B.J. Fruean off the team

About kicking Fruean off the team, JJ said:
“I don’t want to discuss it, but he’s off the team.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Fruean repeatedly violated team rules, including missing a practice this week and being late for another.”

HSB Note: “Jones said “no” when asked if Fruean would eventually be allowed back on the team. He was previously suspended for the 2006 season after playing in several games as a true freshman in 2005.”

About Fruean, Mike Lafaele said:
“If he is back or not, we can’t have someone disrupting the team by not following the rules everyone else is, especially on the road.” (HSB)

Quote about Pisa

About Pisa, who will probably miss the 49ers due to injury, 49ers offensive coordination Jim Hostler said:
“Pisa is an extremely good player. He’s extremely good against the run and plays aggressive and fast every play. He makes a difference in that defense.” (49ers.com)

Quotes from Jeff Ulbrich about special teams

About his mohawk, Ulbrich said:
“Everyone is asking about my mohawk, so what happened was that Keith Lewis came out with the red one a couple of days prior to the game and he was ribbing me and trying to get me to get one as well. So, I told him if he got more tackles than me in the game on special teams that I would do it, and he ended up getting all of the tackles.” (49ers.com)

About learning how to play special teams this year, Ulbrich said:
“Special teams has really given me life this year. It’s a continual learning process with me. Coach Everest always talks about having a tool box and he’s constantly giving you skills to beat every scenario and that’s been very helpful. Hopefully I can keep sharpening my skills but for sure, special teams is a lot of fun.” (49ers.com)

About how he is the 49ers backup kicker, Ulbrich said:
“I want to give Joe Nedney some credit because one of the things that I’ve done is work on kicking field goals because just look at the Jaguars last week. They lost their kicker in pregame and they ended up losing that game by the potential field goals they could have had. If anything were to happen to Joe, I just try to stay sharp, just in case. I think I can hit from 40, but I think they’d probably only let me kick extra points.

At any rate, kicking field goals is tough all the time, but it’s even tougher in a game scenario when it’s on the line so I give Joe a ton of credit for that. I think most days you want to be Joe, sitting around in the hot tub and not in long meetings but in those final seconds of the game when it’s all on the line, I don’t know that I’d want to be him so much.” (49ers.com)

About the players on special teams, Ulbrich said:
“The one thing that I think is cool about special teams though is that most of the time it’s young guys who are extremely hungry. Not to say guys on offense and defense aren’t hungry, but for a lot of these guys this is their first taste of the NFL and there’s just something energizing about that to me.

We get a point total every week from our coach and the best guy at the end of the year will get the Top Gun award and we are all vying for that. It’s extremely competitive but it’s very friendly and we are all pushing for each other and as long as we do well as a unit we’ll be happy.” (49ers.com)

About facing Dante Hall from the Rams this week, Ulbrich said:
“Going against the Rams, the first thing that is obvious from a special teams perspective is Dante Hall. The last time we faced Dante was in Kansas City and he returned a punt for a touchdown against us, so he’s definitely a guy you have to be aware of and you always have to be play the right technique and your assignment correctly. You always have to do that obviously, but even more so against this guys because he can really exploit any break down.

He can beat teams on his own, but I’m pretty confident in our unit and that when we do what we’ve been coached to do that we’ll be successful against him. I would have said he was probably easier to get down on KOR versus PR but he returned a kickoff 84 yards and looked extremely dangerous so he’s tough in either arena. They did well last week in their coverage, and on kickoff return coverage are one of the few teams that ranked better than us last week, so hopefully that is something we can remedy.” (49ers.com)

About how it is difficult to block on special teams, Ulbrich said:
“One thing that I’d like to point out is that blocking on special teams is a lot harder than you might think. On offense and defense the amount of space involved with blocking is feet if not inches. It’s a very small space. On special teams, it’s 50 or 60 yards of space you are dealing with so to make some of these blocks is extremely difficult. Plus, most of the time you are going against guys who are really athletic and can move so to make the proper block is very tough at times. Coach Everest always tells us go to the next level, if you can’t get your guy, go to someone else. Don’t be that guy who chases a guy too long and ends up blocking them in the back because that is a costly penalty.

