HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
UH = University of Hawaii Athletics website
UNLV = University of Nevada-Las Vegas Athletics website
LVS = Las Vegas Sun
RJ = Las Vegas Review-Journal
------------------------
Interesting note about UH not going for 2 in the fourth quarter:
"Hawaii coach Greg McMackin might have made a tactical error early in the fourth quarter when the Warriors took a 26-21 lead on Alexander's 23-yard touchdown strike to wide-open junior receiver Greg Salas. Instead of attempting a 2-point conversion, junior kicker Scott Enos booted the extra point through the uprights as Warriors coaches tried to call a timeout. McMackin wasn't watching because he was busy giving instructions to his defensive players." (LVS)
--------------- Quotes from the UH coaches --------------------
About how they had problems with their defense and maybe should have gone for 2 when the score was 26-21, Mac said:
"We definitely had some problems. We had to adjust. We could have gone for two. Who knows? We might have missed it … That didn't really have a difference in the game. It could have gone a bunch of different ways." (LVS)
"We could have gone for two (points), who knows, we might have missed it." (HA)
About how he was busy making defensive adjustments when they didn't decide to go for 2 until it was too late and they couldn't get a timeout, Mac said:
"I was trying to get our defense corrected. We were gonna call a timeout." (HA)
Dismissing the importance of that 2-point decision, Mac said:
"that really didn't have any difference in the game because the game could have gone down a bunch of different ways. We went for two later on so we went right back ahead. (Some) might think that was a big mistake. But, as it turned out, we were in the ballgame. As it ended up, we lost by one. Coulda shoulda, we had two chances to (intercept UNLV) at the end of the game and nobody would have ever worried about it." (HA)
Praising how Payne caught 2 TDs against them on alley-oop passes, just like the TD he caught against Oregon State, Mac said:
"That guy does a great job. He did it against Oregon State (last week). He just goes up and they throw him an alley-oop." (RJ, HA)
About Payne beating Hopkins for the game-winning TD, Mac said:
"(Hopkins) was there and (Payne) just outplayed him. The receiver just went up and got the ball. He's a great receiver." (RJ, HA)
"They went with a sort of alley-oop deal. What can you do?" (HA)
About how they allowed the mismatch between Hopkins and Payne on the game-winning TD because they called a full-out blitz, Mac said:
"Yeah, it was a mismatch. But we had a full-out blitz and hit (Clayton) the two times before he got that one off." (RJ)
"Yeah, it's a mismatch. But we had a full-out blitz and hit him (Clayton) the two (plays) before." (HA)
About how they might have blitzed one too many times, Mac said:
"Maybe we went to the well one too many times, but we were trying to get him." (HA)
"We blitzed and put them back (with a sack) and blitzed again and maybe we went to the well one too many times. We had a full-out blitz and we hit him two times before. He got that one off." (HSB)
About how they felt they needed to get blitz Clayton, Mac said:
"That guy does a great job, he goes up they throw him the alley-oop. We felt we had time to get to him before (Clayton) could get to that. The receiver just went up and got the ball." (HSB)
About the difference in the game, Mac said:
"I think we got out-executed." (HA)
"I think we just got out-executed. We blitzed (Clayton) a bunch, he got the ball out." (HSB)
"We missed a couple of interceptions that could have put the ballgame away, but we didn't make the play and Las Vegas did make the play." (HSB)
About how they can still accomplish their goals, Mac said:
"None of our goals that we have as a team is any different now except, obviously, we don't have any chance for a BCS game. We probably didn't, anyway. But we can still win the WAC and we can still go to a bowl game." (HA)
Giving credit to UNLV, Mac said:
"Number one, I want to give credit to UNLV. I thought their quarterback O.C. (Omar Clayton) did a great job. We were blitzing him, but he got the ball off quick. #88 (Ryan) Wolfe had a great game. He is a great receiver." (UH)
"I thought O.C. (Clayton) got the ball off real quick. We blitzed him a bunch, but we couldn't get to him." (HA)
About the performance of UH's offense, Mac said:
"I really thought our offense played excellent. I always think that if you always win two out of three phases of the game you are going to win the game. If you win all three phases you are going to beat someone pretty bad. We only won one phase. I thought our offense played excellent."(UH)
About the final drive by UNLV, Mac said:
"We missed some opportunities at the end of the game. We missed a couple interceptions that could have put the ball game away. But we didn't make the plays. Las Vegas (UNLV) made the plays. All I can say is that number one, I am proud of my team's effort. I think they played hard. I think they were prepared." (UH)
About UNLV holding the ball for most of the third quarter, Mac said:
"I give full credit to their offense, their quarterback and their receivers. They ran the ball a little bit, but they threw the football. They kept our offense off the field. I give them full credit. Their offense played a lot better than our defense did." (UH)
"They kept our offense off the field. I give them full credit. Their offense played a lot better than our defense did." (RJ)
Asked about the long drives exhausting their defensive players, Mac said:
"Well we rotated a lot of guys. We have a problem at the end position. You noticed we played a lot of 3-4, which we don't always do. We are sort of in that situation, which is no excuse." (UH)
"We played a lot of 3-4, which we don't always do, but we're sort of in that situation, which is no excuse." (HA)
HA Note: "The Warriors, whose base defense is a 4-3, replaced a defensive lineman with a nickelback (Aaron Brown or Richard Torres). In this scheme, defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga rotated between being a nose guard and a defensive end. In another twist, strongside linebacker Blaze Soares was utilized as a freelancer. Often, Soares played down lineman, out of a stand-up stance, aligned between Meatoga and a defensive end."
