Quotes from the local papers

About how he’ll undergo medical tests for his lower-back injury that has kept him from participating in the past 3 training camp practices, Heun said about his return:
“Hopefully, it’s sooner than later. They think it’s a disc thing going on, but they’re not really sure what the deal is.” (HA)

About Heun’s back injury, RB coach Alex Gerke said:
“Anytime you deal with a back, it’s hard. You’ve got to be cautious. Football is where he is now. But he’s got a full life to live. We want to make sure that things get treated correctly.” (HA)

About how he “tweaked” his back while training this summer, Heun said:
“I didn’t really take care of it right away.” (HA)

About how he aggravated his injury during a drill Monday (the first day of camp), Heun said:
“I was trying to make a cut, and I just dropped. don’t really have strength on my right side. (The injury) caused everything to cramp up.” (HA)

About how his condition has improved every day, Heun said:
“They’ve got me doing all kinds of rehab. I’m trying to get back in place.” (HA)

About how his strained abdomen (injured while training) has kept him out of contact drills, David Farmer said:
“It was one of those things. I hope it gets better.” (HA)

About how Farmer had to wear full gear (yesterday was the first in shoulder pads) despite not participating in contact grills, Gerke said:
“All of his appendages are still on him. He can suit up.” (HA)

About Gerke, Mack said:
“Gerke is a tough mother. He demands a lot. Just like Dave was injured today, but he had him out there in full pads. He’s going to have the running backs tougher than heck. And they’re running well.” (HA)

About how his RBs have to block well, Gerke said:
“Being a long-time line coach, you have one mentality to coach with. The bottom line is you’ve got to be a tough nut. You’ve got to be physical, and nothing can affect you mentally.” (HA)

About how LWJ has improved in his blocking, Gerke said:
“It’s one of those deals where you have no choice. He’s got to do that.” (HA)

About how the RBs have been motivated by the LBs in contact drills, LWJ said:
“They hit us, they knock us back, and we hear it from them. When meetings come around, we’re getting yelled at by the coach. We’re tired of it. We’ve got to hit back as much as (the linebackers) hit us. We’ve got the best linebackers, in my opinion, in the nation. If we stick them, we’re going to be able to stick other guys. … That’s how I see it.” (HA)

About the progress that the RBs have made, Gerke said:
“This is only Day 4. The guys have a long, long way to go. The only problem we’ll have is if they think they’ve arrived. As long as they keep their nose on the grindstone, we should be OK.” (HA)

HA Note: “The message is not lost on Libre, who appears to be the most physically fit of the running backs. Libre said he felt compelled to work on improving his strength and punch — the open-handed blocking technique — during summer workouts. In addition to weight training, Libre worked on one-on-one blocking drills against teammates, and hitting the heavy punching bag.”

About how Libre is in the best shape of their RBs, LWJ said:
“We haven’t peaked yet (except for) Libre (who is) in the best shape. We have a lot of things we have to get acclimated with — who’s going to be our quarterback and with our line. We’ve got to become one. Once we become one, everything is going to fall into place.” (HA)

HA Note: “Once again, leftside linebacker Blaze Soares came up with the defensive play of yesterday’s practice. In the 7-on-7 drill, slotback Aaron Bain caught a pass from Jake Santos. Soares hit Bain, knocking free Bain’s helmet.”

About his hit on Bain, Blaze said:
“It wasn’t intentional. He just came across the middle. I was there. I gave him a nice whack, and apparently his helmet came off.” (HA)

About getting to throw the ball a lot as the scout team QB, Steele Jantz said:
“This is why I’m here.” (HA)

HA Note: “Jantz probably would have been at a Pac-10 school if he had not suffered a broken fibia during Nevada Union High’s second game last year. He already had received offers from Nevada and San Jose State, and Oregon State and California had expressed strong interest. He underwent surgery in which a rod was inserted into his left leg. By then, all of the offers were pulled.”

HA Note: “Slotback Rick Taylor is the answer to this trivia question: Who is the only receiver to have caught passes from former UH quarterback Colt Brennan and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow? It is why Taylor said he is “working and I’m praying” to be included on the Warriors’ travel roster to Florida. Taylor and Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, were teammates at Nease High School in Florida. As a grayshirt, Taylor delayed enrolling at UH until January 2006. He spent the 2005 fall semester as an assistant at Nease, grading videos of the offense, and tutoring the receivers. Tebow was a senior on that team.”

About Tebow, Taylor said:
“He’s a good quarterback, a good human being, a good Christian and a good teammate.” (HA)

About competing at right slotback with Bain and Pilares ahead of him, Taylor said:
“Right now the depth chart is in pencil. Along with a pencil, you’ve got an eraser. People are moving up and down. That makes the competition good. When Davone (Bess) and Ryan (Grice-Mullins) were here, they were pretty much set. It was a little tougher to compete. It’s good now that the competition is open.” (HA)

HA Note: “Kicker Brett Symonds proudly announced that he weighs 147 pounds. Symonds, a freshman who will eventually succeed senior kicker Dan “The Iceman” Kelly, weighed 143 when reported to UH last Saturday.”

About how he thought about quitting football when his girlfriend got pregnant, but instead his child has served as an inspiration to him, Elliott Purcell said:
“I was thinking about not playing because my girlfriend was pregnant and I didn’t know what to do in that situation. I didn’t know how to handle football and a kid. I was still young. I talked to some of the coaches and they told me that having a kid would make me work harder. And it turns out, things worked out. It helped me a lot. It changed my whole life around, in terms of working hard and not being so lazy. Studying harder, all that kind of stuff.” (HA)

HA Note: “Purcell practiced with the first unit yesterday because starting right end John Fonoti is out with an injured hamstring. Fonoti “popped” his hamstring during Wednesday’s conditioning drills and said he would be out for a week to a week and a half.”

About having to sit out practices due to his injured hamstring, Fonoti said:
“I’m going to try to get out earlier than that but I don’t want to get out too early and pull it again and make it worse.” (HA)

About Purcell, Fonoti said:
“He’s doing good so far. He said he just needs to work on his plays a little bit. I don’t know what he’s talking about because he did good today.” (HA)

About how Purcell (who he calls a “natural pass rusher”) is one of 3 players looking to be the top backup to Fonoti, DE coach Dave Aranda said:
“The defensive end depth is something that’s an issue right now in camp. There’s opportunity for a bunch of guys in that mix. Elliott is in that mix, C.J. Allen-Jones is in the mix, Cameron Allen-Jones is in that mix, and so really, to see those three compete, it’s been good so far.” (HA)

HA Note: “After practice, Purcell sat with his girlfriend, Keani Santos, and 10-month-old son Taimane — which means diamond in Samoan — in the grass hills near the field, soaking up the limited time he had with his family during fall camp.”

About his son Taimane, Purcell said:
“My son, I always think of him. I always try to do better because of him. I always try to do better in school because of him. He made me a better person. At the same time, it’s hard, because football takes me away from my family. I know this is my family here, but it takes a lot away from my son. I don’t want to miss his first step and his first words, but at the same time it’s better for him.” (HA)

About how practicing with the first team was different, Purcell said:
“It felt good; it was pretty fast. Faster than twos and threes.” (HA)

About Purcell, Aranda (who added that Purcell has all the tools but needs to be more consistent) said:
“He’s focused and there’s been a vigor in him so far this camp and it speaks well for his future here.” (HA)

About his need for consistency, Purcell said:
“I do a lot of good things, just not consecutively. It’s like, spurts, so I just have to put it together.” (HA)

About how Purcell reminds him of a Texas Tech player named Aaron Hunt (who was at Texas Tech when he and Mack coached there), Aranda said:
“And Aaron, it finally clicked for him to be consistent, and he’s the Big 12 leader in sacks to this day. The talent level is there for Elliott.” (HA)

HA Note: “It was apparent to UH coaches in 2007, when they moved Purcell from the scout team midway through the season, and still awarded him with the award for 2007 defensive scout team player of the year.”

Aranda said that the 6’3″, 250-pound Purcell:
“is very soft spoken, he’s honest, he’s up front with you, humble, and very respectful. And when he gets on the field he lets it go, so it’s good to see.” (HA)

About their first day in pads, Sol said:
“Any time you’ve been out of the game five months and you put the helmet on and shoulder pads and get ready to go, that’s exciting. A lot of positions are open and a lot of guys are competing for those positions, so the intensity is even higher. And we’ve got Florida (on Aug. 30). We know the intensity has to be up every play.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Soares met slot receiver Aaron Bain coming across the middle, and even though he pulled up on the hit the impact was enough to pop Bain’s helmet off. The bottom line, though, Bain held on to the ball.”

About Blaze’s hit on him, Bain said:
“We all expect to get one of those every now and then, but it’s all good. That means every one’s practicing at a high level. You always have to look out for Blaze. The job is to catch the rock, so I had to go up and get it.” (HSB)

Pleased with their progress, Mack said:
“We’re right where we should be. We’ve been getting a little better. We’re not close to where we want to be, but we’re moving along as scheduled.” (HSB)

About how it was hard to gain the 20-30 pounds he needed to gain during the offseason, C.J. Allen-Jones said:
“It was hard to do it. I think it’s a lot harder to gain weight and keep it than to lose it. I can lose weight easily.” (HSB)

Praising C.J., Inoke said:
“He’s got that speed, you know, big legs. He came back a lot bigger, and I think it was a good move to bring him down from linebacker to defensive end. He’s going to do some great things.” (HSB)

Praising C.J.’s development, Dave Aranda said:
“We expected great things from C.J. coming in to this fall camp and he has exceeded our expectations. We had a meeting (Wednesday) morning, talking about who’s done what, and C.J. was the guy who around the room everyone was saying he’s really shown up to play.” (HSB)

About switching to DE, C.J. said:
“We’ve got the three best linebackers in the nation. We had a lot of competition and stuff (at linebacker). They run fast and they hit hard and they’re all smart. So I figured I’d move down and help the team any way I can.” (HSB)

About switching to DE, C.J. said:
“It’s definitely less thinking. Just one gap in front of you, kick the guy’s tail in front of you and get that quarterback.” (HSB)

About celebrating a TD run in practice, LWJ said:
“I was just trying to have fun, trying to make practice as fun as possible. We’re really working hard and sometimes people forget to have fun.” (HSB)

About how they haven’t practiced running much in practice so far, LWJ said:
“I was just waiting to see when we were going to run the rock, but once we did we have to do what we can. Whatever the coaches want, that’s all I’m trying to do. If they want us to block we’re going to block our butts off; if they want us to run we’re going to run.” (HSB)

About how Elliott Purcell took advantage of the practice reps he got due to injuries to others on the DL, Aranda said:
“He took advantage of it; he had his best day today. Elliott’s issue has always been consistency, the talent level’s there.” (HSB)

About their depth at DT, Aranda said:
“We’re real fortunate with our defensive tackle depth, so we’re looking at guys working with different guys. That’s a luxury we have.” (HSB)

About their improvement on offense, Ron Lee said:
“I liked the way the quarterbacks are coming. We’ll see if they keep improving. We have to make some decisions by Saturday. It’s going to be tough decisions. The guys are working hard, they’re competing, that’s the big thing. Our defense is such a good defense, we’re getting a good look.” (HSB)

Happy that someone put his Warrior Bowl TD on YouTube, Kia said:
“Someone put it on the Internet. I don’t know who, just someone on the Internet. Tell whoever made it I said thanks.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “I’m struggling to catch up to Generation Text, but I do know how to use YouTube. I quickly became the 746th viewer of “Aaron Kia’s Big Adventure,” produced by someone named WarriorMojo. So, WarriorMojo, Aaron Kia says thanks.”

Asked if he ever thought of catching passes as a TE, Kia said:
“I’d love to try that, but my focus now is on doing the best I can at left tackle.” (HSB)

Quotes from the local papers (8/7/08)

After their 3rd practice at camp, Rolo said:
“The defense won the day.” (HA)

HA Note: “But for the first practice involving 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, the outcome was expected. Several new plays were implemented, and the defense, which is projected to be the best in the Western Athletic Conference, was particularly feisty yesterday. And it rained. The three quarterbacks contending for the starting job — fourth-year junior Inoke Funaki and junior-college transfers Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch — were a combined 10 of 19 in the 11-on-11 drills.”

About the performance of their QBs in the 11-on-11 drills, Rolo said:
“So much is going through their minds as far as reads and progressions. And then you throw the (pass) rush in, and it kind of threw them off. There’s a lot of good stuff for the film (to be studied).” (HA)

HA Note: “Funaki, who is first in the rotation, lasered a pass to slotback Michael Washington that went for the 30-play segment’s only touchdown. Alexander, who has lost 20 pounds since moving to Hawai’i in late May, is displaying better agility. And Rausch has improved in identifying defensive coverages during his pre-snap reads.”

About his improvement, Rausch said:
“I’m feeling more comfortable out there. I did a lot better than the first day.” (HA)

About facing their D in practice, Inoke said:
“We have such a good defense. If we can compete and be consistent while moving the ball against our own defense, it should make things a lot easier when we play against other teams that are less
familiar with our offense.” (HA)

About how his goal for the offense is for them to try to be the best at every practice, Rolo said:
“I take it off my experience playing this offense. When you can beat your own defense, which knows your plays, and beat them every day, then we can beat anybody in the country. That’s where we need to get, to beat these guys every day.” (HA)

About how their initial plan was to narrow the QB competition down to 3 early in training camp and then to set a depth chart, Rolo said that with Tyler not being in camp:
“it gives us a little leeway with our initial plan.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rolovich said those three quarterbacks received an equal number of snaps in the first two practices. Those workouts involved “the simplest of plays” and were not against defenders. Rolovich said “some tough” plays were added to yesterday’s drills. He said the same menu of plays will be used today.”

About how they get better the practice after they introduce new plays, Rolo said:
“We got better from the first to the second day. We had new plays in the third, so we’ll be better” in the fourth.” (HA)

HA Note: “Rolovich said the quarterbacks know “the language” of the entire playbook. Now it is a matter of field work. He said head coach Greg McMackin and offensive coordinator Ron Lee plan to add “10 to 15 percent” more plays every two practices.”

About how going against their defense helps them get better, Alexander said:
“we’ve got a good defense. We’re always going to get a good look from them. It’s good for us to go against them. They’re going to be one of the better defenses we face this season.” (HA)

HA Note: “It was the defense that set the tone on the first play of 7-on-7 drills. Leftside linebacker Blaze Soares soared to intercept Funaki’s pass.”

About the stinger and shoulder injury he had last year that made it impossible to raise his left arm, Blaze said:
“My arm feels better. I’m trying to get into a little better shape. I feel I’m in good shape, but it’s always good to be in better shape. You don’t ever want to be satisfied.” (HA)

HA Note: “One of the prized recruits, slotback Jovonte Taylor, arrived in town Tuesday afternoon, and attended yesterday’s practice as a spectator. Taylor was delayed while he completed a class at Los Angeles Southwest College. He has been accepted into UH, but cannot practice until his associate degree is posted. That should happen today. Taylor won the California Community College 100-meter championship in 2007, completing the distance in 10.4 seconds.”

About how he won the 100-meter championship despite a tight hamstrine, Jovonte said:
“track is not really my thing. I did it to get ready for football.” (HA)

HA Note: “Taylor had received offers from Oregon, Kansas State and Nevada-Las Vegas. USC offered him a track scholarship. But he chose UH because of its four-wide offense and faith that he would earn a degree by this summer.”

Jovonte said that UH’s offense:
“fits me better. They run a spread offense, and I’m a slot receiver. They throw the ball a lot. That’s what I’m looking for.” (HA)

HSB Note: “Inoke Funaki, Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch split the repetitions and combined to complete 15 of 18 throws in the 7-on-7 period. But the defense had the advantage in the 11-on-11 team periods.”

About struggling in the 11-on-11 drills, Alexander said:
“We’ve been doing 7-on-7s out here all summer, but when you get into practice the intensity picks up and speed picks up.” (HSB)

About why the 11-on-11 drills were harder for the offense, Rolo said:
“Seven-on-seven was much better than team for us. It tells us they understand it conceptually, but now you throw a rush in front of them, that kind of threw them off so that’s something we need to work on. We needed the competition. Now we’ll see separation. The grade sheets have been fairly even so far.” (HSB)

About their success in the 7-on-7 drills, Washington said:
“A lot of the newcomer guys were stepping up and making good throws, new receivers making great catches. It was just good to see the offense click so early.” (HSB)

About splitting second team guard reps (with Ginlack) behind AhSoon while continuing to work at tackle, Hisatake said:
“My chances will be better to play if I know both positions and I feel real comfortable at guard, like it’s a more natural fit for me. You always get excited to learn when you’re in a new environment. If I know guard, then I’ll know tackle better.” (HSB)

About how the competition is close between Kia and Letuli for the starting LT spot, Brian Smith said:
“Pepa’s going to push (Kia) pretty hard as long as he stays healthy. That’s going to be a good competition and it’s going to make both of them better.” (HSB)

About being a new graduate assistant during camp, David “Happy” Gilmore said:
“It takes me back — you don’t forget the smells. It’s fun to be out here a part of it, and not get all beat up, you know?” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Miano pushed hard for Gilmore’s presence with the team this season. He was a walk-on from Albuquerque, N.M., who, through sheer determination, earned a starter’s role and eventually a scholarship.”

About why Gilmore will be a good coach, Miano said:
“The whole cycle, from being unwanted to being a starter to being a scholarship player to a graduate assistant. That’s why he’ll be successful in life, and that’s why he’ll be successful at coaching. It’s not always the great players who’re genetically gifted. He worked hard.” (HSB)

About giving up a 6-figure income in California selling employee benefits to take the graduate assistant job at UH, Gilmore said:
“I knew I wanted to do it. But, I said if I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it now. I don’t want to have regrets when I’m 34 years old.” (HSB)

About how they started the drills where the offense and defense face off, Blaze said:
“It’s always a good thing, offense vs. defense, see who gets bragging rights for the day. They work us, we work them. The only way is up, so right now we’re starting off at the bottom and we’ve got to climb the ladder to get where we were.” (HSB)

Looking forward to seeing how his shoulder feels when they start having full contact, Blaze said:
“I can’t wait to start getting in the pads and see how my shoulder is. I feel ready.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “For now, he and the rest of his teammates, are wearing “shells” in order to protect against injuries before they put the full pads on. It’s a much smaller pad designed to protect players against shoulder injuries.”

About wearing “shells”, Blaze said:
“It’s interesting. Something new.” (HSB)

About how he needs to restrain himself at times to avoid injury, Blaze said:
“I don’t want to be known as the kid that always gets hurt, which I’ve been known for. I want to change that. Back then, I was just reckless trying to kill everybody in sight. This year I’m just trying to be more smart with the choices I make.” (HSB)

About the INT Blaze got on him, Inoke said:
“I had to break the ice you know, help everybody feel comfortable by throwing the first pick. (Blaze) said he was going to beat me up if I didn’t throw him a pick.” (HSB)

Deondre Powell commits to the Warriors!

One of the top high school receivers in California has accepted a football scholarship from the University of Hawai’i.

“I’m excited to be a Warrior,” said Deondre Powell, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound slotback from Gahr High in Cerritos, Calif.

Last season, Powell caught 73 passes for 1,244 yards and 11 touchdowns. http://www.Scout.com named him to the All-California second team. He is listed as the state’s No. 1 returning receiver for this season.

“He’s deadly when he gets his hands on the football,” said Brandon Huffman, West Coast Regional director for http://www.Scout.com. “He’s tough in the open field. He doesn’t have great straightaway speed, but he has great football speed. If he gets behind you, you’re not going to catch him. He’s a big-play type of guy.”

Two weeks ago, Gahr teammate Corey Nielsen, who led California prep quarterbacks in passing yards last season, made a verbal commitment to UH.

“I kept telling (UH coach Greg McMackin) to look at my receiver,” Nielsen said. “I guess he liked what he saw.”

Nielsen added: “I kept telling (Powell) to hurry up and commit. It’s great to have the No. 1 receiver coming to the 808.”

Powell, who also received an offer from Arizona, considers former Warrior slotbacks Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins as football influences. Grice-Mullins, a friend of Nielsen’s uncle Jon Nielsen, worked out with Powell in the spring.

“He tries to model his play after Davone and Ryan,” Nielsen said. “He looks like them, too. He has some baby dreads going on.”

Huffman said Powell and Nielsen have been “productive against good competition. They’re a big-time, pass-catching combo.”

Earlier, UH secured verbal commitments from wideout Billy Ray Stutzmann of Saint Louis School, defensive end Kimo Makaula of Punahou School, and linebacker T.J. Alofipo of Silverado High (Las Vegas).

HSB

“We’re really close, he’s like a brother to me,” Powell said of Nielsen, who committed to UH last month.

“We had been talking about Hawaii and playing at the next level together since before our freshman year. Hawaii has sort of been like my dream school.”

Powell, 5-feet-9, 165 pounds, was Nielsen’s top target last season when he led Gahr with 73 receptions for 1,244 yards and 11 touchdowns. He broke the 100-yard mark in five games, posting a season high of 219, for a Gladiators team that went 10-3.

“Our whole offense is based off Hawaii’s offense so we fit right into it,” said Powell, who also had an offer from Arizona.

Powell is the fifth player, and second receiver, to commit to the Warriors as part of their 2009 incoming class. The commitments can be made official when the signing period opens in February.