April 21, 2008
San Diego State Press Conference Quotes
Aztec Athletics Center
Senior Linebacker Russell Allen
On how spring drills are going heading into Saturday's scrimmage:
"We are really excited right now about how the spring has gone so far. We feel like we have got a lot of good work in these first few weeks. We've gotten to see the young guys' potential and what they are going to be capable of. It's been really good for us. It will kind of springboard us heading into our summer training."
On Saturday's scrimmage:
"It's always fun to get off campus and play and pick up the tempo a bit. It's going to be a lot of fun."
On what he has learned about the young defense:
"I've learned that we are a lot more dependant on each other than we were a year ago. We have more experience than we did (last year) and I can count on guys being where they need to be. We're working and hopefully going to continue to grow."
On Miles Burris:
"Miles is a heck of a player. He has a lot of potential and a bright future ahead of him. He'll go through a big change this summer getting his body ready to play in the fall."
On what he was working on in spring ball:
"Spring ball is for refining your skills and getting back into the swing of it. That's what it has been like for me, trying to get everyone else going. I think it's been a success."
On what he learned from Kevin O'Connell:
"A guy like Kevin, he did everything right. That is something I've been able to observe over my four years here. Seeing him now with the fruit of all his labors is exciting. It's nice to see him get what he deserves after working so hard all his life."
Sophomore Vincent Brown
On the quarterback competition:
"There is definitely a lot of competition between all of them. We are fortunate to have all three. It will come down to a coach's decision."
On spring ball:
"It felt really good, definitely a lot different from last year. The game has really slowed down. It helps to slow the game down and understand how things move. It has helped me out a lot."
On the offense without former Aztec Kevin O'Connell:
"The biggest difference is the level of competition. There are a lot of shoes to fill with Kevin gone, but the quarterbacks are stepping up."
On the wide receiver situation after losing Chaz Schilens and Brett Swain:
"We just have to continue to work hard and when the time comes we'll show everyone what we can do. With those guys gone, we just have to fill their shoes."
Former Aztec quarterback Kevin O'Connell
On this weekend's NFL Draft:
"I'm looking forward to it. I ran into (former Aztec linebacker) Freddy Keiaho, and he knew what I was going through. It's a long exhausting time. You're asked to be your best day in and day out for the better part of three months. I'm just excited to know where I'm going to be at and be a part of a football team again."
On where he think he might be drafted:
"There's three or four teams that I've had pretty close contact with since the combine, but coach (Chuck) Long told me a story about him getting drafted. He had talked to this team and that team throughout the whole process. Then draft day comes and Detroit takes him, and he never even heard from them the entire time. He never talked to a scout - never talked to anybody (from Detroit). So it's one of those things where our names are just in a big old hat. When your name comes out, it's time to go work."
On his mindset heading into the NFL Draft:
Some buddies of mine have gotten into reading the mock drafts rankings and this and that, but the only thing that matters at the end of the day is where your name is at on that draft board in one of those 32 (NFL) cities. I think when it's all said and done, very rarely does the draft pan out the way anybody kind of plans. That's how I've been going about it. I'm not really planning on anything. I've heard a lot of good things that I'm really excited about, but until my name gets called out, I'm not going to be too high or too low."
On what the process has been like leading up to the NFL Draft:
"Last Friday I had a workout with a quarterback coach who came in, but there's been a whole lot of sitting around and waiting for the phone to ring and finding out who's going to work you out and where. (I've been) taking trips, meeting people and talking on the phone a lot. I'm just kind of taking it all in right now. But like I said, there will be four or five days that go by where you won't have anything. Then there will be two or three days in a row where there are workouts and meetings. So it's an intense process; it's one that you can't let your guard down. I just tried to work out as much as could and keep throwing with our guys and put myself in the best possible situation."
On whether or not he's enjoyed the process of preparing for the NFL Draft:
"I've enjoyed it ... Going back to my junior season when I hurt my hand in the first game and missed some extensive time, if you would've told me that I'd go to the combine, play in two all-star games, have a big-time turn out at our Pro Day and be sitting here hoping to hear my name called at the end of April, I would've been pretty upset with you for playing a joke on me. But it's been pretty surreal and it's been a blast meeting with all of the coaches in the NFL and just taking it all in. I've worked hard; I've put myself in a good position I think. Now it's up to the people who make the decisions."
On the NFL scouting process:
"You learn quickly that it's a business. I took a trip to New York recently and from the time you get there until the time you're finished, it's a job interview. They're not really looking to give you perks; you're just going in there to interview. I don't know the last time you guys went to an interview where they gave you any sympathy or love. You go in there and they ask the questions they want to ask you. They maybe show you some film, teach you some of the offense and want to know how much you've absorbed. Then they get you on a flight back to San Diego as soon as possible. It's pretty intense."
On whether he thinks he's put his best foot forward throughout the whole process:
"Absolutely. I can't look back on one particular example, whether it be the Hula Bowl, East-West Shrine Game, the combine or Pro Day. But I've been blessed to have guys like Chaz Schilens, Brett Swain, Steve Schmidt, Lynell Hamilton and Brandon Bornes out there catching passes for me. Whenever a quarterback coach comes into town, I call those guys up and we're out there all together like we have been for the last four years. We get to throw and work out for these coaches when they come in, so I think we have an advantage over a lot of people."
On where he'll be picked after looking at some of the mock drafts:
"I've heard everything from third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. I've seen lists where I'm not even on them. It's something that's either going to prove somebody right or make the guy who left me off the list a really smart man at the end of the day on Sunday, but we'll see."