Quotes from Jason Rivers

About how JJ is always adjusting their offense, Jason Rivers said:
"Coach (June) Jones is always tweaking it here and there, putting little things in, taking little things out. So I'm constantly learning." (HSB)


About how he's grown as a person and player over the past 2 years, Rivers said:
"Before, when I was younger, things like that, the spotlight, tended to get to your head and you forget why you play or why you love the game so much. Last year and the year I lost, I started to remember that." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Rivers enters the season sixth on the school's all-time receiving-yardage list with 2,745 and needs 597 more to jump past Ashley Lelie into first. His 200 career receptions put him 40 away from breaking Chad Owens' career record."


Not concerned about setting records at UH, Rivers said:
"The more special thing to me is being a part of this team, not so much the records. The records are good to have, but the time shared, the time spent with teammates is something I'll remember more than the records." (HSB)

HSB Note: "During his sophomore season in 2004, Rivers latched onto a 7-yard touchdown pass against Louisiana Tech that made Chang the NCAA's all-time passing-yardage leader. A little more than two years later, Rivers' first score in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl against Arizona State gave Brennan a tie for the NCAA single-season touchdown mark. The final connection between the duo in a 41-24 win set the new standard at 58."


About Rivers' year away from football due to academics and a broken ankle, JJ said:
"When he went through the difficulties a couple of years ago and wasn't able to play, it was like a wake-up call for him. In life, in general, when you get those second opportunities you'd better take advantage of them, and Jason has fully done that." (HSB)


About how the year off from football changed him, Rivers said:
"It helped me to appreciate being here. Coach Jones talks all the time about it being a privilege being here and I took it for granted. Losing that year, not playing, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. Once I lost it, that's when I figured out how much it meant to me. I wasn't going to give up, I was going to try my hardest to get back." (HSB)


About how Rivers gives their offense that crucial outside threat, Colt said:
"I had heard a lot about him and I watched him on film and realized how much we would benefit if he got out here. He took our outside threat to a new level, and with all the attention Ryan (Grice-Mullins) and Davone (Bess) get on the inside, when everybody tries to shut them down, they leave him with one-on-one coverage." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Rivers and Brennan took advantage of Arizona State's decision to follow that strategy in the Hawaii Bowl when they connected 14 times for 308 yards, an NCAA bowl game and UH single-game record for receiving yards. Following the game, Rivers said he gave a "brief thought" to jumping to the NFL, but decided to return to finish his UH career."


About coming back for his senior season, Rivers said:
"Once you're gone, you're gone. You can't come back. It was worth it to come back to experience the same thing I had last year." (HSB)


About how Rivers' physical style will serve him well in the NFL, JJ said about Rivers:
"he can make you miss like a little guy, but if he wants to run over you, he'll run over you." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Along with the yards and scores, one of Rivers' 2006 highlights was plowing over a defensive back to lead Ian Sample into the end zone for the winning touchdown against Purdue."


About how making a big block that leads to a TD feels just as good as scoring the TD, Rivers said:
"Oh my goodness, let me tell you, that felt just as good as scoring the touchdown. I'm sure everyone feels that way, because if everybody doesn't contribute on that single play we might not have won that game." (HSB)


About how Rivers is on track to get his political science degree, JJ said:
"His freshman and sophomore years you wouldn't have guessed that would even be in the picture. But he's committed himself, he's going to get his degree and he's playing football at a really high level right now." (HSB)