (the locker room). This time, we were all quiet. We knew what we had to do. We didn't think about anything else but each person doing his job." (HA)

About their celebration after the game, Watson said:
"this is the dessert after Thanksgiving." (HA)

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About Mac dancing in the locker room after the game to celebrate their qualifying for the Hawaii Bowl, Jameel Dowling said:
"Great technique." (HA)

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About Mac's dancing, John Fonoti said:
"Coach can dance — for an old man." (HA)

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About Mac's dancing, Calvin Roberts said:
"Man, I'd give him an '8.' It could use some improvement, but it was pretty good." (HA)

About how they limited Washington State WR Brandon Gibson to just 1 catch for 18 yards, Roberts said:
"He's a good receiver. He has good moves off the line. We took turns going against him. The defensive line really put pressure on the quarterback. That helped us a lot." (HA)

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About his fumble recovery when Washington State's QB fumbled the snap, Josh Leonard said:
"All of a sudden I saw a ball right between my legs, so I sat back and just grabbed it." (HSB)

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-------------------- Quotes from the Washington State coaches -----------------

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About the game, Washington State head coach Paul Wulff said:
“We gave up some big plays at times, particularly in the second half. In the first half we couldn’t control the quarterback. I thought defensively we did some pretty good things. It’s unfortunate we gave up some big plays and we just don’t have enough fire power on our offense right now.” (UH)

About Alexander's scrambles in the first half, Wulff said:
"In the first half we (just) couldn't control the quarterback." (HA)

"We gave up some big plays at times, especially in the first half. We couldn't control the quarterback when he scrambled and that's how they get [touchdowns on] their two drives." (ST)

"We couldn't control their quarterback. He scrambled out of trouble. We did some good things defensively. It's unfortunate we gave up some big plays and didn't have enough firepower on offense to counteract that." (HSB)

About their difficult year (his first season at Washington State), Wulff said:
"It’s been a long year – a year of everything imaginable from injuries to inexperience. That part has been tough. Regardless of the wins and losses, all the other things that have been accomplished and have gone well, those things are the things that people don’t see. A lot of good things like players’ attitudes, they’ve been working hard, and they’ve been pretty steady in their work ethic. I really think
the team over the last five games played really good football. We didn’t win them all but we played better football as a football team.” (UH)

"It's been a long year, a year of everything imaginable, from injuries to inexperience, to finding ways to lose games. That part has been tough." (HSB)

About how they played better in the second half of their season, Wulff said:
"From injures to inexperience to finding ways to lose games, that part has been tough. I really thought the team for the last five games has played better football. We didn't win them all, but we played better football as a football team." (ST)

About traveling to Hawaii after the Apple Cup, Wulff said:
“It’s pretty challenging to do that but many times our kids can come out flat after a game like that. Emotionally, I thought our kids came out and played hard. I was happy with their performance. We weren’t flat. So I though Hawaii did a nice job. They made some critical plays that they had to make on offense and that was very key to the ball game. So that was really the difference in the ball game.
I think we played better as a football team. The kids kind of clued in and got our message as the season went along. So there were a lot of things we accomplished and we need to build off that.” (UH)

About their struggling offense, Wulff said:
"We just don't have enough firepower on offense right now to be able to counteract a good defensive effort." (ST)

About their turnover on a return of a blocked FG, Wulff said jokingly:
"We teach that, you know. No. That was a microcosm of our whole deal this year." (HSB)

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About the 44-yard TD pass to Washington when the score was 17-10 midway through the 3rd quarter, co-defensive coordinator Chris Ball said:
"We played a cover-2 on that and our Mike 'backer and our safety didn't get deep enough." (HSB)

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------------------ Quotes from the Washington State players ---------------------

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About UH's quick 14-0 lead, NT Tony Turpin said:
"Hawai'i started off fast in the first quarter, and we couldn't recover from it. It was hard. We had costly turnovers, and we didn't take advantage of opportunities." (HA)

About their 7 sacks in the game (they only had 13 sacks in their previous 12 games), DE Kevin Kooyman (who had a sack in the game) said:
"We kept the pressure on and kept him out of the pocket and those seven sacks are a great accomplishment." (HSB)

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About how they made too many mistakes, LB Cory Evans said:
"We felt like we left some plays out there on the field and you can't do that on the road." (ST)

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About the loss, DE Andy Mattingly said:
"It's horrible that we didn't win the last game for our seniors." (HSB)

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About how Vili sought him out for a hug after the game, senior left tackle Vaughn Lesuma (born in Fiji and raised in Laie) said:
"We grew up watching these guys and it was great to be on this field for the first time. It wasn't the result that we wanted but I'm excited to be here. These guys got it, so hats off to them. I wish them good luck in the future." (HA)

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------------------ Quotes from others -------------------

Not worried about how pretty UH's win was, Hawaii Bowl executive director David Matlin said:
"A win is a win." (HA)

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Pregame quotes for the UH vs. Washington State game

About how their team has improved significantly since the Florida opener, Mac said:
"I watched (a video of) the Florida game (Wednesday), and we're so much different now. We've come so far." (HA)

About Alexander's improvement, Rolo said:
"Greg is so much better now. He knows the offense. He's calm. He really gets it." (HA)

About how their offense was expected to struggle to start this season, Mac said:
"We needed to get to a point where everybody understood. We needed the game reps." (HA)

Mac said about the offense now:
"as you can see, we're peaking." (HA)

About how they are using the run-and-shoot now instead of the modified offense when Inoke was starting, Mac said:
"We're running the true run-and-shoot, and that's why we're getting better. We're doing the same reps. Now you can see the timing of it." (HA)

About how the improvement in their offense, Ron Lee said:
"What we tried to do to get by Florida is a lot different than what we tried to do against New Mexico State. But it's the same offense. It's all part of the same package. It's stuff that we know. Everybody says we changed our offense. We didn't. You just don't put in an offense in a week. We're running the same stuff. But it looks a little better than it did six weeks ago. It takes time." (HA)

About how they need to beat Washington State to qualify for the Hawaii Bowl, Mac said:
"It's going to be a tough game this week, but (the players) know what they have to do. They know what's on the line. They're together in their attitude. It'll be a good ball game." (HA)

About how their depth helps them deal with injured players, Mac said:
"We lost Mouton and E-Rob (safety Erik Robinson) last game, and the guys came in and did a great job. It's a tough game. Everybody has injuries. If somebody can't play, somebody else has to step up." (HA)

About how Alexander has learned the offense the quickest of any QBs,
"If you look at the timeline, going by the number of snaps in a game, I would argue that Greg Alexander has been the most comfortable in the shortest amount of time in the run-and-shoot offense." (HA)

About how it took him a year longer to get comfortable in the offense when he played, Rolo said:
"I was probably where he is now after a year." (HA)

About how Alexander fully understands their read offense, Rolo said:
"When he first came in. I told him one day he'll be able to look this way [Rolo pointed to the right] and know what's happening on the back side. I think he's getting to the point. It's because of the reps. It triggered in his mind: What would it be like if I were able to do that?" (HA)

About how he's understanding the full offense now, Alexander said:
"I'm definitely grasping it a lot better." (HA)

HA Note: "Alexander has not thrown an interception in 118 consecutive passes. His quarterback efficiency rating of 149.3 would rank 15th nationally if he played in 75 percent of the Warriors' games. He has played in six of 11 games. Alexander is actually the most accurate on deep passes (traveling at least 20 yards from the line of scrimmage). He hit 80 percent of his deep passes in last week's 49-17 victory over Idaho."

About how Alexander is a great leader, Rolo said:
"There's less teaching now, and more: 'How are we going to attack this defense?' He's becoming more vocal. He doesn't say a lot, but when he talks, people listen to him. He's a great leader. People see how hard he works." (HA)

About how their offense emphasizes more than just catching the ball, Ron Lee said:
"We are looking for the YAC." (HA)

About how their offense emphasizes more than just catching the ball, WR coach Craig Stutzmann said:
"We make it a point of emphasis to 'stay on your feet and get more yards after the catch.' It's more of an effort thing." (HA)

About how Alexander's accurately placed passes have made it possible for the WRs to get more YAC, Stutzmann said:
"He's putting the ball under the chin. It's giving them a better chance to run with the ball." (HA)

About how he's averaging 55 plays per game this season as compared to 25 plays last season (when he was All-WAC), David Veikune said:
"Last year, we'd rotate every three or four plays. You'd get in shape, but not as much." (HA)

About how he spent the offseason improving his stamina, Veikune said:
"The first series, I'm always huffing and puffing. When you get your second wind, you're good. I haven't been tired in too many games." (HA)

About how John Fonoti used to rely on raw talent to get ahead of the blockers, DL coach Dave Aranda said:
"You need to stay true to the system. There may not be eight or nine roads to the wizard. It's the yellow brick road you need to follow. That's how it is with John. We're trying to keep him on the straight and narrow." (HA)

