Aug. 1, 2008
Chuck Long News Conference - VIDEO
Russell Allen, Darren Mougey, Mike Schmidt News Conference - VIDEO
Jonathan Soto, Brandon Sullivan, Ryan Lindley News Conference - VIDEO
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Football
Media Day Quotes
Aztec Athletics Center
Head coach Chuck Long
Opening Statement:
"It's football time again. We're excited. I am always excited about training camp. (There are) a couple of newsworthy items to recap our offseason, we are entering year No. 3 and have made some great progress in a lot of areas. Our strength and conditioning to start with, the size and speed of our football team has gotten so much better. Just watching our guys trickle in, getting ready for camp starting Monday, boy, they look good. An example of that is our linemen. They are all about 300 pounds or more to a man and that is really been a significant change and probably the most significant. That's where I see, as a head coach, we are growing in that program.
"Our offseason by far, was our best year, as far as commitment level to our offseason program. That's what you look for. To me, that's where it starts. It's not even close from Year No. 3 from Year No. 1 of the commitment level. It had to happen to have a chance to be successful.
"It's football time. We're excited about going to Camp Pendleton. We want to partner with them and they are excited to partner with us. We are looking forward to that and going on Monday. We can't wait to get started. I know our guys are ready to go. They will be trickling in this weekend to get ready to go to camp on Monday."
On the team's health:
"(This is) our healthiest team going into camp. Right now, everyone is on go. Even (tight end) Eric Miclot got clearance to go and that is already a wonderful story. Here is a guy who has been out two years and now Eric has a chance to join our football team. ... Tommie Draheim, will not (go), he did have surgery. He was fighting for a starting job coming out of spring football, which puts Trask (Iosefa) back into that role. Tommie should be out until October. We think he'll have a chance to play half the season."
On going 12 straight days to open camp:
"That's the way the calendar fell. You get 29 practices before the first game by NCAA rule. If we backed it up anymore, we'd be starting in July. The calendar fell in a funny way where we don't have as many days off this camp as we did last camp. But it's also there to test them. We want to be sure we have a mental test for them more than a physical test. The summer, in the offseason, has prepared them physically. That had to happen to get through a camp like this in a physical way. It will tax them mentally. We are interested to see how they respond to that."
On what he looks to get out of opening training camp at Camp Pendleton:
"Number one, we wanted to partner with Camp Pendleton. (It gives us) a chance to give back and we appreciate what they do on a daily basis. We wanted to get in with them in terms of leadership, teamwork and how they build teams. We also are going to let them be as interactive as they want to with us. They have football teams on their base and they have coaches and players. We told them we would show them our college practices and how we do things. They are interested in that. They'll be in our film sessions and everything. It's a win-win for both parties."
On the fall competition:
"The competition will be fierce. It's better in some areas than others. You take the offensive line position and that is a very competitive position at this point. The quarterback position is still competitive even though we named Ryan (Lindley) No. 1 going in. It's going to be very competitive. We have some guys that are closer to be set on defense than on offense, but we want to make it competitive at each position. They still have to hold their spot."
On the preseason predictions:
"I always look at where we are picked right now and use it as motivation. You want to get to the point where you are picked high and then you have a different motivation. You have to fight. In this case, it's an easy motivation for us. This is where they picked us. We need to prove a lot of people wrong. So I will play that up again. Last year, we were picked to finish eight and finished sixth so we moved up. That's our plan. Our whole plan is to get to a bowl game. I haven't backed down from that. We would like to get into the upper echelon of the conference. Looking at last year, five teams went to bowl games in our conference. We also believe that more and more we will have five games to go to instead of four. If you get into the top five, top four for sure, you have a chance. And that's a goal."
On what he likes going into fall practice:
"I like the way they are competing right now. I am really excited going into this camp how this offseason has unfolded and from Year No. 1 to now how much different it is in terms of commitment level and work ethic. That's what I am most excited about working with these guys going into camp on Monday."
Linebacker Russell Allen
On the significance of having fewer days off during training camp this year:
"You go to training camp with the idea of working hard work on your mind. That's what it's all about. It's coming in and getting to work with your teammates and getting ready for a long season. That's what you need, definitely.
On feeling the pressure of leaving a mark at SDSU during his senior season:
"I don't know if it's pressure. I can definitely feel that (my college career) is coming to an end. It's amazing how fast it goes, and I can feel that urgency to go out and get some wins with it being the last shot, last go-around. I don't know if it's any pressure really. But it is exciting to go into your last year knowing that you're ready to give it everything you've got and see what happens."
