About how they have to win this game because they lost their WAC opener to Boise State, Fresno State head coach Pat Hill said:
"It's a must-win game. We can't come out of that 0-2 in conference." (FB)
About how they missed 41 tackles in the Louisiana Tech game, Blaze Soares said:
"That wasn't us. That wasn't Hawai'i football." (HA)
About the importance of getting big hits on defense, Blaze said:
"That's the type of defense you want to play, that kick-butt mentality. You can't forget it. That's just Warrior football." (HA)
HA Note: "He reminded teammates of a time when UH was a school of hard knocks: linebacker Alvis Satele, rover David Maeva, the brothers Niko, Pete and Al Noga, Jeff Ulbrich, Pisa Tinoisamoa ..."
About playing defense the Hawaii way, Blaze said:
"Growing up, I saw that type of style, old-school football, hard-nosed, just flat-out whack guys. That's the kind of team I always wanted to play for. Hawai'i has that type of identity. It's awesome. We're a unique team. We're the only team that represents an entire state. We're ready to represent the state of Hawai'i." (HA)
About how this game is important for both teams, Mac said:
"This is an important game for both programs. You're only as good as your last game in people's eyes. We have to come and play as Warriors. We took a step backward last week. There's nothing to talk about now. We have to go under the lights and play." (HA)
About going from 4th team QB to starter, Moniz said:
"Guess I'm a little lucky. It's crazy." (FB)
"Emotions are running really high right now. I came in with no expectations of this season. Now, I go from being a walk-on to getting my first D-I [starting] shot. It's very exciting. I was a little nervous. But at least now, I know I'm going to be playing." (FB)
FB Note: "In 2007, Moniz was taking backup snaps behind heralded but troubled transfer Derek Shaw at Fresno City. Then just weeks before the season opener, Shaw was suspended for walking out of practice, and Moniz was thrust into the starting role."
About how he won't allow himself to stress over the game, Moniz said:
"I like to have fun, so I'm not going to stress out about starting for the first time. I don't know how many quarterbacks have been successful being stressed. It's going to be a tough game. Fresno State is a great rival. We have lots to prove. Maybe with a little luck, I can play well and we get the win." (FB)
About new starting QB Bryant Moniz, Mac said:
"I have a lot of confidence in Bryant. He's a good quarterback." (HA)
"Bryant Moniz, we're excited about him. We've got a lot of confidence in him. You know how some players have it? … He's got it." (FB)
Praising how Moniz was able to beat out talented QB Derek Shaw at Fresno City, Fresno City coach Tony Caviglia said:
"It just kind of shows you the guy's persistence and determination when he outperforms the other guy who had all the hype and accolades. He wasn't scared of the challenge or competing. When Bryant came in, he took total control of this football team. We always thought he had great potential to play at Division I." (FB)
HA Note: "The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are trying to remain upbeat entering their fourth consecutive road game. This season, according to an Fresno State news release, the Bulldogs will travel more than 23,000 miles and play in five of the United States' six time zones. What's more, because of the California state school system's financial problems, the coaches were forced to take three furlough days last week. That meant no practices, no meetings and no cell phone calls."
Safety Moses Harris said that their first game in 14 days has left their team feeling:
"fresh." (HA)
About their losses, Harris said that:
"we can't let them tear us apart. We have to use them as motivation. We're focused, and taking it one day at a time, one play at a time." (HA)
About being coached by the Fresno State coaches in the 2007 Hula bowl, Nate Ilaoa said:
"We got to see the other side of (Fresno coach) Pat Hill. He's a great guy. Everybody is like, 'Hate the Bulldogs.' But he was cool, a great coach, a great staff. When we play each other, we're at each other's throat. But it's exciting to play them. You know they're going to bring it. It's guaranteed to be a good game. It makes for a good evening for the players and the fans. Fresno is always the highlight of the year." (HA)
HA Note: "Moniz, a Leilehua High graduate, attended Fresno City College in 2007. His daughter, born in Fresno, is named Cali."
