Feature on UH’s WRs

About how he asked a trainer to cut off the tape wrapped around his cleats after the scrimmage, Jovonte Taylor said:
“They’re burning up.” (HA)

About how he saw steam coming from the turf when he first approaches the artificial surface, Rodney Bradley (who is from Texas) said:
“I’m like, ‘that can’t be a heatwave?’ I thought I was back home. It was kind of hot.” (HA)

About how they are deep in quality WRs, Craig Stutzmann said:
“You look a lot better as a coach when you’ve got the thoroughbreds. The players we had last year did a good job. But this year we’ve got more overall speed, more depth. We’ve got guys who can flat-out run.” (HA)

HA Note: “Bradley, who enrolled at UH in January after transferring from Navarro College, is capable of running 40 yards in under 4.4 seconds. He also had a long scoring catch in last week’s scrimmage on Maui. His progress will enable Salas, last year’ No. 1 left wideout, to play left slotback.”

About how he wasn’t at his best during the scrimmage, Bradley said:
“I’ll let you in on a little secret: I was tired.” (HA)

HA Note: “Taylor missed the final 2 1/2 months of the 2008 season after suffering from a viral infection. He lost 25 pounds, and was forced to withdraw from school.”

About how he’s over his health problem from last season, Taylor said:
“I’m healthy. I got all of my weight back. I got my strength back. My legs are strong. I’m ready to go.” (HA)

About how he does not get many opportunities as their #3 right wideout (behind Lane and Pollard), Taylor said:
“The ball usually goes to the slot receivers.” (HA)

About catching Shane Austin’s pass for a long TD in the scrimmage, Taylor said:
“When I saw (Austin’s pass), I had to accelerate to get it. I went up and grabbed it.” (HA)

HA Note: “UH coach Greg McMackin said improving overall speed was one of his goals when he was hired in January 2008. McMackin brought in five speedy receivers last year — Taylor, Blount, Henry, Mike Tinoco and Craig Bell. All redshirted.”

About redshirting the WRs he brought in before last season, Mac said:
“We wanted to give them an extra year to learn the system.” (HA)

HA Note: “Bradley and Billy Ray Stutzmann, who completed his studies at Saint Louis School a semester early, enrolled in January, enabling them to participate in the offseason conditioning program and spring training.”

About going for more speed at WR, Mac said:
“We’re going to evolve to a speed team.” (HA)

About their depth at receiver, Henry said:
“We have a lot of depth at each (receiver) position. Everyone is trying to prove themselves. It’s friendly competition, but we’re all trying to make plays.” (HA)

About how they have a few hundred people watching their scrimmage, Stutzmann said:
“When there’s a crowd out there, some people take a step back. It was good to see we had some guys step up. If we can continue that, and make strides in training camp and going into the first game, we’re going to have a very good receiving corps.” (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090419/SPORTS0201/904190374/1312&template=UHSports

Feature on Brent Rausch

HSB Note: “The same week he was dubbed the chosen one to lead the Warriors into The Swamp against Florida, Rausch’s laser-like accuracy abandoned him at an Aloha Stadium scrimmage. A sore arm was blamed, and we rarely saw him again. Greg Alexander, Inoke Funaki and Tyler Graunke all started games, but not Rausch.”

hsB Note: “That Brennan-like run came after Rausch had thrown an interception to end his first series, making the streak of success all the more impressive to the UH coaches. The wide-eyed JC-transfer sophomore was prone to more mistakes after making one. The rising junior with the playbook on speed dial shakes them off.”

About Rausch, who completed 7 straiaght passes after throwing an INT to end his first series in the scrimmage, Mac said:
“His attitude is great. He didn’t have a particularly good scrimmage on Maui last week, but he came back and had a great week. We’ve still got to look at the tape, but I think he had a good one today.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “The numbers look pretty sweet: 10-for-13 for 90 yards. After the pick, 8-for-9.”

About Rausch, Rolo said:
“Brent’s got an arm not a whole lot of guys have. He’s worked on his discipline and his consistency. He’s got a gun, but we want him to anticipate more.” (HSB)

About how Rausch wasn’t ready to take over from Colt last year, Rolo said:
“That probably didn’t help him at that point. He put some stuff on himself. He had to learn to let it go, and he has.” (HSB)

Asked for his take on what happened with him last year, Rausch said:
“Over with.” (HSB)

About going from the #1 QB in camp to not playing, Rausch said:
“It was definitely a learning experience. I was humbled, going from last on the depth chart to the top and back down.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Rausch is steadier. His shoulders don’t hunch after a bad play anymore. Teammates and coaches notice that kind of thing, especially when it’s a quarterback.”

About how experience is very helpful in their offense, Rolo said:
“It’s amazing what a year of experience will do in this offense.” (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/columnists/furtherreview/20090419_further_review.html

Feature on UH’s scrimmage

About their scrimmage, which had 3 TDs by the offense early and a lot of success for the defense later in the scrimmage, Mac said:
“The good thing about being a head coach is when the offense is making big plays, I was coaching offense. When the defense was making big plays, I was coaching defense.” (HSB)

Praising Mana Lolotai’s play at MLB in the scrimmage, Mac said:
“I thought Mana Lolotai was just outstanding. He’s been playing like that all spring. (Linebackers coach) Cal (Lee) and I have to look at the film, but he’s playing pretty good at middle linebacker.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Working against the second-team defense, Greg Alexander went 7-for-9 in leading the offense’s first unit to a touchdown on the first drive of the scrimmage. He completed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Bradley on a post pattern, then converted the extra point when Greg Salas made a leaping grab. Brent Rausch rebounded from an interception by safety Mana Silva to operate a scoring drive capped by Jayson Rego’s TD run against the defensive starters. Shane Austin later connected with speedy wideout Jovonte Taylor on a 42-yard touchdown.”

About his 42-yard TD reception during the scrimmage, Jovonte Taylor said:
“I’ve been waiting since spring started (to make a big play). When they do give us a chance, you have to go up and make the play.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “With about 250 high school coaches lining the boundaries of Ching Field following a clinic yesterday morning, the performances of the newcomers tightened an already crowded competition for playing time at the receiver spots.”

About the success of their WRs in the scrimmage, Craig Stutzmann said:
“Whenever you’ve got live bullets coming and you’ve got a crowd, a lot of times guys will either step up their game or take a step back. For Jovonte and for Rodney and some of the younger guys to come out and really step up their game is a really good sign for us.” (HSB)

About being able to hit in the scrimmage, Lolotai said:
“During regular practice you can’t really take anyone to the ground, so today was a good day to release all that.” (HSB)

About the scrimmage, Mac said:
“It was a good show on both sides. A lot of good things and then a lot of things we have to work on.” (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090419_warriors_make_big_plays.html

Mike Tresler was back at UH for the Coaches Clinic

HSB Note: “Mike Tresler remembered his days as one of those players toiling at the practice field on a sweltering afternoon. For the last seven years, the former Hawaii defensive back has been the one barking instructions during Kauai High School’s practices. He returned to Manoa yesterday to pick up some tips in the second Warrior Football Coaches Clinic.”

About how the Coaches Clinic is helpful, Mike Tresler said:
“It’s pretty open — you get good information, good sharing, I learned a lot. And being an alumni, coming back, it’s a little more special.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Tresler, who twice earned second-team All-WAC honors in the late 1980s, was among the former UH players who have moved into coaching and took part in the clinic, which drew about 250 youth and high school coaches. Punahou head coach Kale Ane and UH assistants Chris Tormey, Gordy Shaw and Tony Tuioti were the featured speakers in the morning session. The coaches then broke into position groups and most stuck around for the Warriors’ practice in the afternoon.”

About learning techniques at the Coaches Clinic that he can use to benefit his players, Tresler said:
“As far as I’m concerned we have a responsibility to coach kids the newest and best techniques so they can perform at their best and they’re safer. It’s like any profession you need to study and need to learn.” (HSB)

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090419_coaches_clinic_brings_tresler_back.html

Jeramy Bryant learned that Mac will not tolerate taunting

About how he had the biggest hit during team drills, when he knocked down Ryan Henry (who held on for the reception), Jeramy Bryant said:
“It was a good hit, but what happened after got me in trouble.” (HA)

About how he stood over Henry, getting an unsportmanalike penalty, Bryant said:
“It was a mistake, and I learned from it right away.” (HA)

About his close friendship with Henry, who he knew when they attended JCs in California, Bryant said:
“We’re always getting real competitive with each other in video games and in the weight room. He’s like my brother. It’s a friendly competition. It wasn’t anything dirty.” (HA)

About how Bryant’s hit was clean, Henry said:
“We’re cool. We don’t hold grudges. We go out and play hard. I don’t expect him to do anything else. And I’m glad I held on. It was a good play on both sides.” (HA)

About how he will not tolerate any taunting, Mac said:
“I’m not going to put up with any of that stuff. I checked with the officials here and on Maui last week. We’re going to cut down on penalties. We had 28 holding penalties last year. (Offensive line coach) Gordy Shaw is doing a good job, making sure our hands are in when we block. We have four practices left to continue to get better.” (HA)

Mana Lolotai earned praise for his physical play

About the 6 turnovers the defense forced in yesterday’s scrimmage, Rich Miano said:
“That’s how you win games.” (HA)

Praising Mana Lolotai, who was on the first team because MLB Brashton Satele was out with a tweaked shoulder, Mac said:
“Mana Lolotai was all over the field. He’s physical.” (HA)