Nov. 2, 2004
San Diego State Football
Tom Craft Weekly Press Conference
Aztec Athletics Center
Nov. 2, 2004
Head Coach Tom Craft
General comments:
"Coming out of the Utah game, I don't think we came out too bad from an injury standpoint.
"One thing we are going to change is Brandon Bornes will be our starting running back going into this game. I think overall, it was a pretty impressive performance by (offensive lineman) Brandyn Dombrowski, who got his first start. He's really been out for about seven weeks for us (due to injury) and graded out as our top lineman (versus Utah). So that was very encouraging.
"Brandon Bornes helped us out considerably in the run game and I think (quarterback) Kevin O'Connell showed some great improvement. Utah had been giving up 120 yards in the air the last four games. Kevin came really close to having a really good football game. I think the presence of the running game helped him quite a bit and the fact that we got behind so quickly took him out of the game for us a little bit. That gave us some life and we saw some improvement there. (Wide receiver) Jeff Webb, obviously, even though he had a dislocated finger, played a really good game. Right now, he's the top receiver in the Mountain West and having an outstanding year.
"I think defensively, we were over-zealous in that game. I think we were really passionate about making that a great match-up with our defense and their offense. We did some things that were uncharacteristic of what we've been doing here the last year and a half, so we'll go back and refocus.
"We're going to have a heck of a match-up against BYU. Their skill people are faster than Utah's, but they're not as physical. (BYU's) team speed in the wide receiver position is a little bit better. It's going to be a big challenge for us. They have a good running back. He's a big, physical runner and they have a good offensive line, similar to Utah's. They're going to be a big test for us. They've had a week off and they're making a run at the conference title."
On the team's psyche:
"We're a team, if we're winning, that wants to take it one game at a time and not look ahead. I think that's what we're doing. We're trying to look at this thing one game at a time. Against BYU, over the years, we've won six times in 28 meetings. It's been a one-sided rivalry. They're doubly as tough to beat at home considering that they're coming off a bye and trying to make a run at the title. They're going to be a big test for us. We're looking forward to the challenge.
"Last year, it was the one game, defensively, that wasn't indicative of the way we played all year. That was the one game where their offense kind of got going against us. We had some big plays on offense. Jeff Webb had a great game with the three touchdowns and 252 yards. The way we're looking at it is, take it one game at a time, try to improve and try to get back to where we've been. One game doesn't make what we've been doing for the last year and a half here. We want to recapture that and keep the game close and look for further development.
"Some of the things offensively, particularly with a young (offensive) line, I look at is our third-down conversions the last couple of weeks - it's close to 40 percent. Third and fourth down the other night were close to 40 percent. Maybe Kevin O'Connell's feet give us a little life. We drove the ball really well and we're going to continue to focus on those little things to bring our young team along."
On Utah:
"You'd really like to see them win out. They're an impressive team. On film, they were about what I thought they would be. When I look at (Utah quarterback) Alex Smith, he got hit a couple of times by (SDSU linebacker) Kirk Morrison, but he got up like it was just another hit. The thing that captures my fascination about him is how physical and how strong he is. He takes off running, he has good speed, he's smart and he has a good complement of a supporting cast around him. It makes him pretty dynamic. I was more impressed with his physical nature and his presence. I think he has a bright future in this ball game. They're a team that has a lot of confidence right now. They have all the entities, in the special teams, defense and offense, that can get them through a stretch here at the end where everybody is going to be zeroing in on them. I think we were trying a little bit too hard.
"If they can win out, it will be fantastic for the conference. It will be great for recruiting. We have talked about it with our players and we've talked about the future. We've talked about recruiting and what a Mountain West team can achieve and here is an example of it. Who knows what USC or Oklahoma is going to do. Those teams need to keep winning too. Utah is in a great position right now."
On Utah's No. 6 BCS ranking:
"I don't understand how that thing works, but all (Utah) needs to do is keep winning and keep pushing. I think if they do, they'll be in one of those (BCS) bowls. It'll be fantastic. I think they'll surprise some people if they get into one of the BCS bowls. I'm just hoping that over the period of these next three weeks that it does work out for them and we get some exposure for this conference that is well deserved."
On if BYU might be looking past SDSU:
"Well they've had two weeks to prepare for us and I think they're feeling that every game is critical to them because they're making a run at this thing. If they don't get past our game and the next game, then the Utah game is just a rivalry game. They want to make that (game) for the conference title. I can't imagine that they would be looking ahead of us. I think when people look at our defense and our offense, which is young and improving, we are a dangerous team. If they don't think that way, they could be set up for a setback."
On the blocked punt at the end of the first half vs. Utah:
"That was a key turning point in the game. If you take (out) the (Utah) drive just before halftime, that blocked punt and our missed opportunity to Jeff Webb on one of our first-quarter series, it's different ball game. We might have even gone in ahead at halftime. We saw some other opportunities where we could have scored 14 more points. That would have been a very interesting football game with just a couple of plays. The blocked punt was very deflating."
On whether he would change his decision to punt at the end of the first half vs. Utah:
"I don't think so. I think that sends the wrong message to your team. Again, it depends on how well you are doing. We were struggling against New Mexico and decided to regroup. This week we didn't want to do that. We wanted to keep going after them when we were doing well in the first half. I think we had over 250 yards (on offense) in the first half and that's a good (Utah) football team on defense. If you look at the blocked field goal and the blocked punt, it came from one area in which we have veteran players who are some of our best players. It's something that we can fix, but unfortunately, it was a key to the ball game."
On how motivated the players have been the last three weeks:
"I think our defense is very motivated right now. Overzealous is a great statement for the way they played (against Utah). They wanted that to be a great match-up with their offense and our defense. I think they learned something from that. We haven't demonstrated that kind of undisciplined play. We were playing our hearts out, but got out of the realm of what we normally do. So that's a refocus for us.
"I think about what we did last year against (BYU). That was the one game that got out of our hands defensively. We're going to be very determined to come back and bounce back and prove that we are one of the best defenses in the conference. I think offensively, there's a mission statement for us with some of the younger players, who we want to continue to improve. We only have one senior, Mike Kracalik, who is playing very solid at left tackle. The rest will all be around next year for the most part. (Tight end) Jeremy Justice is playing with a sore shoulder - he's the only other (senior). I think we're looking to improve and are getting better. We are showing signs in other areas. That's the thing we're looking for right now and to get a win. We definitely want to go on a good run as the season closes. Hopefully, it will start this week. If not, then the last two weeks. Improvement is what we're looking for and trying to do things the right way."
On the gap between Utah and SDSU:
"If we had the full complement of players that we thought we were going to have (before the season started) - I'm talking about (running back) Lynell Hamilton, (center) Jasper Harvey, (offensive lineman) Rob Nelson and (offensive lineman) Chris Pino - that's a different ball game. We probably don't have the psyche that we have right now. We probably wouldn't have pressed so much on defense because there is some imbalance (on offense) due to the injuries.
"There's no question that we are a different football team right now, but I think with our young football team, in two years, the tables could switch. If you look at Utah's football team, they're all juniors and seniors with almost all of them on offense and defense. We have that kind of team on defense and we're very good on defense. Offensively, we've got some young and upcoming players who are playing very well against upper-class people.
"On defense, we have young players who are getting to redshirt and aren't asked to play because (we have) some of our juniors and seniors (in those positions) on defense. That's the catch, we have some very good young players in this program. We're going to be a very good football team next year and in the years to come, because we've laid a good foundation. With another good recruiting class, this could be a very special program."