Thank you sarvicdar for recapping the Bobby Curran interview of Coach McMackin on ESPN 1420:
On 1420 Bobby Curran’s Morning Sports Show Coach Mack appears as a guest and previews this year’s football team. He sounds excited, happy, eager and yet cautiously optimistic. He talks offense, defense, and special teams.
He takes the mike from BC, seemingly, and comes up for air 17 minutes latter.
Coach Mack, I guess you can say, is in his element. It was great listening to him. Signature Coach Mack,though, including misidentifying a Brendan Ellis in the secondary (?), and talking highly of his coaches and players.
BC had asked him, initially, how’s the team looking for the upcoming season.
“Great leadership, Tommy has the players working hard, the first session of summer school went great.”
And then unexpectedly.
“UH won the Japan Bowl, UH is 1-0.”
Coach Mack continues on, albeit the ever so proud one, especially when he reflected on the former Warriors, Miano and Funaki representing the Warriors in Japan.
“I’m giving my coaches some time off in July, I want them fresh for the season,” he says.”Myself and another coach will be manning the offices.”
On the defense.
“Defense will be ahead of the offense,” he says. “You win games early on defense.”
And.
“On paper this defense is stacking up to be the best I’ve ever had since I’ve been at UH.”
Coach Mack cites the 1999 and 2007 teams as comparable good defenses.
“On defense we know that we can count on 14 players to step in, there will be great depth, plus will have 5 JC players coming in that will contribute right away.”
Coach Mack mentions that competition for jobs on the defense will be fierce. He said that John Hardy-Tuliau will move from safety to corner back. And Edwards, the highly touted CB, arrives on the July 17.
On offense. The impression I have is that Coach Mack raved about the progress of WR Darius Bright and the young running backs.
“Darius Bright is a big guy, 6’4″, 230’s and runs a 4.4,” the coach says with excitement. “Last fall we purposely red shirted him.”
Reading between the lines, I’d say Darius Bright is one of the Warrior’s hidden gems.
“He looks like an NFL player, he’s huge, Coach Mack reiterates. “He catches everything that is thrown his way.”
In a later segment of the BC’s Show, Robert Kekaula appears and collaborated with what was said by the Coach Mack.
Even RK couldn’t hide his excitement in describing the progress Darius Bright is making.
Coach Mack, however, goes on to say that practice speed and game speed (when referring to his young players that haven’t gotten any game reps, like DB) that it takes time for adjusting.
On other WR.
“We’re excited about CHINEDU “Promise” AMADI,TREVOR DAVIS, CHRIS GANT.”
Coach says he thinks that these players will be on the field this year. He said the talent is there in referring to all the WR, but it just comes down to getting game reps.
He also says.
“Coach Rolovich and Coach Davis will have the players ready and up to speed.”
And almost on cue.
“Coach Rolovich and Coach Davis are the best coaches in the country…the players will have the best coaching.”
Coach Mack goes on to say:
“There’s no reason that by the end of the year that this offense will be putting up the same kind of numbers last year.”
On the RB.
“Sterling Jackson and Will Gregory are speedsters and Joey Iosefa is a man child.”
In a later segment of the show Robert Kekaula on Joseph Iosefa:
“Not a finesse runner, but instead will just lower his shoulders and runs right over people.”
On the OL.
Coach says that there’s a lot athleticism on the OL, but they just need to get game reps.
Personally I hope the coach is sandbagging when making reference to the OL.
Bobby Curran in a latter part of the show, when talking with Robert Kekaula:
“The offensive line needs choreography and chemistry, with no returning starter on the OL, who knows what might happen this season.”
Of which Robert Kekaula added:
“It will be a long season for Moniz if he doesn’t have the time to throw.”
At this point I’m loving the show, driving to work, taking notes on paper and absorbing every word Coach Mack says on UH football. I’m in my element, like a happy piglet rolling in mud. This is great, music to my ears. Coach Mack singing a cappella (for 17 minutes straight).
On special teams.
“The special teams will have a different attitude this season,” Coach Mack says. “We’re going to be applying pressure.”
Coach Mack goes on to say that basically Coach Tomey is learning the finer points of the special teams play this summer from unnamed sources.
On Harding:
“We can’t wait to see him on the field,” Coach Mack says excitedly.”He’ll be taken under Coach Mouse’s wings, may even have a look at returning punts and kickoffs.”
At this point (up to then) a quit Bobby Curran interjects, some 17 minutes later I’m guessing, and says:
“We can do this all day, but we can’t.”
Coach Mack wanted to say more, I can tell. But instead ended the show by saying,”We’re going to have fun.”
Join the Discussion: Coach Mack talks about this year’s football team