Quotes about Ikaika from his coach

About why it was important to be able to spend the rookie mini-camp time one-on-one with Ikaika, Lions head coach Rod Marinelli said:
“There’s certain things that I can see that he can do and there’s certain things that are really difficult for a young lineman because a lot of times they haven’t used their hands in coordinating with their feet. So I’ll spend some detailed times and here I got him for three days or whatever it is and I can really just sit down and deal (with him) one-on-one because the next camp there are more guys and it’s harder and the tempo (is faster). So you take advantage of this setting.” (Detroitlions.com)

Quotes from Reagan about his YouTube Video

Thank you Tombo for pointing me to this quote!

About the attention he’s been getting for his YouTube video, Reagan said:
“It’s cool. I didn’t think it was going to blow up like this. I was just messing around out there, just having fun.” (scout.com)

Quotes from Lawrence Wilson

Thank you to Tombo for the link to this article!

Happy to be in the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie mini-camp, Lawrence Wilson said:
“I was really surprised when the Ravens called me. This is a learning experience for me right now and I’m taking it all one step at a time. There are some new things but what I’ve noticed the most is that everything is a lot faster and quicker. Hopefully, I can go out and work hard and do everything I’m supposed to do.” (The Capitol)

Asked what undrafted free agents need to do to make it in the NFL, Ravens coach Brian Billick said:
“Talk about a fifth-round pick in D’wan Landry, undrafted free agents like Bart Scott or Kelly Gregg; they are examples to look at and say if you ever doubt you can do this, look at those guys and you should recognize this is do-able. The fact is if you don’t believe you can do it, you probably ought not be here. This is a lot to go through for you to decide you can’t do this or can’t play. You might as well move on to your life’s work if you take that attitude. We have to get them to grasp that.” (TC)

About what will happen during their mini-camp, Billick said:
“What we do on these two days is to give them a sense of what’s in front of them, the difficulty mentally and physically. Right now, this is a slowed-down, nurturing environment. When the veterans get here it will be, shut up and listen rookie and get out of the way: A tougher environment so they’ll have to be ready for that transition when the pace picks up dramatically.” (TC)

“Teaching is what this job is all about. It’s teaching, teaching, teaching. It’s getting them all on the same page. That’s why we get into this business. That’s what we enjoy.” (TC)

TC Note: “Wilson was learning how to use his feet and arms and hands to get past, through or around offensive linemen. Over and over, he got down into his stance and came up to do battle, all the while hoping to impress defensive coordinator and line coach Clarence Brooks who were doing the instructing, the demonstrating.”

Quotes about Ikaika from the Detroit Free Press

About his reaction to finding out he was drafted by Detroit while he was on the driving range, Ikaika said:
“I’m screaming; I’m going crazy. Everybody thinks I’m on drugs or something, and I’m like, ‘No, I just got drafted by the Detroit Lions.’ ” (DFP)

Ikaika’s Dad Joe gave him good advice after he was drafted, Ikaika said Joe told him:
“He said, ‘The work starts now.’ ” (DFP)

Detroit DC Joe Barry said that the 280-pound Ikaika:
“bounces around on his feet like he’s 230 pounds.” (DFP)

About all of the personal tutoring he’s been getting for Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, Ikaika said:
“I never would have imagined that. Coming into here, I heard so much about him, how he’s such a great D-line coach. … I just try to soak it all in. I’m so inexperienced. His knowledge is just unbelievable. I’m excited just to be under him.” (DFP)

DFP Note: “Marinelli was a defensive line coach his entire career before he became a head coach last year. He tutored the likes of Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp in Tampa Bay. And in Alama-Francis, he has raw clay to mold.

Alama-Francis did not play football in high school. He walked onto the basketball team at the University of Hawaii in 2002. He walked onto the football team in 2003. It wasn’t until 2005 that he became a starter.

Marinelli raves about everything from the quickness of his hands, to his tip-top conditioning, to how big his eyes get. He sees him as a young Cory Redding — a guy with the ability to play either end and move inside to tackle.

While the defensive linemen have gone through their drills, Marinelli often has pulled aside Alama-Francis for one-on-one work.

Sometimes it looks like martial arts training. Marinelli turns into Mr. Miyagi from “The Karate Kid,” the old master waving his hands, challenging the young pupil to react, teaching technique. Wax on, wax off.

Sometimes it looks like a mini-scrimmage. During the second session Saturday, Marinelli set up a couple of aides as offensive linemen and called over chief operating officer Tom Lewand to mimic a running back. Then he started instructing Alama-Francis on the intricacies of the Tampa Two run defense.”

Joking about Detroit’s indoor practice facility to Detroit’s sun-starved reporters, Ikaika said:
“We don’t have this kind of stuff in Hawaii. In Hawaii, it’s all outdoors because it’s 85 degrees every day. It’s a miserable 85, of course.” (DFP)

About the special tutoring he’s been getting from Marinelli, Ikaika said:
“I’m having fun with it. I just smile and enjoy it. This is the experience of a lifetime. So I’m just going to go with it, give it everything I’ve got and hopefully play a few downs for the Detroit Lions.” (DFP)

DFP Note: “At the end of one of his sessions with Marinelli, Alama-Francis let out a loud, exaggerated “Whew!” and took a long drink of water.”

About facing former Michigan State QB Drew Stanton (and fellow Detroit rookie) when they played UH, Ikaika said:
“I got my hands on him a couple times. I brought him down a couple times. But he’s a little nifty. He eluded me a couple times.” (DFP)

Quotes about Kenny Graham joining UH this summer

About joining UH for this season instead of grayshirting for next season, Kenny Graham said:
“I’m happy to be joining the team this year.” (HA)

HA Notes that: “the Warriors’ improved Academic Progress Rate score led to four scholarships being reinstated, one of which will go to Graham.”

Graham, who has a 3.0 GPA this semester and is on track to earn his associate’s degree in June, said:
“I knew I would make it.” (HA)

HA Note: “It is fitting that Graham should benefit. Graham was a highly regarded cornerback, receiving a 4-star rating from Scout.com, before struggling academically. Several schools, including Florida and Louisville, backed away when it appeared Graham would not earn an associate degree before the end of the summer. A two-year degree is an NCAA requirement for a junior-college transfer.”

About how he stuck with his UH commitment, even when it appeared that he would have to grayshirt, Graham said:
“Hawai’i and especially coach (Rich) Miano stood by me all the way. They were loyal to me. That’s why I’m loyal to them.” (HA)

HA Note: “Graham, who is 5 feet 11 and 203 pounds, said he can run 100 meters in 10.6 seconds and 40 yards in 4.4 seconds. Last week, his vertical jump was measured at 41 inches. Despite playing with a hamstring injury last year, he made eight interceptions in 11 games.”

Looking forward to joining The Warriors, Graham said:
“I know Hawai’i has a great family atmosphere. They told me the team is like — what’s the word? — ‘ohana. I’m looking forward to joining the ‘ohana.” (HA)