UH had a walk-through practice yesterday in the parking lot of their hotel

HSA Note: "After a 9-hour, nonstop flight and intensive meetings, the next thing on the Hawaii football team's to-do list was a kick-asphalt practice. For about 45 minutes yesterday, the Warriors had a walk-through practice in the back parking lot of the hotel where they are staying in preparation for Saturday's game against Army."


About practicing in bare feet in the parking lot, Haku Correa (who didn't pack sneakers for the 13-day road trip) said:
"I didn't want to wear my brand-new cleats." (HSA)


About how practicing in a parking lot brought back memories for him, Bryant Moniz said:
"I played football on the streets of Wahiawa all of the time. It's a little bit more windy than usual. It's a little cooler than Wahiawa. But I like it. The roads are paved better here, not like California Avenue." (HSA)


Asked about the parking lot, Rolo said:
"The 'turf' was a little hard." (HSA)


About how they got an extra practice on Saturday because they opened their season on Thursday, Mack said:
"We did a lot of the physical work (in practices Monday and Tuesday). After a long flight, I wanted them to go out and go through the plays." (HSA)


About how their defense worked on alignments and recognizing keys, Aaron Brown said:
"All you need are people to line up. It's about mental preparation." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Park Ridge is a New Jersey suburb. The hotel is surrounded by tall trees. Late yesterday afternoon, with the setting sun providing a twilight background, the temperature dipped into the high 60s."


About the pleasant football feather they had during their practice, Rich Miano said:
"It's wonderful football weather. Obviously, it's going to be more humid and hot at 12 o'clock Saturday. But it feels like you're in football country. You drive by the new stadium where the Jets and Giants play. You realize we're here to play Army. You couldn't ask for a better college venue." (HSA)


About the weather in New Jersey, Mouse Davis (who lived several miles away from where their hotel is when he was a head coach for a pro team in New Jersey) said:
"This is nice weather for here. It's just that I've got Hawaii in my blood, and it feels chilly." (HSA)


About how he is recovering quickly from his strained right calf (which normally requires 2 weeks of treatment), Laupepa Letuli said:
"For some reason. I'm healing fast." (HSA)


Praising their players for how they were during their practice, Miano said:
"These guys were really focused in. It proves it doesn't matter if you practice on a football field or in a parking lot. When the guys are focused in, you get a lot out of it." (HSA)


http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100909_UH_practices_on_tough_turf.html