Deseret News article on Weber State’s players from Hawaii

DN = Deseret News

About how he really wants to beat UH, Cody Nakamura said:
“I’m pretty excited about it. I really want to win. I’m going over there for business. I’m not going over there for a little party or anything like that, a vacation. I really want to beat on them a little bit.” (DN)

About how he isn’t upset at UH for not recruiting him, Cameron Higgins said:
“I kind of wanted to go there, but I really just wanted to go where ever I could get a scholarship — take some of the financial troubles off my parents. I ended up here (at WSU) and luckily we’re playing them, so it worked out. It will be a great homecoming and it should be a fun experience.” (DN)

About how they decided to take this game against UH in “December or January”, Weber State coach McBride said:
“When we took the game, it wasn’t an ideal game for us to take. All the pluses outweigh the minuses. Before I’m done here, I want the players to have the opportunity to see what’s over there and see the beauty of it, and to have a chance to do something they wouldn’t ordinarily get the chance to do.” (DN)

About how UH is tough to beat at home, McBride said:
“They’re a tough team, even tougher at home, they don’t lose at home. They beat the best teams in the country over there, it doesn’t matter who it is. It will be a tough game for us. I know that. We’ll get a chance to see how mature we are. It will be interesting.” (DN)

Confident they can beat UH, Nakamura said:
“They’re the same size, the same quickness, the same speed. It’s all mental. If we do the things we’re supposed to like any other game, we should win. I’m excited. I can’t wait. I’m losing sleep.” (DN)

DN Note: “Aloha Stadium should have a strong Weber State presence tonight. Higgins’ father bought about 50 tickets to the game. Nakamura said his friends are bugging him for Weber State T-shirts so that they can “represent Weber State instead of Hawaii.”"

Feature on Inoke

About how he didn’t understand the language well when he first started his mission in the Dominican Republic (he had just 5 weeks of language training), Inoke said:
“You’re out there, and guys are saying stuff, and you’re like, ‘huh? What? I don’t understand? You’re speaking too fast.” (HA)

HA Note: “There were some who “weren’t welcoming,” choosing to make fun of Funaki. But he refused to give up on a pledge he made when he was younger, “when the light went on,” and he knew it was his destiny to serve a two-year mission.”

About the Morman church’s training center in Santo Domingo, Inoke said:
“For five weeks, we learned the basics. It’s so funny. When you get out there to the country, all of a sudden you feel you didn’t learn anything. There’s a lot of pressure. They teach you a little bit, and then you do your thing.” (HA)

About how he eventually became fluent in Spanish, Inoke said:
“I learned how to read and write in Spanish. Imagine, you’re out there two years. That’s all you speak. It’s eventually going to come.” (HA)

HA Note: “Mastering the language helped him to offer advice to families torn apart by alcohol abuse. He helped build houses. For the next two years, he did everything except toss a football.”

About how he was sad when his mission was ending, Inoke said:
“I enjoyed being there. I was thinking: What am I going to do?” (HA)

About how he felt out of place when he returned to the North Shore, Inoke said:
“Spanish words would come to my mind. I would be thinking in Spanish, and I would have to adjust. It took a while to get back into it.” (HA)

About how he had to think of his future when he returned home after his mission, Inoke said:
“When I got home, the whole perspective changed. For the two years, you’re thinking about other people, how you can help them. You don’t think about yourself. Now that I was back, it’s like, ‘What do I have to do in life to progress, to move forward?’ I was nervous. I know a lot of missionaries come back, and they’re kind of lost. It’s: ‘Now what?’ ” (HA)

HA Note: “Soon after, Funaki received a call from Dan Morrison, who was UH’s quarterbacks coach. Morrison assured Funaki that the Warriors would honor the scholarship offer made in 2002.”

About playing football after his mission, Inoke said:
“I heard stories about guys coming back and not being able to get back to where they were in high school. Sometimes they lose the drive. Sometimes coaches lose trust.” (HA)

About the pressure of being the starting QB at Kahuku, Inoke said:
“You experience a lot of pressure playing for Kahuku. The people love their football team. There’s a lot of pride and tradition over there.” (HA)

About now being the starting QB at UH, Inoke said:
“I know about the quarterbacks before me — my own coach Rolo (Nick Rolovich), and Timmy (Chang) and Colt and even Tyler (Graunke). They set high standards. There are big shoes to fill. I feel when they throw me out on the field, I’m not playing for me. I feel I’m playing for the guys around me, and for the state. That’s motivation for me.” (HA)

Pregame UH-Weber State quotes

About how the Weber State game is important to the Warriors, Mack said:
“This is an important game for us.” (HA)

HA Note: “McMackin has implored the Warriors to remain focused. Wednesday’s practice was McMackin’s most vocal.”

About how they use a four-wide offense sometimes instead of just the power-I formation, McBride said:
“We’re a little more spread out now. That’s what college football is about. It’s not a smash-mouth game now. You have to spread it out and find an easier way to get yourself into the end zone. It’s not time of possession. You can have less time of possession and score a lot of points.” (HA)

About QB Higgins, who is 5-3 as a starting QB, offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven said:
“He had a few struggles, but he has an unbelievable desire to get better. He really worked hard in the offseason to get himself ready physically and mentally.” (HA)

Praising “The Beast” Ryan Eastman, DL coach Chad Kauha’aha’a (a Baldwin grad) said:
“We’re really impressed with him. He does a lot of good things. He’s come on strong for a true freshman. That’s why he’s playing.” (HA)

About how they didn’t worry about Eastman’s height, Kauha’aha’a said:
“If that were the case, we wouldn’t look at him. We looked at his motor, his work ethic and his heart. We’re happy to have him. He’s going to do a lot of good things now and in the future.” (HA)

About how he walks like an old man but can run so fast, LWJ said:
“My parents, my cousins, everybody in my family, said I walk like my grand-daddy. I like the way I walk. It’s deceptive. It’s like, ‘Look, he’s tired.’ Then all of a sudden I run.” (HA)

About how he’s been working on running lower and strengthening his legs, LWJ said:
“I’m trying to get my legs stronger, toner. I want to get them conditioned.” (HA)

About using Desmond Thomas instead of Erik Robinson at safety in most passing situations when they use 5 DBs, Rich Miano said:
“He’s a veteran. He knows what to do.” (HA)

About how he likes the 5-2-2-2 scheme for returning kickoffs, with DT Meatoga and DE Clore at the 15 yard line, special teams coordinator Ikaika Malloe said:
“I always like bigger guys on the wedge. Hopefully, we can get the size matchup with bigger guys blocking smaller guys.” (HA)

About how Meatoga or Clore will have to return a kickoff, Malloe said:
“Those big guys catch kicks every day. If we have to catch (the short kicks), we’ll catch them. They’re big, but they’re athletic guys. They could easily play tight end.” (HA)

About how he could return a kickoff, 305-pound Meatoga said:
“That would be cool. I’ll just cover up the ball and run.” (HA)

About the Inoke vs. Higgins matchup, St. Louis grade Monteilh said:
“They’ve been talking about this being a Saint Louis and Kahuku battle. “This time I’m going to have to go with Kahuku. … This is the only time.” (HSB)

About how his players will be motivated to play against Weber State, Mack said:
“I know these players, I believe in these players and I believe they know what they’re in for. I believe they’ll be ready to play and we’ll find out Saturday.” (HSB)

Praising Weber State’s offense, Mack said:
“They could play in the WAC on offense. They always have a good plan and they’re a little bit different for every team they play.” (HSB)

About how they use a base 4-3 defense but throw in lots of blitzes, Weber State DL coach Chad Kauhaahaa said:
“We try to get after it and especially going against the team speed Hawaii has and the size and the strength, there’s no sense in us standing right in front of them. We have to move around to try to be successful against these guys.” (HSB)

About how they want to keep Weber State returner Eteuati contained, Malloe said:
“We never want him to sit there and catch the ball and give him time to think.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “McMackin served as defensive coordinator at Utah in 1990 and ’91, McBride’s first two seasons as the Utes’ head coach. They’ll pace opposite sidelines tonight and the adjustments they make could dictate the course of the game.”

About the game, Weber State QB Cameron Higgins said:
“It’s going to be kind of a chess match. I think what we have to do to win is just by scheme and concepts.” (HSB)

About Warrior fans, Mack said:
“I think they’re realistic. This isn’t an easy schedule and Hawaii fans are more educated than anywhere I’ve been. I think they’re smart. They knew we weren’t going to go 14-0.” (HSB)

Feature on Weber State coach Ron McBride

About how he had his team stay at Turtle Bay and avoids Waikiki, McBride said:
“There’s too many distractions. We’ll stay on the North Shore, where it’s quiet. I don’t want any disturbance, I want everything quiet. I don’t want them to have anywhere to go.” (HSB)

About how some of his teammates want to go to Waikiki, Cameron Higgins said:
“A lot of the guys want to go to Waikiki and see the sights and stuff. But we’re just here for business, not really a vacation.” (HSB)

About how the Florida game motivated them to get ready for this week, Monteilh said:
“We know we could have done a lot better, so we’re ready. We practiced our butts off this past week and just want to get out there and play and show the state that we’ve got what it takes. We know (the Wildcats) can play and they’ve got some local kids who want to prove themselves.” (HSB)

After arriving at Aloha Stadium on Thursday, former St. Louis QB Higgins said:
“This brings back some memories. It gives you the chills.” (HSB)

Info on UH’s new radio deal

Ferd published details of UH’s new radio deal with Blow-up LLC (ESPN 1420) in the HA:
Ferd Note: “The total annual value is pegged at $442,666. The previous deal’s combined value was $400,000. The contract with ESPN 1420 runs from Aug. 1, 2008 through June 30, 2011.”

Ferd Note: “UH will receive cash bonuses ranging from $50 to $1,000 per victory if its teams exceed specified performance levels. For example, UH will receive an additional $1,000 for each football victory above 7 and $150 for each men’s basketball victory exceeding 15. If the football team goes to a non-Bowl Championship Series game, UH receives $2,000. For a BCS game the payment is $5,000. NCAA appearances by its teams earn UH $500 bonuses. UH would also earn bonuses for conference championships in most sports.”