About how they aren't going to take Washington State for granted, especially with a Hawaii Bowl spot on the line, Sol said:
"We're not going to look at any team's record or anything like that. We're going to look at every team as a threat. They're trying to take something away from us." (HSB)

About how their spirits are up after beating rival Washington last week, Wazzo coach Paul Wulff said:
"Hopefully there's a level of confidence that should build off of that." (HSB)

About how Alexander's understanding of the offense shows in his success with deep passes, Mac said:
"He understands the offense now. You can see now he's starting to hit deep things. Before it was shorter things, now he's going on top." (HSB)

About how they haven't had much of a pass rush this year (11 sacks in 12 games) and will be challenged by UH's offense, Wulff said:
"We're going to be truly tested. They're very committed to (the passing game) and we have to be good at trying to keep things in front of us and not allow a lot of big plays." (HSB)

About how Lane isn't upset when teams kick off away from him, Ikaika Malloe said:
"Malcolm understands that. If we get the field position for him on offense, it's a shorter field. So he wins either way." (HSB)

About how he doesn't have to remind his players that they need to win to make the Hawaii Bowl, Mac said:
"They're smart. They knew last week, they know this week, what's on the line for them. I don't have to talk about that a whole lot." (HSB)

About how their seniors want to win their last two games, Wulff said:
"Our seniors wanted to finish the last two games off with wins. That was a big goal of theirs, to send our young players into next year and build off of it. I think that's a huge thing. And coming off a big game and winning your rivalry, you surely don't want to turn around and hand over a game and lose it." (HSB)

Friday, November 28, 2008

Other quotes from the local papers

About how he grew up a Washington State fan, Tyson Kafentzis (who grew up in Richland, Washington, about a 2-hour drive from Pullman) said:
"Definitely I was a Cougar fan for sure. I'm east side all the way." (HSB)

Looking forward to playing Washington State, Kafentzis said:
"I'm real familiar with the area and I just can't wait to play those guys." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Kafentzis plays behind Seattle product Adam Leonard, who is friends with Brandon Gibson, Washington State's leading receiver. UH cornerback Jameel Dowling (Tacoma) was recruited by the Cougars coming out of junior college and has a cousin, receiver Michael Willis, on the WSU roster. Running back Leon Wright-Jackson (Pasco) and scout team offensive lineman Daniel Johnson (Issaquah) are also from the state."

About how Washington State beat Washington last week, Adam Leonard said:
"It's definitely a big-time rivalry game. I know it was a great game this past week and they'll be ready to play." (HSB)

About how he went to Washington State games and knows how big the game vs. rival Washington is, Kafentzis said:
"I used to go to the Apple Cup games when they were in Pullman, it was huge. We used to go to Pullman every year for track events and I just love the campus, how it's off in the middle of nowhere. It's just a great place to play football." (HSB)

About how he went to UH to join his brother Landon, Kafentzis said:
"Whenever I went to my grandma Kafentzis' house they've got this whole wall that's just all trophies, plaques, helmets, game balls. It definitely inspired all of us young kids growing up. The reason I came here was my brother was transferring form Arizona. I said I'd get a couple of years with my brother and had a blast." (HSB)

About their practice yesterday, Jameel Dowling said:
"It was a fun practice. We went hard and understand what we have to do." (HSB)

About how they arrived in Honolulu noon yesterday and will give the team some free time today, but they would try to keep their players in their normal game-week schedule, Washington State head coach Paul Wulff said:
"We'll designate it to them right up front and the rest is all business." (HSB)

Injury update for the Warriors

Mouton has a high-ankle sprain.


About how he'll test his sprained right foot during the walk-through practice this afternoon (x-rays did not show a fracture), Kealoha Pilares said:
"I want to see if it holds up." (HA)

About how he doesn't expect Pilares or Mouton to play in the Washington State game, Mac said:
"We have to move on. We don't have any choice." (HA)

"(Running back) Daniel Libre will step up for Kealoha and Aaron Bain at slot has been playing great. It's a tough game and guys get injured, and the next guy just has to step up. ... We don't want to hurt (Pilares and Mouton) more. " (HSB)

Note: "Bain will replace Pilares as punt returner and Bain will be right slotback (Pilares has started there recently). Mac said that Bain has fully recovered from rib soreness.

About his 2 TDs in the Idaho game despite suffering an injury to his mid-section, Daniel Libre said:
"I wasn't even sure if they were going to put me in or not. I kept asking them to put me in, and they eventually gave in. I'm going to play through it." (HA)

About how he still experiences discomfort and is "conscious" of the injury when he plays, Libre said:
"I can't let it hold me back. I paid for it the next morning. Man, I was hurting. I didn't want to show it, but yeah, I paid for it. I'm not going to lie." (HA)

About how he hasn't played much lately due to a foot injury, LWJ said:
"To be honest, it was the kind of cleat I had on. It was too light for me. The soles weren't thick enough. When I planted hard, I did something to my foot. I don't know what exactly." (HA)

About how Desmond Thomas replaced Mouton at free safety in the Idaho game, Mac said;
"Desmond was our player of the game." (HA)

"Desmond Thomas has to step up and he did last week, he was our defensive player of the game." (HSB)

About how Thomas played well before suffering a hip flexor last season, which bothered him through the early part of this season, Mac said:
"He brought his game back." (HA)

About how Richard Torres will replace Mouton as nickleback, Rich Miano said:
"Richard has similar qualities to Mouton, but he's not as fast. He has the technique and the smarts. He has the intangibles. But he's learning on the job, so to speak. And nobody blitzes as well as Mouton." (HA)

About how he missed his third straight practice due to his tight hamstring (Keao Monteilh will start at strong safety if he misses the Washington State game), Eric Robinson said:
"I'll be fine. I needed a little rest." (HA)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Feature on Colt adjusting to life as an NFL rookie

About how he spends his time on the sidelines watching, absorbing, and waiting for his chance, Colt said:
"Basically, I just watch and try to fill the role of what I'm supposed to do ... be supportive of the guys, just kind of watch and learn. Sometimes it gets a little mundane because you just want to play and you know you can't, but that's just part of it and you really can't complain because they take care of you at this level. It's something that I really enjoy and I'm fine with where I'm at right now." (HA)

Accepting his role as a reserve, Colt said:
"It's tough because to be the starter you have to be responsible and accountable for so much information. And (as the No. 3) you don't get any reps, you don't get any chance to really practice anything, but they still hold you accountable and that's the challenge." (HA)

HA Note: "While he may not get the reps he wants or needs, he works on what he can. After practice, he runs wind sprints with Campbell and Collins. Every piece of instruction to improve his footwork is most likely advice he will use in the future."

About how he learns all he can from QBs Jason Campbell and Todd Collins, Colt said:
"I just know that in the end what they want to see is a guy go in there and succeed, and I just put it on that — what's my best way of succeeding if I have to go in there. That's how I basically get ready. I focus on what I'll really need to know, focus on if I have to go in there what I'll need to do, and just keep it at that." (HA)

About how there is a big adjustment between college and the NFL, Jason Campbell said:
"It's a different adjustment because in college you're used to playing a lot ... you're so used to being a star and now when you get to the NFL it's all different because you feel like a little boy to everybody." (HA)

About how teammates are very different in age in the NFL, unlike in college, Campbell said:
"You're playing with a bunch of grown men and guys around you have families. It's not like in college when you go home and you go to your friend's apartment and you play games. Now, it's the guys going home to their families and you're sitting at home bored. You are trying to find something to do." (HA)

About how he was frustrated when he didn't play right away as a rookie this year after being a star at USC, TE Fred Davis said:
"Sometimes it can be a little bit hard. You want to get out there and play right away. But you just have to take your time and wait your turn. Other than that, it's fun. You finally have a job. It's your job now so you have to take it a little more seriously than college because it's a business atmosphere. But other than that it's fun. It's still football." (HA)

HA Note: "In the preseason, Brennan played in all five games, completing 36 of 53 passes for 411 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. His quarterback rating was 109.9."

About his play in the preseason, Colt said:
"I think I definitely had to come in and fight a learning curve and fight a hip injury that I was coming back from. It was really difficult but I expected it to be difficult and I was real tough just about how I handled everything. I think as I kept having little stints of success it was something to build on, and once I got my confidence going I've been progressing really well." (HA)

About how Colt's competitiveness will serve him well in the NFL, Campbell said:
"He is definitely a hard competitor and has the desire to win. If he continues to do those things in practice each and every day and just understand the National Football League is all about patience, and when your opportunity comes, whether it's with the Redskins or whether it is with someone else, always just make sure that you're ready." (HA)

Feature story on Keala Watson

About how he was banned from using the swings in the playground in his elementary school (he was 10 pounds at birth and was 5'10" and 200 pounds in the fourth grade), Keala Watson said:
"I broke a swing when I was in elementary school. It's a tragedy." (HA)

About how he was assigned to a special section as a student at Kaumualii Elementary on Kauai, Watson said:
"Everybody had a little orange chair. I had a big brown teacher's chair at my desk. I guess there were perks. It was nice to have a big chair." (HA)

About being 6' tall in the 6th grade and 6'2" and shaving as a freshman at Kauai High, Watson said:
"I was a man-child. When I was a freshman, everybody thought I was a senior." (HA)

HA Note: "He transferred to Nanakuli High, where Leona — his classmate and future wife — also thought he was a senior. She realized he was younger when they were in the same world geography and Hawaiian classes the next year."