I actually look for us to hopefully break one this week. We are always trying to do that and that’s a huge goal of mine. I’d love to be part of a unit that scored on special teams. For that matter, I’d also like to be part of a big turnover in our coverage units. That would be big too.” (49ers.com)

Feature article on Colt

MT = McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Asked if he has a shot at the Heisman, Colt said:
“Because of the success last year, I think there will be more acceptance. But it really comes down to us having a flawless year, making no mistakes.” (MT)

MT Note: “His travels and travails started as a freshman walk-on at Colorado, where the former high school backup to Matt Leinart earned the nickname “Johnny All-American” for his enthusiasm and performance as a scout-team quarterback.”

About his Colorado incident, Colt said:
“It all comes back to me. I put myself in that position. I was cocky. I was arrogant. I was guilty of not making mature and responsible decisions.” (MT)

“My life was so rocked and shocked that all my dreams of playing college football came to a standstill.” (MT)

MT Note: “Brennan eventually spent seven nights in jail. He spent one night with a cellmate who had been charged with attempted murder. Brennan experienced “Scared Straight” first hand.”

MT Note: “Brennan’s accuracy is a combination of mechanics (quick release, strong arm, solid foot work) and natural ability. Hawai’i quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison says Brennan’s “vectoring” — his ability to see where the pass needs to go and his ability to get it there — borders on the sublime. He can make it look easy. Morrison credits Brennan’s accuracy with allowing Hawai’i to score touchdowns instead of field goals when the Warriors reach the red zone. For many spread offenses, getting six instead of three inside the 20-yard line is difficult.”

About how Colt’s accuracy makes their red zone offense efficient, Dan Morrison said:
“A lot of his throws (down there) are in tight quarters. He can make unbelievably accurate throws that many quarterbacks can’t. You can see his accuracy all over the field but particularly when we get close to the end zone. Colt can throw it exactly where he wants to.” (MT)

About how he told Colt before he arrived in Hawaii that the Polynesian culture values humility, Morrison said:
“He came in and took that to heart. Most players are tuned in internally. Colt is more an external thinker, seeing what’s around him.” (MT)

About how he reacted to his Colorado incident, Colt said:
“I realized that my greatest way of redemption would be to do something great with my life. I just had to go on with my life, salvage my life and be a good person. That’s what I’m trying to do.” (MT)

About how Colt’s problems made him into the person he is, Morrison said:
“Colt is who he is because of his trials and tribulations. He’s been tempered and forged by what he’s been through. If not for all that, I don’t know if he would be the person or the quarterback he is now.” (MT)

Quotes about the UNLV game

Expecting a tough challenge from UNLV, Colt said:
“I expect a highly disciplined defense, a young, talented quarterback who is really starting to get the offense going and a team with a lot to prove.” (AP)

AP Note: “Colt Brennan has thrown for at least 300 yards in all but one of his last 23 games. The only game he fell short of that mark was against UNLV, not that the Rebels had any luck slowing down the Warriors’ prolific passer. Brennan played 2 1/2 quarters at Aloha Stadium against UNLV, threw for 296 yards and left with Hawaii ahead 42-0. “

About how the wins are what is important, not his stats–and how not worrying about his stats might be why he has his stats, Colt said:
“If I handed the ball off every time and we scored every time and won — and I never threw it — I would be just as happy, honestly. That’s why I think I have the success and numbers that I do, because I don’t care about the numbers.” (AP)

About the close win vs. La Tech, Colt said:
“It was a great character win. Hats off to La Tech for what they did, but we never gave up, five time zones away from where we live. … We got the victory and that’s all that matters.” (AP)

Colt admitted that the La Tech game:
“definitely put a scare into us.” (AP)

About how they benefitted more by winning that close game than they would have if they blew La Tech out, JJ said:
“You don’t build character without any kind of adversity. When you can withstand the adversity we did in that game, that’s what makes an average team a great team.” (AP)

About how it was good for his team to lead the #5 team in the country with 2 minutes left in the game, UNLV coach Sanford said:
“I think we re-established or reset the bar of what our expectations are of ourselves. On the other side of that, regardless of how we played and how close it was, we lost. That’s disappointing and frustrating.” (AP)