Asked about UNLV's offense, Mac said:
"I just give full credit to their offense and they did a great job. I give a lot of credit to coach Berry (UNLV offensive coordinator Todd Berry). I think he is a great coach. I've coached against him before. He was at Miami. I have a lot of respect for him. That is really a tough offense." (UH)
About how they expect to have Fonoti and Falemalu back in time for the Louisiana Tech game, Mac said:
"We need those guys for the outside rush." (HA)
About how their coaches told the players at halftime that they needed to finish off drives, Mac said:
"We talked at halftime (about) how we have to finish. We worked on the red zone a lot and inside the 10 (yardline) a lot (in practice). But we have to finish. We did (finish drives) in the second half but we have to get better as a team. We were one point shy tonight." (HA)
About how the number of points they lost by doesn't matter, Mac said:
"One point or 50 (points), it doesn't matter." (HA)
HA Note: "the Warriors missed a field goal when they were forced to hurry after allowing the play clock to drain."
About their missed opportunities, Mac said:
"Coulda, shoulda." (HA)
About how they need to convert better in the red zone, Ron Lee said:
"We had our shots early in the first quarter. We had some shots (late), but we ran out of time. The lesson here is when you get the chance, you gotta score." (HSB)
About how they didn't take advantage of their opportunities in the game, Rolo said:
"We left too many points, too many chances out there." (HA)
"We left too many points on the field in the first half. It really shouldn't have been that close at halftime (when UH led 20-14). We did a lot of good things." (HA)
About how it doesn't matter that they had 505 yards of total offense, the important thing is to score points, Rolo said:
"We're not here to break records; we're here to put points on the board. We did a lot of good things and we have a chance to be a very good offense but we need to convert our chances into points, not just yards." (HA)
HA Note: "The statistical numbers were particularly lopsided at halftime — 361 yards total offense for UH to UNLV's 196 and 341 UH passing yards to UNLV's 119. But the story was that UH led just 20-14."
About how Scott Enos kicks much better in games than in practice, special teams coach Chris Tormey said:
"He's really stepped it up. In practice he has struggled with accuracy but in the games he makes plays. He's been a gamer." (HA)
HA Note: "To watch junior college transfer Scott Enos kick in practice at the University of Hawai'i is, as his coaches often puts it, "an adventure." But turn on the lights at a stadium and he is a different kicker. The accuracy that sometimes deserts him in practice is, for the most part, no longer a problem as Enos underlined in kicking two field goals, including a 47-yarder, in the Warriors' 34-33 loss to Nevada-Las Vegas."