About how he grew out his sideburns and grew a goatee as a senior at Nanakuli, Watson said:
"I had more facial hair than my teachers." (HA)

About how when he was a freshman at UH, many people thought he was a senior, Watson said:
"My freshman year, on senior night, everybody's parents were giving me leis. They thought I was a senior. It's happened every year since I've been here. I always get a lei on senior night from random people." (HA)

About how he assumed Watson was a senior last year, Josh Leonard said:
"The first time I saw him was my first day of training camp (last year). I thought he was, like, 25. I didn't find out he wasn't a senior until our first game (of 2007)." (HA)

About his Warrior career coming to an end, Watson said:
"I've had a lot of fun." (HA)

About how he got more playing time in the Idaho game (and got 2 sacks!) because they played a team that ran the ball more, instead of the pass-oriented teams of their previous games, Watson said:
"It was frustration. I didn't smell that much playing time in the previous three weeks going against passing teams. Now we're finally back into that running mentality." (HA)

Watson said that off the field he's a youth leader in his church and is polite and respectful, but on the field:
"there's a certain way to conduct yourself, especially for a defensive lineman. You really need that kick-butt mentality to be successful." (HA)

About why he enjoys playing DT, Watson said:
"That's where real men are born — in the trenches. I like playing football. It's a way to channel the energy." (HA)

About Keala's personal foul penalty in the Idaho game, his wife Leona Watson said:
"We were surprised. My father-in-law was more surprised." (HA)

Apologizing for his personal foul, Watson said:
"I shouldn't have done that." (HA)

Asked for the name of his son that is due in February, Watson said:
"I think it's going to be a game-day decision." (HA)

Quote about Salas' impressive catch in practice

About the oohs and applause he got from their D after his leaping one-handed reception of a pass from Alexander, Greg Salas said:
"It was cool." (HA)

Feature story on David Farmer

About Farmer's excellent blocking ability, Daniel Libre said:
"We all go to him for tips on blocking and how to be explosive." (HSB)

About how he doesn't get a chance to run the ball often (12 rushes and 1 reception this season), Farmer said:
"I'm going to give the same effort running as I do blocking. It just may not be as flashy as Kealoha (Pilares)." (HSB)

About how he's even enjoying the early morning practices now, Farmer said:
"I'm just trying to savor it while it lasts. I'm surprisingly enjoying practice right now. The first year I think I hated every practice -- now I love every practice. It's just interesting how time changes things." (HSB)

Not worried if he's considered the starter or not, Farmer said:
"It's just whoever (the coaches want) in on the first play depending on what's called. If it's a run play, more than likely it's not me. I'm OK with that. Whoever gets the start, gets the start." (HSB)

About how Farmer surprises people when he runs the ball, Mac said:
"I like him running the ball. I know in the past he's just been a blocker, but I think he can run the football. He's got some quicks and he has good vision. He's a tough, hard-nosed football player." (HSB)

About how Farmer understands how to protect the QB, Ron Lee said:
"He's like a coach as far as knowing the protection. That's really his strong point. He's not a burner, but he has such a good understanding of the blocking he's able to do a lot of good things with the ball." (HSB)

About how he enjoys the physical nature of blocking, Farmer said:
"I don't know why, I haven't been able to figure it out. I'm comfortable doing it. If you aren't hurting, then what are you doing on the field? It's all about sacrificing your body." (HSB)

About how Farmer is different off the field, Libre said:
"He's way different on the field. He's like an animal on the field and then off the field he's really calm. He's cool all the way up until he sets foot on the field, then it comes out." (HSB)

About how he is different on the field, Farmer said:
"I can be more of a jerk on the field. It's not really that you flip a switch, you sort of get thrown into an environment and adrenaline and all that stuff starts taking over. I certainly am much more irritable, I'll say that." (HSB)

About how he's on schedule to graduate at the end of this school year, Farmer said about the scholarship he was awarded last season:
"I don't want to take it for granted. I make sure I go to my classes and everything and finish up." (HSB)

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Feature Story on Colt

Washington starting QB Jason Campbell said that Colt is:
"a fun guy to be around. He's always telling me about everything that went on in Hawai'i, and he's always bringing fruit or someone is always sending him different kinds of fruit and we get the chance to taste a lot of it. I told him thanks for bringing Hawai'i to the East Coast. Hopefully I'll be able to make it over there one day on my own and get a chance to see some of the things that he's accomplished and seen in Hawai'i." (HA)

HA Note: "Brennan may have left Hawai'i, but the hanai son of the Islands has yet to completely adapt to his new surroundings. In 40-degree weather during a practice last week Brennan was the only quarterback with a hooded sweatshirt under his practice jersey and the only one using hand warmers. While Brennan practiced in baggy sweat pants, one player was wearing shorts."

About how he misses Hawaii, Colt said:
"I just miss the lifestyle; I miss Hawai'i. I think about it all the time, I really do. Sometimes if I'm kind of bored or something like that, I can easily think about Hawai'i and get myself in a good mood. I just can't wait to go back there. Right now, I just think about the long run ... if I work hard out here — I love it out here and I think it's a great place and I think it would be great to have a career here — but in the end go back to Hawai'i hopefully and settle down out there." (HA)

Praising Colt, rookie Fred Davis said:
"He's so lame. No, I'm playing. Colt is a cool guy. I like him because he brings a lot of energy. He has a lot of energy and he's really excited to get out there and play, and he's a good player too, so just being around him, he's fun to be around." (HA)

About how Hawaii fans keep sending things to him that he shares with his teammates, Colt said:
"You can meet them anywhere in the world and they'll always keep their customs. I've done a great job of bringing all the fun stuff from Hawai'i to the locker room, and guys have really warmed up to it." (HA)

About the area where they practice, which is close to where he lives, Colt said:
"As you can see there's a lot of land and trees. We're not really in the mix of things, so it's pretty slow out here, which is pretty nice to some degree. But when you're younger you find yourself bored a lot. It's good, though, because I've been able to focus on football a lot and make sure I've been really doing well in football." (HA)

Colt said that during the summer he:
"played a lot of golf. They have a lot of things out here where the golf courses take care of you. I'm just basically getting acclimated to the NFL lifestyle." (HA)

About the change from college to the NFL, Colt said:
"You're having to deal with basically changing and getting used to a lot of unfamiliar feelings and emotions and stuff like that. You're not used to having this much time on your hands. You're not used to being financially responsible now and having the right to do things and go out there. You have the chance to go out and get stuff and buy stuff. You really just try and figure out how to put it all in perspective ... for the past five years I've been grinding it out, going to school and just trying to do so much stuff. Now it's like ... this simple stuff: Show up for practice and always be ready. And it's kind of like you have to get used to that." (HA)

About how his first purchase after he made the 53-man roster was a used Range Rover, Colt said it had:
"low mileage. That was a great feeling." (HA)

HA Note: "He called his newfound wealth — he's earning $391,800 this year, according to USA Today — and reduced responsibility a "Catch-22.""

About dealing with his responsibilities, Colt said:
"I have to deal with a lot of things that I'm not really used to feeling. I have a lot of time on my hands, my responsibility is cut back a lot and only having so much to do. At the same time I'm being held accountable for a lot of things. It's a lot of fun and a lot of responsibility so it's kind of scary at the same time. You're just trying to get used to all this new stuff that you're going through, so that's the biggest change." (HA)

Other quotes from the local papers

About how current UTEP is the most likely C-USA team selected for the Hawaii Bowl, C-USA associate commissioner Russ Anderson said that UTEP (who needs to win at East Carolina on Saturday to be bowl-eligible):
"would probably be a slight favorite. But there are so many moving parts right now that things could certainly change." (HA)

Note: The other C-USA candidates are Rice, Southern Mississippi, and Memphis.

