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MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BOISE STATE VS HAWAIIDecember 6, 2019Nick RolovichSolomon MatautiaCole McDonaldTHE MODERATOR: Welcome back. Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, first ever Mountain West Championship Game, let's start with Coach. First time here and in talking to your guys all week, they identified when they left your Boise earlier in the year, we will be back here and they have made that happen. That has to be pretty satisfying as a coach. HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: Well, it was a little bit surprise to hear it so soon after the game before we were in the locker room. A couple came up to me and said, "We're going to get back here for the game." I said, "We have a long way to go." They made a plan right then. It's an honor to be in the game. It's an honor to play against Boise. They have been a beaming light of success in this conference and the LAC before that. To be here and play this game and have this opportunity is big for our program, our state. I'm very thankful for the kids that we have on our team. They have a great mentality and obviously the assistant coaches and support staff, everyone has stepped up to get us to this level. THE MODERATOR: Solomon, you guys on the defensive side of the ball gave up a bunch of points here on the last trip, but you've been so much better since, especially in the last two conference games that got to you this point. What's been the difference? SOLOMON MATAUTIA: I think the difference has been just playing assignment sound, being better tacklers. I think we have great coaches and we have great leadership on the team. Just being better every day. Q. Everybody says that you guys have improved a lot since leaving here; that's what we've heard. Where do you think your team has improved the most in the last six or seven games? HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: I think the most obvious is on the defensive side of the ball, holding a couple teams to just a touchdown or the San Diego State game, UNLV, we won those games on defense and that had not happened this year yet. So I think it happened at a great time. Even when the defense was struggling somewhat with points and yards, there wasn't any pointing of fingers on this team or the staff, and you know, credit to the defensive players and staff because they kept grinding, kept working it out. Also seeing an improvement or even a confidence in our running game that I think has helped us. Q. You guys last time were here was a record crowd for the stadium, biggest crowd they have ever had here, just your experience playing here and how loud was it, was it tough at all, I think they have had more false starts on opposing teams the last few years than anywhere else in the country. HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: I think it was an unbelievable crowd. I think what's happened to this city, I mean, just when I came just from my personal experience, the way this community is, so involved in game day, not only during game day, but even walking around on the streets. It's really a great college football atmosphere, and I think it's definitely well earned by this place and it's -- even though we lost the game and we're supposed to be enemies, it is a good thing for college football and it is a good thing for the conference to have that tight end of enthusiasm in this town. Great job with the stadium as far as just environment on game day. I thought that was -- I hope we're more prepared for that this time around, but I think it's a credit to all the players and coaches that have come through this program, and all the rises of levels and conferences and all that, it's something pretty cool you guys have got up here. Q. Last time you guys were here, the defense gave up 59. Has that number stuck with you this week or served as motivation? SOLOMON MATAUTIA: Yes, it has. You know, we just feel like the better we practice, it's going to translate to the field. So we know that they are a very tricky team to play against and they have great running backs, great receivers, just all around great on offense and so we've just got to come off assignment sound and hopefully we won't put up 59 points again. We just trust the offense will do our part and we'll do our best. Q. Wondering with the way the offense has evolved, and Nick mentioned with running the ball and mixing in another quarterback, how have you seen the offense evolve? What's it been like for you? COLE MCDONALD: It's just been awesome to see the growth of the field, the offense itself, the coaching staff has just been awesome, schematically just teaching us the concepts, and executing them on the field, and in game time going out there and running it. You talk about two-quarterback situation. Whoever is out there, we are going to do really good. We have that weird synapsis of having Chevan and myself. Chevan is a great athlete, great quarterback and whoever is in is going to fulfill that offense and bring that Hawai'i football here and pull it off. Q. What's it like to be playing this week and preparing this week? Kind of like in high school, you make a deep football run, a bunch of your guys, buddies are already off, but you're still playing. What's the feeling like for you guys to be playing this week? COLE MCDONALD: It's a special feeling. Like you said, a lot of our buddies are done playing this year and to have an opportunity to come out here and play another game in a championship against a very sound team and a very good team, it's a silver lining. Anything and everything you ask for; it's a fun opportunity to go into and play tomorrow with and I couldn't be more excited. Q. Boise State started three quarterbacks and you saw three of those in that first match-up. Obviously Jaylon has been the guy the last through weeks, but they are saying the others are available. How do you prepare for that going into tomorrow? What's the difference with the three guys? HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: Kind of when we played last time, right, we were very aware of Hank. I remember Chase when he was coming out, and then if I remember correctly, Henderson did a lot of the quarterback run stuff, so I think they had a plan for each one of them. Watching film, I think Henderson is a great quarterback. I mean, there's, first off, Zak Hill deserves a lot of credit getting three of these guys ready to play. That's not easy to do, and to manage the room and the egos and all that. But this kid know where is to go with the football, you know, and I think being a senior, I think he's really taken advantage of his opportunity. You don't see necessarily a weakness. I think they all have great skill-set, and Boise has always done a good job of getting the most out of players, whether it be packages or game plan ideas. And if they go with all three again, have to defend all three, but there's definitely, three talented quarterbacks on this team and probably more. Q. A lot has been made this week about Boise State and their Cotton Bowl chances. How are you guys embracing the role of possibly being a spoiler? HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: We're not. We're not worried about the Cotton Bowl one bit. We haven't said that word one time. This is about Mountain West Football, Championship Game, Boise Idaho. We don't do this to hurt anybody else's chances to do anything else. We do this to win the football game. If that's a by-product of us winning, then that's not what we meant. That's not why we -- that doesn't motivate us. We just want to go out and play 60 minutes of football one more time with this team. Q. You and Harsin both played quarterback at your respective schools where you're coaching, and also maybe makes it more enjoyable, and at the same time, you or him, who is the better passer? HEAD COACH NICK ROLOVICH: I don't know what time Hars gets to the stadium we can relive the rusty arm challenge if you want. We can get that going. I'm sure -- I don't know if it's more pressure or anything like that. I think it's more meaningful, I do. Probably would assume he would say the same thing. .college football is such a special experience and it goes by so fast and just to have the ability to coach at your alma mater is somewhat of a payback for the good times that you had or the good experience that you had. I'm not going to speak to Harsin. But for me, Hawai'i Football has given me everything I have in my life: It's where I met my wife, where I met my best friends, my wife gave me my kids, I'm here coaching. I think the word would be meaningful more than pressure or any other different adjective. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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