Quotes about the kick coverage unit (the "Hit Men")

About the players who form the left side of their kickoff coverage unit, Dennis McKnight (who coordinates the kickoff coverage) said:
"They do the job." (HA)

HA Note: "UH's strategy is to narrow the field, with Dan Kelly placing kickoffs to the return team's right. The Warriors loaded their left side with two speedsters (Ryan Keomaka and Guyton Galdeira) along the sideline, and wedge-busters Rustin Saole, Francis Maka and John Fonoti between the numbers and the tee. Galdeira and Keomaka are known as "Thunder" and "Lightning," respectively."


About the "Thunder" and "Lightning" nicknames that Keomaka and he have, Galdeira said:
"They see Ryan, because he's flying down with his long hair. I'm the one making the noise, metaphorically, when I hit." (HA)


About how he and Keomaka's jobs are to occupy as many blockers as possible, Galdeira said:
"You don't want one for one. You want two or three guys to block you. You want to sacrifice yourself so the other guys can make the tackles." (HA)

HA Note: "The Warriors are second among Western Athletic Conference teams in kickoff defense, allowing an average of 20.48 yards per return. Most of the long gains were against the reserves. The Warriors received a boost when defensive ends Maka and Fonoti were recruited to special teams. Maka was a late addition because he was awaiting certification of a summer-school grade. Fonoti only recently has fully recovered from a bruised left heel suffered in a household fall."


About how his left heel is fine now, Fonoti said:
"I'm feeling good now." (HA)


Dennis McNight said that Fonoti and Maka have:
"that combination of good size and good speed. When you've got a size-and-speed guy in kickoff coverage, you've got a good weapon. A lot of times you either have a fast guy or a power guy. In these two guys, we legitimately have both. They can power a guy if they're trying to block you, or they can run by a guy." (HA)


About why Maka got the nickname "The Terrorist", Karl Noa said:
"He terrorizes the other team." (HA)


About how he's adjusted his kickoff coverage play, Maka said:
"I used to try to hit the first person. I learned there's a lot more to it than that. Now you have to avoid the first group. When you get close enough (to the ballcarrier), then you blast them." (HA)


Asked if he was worried about getting injured when making a TD-saving tackle vs. CSU, kicker Dan Kelly said:
"I might as well go out the right way. What was it with the kicker (Bill Gramatica) with the Arizona Cardinals (in 2001)? He jumped up and hurt himself. I might as well get tackled and hurt myself. It's more of a manly way to go out. I'll take that. I'll take a guy just to save our average. It's what I'm meant to do. I don't like that one-dimensional thing where kickers just kick and they don't tackle." (HA)


About how he is the strong safety on the kickoff coverage on their left side, Kelly said:
"If anything pops through, that's my spot to fill." (HA)


About how he participated in tackling drills last year and has learned techniques by watching teammates, Kelly said:
"I'm not perfect, but I do know how to wrap up and grab cloth. I'm not strong enough to drive my legs and push him back. I grab cloth and fall over and drag him down." (HA)