About how his hair got caught in a fan Monday night, John Estes said:
"I was sleeping by a fan and it got sucked in. It's unfortunate, but I needed a haircut, anyway. ... It's high maintenance, but it looked good." (HA)

About how he cut off Estes' hair, Rocky Savaiigaea said:
"That's not the whole truth, but it's part of the truth. I saved his life, though." (HA)

About how he had to miss practice yesterday, Kealoha Pilares said:
"I tried, but I couldn't run on it." (HA)

"Yesterday I tried to run. Tried to go today and couldn't do it. Just have to stay off of it, I guess." (HSB)

Asked if he could play on Saturday, Pilares said:
"We'll see." (HA)

About how the team makes sure that all of the players, especially those far from home, have a place to celebrate Thanksgiving, Keao Monteilh said:
"Usually the local guys take some guys home so the mainland guys can enjoy Thanksgiving with them." (HSB)

Mac said that Tyler missed yesterday's practice because he was:
"taking care of a personal issue." (HSB)

Feature stories on Richard Torres

About his high school (where his father is the head football coach), Richard Torres said:
"I'm proud to be from Kahuku." (HA)

About the fans on the North Shore follow Richard Torres during his Warrior career, Kahuku grad Inoke said:
"Once a Red Raider, always a Red Raider. In the community, the kids look up to the Kahuku football players. He was one of them." (HA)

About how he lives in an apartment across the street from the Stan Sheriff Center during the season but he remains in Kahuku in his heart, Torre said:
"I love that community." (HA)

About how he was always around the Kahuku team when he was growing up, with his first job being a waterboy for the JV, Torres said:
"I remember looking up to Inoke Funaki and Leonard Peters. Being around, all you could think about was growing up and playing Red Raider football. When you actually get to do it, it's a big honor. You take pride in it." (HA)

About the barbecues he and his friends have at La'ie Point, Torres said:
"Just throw the grill in the back of the truck. A bunch of us barbecue, swim and relax. It's good fun." (HA)

About how he and his friends dive off La'ie Point
"It's way higher than Waimea. The first time I jumped off, I under-estimated it. It was like, 'Whoa, I'm still in the air.' I hit the water, and it was like, 'Aw, that hurt.' After that, it was good fun." (HA)

HA Note: "A greater leap of faith was deciding to turn down an offer of a partial scholarship from Western Oregon to join the Warriors as a non-scholarship player. Torres was a champion wrestler and judo player (he owns a first-degree black belt), but his dream was to play Division I football."

About walking on to UH, Torres said:
"Nothing is better than playing on the island. I'm still a walk-on, but everything is super good now." (HA)

About returning the onside kick in the Idaho game, returning it 25 yards to the Idaho 14, Torres said:
"I felt like I was in high school, running the option again. I saw the open field, and I was trying to get to the end zone." (HA)

About how Torres can play nickleback for them, Mouton said:
"You don't have to teach him. He pretty much knows what he's doing. He works hard. He's a technician. If he has questions, he'll ask. For the most part, he knows what he's doing." (HA)

About replacing Mouton at nickleback if Mouton has to miss the game due to injury, Torres said:
"It's hard to be a Mouton. He's so athletic and so fast. The things he can do are amazing. I'm trying to learn as much as I can." (HA)

About how Torres has earned his teammates' respect, Inoke said:
"I've seen it many times where people get to a point where they level off. He's still continuing to get better. The way he worked to get on the team is the way he's working to get better. He's disciplined. He's humble. He has a great attitude. He works his butt off. Now I'm the one looking up to him."(HA)

Surprised at all the playing time he's gotten, Torres said:
"I didn't think I'd be playing this much. I honestly thought I was redshirting." (HSB)

About how Torres learns quickly, Rich Miano said:
"He doesn't make the same mistake twice. You tell him something, it registers. The guy understands how to listen to coaching, study film and he's getting better." (HSB)

About playing nickleback in the Idaho game, Torres said:
"Once I calmed down it was like practice, but faster. Way faster." (HSB)

About how Torres' technique got the coaches attention, Mac said:
"He started catching our eye because technically and fundamental-wise he was outstanding. He's been practicing with the second unit all season, so he got his opportunity, went in and did a great job." (HSB)

About learning techniques on the way to his state titles in football, wrestling and judoka, Torres said:
"To learn the techniques you have to pay attention to details, so that helps in other sports." (HSB)

About how they selected Torres for their wedge-buster group on kickoff coverage, Ikaika Malloe said:
"He was the craziest guy I saw that was willing to knock himself out. Not only did he earn that job, but he's making sure that nobody else can take it away from him, and I think it's contagious." (HSB)

About his onside kick return in the Idaho game, Torres said:
"I just got the ball and it was instinct, follow my blockers. The first thing I thought was just catch the ball because that's my job. When I caught the ball, no one hit me so I started running. I got so excited, it was good fun. It felt like I was running quarterback again." (HSB)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Quotes from the local papers

About tackling USC's LenDale White during his first college game, Solomon Elimimian said:
"It was a zone, and I went through the hole, and I had a pretty good hit on him. He's a big guy. I tried talking smack to him, but he brushed me off. He made me feel kind of bad. I guess I thought about it more than he did." (HA)

About being named WAC Defensive Player of the Week, Sol said:
"I give credit to our defensive line for that award. They put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. Me, Adam (Leonard) and Brash(ton Satele) were free (from blocks) all game. That's a credit to our line. I remember one play where Fale (Laeli) took on two guys. He threw the center, and I made the tackle." (HA)

HA Note: "Elimimian also tipped a pass that led to strong safety Keao Monteilh's interception."

About how Sol is deserving of the award, Cal Lee said:
"He makes so many outstanding plays, you take it for granted." (HA)

About how he knew that Sol would be good when he recruited him to UH, Cal Lee said:
"You could tell he was something special from the beginning. He worked his way up to be a starter. Ever since he got the position, he never gave it up. He has the fire, that competitiveness that you want. He's always striving to get better." (HA)

About how Sol ran sprints in the rain on his own during an off day during the bye week, Mel deLaura said:
"It's all him. It's all desire. It's a big key to why he's doing so well. He comes in on Sundays and does leg workouts." (HA)

About how deLaura helps keep them in shape through the season, Sol said:
"At the end of the season, you tend to be more fatigued. Coach Mel tries to keep me strong. The hard part is getting into the weight room. Once you're in there, it's pretty easy. You've got to put in the work." (HA)

About how he tries to keep his weight at 230 pounds, Sol said:
"That's where I'm comfortable playing." (HA)

About how he won't get a tattoo, Sol said:
"It might be for some guys, but it's not for me. My mom would probably kill me if I had one." (HA)

About how he doesn't think about setting the UH tackle record or possibly setting the WAC record, Sol said:
"I don't think about them. My goal is just to beat Washington State and beat Cincinnati and go to a bowl game and finish my career out with a win in a bowl game." (HSB)

About how Sol has been playing well all year, Mac said:
"He's been playing like that all year. He changed positions for the good of the team. He's been a great leader. I think he's definitely the best linebacker in the WAC." (HSB)

Crediting his teammates for his stats, Sol said:
"Our defensive line played tremendous. When I get stats, a lot of it is because of them. It's easy to play defense when 10 other guys are playing good defense, that's how it has to be. When everybody's doing their thing, we all shine." (HSB)

About his 404 career tackles, Sol said:
"It's all a blessing. I just thank God for being healthy, because half of it is being healthy. There were a lot of times when I wasn't healthy and I didn't think I was going to go and God helped me push through it." (HSB)

Hoping to be able to play this week, Kealoha Pilares said:
"My foot is killing me. I might have to do something magically to it so I can play." (HA)

Thankful to be part of the Warriors for this season, even though this is his only eligible season at UH and he gets limited practice time, Jake Santos said:
"I'm thankful for being here, and being part of the team." (HA)

HA Note: "He played two years at a junior college, then transferred to Missouri Southern in 2006. But he never played a down for the Division II school after suffering torn knee ligaments. Instead of calling it quits, he called UH, asking to join as a non-scholarship player. In 2007, he was allowed to practice but not play in any games. He was named the Warriors' top scout for offense."

About how he never gave up on his dream of playing D-IA football, Santos said:
"I never quit on my goal of playing Division I football. You want to play every game, but you realize that things happen that you can't control. What you can do is put in your best effort. I felt I always put in my best effort." (HA)

About how his Mom stayed up to watch their whole game against Idaho and got to see him play the final 3 plays (his first playing time for UH), Santos said:
"She called and said, 'Congratulations.' (HA)

About how the trainers do not think that Mouton can play in the Washington State game, Mac said:
"The trainers don't feel he can play, but Mouton's a different kind of perso. We wouldn't play him ... and mess him up for the next game, but he does heal fast. We just have to check and see. The trainers are going to work on him and we'll go from there." (HSB)

Asked if he can play against Washington State, Mouton said:
"I don't know. I just have to rehab. We just have to see." (HSB)

Mouton said that he was injured at the end of his fumble return when
"the guy tackled me and kept rolling and my foot was stuck." (HSB)

About how he tried to come back too early and play vs. Idaho, but he's optimistic he can play vs. Washington State, Erik Robinson said:
"I just wasn't ready, tried to force myself, but my body wasn't ready. It's feeling a whole lot better. I'm real confident about this week." (HSB)

Lobbying for WAC honors for David Veikune, Mac said:
"I think David Veikune's the best player in the league. I'm going to state that we have some pretty good defensive players, but David Veikune has played the best of anybody play (in) and play out on our football team. The pros are excited about him and he's pretty special." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Veikune leads the Warriors with 13 1/2 tackles for losses, including 6 1/2 sacks."

