Aug. 7, 2009
San Diego State Football
2009 Football Media Day, Aztec Athletics Center
Head Coach Brady Hoke
General Comments:
"We're really excited about the start (of camp) and to be together as a team. With NCAA rules and policies, our guys have been with our strength (and conditioning) coach for the summer. It's going to be good to get them in here on Sunday. There are a couple of things we talked about as a team that I think is very important to the past and future of San Diego State Aztec football. We understand the commitment that it takes, as a staff and as a group of players, to uphold the legacy of the championships that have been won here and the legacy to those football teams. We understand the commitment it takes and the work ethic it takes to do those things. Fall camp is our fourth phase yearly of what we look at building a program and doing the things it takes to be together. Fall camp is very important for us with the opportunity to grow as a team and the opportunity to meet some struggles and adversity that we will see during the season."
On the coaching staff:
"Obviously, I'm excited to have the staff that we have. There's a lot of seasoning in our staff, a lot of experience on motivating and coaching young men, and the whole schematics of coaching football. There's not a better staff, in my opinion, and group of guys in this country when you look at their relationship they've built with the players in the short amount of time and the expertise that they all bring to the table.
"Our players have done a great job. It's always hard (to be) in transition. I went through a transition as a player where in four years as a linebacker, I had three different coaches. Philosophies differ, but the expectations that we have as a program, we are all on the same page."
On the players:
"We want to squeeze out a group of players who are going to play with great toughness. If you've covered us long enough you're going to hear that every time I speak. Toughness - mentally and physically - is essential in this game. Not everybody can play this game; toughness is a huge criteria for us. Effort is another one. It doesn't matter if you run a 4.5 (second) 40 (-yard dash) or a 5.2 40, you can play with effort and a huge sense of urgency. Championship teams don't beat themselves. They don't have dumb penalties, they don't have missed assignments. The discipline that you demand and expect every day from your players and us as coaches is important. They need to expect that from us as players, too. The fourth thing is accountability every day. Whether it is in the classroom, whether it is getting treatment when you need to get treatment, whether it is doing your assignment. Those four elements are a big part of our program."
On any surprises of a team that went 2-10 a season ago:
"We met as a staff the other day for two hours on every guy on this squad and what they did this summer. There are some guys on this team who have stepped up leadership wise. The seniors have done a tremendous job. Sometimes it's the hardest for them, because it's their last year of football. With getting new direction, a new philosophy and a new staff, they have done a great job. I think our body composition is better. I think they have a better understanding where we want to go with it."
On the strengths and weaknesses of the team after looking at film:
"There are two strengths to our team in my opinion - our linebackers and our wide receivers. When you look at quality and quantity, and the demeanor of those guys playing those positions, I think those are our best two positions. I've said it before but I think our offensive line and our defensive line are the two positions that we need to keep moving forward by developing these guys that are here and also in the recruiting process for years to come."
On how long it will take to become a winning program:
"There are a lot of things involved in a season and in your program. We have a pretty good template because this was no different than when we went to Ball State. It's similar."
On things the fans can look forward to this year:
"The effort we play with, the toughness we play with, playing intelligently and playing disciplined. Those are all indicators."
On the responsibility of turning the program around:
"It's a great opportunity. You always have responsibility. I promise you if we play bad that's my fault. That's where it starts. You're teaching life lessons as a coach, you're teaching things (so) that 15 years down the road these players will be great husbands, great fathers and community leaders."
On the backfield:
"Ideally, you'd always like to have a lead back. At the same time, there may be some luxury to looking at what each guy brings to the table. At the end of the day we would like to have a guy who is going to carry it 20-25 times a game and a few others who can provide a different skill set to rest the other guy a bit "
On the schedule:
"The only game I have looked at is the fifth of September. We had a staff meeting today about different scenarios about the schedule, but my same answer I gave to them, I gave to you. Our only focus is September 5."
On the Mountain West Conference:
"I saw the top 25 preseason poll on my desk and it's nice to see TCU, BYU and Utah in the top 25. This is a pretty good conference. I've been a football guy my whole life, so I have followed (the Mountain West). There are some tremendous coaches in this league and tremendous players. I think it is a great league."
SDSU Offensive Coordinator Al Borges
On Ryan Lindley compared to other quarterbacks he has coached:
"In terms of pure passing skill, he is certainly comparable to some other kids I have had. In the past, I've been lucky enough to have three first-round draft picks and Ryan's arm strength and passing accuracy is probably as good as any of them. I have to coach him in a game to see how he reacts to the pressure of the game and how he deals with some of the bumps that come during the game. But I think at 6-4 and with a strong throwing arm and now he has a little bit of experience, he is a nice kid to work with."
On the overall talent of the offense:
"It's better than I thought. At 2-10, you would have assumed that we would be really shorthanded, but I think we have some good people, some good players at some key positions who can make this team good. Now we need to be more complete. We need to be deeper, but that's why we're here. We are going to try to do that. If we can keep our troops healthy enough, we might be able to make some noise. I think with our receiver corps, we have a couple of big-play guys who can make some things happen out there. If Ryan can shore his game up, I think we're going to be okay. The biggest factor in our offense is we have to possess the ability to run the football. That's big with us. Not that we're a grind it out, three yards, cloud of dust team, because we're not, but we're a balanced team that relies on pass plays and things of that nature to make our offense go. Running the ball is part of that."
