Expecting a great game because both teams have a great desire to win this game, Idaho head coach Robb Akey said:
"I expect this to be a whale of a football game. I know they're not happy about the way they started WAC play. I'm sure they have a great desire to get themselves back on track. At the same time we have a great desire to extend our streak. To me that's the makings of a great WAC football game." (HSB)
IS Note: "Idaho linebackers JoJo Dickson and Robert Siavii have a lot in common. At the top of that list is a chip on their shoulders. Dickson and Siavii (pronounced See-uh-vee-ee) are Hawaii natives who had to come to the mainland to fulfill their wishes of playing college football. The Vandals' starters are looking forward to Saturday's home game against their hometown Warriors. An Idaho win would make the Vandals bowl eligible and give five Hawaii natives on the roster some bragging rights. Running back/kick returner Kama Bailey, reserve linebacker Conrad Scheidt and reserve defensive lineman Isaiah Lavea are the other Hawaii natives."
About how UH didn't want either of their starting LBs who are from Hawaii, JoJo Dickson said;
"They kind of overlooked us coming out of high school and we both ended up over here. That's the home team where everyone from Hawaii wants to play." (IS)
IS Note: "Neither Dickson nor Siavii received scholarship offers from the Warriors, which turned out to be good news for Idaho. Dickson, a junior, ranks second on the team with 33 tackles and shares the team lead with two interceptions. Siavii, a sophomore, is fifth in tackles with 28 and also has three quarterback hits, two pass breakups and a forced fumble."
Praising Siavii and Dickson, LB coach Rob Christoff said:
"Robert plays 100 mph and just plays at a different speed than a lot of guys. "JoJo has the most experience and understands the defense as well or better than anyone on our team." (IS)
IS Note: "Dickson and Siavii are outside linebackers, and they are the only linebackers who stay on the field when the Vandals use their nickel package in obvious passing situations."
About how Siavii and Dickson will play a lot against UH since they always are on the field in their nickel defense, Christoff said:
"Neither of those guys are coming off the field very much." (IS)
IS Note: "Dickson and Siavii are roommates. They didn't know each other until Dickson served as Siavii's host on his recruiting visit. Their relationship has blossomed."
About the bond he has with Dickson, Siavii said:
"I look up to him as an older brother and as an idol. "He's doing good in the classroom and on the field. I really do look up to him and having him out there makes me feel more comfortable." (IS)
Praising the attitudes that Dickson and Siavii have, Christoff said:
"Both of them have a lot of energy in the meeting rooms and out on the field. They are really upbeat. They make the meetings and practice fun." (IS)
About how they want to keep their winning streak going, Siavii said:
"We want to keep it rolling. We have to keep doing what we're doing. If we win this game, it will bring us more confidence to the next game. We're feeling confident now, but we're taught not to be complacent. Every play, every down and every day we try to get better." (IS)
About how they worked on using silent counts for the Idaho game, Bryant Moniz said:
"It's probably easier. You don't have to say anything." (HA)
About how the noise echoes in the Kibbie Dome, John Estes said:
"That's why we're practicing the silent count. The big concern is executing. We have to execute." (HA)
Expecting the Kibbie Dome to be loud today, Tormey said;
"It's going to be really noisy. It'll be the most hostile environment we'll play in this year. The fans are right on top of you and they're really intense about Vandal football and enthusiastic about the direction of the program. When you go into a hostile environment you have to embrace it and use that energy. Let's not be afraid of it, let's get excited about it. That's why you play." (HSB)
About how the Kibbie Dome was loud even when it was only half full, Blaze Soares said:
"I've been there when there were 8,000 people. Now it's going to be a sold-out crowd, so it's going to be exciting. With 8,000 people, it was super loud." (HSB)
About how they have prepared well for the game, Mac said:
"We've had an excellent week of practice. Now we have to take it to the field, and get a win." (HA)
Praising how Moniz did in his first game as a starter, Greg Salas said:
"I thought he did a great job against Fresno. As receivers, we're going to do a better job of helping him out." (HA)
About the things he can improve on with his first start behind him, Moniz said:
"There's a lot of things to improve on -- misreads, bad balls, a lot of key mental things, a few physical errors. I just have to go through my progression and take my first read if it's there." (HSB)
Expecting Moniz to play better in this game than he did against Fresno State, Akey said:
"It's going to be his second start. He's at the controls now, I think that's going to have him settled in. I look at him and I can see he knows where he wants to go with the football, he's got a quick release, and he's got receiver threats all over the place. ... They've very explosive, I'd like to keep their explosiveness to stay off one more week." (HSB)
About how Idaho played their young players the past 2 seasons and things have paid off for them this season, Mac said:
"They've stuck with these guys for the last three years and they've all improved. This is their third year, they've stuck with them and they're making plays for them." (HSB)
About how Chizzy Dimude (who is averaging 1 broken tackle per rush and 5.5 yards post-contact) will get a role in the offense, play-caller Nick Rolovich said:
"Chizzy is an explosive player." (HA)
About how they are working to reach their potential, Mac said:
"We're doing a lot of good things, and we're working on things we have to improve on. When we get it working all together, we're going to be the team we want to be." (HA)
About their 5-1 start to the season, Idaho coach Robb Akey said:
"There's a new life around here, which is a good thing. The program is starting to take hold a little bit. I'm happy with the early success we've had this season. We're trying to keep it going a game at a time. That's how it goes." (HA)
HA Note: "The renewed enthusiasm can be found outside the Kibbie Dome. There were more than 20 mobile homes parked in the lot yesterday. Most were equipped with satellite dishes; all were stocked with enough food for the three-day tailgate."
