Happy to be back at UH, GM said:
"It's great to be back. I'm really enjoying Hawai'i." (HA)
"June is the best coach in the country. It's so important, to me, to coach with guys I like, guys who are good people. June is definitely that. And he's hired a staff of guys who are great people. It was a no-brainer to come back." (HA)
About how he told GM to take the $350k Texas Tech job, a huge raise over the $90k GM earned at UH, JJ said:
"I told him he needed to take that job." (HA)
About his wife, GM said:
"My wife was there when June called. She was excited about (the offer). Heather is the best as a football wife. She's been through it. It's tough on wives. You're gone a lot, and you work long hours. She understands that.
We've been married a long time. We were childhood sweethearts. I used to watch her when I was an eighth grader dive into the pool. She never made a splash. That made a big impression on me. We finally got together (in high school), and went out. Springfield (Ore.) is a small town. You know everybody. She's been my best friend for many years. She's very understanding, and she's into the game. She knows what's going on in the game. She's helped a lot of young coaches' wives along the way. It's a tough business. She's been the best at it." (HA)
Asked about his managing style, GM said:
"Just like June, I believe you have to get your work done. But I believe there's no reason to meet just to meet. If you have your work done, you should be able to be with your family. I try to get (the assistant coaches) out of the office as soon as possible, and just let them be with their families. That's what it's all about, anyway.
I've worked with both kinds — guys who worked 24 hours a day, and guys who get their work done and get out of there. (The latter is) how June is. Your head coach has to believe in that, in wanting for you to get with your family." (HA)
Asked about distributing coaching assignments, GM said:
"I believe if you have good coaches, you should let them coach. I put a lot of responsibility on the coaches. We have good coaches. They're top guys. They really relate to the players. Rich Miano, Cal Lee, George Lumpkin and Jeff Reinebold are just outstanding coaches. Everybody is on the same page, teaching the same package. You get a lot more done when you break it up and let the coaches coach. They picked it up right off the bat. We talked about what we were going to put in, and we went out and did it. I thought we had an outstanding spring." (HA)
About implementing a new defense (the 4-3), GM said:
"Package wise, the big decision was between playing 3-4, which we had (the past two years), and 4-3. After talking to the defensive staff and looking at it, the 4-3 fit our personnel so much better. I've always been a 4-3 guy, with a touch of 3-4 in it. So that's the direction we went. I basically got the package in playbooks and PowerPoint. The secretaries and our staff did a good job of getting that together. We had all of that for spring (practice)." (HA)
Asked about returning to college football, GM said:
"I love college football. You can have an influence on these young men. In the pros, it's a business. They have their accountant and agent. Here, you can touch a person's life and help the young man. Here, it's still a game. They have other things going on, such as academics. In the pros, it's about money. I really enjoyed the pros. It was great coaching guys at the level. But it's purely Xs and Os. It's different. I like the college atmosphere. I like the idea of having a chance to help somebody.
I met with each (defensive player) after spring practice. It's important to get to know them. It's important to let them know you care about them as a person instead of only as a player on the field. The players are the most important aspect of the program. If they need to talk to you, you need to drop what you're doing and talk to them. If you're in a meeting or you're in your office, they should feel they can come in and talk to you." (HA)
Asked how UH compares to BCS teams, GM said:
"I don't think this is a smaller program. June has made this into a big program. I can't believe what he and his staff have done. Really, the budget is the same (as it was in 1999). The coaches have had one raise in eight years. The defensive room is exactly the same when I was here. The recruiting budget is the same. And they're beating people like Alabama and BYU and Arizona State and Purdue and Michigan State. I'd like to put the SC coach or the Florida State coach in that situation. June has done it without a lot of things. Putting 11 guys in the pros (this year), that's remarkable. I don't look at it as a small program. I look at it as June building a tradition. He cares about his coaches and players. I think he's a genius and the best coach in the game." (HA)
Asked about the difference between this team and the 99 team, GM said:
"I think the depth and the quality are better in the front seven, but that '99 team had the greatest heart of anybody I've seen. This group is just fun to coach. They really want to get better. They have a great attitude." (HA)
Asked how his defense has changed, GM said:
"It hasn't changed a lot. Football has been going on for a long time. There aren't a lot of original ideas. We will change if the offense makes a change. Football evolves. We've added several things, mainly (pass) coverages. Now the zone is a big part of it. We have a package for that. If teams try to take advantage of something, at this point, we have an answer for it. I'm sure somebody will come up with something that we'll have to adjust to." (HA)
Asked about their LBs, GM said:
"We're going to play Adam (Leonard) on the outside and inside. He's going to be our joker (pass rusher) in our Okie package (3-3-5 alignment). We're putting a lot of things on Adam. He's a talent. He's a good player.
Solomon (Elimimian) is our starting middle linebacker. We're going to roll four guys (in the three positions), so Adam will play inside, too. We're going to roll Blaze (Soares), Solomon, Adam and Brad (Kalilimoku). Cal (Lee, the linebacker coach) feels those guys are all starters, so they're all going to play. They're first-string guys.
I think Blaze is a big-time player. If he continues to grow with Cal, he has a chance to be one of the best to ever come out of here. He has the speed. He has the instinct. He's a great hitter. He has that look in his eyes. Some of those great 'backers have that look in their eyes — (Jeff) Ulbrich, Ray Lewis — and he has that look." (HA)
Asked about recruiting, GM gave an excellent answer:
"I'll be involved in defensive recruiting. Texas has a lot of players. Mississippi has JC players. The way I look at it, if we need immediate help at a position, we'll recruit a JC guy. Other than that, we'll go for high school guys. The local recruiting will always be the biggest part of this program." (HA)
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Quotes from Leonard Peters
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=6810180
About how he didn't even think he could play football in college, LP said:
"I don't even think I was thinking college when I came out of high school. I was just glad coach (Rich) Miano gave me the opportunity to come and play college. He gave a lot of words of encouragement that helped me through college and so its a great opportunity for me to take a big step in my life." (KHNL)
About the Jets, LP said:
"Just being in New York, you know big city, its like Vegas the city that never sleeps, its business up there and you're under the spotlight. You know it felt like my freshman year in college, you don't know what to expect but you're excited at the same time." (KHNL)
About how he is the underdog to make the roster, LP said:
"Its a good thing because it makes for a good story, you know if you make the team you can tell the kids what you had to go through. For me it doesn't matter if I was a draft pick or a free agent, just making the team is good enough for me." (KHNL)
About how he didn't even think he could play football in college, LP said:
"I don't even think I was thinking college when I came out of high school. I was just glad coach (Rich) Miano gave me the opportunity to come and play college. He gave a lot of words of encouragement that helped me through college and so its a great opportunity for me to take a big step in my life." (KHNL)
About the Jets, LP said:
"Just being in New York, you know big city, its like Vegas the city that never sleeps, its business up there and you're under the spotlight. You know it felt like my freshman year in college, you don't know what to expect but you're excited at the same time." (KHNL)
About how he is the underdog to make the roster, LP said:
"Its a good thing because it makes for a good story, you know if you make the team you can tell the kids what you had to go through. For me it doesn't matter if I was a draft pick or a free agent, just making the team is good enough for me." (KHNL)
Quotes from JJ, Part 3
Asked about the change in his recruiting philosophy, with early scholarship offers, JJ said:
"We did that last year. I don't know looking back on it. We have already offered a lot of kids this year. But to be quite honest I don't know whether that works or not. ... We haven't seen the kids yet, some of them are still struggling with grades and we don't know if they're going to make it, and if we have kids we like, we've already given that scholarship to other guys.
The bottom line is we can offer a million guys and if you don't ever call the guy back he'll de-commit and go someplace else.
But we have done it. On the top kids it matters. That quarterback we had (Robert Marve, who chose Miami over Hawaii), we wouldn't have even had a shot at that kid if we didn't offer him on the phone." (HSB)
Asked about his plan to station a coach on the mainland for recruiting purposes, JJ said:
"Yeah, but I was going to move a guy to do that and then I'd let Greg (defensive coordinator McMackin) just be one short and he didn't want to do that this year, so ... but, yes.
For 30 years we had three coaches on offense and three on defense and a head coach. The NFL has 25 coaches (per team) now. I'm going, 'No wonder these guys get so screwed up.' That's what happens. You've got 13 guys on defense, you've got one head coach. And you've got 12 guys who don't believe in the coordinator that's doing it. You used to have to worry about three guys, now you have to worry about 12 guys trying to get you (fired)." (HSB)
AskeD if he had 13 assistants when he was an offensive coordinator, JJ said:
"No. My owner loved me. I'll get a line coach, a receivers coach, and a running backs coach." (HSB)
Asked what Duff's job will be, JJ said:
"It's up to Greg to assign him. I think he's doing most of the defensive computer stuff. But he'll have some gameday responsibilities." (HSB)
Asked about his new GA, Brian Kajiyama, JJ said:
"Brian's great. He keeps us all in good spirits all the time. It was his birthday today, we had a little party for him. He'll do a lot of the computer stuff and a lot of the recruiting background. He's a great kid." (HSB)
Asked if he heard about the plan for a 4-team playoff for the naional title, JJ said:
"I did hear that. That won't be until 2011. I might not be alive in 2011.
I would say they could ... and they could utilize the bowl games still and they could stagger them so the money is still the same. And rotate just like they do with the games now ... kind of makes sense. I would think if they were to do something like that you'd always have somebody who was down at three, four, five that thinks they're the best in the country." (HSB)
Asked if the gap is closing between the mid-majors and the BCS or if programs like UH and BSU are just an aberration, JJ said:
"I don't know because we're not really around it a lot. But I don't see a whole lot of difference. Fresno State, not last year but the previous two or three years, even though they lost two or three at the end, they had SC beat that year, kind of let it get away from them and went downhill. But, I don't know how to answer that.
Certainly the conferences, the top four or five teams in our conference -- if you were at Mississippi, week in and week out in the SEC is more physical than in the WAC down the line with the lower of the 10 teams. But if you go play Boise, you go play Fresno, you go play Reno, all of those schools can compete in the top conferences." (HSB)
Asked if BSU's accomplishments and Colt's success would inspire other WAC programs to make real commitments to football, to invest more dollars and hire more established coaches, JJ said:
"I think schools are making some steps to get better. San Jose, New Mexico State, those teams are going to be better. And because of their coaches there's going to be consistency too, which you have to have. If you're constantly changing this, changing that, you've got no chance to stay consistent winning and keep the tradition going. It's very hard to do that." (HSB)
Asked if they should have done a lot of scheduling when they were 3-9, JJ said:
"Thank you. That's the way it should have been. I agree. (All the big BCS teams). All of them.
Now it's harder. The only way you can -- to me, the next five years it's going to be harder if we have openings. ... Even that is going to be costly because we're going to have to pay a I-AA team, because I-AA teams are being paid on the mainland to go to UCLA, to go to Stanford, to go wherever.
But what should be done is 2012 through 2018, we should have all of them done. And they should be done now. Because even a coach would just say, 'Yeah, go ahead.' Because six years from now he might be dead or not here. Yeah, exactly.
A lot of those teams would give reasons why they don't want to, the money will change, we'll wait. Well, just put it in the contract: 'Teams will have the right to renegotiate that in 2011 for the 2013 game.' But get them on the hook. There are ways to solve that problem.
I'm still kind of waiting to see if there are any repercussions on the Hawaii exemption." (HSB)
Asked if he thought there was a chance he'd be here this long, JJ said:
"Well, I was thinking I'd end my career here. But I've never been at any place this long. Two years is the longest I've been somewhere (other than three years as head coach in Atlanta.) Well, I was in Atlanta longer because I was an assistant with Jerry (Glanville). That was my longest stay." (HSB)
Asked if he thought he'd make $1 mil in a year, JJ said:
"No. But college football has changed so much in the last 10 years. You couldn't predict it. And I didn't come here for the money. It was just a by-product of college football." (HSB)
Asked if there was a way his contract would get done before the season starts, JJ said:
I'm just going to let them deal with it. I don't know what the procedure is on it. My whole (pro) career I never had a contract. So having one is new to me.
I remember almost every job that I had in the NFL, they offered it at two (years) and I always took one. Because I had a lot of confidence in the places that I was at, if it was really bad and they were giving you two or three years for nothing. And you'd turn it around and you can't make any money. And if you have a two-year contract (success in the first year) it isn't going to help you.
But most coaches are into security, you know, they get fired, they want to have the contract." (HSB)
Asked about how coaching is not a profession with a lot of security, JJ said:
"Exactly. I lived in 18 cities in 15 years. But I climbed the ladder very quickly.
I'm talking about these are full moves, furniture. Two full moves in one year twice." (HSB)
"We did that last year. I don't know looking back on it. We have already offered a lot of kids this year. But to be quite honest I don't know whether that works or not. ... We haven't seen the kids yet, some of them are still struggling with grades and we don't know if they're going to make it, and if we have kids we like, we've already given that scholarship to other guys.
The bottom line is we can offer a million guys and if you don't ever call the guy back he'll de-commit and go someplace else.
But we have done it. On the top kids it matters. That quarterback we had (Robert Marve, who chose Miami over Hawaii), we wouldn't have even had a shot at that kid if we didn't offer him on the phone." (HSB)
Asked about his plan to station a coach on the mainland for recruiting purposes, JJ said:
"Yeah, but I was going to move a guy to do that and then I'd let Greg (defensive coordinator McMackin) just be one short and he didn't want to do that this year, so ... but, yes.
For 30 years we had three coaches on offense and three on defense and a head coach. The NFL has 25 coaches (per team) now. I'm going, 'No wonder these guys get so screwed up.' That's what happens. You've got 13 guys on defense, you've got one head coach. And you've got 12 guys who don't believe in the coordinator that's doing it. You used to have to worry about three guys, now you have to worry about 12 guys trying to get you (fired)." (HSB)
AskeD if he had 13 assistants when he was an offensive coordinator, JJ said:
"No. My owner loved me. I'll get a line coach, a receivers coach, and a running backs coach." (HSB)
Asked what Duff's job will be, JJ said:
"It's up to Greg to assign him. I think he's doing most of the defensive computer stuff. But he'll have some gameday responsibilities." (HSB)
Asked about his new GA, Brian Kajiyama, JJ said:
"Brian's great. He keeps us all in good spirits all the time. It was his birthday today, we had a little party for him. He'll do a lot of the computer stuff and a lot of the recruiting background. He's a great kid." (HSB)
Asked if he heard about the plan for a 4-team playoff for the naional title, JJ said:
"I did hear that. That won't be until 2011. I might not be alive in 2011.
I would say they could ... and they could utilize the bowl games still and they could stagger them so the money is still the same. And rotate just like they do with the games now ... kind of makes sense. I would think if they were to do something like that you'd always have somebody who was down at three, four, five that thinks they're the best in the country." (HSB)
Asked if the gap is closing between the mid-majors and the BCS or if programs like UH and BSU are just an aberration, JJ said:
"I don't know because we're not really around it a lot. But I don't see a whole lot of difference. Fresno State, not last year but the previous two or three years, even though they lost two or three at the end, they had SC beat that year, kind of let it get away from them and went downhill. But, I don't know how to answer that.
Certainly the conferences, the top four or five teams in our conference -- if you were at Mississippi, week in and week out in the SEC is more physical than in the WAC down the line with the lower of the 10 teams. But if you go play Boise, you go play Fresno, you go play Reno, all of those schools can compete in the top conferences." (HSB)
Asked if BSU's accomplishments and Colt's success would inspire other WAC programs to make real commitments to football, to invest more dollars and hire more established coaches, JJ said:
"I think schools are making some steps to get better. San Jose, New Mexico State, those teams are going to be better. And because of their coaches there's going to be consistency too, which you have to have. If you're constantly changing this, changing that, you've got no chance to stay consistent winning and keep the tradition going. It's very hard to do that." (HSB)
Asked if they should have done a lot of scheduling when they were 3-9, JJ said:
"Thank you. That's the way it should have been. I agree. (All the big BCS teams). All of them.
Now it's harder. The only way you can -- to me, the next five years it's going to be harder if we have openings. ... Even that is going to be costly because we're going to have to pay a I-AA team, because I-AA teams are being paid on the mainland to go to UCLA, to go to Stanford, to go wherever.
But what should be done is 2012 through 2018, we should have all of them done. And they should be done now. Because even a coach would just say, 'Yeah, go ahead.' Because six years from now he might be dead or not here. Yeah, exactly.
A lot of those teams would give reasons why they don't want to, the money will change, we'll wait. Well, just put it in the contract: 'Teams will have the right to renegotiate that in 2011 for the 2013 game.' But get them on the hook. There are ways to solve that problem.
I'm still kind of waiting to see if there are any repercussions on the Hawaii exemption." (HSB)
Asked if he thought there was a chance he'd be here this long, JJ said:
"Well, I was thinking I'd end my career here. But I've never been at any place this long. Two years is the longest I've been somewhere (other than three years as head coach in Atlanta.) Well, I was in Atlanta longer because I was an assistant with Jerry (Glanville). That was my longest stay." (HSB)
Asked if he thought he'd make $1 mil in a year, JJ said:
"No. But college football has changed so much in the last 10 years. You couldn't predict it. And I didn't come here for the money. It was just a by-product of college football." (HSB)
Asked if there was a way his contract would get done before the season starts, JJ said:
I'm just going to let them deal with it. I don't know what the procedure is on it. My whole (pro) career I never had a contract. So having one is new to me.
I remember almost every job that I had in the NFL, they offered it at two (years) and I always took one. Because I had a lot of confidence in the places that I was at, if it was really bad and they were giving you two or three years for nothing. And you'd turn it around and you can't make any money. And if you have a two-year contract (success in the first year) it isn't going to help you.
But most coaches are into security, you know, they get fired, they want to have the contract." (HSB)
Asked about how coaching is not a profession with a lot of security, JJ said:
"Exactly. I lived in 18 cities in 15 years. But I climbed the ladder very quickly.
I'm talking about these are full moves, furniture. Two full moves in one year twice." (HSB)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Quotes from JJ, Part 2
Asked who was their best blocking RB, JJ said:
"(David) Farmer. He'll get his time. There will be times when I know he knows what to do. The other kids, I don't know if they know what to do yet.
