honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 12:56 p.m., Wednesday, August 22, 2001

Transcript of live chat with Tim Chang

Stephen Tsai: Welcome to our Live Chat with Tim Chang. Please whisper any questions to Stephen Tsai. Tim will make an opening statementl.

Tim Chang: Tim Chang's opening statement: Hello to everyone out there and thank you for joining in.

Tim Chang: Fire away with your questions, cuz I gotta go practice.

Stephen Tsai: 26 red asks: How is the team looking so far?

Tim Chang: Actually, it's looking well. Offense looks very experienced. Looks likewe're going to move the ball down the field.

Stephen Tsai: GoBows1211 asks: Do you ever play NCAA Football 2002 for the PS2?

Tim Chang: I think the main thing is us staying healthy; injury free, no illnesses.

Tim Chang: I've tried it three times and I have never played myself.

Tim Chang: But it's cool you're out in the game.

Stephen Tsai: Bow-in-exile asks: What do you think of your freshman running backs and receivers?

Tim Chang: Good question. The receiving corps comes back so we are very experienced so far. (more)

Tim Chang: Lelie and Stutzmann are big threats on the right side. (more)

Tim Chang: Actually, there's a running back Michael Bass that is just quick. If you've seen him hit the hole, he kkinda looks like Barry, maybe not Barry (Sanders),k but Warr5ick Dunn.

Stephen Tsai: surf2live2surf asks: Who do you think has the edge at RB?

Tim Chang: The way that coach Jones runs it, he throws a lot, so we need a guy who blocks as well as runs the ball.

Tim Chang: I think Thero Mitchell is a blocker and Michael Bass is probably the runner.

Stephen Tsai: 26redasks: Who do you think will have a bust out year?

Stephen Tsai: How did the off-season workouts go with you?

Tim Chang: Ashley Lelie, Vincent Manuwai, Wayne Hunter, Craig Stutzmann, Channon Harris and Justin Colbert.

Tim Chang: and Tafiti Uso.

Tim Chang: We train six days a week, throwing Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; running four days a week; in all, it's about five hours a day.

Tim Chang: Our day of rest is Sunday.

Stephen Tsai: Bow-in-exile asks: What are you expecting from the Montana defense?

Tim Chang: Oooh, good question. Well, I think they'll play a lot of zone coverages. (more)

Tim Chang: They are going to try to mix things up, come with different blitzes from different angles.

Stephen Tsai: surf2livve asks: Do you think the new LB corp will be improved over last year?

Tim Chang: Last year, we had a lot of injuries on defense. But I think with the D-linemen that we have this year, I think the front and backers will do much better than last year. (more)

Tim Chang: I don't see it getting worse. We faced some of the best running backs last year (Tomlinson, Whitacker, Michael Bennett).

Stephen Tsai: 26red asks: can you talk about the pressures you feel with this being "your" team?

Tim Chang: Wow, that's a bold question! (more)

Tim Chang: It is my actually. It is my team because I'm in the key position. (more)

Tim Chang: It's just the responsibility that one must accept being in this position (quarterback).

Stephen Tsai: gobows asks: Do you get a lot of attention when you're out in public?

Tim Chang: Aaaah. Yeah, sort of. People recognize me. People talk to me. (more)

Tim Chang: I really don't mind. It's the state of Hawaii. That's why I stayed hom.

Stephen Tsai: surf2 asks: How did you gain so much weight?

Tim Chang: I didn't go to summer school so I had a lot of sleep; I had maybe 4-5 meals a day. (more)

Tim Chang: You gotta take supplements. Creatine is a good supplement, as well as Whey Protein; as long as you take it responsibly.

Stephen Tsai: ponojr asks: How is Nate Ilaoa doing?

Tim Chang: He's doing very well for coming into an offense of this caliber. He's fast. He has good hands. And he has keen prescense of where the defense is.

Stephen Tsai: tashirog asks: What determines who catches a p ass -- by design or by what the defense gives you?

Tim Chang: Both.

Tim Chang: It's like a game of chess out there. It's where you put your 11 pieces. We're going to put our 11 pieces. You just gotta match it up.

Stephen Tsai: gobows asks: Are there any conflicts with the other QBs about the starting position?

Tim Chang: You know; every since last year, we just jelled as a unit. It's never been about who's going to start or who's going to play, or who's going to do whatever. We don't care as long as we win.

Stephen Tsai: bow-in-exile asks: Which do you prefer, Rainbows or Warriors?

Tim Chang: I still help out the quarterbacks on the sideline. I know they'll help me if I make a mistake out there.

Tim Chang: Sorry old-timers, but Warriors. (more)

Tim Chang: I doesn't sound too intimidating -- Rainbows.

Stephen Tsai: Tim, Timmy or Babe?

Tim Chang: If you were my girlfriend you can ball me, "Babe." Other than that, whatever tickles your pickle.

Stephen Tsai: Who is the No. 2 quarterback right now, surf2 asks

Tim Chang: Rolovich.

Stephen Tsai: gobows asks: If Coach Jones wasn't coaching at UH, would you have stayed here?

Tim Chang: That's a good question. Coach Jones brings the run-and-shoot and that comes from Mouse Davis. (more)

Tim Chang: If the run-and-shoot was somewhere else, I would probably have to find the run-and-shoot. (more)

Tim Chang: I guess the answer would be, "no."

Stephen Tsai: ponojr asks: Was the transition from high school to Division I difficult?

Tim Chang: I don't think I could run the option, put it that way.

Tim Chang: Yes. Guys are bigger, faster, stronger.

Stephen Tsai: surf2 asks: What type of goals has the team set?

Tim Chang: Wow. Actually, we didn't get into that. I got some personal and team goals of my own (more).

Tim Chang: One of them is to win the WAC Championship and grow as a team, play as a team. (more)

Tim Chang: I want to throw for 4,000 yards, throw for 30 touchdowns, throw fewer than seven interceptions.

Stephen Tsai: bowsfan3: Does UH have a shot at landing Terry Richardson, the top athlete on the West Coast?

Tim Chang: I don't know.

Stephen Tsai: reader asked: When Cal Lee joins the staff next year, what impact will that have?

Tim Chang: If he joins, he'll bring a lot of his knowledge. He's a great coach; he knows a lot about the game.

Stephen Tsai: alewadan asks: Do you think Colbert, Lelie, Stutzmann and Harris will remain the starting receivers?

Tim Chang: Yes.

Stephen Tsai: ponojr asks: Did you find the defensive coverages you faced confusing?

Tim Chang: Actually, it's different than high school because the players cover much more ground. (more)

Tim Chang: So I did find things a little reckless at times. But overall, I came to manage it.

Stephen Tsai: 26rd asks: do you see any other St. Louis QBs following you to UH?

Tim Chang: If coach Jones stays a while, I think Bobby (George) will come.

Stephen Tsai: What's the strangest request you've received from a fan?

Tim Chang: I don't know.

Stephen Tsai: What's the strangest thing you've signed?

Tim Chang: Probably the chest, I signed on someone's chest. It was a male ... an intoxicated male.

Stephen Tsai: bowsfan3 asks: How has Mike Bass looked this week?

Tim Chang: Yesterday, he did very well. He had a couple of moves that threw defenders way off.

Stephen Tsai: ponojr asks: Are you looking forward to playing USC at their house?

Tim Chang: Yeah, actually I am. (more)

Tim Chang: It will be exciting to go to the Coliseum.

Stephen Tsai: If you could spend a day with any sportscaster, who would you pick?

Tim Chang: John Madden (former Oakland Raiders coach)

Stephen Tsai: Gobows asks: Do you agree with your p redicted fifth-place finish in the WAC?

Tim Chang: No, I can't agree with it; it's just people predicting something that they have no clue about.

Stephen Tsai: bowfan3 asks: Who is the toughest pass rusher?

Tim Chang: They base it on the athletes they have. But they don't know the athletes.

Stephen Tsai: Clarification: Gobows asked, do you agree with the current WAC rankings, with UH being fifth.

Tim Chang: Rephrase question, please. Where? In WAC?

Tim Chang: In the WAC, probably the guy from UTEP (No. 58) last year. The other guy who left, too, from TCU. Those were toughest rushers.

Tim Chang: I can only take one more question, then I have to get tapped.

Stephen Tsai: alewadan asks: Which of the new recruits will make the most immediate impact?

Tim Chang: As much as I don't know. I would say Michael Bass.

Stephen Tsai: bowsfan asked: Which UH pass rusher is the best

Tim Chang: Wayne Hunter and Travis Laboy and Laanui Correa and Kevin Jackson. They're all good. (more)

Tim Chang: The way that they are practicing; they stick out in my mind.

Stephen Tsai: Tim, Timmy or Babe has to rush to a meeting. He will make a closing statement.

Tim Chang: Thank you for talking with me. Sorry I have to go. But I can't make coach Jones mad. I might not be the starter if I'm later.

Tim Chang: Aloha and God bless.

Stephen Tsai: Thanks for joining our chat. Practice is from 2-5 p.m. today. Transcripts will be available soon