About trying to keep Colt and the UH offense off the field, Sanford said:
“They’ve scored a lot of touchdowns and a lot of points. I think the thing you try to do is slow them down and hopefully get them to make some mistakes.” (AP)

Praising UNLV’s freshman QB, JJ said:
“Their quarterback is scary.” (AP)

About how their defense can improve as they eliminate their mistakes, Patek said:
“As a defense, I think we can improve with just playing a more technically sound game.” (AP)

HA Note: “More than 10,000 Hawaii fans are expected to attend the game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Las Vegas is often referred to as the “Ninth Hawaiian Island,” because of the large number of island expatriates and visitors. “

Looking forward to getting the suport from UH fans at the UNLV game after their long road trip, Colt said:
“It’s a nice culmination to our journey. It’ll be great if we can get the victory, but it will be a battle.” (AP)

Quotes about Colt

“When I came out to Hawaii, I had a clean slate. They don’t judge people (ahead of time). They judge you by your character. I’ve fallen in love with Hawaii and the people and the way of life.” (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

About Colt’s decision to stay at UH for his senior year, JJ said:
“I think it said a lot about him, that he wasn’t just loyal to the school, but he was loyal to his team. He had one year in high school (as the starter) and at prep school and at Colorado and at junior college. He had moved and had so many changes in his life, he felt comfortable here after two years in a row and liked that feeling.” (LVRJ)

LVRJ Note: “Brennan played his high school ball at Southern California power Mater Dei, backing up current Arizona Cardinal Matt Leinart before taking over as a senior. From there, Brennan went to Worcester (Mass.) Academy for a year and then to Colorado.”

About how he pleaded his case to remain at Saddleback after the word spread that he was awaiting sentencing in Colorado, even presenting supporting documents, Colt said:
“I was in junior college and had the trial, and football was all I had. It was all that got up me up in the morning.” (LVRJ)

Saddleback President Richard McCullough (who took the heat from the media and alumni) told head coach Mark McElroy that dismissing Colt:
“would have been the easy decision but not the right decision.” (LVRJ)

About McCullough keeping Colt in school, coach McElroy said:
“He made the decision based upon the individual and what was best for the student. He wasn’t concerned about what was political.” (LVRJ)

About how Colt is a perfect fit with JJ, McElroy (who talks with Colt about every two weeks) said:
“He’s playing for a guy if he could he would throw every down. Because (Jones) loves the passing game, he’s very good at it. (Brennan’s success) doesn’t surprise me. It wouldn’t surprise me if he starts to do the same thing in the NFL.” (LVRJ)

Feeling shielded from the media attention because he’s in Hawaii, Colt said:
“I think it helps a lot I live in the Islands and I’m isolated from the mainland.” (LVRJ)

LVRJ Note: “The questions become even more intense next year when NFL scouts and officials begin to dissect every part of Brennan’s life before making a multimillion-dollar investment. He said he welcomes the scrutiny because he knows NFL teams will be thorough, which Brennan said would be all the better for him.”

About Colt’s honesty, McElroy said:
“You talk to some people and they tell you what you want to hear. That’s not Colt. He’ll tell you the way it is. The kid’s got a good heart. It’s not phony.” (LVRJ)

Random Warrior Quotes

Asked if he planned to open up the playbook more vs. UNLV, JJ said:
“Not really. We’ll start with the same stuff and we’ll see what they do. They’ll have some new defensive wrinkles, so we’ll adjust as we go.” (HSB)

About their practice yesterday, JJ said:
“We needed to get a lot done today and we did.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “The Warriors are using their Texas connections to try to bring in some new recruits.
Clyde Lee, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver from Hightower High School in Fort Bend, has been offered by Hawaii. Lee made an oral commitment to Boston College last month, but a source said that commitment is soft. Lee averaged 20.6 yards with 20 receptions last year, six of them going for touchdowns.

The Warriors also earlier secured a commitment from cornerback Jeremiah Alexander, a cornerback who intercepted nine passes last year as a junior at Yates High School in Houston. UH also has an offer out to Alexander’s teammate, defensive end Kenneth Frankson (6-2, 235). He’s also received an offer from UTEP.”

Riley Wallace, who now lives in Vegas and works for the Boyd Group, went to the UNLV-Wisconsin game and said about UH:
“I can tell you we’d better be ready.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Though Wallace said he’ll be pulling for the Warriors tomorrow, he’ll be a staunch UNLV fan come basketball season. His nephew, Kendall Wallace, is a freshman point guard with the Runnin’ Rebels and Wallace and Larry Little, another former UH coach, are season-ticket holders.

Wallace, whose schedule is booked with golf outings and helping look after his grandson, said he and his wife, Joan, will be back in Hawaii in November for a series of Boyd events. His visit overlaps with the start of UH’s basketball schedule as Bob Nash succeeds Wallace as head coach.”

About their new Hawaiian war chant, Brad Kalilimoku said:
“We’re still calling it the haka for now.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Another organizer, cornerback Guyton Galdeira, said the team will decide which version the team goes with tomorrow night.”

HSB Note: “Visitors at practice yesterday included Alonzo Highsmith, who played for the Oilers when Jones was Jerry Glanville’s offensive coordinator. Highsmith, who also had a career as a pro boxer, is now a scout for the Green Bay Packers.”

Quotes about David Veikune

About working out with his father, Oma Veikune (a former bodybuilder who was Mr. Alaska), David Veikune said:
“I worked out with him since I was little. My dad made sure I trained hard this summer.” (HA)

HA Note: “In testing this year, Veikune bench pressed a team-high 455 pounds. He also squat-lifted 500 pounds. And he ran 40 yards in 4.75 seconds. His combination of strength and quickness allows him to alternate as a defensive tackle in pass-rushing schemes and as a defensive end. At 252 pounds, Veikune is not the prototypical interior lineman.”

Asked if Veikune was light for his position, JR said:
“That’s a slippery term. He’s not undersized in what we do. He’s got great strength; he’s one of the strongest kids we have. He doesn’t carry the weight some of our other guys do, but he’s extremely explosive. He’s a good athlete.” (HA)

HA Note: “Against Louisiana Tech, Veikune logged fewer than two dozen plays. After reviewing the wide-screen video of the game, the UH coaches credited Veikune with three tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. Veikune and defensive tackle Fale Laeli earned the highest-efficiency ratings among defensive players, according to a system calculated by the coaches.”

About the selection of Veikune as their defensive player of the game vs. La Tech, GM said:
“We had to pick one, and Veikune was more productive. It’s the intensity he played with, how he ran to the ball. He would rush the passer, then go and make a tackle downfield.” (HA)

Feeling that all of the hits they put on La Tech’s QB affected his misfire on the 2-pt conversion, GM said:
“I think that had something to do with the last play.” (HA)

About how Veikune is more focused this season, Michael Lafaele said:
“He’s concentrating on getting on the field and making plays. Plus, this (defensive) package fits him. Coach (McMackin) finds good players, and David Veikune is a good one.” (HA)

Quotes about the support the team will have in Vegas

About the fan support from Hawaii for this game, Colt said:
“If there’s one game that’s been talked about more, besides our end-of-the-year schedule, it’s this one. I’ve heard more about the UNLV game this summer and last fall than I’ve heard of any other game so far.” (HA)

About how the fan support will be great for them after such a long road trip, Colt said:
“I think it’s going to be awesome for us. The road trip is tough. It’s going to be a great culmination when we roll into UNLV and see all of the local-Hawai’i-fan love. It’s going to make us feel at home, and give us a lot more purpose and determination. I know it’s going to be a tough game, and we’re ready for a tough game. But it’s going to be great to have all of our Hawai’i fans there.” (HA)

HA Note: “It is estimated that as many as 12,000 will be root-root-rootin’ for the home-away-from-home team. Brennan’s father, Terry, bought 90 tickets for family members and friends. The Brennans also have set up several activities, including a golf tournament.”

About how he doesn’t have to worry about all of the distractions in Vegas and his family’s gathering there, Colt said:
“The great thing is all we have to do is worry about playing football. All of our family and friends can have fun and enjoy Vegas. We’re there to play football. ” (HA)

HA Note: “Head coach June Jones said sequestering the team in Houston was helpful. The team practiced at Rice University, and had meetings and video sessions on the third floor of the Houston Medical Center Marriott.”