On the opening of training camp at Camp Pendleton:
"It's going to be exciting. It's going to be cool being around the military and being up on that base. They're the best team in the world, so it's going to be fun to see how they build a team and see their leadership tactics on a daily basis."
On why this team is ready to succeed this season:
"The main thing is that we're closer as a team, as a unit. We've worked very hard to come together these past few years since coach Long has been here. That's something we've really put a lot of focus on, and I think that will carry us a long way, along with having returning experience defensively, which will keep us in games. But I definitely think that we're tight as a unit and that's going help us when we hit adversity. You know you can count on the guy the next to you because we've learned to count on each other all along."
Wide receiver Darren Mougey
On heading to Camp Pendleton to open training camp:
"It'll be a good little change of pace to go up there and start fresh and start the season different with something that we've never done before. So I think it'll help out the team.
On the transition at quarterback to redshirt freshman Ryan Lindley:
"It's been good. Ryan's been working hard all summer long. We've had a lot of good team and player practices out there, and Ryan's done a great job of leading the team and doing the things he needs to do as a quarterback. I think all the guys on our team have all the confidence in the world in Ryan and what he's capable of doing."
On why the team will succeed this season despite its youth:
"Being in (coach Long's) system now for three years really helps, and the guys are young. (The veterans) had the game experience the past couple of years, but they were still in a brand-new system. Some of the younger guys haven't played yet, but they've known the system now for the past two or three years since they've been here. Also, I think the commitment and participation we had this summer has been better than it has in the past and I think that'll make a difference, too. So I have confidence in the whole squad."
On the emergence of numerous leaders on this team:
"It is (different). Guys who you wouldn't even expect or names that aren't always out there in the media are becoming leaders. Guys all over the team, in the locker room, in the weight room, outside of football, in the classroom, are helping out and I've never seen that since I've been here. We've always had stand-out players with guys like Kevin (O'Connell). They were great leaders. But I feel like on this year's team we have a lot of little guys here and there. Everyone's doing their part as a leader. It is a different feel; it is something good and I feel confident about it."
Offensive lineman Mike Schmidt
On practicing 12 straight days this year to open training camp:
"It's really good for us to bond together, and you really get into a rhythm when you (practice) that many days in a row with no time off. We have five guys (on the offensive line) and we all have to be on the same page, so that really helps out."
On the injury to center Tommie Draheim:
Tommie's injury hurt us, but we have guys who can play. Trask (Iosefa) played all 12 games last year for us at center. You feel bad for Tommie, being so young and so inexperienced. But we have other guys who can play just as well as him I think."
On the competitiveness of this year camp:
"We have five (offensive line) spots that are pretty much wide open right now. We have some guys showing up stronger than others, but I said in the spring that we had to have a big summer and I think we really (accomplished) that. We've had pretty much full participation on the offensive line. The younger guys really grew up a lot, and I'm excited to see what happens in camp."
Quarterback Ryan Lindley
On the team's preparation for this year:
"We tried to up the participation level this summer and get full attendance. I think we did a very good job. Coach (Jon) Francis said we had about 99 percent participation. If you get guys to show up, they'll do the work. That's what we strived for and we did it. We did a lot of work, now we just need to get it done."
On how he is adjusting to the offense:
"I feel real comfortable. I try to get extra reps all the time with guys like Darren (Mougey) and (Vincent Brown). I think that creates a kind of bond there and makes it more cohesive where you just know where they are going to be at times. It feels good now and I'm excited to keep getting reps in practice."
On his leadership abilities:
"That's kind of my personality. If I'm not in that leadership role, I feel I'm kind of hurting the team. There are so many guys that are leaders on this team. When you are a leader it kind of builds you up to that next level. Everyone sees you are doing extra work and they are going to do the same to get to your level. Everybody stepped up this summer and that work ethic is going to show on the field."
On what the team is going to do to win more games this season:
"I've been reading some books on leadership and the biggest thing is if you can get all 11 guys on the field going towards a common goal, you're going to do big things. We have bonded and will continue to bond throughout camp with the same goal."
On the team's youth:
"Age is just a number. The guys came in the weight room and worked their tails off. That's all that counts."
Running back Brandon Sullivan
On what the team is going to do to win more games this season:
"When I first got here, especially in the summer, you didn't see a lot of guys. This summer we've been around each every day, working out at 6 a.m., doing 7-on-7 right after and sometimes working out again later in the day. Now I feel like we are a family, before we were just teammates. We all have faith and confidence in each other."
Defensive lineman Jonathan Soto
On where he will be playing on the defensive line:
"I'm not quite sure which position I'll be playing yet. I am just really looking forward to helping out my team at my position, wherever they need me. As long as I'm on the field, that's what counts to me."