About joining UH in January, Nathan Mageo said:
"It's going to be crucial to be there for the spring to get to know the plays better." (HSB)

About UH recruiting him, Jack Sula said:
"They gave me a call out of the blue, they told me they were interested and from there we kept in contact. I felt real comfortable talking to the coaches and I can't wait to go." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Sula said the opportunity to play running back at UH figured into his decision. He had been recruited as a linebacker last year and is eager to compete in the Warriors' offensive backfield instead."

About looking forward to playing again after sitting out a year, Sula said:
"This has been the longest period I've been away from football since before I started playing. But I've still been working out and staying in shape." (HSB)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Injury to Camarillo could result in an increased role for Bess

About how he's ready to take the starting job left open due to Greg Camarillo's injury, Bess (who understands all 3 WR positions) said:
''I'm getting more and more confident each week. I'm continuing to work hard. Now, I feel like I need to stay ready. I know every position on the field. That goes for all of the receivers, just in case something like this happened. So we're all prepared.'' (Miami Herald)

MH Note: "Bess, who has 24 catches and 275 yards this season, had the best game of his career Sunday. Four of Bess' five catches against the Patriots resulted in first downs for Miami, and three of them came during critical third-down situations."

MH Note: "If indeed Bess moved into the starting role at wide receiver, he also would replace Camarillo as the team's primary example of an overachieving player. Bess, a rookie who was passed up in the draft, could suddenly be vaulted onto a different stage."

About how he might need to replace Camarillo as their starting WR, Bess said:
"I'm always ready when my number is called. This is an opportunity to step up. Too bad it had to be in this type of situation, losing a key guy. Wherever coaches want me, where they need me, I'm ready to step up." (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Asked if Bess has showed him that he's ready to be a starter in the NFL, Miami head coach Tony Sparano said:
"There are opportunities for a lot of guys right now out there. I thought Bess did some good things yesterday, I really did. Really, I think he's done some good things in the last couple two, three weeks. He's caught the ball in the middle of the field, made some big first downs yesterday; it was good to see him run after the catch. I'm not quite sure, I didn't really look at it, what our run after catch yards were yesterday, but I bet that was pretty high, too. I'm sure those guys are evaluating that, saying that's too many yards after the catch, too." (SFSS)

SFSS Note: "Davone Bess will likely get the first shot, and he's proven himself to be that quarterback-friendly type of receiver Pennington usually favors. Bess has learned every receiver spot since rookie camp, and the rookies experiences at Hawaii have taught him how to find open zones."

About Camarillo's injury, Bess said:
"It's definitely devastating. He took me and some of the younger guys under his wing. I'm always ready when my number is called. It's an opportunity for me to step up.'' (Palm Beach Post)

PBP note: "Bess, an undrafted rookie, is coming off a career game (five catches, 87 yards). He had never had more than three catches or 50 receiving yards prior to Sunday. He has two catches or less eight times; Camarillo has two catches one time and never less. The drop-off at WR from Ginn and Bess is incredible. Brandon London and Ernest Wilford each have one catch this season. Wilford, a five-year veteran with 142 NFL catches, has been inactive seven games."

Other quotes from the local papers

Mac said that it normally takes more than a week to recover from the high-ankle sprain that Mouton suffered against Idaho, but:
"you never can tell with Mouton. He's a fast healer. I wouldn't be surprised if he played. With Mouton, there's always a chance." (HA)

Desmond Thomas replaced Mouton in the first quarter, and made a key tackle and a sprawling interception, which led to a UH touchdown.

HA Note: "Strong safety Erik "E-Rob" Robinson aggravated a hamstring injury and was on crutches at the end of Saturday's game. But McMackin said he is hopeful Robinson will play against Washington State."

About how loss by Stanford and the win by Oregon State on Saturday makes it less likely that a Pac-10 team will be at the Hawaii Bowl, Hawaii Bowl executive director David Matlin said:
"We hoped this past weekend would make things a little clearer but, with what happened, they are as clear as mud." (HA)

"it got about as clear as mud." (HSB)

About how they won't know who they will get until the season is over, Matlin said:
"We'll probably have to wait until the last game." (HSB)

HSB Note: "If the Pac-10 can't provide a team, the Hawaii Bowl would dip into a pool of at-large teams from other conferences. Matlin said there could be seven bowls that will have to go outside of its affiliations to fill spots. Matlin said the conference commissioners are expected to hold a teleconference this week to discuss an order for such a contingency. Other leagues the bowl could look at include the Mid-American, Conference USA and Mountain West. Even Notre Dame (6-5) hasn't been ruled out as an option, though the Fighting Irish have been mentioned as likely headed to the Sun Bowl following their loss to Syracuse on Saturday."

About the speculation over Notre Dame, Matlin said:
"There's a lot of conjecture out there, but it's hard to say at this point. That's one of a list of many possibilities." (HSB)

About needing one more win to make the Hawaii Bowl, Keala Watson said:
"A lot of things didn't go our way, especially in the beginning of the season, but right now it means more to us to finish it off strong. We know we need one more win but we're trying to win out." (HSB)

About how they focused on limiting big plays by Idaho and Idaho's longest play of the game was just 17 yards, Mac said:
"We knew they would try to go deep on us and (the Warrior defense) wouldn't allow it. I give these guys credit. If I ask them to fix something, they fix it." (HSB)

About the injuries to Mouton and Erik Robinson early in the game, Mac said:
"We got a little banged up and the guys who came in did a good job and played well." (HSB)

Praising how Desmond Thomas and Keao Monteilh replaced Mouton and Robinson, Rich Miano said:
"Desmond and Keao played their best game of the year. They played responsible and made plays." (HSB)

Nathan Mageo commits to the Warriors!

Confirming his commitment to the Warriors, Nathan Mageo said:
"Yes, I'm going to be a Warrior." (HA)

HA Note: "Mageo, who was raised in American Samoa, will enroll at UH in January, and will participate in the offseason conditioning program and spring training. He has three years to play two seasons. Mageo, who is 6 feet 3 and 278 pounds, is capable of bench pressing 360 pounds and running 40 yards in under 5 seconds. He turned down scholarship offers from North Carolina State, Kansas State, Arizona, Baylor, Troy and Southern Methodist."

About choosing UH, Mageo said:
"I chose Hawai'i because I like the defense, and I like the coaching staff. I feel comfortable here." (HA)

HA Note: "Patolo Mageo said his son has several relatives in Hawai'i."

About how he is close to his son, Patolo Mageo said:
"I talk to him every day. I want to see how he's progressing academically. His coach tells me how he's doing, too." (HA)

HA Note: "Nathan Mageo was a standout athlete at Samoana High School. He said he aspired to pattern his play after the style used by Samoana alumnus Isa'ako Sopoaga, a former UH defensive tackle now in his fifth season with the San Francisco 49ers."

Mageo said that he also competed in rugby and rowing, but football was always his favorite:
"I grew up loving the game." (HA)

About Mageo, NMMI head coach Jeff Lynn said:
"He's a real good player. He's a big, strong defensive tackle." (HA)

HA Note: "In the Broncos' 4-4 scheme, Mageo was the shade tackle, aligned across from the center. Through 10 games this season, he had 26 tackles, including 12 for losses, and 2 1/2 sacks."

About how Mageo's stats are even more impressive than they look on paper, Lynn said:
"Most of the time he was double-teamed. To have those kinds of stats is pretty remarkable." (HA)

Lynn said that Mageo is:
"big and strong with a good motor. He always plays hard. He's a super person. He's a strong student. He's a good leader for us. We never had an ounce of trouble from him."(HA)

HA Note: "Patolo Mageo said his son remains grounded by focusing on his studies and serving as a church leader. Patolo Mageo is the director of the Agape Church in American Samoa."

About how he places academics over athletics, Patolo Mageo said:
"I spoke to the (UH) coaches, and told them what I was looking for as a father. The No. 1 priority is academics. I want him to graduate. Second is football. Hawai'i's program is very good." (HA)

About how his son has a strong interest in his Samoan heritage, Patolo Mageo said:
"Whenever he comes home, he helps me make the umu (a method of cooking). He always keeps his culture and his customs." (HA)

HA Note: "Mageo said Hawai'i's large Polynesian population was influential in his decision."

