March 21, 2006
SAN DIEGO - March 21 Spring Football Press Conference Quotes
San Diego State Football Head Coach Chuck Long
Statement:
"I'm excited for the first day of spring football and I know our coaches are excited. We've had a terrific winter. Our first phase for going on to hopefully winning a championship started with the winter and we had a good one. Our guys have really responded to what we've presented so far and what we want with this program and it's only the first phase. They've come out of the winter in better shape, in good shape for spring football. Today's the first day and we're excited for that. I think as a coaching staff, you always look forward to that first one, any year, but in particular this year because of a brand new staff. This is my first spring as a head football coach.
"I know (the players) are chomping at the bit to get started as well. There's a lot to prove out there for them. There are guys who have started here in the past. One of the things that I've said since the first day I was hired here, it's a clean slate for everybody. They all have to compete, although the players who started before and have played a lot have an edge. They need to use that edge to their advantage."
On learning a new system in spring practices:
"It's a big evaluation period for (the staff). We have a decent idea, athletically, coming out of winter, but now when they put the pads on and play football; it's a little different deal. It's a big evaluation for us and it's finding out whom we have. It's something that coaches who are settled in a program, or in the middle of a program, they already know who they have. But at this point we don't, so that's why it's a big spring for us."
On the success of the Aztec basketball team for motivation:
"We want to build momentum off of that. That can really help with all programs throughout the University. In fact, I put that up on the bulletin board - it was in the newspaper when we won the conference championship here. There was a good picture of it and a good article on it, so I tried to get that in front of them as much as possible, for them to see how good that could be."
On the changes in being a head coach now:
"You're in charge of everybody, instead of just your own little group. You're in charge of everybody - offense, defense and special teams. I'm going to all of the special teams meetings now, which I didn't have to do (at Oklahoma) because I was with the quarterbacks. Then of course you have all of the organizational things that you get to do as the head coach - getting the practice organized, making sure the equipment room and the training room and the weight rooms are all on the same page. Everything down to the managers getting the ball spotted properly. There are a lot of little details and that's been a daily deal that I've anticipated just from watching Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. I know what to expect and that's really helped."
On the advantage of spring football:
"Spring ball's always a good time because you have some days off during the week and it's really a great time for coaches because there's no games to play at the end of the week. You have a great opportunity to get them some rest and evaluate, you're always catching up on your films study. Whereas you get into training camp in the fall, now you're spending a lot of time in the office, it's always harder to catch up during the fall. In the spring you have good time to catch your breath and evaluate, and that's what we need this spring."
On the message he wants to convey to the public:
"As I said from day one, I'm not a coach that is used to that other side (losing). I said from day one we are going to win now. I told our guys, you are our recruits and we're going to win with you now but you guys have to work hard. So far they've done that. We have a lot of enthusiasm on our staff. We have a staff that has been to 75 bowl games. They know how to do it. I'm really anxious for all of you, including the fans, to see what we can do."
On closed practices:
"We have a student day - March 29. If (the students) bring their red id we'll let them in and who knows, we may throw a few passes to them. My plan is to get in good with the students. One of the things I am thinking about is putting the radio or TV show right in the middle of campus during the season to get the students involved. This spring, we've closed it (practice) for several reasons. We have a new scheme going in and we need every advantage we can get. The next spring that may loosen up. With a new system we feel more comfortable closing them (practices) to get every advantage we can get from our opponents. That is the way it is right now, it may change."
On the quarterback competition:
"They've shown that they have great athletic ability. Kevin O'Connell, Darren Mougey and Kevin Craft - all three of them we like and it's going to be wide open. Kevin O'Connell has the advantage of coming back as a starter. He was a starter and has some experience under his belt. He has to use that edge to his advantage, but he also knows he has to regain the job and he has to work hard to do that. We like open competition like that. I'm not one to say that everything is set in stone at a certain time. I wouldn't mind that competition going into the fall. Coach (Del) Miller and I will watch that closely. Sometimes you name a starter out of spring ball, sometimes in the middle of the summer. In the past we have gone all the way until 10 days before the first game before we named the starter. We are not afraid to do that. I told our coaches the other day: keep this thing open as long as possible unless somebody really comes to the surface and earns it. We want all those guys to be competitive all the way through. If it goes into fall training camp we will do that."
On having to replace three of the five offensive linemen:
"That is going to be a big challenge for us. You are always trying to recruit and replace offensive linemen - that is a big position with big numbers. We still want to see what we have out there. One reason we recruited and signed 10 offensive and defensive linemen; we wanted to sign 10 big bodies there to help us out. We need some depth numbers wise. That is one of our challenges and that is part of football."
On the type of offense he will run:
"We are going to run the ball more. That is something I believe in and I'm an old quarterback who likes to throw it. I do know the importance of a good rushing attack and we will do that. We see that our running back position is a strength for us offensively. We may not just have one back in there; we might have two or three that we rotate. If all three deserve playing time, we will get them in there. Offensively, we will run the football."
On the importance of ball security:
"I'm a big believer in ball security offensively and creating turnovers defensively. We will have drills to do that daily. That is big part of the game. It is what really wins games for you - creating turnovers and holding on to the football. If you study the University of Oklahoma the last five years, and we had more wins than anybody in the country over the last five years, and if you were to look at the number one reason why it would be ball security, lack of turnovers and creating (turnovers). That is one thing we will hit hard here."
On building off of the positives from Tom Craft:
"I've said this before; I believe that Tom Craft left a good foundation here. We have built on that foundation. We believe he has recruited well. There are some good players here, a good group of young men. Their attitudes have been terrific so far. I don't ever look at it and try to compare what they did and what we did. I just say here is the starting point that we have and lets move forward, but I do believe he left a good foundation for us."