On if SDSU has a feature running back yet:
"The jury is still kind of out. We're going to find out. In the spring, it was more like let's-see-what-these-guys-can-do-type mentality. We're going to try to feed the ball to guys like Brandon Sullivan, Atiyyah (Henderson) and those guys to see what they can do, give them a few carries. I'm talking about a few consecutive carries where they can maybe gain a little inertia and show us what they're capable of. I feel the same way Brady does. We have to find a guy who is going to be our feature back and just play off of him. You want to have that one guy that the team knows can take the ball all the way in one play."
On why he decided to come to San Diego State:
"Why not? This place has incredible potential and it has a rich football tradition. They've won a lot of games here, it just hasn't been recently. I've always felt, being from California and knowing West Coast football pretty well, this is a place that can flourish if it is handled (well), (we) do all the right things and get some good players. We have the right coach. He knows what he is doing. He knows how to go about building programs. He's been in enough of them. Now what we have to do is shore up our depth and talent and our discipline. I think we can be whatever everyone else has said they thought we could be."
SDSU Defensive Coordinator Rocky Long
On if has noticed any kind of change from the defense:
"I'll have a better feel for it after five or six days of practice. I thought they made a lot of improvement from the day one of spring practice to the last day of spring ball. I think they want to be good and I think their attitude is really good. As long as the attitude stays the same and they want to be good, they'll be better as we go."
Aztec Offensive Players
Quarterback Ryan Lindley
On the team and the new coaching staff:
"This team has worked so hard over the summer and over the spring. This coaching staff, with what they have done, helping us out and putting us in a position to win come this Sept. 5, is a confident feeling and we all feel good about it."
On if he feels more relaxed going into camp as the No. 1 quarterback:
"It's always a competition. I understand that going in on paper that maybe I'm No. 1 and in the starting spot, but every day you have to go in and compete for your job. It is a little more comfortable having a year under your belt. With the experience on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, I think everybody should feel a little more comfortable this year come game time"
On if the playbook is similar to last year:
"With the spread (offense) last year, we kind of utilized (the field) horizontally, sideline to sideline. This year, we're going to get down, we're going to grind it out and try and pound the football out. The running game is something we need to improve and that's something we worked on as far as strength and conditioning - getting stronger and more powerful to work it in there. I think it's going to be a more balanced attack."
Senior Offensive Lineman Peter Nelson
On the playbook:
"From an offensive lineman standpoint, it's a lot different in many ways, especially because we get a hand on the ground and (will) be able to get in a three-point stance. (It will enable us to) really get some good leverage when are on these run plays. It's going to give us a chance to really knock some guys around and play some hard-nose football. I know a lot of the guys on the offensive line are excited about more focus on running the ball and being a more balanced attack. (We'll be) able to take some pressure off ourselves on passing situations and able to give Ryan (Lindley) a chance to have some other offensive weapons around him."
On Ryan Lindley's leadership skills:
"I think Ryan is a really hard worker, a great player, a great leader and has a calm presence in the huddle. That's understated. When you look him in the eye, you know he is going to get something done. You just give him time and he is going to make a play. Going in last year from the first game to the last game, when he was in we just had total confidence in what he could do and what was going to get done."
On the differences from last year to this year:
"Attitude and accountability, has been the biggest things that have changed (from last year). There is an overall excitement and enthusiasm for the game. Our teammates are more dedicated to what is going on around them and what we need to do to win."
Senior Wide Receiver Roberto Wallace
On Ryan Lindley:
"He has a year under his belt, so I'm very comfortable with him. The fact that he is coming back makes me feel comfortable in general. I like everything about him, because he's my quarterback."
On last season:
"We're a different team. We're focused on this year. What happened last year is in the past. We're looking forward to having a successful year."
Aztec Defensive Players
Senior Linebacker Jerry Milling
On if he could be the next marquee Aztec linebacker?
"I don't look at it in terms of that. Being a senior, you take on a leadership role. We have something like 20 seniors and all of us have taken on that role, so when coach Hoke talks about me, I think he is talking about that [leadership] mostly. At linebacker, we have a lot of guys who can play, and a lot of us are going to play. Individually, I don't look at any personal goals or anything like that. If we win games, I'm the happiest guy out there regardless of how I'm seen as an individual."
On the defensive changes coach Rocky Long has made as compared to last year:
"The No. 1 thing is aggression. We're an aggressive defense now. We're playing on our toes as opposed to our heels. A lot of plays are going to be made in the opponent's backfield, (forcing) more turnovers and just more exciting football to be played on defense. It's going to be fun."
Senior cornerback Davion Mauldin
On the new attitude of the defense:
"We have a new found intensity, a new found attitude on defense and a new found enthusiasm about playing football again around here."
On coach Hoke being a defensive-minded coach:
"I don't think it really matters about (coach Hoke) being on defense or offense. The best thing about him is that his No. 1 interest is us. He puts us before himself, he puts us before the rest of the coaching staff, and every decision he has made has really been about us. I think he gained our trust as fast as possible."