Nov. 27, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
SAN DIEGO STATE FOOTBALL
NEWS CONFERENCE QUOTES
AZTEC ATHLETICS CENTER
NOVEMBER 27, 2007
San Diego State Head Coach Chuck Long
Opening Statement:
"This is a special week for our program because it's senior week. We have 23 special seniors on this team. I believe they have created and put the blocks in place for our foundation to help in years to come. I am very proud of them. Every single senior played, and had a significant role on our football team in some way. Not everyone was a starter, but we certainly had some backup help and special team help, where they excelled and I am just really proud of them.
"Within those stories, we talk about Kevin O'Connell a lot, and the way he has grown from year one to year two. The way he is finishing his last year as a senior is great for him. There are also guys like Fred Amano, who went from the defensive line to the offensive line in one year. He made the sacrifice and performed very well for a one-year offensive lineman. Then you have Lynell Hamilton, who came from a star-studded career in high school and was a top recruit. He fought through significant injuries during his time here, but kept his head up this entire year to give us some excellent special teams play, and accepted his role and did it in a great way. Scotty James, a defensive back walk-on, worked three jobs before he earned a scholarship this past year. He worked extremely hard to earn it and he has given us some good play at corner and on special teams. Those are just four examples of guys whose efforts I am very proud of. They were significant in our program, and all of them will do very well in the real world when that time comes.
"Again, I mention (the seniors) set some building blocks, and those are the things you look for as a head coach. We had leadership all the way through last year and in the off-season, and we talked about building those blocks and what needed to be done. There are some things in place that we really like right now that we can build from. I think Kevin is the best quarterback in the conference. He certainly has had the year to prove it, but overall we made great strides on both sides of the ball and on special teams."
On TCU:
"We went into that game with an offensive mindset, thinking we had to obviously score points to win. We scored more points against them than anybody else in the conference, and we did it with big plays. The flip side to making big plays is that you do not eat up clock time, but that was just a chance we took. The defense did suffer from that, but we felt like we needed the big plays to score points. The one thing that stuck out in that game and that we really have to better this week is third down conversions on both sides of the football. We need to get (the opponent) off the field on third down, and we need to convert on third down offensively. That is the one thing we have to address this week."
On Brigham Young:
"(BYU) is a top-25 team. They are No. 19, and are the third top-25 team we will play this year. It is a significant challenge, but we will welcome it. We have them at home, and I believe the last time they lost a (conference) road game was at Qualcomm Stadium two years ago. They are coming in here as conference champions. They deserve it; they have played well. BYU has had a great year. Again, I say it every week, those are the challenges you like as a coach and as a football team. I know in talking to some of our leaders already on Sunday, the guys are excited to play. We will have a good week of practice; that is what you want as a head coach and I believe we will get that this week going into BYU."
On where Kevin O'Connell ranks among the quarterbacks he has seen in his career:
"Kevin fits right into that mix. The last three games are as good as any game I have been around from a decision-making standpoint. It may not be the 75 completion percentage that you look for in the paper, but when you watch the tape, these are the games the scouts look at and say that he is really making good decisions. He throws the ball away when he has to. He is not taking the loss. He is reading things correctly and throwing the long ball well. That was one of his deficiencies he had to work on and he did. Now he is throwing that with accuracy and of course, he can move around like no other 6-6 quarterback. He is playing as well as anybody we have coached and I have been around some good ones."
On Brandon Bornes:
"Brandon Bornes has always been tough. He's what you want in your program. I always use him as an example for the rest of our team. I always put his quotes on the board because he gets it. It's all about coming to work everyday, working hard, dealing with the cards that are dealt, don't complain about it. He was raised the right way and he has been the epitome of a class act here. He knows the value of a scholarship and that has shown everyday with Brandon Bornes. He will be very successful because of that."
On Brigham Young's football program:
"BYU is the team to beat. They remind me of the old BYU teams. They had a glitch and programs get into those glitches, but they're out of it now. They are very, very strong. Bronco Mendenhall has done a great job of getting (the program) back on track to where it used to be."