Happy with their stay in Houston, JJ said:
“We didn’t have any distractions, and we were able to get a lot of work done.” (HA)

About how the players cannot gamble in the casinos, JJ said about those who are 21 or older:
“If they want to gamble, they can do it at the airport after the game.” (HA)

Quotes about UH’s Texas players

About how he never would have thought that Ryan Mouton would go to UH, his Dad Ron Mouton said:
“I really thought he’d be the one to stay close to home. But he made the decision to go to Hawaii and it was a great decision.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Ron Mouton looked out at the field at Rice Stadium and spotted his son, Ryan, who was a football star at nearby Katy High School. Ryan was in a Hawaii uniform. Mouton, a highly regarded cornerback, is one of five defensive backs at UH from Texas (one, safety Erik Robinson, is not on the current road trip).”

About why the Texas players fit in at Hawaii, GM (who coached at Texas Tech) said:
“Football is king in Hawaii and football is king in Texas. They regard it the same way. Texans and Hawaiians have a fighting spirit and independent attitude. They’re winners and competitors and fun to coach.” (HSB)

About their players from Texas, JR (who recruited them) said:
“They’re used to being coached hard and pushed from the time they’re young. You won’t find better character kids.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Coach June Jones determined that remaining on the mainland would give the Warriors the best chance of winning the two games rather than flying back and forth from Hawaii two weeks in a row. It created a happy by-product for the Texans (as well as several other players from the South) as family and friends got to see them here and in Louisiana. All four of the players from the Lone Star State said they’d never expected to play college football at Hawaii.”

About how he never expected to play for UH, Newberry said:
“Not in a million years. I was going to go to Tulsa (from Trinity Valley CC and Ryan High School in Denton), but visited Hawaii and I loved it.” (HSB)

About going to Hawaii, Patek said:
“I never really thought I’d actually go to Hawaii. I’d seen it on TV and it was beautiful, but I never pictured myself there. I visited and I loved everyone I met. It’s a close-knit team. Plus, I had nowhere else to go. They told me they thought I could play.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Patek, a linebacker at Blinn, successfully shifted to safety with 55 tackles in 2006, starting all 14 games last year and both this fall. Mouton, who was Patek’s teammate at Blinn, is the most gifted of the four. He led Katy High School to the Texas 5-A state championship as a senior, and Texas A&M and Kansas both wanted him. But he wasn’t yet ready for Division I.”

About why he went to a JC instead of straight to Texas A&M or Kansas from high school, Mouton said:
“I was kind of hurting in the grades area, so I went the JC route. It was a great experience, and I learned that the academics have to come first. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter how much talent you have. You can’t think your talent alone will take you where you want to go.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Mouton returned four kickoffs for 93 yards against La-Tech, and is getting increasing playing time at cornerback.”

About how he was going to go to DII Eastern New Mexico State before JR offered him a scholarship, Lewis said:
“I got a couple letters, phone calls (from other Division I schools). But scholarships, none.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Recruiters considered Lewis and Newberry short, Patek out of position and Mouton an academic underachiever. But all four have erased the doubts.”

About looking for productive players even though they might not fit the classic mold for each position, JR said:
“When you’re recruiting, you have to decide if you go with production, or if you go with pretty. Like when you’re 16 years old, pretty will get your heart broken.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Jones isn’t surprised the players from Texas have fit in well nearly 4,000 miles from home and in a totally different culture. Jones, who coached the Houston Gamblers and Houston Oilers, said football players from Texas and Hawaii share a bond.”

Not surprised that the Texas players have fit in well in Hawaii, JJ said:
“It’s very similar. In Texas football is life. In high school it’s what you live for, and it’s also very important in Hawaii. The cultures are different obviously, but the two states have the same kind of spirit.” (HSB)

Patek, who has gone to high school games in Hawaii, compared the two states:
“There are faster players in Texas but bigger players in Hawaii. A lot of people say high school football in Texas is like a religion. In Hawaii it’s the same thing, it’s football this and football that. It’s a big draw.” (HSB)