Quotes from the UH-Fresno State game 10/9/10

FR = Official Fresno State Athletics website
HSA = Honolulu Star-Advertiser
FB = Fresno Bee

Note: UH Athletics' website did not have any quotes available the morning after the game so they are not included here.  I saw 3 AP stories but none had quotes about the game so AP is not included here either.

-------------------  Quotes from the UH coaches  ---------------------

About deferring after they won the coin toss to get their defense on the field first in the game, Mack said:
"Hey, I'm an old defensive guy and we were going to go with the defense on the field first if we won the coin flip (to start the game) and defer to the second half. We were out to change our luck." (HSA)


About how he told Alex Green before the game that they would be geyying him the ball a lot, Mack said:
"I told him before the game: 'We're going to feed you the ball.'  He's a big-time player. He doesn't get the credit he really deserves." (FB)


About how Mack had decided they would defer if they won the toss to change things up, offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich (Rolo) said:
"Greg (McMackin) said he wanted to do it a little different this time. He wanted to let the defense take the field first, if we won the toss." (HSA)


About how the coaches gave Alex Green extra work hitting the bag after his fumbles against La Tech, Rolo said:
"He knew what he needed to do. He knew he could play better." (HSA)


Asked if it was more satisfying to beat a team leaving the WAC for the MWC or to finally solve their 3rd quarter problem, Mouse Davis said:
"Both. Gotta love it." (HSA)


About how normally when a team decides to do something if they win the coin toss they don't end up losing the coin toss, Davis said:
"Usually when you decide something like that before the game you know what happens, right? You lose the darn coin toss." (HSA)


Praising their DL for the pass rush they generated in this game, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said:
"It was a coming-out party for the defensive line. I'm glad we were able to get the pressure with our four guys." (HSA)


------------------  Quotes from the UH players  ------------------------


About how it is harder for defenses to stop their offense when Alex Green is running well, Bryant Moniz said:
"When he's running like that it is harder for them (opponents) to key on our passing game and they had to respect (Green) and his running." (HSA)


Deflecting praise for playing with his turf toe injury, Moniz said:
"It's football. You're going to get banged up. If you get injured, you get treatment, then you go out there and play again." (HSA)


Praising Alex Green for rushing for 96 yards on 13 carries and 3 catches for 69 yards, Moniz said:
"He's a playmaker." (HSA)


About winning in Fresno after starting his college career at Fresno City, Moniz said:
"Beating Fresno State really doesn't mean more; it's just another game on our schedule. But it's nice to come back to Fresno and get a win where my college career started." (FB)


About how he believed in himself, even when no school offered him a scholarship, Moniz said:
"I've always believed in myself, even when no one knew who I was." (FB)


About how they knew that Moniz would be better this season after he learned their system, Greg Salas said:
"We saw flashes of brilliance the way he ended last season, and that was with him walking on and having limited reps. But we knew he'd be special once he had a summer and fall camp to learn the system." (FB)


About how their defense forced Fresno State to punt on their first possession, Greg Salas said:
"That got us fired up." (HSA)


About recovering Royce Pollard's fumble in the end zone for a TD, Salas said:
"I've had some easy ones where I was wide open but never one like that. Thanks, Royce." (HSA)

"I saw (the football) poke out. I wasn't sure if Royce got in the end zone or not. I just jumped on it. Instinct tells you to jump on the ball, and the big dog pile happened." (HSA)


Happy that they won at Fresno since UH may not play there anymore, Salas said:
"It's always great to come in here and get a win, especially because we're not going to play them anymore here." (HSA)


About being 11-point underdogs to Fresno State, Salas said:
"somebody better start respecting us soon." (HSA)


About his 8-yard TD reception to give them a 14-10 halftime lead, Salas said:
"It's concentration. I saw the ball in the air, and I wanted it to be mine." (HSA)


About how it was important that they scored a TD before halftime to take the lead, Salas said:
"Scoring at the end of the first half really broke their back, especially knowing that we'd get the ball first [in the third quarter]." (FB)


About how he needed to have a big game against Fresno State, Alex Green (96 yards and 3 TDs) said:
"Yes I knew I needed one." (HSA)


About how his mother and some friends decided to come to the Fresno game at the last minute so he had to pull back some tickets that he had promised to give to Chizzy Dimude, Green said:
"I didn't think my mom (Phyllis) was coming, but then she called me on Friday and said she was coming (from Oregon) with some friends. And she doesn't get to come down all the time. I told Chizzy (Dimude, a teammate), 'I'm sorry, but I got to keep a couple of those tickets. I hated to do it, but ... I had to have a good game this time." (HSA)


About how he fumbled a couple of times against La Tech and needed to play better, Green said:
"The main thing was I didn't play well last week and I knew I had to do a better job. I had to focus better on hanging onto the ball." (HSA)


About how they had tried 8 shovel passes this season before this game and had 3 drops and 2 passes for negative yards, Green said:
"It's a good play, and it does work." (HSA)


About how Moniz played well despite his turf toe injury that forced him to miss a practice this week, Green said:
"Mo is a ballplayer. For him to suck it up, on a turf toe, is something. It sounds petty, but it's a tough injury. He sucked it up and did his part." (HSA)


About how he didn't like UH's offense when he first joined UH, Green said:
"When I first got [to Hawaii] I was a little frustrated. But I realized it actually works." (FB)


About how they were able to run when Fresno State changed their defense, Green said:
"Once they went into that zone, we just ran it up the field." (FB


About how the Fresno State crowd can be difficult for opposing teams, Royce Pollard said:
"This is one of the craziest places. The crowd does its best to get in your head." (HSA)


About his fumble near the goal line that Salas recovered for a TD, Pollard said:
"I should have put two hands on it instead of trying to muscle it with one hand." (HSA)


About how their defense wanted to start the game strong to set the tone of the game, Corey Paredes said:
"We wanted to make a statement. We wanted to set the tempo from the start." (HSA)


About silencing the Fresno crowd, Elliott Purcell said:
"It's like a library. I can't hear anything. That was our goal: to leave the field in silence." (HSA)


About how dealing with the Fresno State team silences their fans, George Daily-Lyles said:
"We knew we were going into the belly of the beast. But all of that is hype, window dressing. If you silence the team, you silence the fans." (HSA)


About how they stopped Fresno State's express play, Daily-Lyles said:
"How do you stop the run. Hit them before they get upfield." (HSA)


About how Tony Tuioti gave a big speech during their pregame meeting before the Fresno game, Mana Silva said:
"He comes off as a humble guy, but in the locker room, he's electrifying. He rallies us up. He told us it's not about winning games, it's about winning championships. We have to keep moving forward on the road to a championship." (HSA)


About his key interception with UH up by 15 late in the game and Fresno State driving, Silva laughed and said:
"They were teasing me because I got no return yards. But I do what I can do to help." (HSA)


Praising how Moniz played with his injury, Kaniela Tuipulotu said:
"Mo is a tough guy. He could play D-line if he wanted." (HSA)


About having tape over a gash in his cheek and blood running down his face because his helmet came off during the game and he was cleated, Aaron Brown said:
"It's all good in love and war." (FB)


-------------  Quotes from the Fresno State coaches  ---------------

Praising UH for outplaying them, head coach Pat Hill said:
"We got outplayed tonight. It was a hard played football game, but we have to get back to work and be ready to play next week. We had a great crowd tonight and I hope they continue to support us. I can't really explain it. We just got outplayed. Hawaii is a very good offensive team, no doubt about it. They hit some big plays against us. The shuttle pass before halftime was a really big play." (FR)

"We got outplayed tonight. I thought defensively, we played hard, we contested every play. But there was some pinpoint passes made. We kept pressure on, but I tell you what, (Moniz) did a heck of a job for them tonight." (HSA)

"We got outplayed tonight. It happens all over the country." (FB)


About how they played hard but UH outplayed them, Hill said:
"I don't think it was a letdown. I don't think there was a not-care attitude. I thought they played very hard, and I thought Hawaii outplayed us tonight. Those are the hardest to accept." (FB)


Feeling their defense played well in the first half against UH's explosive offense, Hill said:
"I thought our defense in the first half really did a good job. In the second half, we kept coming after them. They just made some big third-down plays and second-down plays. They're really not a three-down team. They're an explosive team on any down." (HSA)


About how the game was going their way until UH had their 46-yard shovel pass that led to their go-ahead TD before halftime, Hill said:
"The game was going just the way we wanted it. Then they hit that shovel pass." (FB)


Praising Bryant Moniz for making plays while under pressure, Hill said:
"We played hard and contested every play, but there were some pinpoint passes made. It was not his best game, but the types of plays he made under duress were impressive. It was hard watching from the sideline at times." (FB)


About how they will bounce back from the loss, Hill said:
"This is one loss. It's a tough loss. We have no room for error now. We can still accomplish our goals and win the WAC but there is zero tolerance. We have a great group of senior leaders who I know will bounce back from this. We need to rebound the next couple of weeks and make sure when we get to November we are still in position to make a run." (FR)

"We have a good football team. We have to stay strong. We can't get down on this." (FB)


About how they struggled with their open field tackling, Hill said:
"Those are hard plays to make. You have to make those at the line of scrimmage." (FB)


------------  Quotes from the Fresno State players  ------------------


About how he missed a wide open player who would have scored a TD when they were on the 2-yard-line trailing 28-10, then loss 12 yards on the following play when he lost control on the ball, Jeff Colburn said:
"I missed a touchdown. A guy was wide open in the flats and I just didn't see him." (HSA)


About how their offense let down their defense, center Joe Bernardi said:
"Our defense played their butts off tonight, and we didn't give them any help. They gave us plenty of opportunities to catch up or even go ahead. We didn't make enough plays tonight on offense. Against that offense, you're never going to be able to stop them; you've got to be able to contain them." (HSA)


-------------------  Other Quotes after the game -----------------------


About how Fresno State officials told him that they were interested in scheduling after they move to the MWC, UH Athletic Director Jim Donovan (JD) said:
"They said they will get back to us on years and dates." (HSA)


About how he would like for UH to continue to play Fresno State in several sports, JD said:
"There has been a long association across the board that we would like to continue." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Fresno State associate athletic director Paul Ladwig said in a radio interview that UH could possibly tie in a visit to Fresno as the front half or back half of a two-game trip to the mainland when the Warriors play Nevada-Las Vegas."