Aug. 28, 2006
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Football
Weekly Press Conference Quotes
Aug. 28, 2006
Aztec Athletics Center
Head Coach Chuck Long
Opening Comments:
"The (UTEP) game is upon us. We're excited for Thursday night. You get to the point in training camp when you get tired of practicing against each other, and you want an opponent to come in. Now it's close, and we're excited for that. We're ready to play a football game and see where we're at. We're also excited that it's our home opener.
"We felt our training camp was good and it went (by) fast. My feeling is whenever (camp) goes (by) fast, things are going pretty well and you're on track. We have a couple more days of preparation yet, and then we'll have a walk-through to get ready for Thursday night."
On his expectations for the team this year:
"I've said from the very beginning that we'd like to win now. That's the feeling that I've had all along with this team. (The players) are tired of losing, and they want to win. They've worked hard at it. They've done everything we've asked so far and even more in some cases. As a head coach, I'm still developing the chemistry for this team. My job is much more than X's and O's. I'm looking at more of the little things (such as) chemistry and camaraderie. I've been working on those things since I was hired."
On where he will direct his attention along the sidelines:
"I will have a headset on that will go to both sides of the football, as well as special teams. I will be heavily involved with the special teams in the beginning. That's the one part of the game where there's so many substitutions that you have to keep track of. That's always the biggest challenge for a head coach during the course of the game, making sure special teams are right. That's when a lot of fakes and gimmicks happen. There's always that element of surprise that you have to be ready for, but I'll be going back and forth between offense and defense, too."
On his coaching philosophy during a game:
"My whole goal for this football team is to play smart -- cutting down on turnovers and creating them. Turnover margin has been a big staple with me. It's why we were so successful in the past wherever I was at. It's one of the things I've been preaching in this training camp. We've got to hold on to the football. The top teams in the conference hold on to the ball and create turnovers. Then from there, it's all the little things like pre-snap penalties and such that get you beat. To me, the first lesson in winning is to not beat yourself. You've heard that cliché, but it's true. We're learning not to beat ourselves first before we can win."
On UTEP:
"One of their strengths on offense is quarterback Jordan Palmer, their all-time leading passer. He's a good player; he gets rid of the ball quickly. They also have a good receiver in (Johnnie Lee) Higgins and a good running back in (Marcus) Thomas. Those are their three weapons offensively. We have to contain those three guys. We have to be very active in our front seven and disguise our secondary to try and confuse Palmer.
"Defensively, their strength is their linebackers. A couple of their leading tacklers are coming back, so we have to get blockers on them. When they blitz, we have to make sure they're accounted for. On special teams, Higgins is a dangerous returner on both punts and kickoffs. He's a guy who we have to contain. Those are the main issues that we have to be aware of."
On the importance of the first game:
"It's an important game. I don't know another way to prepare than to prepare every game to win. I think it's important to win this game, not only for this program, but for the community as well. I've said before that it's a starving community for winning Aztec football. It's been a while. We're the only team in the Mountain West Conference that hasn't had a winning season or been to bowl game since the inception of the conference. I see those things as motivating factors for this team. As a community, I've been surprised at how much support we've had, but it's time to give back."
On quarterback Kevin O'Connell:
"Kevin has been a great leader for us. Coming out of spring ball, we felt his leadership skills need to improve. To me, that's the key to quarterbacking and not so much the arm strength. He has the arm strength and ability. It's all of the other intangibles you work on with your quarterback, and he's continuing to grow in that way. He's controlling the huddle a little bit more. That's one of the things we've noticed. He's becoming more confident in the system. As he becomes more confident, (the other players) in turn become confident in him in the huddle, which is a good sign. Guys start to gravitate toward him more and more as he makes plays in training camp."
Quarterback Kevin O'Connell:
On the start of the new season:
"A lot of hard work and energy has been put in from top to bottom -- by the team, the coaching staff and really this whole (department). I think everyone is just ready to get out there and see what we've accomplished in the last seven to eight months. Personally, I think it's a lot. I think we're ready to roll. Everyone is pretty confident right now. We're still undefeated, and we're going to keep that going for as long as we can."
On the new coaching staff:
"This coaching staff has brought a level of enthusiasm and energy that I've never had the pleasure of working with before at any level. Coach Long has put together an outstanding staff that gets the best out of everyone each and every day, whether it's at practice or in meetings. Everything is structured to make us a better football team. I think Aztec fans are going to see that from the first play on Thursday night (against UTEP). We're still going to be getting better this whole season. We're still getting accustomed to the coaching staff, but that's been kind of the (challenge) here--to get as comfortable with the staff as quickly as possible."
Defensive lineman Jonathan Bailes
On the team's confidence heading into the season:
"I think the confidence level of our team is definitely up, especially since we have coach Long now. With his experience and where he's been, he's seen it all. He's expressed to us that he wants to win now and has put no limitations on what he thinks we can accomplish. I think our team will play up to his expectations, and I'm excited."
Linebacker Joe Martin
On the cohesiveness of the defense:
"We have eight (starters) returning on defense with a lot of veterans up front in Antwan (Applewhite) and Jon (Bailes), Nick Osborn and Ornan (Nwansi). Our linebackers all played together last year, so the front seven has been gelling since before coach Long even got here. Now that he's put the new scheme in, after spring practice and fall camp, we're together as a unit. We're all really good friends on and off the field, and we know the scheme so it's all worked out."