About driving 8 hours to get to the stadium and tailgating in his mobile home for 3 days, Bruce Brown said:
"We've got hotdogs, hamburgers, turkey burgers, salmon burgers. Wegrill everything. And the food is well-seasoned." (HA)
HA Note: "Brown and Benny Blick are Idaho alumni."
About the strong start for Idaho's season, Benny Blick said:
"We've waited a long time for this. We're enjoying it." (HA)
About how their fans are hungry for a winning team, Akey said:
"The people are hungry for a good football team. The people are going in there" — he points to the Kibbie Dome — "and they're being supportive. The place was rocking for the last home game, against Colorado State. It was full. We expect it to be full. That makes a big difference for our football players." (HA)
About how Idaho will be motivated by their consecutive big-margin wins by UH (52-21, 24-0, 68-10, 48-20, 47-17), Mac said:
"We know what we're walking into." (HA)
When a reporter pronounced the city Idaho is located in as "moss-kow", Mac gave a correction:
"It is (pronounced) "moss-koe." (HA)
About how he coached at Idaho for three years (76-78) as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator, Mac said;
"It was my first Division I job. We were just starting out." (HA)
HA Note: "Between McMackin and assistant coach Chris Tormey, who graduated from and coached at UI, the UH coach staff is pretty well versed in area knowledge."
About how he knows Mac and Chris Tormey, Idaho fan Wes Dodorff said;
"I knew them both when they were here; good guys. We used to go play golf." (HA)
About being back in Idaho, Tormey (who is in the Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame) said:
"Being here this week is a little nostalgic. I grew up in Spokane (Wash., 84 miles away) and drove these roads hundreds of times." (HA)
About his love for Idaho, Tormey, who was Idaho's head coach for their last winning season (1999) and bowl (1998) said:
"The Vandals will always have a place in my heart." (HA)
After beating Southern Mississippi in the Humanitarian Bowl in 1998, Tormey said it was:
"... the high point in Idaho football history, I think." (HA)
Not thinking about how Idaho can become bowl eligible with a win today, Tormey said that:
"the focus is on our own fortunes. We're not trying to ruin anybody else's season; we're trying to win a football game. They're a very good football team playing with a lot of confidence now. It is not about derailing them, it is about jump starting us." (HA)
About their fans arriving yesterday for the game, Akey said:
"Our fans come from all over the state and the Pacific Northwest." (HA)
HA Note: "There were more than 40 of them settled in for the night by the time the Warriors finished practice yesterday, some from as far away as Seattle, Montana and Canada, they said. Some, like Joel Johnson of Boise, Idaho, have been making the 220-mile commute through the lean years of nine consecutive losing seasons".
About making it through so many losing seasons, Joel Johnson said:
"We've had so much fun it (the losing) didn't matter." (HA)
About the tailgaters, Akey said:
"We've got a little life going again out there in the parking lot; in the stands." (HA)
About how things will get busier as the game gets closer, Johson said:
"it really gets going around here later. That's when it gets rowdy." (HA)
About how things are different now that Idaho is winning, Johnson said:
"It is more stressful this year 'cause we're worried about winning now." (HA)
http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091017_warriors_wary_of_kibbie_dome.html
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