Quotes from the UH-Idaho game

HA = Honolulu Advertiser
HSB = Honolulu Star-Bulletin
AP = Associated Press
IS = Idaho Statesman
WB = The Warrior Beat
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Quotes from the UH Coaches

About their 3rd road win this season, JJ said:
"We got a win on the road, and it's hard to win on the road." (HSB)

About Colt's ankle injury (which contributed to the INTs), JJ said:
"He may have to deal with that (the ankle) the whole year. That's the way it goes." (HA)

"He's going to have to deal with it the whole year. He wasn't at his best and he didn't throw the ball as he usually does. He made a lot of great plays. When he's getting rushed the injury is a factor because he can't push off. He battled through it pretty good." (HSB)

About how Colt didn't play too badly but will be really down on himself, JJ said:
"A lot of (the problems) came when he was moving around. That's when you feel it. When he was able to get set he made some good throws. Take away the 2 or 3 balls that were tipped and he played a pretty good game. But he's tough on himself. He's his own worst critic." (HA)

"Take away the tipped balls and (Brennan) played pretty good." (HSB)

"He didn't throw the ball as well as he has." (HSB)

About how Lane is still learning and improving, JJ said:
"He made that big play over the top and has some things to learn, but he'll just keep getting better. He gets better every time he plays." (HA)

Praising their D, JJ said:
"Other teams are finding out now that we're pretty good on defense." (HA)

"Everybody's buying into Greg's system and it shows." (HSB)

About Adam Leonard's lobbying for a FB role, JJ said:
"He talked about that last week. He's got some running ability." (HA)

Asked if he would play Adam on offense, JJ said:
"Naw." (HA)


Asked if he would have a problem with Adam being used on offense, GM said:
"Oh, yeah, lots of problems" (HA)

Then GM smiled and referred to Hawthorne:
"I don't care, whatever June wants. June's done that before." (HA)

About how Blaze got some playing time in this game and will be used to give Adam Leonard some breaks in the game because Adam is still recovering from his knee surgery, GM said:
"We wanted to be careful, but we wanted to work him in there for 15 plays or so. He got to get in there and be involved in some collisions. He came out with a big smile on his face." (HA)

Giving credit to his defensive assistants, GM said:
"I'm happy with the guys and the coaches — Rich Miano, Jeff Reinebold, George Lumpkin, Cal Lee and Duff (Terry Duffield). Our coaches helped our players make plays." (HA)

About how he was upset with comments from ESPN's Craig James about their defense, GM said:
"He said we can't stop anybody. He said we shouldn't be a Top 20 team because we haven't played anybody. You tell him 'thanks a lot.' He got me mad. I've been around too long and that stuff doesn't (usually) bother me. The problem is they haven't watched us play. I wouldn't mind if somebody said it about us if they had seen us. But he hasn't even watched us and you say that. That's not real professional." (HA)

"He even got me mad. I told the players he got his college the death penalty -- print that. But he's doing me a great favor. The problem is (detractors) haven't even watched us. People need to know these are hard-nosed, kick-ass type guys, and they showed it today." (HSB)

Trying to downplay his role in firing up the team, GM said:
"What happened the other night was between me and the team." (HA)

HA Note: "But for all the outward calm, usually the placid exterior and understatedness with which he normally chooses his words, do not fail to understand the competitive fire that boils within. Do not underestimate the passion he has brought to the game for nearly 40 years as a coach. The Warriors certainly do not. Not after Friday night, anyway. For it was a real fire-and-brimstone oratory, punctuated by the flinging of a plastic ice water jug in a unit meeting, that drove home some of what the Warriors say inspired them to a rougher, more focused edge in yesterday's 48-20 trouncing of Idaho."


About how James' comments fired up GM, Jeff Reinbold said:
"He cares a lot about these guys and that (James' comments) really struck a chord with him. He can get riled up when he feels someone attacks his players." (HA)


DB coach Rich Miano said that GM's emotions were:
"building up. It was getting more and more intense until the volcano erupted." (HA)

About their 5 INTs, Miano said:
"We have (defensive backs) who see the ball and play the ball. They go against the greatest passing offense in America every day in practice. When teams throw, it works to our advantage. The philosophies and techniques we use allow them to get to the ball. And it's contagious. They want to out-do each other. They want stickers on their helmets." (HA)

About Adam Leonard's INT return for a TD when the game was 7-7, Rich Miano said that it was:
"huge." (HA)


QB coach Dan Morrison said that Colt's injured ankle caused Colt:
"not to be able to do some of the things he normally does as well. But it is something he's going to have to work through and he's a tough kid." (HA)

Morrison pointed out:
"even with it, he made some unbelievable throws at times. He made a couple across the field to Davone (Bess) that, I mean, had to be put right where they were. There was no other place — and he did it." (HA)

Quotes from the UH Players

Asked how this game would affect his Heisman chances, Colt said:
"It's an overall thing, so I've got some games to bounce back. If we can roll to 8-0, 9-0 ... I have to have my best games the last three games of the season." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Those will be against Nevada, Boise State and Washington."

