Quotes from the local papers

Mac said that he'll attend UH's graduation ceremony because he wants to:
"honor and show respect to our seniors. They've done all of the hard work of being student-athletes. I respect that, and I respect their families. It's a family project." (HA)

HA Note: "McMackin was invited because of the academic success of his players. Fifteen Warriors and three former players have met the requirements to earn bachelor's degrees. All but one of the 18 will participate in the ceremony."

About how he appreciates the work by the UH faculty, Mac said:
"The faculty has put in all of the time and the effort to teach these guys, to give them the knowledge to get their degrees. It's sort of a two-fold reasoning." (HA)

HA Note: "Because of the festivities leading to the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, the Warriors are locked into practicing this morning at Saint Louis School."

About how attending commencement is more important than being at practice, Mac said:
"Quite honestly, I thought it was more important than a bowl practice. School is very important to our program. Our No. 1 goal is to graduate all of our student-athletes." (HA)

About how his sprained right foot isn't fully healed, Kealoha Pilares said:
"I've only gone full speed a little bit. I'm trying to get back into the groove of things." (HA)

HA Note: "The injury is to the top part of his foot, and it involves "bones and the ligaments around the bones." There is a sharp pain when he places weight on his toes, which, essentially is whenever he runs."

About how rehab doesn't really help his injury, Pilares said:
"There's hardly any rehab you can do for it. You can strengthen the little muscles around your foot." (HA)

Pilares said that the only way to heal his injury is:
"to stay off of it." (HA)

"It's frustrating, but I'm working through it." (HA)

About how he's taken the place of Warriors that had to miss practice due to final exams, playing RB, WR, and being on the kickoff-coverage team, Steele Jantz said:
"I'm helping out because a lot of people left to take tests. This was an opportunity to play. It's been cool." (HA)

HA Note: "Jantz has been, well, steel-like. In a coverage drill, he floored linebacker Josh Rice. On another play, he ricocheted off would-be tackler Mana Lolotai. Yesterday, he made several graceful catches."

HA Note: "Jantz earned the nickname "Steele-Bow" when he portrayed Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in practices leading to the season opener. But the handle has stuck, and the players often call for "Steele-Bow" when the scouts run plays against the first-team defense."

About his tough play in kickoff coverage, Jantz said:
"I try to take on that role." (HA)

About donating the 12 inches of his hair that was cut off yesterday to Locks of Love, Keoni Steinhoff said:
"I didn't want to just throw away the hair." (HA)

About how his mother cut his hair but he was the one who decided on the haircut, Steinhoff said:
"Nobody pushed me." (HA)

Looking forward to facing Notre Dame, Sol said:
"I've been thinking about it every second. Besides finals, I'm thinking about Notre Dame and how great an opportunity it is to play them." (HSB)

Looking forward to their bowl game, Greg Alexander said:
"It's been a dream to play D-I and definitely play in a bowl game,. To be able to play a team like Notre Dame, that has such great tradition it should be a lot of fun." (HSB)

About facing Notre Dame, Alexander said:
"at the end of the day it's still another football team. Coach Mack says it all the time -- it's just guys in a different colored jersey. All the hype and all that, you still have to go out and play the game." (HSB)

About his philosophy of looking ahead and leaving the bad behind, Dan Kelly said:
"You learn from something, you leave the bad, and you take the good. I've always been like that when it came to sports. I've really made it something to live by." (HSB)

About his Warrior career, Kelly said:
"It's been a learning experience. With everything, whether good or bad, it's got to be a learning experience. I learned a lot, so I feel like it was a success." (HSB)


About how Kelly worked through his struggles this sason, Jake Ingram said:
"He definitely keeps his composure through everything. He doesn't get depressed or he doesn't get overly cocky if he's having a good stretch." (HSB)

About working through his struggles, Kelly said:
"Basically, any adjustment I have to make I have to watch film, identify it and change it. It's a tough task -- it's nothing I'm not used to. This year it just hit me harder than usual." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Kelly was more of a soccer enthusiast than a football fan growing up. But an ankle injury as a junior at Linfield Christian School in Temecula, Calif., made football the more viable option as he looked toward college."

About choosing football over soccer, Kelly said:
"Football was where I was supposed to be and where God put me. I accepted it, and I love kicking." (HSB)

About how he'll try to kick professionally, but he'll try to establish a soccer academy to help develop the game in the US, Kelly said:
"I'm going to take my shot at it and see where it takes me. But we have one more game and I'm focused in on that. I'm enjoying the idea of moving on with my life, whether it's more football in a different environment or it's a real job." (HSB)

About how they learned a lot from their Sugar Bowl experience last year, Sol said:
"Even though Coach is not giving us curfews at night, a lot of guys aren't going out because we know the game is first and we have to win it. I think that experience last year will help us get prepared and focused for the game. It's all about business and the fun part is actually winning." (HSB)

About how their seniors have kept their team in line, Mac said:
"We've got a real mature football team. We've had six road trips all over the country ... and we haven't had any problems at all. I want them to have fun, but they know what they have to do. I've treated them like pros and like men, and they've reacted that way." (HSB)