Sept. 30, 2008
San Diego State Football Press Conference Quotes
Aztec Athletic Center
September 30, 2008
Head Coach Chuck Long
General Comments:
"It's a much better week going into conference play coming off a victory. (Idaho) was a great win for our football team and they really deserved it. I was very happy for them. They've really worked hard up to this point to not have a win to show for it. They got a big victory going into conference play, which I thought was crucial."
On the defense's play against Idaho on Saturday:
"It was good to get our players back at their usual positions. They played fast because of that. When you have guys who are at positions they're familiar with, it makes a big difference. In fact, we were up, 17-0, before (our defense) gave up their second first down. They played well throughout."
On the offense's play against Idaho on Saturday:
"Whenever you have over 600 yards of total offense, it doesn't matter who you play, it says something about you efficient you are. I'm really happy with how well our offense performed. One thing that happened this week was (getting) yards after the catch. You saw some short routes become long plays and we need that in our offense."
On TCU:
"TCU is an excellent football team. Everybody is talking about BYU and Utah, but I don't know why they aren't talking about TCU. They are as good a TCU team as I have seen since I have been here anyway. They are excellent on both sides of the football and have a number of returners back from last year. We just dissected the Oklahoma-TCU game from last week. You take out five or six big plays that Oklahoma had against them and their defense did a great job. They stopped their run game and Oklahoma relied on big plays to beat them. TCU is a good football team and this will be a big challenge for us this week. We'll have to be meticulous in everything we do. We have really cut on our mental mistakes from game one to now and we'll have to continue to do that against these guys. They thrive on turnovers and we'll have to protect that football.
"It really comes down to three things: it's a challenge to run against them, hold on to the football and you have to muster up some big plays to beat them."
On dealing with mobile quarterbacks:
"We haven't been great with them. It's open field tackling and getting them down when you are in space. I don't know too many teams who have answers; it's just hard to deal with mobile quarterbacks. You saw this last year with (former Aztec) Kevin O'Connell; it's tough to defend in spaces. If you have a quarterback who can move around and make people miss, then he's like another running back there. We're trying to find those answers to stop those guys."
On TCU quarterback Andy Dalton:
"He's a good football player. I saw him last season up close and personal when we played them. He throws it well, he runs it well and he is very athletic and smart. They have a lot of offense to prepare for and they move their formation around quite a bit."
On TCU's front four:
"Against their front four, which I believe is the best in the league right now, we have to have some rush control of some sort. Whether that be screens, draws, shovel passes, wide receiver screens; we have to slow them down up front or get them running sideways and chasing."
On Ryan Lindley's play through the first third of the season:
"I think Ryan's play has been very good. He is still growing as a quarterback and we'll have to keep teaching him along the way. But for a redshirt freshman in his first four games, pretty darn good. I don't mind talking about that because he is a humble young man and is always thinking about his team first. I would say he has done pretty well through the first four games.
"He has a chance to make an impact on this league. As far as his decision-making and the way he handles himself, he is as good as I have seen for his age. And I have coached some pretty good players at that position. He could be our first four-year starter, something I've never had."
On Vincent Brown's play:
"We've always liked Vincent Brown. You always go into (a true freshman year) thinking, `Well most of them are going to redshirt and we'll see what happens when you get into camp,' but he stuck out. We pulled the redshirt off of him and played him right away. And we had some good receivers here in Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens. But he stuck out so much that we felt like we needed to play him. He exceeded our expectations right off the bat, but we think he'll be one of those special players in our program before all is said and done. You saw a glimpse of that last week. He is one of those guys who runs all his routes hard, in practices and games. We always tell our receivers that you earn your time on the practice field. If the quarterback doesn't feel comfortable with you during the practice week, then it's going to be hard for him to get you the ball in games. He really works hard at this craft."