About their D, Colt said:
"I know the defense wanted to make a statement." (HA)

"Our defense had the opportunity to step up and make big plays. And they did." (HSB)

About how this game showed how good their team is, Colt said:
"I get a lot of credit, but sometimes as a team overall, we don't seem to get the respect we deserve. I think this was a good day to see how good of a football team this really is. I didn't have a very good game, and I did some bad things, but the team dominated for four quarters. It was fun to see the team win the way it did." (HA)

"It wasn't my best game, but it's good to have the special teams and defense step up when this happens." (IS)

"The defense and special teams playing the way they did shows the kind of team we are. It was kind of a weird day. Not my best." (HSB)

About his 5 INT game, Colt said:
"I just had a different, crazy day. What's awesome is everyone else just showed how good our team really is." (AP)

"(The Vandals) made some good plays, and I wasn't myself. I didn't do the best job of capitalizing when I had the opportunities. It was a weird, wacky thing. We played that poorly on offense, and we still crushed them. That shows how good this team is." (HA)

About his injured ankle, Colt said:
"I tweaked it a little. I hate to make excuses, but I just didn't step in as well and some of the passes were underthrown a little. A little better throws and they are touchdowns or big gains. It was a weird day." (HA)

HA Note: "In the first quarter, Brennan "rolled" the ankle. He opted to continue playing. But the injury made it difficult to push off on his right foot. Two of his interceptions came when he threw off the back foot. Two others were initially tipped."


About the win and Colt's struggles, Bess said:
"It keeps Colt very humble and let's him understand that you have to execute and do what you have to do. This is a great win for the team." (AP)


About his 41-yard scoring pass, Lane said:
"Colt threw a perfect pass, like he's been doing all year. The ball was right there." (HA)

"I got tackled in the end zone and almost bit my tongue off. But I hung onto the ball." (HSB)

HA Note: "Malcolm Lane, playing in place of injured left wideout Jason Rivers (lower-back tightness), teamed with Brennan on a 41-yard scoring pass. It was a read-and-react play, in which Lane, after seven steps, had the option of cutting inside or running straight ahead. Noticing that cornerback Stanley Franks was in a set position 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, Lane opted to sprint downfield."


After his 85 yards rushing (10 carries) and 15 yards receiving (2 catches), Kealoha Pilares said:
"I was just trying to make the first guy miss and get in the open field. The field was kind of soft and hard to cut on." (HSB)

About how the RBs worked hard on blocking in practice to protect Colt and his injured ankle, Pilares said:
"All week we were preparing for the worst -- blitzes, all kinds of looks. As the game went on, it was usually just three- or four-man rush, not bringing any linebackers like we thought they would. Our running game is just to help him out, keep them honest." (HSB)

Praising Colt, Pilares said:
"Even his worst day is a good day." (HSB)


About how their defense gets put down by people who don't get to see them play, Adam Leonard said:
"What we don't like is people who don't see us play and automatically assume we can't stop anybody. That is a chip on our shoulder. We want to prove ourselves each week to the nay-sayers." (AP)

"We came to make a statement." (HA)

"It was personal." (HA)

"No matter how the offense plays, we've got a certain way we want to play." (HSB)

About his INT return for a TD, Adam said:
"The quarterback was looking the way he wanted to throw the whole time. I managed to cut in front and get it." (AP)

"I saw the quarterback looking at him all the way. I buzzed over. As soon as (Enderle) released (the ball), I cut in front of (Bjorvik). I'm thankful God blessed me to be in position to make plays." (HA)

After scoring TDs on INT returns in consecutive games, Adam talked about getting some time at FB:
"I've been talking to JJ (head coach June Jones) about getting a little goal-line fullback (time) and busting one in." (HA)

"I've been talking to JJ about getting some goal-line time at fullback." (HSB)

"I don't think they (the running backs) should be worried about their jobs too soon. I'm just trying to keep helping the defense." (HA)


About how their D was fired up from the start of the game, Michael Lafaele said:
"It's nothing against Idaho, but we came out fired up. Coach Mack got us fired up because he told us what Craig James said. We just have to go out there and shut everybody up." (HSB)

"We took this game personal. Nothing against Idaho ... but we came out jacked up, stopped them on the first series and took it from there." (AP)

"We weren't going to let anything happen." (HA)

About how they stopped Idaho from being able to run, Lafaele said:
"They wanted to run it on us. We weren't having none of that." (HA)

About Colt's struggles, Lafaele said:
"Colt wasn't 100 percent physically. But we still have a lot of confidence in all our quarterbacks." (HSB)


About how they stopped the run, Sol Elimimian said:
"They ran the ball effectively against most teams they played. We knew we wanted to stop the run first. It came down to our linemen kicking the butt of the guy in front of them. That's how you stop the run." (HA)