Senior quarterback Kevin O'Connell
On playing in his last game as a senior:
"I can't tell you how fast (the year) went by. I remember coming out of spring ball and talking about how we needed to have a good summer to get ready for fall camp. Personally, I have never been closer with my teammates than this year. The chemistry on our team has made this the best possible senior year in my eyes. Obviously, I would have liked to close it out with a bowl game, but I was a part of some growth in the program. I think the platform is there for Russell (Allen) and the rest of the younger guys to take this program where it needs to go."
On his time spent at San Diego State:
"To spend five years of your life somewhere is pretty significant time, and I think the one thing that I'm taken back by is the relationships that I've built, not only with my teammates, but with other people in the building, the coaching staff and just the people around campus. I think that the type of people you come in contact with around (San Diego State) is one thing that goes unnoticed. They are quality people and it makes it that much more enjoyable to come to work and go to class everyday. The time has gone by so fast that I feel like I should be here two or three more years."
On his memories of playing in his first game at SDSU:
"I remember it clearly. It was the Idaho State game and there were some 50,000 people there (Qualcomm Stadium) for our opener and the SkyShow. I was so nervous and everything that came with (the experience). The worst part about it was that it wasn't much of a start. I got in during the second quarter and we were already up 35-0 at that point, so it kind of took a little bit of the edge off, but I will never forget that experience and all of the memories along the way."
On playing BYU in the final game of the season:
"I know for me there is not really anyone else (other than BYU) that I'd rather play on senior night. It gives us an opportunity to beat the best team in the conference at home and go out on the right note."
On his feelings about where the program stands:
"Every Saturday is a growing process. We've had those feelings in the locker room after a big victory where it just feels right, and then during losses, Coach Long is the first one to acknowledge what we need to improve on. At the same time he never misses an opportunity to acknowledge growth within the program. I think that's big, and I think the younger guys are really starting to understand how things are done within the system. If our senior class had anything to do with that, then I know that I can leave with my head held high."
Senior wide receiver Chaz Schilens
On his emotions of playing in his last game:
"I will be sad. It feels like I have been here awhile, so it is hard to imagine myself not being here and not being part of the program (next year). I've spent so much time with these guys over the past few years, so it is going to be difficult. We have some good guys on this team and good talent coming up, so I know the program is going to be in good hands."
On his recent on-field connection with quarterback Kevin O'Connell:
"During the summer we had been playing catch and we knew we could do it, but it was just a matter of getting out there in the game and executing. I missed a few games with my foot (injury), but I'm having a lot of fun now and we want to make this last game count."
On how he thinks BYU's fans will affect SDSU's play on Saturday:
"(BYU) will have a lot of fans (at Qualcomm) because they are the conference champions and are undefeated in (league) play. As far as noise goes, they can bring a lot of fans and it will get us excited. I don't really see it as a problem."
Junior linebacker Russell Allen
On the Aztec seniors:
"Being younger than these guys (Kevin O'Connell and Chaz Schilens), I've been able to watch them and learn from them over the years. It is something that I really didn't know was going to benefit me as I become a senior. Seeing the difference from them as juniors and seniors, and how they have used their last year to their advantage, is something that hopefully I can portray to the guys younger than me. I will definitely miss (the seniors) a lot."
On the attitude of the defense heading into Saturday's game vs. BYU:
"Every week is a new challenge and a new opportunity. (BYU) is something we are excited about. We have struggled the last couple of weeks and we have taken that into consideration in our preparation. We are excited for one more opportunity to send the seniors out on a great note. This week is all about the seniors, and sending them off on a high note is our main focus."
On where he feels the program is headed:
"Our confidence continues to grow as a defense and as a team. I think the growth is evident in the way guys stepped in after certain injuries and we didn't really miss a beat. I think that is something that is going to continue to improve as we go along, and going into next year we will have another offspring and year of training. I definitely think we are headed in the right direction."