HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
SJSU = San Jose State Athletics website
--------------------- Quotes from the UH coaches -------------------------
Proud of his players and giving credit to Coach Tomey for getting his players ready for the game, Mac said:
"I'm really proud of the way our guys competed in this game. As you could, see it went right down to the last play which is the kind of game we can expect with this team. I want to give coach Tomey a lot of credit for having his team ready to play. The guys on his team always play hard for him, and he's one of the best coaches in the country, and a great person." (SJSU)
"I am so proud of these guys,." (HA)
Asked if he's concerned with their problems on offense, Mac said:
"We obviously went with a new quarterback, and we tried to do our best to take the pressure off of his shoulders. Shane did some good things out there and we were able to get him settled by using the run. We could have made a few more plays in the first half, but we were able to make enough adjustments to get the win." (SJSU)
Praising Shane Austin's play in the game, Mac said:
"He (Austin) did a great job stepping in and stepping up. I'm very proud of him." (HA)
About how Bryant Moniz will not lose his starting QB job because of his injury, Mac said:
"He (Moniz) is not gonna lose his position because of an injury. That's sort of a rule I've had." (HA)
"If Mo's ready, he'll play. He's not going to lose his position because of an injury." (HSB)
Praising their defense for giving up just 1 TD, Mac said:
"I'm really proud of the defense we have. That's only one touchdown given up in the last two games, and it shows that our guys are really starting to get tough together. We're getting better and better, and they played hard until the very last whistle." (SJSU)
Asked how their sideline felt during SJSU's drive after they missed the FG late in the fourth quarter, Mac said:
"The strip was a huge play that stopped their drive for the game winning field goal. It reminded me of a game a few years ago against San Jose State, but it just proves that this is a game of inches and turnovers." (SJSU)
Praising how they played in overtime, Mac said:
"I was really happy with the offense in overtime. Then the defense held them to a couple of big plays on third and fourth down to secure our win. This win keeps us alive and anytime you get a win on the road it's a great thing." (SJSU)
About how he showed the end of the SJSU game in 2007 to his team when they were preparing for this game, Mac said:
"Maybe I got them thinking about it too much 'cause it came down to the end like that one." (HA)
About how Rich Miano suggested to him the showing of their 2007 win at SJSU, Mac said:
"(Associate coach) Rich Miano reminded me that it would be a good idea to show the last 6 minutes of the ballgame (in 2007), and it's unbelievable it comes right down to the last play." (HSB)
About Greg Salas playing with his sprained right foot, Mac said:
"Salas really sucked it up with his foot and came out and he balled out, he played hard." (HSB)
About their third straight win, Mac said:
"We've got a little streak going and it keeps us alive. We're in a single-elimination tournament and it keeps us alive." (HSB)
Praising Shane Austin's play in the game, offensive coordinator Ron Lee said:
"Shane did a great job coming through for us. He missed some things but he'll get better at those. He's learning." (HA)
Praising Shane Austin's play in his first start, QB coach Nick Rolovich said:
"The main thing you take from that is he never gave up, he never flinched. That's a tribute to his character. Now he's going to learn a lot from this game with the mistakes he had, but he also had some big-time throws." (HSB)
About how they called a speed option to the left for their game-winning TD in overtime (at the urging of OL coach Gordy Shaw), RB coach Brian Smith said:
"It was something that worked last year and the year before against them." (HA)
Praising Aaron Kia for his block on their game-winning TD run, Gordy Shaw said:
"He has to get the block for Leon to walk in like that. He had two false starts. He gave up a sack. There's a lot of responsibility that goes with that position. But he never gave up, and he made the big block." (HA)
---------------------- Quotes from the UH players --------------------------
About how the team believed they would score at the end of the game, Shane Austin said:
"You could see it in everybody's eyes that we were going to go down and score. There was no denying us." (HA)
About being the starter at QB, Austin said:
"It was a little different coming into a game knowing I would be the starter." (HA)
About how he wasn't announced as their starter until Friday, Austin said:
"I knew I had to prepare myself to be ready to start. It was just a feeling I had." (HA)
"The way I took it the whole week was just, 'get your mind ready to be starting.' They told me last night I was going to be the guy, but I was ready the whole week." (HSB)
About how they watched the final 6 minutes of their 2007 game at SJSU (UH came back from 14 points down to win in OT) instead of going out to a movie Friday night, Austin said:
"It pumped us up." (HA)
"(McMackin) showed us the very end (of the 2007 game) to show us to never stop believing and it ended up being a very similar story. That helped just to remind us you never what's going to happen and you have to stick in there and find a way to come out with a W." (HSB)
About how Jon Medeiros had 10 catches for 149 yards, Austin said:
"Jon kept getting open and he was making some big-time catches. There were some routes where he hadn't even broken and I just trusted that he was going to be there and he went up for the ball." (HSB)
About how he never really practiced the option play at UH since he had limited practice reps, but ran the play successfully for the game-winning TD, Austin said:
"But I ran the option in high school, so I knew a little about it." (HA)
"I felt very comfortable because we ran it a lot in high school. That was a big play for us in high school, that was probably one of the last times I ran it, but I still had it in the memory bank." (HSB)
About selling the option so that the defense focused on him and left the RB clear to score, Austin said:
"You want to hold the ball until the last second, and then let it go. Usually, you're going to get cleaned up. I got taken out on the play, but it was worth it." (HA)
About how Shane Austin had the defense focus on him when running the game-winning option play, enabling LWJ to score when he got the pitch, Leon Wright-Jackson said:
"Shane really sold it." (HA)
About how he knew that the game-winning option play would work, LWJ said:
"The way the defense was lined up, I could foresee it was going to be a good play. I concentrated on catching the pitch from Shane, the blocks were there, Kealoha ran off his guy, and I just ran as fast as I could to the end zone." (HSB)
About how they came up with 0 points in two straight trips to the red zone in the first half when they had a 7-0 lead, LWJ said:
"The defense was playing their hearts out and we would get down there and we couldn't finish. And they were behind us still. We just had to believe in each other and they picked us up when we were down." (HSB)
Praising Aaron Kia, LWJ said:
"A lot of people don't know how hard it is to be the backside tackle. Kia works hard. He puts in the effort. A lot of people need to get off of him. They don't understand unless they play that position. He did a great job. He sealed that block for me. And that's how we scored." (HA)
About how his block on the game-winning TD run helped make up for his consecutive false-start penalties earlier in the game, Aaron Kia said:
"That was on me. I take the blame." (HA)
About how Shane Austin and he were on the scout team together at UH, waiting for their chance to play, Jon Medeiros said:
"Pretty much the same boat, he's just a little younger. We've been through ups and downs on scout (team) and as backups. It's just hard work and you have to keep pushing. No matter where you are on the depth chart you have to keep pushing." (HSB)
About leading the chant during the timeout before the final play in overtime, Blaze Soares said:
"Everybody was saying, 'Believe.' Everybody believed in each other. We saw it on everybody's face, that determination, that want-to, that gotta have it. That feeling was awesome. I just loved it." (HA)
About Jeramy Bryant breaking up SJSU's final pass in overtime, Blaze said:
"That was an awesome play. We needed that. We believed." (HA)
About making the game-ending pass breakup in OT, Jeramy Bryant said:
"It was time to make a play. The strength of God worked through me and helped me make the play." (HA)
"Here we go. I missed almost four weeks and I was there to make a play. The coaches did a great job of putting us in position and God put me in position and I made the play." (HA)
"I should have made the (interception)." (HA)
About how SJSU tried to throw their final pass to Kevin Jurovich (SJSU's career leader in receptions), Bryant said:
"It was going to (Jurovich). He was getting us. You can't lock down a player who's good all game long. He's going to get his." (HA)
About playing the whole game despite not being able to practice much the past 3 weeks due to his injury, Bryant said:
"I wasn't tired or exhausted. In moments like that, you can't be. I wanted the pick, but it didn't happen that way." (HA)
About how this was his first game back after missing the previous 3 due to injury, Bryant said:
"This was my first game back and I wanted to make some plays. I was away too long." (HA)
About the first of his two interceptions, Lametrius Davis said:
"The quarterback threw hitch because he thought I was in man, but I stayed in cover 2 and had the underneath and I just picked it." (HSB)
About how he got 13 yards after his interception (his third straight game with an interception), Mana Silva said:
"I got some YAC (yards after catch), I was hoping for a touchdown. I'll keep working and hopefully I'll get one." (HSB)
About being inspired by UH's comeback in 2007 at SJSU, Tuiaka Tufaga (who was redshirting at UH in 2007) said:
"I watched that one from home. Before we went out there (in the fourth quarter)." (HA)
A teammate told Tufaga before the 4th quarter began:
"this time it is our turn. Remember how we watched it in '07?" (HA)
About how they should have blown out SJSU, Tufaga said:
"It should have been like 44-0." (HA)
About how their team believed they would win, Tufaga said:
"We dug deep, just like the boys did back then (in '07). We believed." (HA)
About causing the fumble that stopped SJSU's drive with less than a minute to go in the 4th quarter, Tufaga said:
"We got off the ball, I saw the running back (Lamon Muldrow) coming down my gap and I did my job. I was just trying to slam him to the ground and it was a plus that the ball came out." (HSB)
About how their defense was fired up when their offense scored a TD in overtime, Tufaga said:
"(After the offense scored) our confidence level was going up so high because everybody knew our defense was going to come strong at the end." (HSB)
-------------------- Quotes from the SJSU coaches -----------------------
After the loss, Coach Tomey gave this opening statement:
"I'm very disappointed but I'm really proud of our guys. The way they played and fought. We had a game like that with them last year we had a game like that with them two years ago. That was two overtime games in two times here and one game over there that was as close as the two games here. Given what our guys have been through this year I'm really proud that they fought because a lot of teams with less character, if they went through what we went through in the first half, would not have been as resilient. I think that shows tremendous character. I thought Kyle Reed came in and gave us a lift when we needed it. We were just stalled out flat and he gave us a lift. Obviously there were some plays that made a difference that we didn't make and they made but as I have told our team we have two weeks left together and we are going to do everything we can to give them a chance to celebrate before this is over." (SJSU)
About the flow of the game, Tomey said:
"I think that Hawaii is a football program that is the second winningest program in our conference over the last eight to ten years. We were in real danger in the first half of being way behind but our defense wouldn't let that happen. Our offense got a drive and made some plays and then the second half was dead even. I'm real proud of the way the guys fought. It was a tough game between two teams that really wanted to win and we came up short so we give them the credit." (SJSU)
Proud of the way his team played in this game, Tomey said:
"I think this was as good an effort as we've had. I think we played with bad field position because of offensive turnovers early. We showed tremendous resiliency and fighting them off deep in our end. Our offense got the running game going and obviously the unfortunate fumble at the end was tough because we were moving towards field goal range." (SJSU)
"As I told our team, we've got two weeks left together. We're going to do everything we can to give them a chance to celebrate before this is over. I'm just proud of their effort and their resiliency and the way they battled through a tough week." (HA)
"I'm disappointed, but I'm really proud of my guys. Given what our guys have been through this year, I'm really proud that they fought, because a lot of teams with less character ... would not have been as resilient." (HSB)
Proud of their coaches and players, Tomey said:
"I really appreciate our coaching staff and our players because this has been a very difficult week for everybody and I'm very proud of our players and the way they played." (SJSU)
"I really appreciate our coaching staff and our players because this has been a very, very difficult week for everybody. Uncertainty is sometimes the most difficult thing. These guys are just extraordinary people." (HSB)
About how he responded when a player told him that they wanted to win the game for him, Tomey said:
"I said, 'No, you need to win this for all of us together. We need to play our butts off. But you guys have given me everything that anyone could ever want from a team.' And I love them for that." (HA)
"No. You need to win this for all of us. Together." (HSB)
About how they are going to try to win another game this season (they have 2 games left), Tomey said:
"As I told our team, we've got two weeks left together and we're going to do everything we can to give them a chance to celebrate before this is over." (HSB)
About competing against UH, Tomey said:
"I have so many connections there. People probably make too much of that, but it's all true. There's a lot of people on that sideline that are really good friends of mine, have been players and coaches that I've worked with and I love them dearly, as well." (HA)
"I have so many connections there. Probably people make too much of that. ... It's all true." (HSB)
-------------------- Quotes from the SJSU players -------------------------
Asked if he thought he would play that much, QB Kyle Reed said:
"No, not at all. There was no indication I might get a chance. I was the back-up quarterback. He (Jordan La Secla) wasn't playing so well, so they gave me a shot. This is the most I've played since SC (USC on September 5). It definitely took me a minute to get into a groove and feel comfortable out there. It was after the second interception that he said he wanted me to play." (SJSU)
About how Coach Tomey did not change after announcing his retirement, Reed said:
"Coach Tomey is a great person. He still keeps the same energy, day in and day out, no matter what's going on. He came at our daily practices, routines and regimens the same as he would any other day. I don't think anything changed in terms of him, because of what he's doing or the decisions he's made. We respect Coach Tomey as much as we did before." (SJSU)
About how Coach Tomey did not want the players to make this game about him, Reed said:
"We tried to make the game about him, but he directly said this isn't about him, it's about us as a team, about the coaching staff, the seniors going out. He took the energy off of him when we tried to focus it on him. He said it's about what we have to do, our pride, or family we created. He said he wanted us to do it for each other." (SJSU)
"We tried to make it about him at the beginning. But he said this isn't about him. It's about us as a team, about the seniors, about the coaching staff. He wanted us to do it for each other." (HSB)
About their final play in overtime, Reed said:
"We thought the corner would have an inside leverage on Jurovich and we could get a speed out and get a first down. They ended up rolling a man. I feel like my progression should have gone back inside." (SJSU)
About his TD run, Reed said:
"It was a zone-read play. I saw the end get blocked. So, I knew I only had to beat one person to the end zone." (SJSU)
About their running game, Reed said:
"I felt like we had a good night tonight. People executed. The defense also played a big part in us being able to keep having chances to try and make scores." (SJSU)
About how they battled on defense, LB Pompey Festejo said:
"We fought. We fought hard. We played through adversity on defense. We battled. I do believe this was our best effort on defense as a team." (SJSU)
About UH's TD in overtime, Festejo said:
"When they were under center, they ran an inside zone, but they came back with a speed option on the boundary and it seemed to work well. With that play, it was real difficult to get over the top." (SJSU)
About Coach Tomey's retirement, Festejo said:
"It hit everybody differently. Myself, I was speechless. All of the coaches have a specific place in my heart. Our coaches are father figures. We consider them family." (SJSU)
---------------- Other quotes from the game ------------------------
Praising Coach Tomey (who was his coach at UH and who he served as a graduate assistant coach under at UH), UH Athletic Director Jim Donovan said:
"For the state of Hawai'i, he really ushered us into the Division I age. We easily averaged 42, 44 thousand (fans) a game. It was the place to be for everyone on a Saturday night. He really rallied the whole community around UH football. I think ever since he coached at Hawai'i, he very quickly adapted to Hawai'i's culture. He became an adopted son. Everyone knows him, loves him. ... He really put us on the map. He's got to be very proud." (HA)
About Tomey's emotional state after announcing his retirement, his wife Nanci Kincaid said after the game:
"I think he's an emotional man, period. As he said in his press conference, he likes to feel the pain and the joy. So I think he felt the pain. ... I think at this point he feels good about his decision." (HA)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment