Hawai'i Football Post Press Conference vs Delaware St. 8-24-24

well tonight's game um it's good to get a Delaware State here and um you know uh feel really bad for that team and and and what they had to kind of endure uh they had some plans here to see the island and and how beautiful it is uh Pro Harbor and the histor the history and the luau and so just just really Sav sh I was back to that team and and and really the best of luck on the season um you know this this game's it was a good game I mean anytime you can get a win you're going to take it um a lot to learn from uh in all three phases I believe um you know some special teams really showed up uh and and that's a good and that's a good sign that of of a team um understanding their fundamentals blocking tackling those type of things uh you know I thought tyin did a great job of of um of returning the ball off of a left footed kicker and um you know I thought the guys uh played you know they're running down with their hair on fire and and and making plays and so uh I I thought the special teams was was was highlight for us uh I thought our defense played really well um you know if besides two possessions the one at the end of the half and the one starting the second half um you know I I I thought they they did a a really good job covering uh making it tight on those guys um you know stopping the Run trying to keep that athletic quarterback um in the pocket uh tackling pretty well for the most part you know you're going to nitpick you know we're going to get on a win you're going to get to nitpick some of the the things that that have happened but uh but for the most part I thought they did really really well um as a defense and getting after the quarterback uh offensively um you know the second possession I think we score and and then after that is there's some stalling on our part and so um you know you want you're just going to go back and look at it and see where we could we could have got better um I thought in the second half they did a much better job of responding and um and scoring three out of the four possessions uh that they that they had um and so uh any questions how the uh conditions impact your strategy particularly on the Diamond Head side with the wind swirling there oh man I I don't know where that storm is but uh it's got to be it's got to be pretty close I'm I'm expecting and so um I hope all the islands and all the all the people are are are okay and um but uh but definitely you know it presents it challenges you know if the wind the wind's blowing like how it is I I don't know exactly what um how fast it was blowing but uh you know it's going it's going to challenge you the ball's going to move and and those type of things and so but here's the thing both teams got to deal with them deal with the issue you know and so um uh you know he he he um he like you know I I think uh I think he's athletic enough to to to run the ball and and and he has a want to to run the ball and I think I think he's Dynamic when he does you know he adds he adds another element to uh our offense as well as himself and so so he's you know he you know he's a big boy um and and he's he's athletic enough and and he can see it um and so he he starts to fill the game out he tells us you know he likes he likes to take a hit and and and it actually really puts him in the game hey Timmy congratulations thank you um during the game did you feel like it would just be a matter of time before things started to consistency started to click in or was it rather than um when did were you starting to think like maybe it might be if and were any flashbacks to your playing days when there a couple kind of you know losses to teams that you guys were favored against in season openers sure yeah you know it's um you know and and and what we do on this offense um it really it really starts with us and and uh and you really you're going to get it going and if if if if things are breaking down it's usually internal and we look at ourselves because we're I mean it's it's just a style of offense of of which we're doing um and so you know for sure you know if if uh you know if it's if it's 14-0 and and it's just hang you let teams hang around and hang around um you know they're going to make plays you know and so um you know they they had a great two-minute drive you know you know I'm I'm I have three we have three timeouts left and you're getting ready to to call call timeouts and see if you can get you can get your team going but but uh you know they did a great job of of scoring and then getting the ball right there in the second half again and in two possessions the game's tied and so um what I really did like about the team was uh you know how the offense did respond you know the next Drive they went down scored uh I don't I believe we we ended up punting the ball pinning them but then you know the next drives after that we ended up scoring and so um it was a good response um you know and and and really if you watch the the rest of the four game uh the other three games today you know it's teams were up and and all of a sudden you know it's you know it's a it's a it's a kick at the end of the game um you know it's a you know it's it's a close loss the last two the last two um the two Mount West opponents is close losses and so you you never know football is just it's it's it's it's just that type of game you know you have to you have to believe in each other you have to go out there and execute and um and and and that's what the game demands heo Anor outs on getting that opening one um first part question uh how does it feel just to you know open a season this way one to0 next to your name um compared to say the last two years sure uh it's it's it's a good feeling for sure yeah anytime you win it's going to be it's going to feel good um you know you can coach a little bit harder too you know knowing that you had the win um you know it's a it's a good coaching philosophy uh you know you don't want to you know sometimes you you could take take take a backseat and just kind of relax but now you can really coach the details about this is why we emphasize things that we do and we're trying to perfect them and so but it it does feel really good to win and go one and0 the dynamic of of you and some of your your new assistants on the sideline you got and Coach Brown as your associate head coach you know you're an old Mentor and Dan Morrison's there with you um you know you're new DC um so just what was that sideline Dynamic like for you um throughout the game tonight I thought it was really good um I thought it was a a a good group of uh we talk about Dennis you talk about um Dan um Jeff rinbo they they they added a good mix of uh maturity and Veteran leadership that uh you know you just kind of lean on there's no Panic with those guys right there's just a steadiness and and they've been there you know they they've coached for you know 30 years plus and so there there's a there's a calmness about them which gives us us guys a a calmness about how we go about our business too and then it just trickles down to the the players and so I thought it was a really good Dynamic um you know the the Cs you know the commun head Communications those type of things um you know we just continue to learn and and progress and even the the tablets you know those are those are all helpful coach uh congrats on the win um on the defensive side you know you mentioned a little bit earlier in the opening statement about you know the uh drive at the end of the first half and then that first one at the second half but talk about a guy like Jamiah Otis and kind of the night he had and and how you know just that defensive unit was able to perform pretty much the entire game yeah Jami is uh you know he's he's talented I mean uh he he came he came to us ready to play football you know I think it's just for him was just it was UN it was kind of learning understanding the speed um getting an off season underneath his belt but Jeri's talented man and uh you know it was game ball worthy for us um and and I expect him to go out there and make more plays and then and and still become a leader but and know if when you guys are here you see him making plays in in training camp and so um you know that's just you know taking practice to the field and uh he he does a good job coach uh what do you think of the punting game both ways for you um Lucas Boro had some effective uh punts and tylon Hines had some effective uh returns yeah I thought I thought special teams played played really well uh you know I thought Lucas um you know I don't know I I don't know the stats for sure but I mean there was a lot of good pinning down the opponent down in inside the 10 and um you know and and that that's a huge factor and you know he plays holder as well so you know he's he's double duting um but uh but but those are all you know especially in the first half you know when we need to back guys up and and and put guys and make it challenging for them to come out uh his field position really really helped us and then um and then Thailand and and and and not only Thailand but the rest of the guys on special teams um you're talking about guys that have been in our program two years now um going on their third year um that we've been together so the expectation and the understanding of special teams play is is very high I mean it's at a high level and know and and Thailand um Thailand's a weapon and so uh you know we'll continue to use them and um and and and and and special team is going to help us win games you know I'm kind of circling back to what you your opening talk was um and kind of reflecting on the way the game with it being a season opener and considering you have a you know a high-profile team coming in next week that's probably going to be favored against you um is this so the way this game went and all the coachable teachable moments um is that is that better than winning like 45 to3 or whatever by the what the spread was no I I mean it can go it'll go both ways you know the the score is what um you know the score is what it is cuz you know it's there's a there's there's going to be good good things that happen and bad things that happen uh you know you know you play good opponents like the one next week you know you go to you got to make sure that you're on your your stuff I mean does it does it help you though as far as the coaching staff to say Hey you know see this is what you're going to have to fix this and this and this and the the other for the players you know yeah it depends I I think for us uh the type of game that it was uh it is what it is you know and and and we're going to we're going to learn from it I mean these are all you know with with these guys in the you know 18 to 23 years old all this experience helps you know it really does and so you know when you when you start if you can beat a team by a lot of points and then you know that's that's all prayers to you but uh but we I think it helps um coach this was kind of a a common theme in college football today but um was the helmet communication smooth or were there any issues there or how did it go no I think I think everybody had problems uh in and in the in the three games that I I including ours in those three games M West games um I I think I saw everybody have a little problem with it and you can see the quarterbacks you know talking so um the king's got to get ironed out and and and got to get figured out and and so I know whether it's uh you know something uh you know in not right in the helmet or the satellite's not picking up or you know it's just it just it happens and so uh you know for the rest of the country that's playing next week everybody's got to be ready to to adjust hey BR congrats on getting that one tonight um just curious man what was it like playing in the conditions out there with the alternating wind rain and what have you yeah it was pretty crazy um that was the strongest win I've probably ever played in um but you know it's no excuse you know we got to be be able to complete balls at a at a higher rate I think I only had 50% um so we got to get that a lot higher and you know we will but you know there's some good that that came from this game tonight so we just got to take that and uh move on with it and what did you think of the team response after uh you know they they scored right before halftime and right after halftime yeah no it was good you know I think U good teams will find a way to win even when it's Scrappy so it it was good to you know um bounce back from that um move on and be able to go down and uh score you know I have full confidence that we were going to be able to score every time we we touch the ball and you know we had some hiccups in the first half and uh you know we started to get a little better in the second half but you know we're going to clean some stuff up and it's really just us beating ourselves as you were going through the game tonight just how did you feel you know after a couple you know series you seem to got you know a little bit more comfortable in the pocket and he was gambling and and throwing just how comfortable were you from let's just say the first half to the second half uh I think I'm comfortable no matter what you know I've always been comfortable playing football um I I think it's just more of a of an execution thing and I think it's something that we just got to continue to to execute you know I feel very comfortable back there I'm I'm very confident in my o line and my receivers and um at the end of the day we just got to we had one thing that would I would make a bad throw or they'd drop a ball or we'd miss a protection I mean it's one of us that messes up and you got one you got to do your oneth and uh that's what coach Chang has been preaching so you know we got to do our 11th and we got to move on and uh once we get 11 guys doing the right thing it'll be a better product hey Brandon congrats on the win um after having a slow first half uh was there anything at halftime that you personally changed to have a a much better second half uh yeah you know we got in that we got in at um at halftime and we had a conversation um as a offense and basically just saying it was embarrassing to you know score seven points in the first half against the FCS School playing in the run and shoot you know that's not the standard of what we do um so it's sometimes you need a little um little butt chewing um in order to you know get it get everybody right and I think that we came out with better mentality in the second half and uh it it resulted in some more points um BR I know it's your fourth year here um your first season opening win um how big do you think that is just for you know the team to to get that w at the end of the day yeah you know at the end of the day it's a wins a win so it's good to be one and0 um and we know we got a we got a better OPP opponent next week and we just got to prepare um and we got to be perfect next week in order to to um come out with the win um but it's good to be one and0 and it's good to good to find a way to win hey Braden congrats on the win uh it seemed like you and deel couldn't connect on a couple of balls early on in the game but then later on you you connect on the one where do you feel like your chemistry is with him and the wide receiver room as a whole as you guys are heading now into the regular season yeah I know uh it was good to be able to connect on that one but you know I feel comfortable with all those guys really I feel very comfortable that uh we're going to be able to hit a lot of those um a lot of those deep balls as the as the season goes on and you know that's just something we got to get on the same page on um we were hitting those all fall camp and uh we just got to you know get back on the same page and you know we're going to people are going to start to see more of those connections Brandon just kind of talking about uh your running game tonight you know kind of giving the offense a little bit of juice and you know your your two rushing scores you know kind of you know give him a little bit at the end there talk about that and just what that shows to the rest of your team you know maybe giving it a little bit of juice in the middle of a drive yeah you know sometimes when we're uh not doing well I need I need to give the team a boost and I think every time I run the ball or I lower my shoulder on somebody it just lets them know that you know I'm willing to willing to take a beating too I'm willing to lower my shoulder for this team I'm willing to do anything to win the game and you know it fires up the line it fires up everybody and I love doing it too I love contact I love taking hits and I love lowering my shoulder on people so it's something that I'm going to continue to do that's just how I play okay um when you talked you were talking about uh some talk at halftime about being embarrassed and stuff about you know run and shoot needs to score more than seven points in a half against a a team from a lower caliber and all that um and something about butt chewing like who was doing the talking uh it was me you know I I I knew that we had to do better and uh it was just something where you know you got to at times you got to go up there and you got to tell them you got to take accountability you know I took accountability for for what I did and I let everybody know we got to get on the same page and uh you know that's just something that you got to do as a quarterback and uh I think that there was a little bit of a mentality switch in there um but it's just something we can't start that slow again um especially next week so that'll be something we preach all week and uh you know just having a better mentality that's not who you are that's not what you are normally by Nature though so is that something you've grown into talking being able to talk uh lead in that kind of style uh yeah you know I think I've always been a leader in my own right um but you know I I've I uh do a lot of behind the scenes you know I I lead by example and when I need to talk I talk and you know I think that's something that fires people up you know just like me running the ball um when I when I need to talk and I need to fire the team up um I think I can do a good job of that um Bren what was it like going through the first game of um helmet communication and did the weather kind of uh make that harder or um yeah what was that whole game like yeah there was a there was a couple times that I couldn't hear CU of the wind or the rain or something um so we'd have to you know go to other operation which I think we handled well operationally all night um but it was a little challenging from time to time but um you know we had practiced for that and we had uh we had known what we were going to do when the coms went out so I was happy with that raen congrat congratulations on the win you had uh a great contribution from your special teams helping the offense out giving you guys great field position do you think this is going to be something that is going to continue all season long and really help you guys um having to drive short shorter fields and it's going to only get get better oh yeah I sure hope so that that was that was awesome tonight you know thaon did a really good job of putting us in a great position you know when we're when we're starting from you know the middle of the field there's a there's a little there's a lot higher uh chance to score um there's a lot of statistics on that when you start with better field position um the uh the scoring average is a lot better so you know being able to have that good field position I think really helped us tonight and gave us a boost as a team coming into this year you know the full run and shoot offense just how comfortable are you in just the run and shoot offense very um you know I've uh I've watched a ton of film with Coach Dan with Coach Timmy um I understand this offense better than I've ever understood an offense you know I know where I'm going with the ball um every single time honestly I thought my decision- making was good for the most part tonight um you know I just got to be able to put the ball on them more we got to be able to catch the ball we got to be able to protect you know I mean it was really close on a lot of them tonight they uh they got fortunate on some tips as well but you know as far as comfortability I I feel very confident and uh comfortable in this offense uh congrats on the win thaen first question is what were you seeing on that return uh first I want to get all the glory to God uh my teammates they executed the uh game plan that coach gave us and you know everyone did their 111 and I just made a play you know uh the hole opened up I just bounced to the left and took it to the house uh just just the followup you know going into the season making the switch from you know running back to to wide receiver and then um also returning you know how much of that maybe that switch from running back to receiver and also returning kicks kind of what was that mindset for your for yourself going into this season uh I had a growth mindset you know uh coach when he told me I was making that switch you know uh I had to you know um just be in a film film room more and just work on my weaknesses to make me an overall player just how happy are you to be playing this year obviously you know you didn't get a chance to play last year but just knowing that this is kind of like your Redemption year I guess you could say just how comfortable you are and just how excited you are to just show your skills oh yeah for sure I'm blessed I'm blessed to be back on the field you know with my brotherhood and uh yeah we all we all uh executed very well we was very confident we came in we came in here with a uh game plan and we executed most of it you know we could have done a better job but we're going to go back to the drawing board and get it right uh tyon there were a lot of punts tonight uh both ways um and it was wind was blowing it was raining so did the elements affect many of those punts in terms of like you know the trajectory or like you having to adjust or anything along those lines yeah it was It was kind of challenging especially you know with the rain and the win uh but for the most part the coaches did a great great job as well uh communicating with me you know we stand on the same page and just you know just reading the kicks that's all they took um Talon I'm noticing your shirt is that like a comment uh slogan within the team or special teams or how how did that come about yes sir this this is actually our workout shirt you know uh coach always remind us to make plays you know so yeah I wear I wear it a lot and um more are you hoping to uh be a factor from scrimmage um in addition to uh the pun return game uh yeah I um you know I always come into the game with a a mindset of doing my job you know adding value to the team and what God take care the is coach specifically mentioned the uh kicker punter I guess being uh left footed and that combined with the weather conditions can you talk a about how that made made perhaps a little more challenging as oh well um coach we was on a Dr machine we set it to a left footed punter so I was working it this week and with the rain uh it was tough but you know it was a learning a learning experience and I did my job for the best I could right