It matters because it's all about the quarterback. The fullback is a sixth offensive lineman without the tight end. You've got to have a guy who when the line screws up he knows that the line screwed up." (HSB)
Asked if the fans don't know about Farmer because he doesn't have a YouTube video, JJ laughed and said:
"(Laughs.) He's just a solid team player, played on special teams last year. He played (offense). ... I played him at times because he knew what to do." (HSB)
Asked who was the best blocking back he ever had, JJ said:
"Craig Heyward was the best I ever had, in the pros. In college, probably the best I've ever had in knowing what to do was Afatia (Thompson). You know, like Farmer. Afatia wasn't fast like Farmer, about the same speed, but he knew who to block and what to do. Actually, to be honest, a guy who I should say is better than Afatia is Michael Brewster. He was only 5-foot-6, 185 pounds, but he was as good as anybody I've had." (HSB)
Asked if Leon Wright-Jackson has ever been asked to block, JJ said:
"I feel comfortable after watching film of him running. When guys come he'll power run, so he's not afraid, he'll initiate contact when he's running. So if he'll do that he'll be fine." (HSB)
Asked how the defense is handling the transition from Glanville to McMackin, JJ said:
"Greg is unique in how he does stuff, just like Jerry's unique in what he does and Greg has the same philosophy that I want -- that's why I brought him here in '99. He's always fielding one of the top takeaway teams wherever he's been. We were when he was here in '99. And that goes with what we do offensively. They don't have to stop anybody, if they take the ball away and give us more chances, we win." (HSB)
Asked how a defensive coach like Buddy Ryan bought into his takeaway philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"Oh, Buddy Ryan could work with me. That's why it's freaky. I'll never forget this, when he was in Philadelphia they won 27-0. He's in the press conference (upset) ... 'We didn't take the ball away today!' And he also realized that that's the only thing that matters on defense. If you give us four more chances on offense, we're going to win. Takeaways and being the top offensive team win more games than any other combination." (HSB)
Asked if it was hard to get defensive coaches to buy into the takeaway philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"It is, because it's been inbred in them for so long that you want to burn the clock. And I said, If you don't want to be on the field get off the field! Stop 'em in three plays. (Take the ball away.) Yeah, exactly. Get me on the field!
So the mind-set was not that way. I think any defensive coach who coached for me ... I guarantee you they'd rather coach in what we do than coach with what other coaches do. Because I don't hassle them. I say just get off the field and be aggressive and take the ball away. I don't care if they score. Just go get the ball." (HSB)
Asked if the defensive coaches like his aggressive philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"Exactly. You hold onto your rear end, in every game if you make a mistake in the fourth quarter you're going to lose. I'd rather play the other way. Go blitz. Just go blitz, I don't care. If you sack 'em that's great, if you get a pick, that's great, if they score, that's OK, too." (HSB)
Asked if he ever told a defensive coordinator to let the other team score, JJ said:
"No, I've never told anybody that. But I've had games where I knew they were going to run out the clock and kick a field goal with no time. It's kind of like basketball, the philosophy of letting them have the last shot. They're running down the clock, should you foul them, let them make the one-and-one, and then you've got enough time to make the last shot, or are you going to let them go down the final second, take the shot, and you lose?" (HSB)
Asked what new players might surprise the fans this season, JJ said:
"Of the new guys coming in? I would say Leon Jackson obviously, just off his tapes. I haven't seen him yet. But I would say he's a guy who might have the opportunity to make a lot of big plays. The two linemen coming in, Sila Lefiti and Austin Hansen, are going to be competitive on the O-line right away. Defensively, the kid from Hoover High School (Ala.), Korey Reynolds, can run. He can run and he's 240. We need to decide whether he's a D-end or outside 'backer. He'll probably play like Cameron Allen-Jones did, he might play some offense in that big slot position, too. And Chris Leatigaga on the defensive line, he's a player." (HSB)
About how he's said that Graunke will play more this season, JJ was asked if Graunke would have a different role and answered:
"Probably the same. I've put him in in the first quarter, second quarter, that kind of thing. He's done that for a couple years. But more this year." (HSB)
Asked if he expected to attract more QBs because Colt is a senior and has so much success, JJ said:
"We've gotten more video the last six months than we've ever had, even Dan (quarterbacks coach Morrison) said. Because he looks at every one of them. And then he brings me down and says, 'You need to look at these 10 guys.' And he's gotten more this year than ever before from guys who can play. He didn't know if it just happens to be one of those years or more kids sending it because of Colt's success. I think we're a combination of both. I mean, we've been on national TV. College Football Today, and everybody watches that stuff." (HSB)
Asked if playing in the daytime on the mainland helped with exposure, JJ said:
"I don't know if the time thing hurts us. Like you say, Alabama, that's why that (Miami recruit Robert) Marve kid called us, he was on a visit at Alabama, that weekend, he saw us and he called us.
I think the Florida thing next year would help us. I don't know if it's the daytime or East Coast time, every thing helps. That's one of the reasons I wanted to play the (military) academies, because they get covered. The New York Times, the Washington Post, they cover Navy. You know, they cover Army. The Army game was here, but it got that kind of national exposure that maybe 1 o'clock games get." (HSB)
Asked why UH doesn't have more games scheduled against academies (just Navy in 2009), JJ said:
"I have no idea. I know Paul Johnson was here, I played golf with him. He doesn't want to play us. But we've been talking about it since 1999. Now, we have scheduled (all the academies) since I've been here. But why don't we have five years -- like that deal with Colorado? Why don't we play Air Force five straight years? In 2011, -12, -13, -14, -15 right now? Or you know, why don't we have Army -- Army says 'We're filled up through 2012.' OK, we'll take 2013 through 2017.
We can't play Army or Navy unless there's a bye week after the game, and the Army-Navy game must be the last game. They won't go past that. I told them (come late). (Paul Johnson) said, 'That's it, we can't go past that.' ... I said, We'll come up there.
It would be a hell of a game because he can move the ball against anybody, they've proven that. But he knows that they would have trouble stopping us because they don't have the athletes in the secondary." (HSB)
"(David) Farmer. He'll get his time. There will be times when I know he knows what to do. The other kids, I don't know if they know what to do yet.
It matters because it's all about the quarterback. The fullback is a sixth offensive lineman without the tight end. You've got to have a guy who when the line screws up he knows that the line screwed up." (HSB)
Asked if the fans don't know about Farmer because he doesn't have a YouTube video, JJ laughed and said:
"(Laughs.) He's just a solid team player, played on special teams last year. He played (offense). ... I played him at times because he knew what to do." (HSB)
Asked who was the best blocking back he ever had, JJ said:
"Craig Heyward was the best I ever had, in the pros. In college, probably the best I've ever had in knowing what to do was Afatia (Thompson). You know, like Farmer. Afatia wasn't fast like Farmer, about the same speed, but he knew who to block and what to do. Actually, to be honest, a guy who I should say is better than Afatia is Michael Brewster. He was only 5-foot-6, 185 pounds, but he was as good as anybody I've had." (HSB)
Asked if Leon Wright-Jackson has ever been asked to block, JJ said:
"I feel comfortable after watching film of him running. When guys come he'll power run, so he's not afraid, he'll initiate contact when he's running. So if he'll do that he'll be fine." (HSB)
Asked how the defense is handling the transition from Glanville to McMackin, JJ said:
"Greg is unique in how he does stuff, just like Jerry's unique in what he does and Greg has the same philosophy that I want -- that's why I brought him here in '99. He's always fielding one of the top takeaway teams wherever he's been. We were when he was here in '99. And that goes with what we do offensively. They don't have to stop anybody, if they take the ball away and give us more chances, we win." (HSB)
Asked how a defensive coach like Buddy Ryan bought into his takeaway philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"Oh, Buddy Ryan could work with me. That's why it's freaky. I'll never forget this, when he was in Philadelphia they won 27-0. He's in the press conference (upset) ... 'We didn't take the ball away today!' And he also realized that that's the only thing that matters on defense. If you give us four more chances on offense, we're going to win. Takeaways and being the top offensive team win more games than any other combination." (HSB)
Asked if it was hard to get defensive coaches to buy into the takeaway philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"It is, because it's been inbred in them for so long that you want to burn the clock. And I said, If you don't want to be on the field get off the field! Stop 'em in three plays. (Take the ball away.) Yeah, exactly. Get me on the field!
So the mind-set was not that way. I think any defensive coach who coached for me ... I guarantee you they'd rather coach in what we do than coach with what other coaches do. Because I don't hassle them. I say just get off the field and be aggressive and take the ball away. I don't care if they score. Just go get the ball." (HSB)
Asked if the defensive coaches like his aggressive philosophy for the D, JJ said:
"Exactly. You hold onto your rear end, in every game if you make a mistake in the fourth quarter you're going to lose. I'd rather play the other way. Go blitz. Just go blitz, I don't care. If you sack 'em that's great, if you get a pick, that's great, if they score, that's OK, too." (HSB)
Asked if he ever told a defensive coordinator to let the other team score, JJ said:
"No, I've never told anybody that. But I've had games where I knew they were going to run out the clock and kick a field goal with no time. It's kind of like basketball, the philosophy of letting them have the last shot. They're running down the clock, should you foul them, let them make the one-and-one, and then you've got enough time to make the last shot, or are you going to let them go down the final second, take the shot, and you lose?" (HSB)
Asked what new players might surprise the fans this season, JJ said:
"Of the new guys coming in? I would say Leon Jackson obviously, just off his tapes. I haven't seen him yet. But I would say he's a guy who might have the opportunity to make a lot of big plays. The two linemen coming in, Sila Lefiti and Austin Hansen, are going to be competitive on the O-line right away. Defensively, the kid from Hoover High School (Ala.), Korey Reynolds, can run. He can run and he's 240. We need to decide whether he's a D-end or outside 'backer. He'll probably play like Cameron Allen-Jones did, he might play some offense in that big slot position, too. And Chris Leatigaga on the defensive line, he's a player." (HSB)
About how he's said that Graunke will play more this season, JJ was asked if Graunke would have a different role and answered:
"Probably the same. I've put him in in the first quarter, second quarter, that kind of thing. He's done that for a couple years. But more this year." (HSB)
Asked if he expected to attract more QBs because Colt is a senior and has so much success, JJ said:
"We've gotten more video the last six months than we've ever had, even Dan (quarterbacks coach Morrison) said. Because he looks at every one of them. And then he brings me down and says, 'You need to look at these 10 guys.' And he's gotten more this year than ever before from guys who can play. He didn't know if it just happens to be one of those years or more kids sending it because of Colt's success. I think we're a combination of both. I mean, we've been on national TV. College Football Today, and everybody watches that stuff." (HSB)
Asked if playing in the daytime on the mainland helped with exposure, JJ said:
"I don't know if the time thing hurts us. Like you say, Alabama, that's why that (Miami recruit Robert) Marve kid called us, he was on a visit at Alabama, that weekend, he saw us and he called us.
I think the Florida thing next year would help us. I don't know if it's the daytime or East Coast time, every thing helps. That's one of the reasons I wanted to play the (military) academies, because they get covered. The New York Times, the Washington Post, they cover Navy. You know, they cover Army. The Army game was here, but it got that kind of national exposure that maybe 1 o'clock games get." (HSB)
Asked why UH doesn't have more games scheduled against academies (just Navy in 2009), JJ said:
"I have no idea. I know Paul Johnson was here, I played golf with him. He doesn't want to play us. But we've been talking about it since 1999. Now, we have scheduled (all the academies) since I've been here. But why don't we have five years -- like that deal with Colorado? Why don't we play Air Force five straight years? In 2011, -12, -13, -14, -15 right now? Or you know, why don't we have Army -- Army says 'We're filled up through 2012.' OK, we'll take 2013 through 2017.
We can't play Army or Navy unless there's a bye week after the game, and the Army-Navy game must be the last game. They won't go past that. I told them (come late). (Paul Johnson) said, 'That's it, we can't go past that.' ... I said, We'll come up there.
It would be a hell of a game because he can move the ball against anybody, they've proven that. But he knows that they would have trouble stopping us because they don't have the athletes in the secondary." (HSB)
Quotes about JJ and how he moved all around the country
About how he never stayed anywhere in his career as long as his 9 years at UH, JJ said:
"Two years is the longest I've been somewhere." (HSB)
Note: Kalani Simpson points out that JJ spent 3 years in Atlanta as head coach, but JJ made his point.
About how he moved all around and never wanted more than a 1-year contract because he wanted to have the freedom to renegotiate or move to a better job if he succeeded, JJ said:
"I lived in 18 cities in 15 years. But I climbed the ladder very quickly." (HSB)
"I'm talking about these are full moves, furniture. Two times full moves in one year." (HSB)
"I loved it." (HSB)
Asked how his moving around affected his kids, JJ said:
"Everybody used to say, 'What about your kids?' Let me tell you something, my kids have seen America. They read in the book the Alamo, they've seen the Alamo. Niagara Falls, they've been to Niagara Falls. We lived in Toronto. Everywhere, they can tell you about everything. And they have friends everywhere." (HSB)
About how he used to pile his family in the car to take them to some educational/historical place, JJ said:
"And they used to just be funny, because I'm a history kind of guy and I would drive them the place, like" -- he's doing the kids' voices now -- " 'No!' And I would tell them the story. And they would be like, 'Dad, we don't want to see that again!' " (HSB)
About how his kids appreciate seeing all of those places now, JJ said:
"They appreciate it now, but at the time ... For years, every time we had a family (gathering), they were like, 'Remember Dad, when you went to the place down there where you said ... they burned the you know, or dah, dah, dah.' 'Remember when you made us sit there in the car and told that story ...' " (HSB)
"Two years is the longest I've been somewhere." (HSB)
Note: Kalani Simpson points out that JJ spent 3 years in Atlanta as head coach, but JJ made his point.
About how he moved all around and never wanted more than a 1-year contract because he wanted to have the freedom to renegotiate or move to a better job if he succeeded, JJ said:
"I lived in 18 cities in 15 years. But I climbed the ladder very quickly." (HSB)
"I'm talking about these are full moves, furniture. Two times full moves in one year." (HSB)
"I loved it." (HSB)
Asked how his moving around affected his kids, JJ said:
"Everybody used to say, 'What about your kids?' Let me tell you something, my kids have seen America. They read in the book the Alamo, they've seen the Alamo. Niagara Falls, they've been to Niagara Falls. We lived in Toronto. Everywhere, they can tell you about everything. And they have friends everywhere." (HSB)
About how he used to pile his family in the car to take them to some educational/historical place, JJ said:
"And they used to just be funny, because I'm a history kind of guy and I would drive them the place, like" -- he's doing the kids' voices now -- " 'No!' And I would tell them the story. And they would be like, 'Dad, we don't want to see that again!' " (HSB)
About how his kids appreciate seeing all of those places now, JJ said:
"They appreciate it now, but at the time ... For years, every time we had a family (gathering), they were like, 'Remember Dad, when you went to the place down there where you said ... they burned the you know, or dah, dah, dah.' 'Remember when you made us sit there in the car and told that story ...' " (HSB)
Quotes from Vince Manuwai
Vince Manuwai, who signed a 5-year $20 mil contract last year, said:
"Life is good right now. When it's good, everyone should enjoy in it. I'm focused on taking care of my kids, and helping with the little donations I can give." (HA)
Note: Manuwai made a cash donation to Farrington, put money away for his kids, paid off the mortgage on his Jacksonville home, and is now building a $1.7 mil house in Kaneohe.
About receiving a check for $265,000 during his first NFL training camp in 2003, Vince said:
"I was like, 'Whoa.' " We always tease the big-time players like Byron (Leftwich, Jacksonville's quarterback). When he gets his check, we always yell: 'Bring the wheelbarrel.' " (HA)
About emphasizing to the Hawaii Football Camp attendees that "anything is possible", Vince said:
"I want them to work hard. If they do, they'll get an opportunity to go to the next level. We want to help them get there." (HA)
About helping out with the Hawaii Football Camp, David Maeva said:
"Some of us were Rainbows and some of us were Warriors. The main thing is we represent Hawai'i. Whenever we see 'Hawai'i,' then we want to help." (HA)
"Life is good right now. When it's good, everyone should enjoy in it. I'm focused on taking care of my kids, and helping with the little donations I can give." (HA)
Note: Manuwai made a cash donation to Farrington, put money away for his kids, paid off the mortgage on his Jacksonville home, and is now building a $1.7 mil house in Kaneohe.
About receiving a check for $265,000 during his first NFL training camp in 2003, Vince said:
"I was like, 'Whoa.' " We always tease the big-time players like Byron (Leftwich, Jacksonville's quarterback). When he gets his check, we always yell: 'Bring the wheelbarrel.' " (HA)
About emphasizing to the Hawaii Football Camp attendees that "anything is possible", Vince said:
"I want them to work hard. If they do, they'll get an opportunity to go to the next level. We want to help them get there." (HA)
About helping out with the Hawaii Football Camp, David Maeva said:
"Some of us were Rainbows and some of us were Warriors. The main thing is we represent Hawai'i. Whenever we see 'Hawai'i,' then we want to help." (HA)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Quotes from JJ
Asked how rewarding it is for him when he hears that someone like Samson signed his first pro contract, JJ said:
"You're happy for all those guys. And it helps us that they have success, you know, it helps the program. So you're happy for them personally, and you're happy for the team. It means more guys will get looked at." (HSB)
After mentioning that Vince Manuwai was at practice yesterday, JJ was asked about their great tradition of OL:
"You can teach kids to run block, but to have five years of pass blocking (heading) into the NFL ... it used to be you'd go to the National Football League and they'd teach you to pass block. We're just doing it in reverse -- we teach it and they go -- Dane Uperesa, they just moved him to left tackle. That tells you he can pass block. So the coaches probably think we're doing it the right way. It's a by-product of the system." (HSB)
Asked if he thought more QBs and WRs or more OL from UH would go to the NFL when he came back to UH, JJ said:
"I didn't have any expectation either way. I knew that obviously we were going to attract skill players, receivers would want to come here. But I knew that the physical stature of the local kids would fit in with the offensive line and if we teach them to pass block, they're going to have a chance to play. I knew that we (UH) historically, before I got here, I always felt the athleticism in the local kids, in the Polynesian kids, that we would have a chance to get -- I mean, you go to L.A. and the top offensive lineman, you're not going to get him. But we can survive, our school can survive on OIA kids. We can turn them into players. And I think that's proven that we can do it." (HSB)
Asked to compare the talent of this year to last year's team, JJ said:
"Personally, I think it's equal. The difference is the leadership and the peers, you know the veteran guys are not here. Samson started games for four years. That's the thing that has to be replaced. And I've seen it already in workouts, these guys are stepping up. Some guys in different ways. Michael Lafaele is taking control of the defense. That'll help us because we lost three pretty good players over there in the front seven. And offensively, Herc (Satele) and John Estes are stepping up, but until they do it in a game and show poise in a game under pressure, and that they can win ...