Patolo Mageo added:
"this is a good place to play." (HA)

About how his son has always been large, Patolo Mageo laughed and said:
"When he was born, my sister called him a 'giant.' " (HA)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Quotes from the UH-Idaho game 11/22/08

HA = Honolulu Advertiser
HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
UH = University of Hawaii Official Site
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---------------------- Quotes from the UH coaches ---------------------------

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About how they needed to win this game for their bowl chances, Mac said:
“It was a must win game. They are smart players, I didn’t have to say anything, they all knew it was a big game. Everybody knew what we had to do tonight. It was important that we played a total game and I felt we did that.” (UH)

"I thought we played a real total game." (HA)

About how their offense is improving and their defense got turnovers and stops on 4th down, Mac said:
“Offensively I think we are getting better and better. Greg is really coming along and the offensive playbook is opening up. I was proud of the defense, we got some turnovers and had some big fourth down stops. After the opening drive we made some adjustments and we were able to get some pressure on them.” (UH)

About how Alexander's increased confidence is improving their whole offense, Mac said:
“I thought we played a real total game. Greg is really coming along, and you can see it in practice. He is really confident and the whole offense is starting to have a swagger.” (UH)

"Offensively, I think we are getting better and better. Greg is really coming along, and you can see it in practice. He is really confident and the whole offense is starting to have a swagger." (HA)

"Greg Alexander's really bringing us together. The package is just opening up to him and he's exciting everybody. The offense has a swagger now." (HSB)

About how Alexander has thrown 116 passes without an INT, Mac said:
"That is what we were hoping to see from him and it comes with game (repetitions)." (HA)

About Alexander, Mac said:
"He's a run-and-shoot quarterback." (HSB)

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Praising Alexander's play in the game, UH QB coach Nick Rolovich said:
"I think he did a very good job. He probably should have been a little more accurate on the big throws, but as far as decision-making, he's very mature and his game awareness has been, and is, great." (HA)

About Alexander's 2nd TD pass to Lane, Rolo said:
"That was very good. He checked the safety, he liked the read — he did everything right — and as he has success, he's seeing how things are working and things that we talk about are starting to work and I think he's going to be on a roll for the rest of the year." (HA)

Asked if their record would be better if they had given Alexander more of a chance to learn through playing time early in the season, Rolo said:
"I think we would've gotten through, but you never know. We needed to get a couple of wins to get in position for a bowl game." (HSB)

About how Alexander worked hard at learning the offense even when he wasn't getting playing time, Rolo said:
"It's a tribute to him that he was still learning (after getting benched following the opener). It's a tribute to his character. When Inoke and Tyler were getting the reps, every time I looked at him he was paying attention, taking mental notes." (HSB)

.
Asked if the defensive front helped the DBs or if the DBs helped the defensive front (7 sacks, 3 INTs), Rich Miano said:
"It was both." (HA)

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About how they had only 8 sacks in their first 7 games, but have had 19 sacks in their last 4 games, DE coach Dave Aranda said:
"It's been a sore spot for us. We've been working real hard for a game like this all season long where we get guys playing free and having fun and letting loose. It was good to see." (HSB)

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------------------- Quotes from the UH Players ---------------------------

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About how their players on offense are communicating better and working well together, QB Greg Alexander said:
“I think the main thing is that we are all communicating well on offense and we are getting on the same page. It becomes a lot easier when everyone is on the same page. We need to win the next game to be where we want to be. We still have some work to do and we have to focus on Washington State now.” (UH)

"I think the main thing is that we are all communicating well on offense and we are getting on the same page. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable. I don't know if I'm seeing the whole offense but I think overall, everyone is feeling more comfortable." (HA)

"The main thing is everybody's just communicating and everybody's starting to understand what's going on. The past couple of weeks we've been executing pretty well. We worked really hard in practice. ... everybody's on the same page and it's starting to show." (HSB)

About having Rausch take over for him with the game in hand with 11 minutes and 25 seconds left, Alexander said:
"It is a lot more fun being on the sidelines in the fourth quarter than in the first one, I'll tell you that." (HA)

About how he understands the offense so much better now than during the Florida game, Alexander said:
"At first (in the Florida game) you think you know what you're doing, but you really don't. It takes time." (HA)

About how he learned by watching Inoke and Tyler, Alexander said:
"I learned a lot in that time. Watching Inoke (Funaki) and Tyler (Graunke), you pick up things. It is like my redshirt year in junior college. I tell people that was where I progressed the most in JC." (HA)

"When I redshirted my first year of JC, that's when I learned the most about football. I got to see how things develop, how things work. And coming here, this offense is so sophisticated, you almost have to sit back and watch to learn it. I probably wasn't ready for the Florida game." (HSB)

About his 116 passes without on INT (no INTs since the season opener against Florida!), Alexander said:
"I just want to try and not throw another pick this season. I pride myself on not turning the ball over. It's something I think about and work hard at." (HA)

About his 82-yard TD pass to Lane, Alexander said:
"In pre-snap it looked like a winner. (Lane) had a great release. I just threw it to him." (HA)

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About his extra work with Alexander paid off on his 82-yard pass reception, Lane said:
"On that big play, Greg put the ball right on the money. Greg and I stayed after practice and worked on throwing with a wet ball and being prepared for the rain.” (UH)

"We came out here today and it wasn't even raining, so I knew today — without the rain — we were definitely going to have a good day today and he played his (butt) off." (HA)

On that pass, Lane said that CB Eric Hunter:
"tried to bump-and-run me. I caught him off the jam. I lunged, and I threw him out of my way. I got up on top of him the first 10 yards." (HA)

"I love when a corner plays bump-and-run at me. As soon as I beat him I just looked back for the ball and I knew Greg was going to put it on the money." (HSB)

About how Alexander placed that pass well so that he could run after catching it, Lane said:
"He didn't lob it or throw it too far. He just put it right there on the money so I could catch it and run." (HA)

"(Greg) saw that I had my man beat by about five yards, he just put it right there on the money and let me outrun the cornerback. Greg did an unbelievable job." (HA)

About how working against their defense has helped their offense prepare for games, Malcolm Lane said:
“I think our defense has really helped our offense come along. They give us great looks every day in practice and it makes us a lot better when we face other teams." (UH)

About how their improvement on offense shows up in their practices vs. their D, Lane said:
"You see it in practice. At the start of the year our defense was just kicking our butts every day. Now, we can give the defense a hard time and that's saying something since we have a great defense." (HA)

About what looked like a throat-slashing gesture after his 2nd TD that resulted in a 15-yard penalty, Lane said:
"I wasn't going like, 'I'll kill you.' It was nothing like that. It was dumb on my part. It was a stupid mistake. It was an emotional mistake. I totally apologize, and I take 100 percent (responsibility) for my actions." (HA)

HA Note: "After the touchdown, Lane was caught on the JumboTron making a hand-waving gesture across his neck. He received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty, and a scolding from McMackin. Lane said the gesture was to show the game "was over" and not a throat-slashing signal."

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About making his first career start when he entered the game instead of Lane, Royce Pollard said:
"It felt pretty good. Malcolm went in on kickoff return and I'm not sure what happened, but they told me to go in. I wasn't too nervous, I was ready to play, I was ready to go." (HA)

Note: Pollard caught a 12-yard pass on their first play from scrimmage.

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About the blocking on his 2-yard TD run, Kealoha Pilares said:
"I could have walked in." (HA)

About his knee injury in the 3rd quarter (he did not return to the game), Pilares said:
"I just banged my knee, nothing major. I just hit it on the turf, came down hard on it." (HA)

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About how they went away from their game plan to blitz after Mouton got hurt, so their DL had to apply the pressure, DE David Veikune said:
"It was just four-man pressure. The coaches emphasized that. We did a lot of stunts. Stunts with d-ends and tackles. Stunts with two tackles. Basic stunts. It wasn't rocket science." (HA)

About how their team is playing well, Veikune said:
"Everyone played great. We're all starting to click right now, offense and defense." (HA)

About how Idaho's offensive changes forced them to adjust during the game, Veikune said:
"A lot of stuff that we were preparing for they didn't do. It took us a drive or two to get used to it and then we got it going." (HSB)

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About how their DL wanted to put pressure on Idaho's QB, Keala Watson said:
“We came out and wanted to establish a presence on the defensive line. We wanted to step up as a unit and get after the quarterback. At this point in the season we are all comfortable with each other and we know our assignments, so it makes it easier to just get after it.” (UH)

About how the bye week motivated them, Watson said:
"I was thinking about last week, when I was sitting at home instead of being on the field where I belong. All I could do was watch football on TV. Coming back this week, everybody had a chip on their shoulder. We were hungry to play." (HA)

"I think it was the bye week where last Saturday when we were all sitting at home doing nothing, away from the field where we belong. We came out here with the attitude that we want to establish a presence on the D-line." (HSB)

"We were all jacked up ready to play coming off a bye week where we were sitting around watching football instead of playing. This week we brought the mentality that we all wanted to make something happen." (HSB)

"When you go a week without playing football, it kind of puts poison in your blood. Guys were running around making plays, just putting their bodies in the line of fire to help the team out. Defensively, we came out to play tonight. We try to do that every game, but tonight was special." (HA)

HA Note: "In a pre-game meeting, defensive line coach Dave Aranda challenged the defensive tackles to take control of the trenches. The players added to it with this dare: the defensive line would buy a lunch for the player with the most sacks. Defensive tackles Keala Watson and Josh Leonard each finished with a team-high two sacks."