About how the only FG that Enos has missed this season (he's 4-for-5) was a 31-yard attempt in this game where the coaches should have called timeout since they got the FG team on the field too late, Tormey said:
"With the clock ticking, what we should have done was call time out. We were late in getting out there, so we should have just called a timeout." (HA)
-------------- Quotes from the UH players ------------------
About falling short with their final drive, Greg Alexander said:
"The clock struck 'zero,' and they had one more point than we did." (HA)
About how they need to convert in the red zone better, Alexander said:
"We missed a lot of red zone in the first half. We can't be good from 20 to 20. We've got to finish drives." (HSB)
About twice overthrowing Bradley when he was behind the defense, Alexander said:
"I was probably opening too wide (on the throwing motion) and swinging it. I'll get that fixed." (HA)
About completing 12 passes to Pilares in the first half, Alexander said:
"we had him going under (the defense) and he was the open guy, so I just dumped it to him. We take what the defense gave us and he did a good job of making some good yards after the catch with it." (HA)
About how their coaches told them they should have been up by more than 20-14 at halftime, Kealoha Pilares said:
"The coaches told us at halftime it shouldn't be that close." (HA)
About how they need to finish off drives better when they make it into the red zone, Pilares said:
"The game shouldn't have been close in the first place. We've got to be a lot more hungry for (the end zone)." (HSB)
About how it shouldn't have come down to the final TD drive, Pilares said:
"It shouldn't have come to this, anyway. We had a lot of opportunities. We should have been killing these guys from the start, but we gave them too much leeway." (HA)
"The game shouldn't have been that close. On offense we have to put it in and get six points every time." (HSB)
About how he overcame stomach-flu-like symptoms (he took Peptol Bismol and received IVs before the game and at halftime, Pilares (who had 13 catches for 146 yards) said:
"I woke up in the middle of the night, and my stomach was really sore. The trainers did a good job helping me." (HA)
About his game-high and personal-high 13 catches, Pilares said:
"I'm thankful the ball came to me but I would have liked a win." (HA)
About his 12 catches in the first half, Pilares said:
"Every time I ran a route it seemed like it (the ball) came to me in the first half." (HA)
"It was just that day, the ball was coming to me a lot." (HSB)
About how UNLV's offense kept them off the field in the second half, Pilares said:
"They're a good defense and their offense did a great job of keeping us off the field." (HSB)
About how they should have scored more in the first half, Greg Salas said:
"We left a lot of stuff out there offensively in the first half. I thought we should have had a lot more points. Offensively, we didn't get it done. We could have capitalized on some things and we didn't." (HSB)
About how they need to convert better in the red zone, Salas said:
"We have to do a better job in the red zone. We didn't get it done when we had to get it done." (HSB)
About the loss, Salas said:
"This hurts. We wanted to be 3-0, but it didn't work out that way." (HSB)
About how their big plays don't matter because they lost the game, Rodney Bradley (team high and career high 189 yards receiving in this game) said:
"We were making plays, they were making plays, we were making plays. But they won, so then it didn't matter. We just have to get back home and look at the film and see how we can make the plays we didn't make." (HSB)
About how he was used as a freelancer in their revised defensive scheme, sometimes lining him up as a down-lineman between DT Meatoga and a DE, Blaze Soares said:
"I was trying to make plays." (HA)
About how their defense needed to make more plays, R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane (team-high 12 tackles in the game) said:
"I can say this, we didn't make a lot of plays we should've made, and that kept us on the field." (HSB)
Praising their offense, R.J. said:
"The offense played awesome. It was our job to finish it and we didn't." (HSB)
Not wanting to talk with reporters after the game, Tank Hopkins said:
"Sorry, but I don't want to talk right now." (HA)
About how his sack on UNLV's final drive energized their D, until UNLV scored on the next play, Jake Heun said:
"Definitely, the energy was back. We just couldn't get it on the next snap. It happens. We'll break down film, look at this and use it as a learning experience. They're a great team. It'll help us a lot in WAC play. We'll bust our (backsides) back in Honolulu. No way this happens again." (LVS)
"Yeah, I got in there pretty well. But at the end of the day, it didn't mean enough. We needed one more play after that. You know what? One guy can make one play. We have to step up and make plays every time." (LVS)
About UNLV scoring the winning TD on the play after his sack, Heun said:
"It was frustrating. I thought our D-line played well, we just didn't play well enough. Clayton is a (heck) of an athlete. We knew that coming into it. They were just one point better than us today." (LVS)
Praising UNLV QB Omar Clayton, Heun said:
"I was impressed. I knew he'd be mobile. I was impressed with the way he got the ball out as quick as he did ... They spread the ball out really well. When he felt pressure, he got rid of the ball. He's a good athlete, a good quarterback and a good leader, you could tell the way he rallied his guys." (LVS)