We were on the road and (the opponents) scored quick ... you just turn down and look and Samson and Tala and those guys are standing there and they've got a look on their faces: 'We're going to win.' Those are things that you've got to replace. But the athletic talent is pretty good." (HSB)
Asked how important it is to have that one leader that everybody fears, mentioning that nobody would mess with Samson, JJ said:
"I don't know. I've had that type guy. I've had different kids on different teams that all did it different ways. I think Sam certainly was what you described. I think Hercules and John Estes, without Sam there, will prove that they're that tough, too. But they're certainly not going to step into that role while he's there." (HSB)
Asked if Michael Lafaele has that kind of presence, JJ said:
"He has that too. He's a street fighter." (HSB)
Asked about the level of concern about the offensive line, JJ said:
"I feel very good about our offensive line. I don't have any concerns. Other than that attitude that, 'We're not gonna get beat.' That's what we've gotta have. You have to have that confidence and you only get it from doing it. You have to do it and then it permeates the room." (HSB)
Asked how open the jobs are in the offensive line, JJ said:
"The top five is pretty solid. (Larry) Sauafea, Estes, Hercules, Keith Ah-Soon and (Keoni) Steinhoff. Those are the top five. I flipped those guys (tackles) in the spring and I'll continue (to look at it). I think Keith really feels comfortable on the right side. And Keoni about the same on the left side." (HSB)
"You're happy for all those guys. And it helps us that they have success, you know, it helps the program. So you're happy for them personally, and you're happy for the team. It means more guys will get looked at." (HSB)
After mentioning that Vince Manuwai was at practice yesterday, JJ was asked about their great tradition of OL:
"You can teach kids to run block, but to have five years of pass blocking (heading) into the NFL ... it used to be you'd go to the National Football League and they'd teach you to pass block. We're just doing it in reverse -- we teach it and they go -- Dane Uperesa, they just moved him to left tackle. That tells you he can pass block. So the coaches probably think we're doing it the right way. It's a by-product of the system." (HSB)
Asked if he thought more QBs and WRs or more OL from UH would go to the NFL when he came back to UH, JJ said:
"I didn't have any expectation either way. I knew that obviously we were going to attract skill players, receivers would want to come here. But I knew that the physical stature of the local kids would fit in with the offensive line and if we teach them to pass block, they're going to have a chance to play. I knew that we (UH) historically, before I got here, I always felt the athleticism in the local kids, in the Polynesian kids, that we would have a chance to get -- I mean, you go to L.A. and the top offensive lineman, you're not going to get him. But we can survive, our school can survive on OIA kids. We can turn them into players. And I think that's proven that we can do it." (HSB)
Asked to compare the talent of this year to last year's team, JJ said:
"Personally, I think it's equal. The difference is the leadership and the peers, you know the veteran guys are not here. Samson started games for four years. That's the thing that has to be replaced. And I've seen it already in workouts, these guys are stepping up. Some guys in different ways. Michael Lafaele is taking control of the defense. That'll help us because we lost three pretty good players over there in the front seven. And offensively, Herc (Satele) and John Estes are stepping up, but until they do it in a game and show poise in a game under pressure, and that they can win ...
We were on the road and (the opponents) scored quick ... you just turn down and look and Samson and Tala and those guys are standing there and they've got a look on their faces: 'We're going to win.' Those are things that you've got to replace. But the athletic talent is pretty good." (HSB)
Asked how important it is to have that one leader that everybody fears, mentioning that nobody would mess with Samson, JJ said:
"I don't know. I've had that type guy. I've had different kids on different teams that all did it different ways. I think Sam certainly was what you described. I think Hercules and John Estes, without Sam there, will prove that they're that tough, too. But they're certainly not going to step into that role while he's there." (HSB)
Asked if Michael Lafaele has that kind of presence, JJ said:
"He has that too. He's a street fighter." (HSB)
Asked about the level of concern about the offensive line, JJ said:
"I feel very good about our offensive line. I don't have any concerns. Other than that attitude that, 'We're not gonna get beat.' That's what we've gotta have. You have to have that confidence and you only get it from doing it. You have to do it and then it permeates the room." (HSB)
Asked how open the jobs are in the offensive line, JJ said:
"The top five is pretty solid. (Larry) Sauafea, Estes, Hercules, Keith Ah-Soon and (Keoni) Steinhoff. Those are the top five. I flipped those guys (tackles) in the spring and I'll continue (to look at it). I think Keith really feels comfortable on the right side. And Keoni about the same on the left side." (HSB)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Quotes about Samson's contract
Samson's agent Leo Goeas said about Samson's deal:
"We don't believe in holding guys out. He's actually the first second-rounder to get it done. It's not like we're late, that's just the business ... they got it done. He's looking to contribute right away." (SFSS)
SFSS Note: "Satele agreed to a four-year contract that includes $1,225,000 guaranteed and $1.6 million in base pay."
About his 4-year, $2.89 mil contract, Samson said:
"It's a reward for my whole family, not just for me. My family made a lot of sacrifices. They helped me a lot. They did some parts here and some parts there. This is for the whole Satele family." (HA)
"I'm so happy everything's done. I feel the same. Shucks, I guess if I look at my bank account I'll feel a little different." (HSB)
HA Note: "Satele could earn escalating base salaries. According to the National Football League pay scale, except for first-round picks, the minimum base salaries are $285,000 for the first year, $370,000 for the second, $460,000 for the third and $550,000 for the fourth.
Satele, who was drafted in the second round in April, secured a better deal than last year's overall 60th selection, running back Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones-Drew signed a four-year deal in which $1,175,000 is guaranteed. But most of Jones-Drew's guaranteed money is deferred until the third and fourth years."
About how he signed an agreement now, but will sign the actual contract when he flies to Miami on Sunday, Samson said:
"Then it will be official." (HA)
Asked what will be his first major purchase, Samson said:
"Every guy in college wants a dream house or a dream car. You want to spend some money, but then you don't want to spend it. That's a lot of money. I'm going to sit down with my family and decide what to do." (HA)
Asked how he felt when they moved startin C to guard and that he was told he was the #1 center, Samson said:
"I couldn't find the words. I was speechless. It's been my dream since I was 6 years old, playing for the Kalakaua Monarchs. I was so happy. At the same time. I know they're not just going to hand it to me. I still have to work my buns off. I'm going to push to start that first preseason game and then that first regular-season game against Washington. I have a lot of work to do, but I don't mind working hard." (HA)
"I'm happy they moved last year's center (Rex Hadnot) to right guard to make room for me. At the same time, I still have to keep working my way up. Now I've got to keep the job and not let someone take it from me." (HSB)
About how he, Tala. and Reagan have been too busy to explore Miami, Samson said:
"I tell everyone it's like Hawaii without the mountains." (HSB)
"We don't believe in holding guys out. He's actually the first second-rounder to get it done. It's not like we're late, that's just the business ... they got it done. He's looking to contribute right away." (SFSS)
SFSS Note: "Satele agreed to a four-year contract that includes $1,225,000 guaranteed and $1.6 million in base pay."
About his 4-year, $2.89 mil contract, Samson said:
"It's a reward for my whole family, not just for me. My family made a lot of sacrifices. They helped me a lot. They did some parts here and some parts there. This is for the whole Satele family." (HA)
"I'm so happy everything's done. I feel the same. Shucks, I guess if I look at my bank account I'll feel a little different." (HSB)
HA Note: "Satele could earn escalating base salaries. According to the National Football League pay scale, except for first-round picks, the minimum base salaries are $285,000 for the first year, $370,000 for the second, $460,000 for the third and $550,000 for the fourth.
Satele, who was drafted in the second round in April, secured a better deal than last year's overall 60th selection, running back Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones-Drew signed a four-year deal in which $1,175,000 is guaranteed. But most of Jones-Drew's guaranteed money is deferred until the third and fourth years."
About how he signed an agreement now, but will sign the actual contract when he flies to Miami on Sunday, Samson said:
"Then it will be official." (HA)
Asked what will be his first major purchase, Samson said:
"Every guy in college wants a dream house or a dream car. You want to spend some money, but then you don't want to spend it. That's a lot of money. I'm going to sit down with my family and decide what to do." (HA)
Asked how he felt when they moved startin C to guard and that he was told he was the #1 center, Samson said:
"I couldn't find the words. I was speechless. It's been my dream since I was 6 years old, playing for the Kalakaua Monarchs. I was so happy. At the same time. I know they're not just going to hand it to me. I still have to work my buns off. I'm going to push to start that first preseason game and then that first regular-season game against Washington. I have a lot of work to do, but I don't mind working hard." (HA)
"I'm happy they moved last year's center (Rex Hadnot) to right guard to make room for me. At the same time, I still have to keep working my way up. Now I've got to keep the job and not let someone take it from me." (HSB)
About how he, Tala. and Reagan have been too busy to explore Miami, Samson said:
"I tell everyone it's like Hawaii without the mountains." (HSB)
Quotes from CJ Hawthorne
About learning the offense, CJ Hawthorne (who caught 7 passes yesterday in their informal practice) said:
"It's all reads. We've only got two or three set routes." (HSB)
"It was OK today. Last Sunday was probably our best day." (HSB)
About how he does pushups every time he drops a pass (CJ dropped 1 of the 8 passes towards him yesterday), CJ said:
"That's something I've done since my JC days. It was an easy catch. I was jogging and no one was covering me. There's no reason I should drop a ball ever in that situation. I'm always going to be a smaller guy. So I've got to be strong, fast and dependable." (HSB)
"It's all reads. We've only got two or three set routes." (HSB)
"It was OK today. Last Sunday was probably our best day." (HSB)
About how he does pushups every time he drops a pass (CJ dropped 1 of the 8 passes towards him yesterday), CJ said:
"That's something I've done since my JC days. It was an easy catch. I was jogging and no one was covering me. There's no reason I should drop a ball ever in that situation. I'm always going to be a smaller guy. So I've got to be strong, fast and dependable." (HSB)
Quote from Jakeem Hawkins
5'11" 180-pound CB Jakeem Hawkins is walking on to the Warriors in the Fall. He has just 1 year to play right now, but he says:
"I'm going to petition that with the NCAA. Alcorn State withheld my transcripts and kept me from transferring." (HSB)
Note: Hawkins' training partner this summer is incoming DE Josh Leonard.
"I'm going to petition that with the NCAA. Alcorn State withheld my transcripts and kept me from transferring." (HSB)
Note: Hawkins' training partner this summer is incoming DE Josh Leonard.
Quotes about the statue proposed at Aloha Stadium to honor the 1999 team
About meeting tomorrow with Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan about the statue, JJ said:
"I will show (the idea) to some people. It might be involved because it's Aloha Stadium and not on campus." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Jones said the State Legislature would have to approve such a project."
About talking with David Miller, who is writing a book on UH football, about the statue, JJ said:
"David and I talked about it. After talking with so many players from that 1999 team, he's real emotional about it. When you think about those guys, Jeff Ulbrich, Dan Robinson, Kynan Forney and so many others, it's pretty powerful stuff. It's kind of like the Fabulous Five (UH basketball teams of the early 1970s) to me; everyone knows about them. I think the '99 (football) team will be like that in 20 years." (HSB)
HSB Notes from yesterday's informal practice: "Yesterday afternoon's large turnout included about 40 players. The five quarterbacks completed 22 of 38 passes. ... Sophomore running back Mario Cox displayed good mobility and hands out of the backfield on swing passes. ... The player he is trying to replace, Nate Ilaoa of the Philadelphia Eagles, pitched in as a linebacker for a few downs."
"I will show (the idea) to some people. It might be involved because it's Aloha Stadium and not on campus." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Jones said the State Legislature would have to approve such a project."
About talking with David Miller, who is writing a book on UH football, about the statue, JJ said:
"David and I talked about it. After talking with so many players from that 1999 team, he's real emotional about it. When you think about those guys, Jeff Ulbrich, Dan Robinson, Kynan Forney and so many others, it's pretty powerful stuff. It's kind of like the Fabulous Five (UH basketball teams of the early 1970s) to me; everyone knows about them. I think the '99 (football) team will be like that in 20 years." (HSB)
HSB Notes from yesterday's informal practice: "Yesterday afternoon's large turnout included about 40 players. The five quarterbacks completed 22 of 38 passes. ... Sophomore running back Mario Cox displayed good mobility and hands out of the backfield on swing passes. ... The player he is trying to replace, Nate Ilaoa of the Philadelphia Eagles, pitched in as a linebacker for a few downs."
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Quotes from Vince Manuwai
About all of the buzz for this season for the Warriors, Vince says:
"Remember 1998." (HA)
"When everything's going so good, sometimes you have to remember where it (the program) came from, too." (HA)
Vince asked the current Warriors to:
"not to take anything for granted and keep working to make it better." (HA)
HA Note: "Manuwai, five seasons into an NFL career as a guard with the Jacksonville Jaguars, said he relishes the level the program has risen to. So much so there is a visible pride in how he relates that Jacksonville teammates, who once dismissed his alma mater, now have a growing familiarity with the Warriors' success.
Manuwai remembers once-upon-a-not-so-distant time when that wasn't the case. When there were questions about whether UH should drop football. A time when, Manuwai recalls, "the Prep Bowl was drawing more people" and coaches were beseeching recruits like him to come to UH "and build something." "
About the advice he gave the Warrior players who came to talk with him, Vince said:
"I tell them what it is like in the NFL and how they do things." (HA)
"There are a lot of things in front of them (the 2007 Warriors), like the Heisman Trophy, and I tell them to work hard and just to let it come to you. I tell them you've got the program to a good place but don't think you can just win automatically now. It takes a lot of hard work to keep it going." (HA)
Agreeing with Vince's advice, Colt said:
"There's no reason for us to be complacent. We're working hard and we have to because it is not like we have everybody back and we can take anything for granted. We have a lot of positions to fill. We had a good season last year and all the accolades and acknowledgements of the preseason should give us extra incentive to work hard." (HA)
About playing for the Jaguars, Vince said:
"I enjoy Jacksonville, but we keep hearing talk that the team is going to move to Toronto or L.A." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Former UH offensive lineman Vince Manuwai, now headed into his fifth season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, took in yesterday afternoon's voluntary workout. Last December he signed a five-year, $20-million contract extension. Manuwai said the signing bonus allowed him to buy a house in Kaneohe. He already owns one in Jacksonville.
He reports to camp July 27 after speaking at the UH football camp next week."
"Remember 1998." (HA)
"When everything's going so good, sometimes you have to remember where it (the program) came from, too." (HA)
Vince asked the current Warriors to:
"not to take anything for granted and keep working to make it better." (HA)
HA Note: "Manuwai, five seasons into an NFL career as a guard with the Jacksonville Jaguars, said he relishes the level the program has risen to. So much so there is a visible pride in how he relates that Jacksonville teammates, who once dismissed his alma mater, now have a growing familiarity with the Warriors' success.
Manuwai remembers once-upon-a-not-so-distant time when that wasn't the case. When there were questions about whether UH should drop football. A time when, Manuwai recalls, "the Prep Bowl was drawing more people" and coaches were beseeching recruits like him to come to UH "and build something." "
About the advice he gave the Warrior players who came to talk with him, Vince said:
"I tell them what it is like in the NFL and how they do things." (HA)
"There are a lot of things in front of them (the 2007 Warriors), like the Heisman Trophy, and I tell them to work hard and just to let it come to you. I tell them you've got the program to a good place but don't think you can just win automatically now. It takes a lot of hard work to keep it going." (HA)
Agreeing with Vince's advice, Colt said:
"There's no reason for us to be complacent. We're working hard and we have to because it is not like we have everybody back and we can take anything for granted. We have a lot of positions to fill. We had a good season last year and all the accolades and acknowledgements of the preseason should give us extra incentive to work hard." (HA)
About playing for the Jaguars, Vince said:
"I enjoy Jacksonville, but we keep hearing talk that the team is going to move to Toronto or L.A." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Former UH offensive lineman Vince Manuwai, now headed into his fifth season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, took in yesterday afternoon's voluntary workout. Last December he signed a five-year, $20-million contract extension. Manuwai said the signing bonus allowed him to buy a house in Kaneohe. He already owns one in Jacksonville.
He reports to camp July 27 after speaking at the UH football camp next week."
Quotes about new Warrior Jeremiah Alexander
Houston Yates Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ceasar praised Alexander:
"Jeremiah is a good cover corner and could play safety if needed. He can run, hit and also be a return specialist at the next level. He's really talented. As far as the distance goes, I don't think that would really affect his decision." (rivals.com)
"He hits hard and he's a hard worker. He'll out-work his opponent day in and day out. He has great instincts as a DB. He's a big-time pickup for Hawai'i." (HA)
About Alexander's 3.5 GPA and NCAA-qualifying SAT score, Ceasar said:
"He's never going to be a problem in the classroom." (HA)
Note: Alexander is a member of the National Honor Society.
About committing to UH, 5'10" Alexander said:
"It's a great school for me." (HA)
"The distance isn't a problem for me. I like the teamwork that they show (at UH) and the NFL coaches that they have." (HSB)
Note: HSB claims that Alexander is 5'7".
Alexander said that UH's offer 2 weeks ago:
"came out of nowhere" (HA)
HA Note: "After that, he used the Internet to research the Warriors. He also said he was impressed with UH defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold."
Praising Coach Reinbold, Alexander said:
"Coach Jeff was cool. He seemed real. It wasn't like he was hiding anything." (HA)
HA Note: "Alexander was named to the 4-A All-State first team.
Alexander recently was measured at 5 feet 10 at the Houston combine. He weighs 175."
Coach Ceasar also coached UH's starting LCB Gerard Lewis, and is arranging for Lewis and Alexander to meet:
"I'll get that connection going. There's a lot of talent in Houston, and Hawai'i has a great system. I hope we can get a pipeline going. This is a good start. Jeremiah has a good character with a good family background. Hawai'i will never have a problem with him. With his work ethic, I'm not worried about him." (HA)
About how UH will stay in Houston between the La Tech and UNLV games, HF said:
"It is a financial savings in the long run and more beneficial for our players." (HA)
HA Note: "Frazier said he expects to save as much as $40,000 in travel costs. He said the team would travel with tutors and hold study halls to minimize the class time missed in the first month of school."
About how they plan to stay in Houston, Colt said:
"I like it. It is hard to fly back (to Hawai'i) and then turn around and fly right back." (HA)
Note: Staying in Houston between the La Tech game and the UNLV game will save money, reduce wear-and-tear on the players, and help build the Houston-to-UH pipeline even further. I'm sure that a number of coaches will be able to talk with Houston high school coaches then, plus UH will probably have open practices that Alexander, Frankson, and lots of future potential recruits could attend.
With JJ's background as an Oilers coach and UH's success with Houston players lately, I think that staying in Houston this year could be a huge advantage for future recruiting!
"Jeremiah is a good cover corner and could play safety if needed. He can run, hit and also be a return specialist at the next level. He's really talented. As far as the distance goes, I don't think that would really affect his decision." (rivals.com)
"He hits hard and he's a hard worker. He'll out-work his opponent day in and day out. He has great instincts as a DB. He's a big-time pickup for Hawai'i." (HA)
About Alexander's 3.5 GPA and NCAA-qualifying SAT score, Ceasar said:
"He's never going to be a problem in the classroom." (HA)
Note: Alexander is a member of the National Honor Society.
About committing to UH, 5'10" Alexander said:
"It's a great school for me." (HA)
"The distance isn't a problem for me. I like the teamwork that they show (at UH) and the NFL coaches that they have." (HSB)
Note: HSB claims that Alexander is 5'7".