Bryant Moniz said that he fulfilled a childhood dream of playing for UH, and:
"Now it's all about having fun with your brothers on the field." (HA)
Rolo praised Moniz's:
"accuracy and timing. People will follow him. He has a great personality. To me, he doesn't do anything bad. ... What he needs to work on is out of his control. He needs more reps, more (game) situations, those type of things. Father Time is in control of that." (HA)
Comparing RB Ryan Mathews to LaDanian Tomlinson, Rich Miano said;
"He has everything. He has great vision. He has great speed (sub-4.5 in the 40). He breaks tackles. If he goes out after this year, he's an NFL first-day player. We won't play a better back this year." (HA)
Praising UH's offense, SS Moses Harris said:
"I like what they do. They have a pretty good passing game." (HA)
About how both Jefferson and West are dangerous on kick returns, Chris Tormey said:
"If you kick it away from one great athlete, you're kicking it to another great athlete. It's, like, pick your poison." (HA)
HA Note: "The blitz is football's version of the full-court press, and the key to solving each is to look for the open man. Anticipating pressure from the Bulldogs, the Warriors have worked extensively on blitz breaks — improvising a route by cutting into an area vacated by a blitzer or coming back to help out the quarterback. The tactic has two intentions: to open the way for a big play and to ease the blocking time for the offensive linemen. Three of last week's seven sacks allowed might have been avoided if receivers were able to break into the clear quicker."
About how they prepared for Fresno State's blitzes, Kealoha Pilares said:
"Obviously, they're going to try to blitz us. We're going to have to be ready for everything they throw." (HA)
About how they need to detect and adjust to the blitzes quickly, Rodney Bradley said:
"A lot of teams try to disguise the blitz. They get into an alignment, and then get out of it. We have to recognize it, and then we have to break off of it. If they go back, we run our regular route." (HA)
HA Note: "Salas' yards-after-catch (YAC) average is 19.47 yards; his yards-after-hit (YAH) average is 7.4. Bradley's averages are 11.5 for YAC and 7.2 for YAH."
About the yards he's been earning after catches and after being hit, Greg Salas said:
"I try to run hard and get as much separation as I can from a defender. You just have to have the will not to want to go down." (HA)
Praising how Tank Hopkins played in the Louisiana Tech game (a minus rating in just 6 of 65 plays), Rich Miano said:
"Tank's minuses were small things, playing slightly on the outside alignment instead of the inside alignment; technical things. But he didn't miss any assignments." (HA)
About how they worked all week on being in the correct position and wrapping up ball-carriers, Corey Paredes said
"We tried to make a lot of arm tackles, a lot of leaving our feet. That's how you miss tackles. When you're in the right position, you'll make the tackle." (HA)
About how they got back to the basics and focused on gap assignments and tackling this week, Blaze said:
"We needed it because we sure didn't want Fresno pounding the ball down our throats again." (FB)
About how a win would be huge for their morale, Blaze said:
"Right now we're in the bottom of the pits. Everyone's hating on us. It would be a much-deserved win and needed win for us." (FB)
About how they worked on their pad level to improve their leverage (including a drill where they went into a stance under a 4-foot-high canvas), Vaughn Meatoga said:
"All of their offensive linemen probably outweigh us and are taller. Pad level is the equalizer. The guy who plays lower has the advantage in the fight. The lower you are, the bigger you play." (HA)
Praising their punt protection, punter Alex Dunnachie said:
"beautiful, like clockwork." (HA)
About how starting his first D-IA football game is his biggest spotlight since leading his high school team to the state championship game as a sophomore, Bryant Moniz said:
"I think back then I was a lot more nervous. Fifteen years old, I was very nervous. I guess I got used to it, got more comfortable." (HSB)
Expecting Fresno State to try to put pressure on Moniz, Rolo said:
"Especially after we got some pressure last week, I think we have to anticipate them at least trying. Especially with a new quarterback, to see how he reacts." (HSB)
About needed to protect Moniz, John Estes said:
"We all have to do our jobs to help him out. It's going to be a team effort to win." (HSB)
Praising Moniz, Kealoha Pilares said:
"He understands the offense very well, he goes through his progressions, uses his eyes to move the defenders. He allows us to make plays as receivers." (HSB)