About how their D tries to get turnovers and set up their offense for scores, Watson said:
"Because we supposedly have a lot of talent on defense, we try to set it up for the offense and put them in a position to make plays. That's what you call team play." (HA)

Feeling that this was the best they have played this season, Watson said:
"I would think (that's the best we've played). A lot of guys have gotten a lot of playing time and we've gotten comfortable at our positions. Now guys are always fresh and we can make a lot of plays." (HSB)

About his personal foul penalty on a sack that would have ended an Idaho drive, Watson said:
"That was just that poison in my blood getting to my head. That was my fault." (HA)

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Happy to be able to play after missing the past 2 games due to an ankle injury, DT Josh Leonard said:
"it felt good being out there. All of the d-tackles knew the pressure was on us. The coaching staff challenged us. They told us the big part of the game was for us to dominate in the middle. We met the challenge." (HA)

About how they went into pass-rush mode once they got ahead by a good margin, Josh said:
"Coach McMackin challenged the D-line today and said it was all up to us. As soon as our offense got up on them a little bit, it gave them no option but to throw. We just went to the pass rush and didn't worry about their rush." (HA)

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About how they can play more aggressively on defense when their offense is dong well, Solomon Elimimian said:
“We made some plays tonight. When the offense is clicking like tonight, it allows us to gamble and try to make some big plays, and we were able to. It was a great team effort tonight.” (UH)

About how the whole team contributed to the win, Sol said:
"Everyone was helping each other. This was a team win." (HA)

About how they needed the win to get to the Hawaii Bowl, Sol said:
"We had a purpose this game. (The Vandals) were trying to take something we wanted, that's to go to the Hawaii Bowl." (HSB)

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About the play of their D, Adam Leonard said:
"Our DBs played the run well with the linebackers and had a good overall sense of the D-Line. There were a lot of four-man rushes where the coaches just said, 'It's on you: If you want to get the quarterback, go and get the quarterback.' " (HA)

About how the bye week helped their D, Adam said:
"We went back to having fun in practice. Guys were focused, but we also got back to enjoying football. You saw that tonight. Guys were just flying out there having fun and enjoying our time together. As a team, we wanted to make a statement for the rest of the season, When teams look at that game film, we want to make sure that we put the right mark for ourselves and show what we can do. That's what we did tonight." (HA)

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About the INT he returned to the 2-yard-line on Idaho's first drive of the 2nd quarter, Jameel Dowling said:
"The d-linemen made the play. They put on so much pressure. All I had to do was cover a receiver." (HA)

About how their defense did their jobs well, Dowling said:
"The D-line had a lot of pressure and we did our job, we played our alignment and assignment." (HSB)

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About his diving INT off a Dowling deflection, Desmond Thomas said:
"It wasn't me. The Lord gave me the eyes to see that. I asked the Lord to use me, and the opportunity came." (HA)

About replacing Mouton after he was injured, Thomas said:
"I didn't expect to play this much." (HA)

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About how he was injured when recovering a fumble late in the first quarter, Ryan Mouton said:
"Somebody made a great hit, the ball popped out, I picked it up, I started making a move, but I was down. This guy kept rolling and my foot got caught in the ground and he just rolled up on it. I'm all right though." (HA)

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About his 25-yard kickoff return, Richard Torres said:
"I caught the ball and I saw a white jersey coming at me, so I ducked down to take the hit. But he missed, and all I saw was open field." (HA)

About the face-mask penalty called on him, Torres (who wears #19) said:
"I didn't touch him. After the call, (the referee) said, 'Maybe it was 14 or 24?' " (HA)

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-------------------- Quotes from the Idaho Coaches -----------------------

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About how their early turnovers hurt them in the game, Idaho head coach Robb Akey said:
“Too many turnovers and too much momentum. We couldn’t get swayed early enough, obviously, and that momentum gets going on a short field like that it doesn’t do a lot to help the defense out. [Hawaii] did a tremendous job. They have a good team that played their tails off tonight. I take my hat off to them.” (UH)

About how they need to get turnovers soon after the turn the ball over, Akey said:
“We had some moments in there, but we need more of them together. When we give up turnovers, we need to get them back. There was one point in time where we did and we matched a take-away with a take-away. You got to continue to do that when you turn the ball over. There just wasn’t enough bright spots in any phase and it was magnified by the way that Hawaii played.” (UH)

About how they are building their program, Akey said:
“What I take away from this season is that we are getting something built here and I feel very strongly about that. I don’t like the way this game ended tonight and there were too many games that I didn’t like the way it ended. But you can’t build something real strong overnight.” (UH)

About how they didn't block well enough on offense to move the ball on UH's excellent front seven, Akey said:
“We didn’t protect the quarterback well tonight and we didn’t block well enough to run the ball either. You like things to go well like that the first possession but they did a tremendous job with their front. I said it before we played this game that I thought their defense is their strength and certainly the front seven of their defense. I have a lot of respect for those kids and the way they played and they got a hell of a coach that’s got them going in the right direction.” (UH)

"We didn't protect, and we didn't block well enough to run the ball, either." (HSB)

About how Kama Bailey said that they cannot forget this loss and need to build for their future, Akey said:
“Kama (Bailey) is right in that we can’t forget this (game), and it has to be history. But you can’t forget it. It’s got to hurt. It doesn’t feel good to not win. We got competitors, our young guys are competitors and that’s one right there. I’m pretty sure with what he did returning the ball for us, he made himself the all-time leader in the history of our school as the kick-off return guy. That’s not necessarily a good thing because that means your returning a lot of kick-offs. But it is a good thing in regards to Kama Bailey’s ability and what his future is going to be here. That says a lot for that entire young group of guys we have. There’s a lot of freshman and sophomores that were playing and they have been playing. I expect a lot of very good things from them.” (UH)

"I think Kama's right. We can't forget this season. It's got to hurt us not to win. These are growing pains. There are rewards that come from that. A lot of the young guys have done a lot of good things this year." (HSB)

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------------- Quotes from the Idaho players -------------------

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About UH's impressive pass rush without blitzing, QB Nathan Enderle said:
"They (the Warriors) weren't putting any extra pressure on by blitzing or anything like that. It was their front four. It's a testament to them and how hard they play. We couldn't settle into a rhythm after that first drive up until the next time we scored a touchdown (in the fourth quarter). We couldn't throw downfield against them. They're a good team and their motors are always working. And we could have done better up front." (HSB)

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About how they had to go away from the run after they fell behind after UH scored after the early INTs, RB Deonte Jackson (49 yards on 17 carries) said:
"Once they got out so far ahead, we had to switch it up. We strayed away from the run a little bit, trying to get it going in the air. We had a few mistakes, and that set us back even further." (HA)

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About playing in Hawaii again, Kama Bailey (115 yards on kickoff returns including one for 40 yards) said:
"It feels good to be home. I'm just happy for the opportunity to play against Hawai'i. It was a little different playing (opposite of Pilares). I'm here to represent Idaho, but my heart is still with Hawai'i." (HA)

Praising fellow Damien grad Pilares, Bailey said:
"Kealoha was good back at Damien and he's still really good. He had a great game and I'm happy for him that he's playing so well." (HA)

About how they cannot forget their struggles this season with their freshman and sophomore heavy team, Bailey said:
"We can't forget this season. We'll learn from this. I feel bad for our seniors who are leaving, but we've got a lot of young guys and a bunch of talent and I think we should be up there (next season)." (HSB)

About how he tries to return every kickoff for a TD, Bailey said:
"I had it in my head that I wanted to take it to the house. That's the mentality I always have and it makes me run harder." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Of Dan Kelly's five first-half kickoffs, only one went to Bailey's side, and the freshman charged around the right side for 40 yards. The next time Kelly kicked to Bailey early in the second half (from the Warriors 15 after a Hawaii unsportsmanlike conduct penalty), Bailey raced through a gaping hole up the middle for 39 yards. The only problem on the play for Bailey was that he ran right into the waiting arms of Kelly, who wrestled him down. Bailey also had a 36-yard return and totaled 115 yards on three kick returns for the night. He is now the Vandals' all-time, single-season record holder for kickoff return yardage (955 on 41 returns)."