Alexander said that UH's offer 2 weeks ago:
"came out of nowhere" (HA)
HA Note: "After that, he used the Internet to research the Warriors. He also said he was impressed with UH defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold."
Praising Coach Reinbold, Alexander said:
"Coach Jeff was cool. He seemed real. It wasn't like he was hiding anything." (HA)
HA Note: "Alexander was named to the 4-A All-State first team.
Alexander recently was measured at 5 feet 10 at the Houston combine. He weighs 175."
Coach Ceasar also coached UH's starting LCB Gerard Lewis, and is arranging for Lewis and Alexander to meet:
"I'll get that connection going. There's a lot of talent in Houston, and Hawai'i has a great system. I hope we can get a pipeline going. This is a good start. Jeremiah has a good character with a good family background. Hawai'i will never have a problem with him. With his work ethic, I'm not worried about him." (HA)
About how UH will stay in Houston between the La Tech and UNLV games, HF said:
"It is a financial savings in the long run and more beneficial for our players." (HA)
HA Note: "Frazier said he expects to save as much as $40,000 in travel costs. He said the team would travel with tutors and hold study halls to minimize the class time missed in the first month of school."
About how they plan to stay in Houston, Colt said:
"I like it. It is hard to fly back (to Hawai'i) and then turn around and fly right back." (HA)
Note: Staying in Houston between the La Tech game and the UNLV game will save money, reduce wear-and-tear on the players, and help build the Houston-to-UH pipeline even further. I'm sure that a number of coaches will be able to talk with Houston high school coaches then, plus UH will probably have open practices that Alexander, Frankson, and lots of future potential recruits could attend.
With JJ's background as an Oilers coach and UH's success with Houston players lately, I think that staying in Houston this year could be a huge advantage for future recruiting!
Quotes about HF
About their weak schedule, HF said:
"Believe you me, we exhausted every avenue possible. ... We got caught with our pants down and paid for it dearly." (HSB)
About leadership, HF said:
"Generals and admirals. ... What am I going to tell them about leadership?" (HSB)
About how he is accessible, HF said:
"I'll answer any question from anyone. ... I am not this roaring tiger who does not talk to people. I am not inaccessible." (HSB)
About their budget, HF said:
"One of these days you'll see it's not about the budget, it's about developing broad-based programs." (HSB)
Asked about the status of their 5-year plan they set in 2004, where they were supposed to pull out of the budget deficit, HF said:
"We amend it every year." (HSB)
HSB Note: "The department currently carries a $2.3 million deficit. Frazier's projections from the plan approved by the Board of Regents three years ago called for UH to have a $2,880,008 net surplus at the end of the fiscal year completed June 30." (HSB)
About how they could break even again this season, HF said:
"It will be very, very close for 2006-2007." (HSB)
HSB Note: "But the plan called for gains of $1,188,000 in 2005-2006 and $2,463,000 in 2006-2007."
About how basketball revenues fell short this year, HF said:
"We didn't take in as much as we thought we would in basketball." (HSB)
About how they won't talk about the revisions to their 5-year plan at the next BOR meeting, HF said:
"We don't talk about the five-year plan until the audit (in the fall)." (HSB)
About how they aren't the only sports program to not be profitable, HF said:
"The average WAC program loses 2-to-3 million dollars a year. You'd be surprised how many teams in the BCS aren't in the black." (HSB)
About how premium seat donations have brought in significant revenue, HF said:
"Premium seats have kept our program afloat." (HSB)
About how they are making progress in endowing basketball scholarships, HF said:
"No matter what happens ... basketball (scholarships) will be endowed." (HSB)
Not wanting to discuss the financial details of JJ's contract offer, HF said:
"It's too premature to talk about what the price tag will be on that position. I don't want our Board of Regents to read it. They need to hear it from me. I have to be guarded with the way I make my presentation to the people I report to." (HSB)
I thought we had just 1 puka in the 2008 schedule...but HSB wrote this:
"In football scheduling, Frazier said he is having discussions with three teams for two spots to complete the 2008 schedule. He expects to complete that task by the end of next month."
"Believe you me, we exhausted every avenue possible. ... We got caught with our pants down and paid for it dearly." (HSB)
About leadership, HF said:
"Generals and admirals. ... What am I going to tell them about leadership?" (HSB)
About how he is accessible, HF said:
"I'll answer any question from anyone. ... I am not this roaring tiger who does not talk to people. I am not inaccessible." (HSB)
About their budget, HF said:
"One of these days you'll see it's not about the budget, it's about developing broad-based programs." (HSB)
Asked about the status of their 5-year plan they set in 2004, where they were supposed to pull out of the budget deficit, HF said:
"We amend it every year." (HSB)
HSB Note: "The department currently carries a $2.3 million deficit. Frazier's projections from the plan approved by the Board of Regents three years ago called for UH to have a $2,880,008 net surplus at the end of the fiscal year completed June 30." (HSB)
About how they could break even again this season, HF said:
"It will be very, very close for 2006-2007." (HSB)
HSB Note: "But the plan called for gains of $1,188,000 in 2005-2006 and $2,463,000 in 2006-2007."
About how basketball revenues fell short this year, HF said:
"We didn't take in as much as we thought we would in basketball." (HSB)
About how they won't talk about the revisions to their 5-year plan at the next BOR meeting, HF said:
"We don't talk about the five-year plan until the audit (in the fall)." (HSB)
About how they aren't the only sports program to not be profitable, HF said:
"The average WAC program loses 2-to-3 million dollars a year. You'd be surprised how many teams in the BCS aren't in the black." (HSB)
About how premium seat donations have brought in significant revenue, HF said:
"Premium seats have kept our program afloat." (HSB)
About how they are making progress in endowing basketball scholarships, HF said:
"No matter what happens ... basketball (scholarships) will be endowed." (HSB)
Not wanting to discuss the financial details of JJ's contract offer, HF said:
"It's too premature to talk about what the price tag will be on that position. I don't want our Board of Regents to read it. They need to hear it from me. I have to be guarded with the way I make my presentation to the people I report to." (HSB)
I thought we had just 1 puka in the 2008 schedule...but HSB wrote this:
"In football scheduling, Frazier said he is having discussions with three teams for two spots to complete the 2008 schedule. He expects to complete that task by the end of next month."
Quotes about JJ's new contract offer
About how the study they conducted with UH officials and economists concluded that JJ's value to UH was "more than it was last year" and significantly greater than it was in 1999, HF said:
"That's how we were able to get (Jones' salary increase) passed the way we did. We showed what he means to the community and our overall program." (HA)
About determining JJ's importance, HF said:
"You look at our overall budget, and what he means to the budget, what he means to the economy. We did our research. Just the impact of football, his value is important." (HA)
About how UH grossed $6.2 mil in 2005, HF said:
"What was the value of this program in 1998 versus now? The evolution of this program has continued since '99. When you really think about it, since I've been here (2002), we've only had one year (2005) when we didn't go to a bowl game. I think that's when people were skeptical. You can't get that way. You've got to stick with your guy and make sure everything is heading in the right direction. In that regard, that's what he's done." (HA)
"That's how we were able to get (Jones' salary increase) passed the way we did. We showed what he means to the community and our overall program." (HA)
About determining JJ's importance, HF said:
"You look at our overall budget, and what he means to the budget, what he means to the economy. We did our research. Just the impact of football, his value is important." (HA)
About how UH grossed $6.2 mil in 2005, HF said:
"What was the value of this program in 1998 versus now? The evolution of this program has continued since '99. When you really think about it, since I've been here (2002), we've only had one year (2005) when we didn't go to a bowl game. I think that's when people were skeptical. You can't get that way. You've got to stick with your guy and make sure everything is heading in the right direction. In that regard, that's what he's done." (HA)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Quotes from Chad Owens
Thank you to Tombo for finding and sending me this article link!
http://www.buccaneers.com/news/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=5864
About returning punts, Chad Owens said:
“I’m not just hungry for it, I’m starving; I want it." (Buccaneers.com)
“In college I just felt something inside that was like, ‘Man, I’m not getting stopped. I’m going to take this thing to the house.’ All great returners do that. You look at Devin Hester and what he did last year. Man, he just was hitting it. He was hitting it. And the rest of the unit started knowing that this guy could break it at any time, so that made them want to get their blocks down that much more. That’s what I’m hoping to accomplish here.
My work ethic, my drive – that’s my motivation; that’s all I’ve got. And I’m just excited because I want to get my career started.” (Buccaneers.com)
Bucs Note: "It shows. Owens is obsessed with all phases of his game, physical and mental. Nearly every day, he’s traversing the corridors of One Buc Place as he makes his way from the practice fields where he works on speed, conditioning and agility to the weight room. His lunchtime conversations revolve around the optimal nutritional approach for his goals. And he makes it a point to occasionally watch tape of his record-setting returns in Hawaii just to keep those runs at the forefront of his mind."
Looking forward to the season, Chad said:
“I can tell you this. Right now I feel great, mentally, physically and I just can’t wait to go out there and get this thing rolling. I want to get my career started. I believe it’s going to happen here, and I just can’t wait for it.” (Buccaneers.com)
About his experience in Jacksonville and using that to make himself better, Chad said:
“Because of my size, I came into the league projected as a return man only. And when I went to Jacksonville I did some good things as a receiver throughout the preseason, but I wasn’t having my best games. In this league, no one is going to wait for you to become the player you want to be. But I am going to take what I learned in Jacksonville – my two years there – and make myself better here. I think just the experience alone, being in the league and coming up on my third year, I can say now that I know exactly what I need to do out there on the field.” (Buccaneers.com)
About how he's fearless as a returner, Chad said:
“As far as punt returns, that’s where I think I’ve separated myself in a way that you’ve got to kind of be fearless. You’ve also got to have confidence in your unit. You’ve got to know that the hold-up guys are going to hold up the flyers, not let them off the line, and then you’re going to have a lot of room to catch the ball. You’ve got to be smart back there. You’ve got to know when you can make a play, and you’ve got to be smart sometimes and know to fair-catch some.
On the kickoff, you’ve just got to pick your spot. You’ve got to set the coverage team up, and when you decide to go, you’ve got to go; you’ve got to hit it because you can’t have any type of hesitation. You’ve got this big wall of people coming down and closing in on you. The more you try and go lateral, that window closes. The next thing you know, you’ve got nowhere to go. During a kickoff return, you’ve just got to believe in your return unit. You go with the blocking scheme. Sometimes you’ll find your own way, and that’s when your natural ability takes over, but you’ve just got to hit it, man.” (Buccaneers.com)
About how no Buccaneer has ever returned a kickoff for a TD in the regular season, Chad said:
“That’s a lot of motivation in and of itself. That’s one of my goals. That’s up there on the list of goals – to go ahead and take one to the house. I’d love to just get it started against New England and from there take it to the regular season.” (Buccaneers.com)
http://www.buccaneers.com/news/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=5864
About returning punts, Chad Owens said:
“I’m not just hungry for it, I’m starving; I want it." (Buccaneers.com)
“In college I just felt something inside that was like, ‘Man, I’m not getting stopped. I’m going to take this thing to the house.’ All great returners do that. You look at Devin Hester and what he did last year. Man, he just was hitting it. He was hitting it. And the rest of the unit started knowing that this guy could break it at any time, so that made them want to get their blocks down that much more. That’s what I’m hoping to accomplish here.
My work ethic, my drive – that’s my motivation; that’s all I’ve got. And I’m just excited because I want to get my career started.” (Buccaneers.com)
Bucs Note: "It shows. Owens is obsessed with all phases of his game, physical and mental. Nearly every day, he’s traversing the corridors of One Buc Place as he makes his way from the practice fields where he works on speed, conditioning and agility to the weight room. His lunchtime conversations revolve around the optimal nutritional approach for his goals. And he makes it a point to occasionally watch tape of his record-setting returns in Hawaii just to keep those runs at the forefront of his mind."
Looking forward to the season, Chad said:
“I can tell you this. Right now I feel great, mentally, physically and I just can’t wait to go out there and get this thing rolling. I want to get my career started. I believe it’s going to happen here, and I just can’t wait for it.” (Buccaneers.com)
About his experience in Jacksonville and using that to make himself better, Chad said:
“Because of my size, I came into the league projected as a return man only. And when I went to Jacksonville I did some good things as a receiver throughout the preseason, but I wasn’t having my best games. In this league, no one is going to wait for you to become the player you want to be. But I am going to take what I learned in Jacksonville – my two years there – and make myself better here. I think just the experience alone, being in the league and coming up on my third year, I can say now that I know exactly what I need to do out there on the field.” (Buccaneers.com)
About how he's fearless as a returner, Chad said:
“As far as punt returns, that’s where I think I’ve separated myself in a way that you’ve got to kind of be fearless. You’ve also got to have confidence in your unit. You’ve got to know that the hold-up guys are going to hold up the flyers, not let them off the line, and then you’re going to have a lot of room to catch the ball. You’ve got to be smart back there. You’ve got to know when you can make a play, and you’ve got to be smart sometimes and know to fair-catch some.
On the kickoff, you’ve just got to pick your spot. You’ve got to set the coverage team up, and when you decide to go, you’ve got to go; you’ve got to hit it because you can’t have any type of hesitation. You’ve got this big wall of people coming down and closing in on you. The more you try and go lateral, that window closes. The next thing you know, you’ve got nowhere to go. During a kickoff return, you’ve just got to believe in your return unit. You go with the blocking scheme. Sometimes you’ll find your own way, and that’s when your natural ability takes over, but you’ve just got to hit it, man.” (Buccaneers.com)
About how no Buccaneer has ever returned a kickoff for a TD in the regular season, Chad said:
“That’s a lot of motivation in and of itself. That’s one of my goals. That’s up there on the list of goals – to go ahead and take one to the house. I’d love to just get it started against New England and from there take it to the regular season.” (Buccaneers.com)
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Quotes from Kealoha Pilares
About how he and LWJ are the top candidates at RB this season, Pilares said:
"(The coaches) just tell me to work hard. Everyone's talking about Leon. I just hope for the best. I just try to do what I can do, try to work out and make it count because it's going to be beneficial when fall comes around." (HSB)
About how he has been taking care of his body to maximize his chance at playing time, Pilares said:
"I never go out at night. I try to sleep before 10:30, because I have something in front of me. I have the opportunity to play, so I want to make the best out of it." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Most mornings, Pilares leaves his Wahiawa home by 5, arriving at the UH weight room about an hour later after dropping his mother off at work. There he'll endure a workout designed to pack muscle on his 5-foot-10 frame. Then there are drills with his teammates and running in the afternoons before heading home."
About the extended time he's been putting in at UH during the offseason, Pilares said:
"It's a tough day." (HSB)
About the importance on putting on muscle now, Pilares said:
"In high school I never took weights seriously, and I knew I had to come over here and get in the weight room every day. I was horrible coming in, I would say I was the weakest guy by far. Right now I think I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. I can see results. I think that's what's pushing me, too." (HSB)
Praising Pilares' work ethic, Kiran Kepo'o said:
"He's been working hard starting from last summer. He's getting bigger, but he's still got the speed. I can tell he's been in the weight room." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Though he didn't play offense until his senior season, Pilares powered Damien in 2005, rushing for 1,900 yards and 23 touchdowns. He closed his high school career by carrying the ball 48 times in a spectacular 300-yard, five-touchdown performance against Iolani."
About playing against Pilares in high school, Kepo'o said:
"I remember there were 3 seconds before the end of the first half and we had just scored. We thought we'd just kick it to someone else, kick it away from him. But somehow he got the ball ... broke four or five tackles and went right into the end zone. I know this kid is going to do a lot of good stuff for us (at UH)." (HSB)
About how the image of playing in Aloha Stadium has been motivating him, Pilares said:
"That's the first thing that goes through my head. Just playing in the stadium and representing your home and your team." (HSB)
About how he didn't enjoy the attention he got in high school (Hawaii All-State Offensive Player of the Year in 2005), Pilares said:
"When you get to college football, everyone has those high school stories, so it doesn't really matter. Coming from a school where everybody knew me, just coming over here, it doesn't matter where you came from you still have to prove yourself. That was pretty good for me and that's what I wanted. I never liked being on top and getting all the attention." (HSB)
About how he transferred from Air Force after their summer orientation and came back to UH, and UH somehow still had a scholarship to give him, Pilares said:
"Recruiting was done and (the UH coaches) said they had all their scholarships filled. I didn't want my parents to pay for school, so I was really happy when they had one for me. It's kind of a miracle, if you ask me." (HSB)
About the tattoo on the right side of his neck, a tribute to his grandmother Violet, Pilares said:
"Every time I look in the mirror it reminds me of her." (HSB)
"(The coaches) just tell me to work hard. Everyone's talking about Leon. I just hope for the best. I just try to do what I can do, try to work out and make it count because it's going to be beneficial when fall comes around." (HSB)
About how he has been taking care of his body to maximize his chance at playing time, Pilares said:
"I never go out at night. I try to sleep before 10:30, because I have something in front of me. I have the opportunity to play, so I want to make the best out of it." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Most mornings, Pilares leaves his Wahiawa home by 5, arriving at the UH weight room about an hour later after dropping his mother off at work. There he'll endure a workout designed to pack muscle on his 5-foot-10 frame. Then there are drills with his teammates and running in the afternoons before heading home."
About the extended time he's been putting in at UH during the offseason, Pilares said:
"It's a tough day." (HSB)
About the importance on putting on muscle now, Pilares said:
"In high school I never took weights seriously, and I knew I had to come over here and get in the weight room every day. I was horrible coming in, I would say I was the weakest guy by far. Right now I think I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. I can see results. I think that's what's pushing me, too." (HSB)
Praising Pilares' work ethic, Kiran Kepo'o said:
"He's been working hard starting from last summer. He's getting bigger, but he's still got the speed. I can tell he's been in the weight room." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Though he didn't play offense until his senior season, Pilares powered Damien in 2005, rushing for 1,900 yards and 23 touchdowns. He closed his high school career by carrying the ball 48 times in a spectacular 300-yard, five-touchdown performance against Iolani."
About playing against Pilares in high school, Kepo'o said:
"I remember there were 3 seconds before the end of the first half and we had just scored. We thought we'd just kick it to someone else, kick it away from him. But somehow he got the ball ... broke four or five tackles and went right into the end zone. I know this kid is going to do a lot of good stuff for us (at UH)." (HSB)
About how the image of playing in Aloha Stadium has been motivating him, Pilares said:
"That's the first thing that goes through my head. Just playing in the stadium and representing your home and your team." (HSB)
About how he didn't enjoy the attention he got in high school (Hawaii All-State Offensive Player of the Year in 2005), Pilares said:
"When you get to college football, everyone has those high school stories, so it doesn't really matter. Coming from a school where everybody knew me, just coming over here, it doesn't matter where you came from you still have to prove yourself. That was pretty good for me and that's what I wanted. I never liked being on top and getting all the attention." (HSB)
About how he transferred from Air Force after their summer orientation and came back to UH, and UH somehow still had a scholarship to give him, Pilares said:
"Recruiting was done and (the UH coaches) said they had all their scholarships filled. I didn't want my parents to pay for school, so I was really happy when they had one for me. It's kind of a miracle, if you ask me." (HSB)
About the tattoo on the right side of his neck, a tribute to his grandmother Violet, Pilares said:
"Every time I look in the mirror it reminds me of her." (HSB)
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Quotes about UH's soft schedule
After naming UH's schedule the 2nd least difficult schedule in college football in 2007, ESPN's Mark Schlabach said:
"Playing two I-AA opponents early basically eliminates your chances of a Bowl Championship Series (appearance). I really think Hawai'i dropped the ball (on the schedule) because, to have a guy like Colt Brennan, one of the best college quarterbacks, you'd like to take advantage of the opportunity." (HA)
Ferd wrote: "this year, when the Warriors already have to take hits for perceptions of their WAC schedule, playing two lower division opponents invites skepticism of their intent, if not credentials, as the ESPN.com piece underlines." (HA)
"Playing two I-AA opponents early basically eliminates your chances of a Bowl Championship Series (appearance). I really think Hawai'i dropped the ball (on the schedule) because, to have a guy like Colt Brennan, one of the best college quarterbacks, you'd like to take advantage of the opportunity." (HA)
Ferd wrote: "this year, when the Warriors already have to take hits for perceptions of their WAC schedule, playing two lower division opponents invites skepticism of their intent, if not credentials, as the ESPN.com piece underlines." (HA)
Quotes from Colt
About being listed as the 2nd-best college QB in the NCAA Football 2008 game, Colt said:
"That's really, really cool. They took care of us this year." (HA)
"I wasn't even top 50 last year." (HA)
Colt met the EA game designers during the offseason and said:
"I let them know they needed to take care of us this year, and I think they did a pretty good job of that. What's cool is to see all of the guys, like (receivers) Davone (Bess) and Ryan (Grice-Mullins) and Jason (Rivers) get a lot of respect. I think (defensive tackle) Michael Lafaele is really good in the game, too. It's good for us to have a good football team in the game now." (HA)
About how he can't wait for training camp to start, Colt said:
"The worst part is the waiting. It's hard to wait for camp to start. Once camp starts, it's all good." (HA)
Colt played at 195 last season and has been trying to add muscle to his 6'3" frame, saying:
"I'm at 205 now." (HA)
About being advertised as a Heisman Trophy candidate, Colt said:
"I don't take too seriously when people try to put you up on a pedestal. I think if you keep a level head, stay on solid ground, and just grow with your teammates and don't exclude yourself, the team will take care of you. Then the pressure is on the team and not just one person. When you have that, you tend to play better." (HA)
About how last year was the first time that he spent consecutive years on the same team since high school, Colt said:
"I've been moving around and doing so much changing, going from school to school the last five years. That's one of the reasons it was comfortable to stay. I'm enjoying myself out here. I thought that really helped me as a player last year. The fact that I'll be here for a third year is really exciting. It's helping my confidence and comfort level. It's good to be a seasoned guy." (HA)
About how Colt has dreads now, just like all 4 starting WRs, Bess said:
"It looks good on him." (HA)
Note: This is one of the rare times I completely disagree with Bess.
About how his receivers kept nagging him to get dreads, Colt said:
"All of the guys hounded me. I grew it out. That was the first step. They encouraged me to try and get it braided and see what it looked like, and I did that. They're encouraging me to keep going with it. I'll see how it goes. I can get rid of this haircut in a heartbeat. I thought I'd have some fun this summer and see how it turns out." (HA)
"That's really, really cool. They took care of us this year." (HA)
"I wasn't even top 50 last year." (HA)
Colt met the EA game designers during the offseason and said:
"I let them know they needed to take care of us this year, and I think they did a pretty good job of that. What's cool is to see all of the guys, like (receivers) Davone (Bess) and Ryan (Grice-Mullins) and Jason (Rivers) get a lot of respect. I think (defensive tackle) Michael Lafaele is really good in the game, too. It's good for us to have a good football team in the game now." (HA)
About how he can't wait for training camp to start, Colt said:
"The worst part is the waiting. It's hard to wait for camp to start. Once camp starts, it's all good." (HA)
Colt played at 195 last season and has been trying to add muscle to his 6'3" frame, saying:
"I'm at 205 now." (HA)
About being advertised as a Heisman Trophy candidate, Colt said:
"I don't take too seriously when people try to put you up on a pedestal. I think if you keep a level head, stay on solid ground, and just grow with your teammates and don't exclude yourself, the team will take care of you. Then the pressure is on the team and not just one person. When you have that, you tend to play better." (HA)
About how last year was the first time that he spent consecutive years on the same team since high school, Colt said:
"I've been moving around and doing so much changing, going from school to school the last five years. That's one of the reasons it was comfortable to stay. I'm enjoying myself out here. I thought that really helped me as a player last year. The fact that I'll be here for a third year is really exciting. It's helping my confidence and comfort level. It's good to be a seasoned guy." (HA)
About how Colt has dreads now, just like all 4 starting WRs, Bess said:
"It looks good on him." (HA)
Note: This is one of the rare times I completely disagree with Bess.
About how his receivers kept nagging him to get dreads, Colt said:
"All of the guys hounded me. I grew it out. That was the first step. They encouraged me to try and get it braided and see what it looked like, and I did that. They're encouraging me to keep going with it. I'll see how it goes. I can get rid of this haircut in a heartbeat. I thought I'd have some fun this summer and see how it turns out." (HA)
Friday, July 13, 2007
Quotes from Tala Esera
Thanks to Tombo for finding this link!
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=6778378
About going to the NFL, Tala said:
"You know its been fun at UH but its over now, so just working on what's up now." (KHNL)
About Samson, Reagan and him at Miami, Tala said:
"Lots of people were calling us the Polynesian wrecking crew down in Florida and you know they all recognize us, the people down there are real cool. It helps us with the home sickness, even though I miss my family down here its still real good." (KHNL)
Asked about doing the haka in Miami, Tala (who led UH's haka last season) said:
"We haven't showed them yet so we're planning on showing them and give them a taste of the Haka. We have no plans on doing the Haka in Miami but we'll see what happens." (KHNL)
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=6778378
About going to the NFL, Tala said:
"You know its been fun at UH but its over now, so just working on what's up now." (KHNL)
About Samson, Reagan and him at Miami, Tala said:
"Lots of people were calling us the Polynesian wrecking crew down in Florida and you know they all recognize us, the people down there are real cool. It helps us with the home sickness, even though I miss my family down here its still real good." (KHNL)
Asked about doing the haka in Miami, Tala (who led UH's haka last season) said:
"We haven't showed them yet so we're planning on showing them and give them a taste of the Haka. We have no plans on doing the Haka in Miami but we'll see what happens." (KHNL)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Quotes from Leonard Peters
About how he's continuted to attend a Morman church every Sunday, Leonard Peters said:
"There's one real close to the facilities." (HA)
About serving as a guest instructor at the Hawaii Speed and Quickness clinic, LP said:
"I always like helping the kids. Some of them have been going (to the clinic) for several years. It's like watching them grow up. I'm happy to go back and see how those kids progressed, how they got better in running and jumping." (HA)
"I actually look up to the kids. The generation now ... it's so much harder to stay out of trouble and do the right thing. That's why I admire the kids who take the time to come out and try to get better. It beats playing video games all day. It's good to listen to their stories." (HA)
About how he was nervous when he first participated in workouts with the Jets, LP said:
"It's a big step in life. The biggest thing between pro and college football is in college you have four years to learn the system. In the NFL, you've got one day to learn the system. If they don't like what they see, they'll ship you out. In a half hour, they'll have a replacement for you. It's all business now. It's been good for me so far." (HA)
About how the safeties with the Jets (like the Warriors now) are divided into left or right, not strong or free, LP said:
"I like that. The good thing about our defense is the safeties are included in a lot of the packages we run." (HA)
About how he weighed 225 during mini-camp and plans to weigh 205 for the start of training camp, LP said:
"The NFL doesn't care how big you are. All they care about is speed. Speed is the key." (HA)
Adjusting to life in New York, with the time change from Hawaii, LP said:
"It's six hours ahead in New York. People call me at all different hours." (HA)
LP said that NY is a:
"totally different place than Hawai'i. It's unbelievable how many people live in one city. I've gotten to know the places to go and eat. I'm glad we have some Polynesians there to help me out. Kimo vonOelhoffen (a defensive tackle who was raised on Moloka'i) has been in the league for 14 years, and he's helped me out a lot. He told me the things to do." (HA)
"There's one real close to the facilities." (HA)
About serving as a guest instructor at the Hawaii Speed and Quickness clinic, LP said:
"I always like helping the kids. Some of them have been going (to the clinic) for several years. It's like watching them grow up. I'm happy to go back and see how those kids progressed, how they got better in running and jumping." (HA)
"I actually look up to the kids. The generation now ... it's so much harder to stay out of trouble and do the right thing. That's why I admire the kids who take the time to come out and try to get better. It beats playing video games all day. It's good to listen to their stories." (HA)
About how he was nervous when he first participated in workouts with the Jets, LP said:
"It's a big step in life. The biggest thing between pro and college football is in college you have four years to learn the system. In the NFL, you've got one day to learn the system. If they don't like what they see, they'll ship you out. In a half hour, they'll have a replacement for you. It's all business now. It's been good for me so far." (HA)
About how the safeties with the Jets (like the Warriors now) are divided into left or right, not strong or free, LP said:
"I like that. The good thing about our defense is the safeties are included in a lot of the packages we run." (HA)
About how he weighed 225 during mini-camp and plans to weigh 205 for the start of training camp, LP said:
"The NFL doesn't care how big you are. All they care about is speed. Speed is the key." (HA)
Adjusting to life in New York, with the time change from Hawaii, LP said:
"It's six hours ahead in New York. People call me at all different hours." (HA)
LP said that NY is a:
"totally different place than Hawai'i. It's unbelievable how many people live in one city. I've gotten to know the places to go and eat. I'm glad we have some Polynesians there to help me out. Kimo vonOelhoffen (a defensive tackle who was raised on Moloka'i) has been in the league for 14 years, and he's helped me out a lot. He told me the things to do." (HA)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Quotes about the budget from HF
About how they might or might not have turned a profit last year, HF said:
"It's going to be close, that's all I can say." (HSB)
"I won't talk about exactly where we are because we're still closing some things. It all depends on how everything falls into place. It takes time to clear up some of the accountables, transfers, and things like that." (HSB)
About how BSU's BCS dollars will help cover shortfalls in other areas, HF said:
"Whereas we received more money (from the WAC) than we had before, in certain sports we didn't make our projections, so it's kind of a wash. There's no question it helps overcome other shortcomings." (HSB)
About how their schedule might not prevent them from going to the BCS, HF said:
"The key is starting in the polls and then after that you just have to let the chips fall where they may." (HSB)
About the $5.85 mil awarded to former Fresno St volleyball coach Vivas, HF said:
"You knock on wood and make sure you do the right thing at your program so you're not putting your university in that situation. All I can tell you is we try to do everything even." (HSB)
About how being part of the Olympic Committee gave him a perspective on gender equity, HF said:
"You don't see it as men's and women's, you see it as the U.S. team. That's what I see at the University of Hawaii." (HSB)
About Nash hiring Larry Farmer as an assistant, HF said:
"I think Larry Farmer is a great addition to our staff. I think he brings West Coast ties, he was a head coach at an early age at a very powerful program. The fact that he wants to leave Illinois and broadcasting and come out and work with Nash is a testimony to Nash and also to Larry." (HSB)
"It's going to be close, that's all I can say." (HSB)
"I won't talk about exactly where we are because we're still closing some things. It all depends on how everything falls into place. It takes time to clear up some of the accountables, transfers, and things like that." (HSB)
About how BSU's BCS dollars will help cover shortfalls in other areas, HF said:
"Whereas we received more money (from the WAC) than we had before, in certain sports we didn't make our projections, so it's kind of a wash. There's no question it helps overcome other shortcomings." (HSB)
About how their schedule might not prevent them from going to the BCS, HF said:
"The key is starting in the polls and then after that you just have to let the chips fall where they may." (HSB)
About the $5.85 mil awarded to former Fresno St volleyball coach Vivas, HF said:
"You knock on wood and make sure you do the right thing at your program so you're not putting your university in that situation. All I can tell you is we try to do everything even." (HSB)
About how being part of the Olympic Committee gave him a perspective on gender equity, HF said:
"You don't see it as men's and women's, you see it as the U.S. team. That's what I see at the University of Hawaii." (HSB)
About Nash hiring Larry Farmer as an assistant, HF said:
"I think Larry Farmer is a great addition to our staff. I think he brings West Coast ties, he was a head coach at an early age at a very powerful program. The fact that he wants to leave Illinois and broadcasting and come out and work with Nash is a testimony to Nash and also to Larry." (HSB)
Quotes from Calvin Roberts
About finally committing to UH, 6'1" 185-pound Roberts said:
"Everything worked out." (HA)
"Hawai'i was always my No. 1 choice. It's working out pretty good." (HA)
Note: Calvin first gave a verbal commitment to San Jose State, then withdrew it and visited UH. He turned down UH's scholarship offer and re-committed to SJSU. SJSU then lost SEVEN scholarships due to bad APR, so they had no scholarship for him. He committed to 1AA Northwestern State, but withdrew that commitment once UH had a scholarship for him.
About Roberts, his coach at San Mateo, Larry Owens said:
"He did a great job for us at corner. He's a big, physical corner. He has very good man-to-man skills." (HA)
"Everything worked out." (HA)
"Hawai'i was always my No. 1 choice. It's working out pretty good." (HA)
Note: Calvin first gave a verbal commitment to San Jose State, then withdrew it and visited UH. He turned down UH's scholarship offer and re-committed to SJSU. SJSU then lost SEVEN scholarships due to bad APR, so they had no scholarship for him. He committed to 1AA Northwestern State, but withdrew that commitment once UH had a scholarship for him.
About Roberts, his coach at San Mateo, Larry Owens said:
"He did a great job for us at corner. He's a big, physical corner. He has very good man-to-man skills." (HA)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Quotes about JJ's new contract offer
HF said that he planned to offer JJ a contract with a:
"minimum five years. We are working with the university (administration) on some things within the salary ranges and that needs to be determined first." (HA)
Asked about his new contract, JJ said:
"I don't have any comment on that stuff. When the time's right, something will happen." (HA)
Asked if UH could offer JJ $1 mil per year, HF said:
"I don't know. I don't know what the number is. That's what we have to figure out. It is nice to know where you can go before you finish negotiating. We'll see where they (the regents) want to go." (HA)
About trying to get a salary range from the regents before starting negotiations with JJ, HF said:
"We don't want to be hamstrung (in negotiations), so we'll go do the ranges like we did with basketball." (HA)
About how it hasn't been decided yet whether or not UH will pay JJ's entire salary or if donations would be used to pay for part of JJ's contract again, HF said:
"It all depends upon where we end up." (HA)
Note: I cannot understand this. Why wouldn't UH want to get donations for JJ's contract? JJ has to be one of the most popular people with the donors, and he drives the engine that typically funds the bulk of an Athletic Department...it would seem to be a lot easier to get donors to chip in for JJ's salary than it would to get them to give the Athletic Department money without knowing where/how their money would be spent!
About how he doesn't have a salary range in mind yet, HF said:
"We're still talking about that, exploring that portion of it right now with administrative staff." (HA)
"minimum five years. We are working with the university (administration) on some things within the salary ranges and that needs to be determined first." (HA)
Asked about his new contract, JJ said:
"I don't have any comment on that stuff. When the time's right, something will happen." (HA)
Asked if UH could offer JJ $1 mil per year, HF said:
"I don't know. I don't know what the number is. That's what we have to figure out. It is nice to know where you can go before you finish negotiating. We'll see where they (the regents) want to go." (HA)
About trying to get a salary range from the regents before starting negotiations with JJ, HF said:
"We don't want to be hamstrung (in negotiations), so we'll go do the ranges like we did with basketball." (HA)
About how it hasn't been decided yet whether or not UH will pay JJ's entire salary or if donations would be used to pay for part of JJ's contract again, HF said:
"It all depends upon where we end up." (HA)
Note: I cannot understand this. Why wouldn't UH want to get donations for JJ's contract? JJ has to be one of the most popular people with the donors, and he drives the engine that typically funds the bulk of an Athletic Department...it would seem to be a lot easier to get donors to chip in for JJ's salary than it would to get them to give the Athletic Department money without knowing where/how their money would be spent!
About how he doesn't have a salary range in mind yet, HF said:
"We're still talking about that, exploring that portion of it right now with administrative staff." (HA)
Monday, July 9, 2007
Quotes from Samson
http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/news/top_story.asp?contentID=5237
About the 6 root canals he had right before minicamp:
"I'm just a rookie and I can handle pain," Satele says. "It didn't bother me, honestly. I couldn't really talk but at the same time I was out there trying to fight for my job. It was something I wanted to get done and I'm happy it's done because it's a lifetime investment." (MiamiDolphins.com)
MD Note: "Satele tried to keep the news to himself, which is typical of his quiet demeanor, and just wanted to go about practice like business as usual. He didn't tell any of his teammates, not even his fellow University of Hawaii grads Tala Esera and Reagan Mauia.
But during one of the drills during the three-day minicamp, offensive line coach Hudson Houck came up to Satele and quietly asked him how he was doing. Satele, a four-year starter at Hawaii who started a school record 53 consecutive games, was working with the first group at the time and when they heard Houck mention Satele's root canals their reaction spoke volumes in terms of a new level of respect."
About the root canals, Samson said:
"They did it over two days, and unless you like to lie down and look at the lights for about five hours it's not real comfortable. The actual procedure wasn't that bad but the pain afterwards was a challenge." (MiamiDolphins.com)
After the minicamp, Cam Cameron said about Samson:
"I'm talking about his toughness. He never flinched, never said a word. I have never been around a guy yet that really practiced a whole practice with one root canal and he's had (six) in the last however many days. One thing is; we know he's smart and we know he's tough, which goes a long way at that position. We're very pleased with his progress." (MiamiDolphins.com)
About comparisons with Miami's Hall-of-Fame center Dwight Stephenson:
"I give my respect to him knowing that he was the best center there ever was in Miami, any to stay with the same team like he did is my motivation. I'm real eager just to look forward to the season and look forward to my future with the Dolphins and stay here forever. I want to be here forever because it's like Hawaii with no mountains." (MiamiDolphons.com)
About the 6 root canals he had right before minicamp:
"I'm just a rookie and I can handle pain," Satele says. "It didn't bother me, honestly. I couldn't really talk but at the same time I was out there trying to fight for my job. It was something I wanted to get done and I'm happy it's done because it's a lifetime investment." (MiamiDolphins.com)
MD Note: "Satele tried to keep the news to himself, which is typical of his quiet demeanor, and just wanted to go about practice like business as usual. He didn't tell any of his teammates, not even his fellow University of Hawaii grads Tala Esera and Reagan Mauia.
But during one of the drills during the three-day minicamp, offensive line coach Hudson Houck came up to Satele and quietly asked him how he was doing. Satele, a four-year starter at Hawaii who started a school record 53 consecutive games, was working with the first group at the time and when they heard Houck mention Satele's root canals their reaction spoke volumes in terms of a new level of respect."
About the root canals, Samson said:
"They did it over two days, and unless you like to lie down and look at the lights for about five hours it's not real comfortable. The actual procedure wasn't that bad but the pain afterwards was a challenge." (MiamiDolphins.com)
After the minicamp, Cam Cameron said about Samson:
"I'm talking about his toughness. He never flinched, never said a word. I have never been around a guy yet that really practiced a whole practice with one root canal and he's had (six) in the last however many days. One thing is; we know he's smart and we know he's tough, which goes a long way at that position. We're very pleased with his progress." (MiamiDolphins.com)
About comparisons with Miami's Hall-of-Fame center Dwight Stephenson:
"I give my respect to him knowing that he was the best center there ever was in Miami, any to stay with the same team like he did is my motivation. I'm real eager just to look forward to the season and look forward to my future with the Dolphins and stay here forever. I want to be here forever because it's like Hawaii with no mountains." (MiamiDolphons.com)
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Quotes from Hercules Satele
About shooting for a BCS bearth, Hercules said:
"Obviously, the expectations are high for us right now. We saw what Boise did last year and we want to be in that same situation. We just have to come together." (HSB)
About how he grew into his first name, Hercules said:
"I didn't know what the name meant when I was small. When I got to middle school and high school I got taller and bigger. One of my teachers said it fit me. It was awkward at first, but you get used to it." (HSB)
About itching to get back to Hawaii to work during the week he took off to visit family in Long Beach after the Spring, Hercules said:
"I knew every single day I put off would be a wasted day." (HSB)
Motivated by the questions people have with the offensive line, Hercules said:
"Everyone has questions about our O-line. We have to replace three starters, and the running back. But that's what makes us work harder, to get rid of those question marks, and just play football and get this offense ready to roll. Last season John and I were considered question marks. That made us work harder and by the end of the season it erased that." (HSB)
About Hercules' leadership, Dennis McKnight said:
"It's hard to make somebody a leader if it's not in them by nature. But Herc, I've seen and watched him grow so much this offseason. He's been out there working these kids out every day. That's priceless. I don't think he got the credit he deserved last year, the way he played. If you look at the overall grade average for the season, he graded out as our second-best lineman." (HSB)
About adjusting when moving back to Hawaii, Hercules said:
"At first you have to get used to the language. I had a hard time communicating with my cousins over here at first. I didn't know pidgin." (HSB)
About choosing UH out of Long Beach Poly, Hercules said:
"I had no problem signing with Hawaii. I had family over here. I knew one day we'd be eventually up there with them and right now we are." (HSB)
About how he misses his cousins who are now in the NFL, Hercules said:
"It's different, you know. Every day last year we lifted, they were doing what me, Mike (defensive lineman Lafaele) and Amani are doing this year. Without them it's different. You just have to keep on working and lead by example. When people see how hard you work, they want to work as hard as you." (HSB)
Praising the shape Hercules are in, Coach McKnight said:
"He's in top shape. He's lean. If he stays healthy and does what I know he can do, he's going to be a rich man real soon." (HSB)
"Obviously, the expectations are high for us right now. We saw what Boise did last year and we want to be in that same situation. We just have to come together." (HSB)
About how he grew into his first name, Hercules said:
"I didn't know what the name meant when I was small. When I got to middle school and high school I got taller and bigger. One of my teachers said it fit me. It was awkward at first, but you get used to it." (HSB)
About itching to get back to Hawaii to work during the week he took off to visit family in Long Beach after the Spring, Hercules said:
"I knew every single day I put off would be a wasted day." (HSB)
Motivated by the questions people have with the offensive line, Hercules said:
"Everyone has questions about our O-line. We have to replace three starters, and the running back. But that's what makes us work harder, to get rid of those question marks, and just play football and get this offense ready to roll. Last season John and I were considered question marks. That made us work harder and by the end of the season it erased that." (HSB)
About Hercules' leadership, Dennis McKnight said:
"It's hard to make somebody a leader if it's not in them by nature. But Herc, I've seen and watched him grow so much this offseason. He's been out there working these kids out every day. That's priceless. I don't think he got the credit he deserved last year, the way he played. If you look at the overall grade average for the season, he graded out as our second-best lineman." (HSB)
About adjusting when moving back to Hawaii, Hercules said:
"At first you have to get used to the language. I had a hard time communicating with my cousins over here at first. I didn't know pidgin." (HSB)
About choosing UH out of Long Beach Poly, Hercules said:
"I had no problem signing with Hawaii. I had family over here. I knew one day we'd be eventually up there with them and right now we are." (HSB)
About how he misses his cousins who are now in the NFL, Hercules said:
"It's different, you know. Every day last year we lifted, they were doing what me, Mike (defensive lineman Lafaele) and Amani are doing this year. Without them it's different. You just have to keep on working and lead by example. When people see how hard you work, they want to work as hard as you." (HSB)
Praising the shape Hercules are in, Coach McKnight said:
"He's in top shape. He's lean. If he stays healthy and does what I know he can do, he's going to be a rich man real soon." (HSB)
Quotes from JJ
About how he wants Tyler to play a lot this season, JJ said:
"I want Tyler to play a lot this year. I'll probably take him (Brennan) him out a little sooner." (HA)
About how winning is what is important, not stats, JJ said:
"If that (a 600-yard game) were to happen in a game that was close, then, that's good. (But) I'm not into stats. Really, I'm not. They happen in what we do. But I've never set out to do it, even when Timmy (Chang) was going after the national record (for career passing yardage in 2004). I knew it was going to happen. I didn't even have to try to do it." (HA)
About how he wants to get Tyler playing time to prepare him for next season, JJ said:
"He (Graunke) gets a lot of time, period, but he's going to be the guy next year (2008) and he's got to know how to do all those things under game conditions. How do you start your first game (in three seasons) at Florida (the 2008 opener)? He's gotta be ready." (HA)
Asked about their scheduling, JJ said:
"Herman and I e-mailed and talked about it, but I wasn't calling teams or anything. I've never called teams since I've been here. If I was told to do it, I would do it. But that's not my job. ... Would I like it to be? I don't go to sleep at night and say, 'Let me schedule the games.' " (HA)
Asked about the possibility of going undefeated and getting a BCS spot, JJ said:
"That's somebody else's decision. We don't ever talk in those terms. We speak only about each one at a time.
Every year I break up the season into three phases, and the first phase is probably the most critical this year because of the two games on the road back to back (Sept. 8 against Louisiana Tech and Sept. 15 against Nevada-Las Vegas). Fortunately, we're opening at home (Sept. 1 against Division I-AA Northern Colorado). ... Those two (road) games ... I think, will really make us who we are. ...
It's hard to win on the road, especially when you just took off of our football team 11 players that signed (pro) contracts. ... Any team that lost 11 (pro) potential players, there are some things you've got to find out about yourself." (HA)
Asked about the pressure to succeed this year because of their schedule, JJ said:
"To me it's no different than last year. Last year was bigger, more pressure than the year before, because we had gone through all of the ticket-price change and we had done everything. You'd better win when you do those kinds of things, and we did.
To me, I'm excited about this season as a coach, but I don't feel any more pressure than any other time I teed it up. Colt made a decision that all of us try to send him out. What he did for our school, what he did for us, we owe him as coaches and players to go play our ass off, and do the best job we can do, for all of the seniors, let alone him." (HA)
Asked about replacing 3 starters on the offensive line, JJ said:
"I think we're going to be good in the offensive line. ... Last year that was probably our strongest position. But I'm confident the guys replacing them will be as strong as we get through the season. They don't have the chance to do it by Week 7. They have to do it by Week 1." (HA)
Asked about replacing Nate and Reagan, JJ gushed over Pilares and LWJ:
"I'm really happy with Kealoha Pilares. ... I think Kealoha Pilares is the real deal. ... He can block. He knows who to block and he will block. He's special. ... This kid is different. He ain't a frickin' coward. He ain't frickin' afraid to hang on to the ball. He is the real deal. He will be a Gary Allen kind of guy. ... When we throw him the ball and when he runs the ball, you guys will go: 'Whoa, who's that?' That's what you guys will say next year.
(Nebraska transfer Leon Wright-Jackson) kind of reminds me of Eric Dickerson when he runs. I remember watching the first 10 or 12 plays of his highlight tape by myself. I called Jerry (Glanville) down here. I wrote on a piece of paper, 'Eric Dickerson.' I threw my book over it. I said, 'Jerry, look at this tape. Who does this guy remind you of?' About the 10th play, he said, 'Dickerson. The guy runs like Eric Dickerson.' That's pretty impressive that he would say it, too." (HA)
About how CJ Hawthorne will be their speed WR this season, JJ said:
"C.J. Hawthorne, I think, is going to be a big-time-vertical-speed guy for us. We haven't had one of those guys since Ashley (Lelie in 2001), really. (Left wideout) Jason Rivers makes plays, but he's not as fast as C.J. He's really a hard worker, really diligent. He wants to be the best he can be.
When you have that combination, those guys really take off. I would say by Week 3 or 4 ... he's one of the guys who will make you shake your head." (HA)
About Glanville going to Portland State, JJ said:
"If it had been somewhere else but Portland State, I probably would have never even given him a recommendation. I would have said, 'You don't want to go there.' But when he said, 'Portland,' I knew that it may be Portland State's last hurrah.
As I told Teri Mariani, the athletic director, I said, 'You need to hire him. He'll bring Mouse back. He'll save the program.'
That's what's happening. I can see it already. They get more newspaper time than Oregon and Oregon State in the Oregonian." (HA)
About losing Glanville and Mouse, JJ said:
"No question, the last two years were the most fun I ever had coaching. ... Just their personality. It was fun to come to work every day. We laughed. We had fun. Get your job done, work hard, and have fun doing it. That's what makes life good." (HA)
Asked about Colt's decision to return to UH, JJ said:
"I really do believe this: If he had come out last year, after it's all said and done, after all the coaches worked out everybody, after they sat and talked to everybody, that he would have gone first.
You can say what you want. Cut out (Oakland Raiders' owner) Al Davis. He's crazy drafting (LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 pick). That guy isn't ready to play, I'm sorry.
This guy can play. And they would have figured it out — coaches, and in individual workouts. What are they going to say about him? Well, they're going to say he's 205 pounds or 210. They're going to say he has a low release. He's in the shotgun. They're going to come up with all of these negative statements. But when they work him out, all of that stuff will go away. And if they look at the film, (the doubts) will all go away (because of) his accuracy and the type of kid he is. He can throw." (HA)
Asked where Colt will be drafted next season, JJ said:
"Coming into next year's draft, the 'experts' will have him second round or low first round. But when it's all said and done, he'll be in the top 10 picks in the first round. I can't imagine that he would not be. You've got to be nuts not to take a quarterback who can throw like that." (HA)
Asked about Colt speaking out and the parking situation, JJ said:
"He handled that fine. I knew it. Just like he said, 'Coach I'm not saying that for me. I'm saying that trying to make it better for my teammates.' That's how Colt is. You don't have to worry about what everybody else thinks. Just worry about what guys think in the (locker) room, and we all know.
I didn't tell him what to say. I didn't tell him he was wrong in saying it.
It's kind of interesting was that some of the things have gotten solved. Like the parking thing. It was a legitimate thing. Kids come in before the toll booths (are open in the morning). They park their cars, and then come out, and they get a ticket. Well, nobody's there to take the ticket (when they arrive), and they've got to be at practice. I mean, who's fault is that?
They changed the system. They're going to allow them to come in and they're going to allow them to go back and get a thing after. So, guess what? If he hadn't said what he said, it would still go on." (HA)
Asked about the difference between McMackin and Glanville, JJ said:
"Every defensive coach has (his) own personality. Jerry always gets the team to play at a level. It always amazed me how hard the guys would play every week. Greg does that, too, but he does it a different way." (HA)
About rehiring McMackin, JJ said:
"I like what he did (in 1999). And I've coached with him before, and I know what he's about. He's a known quantity." (HA)
"I want Tyler to play a lot this year. I'll probably take him (Brennan) him out a little sooner." (HA)
About how winning is what is important, not stats, JJ said:
"If that (a 600-yard game) were to happen in a game that was close, then, that's good. (But) I'm not into stats. Really, I'm not. They happen in what we do. But I've never set out to do it, even when Timmy (Chang) was going after the national record (for career passing yardage in 2004). I knew it was going to happen. I didn't even have to try to do it." (HA)
About how he wants to get Tyler playing time to prepare him for next season, JJ said:
"He (Graunke) gets a lot of time, period, but he's going to be the guy next year (2008) and he's got to know how to do all those things under game conditions. How do you start your first game (in three seasons) at Florida (the 2008 opener)? He's gotta be ready." (HA)
Asked about their scheduling, JJ said:
"Herman and I e-mailed and talked about it, but I wasn't calling teams or anything. I've never called teams since I've been here. If I was told to do it, I would do it. But that's not my job. ... Would I like it to be? I don't go to sleep at night and say, 'Let me schedule the games.' " (HA)
Asked about the possibility of going undefeated and getting a BCS spot, JJ said:
"That's somebody else's decision. We don't ever talk in those terms. We speak only about each one at a time.
Every year I break up the season into three phases, and the first phase is probably the most critical this year because of the two games on the road back to back (Sept. 8 against Louisiana Tech and Sept. 15 against Nevada-Las Vegas). Fortunately, we're opening at home (Sept. 1 against Division I-AA Northern Colorado). ... Those two (road) games ... I think, will really make us who we are. ...
It's hard to win on the road, especially when you just took off of our football team 11 players that signed (pro) contracts. ... Any team that lost 11 (pro) potential players, there are some things you've got to find out about yourself." (HA)
Asked about the pressure to succeed this year because of their schedule, JJ said:
"To me it's no different than last year. Last year was bigger, more pressure than the year before, because we had gone through all of the ticket-price change and we had done everything. You'd better win when you do those kinds of things, and we did.
To me, I'm excited about this season as a coach, but I don't feel any more pressure than any other time I teed it up. Colt made a decision that all of us try to send him out. What he did for our school, what he did for us, we owe him as coaches and players to go play our ass off, and do the best job we can do, for all of the seniors, let alone him." (HA)
Asked about replacing 3 starters on the offensive line, JJ said:
"I think we're going to be good in the offensive line. ... Last year that was probably our strongest position. But I'm confident the guys replacing them will be as strong as we get through the season. They don't have the chance to do it by Week 7. They have to do it by Week 1." (HA)
Asked about replacing Nate and Reagan, JJ gushed over Pilares and LWJ:
"I'm really happy with Kealoha Pilares. ... I think Kealoha Pilares is the real deal. ... He can block. He knows who to block and he will block. He's special. ... This kid is different. He ain't a frickin' coward. He ain't frickin' afraid to hang on to the ball. He is the real deal. He will be a Gary Allen kind of guy. ... When we throw him the ball and when he runs the ball, you guys will go: 'Whoa, who's that?' That's what you guys will say next year.
(Nebraska transfer Leon Wright-Jackson) kind of reminds me of Eric Dickerson when he runs. I remember watching the first 10 or 12 plays of his highlight tape by myself. I called Jerry (Glanville) down here. I wrote on a piece of paper, 'Eric Dickerson.' I threw my book over it. I said, 'Jerry, look at this tape. Who does this guy remind you of?' About the 10th play, he said, 'Dickerson. The guy runs like Eric Dickerson.' That's pretty impressive that he would say it, too." (HA)
About how CJ Hawthorne will be their speed WR this season, JJ said:
"C.J. Hawthorne, I think, is going to be a big-time-vertical-speed guy for us. We haven't had one of those guys since Ashley (Lelie in 2001), really. (Left wideout) Jason Rivers makes plays, but he's not as fast as C.J. He's really a hard worker, really diligent. He wants to be the best he can be.
When you have that combination, those guys really take off. I would say by Week 3 or 4 ... he's one of the guys who will make you shake your head." (HA)
About Glanville going to Portland State, JJ said:
"If it had been somewhere else but Portland State, I probably would have never even given him a recommendation. I would have said, 'You don't want to go there.' But when he said, 'Portland,' I knew that it may be Portland State's last hurrah.
As I told Teri Mariani, the athletic director, I said, 'You need to hire him. He'll bring Mouse back. He'll save the program.'
That's what's happening. I can see it already. They get more newspaper time than Oregon and Oregon State in the Oregonian." (HA)
About losing Glanville and Mouse, JJ said:
"No question, the last two years were the most fun I ever had coaching. ... Just their personality. It was fun to come to work every day. We laughed. We had fun. Get your job done, work hard, and have fun doing it. That's what makes life good." (HA)
Asked about Colt's decision to return to UH, JJ said:
"I really do believe this: If he had come out last year, after it's all said and done, after all the coaches worked out everybody, after they sat and talked to everybody, that he would have gone first.
You can say what you want. Cut out (Oakland Raiders' owner) Al Davis. He's crazy drafting (LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the No. 1 pick). That guy isn't ready to play, I'm sorry.
This guy can play. And they would have figured it out — coaches, and in individual workouts. What are they going to say about him? Well, they're going to say he's 205 pounds or 210. They're going to say he has a low release. He's in the shotgun. They're going to come up with all of these negative statements. But when they work him out, all of that stuff will go away. And if they look at the film, (the doubts) will all go away (because of) his accuracy and the type of kid he is. He can throw." (HA)
Asked where Colt will be drafted next season, JJ said:
"Coming into next year's draft, the 'experts' will have him second round or low first round. But when it's all said and done, he'll be in the top 10 picks in the first round. I can't imagine that he would not be. You've got to be nuts not to take a quarterback who can throw like that." (HA)
Asked about Colt speaking out and the parking situation, JJ said:
"He handled that fine. I knew it. Just like he said, 'Coach I'm not saying that for me. I'm saying that trying to make it better for my teammates.' That's how Colt is. You don't have to worry about what everybody else thinks. Just worry about what guys think in the (locker) room, and we all know.
I didn't tell him what to say. I didn't tell him he was wrong in saying it.
It's kind of interesting was that some of the things have gotten solved. Like the parking thing. It was a legitimate thing. Kids come in before the toll booths (are open in the morning). They park their cars, and then come out, and they get a ticket. Well, nobody's there to take the ticket (when they arrive), and they've got to be at practice. I mean, who's fault is that?
