Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Quotes about the Warriors in the Hawaii papers (Spencer Smith, Pollard, Dunnachie, Moniz)

Spencer Smith said that he took ballet class one year and Bikram yoga another year to help:
"with flexibility." (HA)


About using Smith as a starting safety and as their nickelback (replacing the injured Richard Torres), Rich Miano said:
"With his versatility, he can play so many positions. He plays free safety, strong safety, nickel. He can blitz, and he can play (pass) coverage." (HA)


About playing nickelback, Smith said:
"It's fun. I don't mind the physical part." (HA)


About how he is a "visual learner" who learned by studying Leonard Peters, Jake Patek, Myron Newberry, Gerard Lewis and Ryan Mouton, Smith said:
"I can get all of the techniques just by watching. If I watch somebody back-pedal a certain way, I can kind of emulate him. Coach Miano always says mental reps are just as important as physical reps." (HA)


About how he took hula and ballet, Smith said:
"I heard all of the big guys, like Chad Johnson, were taking ballet. I thought I might try it. It changed my balance. ... Growing up, I thought it was for girls. It helped me out a lot. It improved my balance and my speed. I noticed that week after week. It was beneficial." (HA)


HA Note: "Perhaps the most grueling class was Bikram yoga. That discipline involves working out in a steamy room set to about 100 degrees. He took the class in Kaimukí."


About how Bikram yoga gave him an intense workout, Smith said:
"One time, I couldn't even move. I just laid there for 10 minutes. It felt like I was in an oven. And then I had to do stretches that hurt. It was most intense workout except for wrestling. No, it was the most intense." (HA)


About how Bikram yoga improves his flexibility, Smith said:
"And that helps your speed." (HA)


About how the MRI found a tiny crack in the fibula in his left leg, Royce Pollard said:
"It's like the size of pencil lead, point 2. The doctors told me if the pain is bearable, I can get out there. The pain isn't gone, but it definitely is bearable." (HA)


About how he ran short routes with minimal cuts yesterday, Pollard said:
"Probably on Thursday, I'll try sprinting really hard." (HA)


About participating in parts of practice yesterday after missing games and practices since suffering his stress fracture on October 10, Royce Pollard said:
"I'm taking it step by step. It felt pretty good compared to last week when I tried to jog on it, put a lot more pressure on it. I still want to take it a little slow because I've heard a lot about this injury coming back if you don't take your time." (HSB)


Blaming himself for his punts of 7 and 10 yards against Nevada, Alex Dunnachie said:
"It has nothing to do with luck. It's the fundamentals. I couldn't perform when I needed to. It's just mechanical issues." (HA)

"I was kicking it too hard. I have to relax and play the coverage." (HA)


HA Note: "He said he believed he shanked both punts because he dropped the football too far to the right of his cleat."


About how Luke Ingram has snapped the ball well and their new 3-player blocking shield gives him enough time to punt the ball, Dunnachie said:
"It's not (Ingram's) fault. We haven't dropped a snap all year. There's nothing wrong with the protection. No one is coming at me. It's all on me." (HA)


About how Bryant Moniz was bothered by his 2 interceptions after the Nevada game, QB coach Nick Rolovich said:
"It shows how much he wants to be a Warrior and he wants this program to succeed. He didn't let it bother him during the game, he was bothered after the game. I feel much better that he didn't get down on himself during the game, he kept fighting. It's in his heart, how much it means for him to be given this opportunity and play at home for the University of Hawaii." (HSB)


About remaining calm after bad things happen as a QB, Moniz said:
"It's part of the game and it's part of the job being a quarterback. You have the highs and you have to take the lows too." (HSB)


HSB Note: "Moniz has kept the Warriors atop the WAC and third in the nation in passing offense. He's completed 56.6 percent of his throws, with six touchdowns against five interceptions and threw for a season-best 374 yards last week."


About needing to put the losses behind him to prepare for the next game, Moniz said:
"Like coach (Greg McMackin) says, there's a 48-hour rule after the game. Whether you win or lose you have to let it go, because here comes the next one." (HSB)


About learning from his mistakes in the Nevada game, Moniz said:
"If you learn from it, but you don't make the adjustment the next week then it doesn't matter. You have to learn from it and correct it." (HSB)


About being benched as a starting QB as a junior and then earning the job as a senior, Rolo said:
"I just wasn't ready for the magnitude of the job at that point. I learned that within that year ... and decided I was going to do everything I could to make it better. I think Mo is at that point already. I think he came in at that point." (HSB)


HSB Note: "The coaches have modified Moniz's throwing regimen to make sure his arm stays fresh for game days. Backups Shane Austin and Brent Rausch took the reps in Monday's light practice and the trio shared snaps yesterday. Moniz will get the majority of the reps as the Warriors get into their heavier workdays today and tomorrow. Moniz had experienced some arm fatigue with his increased work since taking over as the starter. He sat out practices early last week while recovering from a mild concussion, and said the time off helped him regain the zip on his throws."


About how the coaches needed to reduce his throws in practice to prevent his arm from wearing out, Moniz said:
"Six days of throwing a thousand balls or whatever it is, my arm was starting to fall off. The coaches are really helping me out with letting my arm rest yesterday and today. This past week my arm felt good." (HSB)


http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091104/SPORTS0201/911040366/-1/sportsfront

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20091104_Moniz_hopes_to_learn_from_mistakes.html

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