Senior linebacker Russell Allen
On getting the first win of the season:
"It was fun. It felt good Saturday night after the game to be victorious in the locker room and celebrating with all the guys. We sang the fight song in the locker room for the first time this season, so it was a lot of fun. But, we treat a win like a loss in that we have 24 hours to deal with it, obviously to celebrate in this case, and when practice comes around on Sunday, it's over and time to go back to work, especially with this being a huge week with the start of conference play. TCU is a very good football team and we need to get back to work."
On players moving back to their original positions on defense:
"It definitely helps. Everyone being in their natural position makes us better. Guys doing what they are comfortable doing is always what you want. So, that was big for us and it allowed us to execute the way we wanted to and the way we know we can on every play. It really helped a lot."
On the Aztecs' loss at TCU in 2006:
"That was one of those days where everything goes wrong for you as a team. We got in a hole early and we weren't able to climb out of it. At that point we were a football team that wasn't able to rally when things weren't going our way. We had already gotten off to a rough start that year and kind of knew that when things started going wrong, we didn't have what it took to climb out of a hole like that, and that is by no means where we are at now. We are the type of team now that can rally around each other and we know that when things aren't going our way we can continue to fight and pull it out. I think that is the major difference between now and then. We are a team now and there is a much different feeling. I don't see that ever happening to us again."
On starting conference play:
"Our mentality has to shift going into conference play. That is the heart of our season and that is what you prepare for all year. These non-conference games are very important and you always want to win those, but this is the meat of the season. This is our chance to get started off on the right foot, going into the next eight conference games, so this is a huge week for us."
On playing against mobile quarterbacks:
"That always presents another challenge. It is a whole other dimension to the game. That has been something that we have had a little trouble with. It obviously hurt us in the San Jose State game. It is just something that we have to prepare for all week. It affects the scheme a little bit and there are certain things that we have to do differently when that situation presents itself. But, it is a challenge that we accept and look forward to. It is a part of football and we enjoy it, so it should be a fun challenge."
Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Lindley
On preparing for TCU:
"We definitely need to kick it up a notch because (TCU) has a talented group of guys. They have a lot of speed and some big guys in the front, so you have to be prepared. Really, you have to take it as a challenge if you want to go in there and be competitive. We're playing one of the top defenses in the country and we are going to test our metal this week and see how we do."
On how he plans to handle TCU's defense:
"Against a team like (TCU) that has a lot of speed and can make a lot of plays, you just have to take what they give you because they are going to try and bait you. They will try to get you in that hole to where you think you have to attempt the big play. I think if we play fundamental football, take the short stuff and move the chains, we should do pretty well on Saturday."
On starting conference play:
"I am excited. It is a new challenge, but it is also just another game. Each game is four quarters, 60 minutes, or however you want to look at it, and we need to go in and prepare like we did last week. We did a very good job of preparation with a good week of practice and that is what we need this week to get ready for (TCU)."
On the wide receivers:
"I think we have a ton of guys who are very explosive. Mekell (Wesley) kind of came out of his shell last week. We saw that all week and throughout camp and spring ball that Mekell had that burst. He is an explosive player. Having these guys definitely makes it easier for me. It is all about YAC (yards after the catch) yardage. I just give a quick 5-yard pass and next thing you know (Vincent Brown) takes it to the house. I think the biggest thing we need to work on this week is just being crisp. We did a great job last week with guys being crisp on their routes and it makes it easier for everybody."
On the offensive line:
"The offensive line has done a great job in all four of these games. Both sides of the line, defense and offense, set the tone for the game. You can't do it without the line. You need that meat in the middle and they have definitely been doing a good job all year."
On what he will carry over from the win vs. Idaho:
"You have to move on to the next game, but at the same time you have to learn from what happened. I think as a whole offense, we learned that we are fundamentally sound. We did everything the way we were coached to do and pretty much did it by the book. That is what we need to do."
Sophomore wide receiver Vincent Brown
On what he needs to do at TCU:
"I just have to keep that level of focus. I guess that goes for everybody. We have to stay focused and make sure that we all step up as we head into the conference season."
On his chemistry with quarterback Ryan Lindley:
"It has definitely developed since spring ball. We are working on throwing every day and making sure we get the timing down."