They changed the system. They're going to allow them to come in and they're going to allow them to go back and get a thing after. So, guess what? If he hadn't said what he said, it would still go on." (HA)
Asked about the difference between McMackin and Glanville, JJ said:
"Every defensive coach has (his) own personality. Jerry always gets the team to play at a level. It always amazed me how hard the guys would play every week. Greg does that, too, but he does it a different way." (HA)
About rehiring McMackin, JJ said:
"I like what he did (in 1999). And I've coached with him before, and I know what he's about. He's a known quantity." (HA)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Leonard Peters Interview
http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/articles/show_permalink/summer-q-a-leonard-peters
Asked how he ended up with uniform number 43, Leonard Peters said:
"It was a number given to me. I didn’t choose it, but it wouldn’t matter if it was 00. I am just trying to get on the team. All through high school and Pop Warner and college, I had No. 42 just because I had it when I was younger. But it doesn’t matter what number I get." (NYJets.com)
Asked if he's going back to Hawaii once you get some time away from the training complex, LP said:
"I am going home. They let us go home on the 6th [of July], so I am looking forward to that. They said there are a lot of beautiful beaches here, but I think I’ll wait until I get home to go to the beach. Plus I didn’t have time to go here, but I’d love to check it out and see it. We are getting a little bit more free time, so we’ll go check it out sometime." (NYJets.com)
Asked if he has any specific plans when he gets home, LP said:
"I miss my family. It’s a close-knit family, so I’ll go back and play with my nieces and nephews before we have to come back and work again." (NYJets.com)
Asked how he ended up with uniform number 43, Leonard Peters said:
"It was a number given to me. I didn’t choose it, but it wouldn’t matter if it was 00. I am just trying to get on the team. All through high school and Pop Warner and college, I had No. 42 just because I had it when I was younger. But it doesn’t matter what number I get." (NYJets.com)
Asked if he's going back to Hawaii once you get some time away from the training complex, LP said:
"I am going home. They let us go home on the 6th [of July], so I am looking forward to that. They said there are a lot of beautiful beaches here, but I think I’ll wait until I get home to go to the beach. Plus I didn’t have time to go here, but I’d love to check it out and see it. We are getting a little bit more free time, so we’ll go check it out sometime." (NYJets.com)
Asked if he has any specific plans when he gets home, LP said:
"I miss my family. It’s a close-knit family, so I’ll go back and play with my nieces and nephews before we have to come back and work again." (NYJets.com)
Quotes from Ikaika
http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=457987
About how he's always smiling at the Lions facility, Ikaika said:
“You've got to love life (and) I really do – I love life. I'm very blessed just to be here. There are so many people out there who would love to be in my spot and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to laugh (and) I'm going to have fun but there is a serious side that you have to have.
When it comes down to it (you need to be serious on) gamedays, during practice (and) zoning in during meetings. But you have to have fun with those too. You can't be all serious. Like it says, it's a game – so have fun." (DetroitLions.com)
About his on-field demeanor, Ikaika said:
"There's no smiling! It's mostly focus. You have a task at hand you're working so hard for every single day. There is an opportunity that comes up every Sunday that you've got to perform. So I just look at it as, that's what I've got to do; every Sunday just got to come out there and play. I'm going to focus in, harness in on it and give it everything I've got." (DetroitLions.com)
About how they held him out even when his injury could have let him partitipate in OTAs, Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry said:
“We were smart with him. You don’t want to risk getting him hurt. But he was there every day; he was in all the meetings; he was able to go through individual (drills) with (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) and Coach Marinelli so I feel good with where we’re at with our rookies and I’m excited to get Ikaika into camp just so we can practice and start doing the 11-on-11 drills.” (DetroitLions.com)
Feeling like he missed out when he had to sit out of their practices, Ikaika said:
“Don't get me wrong, I (was) working on the side running a lot – but I just (want to get) the feel of it; just getting used to the plays and the speed of it. I just can't wait to get out there and (practice) with them." (DetroitLions.com)
About adjusting to Detroit's 4-3 defense, Ikaika said:
"I'm getting more comfortable with (the defensive system). Switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 is a totally different scheme. When I first got here (Coach Marinelli) was like, 'Get off the ball!' I thought, 'Oh, no really? Yes!' It makes my job easier – just go get the quarterback. I'm enjoying the new system; I can't wait to play." (DetroitLions.com)
About how he gets so excited before games that he has to work to calm himself down, Ikaika said:
"For myself, I need to relax because I get too excited. When I get too excited I get tired. So I'll pop on my slow jams – 80s music – before the game. It's kind of relaxing. But then it's gameday – it's go time." (DetroitLions.com)
About wanting to give back to Detroit and their fans, Ikaika said:
“I just want to be able to help the community. That's really what it is (about). I mean – it is the people. The people make us who we are and the fans that come out every game; I've heard that Detroit is made up of very loyal fans, you know? Sell out every game. It's for them. So I'm just going to give back as much as I can." (DetroitLions.com)
Asked how he'd respond to their fans, who are known to be tough on players, Ikaika said:
"I'll still be upbeat. I'm going to try and change people's minds about it. I want everybody to be upbeat because when you're happy, you live life better. That's my philosophy. If you're happy and you enjoy what you're doing and you're loving life – what can go wrong?" (DetroitLions.com)
About how he's always smiling at the Lions facility, Ikaika said:
“You've got to love life (and) I really do – I love life. I'm very blessed just to be here. There are so many people out there who would love to be in my spot and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to laugh (and) I'm going to have fun but there is a serious side that you have to have.
When it comes down to it (you need to be serious on) gamedays, during practice (and) zoning in during meetings. But you have to have fun with those too. You can't be all serious. Like it says, it's a game – so have fun." (DetroitLions.com)
About his on-field demeanor, Ikaika said:
"There's no smiling! It's mostly focus. You have a task at hand you're working so hard for every single day. There is an opportunity that comes up every Sunday that you've got to perform. So I just look at it as, that's what I've got to do; every Sunday just got to come out there and play. I'm going to focus in, harness in on it and give it everything I've got." (DetroitLions.com)
About how they held him out even when his injury could have let him partitipate in OTAs, Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry said:
“We were smart with him. You don’t want to risk getting him hurt. But he was there every day; he was in all the meetings; he was able to go through individual (drills) with (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) and Coach Marinelli so I feel good with where we’re at with our rookies and I’m excited to get Ikaika into camp just so we can practice and start doing the 11-on-11 drills.” (DetroitLions.com)
Feeling like he missed out when he had to sit out of their practices, Ikaika said:
“Don't get me wrong, I (was) working on the side running a lot – but I just (want to get) the feel of it; just getting used to the plays and the speed of it. I just can't wait to get out there and (practice) with them." (DetroitLions.com)
About adjusting to Detroit's 4-3 defense, Ikaika said:
"I'm getting more comfortable with (the defensive system). Switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 is a totally different scheme. When I first got here (Coach Marinelli) was like, 'Get off the ball!' I thought, 'Oh, no really? Yes!' It makes my job easier – just go get the quarterback. I'm enjoying the new system; I can't wait to play." (DetroitLions.com)
About how he gets so excited before games that he has to work to calm himself down, Ikaika said:
"For myself, I need to relax because I get too excited. When I get too excited I get tired. So I'll pop on my slow jams – 80s music – before the game. It's kind of relaxing. But then it's gameday – it's go time." (DetroitLions.com)
About wanting to give back to Detroit and their fans, Ikaika said:
“I just want to be able to help the community. That's really what it is (about). I mean – it is the people. The people make us who we are and the fans that come out every game; I've heard that Detroit is made up of very loyal fans, you know? Sell out every game. It's for them. So I'm just going to give back as much as I can." (DetroitLions.com)
Asked how he'd respond to their fans, who are known to be tough on players, Ikaika said:
"I'll still be upbeat. I'm going to try and change people's minds about it. I want everybody to be upbeat because when you're happy, you live life better. That's my philosophy. If you're happy and you enjoy what you're doing and you're loving life – what can go wrong?" (DetroitLions.com)
Quotes from Lawrence Wilson
Comparing the Baltimore D with JG's D last season, Lawrence Wilson said:
"Their 3-4 defense is somewhat similar to what we did at UH. But some of the techniques are different." (HSB)
About his chances to make the Ravens, Wilson said:
"They're working me at defensive tackle and nose guard. They already had some cuts, so I'm thinking I have a good chance of at least making the practice squad." (HSB)
About how pure weightlifting isn't that important to Baltimore, Wilson (who lifted the most weight on UH's team last season0 said:
"Over there is different. It's not about lifting heavy stuff. They don't really care about how much you lift -- it's about what you can do (on the field). You have to learn fast and be ready at all times." (HSB)
About Ray Lewis, Wilson said:
"He's a really cool guy, down-to-earth. Tries to help you out. But once you step on that field, he's a different dude." (HSB)
"Their 3-4 defense is somewhat similar to what we did at UH. But some of the techniques are different." (HSB)
About his chances to make the Ravens, Wilson said:
"They're working me at defensive tackle and nose guard. They already had some cuts, so I'm thinking I have a good chance of at least making the practice squad." (HSB)
About how pure weightlifting isn't that important to Baltimore, Wilson (who lifted the most weight on UH's team last season0 said:
"Over there is different. It's not about lifting heavy stuff. They don't really care about how much you lift -- it's about what you can do (on the field). You have to learn fast and be ready at all times." (HSB)
About Ray Lewis, Wilson said:
"He's a really cool guy, down-to-earth. Tries to help you out. But once you step on that field, he's a different dude." (HSB)
Quotes from Jesse Sapolu
Warriors' ascent to an 11-3 record last year and their potential to do even better this fall.
About how UH won't have any teams taking them lightly this year, Sapolu said:
"They can't sneak up on anybody anymore. They have to be ready, because it can be exhausting when you become a target as a team." (HSB)
Asked what he thought about the resurgence of UH football, Sapolu said:
"I think they've put themselves in position to be respected. They have to work doubly as hard because it's hard to get there, but it's harder to stay there. That's just from my experience of winning back-to-back Super Bowls. I was one game away from a three-peat and I was so physically and mentally worn out and emotionally drained." (HSB)
Asked if UH can go undefeated this season, Sapolu said:
"If UH can keep their winning ways and realize they have to raise their level because they're no longer sleepers, they can get it done. They've got the quarterback that had a great year. He can surpass what he did last year, but he has to really focus, because the defenses will really be coming after him." (HSB)
About how his sons London and Roman (potential recruits?) play football at Southern California power Edison High School, Sapolu said:
"I think Edison's coming here to play Kamehameha next year (2008). So that'll be a good trip for me to come and watch my kids play at Aloha Stadium." (HSB)
Note: For those who don't know, Sapolu played for Farrington and UH, then won 4 Super Bowl titles with the 49ers and was a Pro Bowl player twice.
About how UH won't have any teams taking them lightly this year, Sapolu said:
"They can't sneak up on anybody anymore. They have to be ready, because it can be exhausting when you become a target as a team." (HSB)
Asked what he thought about the resurgence of UH football, Sapolu said:
"I think they've put themselves in position to be respected. They have to work doubly as hard because it's hard to get there, but it's harder to stay there. That's just from my experience of winning back-to-back Super Bowls. I was one game away from a three-peat and I was so physically and mentally worn out and emotionally drained." (HSB)
Asked if UH can go undefeated this season, Sapolu said:
"If UH can keep their winning ways and realize they have to raise their level because they're no longer sleepers, they can get it done. They've got the quarterback that had a great year. He can surpass what he did last year, but he has to really focus, because the defenses will really be coming after him." (HSB)
About how his sons London and Roman (potential recruits?) play football at Southern California power Edison High School, Sapolu said:
"I think Edison's coming here to play Kamehameha next year (2008). So that'll be a good trip for me to come and watch my kids play at Aloha Stadium." (HSB)
Note: For those who don't know, Sapolu played for Farrington and UH, then won 4 Super Bowl titles with the 49ers and was a Pro Bowl player twice.
Quotes about Greg McMackin
About moving to Hawaii yesterday after watching his 11-year-old granddaughter dance in Lubbock's 4th-of-July celebration, GM said:
"I got to see her perform, and now I'm thrilled to get back with June (Jones, UH's head coach) and the other assistants. I feel thrilled to be part of it again. Everyone has been so great to us." (HA)
Hoping to help UH win a WAC championship, GM said:
"I hope to be able to help June and the other assistants and the players win a WAC championship. June's done such an amazing job in beating so many good teams. Hawai'i has had a good football program through the years, but what he has done is served notice on all of the big-time teams that 'you'd better not come here for a vacation because you can get your tail kicked.' " (HA)
About how JJ wanted to create a football tradition like Miami has when JJ came to UH, GM said:
"He wanted to make (the Warriors) the Miami Hurricanes of the Pacific. There's some real football tradition in Miami, with all of the NFL guys. Under June, (UH) really has become the whole Miami Hurricanes of a few years ago. June has really developed a football tradition, and I'm excited to be part of it." (HA)
About the 2-inch thick playbook each defensive player received at the start of Spring training, GM said:
"We introduced the terminology and a lot of the package, and we put the players in the right positions." (HA)
About how he collected most of the playbooks after Spring training, GM said:
"I always collect them. You never know who's going to go to another school or something. Coaches are paranoid in that way. A few of the guys have them — the linebackers and guys who are going to make calls." (HA)
About the attitute he wants to instill on defense, GM said:
"We want them to have the attacking, swarming attitude. Hopefully, we'll make some big plays and play with emotion. That's what we're going to strive for." (HA)
Setting a goal for the defense, GM said:
"It's an old adage, but our job is to get the ball back to our offense. The big statistics for us are three-and-outs, takeaways, quarterback sacks, hurries, tackles for losses. Those will be the big stats. I'm not into the yardage thing. When you have a quarterback like we have and an offensive genius like June Jones and the guys who work with him, they're going to score. We need to be in shape so we can get the ball to them again and again. That will be our contribution." (HA)
"I got to see her perform, and now I'm thrilled to get back with June (Jones, UH's head coach) and the other assistants. I feel thrilled to be part of it again. Everyone has been so great to us." (HA)
Hoping to help UH win a WAC championship, GM said:
"I hope to be able to help June and the other assistants and the players win a WAC championship. June's done such an amazing job in beating so many good teams. Hawai'i has had a good football program through the years, but what he has done is served notice on all of the big-time teams that 'you'd better not come here for a vacation because you can get your tail kicked.' " (HA)
About how JJ wanted to create a football tradition like Miami has when JJ came to UH, GM said:
"He wanted to make (the Warriors) the Miami Hurricanes of the Pacific. There's some real football tradition in Miami, with all of the NFL guys. Under June, (UH) really has become the whole Miami Hurricanes of a few years ago. June has really developed a football tradition, and I'm excited to be part of it." (HA)
About the 2-inch thick playbook each defensive player received at the start of Spring training, GM said:
"We introduced the terminology and a lot of the package, and we put the players in the right positions." (HA)
About how he collected most of the playbooks after Spring training, GM said:
"I always collect them. You never know who's going to go to another school or something. Coaches are paranoid in that way. A few of the guys have them — the linebackers and guys who are going to make calls." (HA)
About the attitute he wants to instill on defense, GM said:
"We want them to have the attacking, swarming attitude. Hopefully, we'll make some big plays and play with emotion. That's what we're going to strive for." (HA)
Setting a goal for the defense, GM said:
"It's an old adage, but our job is to get the ball back to our offense. The big statistics for us are three-and-outs, takeaways, quarterback sacks, hurries, tackles for losses. Those will be the big stats. I'm not into the yardage thing. When you have a quarterback like we have and an offensive genius like June Jones and the guys who work with him, they're going to score. We need to be in shape so we can get the ball to them again and again. That will be our contribution." (HA)
Thursday, July 5, 2007
More quotes (spin) from Herman Frazier
http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=32002
About how UH won't be playing another football game on Maui like they did in 2001, unless the Maui stadium is expanded, HF said:
“I saw the (Montana game) numbers and the university actually lost $325,000 on that trip. I thought it was a great idea, but the facility is just not large enough to be able to do that. I think the thing we might be able to do is play a doubleheader over here for basketball. Maybe we could do a women’s game followed by a men’s game over here. We might be able to do something like that, but I think football is just too cost-prohibitive.’’ (Maui News)
About how the Hawaii Winter Baseball League could end of playing a lot of games in Maui because the renovation of Murakami Field could be completed late (big surprise!), HF said:
“We don’t know because it is all dependent on the start date. Originally we were trying to start that August 1. We have to go through procurement issues that private businesses don’t have to go through and so that is part of the issue. The other thing is, we have a major tenant in Toyota that is coming over to do a show for all the North American Toyota dealers and they need to be in that stadium from the middle of September to the beginning of October. So that is an issue as well. (HWBL owner) Duane Kurisu, who is a good friend of mine, we will work hand-in-hand with him on whatever we can to resolve, but Hawaii Winter Baseball, if they did have the opportunity to come over here and play a couple of games, it would be great for the people here on Maui.’’ (MN)
Note: So, the spin is that being late for renovating Murakami Field is great for the people in Maui...
About trying to keep the pay-per-view rates down for neighbor island fans, HF said:
“I asked K5 to keep the renewal rates for Neighbor Island subscribers the same as last year. I don’t know if they will, but we have requested that they do.’’ (MN)
About the penalty clause for Michigan State pulling out of the game this season, HF said:
“At the end of the day that can’t happen, but we were fortunate that we started putting those types of clauses in for when schools canceled on us. In the past when schools like the University of Texas pulled out, there was no penalty. I think in the end, a lot of this is done by relationships. It is unfortunate that Michigan State didn’t want to play us with the coach (John L. Smith) that was on hand.’’ (MN)
Asked about national criticism about their schedule, HF said something completely untrue:
“No, only the local media has criticized it.’’ (MN)
Defending his lack of communication about their schedule, HF said:
“You have seen me here today. I can be very comical, I can have fun, I enjoy what I am doing, and we just deal with the issues at hand.’’ (MN)
MN Note: "Noting the quarter-million-dollar payment from Michigan State, Frazier said revenues for the 2007 football season will be similar to last year. A 13th game, assuming it could have been against a name program with Brennan as a drawing card, would undoubtedly have boosted the income significantly in UH’s biggest-money sport. Put Louisville and UH on the same field – which was widely reported as one of the options Frazier turned down because the Cardinals only wanted to play Hawaii on the Mainland – and television networks would have fallen over themselves to bid for the rights."
About how UH won't be playing another football game on Maui like they did in 2001, unless the Maui stadium is expanded, HF said:
“I saw the (Montana game) numbers and the university actually lost $325,000 on that trip. I thought it was a great idea, but the facility is just not large enough to be able to do that. I think the thing we might be able to do is play a doubleheader over here for basketball. Maybe we could do a women’s game followed by a men’s game over here. We might be able to do something like that, but I think football is just too cost-prohibitive.’’ (Maui News)
About how the Hawaii Winter Baseball League could end of playing a lot of games in Maui because the renovation of Murakami Field could be completed late (big surprise!), HF said:
“We don’t know because it is all dependent on the start date. Originally we were trying to start that August 1. We have to go through procurement issues that private businesses don’t have to go through and so that is part of the issue. The other thing is, we have a major tenant in Toyota that is coming over to do a show for all the North American Toyota dealers and they need to be in that stadium from the middle of September to the beginning of October. So that is an issue as well. (HWBL owner) Duane Kurisu, who is a good friend of mine, we will work hand-in-hand with him on whatever we can to resolve, but Hawaii Winter Baseball, if they did have the opportunity to come over here and play a couple of games, it would be great for the people here on Maui.’’ (MN)
Note: So, the spin is that being late for renovating Murakami Field is great for the people in Maui...
About trying to keep the pay-per-view rates down for neighbor island fans, HF said:
“I asked K5 to keep the renewal rates for Neighbor Island subscribers the same as last year. I don’t know if they will, but we have requested that they do.’’ (MN)
About the penalty clause for Michigan State pulling out of the game this season, HF said:
“At the end of the day that can’t happen, but we were fortunate that we started putting those types of clauses in for when schools canceled on us. In the past when schools like the University of Texas pulled out, there was no penalty. I think in the end, a lot of this is done by relationships. It is unfortunate that Michigan State didn’t want to play us with the coach (John L. Smith) that was on hand.’’ (MN)
Asked about national criticism about their schedule, HF said something completely untrue:
“No, only the local media has criticized it.’’ (MN)
Defending his lack of communication about their schedule, HF said:
“You have seen me here today. I can be very comical, I can have fun, I enjoy what I am doing, and we just deal with the issues at hand.’’ (MN)
MN Note: "Noting the quarter-million-dollar payment from Michigan State, Frazier said revenues for the 2007 football season will be similar to last year. A 13th game, assuming it could have been against a name program with Brennan as a drawing card, would undoubtedly have boosted the income significantly in UH’s biggest-money sport. Put Louisville and UH on the same field – which was widely reported as one of the options Frazier turned down because the Cardinals only wanted to play Hawaii on the Mainland – and television networks would have fallen over themselves to bid for the rights."
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Quotes from JR about coaching at UH
http://winnipegsun.com/Sports/Football/2007/07/04/4310867-sun.html
About coaching at UH, JR said:
"I've enjoyed it here. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. This is such a unique and special place." (WS)
About not getting the DC job at UH, JR said:
"I was certainly disappointed. You always want to have an opportunity for more responsibility," said Reinebold, who will turn 50 in November. "We've got such great kids here. We probably have more talent on defence than they've ever had here at any one time." (WS)
About his biggest problem when he coached in the CFL, JR said:
"I made some critical errors, and I think the quarterback thing was probably the biggest issue we had. In that league you can never underestimate the value of that position. Inconsistent play at quarterback really, really hurt us. You look at that team and there was some talent around, but we just couldn't get a guy to come in and take it and go with it." (WS)
About coaching at UH, JR said:
"I've enjoyed it here. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. This is such a unique and special place." (WS)
About not getting the DC job at UH, JR said:
"I was certainly disappointed. You always want to have an opportunity for more responsibility," said Reinebold, who will turn 50 in November. "We've got such great kids here. We probably have more talent on defence than they've ever had here at any one time." (WS)
About his biggest problem when he coached in the CFL, JR said:
"I made some critical errors, and I think the quarterback thing was probably the biggest issue we had. In that league you can never underestimate the value of that position. Inconsistent play at quarterback really, really hurt us. You look at that team and there was some talent around, but we just couldn't get a guy to come in and take it and go with it." (WS)
Ikaika on Life in the NFL
http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=457998
Asked about his first impression of life in the NFL, Ikaika said:
"Wow. I'll tell you what – it's nothing like I ever imagined. Coming in they say the rookie season is always the hardest because you have to learn new things. They're throwing things at you every day. They're on you every play because they want to get you better – you're ‘the rook’. But I'm loving it. I really do. I smile about it, go to bed at night, wake up the next day and love it again." (DetroitLions.com)
Asked about his first impression of life in the NFL, Ikaika said:
"Wow. I'll tell you what – it's nothing like I ever imagined. Coming in they say the rookie season is always the hardest because you have to learn new things. They're throwing things at you every day. They're on you every play because they want to get you better – you're ‘the rook’. But I'm loving it. I really do. I smile about it, go to bed at night, wake up the next day and love it again." (DetroitLions.com)
Quotes from Herman Frazier
About the 2008 schedule, HF said:
"As you know, we're looking at one I-AA. I might change that. There might be a I-A team we can put in that spot, the week between Florida and Oregon State. However, it's still my intent to have '08 (the schedule) done by the end of August." (HSB)
HF said that he'd finish the scheduel:
"before the end of the summer." (HA)
About the guaranteed checks that will be given for home-and-home deals, HF said:
"Whatever we give them, they will give us." (HSB)
Feeling that Marion Higa doesn't need to audit UH Athletics, HF said:
"We have an outside independent audit, every single year. It is a very sound independent audit. It has to be done for the NCAA. You have certified public accountants from some top two or three firms in the country doing our audit. So our audit is our audit." (HSB)
About how they have sold more than 6000 tickets to the game at UNLV already, HF said:
"That more than 6,000 tickets are already spoken for is pretty darn good. I thought we could do it, that's why I asked for 10,000. We probably could have gone as high as 12,000, 13,000. The other thing down the road is it shows people that the University of Hawai'i and its fans will buy tickets to an away game," Frazier added. "One of these days we will be playing in a bowl game off the island and it (Mainland turnout) is going to make a difference." (HA)
"There is no question that being able to show that you can travel to Las Vegas or San Jose or Fresno — any place on the West Coast — bodes well for this university. I think it is a statement. Obviously, we love the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl first, but there is always a chance (of another bowl), depending on where you are ranked and what kind of payouts. I think whenever the time comes, we need to be ready." (HA)
"As you know, we're looking at one I-AA. I might change that. There might be a I-A team we can put in that spot, the week between Florida and Oregon State. However, it's still my intent to have '08 (the schedule) done by the end of August." (HSB)
HF said that he'd finish the scheduel:
"before the end of the summer." (HA)
About the guaranteed checks that will be given for home-and-home deals, HF said:
"Whatever we give them, they will give us." (HSB)
Feeling that Marion Higa doesn't need to audit UH Athletics, HF said:
"We have an outside independent audit, every single year. It is a very sound independent audit. It has to be done for the NCAA. You have certified public accountants from some top two or three firms in the country doing our audit. So our audit is our audit." (HSB)
About how they have sold more than 6000 tickets to the game at UNLV already, HF said:
"That more than 6,000 tickets are already spoken for is pretty darn good. I thought we could do it, that's why I asked for 10,000. We probably could have gone as high as 12,000, 13,000. The other thing down the road is it shows people that the University of Hawai'i and its fans will buy tickets to an away game," Frazier added. "One of these days we will be playing in a bowl game off the island and it (Mainland turnout) is going to make a difference." (HA)
"There is no question that being able to show that you can travel to Las Vegas or San Jose or Fresno — any place on the West Coast — bodes well for this university. I think it is a statement. Obviously, we love the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl first, but there is always a chance (of another bowl), depending on where you are ranked and what kind of payouts. I think whenever the time comes, we need to be ready." (HA)
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Some news about recruits
About his offers from UH, UNLV, and SDSU, Kam OL Mykenna Ikehara said:
"I'm just trying to keep an open mind until the season starts." (HSB)
Note: Pac-5 DE Aaron Tipoti also got an offer from UH at the Just Win camp on Maui last week.
"I'm just trying to keep an open mind until the season starts." (HSB)
Note: Pac-5 DE Aaron Tipoti also got an offer from UH at the Just Win camp on Maui last week.
Quotes about UH's Offensive Line
About how Estes will be the starting center when UH opens training camp next month, JJ said:
"I'm thinking he'll be the first center. All spring we worked with the others to make sure we had two or three (experienced centers). We had to try to develop some other guys." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Jones said Kia is a strong candidate to take Estes' old spot as the starting right guard. Other possibilities there are Tuioti-Mariner, sophomore Laupepa Letuli and senior Larry Sauafea."
About Hercules Satele, who will be ther only returning starter at the same position on the Oline, JJ said:
"Herc was one of our most underrated players last season and is working very hard this season." (HSB)
About how Ah-Soon and Steinhoff will be the starters at T for the start of training camp, JJ said:
"Keoni and Keith are pretty solid going in there. They're the front-runners right now and we're playing (Steinhoff) on both sides." (HSB)
About Hisatake, JJ said:
"He's battling for a second team spot right now. But I think he has a chance to be a great offensive lineman. He's had just 15 days of playing it. He's kind of like Tala (Esera) when we moved him over (from defense) before the USC game (in 2003)." (HSB)
About their offensive line, Hercules said:
"We're rebuilding, but I think we'll be fine. Not too long ago John and I were the question marks. Now we have to be the leaders." (HSB)
"I'm thinking he'll be the first center. All spring we worked with the others to make sure we had two or three (experienced centers). We had to try to develop some other guys." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Jones said Kia is a strong candidate to take Estes' old spot as the starting right guard. Other possibilities there are Tuioti-Mariner, sophomore Laupepa Letuli and senior Larry Sauafea."
About Hercules Satele, who will be ther only returning starter at the same position on the Oline, JJ said:
"Herc was one of our most underrated players last season and is working very hard this season." (HSB)
About how Ah-Soon and Steinhoff will be the starters at T for the start of training camp, JJ said:
"Keoni and Keith are pretty solid going in there. They're the front-runners right now and we're playing (Steinhoff) on both sides." (HSB)
About Hisatake, JJ said:
"He's battling for a second team spot right now. But I think he has a chance to be a great offensive lineman. He's had just 15 days of playing it. He's kind of like Tala (Esera) when we moved him over (from defense) before the USC game (in 2003)." (HSB)
About their offensive line, Hercules said:
"We're rebuilding, but I think we'll be fine. Not too long ago John and I were the question marks. Now we have to be the leaders." (HSB)
Quotes about the "A Colt Following" DVD
About the 43-minute DVD, Colt said:
"It is a pretty cool DVD." (HA)
"Robert's done an awesome job." (HA)
About the purpose of the DVD, director/producer Robert Kekaula said:
"We wanted people, the voters, to get to know not only Colt the football player but the person. It isn't just, 'Hey, I'm Colt and here's what I've done and here's what I'm running for.' Colt's a special guy and we wanted people to know why he has such a following in Hawai'i." (HA)
About the DVD, 1000 of which will be sent to the media and voters, UH SID Lois Manin sai:
"It will showcase not only Colt, but the team, the school and the state, which is the way Colt wanted it." (HA)
UH Associate AD John McNamara said that the DVD will cost the athletic department $25k:
"But that's only a fraction of what it would have cost had it not been for the help of Robert and a lot of others." (HA)
About how representatives from both newspapers and all 4 TV stations and radio participated, Kekaula sai:
"It really is kind of a grass-roots effort that says a lot about how people feel about Colt. Everybody jumped in on it." (HA)
About Colt and the DVD, Kekaula said:
"He plays puka shell tour guide and talks about how Hawai'i has become home." (HA)
About how they wanted to do something once Colt stayed at UH, Manin said:
"As soon as Colt said he was coming back it was 'game on!' for our planning." (HA)
About how only the worry about NCAA violations slowed their DVD work, Kekaula said:
"It was going in the snap of a finger. The only problem we had were the compliance people at UH found what they considered some gray areas they didn't know whether or not were violations of NCAA guidelines and it took them some time to find out." (HA)
Kekaula, who spent "countless" hours on Colt's DVD, also did a Heisman DVD for Timmy Chang and said:
"Like Timmy, Colt's a good kid, and he was very hands-on involved, which made it fun." (HSB)
"It is a pretty cool DVD." (HA)
"Robert's done an awesome job." (HA)
About the purpose of the DVD, director/producer Robert Kekaula said:
"We wanted people, the voters, to get to know not only Colt the football player but the person. It isn't just, 'Hey, I'm Colt and here's what I've done and here's what I'm running for.' Colt's a special guy and we wanted people to know why he has such a following in Hawai'i." (HA)
About the DVD, 1000 of which will be sent to the media and voters, UH SID Lois Manin sai:
"It will showcase not only Colt, but the team, the school and the state, which is the way Colt wanted it." (HA)
UH Associate AD John McNamara said that the DVD will cost the athletic department $25k:
"But that's only a fraction of what it would have cost had it not been for the help of Robert and a lot of others." (HA)
About how representatives from both newspapers and all 4 TV stations and radio participated, Kekaula sai:
"It really is kind of a grass-roots effort that says a lot about how people feel about Colt. Everybody jumped in on it." (HA)
About Colt and the DVD, Kekaula said:
"He plays puka shell tour guide and talks about how Hawai'i has become home." (HA)
About how they wanted to do something once Colt stayed at UH, Manin said:
"As soon as Colt said he was coming back it was 'game on!' for our planning." (HA)
About how only the worry about NCAA violations slowed their DVD work, Kekaula said:
"It was going in the snap of a finger. The only problem we had were the compliance people at UH found what they considered some gray areas they didn't know whether or not were violations of NCAA guidelines and it took them some time to find out." (HA)
Kekaula, who spent "countless" hours on Colt's DVD, also did a Heisman DVD for Timmy Chang and said:
"Like Timmy, Colt's a good kid, and he was very hands-on involved, which made it fun." (HSB)
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Quotes from Tyson Kafentzis
About moving from LB to S, Tyson Kafentzis said:
"I've always wanted to be back deep, see everything and come up and kill guys. I just imagine what it would be like to hit a guy from 10 yards away instead of five yards away. Big difference." (HSB)
About how he is different off the field, Tyson said:
"Football is just one aspect of my life." (HSB)
About Tyson's similarity to his Dad and Uncles, RM said:
"They're all similar in terms of aggressive style of play. They all have good speed and strength. ... His mannerisms, the way he jokes around, his facial expressions." (HSB)
About how Tyson's father Mark served as a mentor to him when he was at UH, RM said:
"He took me under his wing. He taught me everything from weight training to footwork drills to the playbook." (HSB)
About RM, Tyson said:
"I've known him probably since birth. He kind of reminds me of my dad and uncles in his mentality." (HSB)
Not expecting to get any special treatment from RM due to their back history, Tyson said:
"He's going to be hardest on me, expect more from me. I don't think I'll be getting any special treatment." (HSB)
Not feeling extra pressure because of his families' success at UH, Tyson said:
"No, not at all. It's just football, it's not life and death. I'm not over there in Iraq. That's pressure. Football's a game. I love the game, and anything I do, football, school, I'm going to do my best. But it is a game. My family would be proud of me regardless, even if I never played football. And that's how it should be." (HSB)
About his son, Mark Kafentzis said:
"Tyson's a deep thinker. For his age he's a lot more mature than most kids. I always told him it didn't matter if he played football or not, he's still my kid. He's probably his own harshest critic. No matter how good he plays, he never had a good enough game." (HSB)
Feeling that he's a better fit at S than LB, Tyson (now 6'1" and 210 pounds) said:
"My body is a safety's body. I'm pretty much a linebacker's mentality in a safety's body. I came in (from high school) at 198 and I should've played safety, but I played linebacker and that worked out well for me. But I didn't really feel comfortable weighing 230, 235, so I wanted to get back down, lose some weight and play safety." (HSB)
About adjusting to playing S, Tyson said:
"The biggest thing is not the mental part, but the physical part. I've got to get used to running, dropping and seeing the different routes and stuff. So seven-on-sevens are going to be crucial. I actually like it better, because you're at the very back and you see what everyone's doing." (HSB)
About playing RB, TE, FB, and LB in high school, Tyson said:
"At my school, I probably could've played O-line. I was one of the biggest guys and I was only around 200 pounds." (HSB)
About the depth UH now has on D, Tyson said:
"Nothing's going to be handed to me. It was a decision that was kind of a mutual thing. We're so stacked at linebacker and moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 -- that's one less linebacker. It's good to have competition at every position. We're pretty deep everywhere. Safety we're deep. Deep at linebacker, deep at D-line. We're definitely deeper than past teams of Hawaii." (HSB)
Mark, who played CB and S at UH, said about changing positions:
"Sometimes it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The more positions you know the better it is for the team. And I know he'll do anything for the team." (HSB)
"I've always wanted to be back deep, see everything and come up and kill guys. I just imagine what it would be like to hit a guy from 10 yards away instead of five yards away. Big difference." (HSB)
About how he is different off the field, Tyson said:
"Football is just one aspect of my life." (HSB)
About Tyson's similarity to his Dad and Uncles, RM said:
"They're all similar in terms of aggressive style of play. They all have good speed and strength. ... His mannerisms, the way he jokes around, his facial expressions." (HSB)
About how Tyson's father Mark served as a mentor to him when he was at UH, RM said:
"He took me under his wing. He taught me everything from weight training to footwork drills to the playbook." (HSB)
About RM, Tyson said:
"I've known him probably since birth. He kind of reminds me of my dad and uncles in his mentality." (HSB)
Not expecting to get any special treatment from RM due to their back history, Tyson said:
"He's going to be hardest on me, expect more from me. I don't think I'll be getting any special treatment." (HSB)
Not feeling extra pressure because of his families' success at UH, Tyson said:
"No, not at all. It's just football, it's not life and death. I'm not over there in Iraq. That's pressure. Football's a game. I love the game, and anything I do, football, school, I'm going to do my best. But it is a game. My family would be proud of me regardless, even if I never played football. And that's how it should be." (HSB)
About his son, Mark Kafentzis said:
"Tyson's a deep thinker. For his age he's a lot more mature than most kids. I always told him it didn't matter if he played football or not, he's still my kid. He's probably his own harshest critic. No matter how good he plays, he never had a good enough game." (HSB)
Feeling that he's a better fit at S than LB, Tyson (now 6'1" and 210 pounds) said:
"My body is a safety's body. I'm pretty much a linebacker's mentality in a safety's body. I came in (from high school) at 198 and I should've played safety, but I played linebacker and that worked out well for me. But I didn't really feel comfortable weighing 230, 235, so I wanted to get back down, lose some weight and play safety." (HSB)
About adjusting to playing S, Tyson said:
"The biggest thing is not the mental part, but the physical part. I've got to get used to running, dropping and seeing the different routes and stuff. So seven-on-sevens are going to be crucial. I actually like it better, because you're at the very back and you see what everyone's doing." (HSB)
About playing RB, TE, FB, and LB in high school, Tyson said:
"At my school, I probably could've played O-line. I was one of the biggest guys and I was only around 200 pounds." (HSB)
About the depth UH now has on D, Tyson said:
"Nothing's going to be handed to me. It was a decision that was kind of a mutual thing. We're so stacked at linebacker and moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 -- that's one less linebacker. It's good to have competition at every position. We're pretty deep everywhere. Safety we're deep. Deep at linebacker, deep at D-line. We're definitely deeper than past teams of Hawaii." (HSB)
Mark, who played CB and S at UH, said about changing positions:
"Sometimes it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The more positions you know the better it is for the team. And I know he'll do anything for the team." (HSB)
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