About their DL stunts to counter the smaller spaces between Idaho's blockers, Karl Noa said:
"We wanted to have an extra guy outside so we could set somebody free." (HA)


About how Lafaele called the defensive audibles, including 3- and 4-man stunts, Keala Watson said:
"Mike is the man at recognizing things. On tape, it looks unorganized, but we know what we're doing." (HA)


About getting covered with water after GM's fiery speech about their D, Amani Purcell said:
"The jug went in one direction and the water came in my direction. Everybody was like, 'Dang, we have to take this seriously.' It was emotional for coach Mac. People talk about our defense, and he's in charge of our defense." (HA)

HA Note: "During a defensive meeting Friday night, defensive coordinator Greg McMackin spoke of James' comments. At one point, McMackin, fueled by emotion, lost his grip on a water jug, with the contents spraying on defensive end Amani Purcell."


Fale Laeli said that when GM:
"got mad, I just wanted to play right then. He got us fired up. When coach Mac got mad, we got mad. We took it personally. We had to come out and do our thing." (HA)


About his first INT, which he returned for 22 yards but was tackled at the Idaho 18, Newberry said:
"I wanted the touch(down), but they had the angle on me. But I knew my time to take one back would come eventually." (HA)

About how he got a TD on his INT later in the game, Newberry said:
"That one I gonna make sure I got in. The last time I got (an interception for a touchdown) was two years ago in junior college." (HA)

About how he got called for a celebration penalty when he dived into the end zone on his INT return for a TD, Newberry said:
"I wasn't showing off. I was tired. It was spur of the moment. Oh, well." (HA)

About how he felt that he wasn't making "enough plays" this season and vowed to play better, Newberry said:
"I had a little chip on my shoulder." (HA)

"I know I'm doing a good job. My time to make some big plays came today." (HSB)

About how the critics of their D motivate them, Newberry said:
"We're going to hold on to that the rest of the year. (James) is not the only one. We just have to go out every week and do what we did today." (HSB)

About both of his INTs, Newberry said:
"I read the quarterback. I broke on the receiver before he could come out of his break." (HA)

About how both of his INTs came when they were on a cover-3 D and he was alone on the right third of the secondary, Newberry said:
"I'm on an island. I have to make the right decisions." (HA)


About his injured right knee (injured while making a cut on a blitz attempt) that will have an MRI, Mouton said:
"It's a little sore, man. I'll be all right. I can't sit out." (WB)


About the discomfort on the side of his right (kicking) foot, Dan Kelly said:
"I think a 'boo-boo' is the correct terminology for it." (WB)

After a trainer corrected him, Kelly said:
"OK, it's an 'ow-ie.'" (WB)


Quotes from Idaho

Unhappy with their play in the game, head coach Robb Akey said:
"It was not a good game and (it was) frustrating for us to have it end the way that it did." (IS)

"We've got to do a better job of taking care of the football. We've turned the ball over too many times in the last two weeks and we need to get that taken care of." (HSB)

"We did a nice job of taking the ball away. That is positive, but we operate as a team. We live and die as a team. We need to have more success. We need to execute better. I'm not happy with it. It's not acceptable, but I have to understand this is where we're at. We have to keep progressing." (IS)

About how he was surprised that RB Deonte Jackson was available to play, Akey said:
“He looked when he was in there. I was pleasantly surprised. I like to think it will do nothing but get better now.” (IS)

IS Note: "Jackson said he was “80 percent” and “felt no pain at all.” "


About his INTs, QB Nathan Enderle said:
"Interceptions fall on a lot of people's shoulders. Sometimes they're mine. Sometimes they're somebody else. I'm not going to point out which ones are which." (AP)

"There were some missed communications happening. The way we look at it, interceptions are on everybody. We're not going to blame any one person. We're going to clean that up." (HA)

About how they couldn't afford to make those types of mistakes vs. UH, Enderle said:
"We gave a good team too many points. We're making too many mistakes. When we do things right and don't make mistakes, we can play against anybody. We have too many mistakes right now to play against talented teams." (IS)


About Colt, LB David Vobara said:
"When he wants to be, he's on the money, and I think he's as good as anybody in the nation. ... He's a darn good quarterback, and obviously his wheels weren't healthy. When he's completely healthy, he'll be able to fly around and be awesome." (WB)


About how their D needed to play better, CB Stanley Franks said:
"We gave up too many big plays." (IS)


About his 2 TDs (all of their TDs), TE Eddie Williams said:
"If I caught zero balls and we win the game, I'm happy." (IS)

About how they have to execute their plays, Williams said:
"We had a great game plan, but it's just a matter of executing. If we have 10 guys doing their jobs and one guy who isn't, we aren't going to be successful on the play." (HSB)

Feeling bad for their D that kept getting turnovers vs. UH, Williams said:
"It's very frustrating, and I know it's frustrating for the defense. They played hard and do what they can. They gave us interception after interception. We need to be able to capitalize on those." (IS)