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About how they need to work hard during the offseason to be better next season, sophomore LB (Baldwin grad) JoJo Dickson said:
"We all want to come back faster, stronger and smarter, and be animals out there." (HSB)

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About being ejected in the 3rd quarter, safety Jeromy Jones said:
"They said I punched a referee. But there were some players he was trying to separate and I guess he got hit. But that's ridiculous. I would never punch a ref." (HSB)

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Samson Satele and Vince Wilfork respect each other

PBP = Palm Beach Post

About New England NT Vince Wilfork, Samson said:
"He's the best I've faced." (PBP)

Hearing about Samson's praise of him, Wilfork replied:
"That's pretty encouraging to me, for him to say that. He's one hell of a player himself." (PBP)

PBP Note: "Wilfork, a 6-foot-2, 325-pound Boynton Beach native who played for the University of Miami and Santaluces High School, has both the size and quickness of a prototype nose tackle."

About the challenge that Wilfork poses, Samson said:
"He does unbelievable stuff. He'll sit like a yard off the ball and you think you can get him. But as soon as he takes that step he's by you or in your face. It looks like he's just squatting, but he can be in the tackle spot in a half-second, he's so quick. He's hard to move and hard to control." (PBP)

About how he followed Wilfork even when he was playing for UH, Samson said:
"My first time against him, I had some jitters. I was like, 'this is Vince Wilfork.' Now I know how he plays, and he's made me a better player." (PBP)

About how Samson is a fast learner, Dolphins NT Jason Ferguson (who practices against Samson) said:
"One thing Samson's good at is making adjustments. If he gets beat on one play, he knows exactly how to adjust the next play. But the thing about Samson is he's so fast. When he gets out of there quick, I sometimes have to hold him so he doesn't get up into the linebacker. So it works both ways." (PBP)

About Wilfork, who he sometimes helps Samson block, guard Justin Smiley said:
"The guy's a heckuva player. Not many teams try to run up the middle on him because he makes just about every tackle. Samson knows he's got his work cut out for him, but he played really well against him last time, and we did some good things." (PBP)

About how Miami was able to run against them earlier this season, Wilfork said:
"There's a lot of things we're going to do differently. (But) they're running that offense to a 'T,' and it all starts with the center. My hat's off to (Satale) and the whole offensive line. It's going to be a big challenge to me and our defense when we play these guys. I'm looking for a tough battle, like we always have." (PBP)

Pregame quotes for the UH-Idaho game

About needing to win 2 out of their last 3 games to make the Hawaii Bowl, Mac said:
"This is it." (HA)

John Estes said that the bye week was helpful, but warned of it being:
"fool's gold. We had a bye before the San Jose State game." (HA)

About the improvement in their offense, Mac said:
"Our offense has a little swagger. They're having fun again." (HA)

About how Alexander has taken a leadership role, Mac said:
"I'm really pleased the way he's taking the reins. He's a leader just by example. He doesn't say a lot. He's got that sly little smile." (HA)

About how Alexander is reading the defense before the snap, where against Florida he would analyze the D after the snap, Mac said:
"Now, he's doing pre-reads."

Alexander said that he is:
"starting to know the defenses more. I know where people are going to be. I'm seeing things backside before they happen." (HA)

About his poor sliding technique at the end of scrambles, Alexander (who played shortstop in baseball) said:
"That was pretty ugly. People gave me some crap about it." (HA)

About using his quickness at DT as a pass rusher, Francis Maka said:
"I'm going against 300-pounders. I have to catch them before they catch me." (HA)

About using Mouton at free safety this week, Rich Miano said:
"He can do it all. His versatility is huge. He understands football concepts. He has a very high football IQ." (HA)

About using Richard Torres and Spencer Smith to field onside kicks, Ikaika Malloe said:
"I depend on those guys, and I trust those guys. They have the right mentality. It doesn't scare them to stay in there and catch the ball." (HA)

About the chance to rain during the game, Mac said:
"Whether it rains or doesn't rain, we're happy to be home." (HSB)

About how they feel after the bye week, Keala Watson said:
"It kind of reminds me of camp. Everybody's fresh and ready to work. Everybody's just eager to get back out there." (HSB)

About how they will not overlook Idaho, Alexander said:
"We're not taking them lightly. We know what's at stake here and we have to go out and handle our business. We don't look back, but you can always learn from your mistakes." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The Warriors will face an Idaho defense that scrapes the bottom of the national rankings, checking in at 117th in both scoring defense (42.2 ppg) and total defense (483 ypg)."

About what they learned against Utah State, Ron Lee said:
"It's not really who we play, it's how we play." (HSB)

About how they benefited from the bye week, Ron Lee said:
"I feel like guys are so much faster, quarterbacks' arms are stronger. Everybody's refreshed. I think the guys are starting to have fun. They're practicing better, they're more focused, the execution is better." (HSB)

About how TE Eddie Williams will miss the game due to a knee injury, where Williams led Idaho in receiving and scored 2 TDs against UH last year, Keao Monteilh said:
"He was a beast. He was fast, he was strong, he was hard to bring down." (HSB)

About Idaho's OL, DL coach Dave Aranda said:
"They have a center and a guard who are two of the best we've seen." (HSB)

About how Kama Bailey is dangerous as a returner, Ikaika Malloe said:
"He does a good job of finding just a small crack and hitting it hard." (HSB)

About how he was an assistant with Idaho in the 1970s, when Idaho won more than they lose and were better than BSU, Mac said:
"It was a good experience, early in my career. We were playing pretty good football. I remember beating Boise State regularly. The dome was relatively new, a neat deal at that time. Idaho's the state school, the traditional school. I was really proud when I got a job there. It was a big step." (HSB)

About the work ethic Idaho's head coach, Ed Troxell, insisted on, Mac said:
"With Ed we would go to work at 5 a.m. and leave at midnight. You'd go by his office on your way out and he'd still be in there puffing on his pipe and you'd feel guilty about going home at midnight. He was one of those grinder guys." (HSB)

About how Idaho belongs in D-IA, Mac said:
"I think they really do. It's a very well-respected school. It reminds me of the University of Oregon, a lot of support and money. I think there's a real commitment to being very competitive." (HSB)

Jack Sula commits to the Warriors!

About accepting a scholarship from UH, after signing with BSU in February but never enrolling there, Jack Sula said:
"I have a second chance, and it's with Hawai'i." (HA)

"Hawai'i is the perfect place for me." (HA)

HA Note: "Sula said he will enroll at UH in January. He plans to participate in the offseason conditioning program and compete in spring training."

About how BSU recruited him as a LB, but he will compete at RB for UH, 6', 210-pound Sula said:
"That's one of the reasons I picked Hawai'i. I wanted to play running back. That's my priority." (HA)

HA Note: "Sula overcame a tough gang-associated background, which was featured in an ESPN The Magazine story. His parents were teenagers when he was born. But Sula focused on football, becoming one of the top prospects in Southern California. As a junior, he rushed for 1,840 yards and two touchdowns. He was named the Marine League Player of the Year. He also received a top honor from Old Spice. As a senior in 2007, he rushed for 1,895 yards. He also made 108 tackles. According to reports, he played with a broken finger, a hyper-extended knee and a mild concussion."

About his senior season in high school, Sula said:
"My senior year was a breakout year." (HA)

HA Note: "He received offers from Fresno State, Nevada and Utah, and interest from Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington."

About BSU, Sula said:
"It didn't work out. I felt it wasn't the place for me. I felt God had another place for me." (HA)

HA Note: "Sula did not plan on attending any school this academic year. But then a friend of a friend knew Tony Tuioti, UH's director of player personnel. Sula then requested — and received — his release from his Boise State commitment. Even though he never attended that school, the letter of intent he signed in February served as a binding contract for the entire academic year."

About how UH offered him after their background check, Sula said:
"They asked me, 'Are you interested?' I told them, 'I'm interested.' " (HA)

HA Note: "Sula, who is of Samoan and Mexican ancestry, said he was drawn to Hawai'i's large Polynesian population. He added that he was impressed with the Warriors' program, especially the coaches and his future teammates."

About his opportunity at UH, Sula said:
"I'm blessed to have a second chance." (HA)

About how he's kept an intensive training schedule to stay in shape, Sula said:
"I hit it hard. I work out in the morning and the afternoon. I work out Monday through Saturday." (HA)

HA Note: "He said he is recovering from a shoulder injury that has made it difficult to reach his bench-press maximum. But he said he has power cleaned 315 pounds. He also is capable of squat lifting 515 pounds."

About spending his free time with his family, Sula said:
"We're close." (HA)

HA Note: "Running back Jake Heun is redshirting this season. But Heun also can play defensive end. The Warriors have been aggressive in pursuing early commitments. Since McMackin was hired as UH head coach in January, the Warriors have emphasized scouting every prospect in Hawai'i, staging a summer camp, meeting with coaches and school counselors on the Mainland, and offering in-season recruiting trips. The Warriors already have 20 commitments, including Sula. Some are expected to grayshirt, meaning they will begin their UH careers in January 2010."