About using this loss as motivation for their WAC season, Heun said:
"No excuses. The scoreboard shows what happened. This was preseason stuff going into the (Western Athletic Conference) season. We're going to use this (loss) as a driving force." (HA)
About almost making the INT that would have ended UNLV's final drive, Spencer Smith said:
"It just went through my hands." (LVS)
"I don't want to make excuses. I won't make the mistake the next time. (The interception) would have sealed the deal, but I didn't do it." (HA)
About how fatigue wasn't a factor, Smith said:
"We should make the plays no matter what. That's why you condition. It wasn't because I was tired or anything. It went through my hands." (HSB)
About how they were in a good situation after Heun got the sack with less than a minute left, Smith said:
"I mean, things were looking good when he got that sack. It just wasn't enough … I don't have much to say right now." (LVS)
--------------- Quotes from the UNLV coaches ------------
Happy about the win, head coach Mike Sanford said:
"We are thrilled to win. I am so excited for our team. I thought our team showed so much character." (UNLV)
About their struggles in the first half, Sanford said:
"We had a difficult first half in a lot of ways. We had turnovers, penalties, all kinds of stuff. We came back and played like UNLV Rebel football. We believed that we would win in the second half." (UNLV)
Asked about the play of QB Omar Clayton in the second half, Sanford said:
"Omar didn't have a very good first half and came back in the second half and had a tremendous second half. He made a lot of plays and his cool and composure was awesome." (UNLV)
"I think Omar Clayton is almost a microcosm of our entire team in that same regard, in that Omar didn't have a very good first half, but came back in the second half, had a tremendous second half, made a ton of plays and his cool and composure were awesome." (LVS)
"Omar didn't have a very good first half and came back in the second half and had a tremendous second half. He made a lot of plays and his cool and composure was awesome." (HSB)
About how they can build off this game, Sanford said:
"We finished at the end. We made the plays that you have to make at the end to win. That is a very positive step for us. Obviously that is an ongoing thing, but I know for a fact that we gained a lot of confidence tonight and took a huge step forward." (UNLV)
About finishing off the game instead of celebrating when they got ahead late in the game, Sanford said:
"We celebrated a little too early last week, and we wanted to finish and celebrate when there was zero on the clock." (UNLV)
About how it was good for them to be in a close game just a week after their heartbreaking loss to Oregon State, Sanford said:
"It is not good for my heart and my blood pressure but other than that, yes. It was good that we were put in that situation and it was good that we were successful in that situation." (UNLV)
"Well, it's not good for my heart or my blood pressure, but other than that, yes. It was good we were put in that situation and it was good we were successful in that situation." (LVS)
"It is not good for my heart and my blood pressure, but other than that, it was good that we were put in a situation and it was good that we were successful in that situation." (RJ)
About how he talked with his players about stepping up during clutch situations after their loss to Oregon State, Sanford said:
"People that are successful in the clutch love being in the clutch. Instead of being afraid of it, just look at it as a great opportunity. And our guys did." (LVS)
"I think the big thing that we talked about this week is people who are successful in the clutch love being in the clutch. Instead of being afraid of it, look at it as a great opportunity, and our guys did." (RJ)
About going for it on 4th down twice on their drive to open the second half, which ate up 9 minutes of the third quarter, Sanford said:
"We went for it on fourth down twice on that drive with a purpose. We needed to rest our defense, we needed to move the ball, we needed to have positive field position, and be put in a situation where we back them up. Regardless of what happened, that was a positive thing to take that hting all the way down there." (LVS)
About getting UH to go 3-and-out after they missed a FG to end their first drive of the second half, Sanford said:
"That was really big. That was a big thing in the game. Once again, our guys believed that they were going to win the game and that our defense was going to slow them down." (LVS)
Hoping that this win gives them confidence as they are about to begin their conference games, Sanford said:
"We finished at the end. We made the plays that you have to make at the end to win. That is a very positive step for us. Obviously, that is an ongoing thing, but I know for a fact that we gained a lot of confidence tonight and took a huge step forward." (RJ)
About throwing the ball high to Payne for TDs, Sanford smiled and said:
"Everybody says we're a basketball school. We took a few things from basketball. We threw it high, and we told (Payne) to go up and get it." (HA)
---------------- Quotes from the UNLV players ---------------------
About their struggles in the first half, with 4 penalties and 2 INTs, QB Omar Clayton said:
"Even after that, people were still motivated to win. There was a lot of football to play, and we weren't losing by a tremendous amount." (LVS)
Surprised that Tank Hopkins was assigned to cover Payne 1-on-1 on their game-winning TD pass, Clayton said:
"I was really surprised that they didn't have a safety (on him, too). Most teams in the red zone like to move a safety over to double cover Phil, and they didn't, so I took my opportunity to give Phil a jump ball, and he did what he usually does." (LVS)
"I was a little surprised they didn't have the safety over. A lot of teams in the red zone like to put the safety over to double-team Phillip, but they didn't. So, I saw an opportunity to put the ball up to him and he did what he does." (HA)
"A lot of teams in the red zone like to have the safety over to double cover Phil. They didn't, so it was an opportunity to get to the jump ball, and he did what he usually does." (RJ)
"I was a little surprised they didn't have the safety over. A lot of teams in the red zone like to put the safety over to double-team Phillip, but they didn't. So, I saw an opportunity to put the ball up to him and he did what he does." (RJ)
About how their team is motivated by this win, Clayton said:
"This was a great motivator for this team, just because having the kind of season we want to have, there's gonna be close games throughout the season, and we have to be able to take the ball down and score to take the lead, get stops and finish games. It was great to do it tonight, especially after last week, and get a win." (LVS)
About the win, Ryan Wolfe said:
"We just laid it out all on the line today." (RJ)
About the importance of this win to their team, Phillip Payne said:
"It's big for us. After last week, everyone was down. You could tell by the interviews everyone was down. We had it at the end, they basically took it away from us. It basically builds the morale up for us." (LVS)
Surprised that UH was defending him 1-on-1 with Tank Hopkins on his game-winning TD play, Payne said:
"I was real surprised." (RJ)
About how he and QB Clayton practice the jump ball plays for TDs all the time, Payne said:
"We practice it all the time. Me and Omar basically know where we're going to be and at what time." (RJ, HA)
Asked if teams will start to double-team him in the red zone, Payne laughed and said:
"I hope not." (RJ)
About how they didn't need to switch to that play when they saw that Payne had single coverage because the coaches had already called for that alley-oop play, Payne said:
"They just have faith in me and Omar and we try to do it the best we can. I'm just glad I get to make a play when I can." (HA)
About how their offense believed they would score after UH scored to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, Payne said:
"Once their offense scored, we had no doubt that we were going to go down and score." (RJ)
About how beating UH was important for the pride of their Polynesian players, senior long snapper Kamu Kapanui (who is from Hawaii) said:
"That pride factor that Hawaii plays with every game is a huge advantage that they have, and I just wanted us to have that pride, too, and play with it. A lot of the other guys on our team fed off of it from the Polynesian guys. We finally finished. Coach was talking about finishing. It's something coach has talked about for years now, and it feels amazing." (LVS)
About finally beating UH, junior DE Malo Taumua (who had two high school teammates from Aiea playing for UH in this game) said:
"It's about time, man, I've been waiting for this night for two years. To the Polynesian players, it means a lot." (LVS)
"It means a lot to me. We lost to them in '06 and '07 and this win tonight means a lot to me and all the other players on this team." (HSB)
About how their D gave up 505 yards of total offense to UH, 477 through the air, and 23 first downs, Jason Beauchamp said:
"We didn't have the best defensive game. But we did what we needed to win." (LVS)
About sacking Alexander on UH's first drive of the second half, Beauchamp said:
"I had been getting around all game, but the thing was, I needed to get separation. I wanted to attack and get off of him. It worked." (LVS)
About deflecting the pass on third down to make UH go 3-and-out on their first drive of the second half, Terrance Lee said:
"I knew if we stopped them then, we had the game. Everybody had to step up and make a play." (LVS)
LVS Note: "After the stop, the UNLV offense drove down the field and scored to take the lead at 21-20. Sure, the defensive stand in the third quarter was just one stop. But it was one more than Hawaii forced for the rest of the game. "We'll take it any day," Beauchamp said."
About how he broke up 2 UH passes in the end zone on UH's first drive of the game, forcing UH to kick a FG, Lee said:
"I think they were trying to go at me a little bit. I just had to keep playing. It felt good." (LVS)
About how they stopped UH when they had to at the end of the game, Lee said:
"I love this defense. I think we did a good job." (LVS)
-------------------- Other notes ----------------
About the large number of students in the UNLV student section that were cheering for UH, UNLV sports information director Mark Wallington said:
"That's got to be one of the most unusual circumstances in football. They are UNLV students but rooting for Hawai'i. I don't know where else you'd see something like that in such numbers." (HA)
HA Note: "The game drew 29,717, the 14th largest crowd in UNLV history and the third largest involving UH. UH and UNLV officials estimated that Hawai'i fans made up "about 40 percent" of last night's crowd. UH's last appearance in Sam Boyd Stadium drew 38,125 in 2007, the fourth largest crowd in UNLV history."
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