Impressed with the poise Moniz had last week, Pilares said:
"That's the first thing I noticed when he stepped into the huddle. He's just really calm and I don't think he's really bothered by anything. It's going to be his first game and he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, so that attribute is going to come out." (HSB)
About how their defense is motivated for the game, Rocky Savaiigaea said:
"If you're not motivated already to step up and change what's going on, you shouldn't be playing right now. If you're not motivated right now, I don't know what's wrong with you. Everybody has to swarm to the ball, and make plays. That's what our defense is built on -- playing hard, playing emotional and making gang tackles." (HSB)
About how this will be a tough game, Mac said:
"It's going to be a great, tough ballgame, these always are. This is a rivalry, it's always settled right at the end, and it's going to be a street fight." (HSB)
About how he's a big Michael Jordan fan, Scott Enos said:
"I've been a fan since I saw 'Space Jam'. Now I know I like the guy. Space Jam is on the short list of cartoon flicks I've enjoyed in the past quarter-century. Actually, it is the short list." (HSB)
About how Enos is 6 for 7 in FGs this season and the one he missed wasn't Enos' fault, holder Inoke Funaki said:
"A lot of our guys weren't aware of the clock. We had to rush." (HSB)
About how Enos has been better this season than he was in fall camp, Chris Tormey said:
"He's definitely been more consistent in the games. He thrives on pressure." (HSB)
About how he might play baseball for UH and can throw a ball in the 80s, Enos said:
"There was interest (from the pros) because I threw hard. But then they saw my height and that was that." (HSB)
About how Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling had a bad acting job against UH last year when he tried to draw a roughing call on a miss that would have won the game, Enos said:
"That's what you've got to do as a kicker. I've been coached to do that since high school." (HSB)
About how their defense didn't have an identity at the start of the season due to all of the injuries, Blaze said:
"It was a bunch of what ifs. Now we're all veterans. We've all started. We know how to play. We just have to show up." (FB)
Not upset about the big hit by Fresno State that gave Colt a concussion in 2007 and the hit that ended Greg Alexander's season in the Louisiana Tech game, Blaze said:
"You always have a soft spot for those big hits. We try to go out and kill someone. That's the mentality you have to have on defense." (FB)
About the big hit by Riley that gave Colt a concussion, Kenny Borg said:
"The sweet part is to see Bulldog football be played and us hit with that mentality, which is what we do. On the other side of things is good sportsmanship, of course. You don't want to see any athlete go down like that." (FB)
About how they need to win, RB Anthony Harding said:
"We've been working hard, we've had some heartbreak losses, but I think with hard work we will get a win. It's just a matter of time until we get one." (FB)
About the shoulder injury for center Joe Bernardi, RB Jamaal Rashad said:
"Joe is maybe the heartbeat of this team. The guy's a machine, man. He's the backbone of this team because he gets everyone going. It doesn't matter how hurt you are, when you've seen what he's gone through, it's nothing." (FB)
FB Note: "Bernardi has started 22 games for the Bulldogs and hasoutstanding overall knowledge of the game, Hill said."
About how he has faith in Richard Pacheco if he has to start in place of center Joe Bernardi, Hill said:
"We can win with both. If Joe can't go, Richard will step in and pick up the flag. He's well-prepared. He understands the game plan and the people he's playing with. It's not like we're shoving him into a position he's never played in." (FB)
Praising Alexander's passing and expecting UH to put in some new things for Moniz, Hill said:
"He put it right on [the receivers] while they were running, never had to break stride or turn back. We need to prepare for Hawaii as if it's going to be their offensive system, but there will be some new things. There will be some new wrinkles we won't know about until the game gets going." (FB)
Expecting UH to play much better than they did at Louisiana Tech, Hill said:
"They'll put a sword into the ground on this one." (FB)
http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091010_Moniz_ready_for_his_biggest_test_today.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/bulldogs/football/story/1669061.html
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment