Nov. 21, 2006
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Football
Weekly Press Conference Quotes
November 21, 2006
Aztec Athletics Center
Head Coach Chuck Long
On this weekend's game at New Mexico:
"We are excited. It is a challenge for us. We feel like we have been making improvement and we have. We have made improvement up until this last game. It just got out of hand for us and we've moved on. We feel like we have been making steady improvement all along, which is why I'm still excited about the last two games of the year starting with New Mexico.
"New Mexico presents a good challenge for us. (We are) on the road again. We haven't had a road victory this year and we'd like to get one. That is what our goal is this week. We want to finish strong to springboard into the off-season. It would be very helpful to us at this point in time."
On last week's game:
"We've had a rash of injuries, I don't like our guys to dwell on that, but we've had a couple serious (injuries) again this last game. I think where it affected us the most was in special teams. We were scrambling to find some bodies to play special teams during the course of the last game, just trying to plug guys in and show them cards on the sideline and teach them what to do on the sideline, because we got so thin. I credit our guys for not only doing that, but also I credit them for fighting all the way through. The coaches watched the film and they were playing hard and running to the football all the way to the end. One example is Antwan Applewhite. They had a long pass, and he ran all the way down to the goal line and almost got him from his defensive end position. Those are good things you see. Guys are still trying. We've asked them to do something this year that they haven't done before in terms of learning our philosophy and what we want to get accomplished. We are going to keep working on that foundation until we get it right. We believe wholeheartedly in it and will just keep working it until we get it right. It is not their fault, they are trying. They are working everyday and doing the best job they can. I really appreciate that as a head coach."
On the starting quarterback versus New Mexico:
"We have decided to put Kevin (O'Connell) as the starting quarterback. We feel like we need to gain some continuity with our offense before the year is out. We feel strongly about Kevin Craft as well. Kevin (Craft) has earned the right, at the very least, to fight for the starting job this next spring if he doesn't get in (as the starter) this year."
On hitting bumps in the road with the new schemes:
"It is a factor. The biggest factor with us that slowed us down was the injury situation. To put it in perspective for you, we've had 18 guys out right now. Most of which are not minor injuries, but most of which are season-ending injuries. That is just where we are at. That is the one aspect that has slowed us down in our progress. Aside from that, we expected some bumps because it is something brand new to the young men here, a total change. We just feel that it was necessary. When I looked at the top teams in this conference and studied the top teams in this conference, they were physical. They were big and strong, and our desire is to compete for a Mountain West Conference championship. That is the conference we are in and that is the vision and the goal that we have. The teams that win it are that way and we aspire to be that way."
On stopping the New Mexico running attack:
"We went into TCU with what we felt was a strong run defensive package and they ended up throwing it on us. We are going to have a good package going in (to New Mexico). I feel like our linebackers are starting to really get what we are doing. They are getting their fits. The last three weeks, starting with Wyoming, they are really starting to come on that way and get our system down. We are going to go in with certain blitz packages and certain run blitz packages. We also want to keep our guys fresh going in and out of the game, and make sure we have our defensive line fresh. There is some altitude there, so we are just going to make sure we are fresh and rotating those guys all the way through. "
On the varying defensive play from week to week:
"We felt like we've been making progress up to this last game. Yes, it was not a pleasant day. You look at our defense and they were out there (for) 80 plays. We didn't move the ball well offensively. To me, it is more on the offense. We have to get some continuity here and control the ball better and score some points. You can say what you want about what happened to us defensively, but those things go hand in hand. We have to get better offensively and we will. I believe once we get some continuity at quarterback, an issue that we are forcing right now, it is going to be helpful."
Offensive lineman Patrick Justman
On Saturday's game lingering in the team's memory:
"I would say it is still there a little bit. Obviously, it hurts a lot and it gives us a little extra incentive to go out there work this week to make sure it doesn't happen again, because that wasn't a fun day."
Quarterback Kevin O'Connell
On trying to get the first road win of the year:
"At this point I don't think motivation is a problem. I think we are all going to take that trip over to New Mexico expecting to go out and play our best. We are playing a good football team in a tough place and we are going to need better effort than we had last Saturday. It is definitely something that is possible and something that we are going to work hard for this week."
On the difference between going with one quarterback rather than two:
"The one benefit is probably just getting a little more reps during the week of practice and having the chance to be with the (first team) all week and be in the huddle for the whole preparation on Saturday. I'm just looking forward to having the chance to find the rhythm early, sustain it and not have to worry about when I am coming out and when I am going in. To tell you the truth, I am just excited to be back out there full time with the guys."
Linebacker Joe Martin
On where the team is at defensively:
"We are preparing for this game. Last week is over with. TCU, we thought they were going to run the ball a lot more than they did. They passed the ball. They passed the ball really efficiently. They were getting the ball out really fast, two-step dropping us and they just had guys open. We have to fix the mistakes we had and go on to a New Mexico team that is predominantly run. They like to run the ball like a lot of two-back, one tight end teams. We are going in there with our base defense and that is the best defense we play when we are against a two-back offense."
On overcompensating in preparing for the run against New Mexico:
"You scout a team. You go in there, you watch past film and you see what their tendencies are. TCU was a running team and New Mexico is a running team. We practice accordingly. You go off of percentages and personnel groups, and you see what the percentages are of run and pass and balance practice around that. Once again, if a team runs the ball and then on game day they start passing, than it is up to the players to be able to adjust to what is going on. It is on us. We are going to practice New Mexico's run. We're hoping to corral their running back. He is a very talented running back, and they're a very talented team. If they come out and pass, we will adjust the same way and have to corral both of their receivers."
On trying to make adjustments against TCU:
"I think it just happened so fast for some of the guys. They came out firing the football. We came out really strong and stopped them on the first drive. On the third drive I think TCU said, `We are not running the football very effectively, let's start throwing the ball,' and that's what they did. We started blitzing them. Our blitzes weren't getting there, so our coverage can't hold forever and that's what was happening. Those receivers were just running around making adjustments to their routes, cutting them short and extending them long and the quarterback had entirely too much time back there. Our effort was there, we were running hard and we were playing hard. It just didn't happen for us that day."