Sept. 22, 2009
SDSU Football Press Conference Quotes
Aztec Athletics Center
Coach Hoke's Opening Statement
"Just to recap a couple of things [from] last week, there's obviously a lot that we need to (do) better as a team and as a coaching staff in execution, in penalties and being more disciplined in that part of the game, because of what it does to you when you look at staying on track offensively and having some rhythm for what you want to get done. We've got to do a better job in the run game of blocking up front and getting off blocks defensively. Those are two areas that we're going to work the heck out of this week."
Q. Are you discouraged by this loss? Do you go to that game thinking we should win this, we're going to win this?
"If we execute and play the way I believe we're capable, we can win a lot of football games. I really believe that and I'm the eternal optimist. I believe in these kids and what they're doing. We've just got to make sure that we don't shoot ourselves in the foot. You have two turnovers and we didn't get any turnovers; we dropped three interceptions when we had times to create some momentum, create some possessions for our offense. You've got to make those plays when those times come and then I think the game may be a little different."
Q. Did Ryan Lindley's finger injury affect his play?
"I thought he threw the ball pretty well. I'm sure consciously it might have affected him a little bit. I thought he threw the ball well and did some good things. (Now), I think he's all squared away."
Q. How is the team's confidence coming off loss?
"I think we're excited to get back out on the field. We had a great Sunday; I've been around a lot of teams and sometimes those Sundays aren't as good as you'd like them to be, but these kids have responded well and they're excited to get back out there."
Q. Who is the starting tailback?
" I think it can be Davon (Brown), I think it can be Walter (Kazee) or it can be Anthony (Miller). To be honest with you, we'll see who has the best week. Davon made a couple of runs. He probably was just even a little better on the kickoff returns than maybe some of the things in the backfield, but all three of those kids have all got to step up just like we all do and see who takes responsibility."
Q. Who will get the majority of the carries at practice today?
"I think tonight we'll go out there and probably Anthony and Walter will get the majority of the carries."
Q. How much better can wide receiver Vincent Brown get?
"I think he can always get better. I think there are some route running things that he has to improve on. I'd like him to block a little better at times down the field, because he's a strong guy, physically strong, and I think when you harass guys in the secondary it makes you even a little more effective when you're running routes and they're trying to cover you."
Q. Does Vincent Brown remind you of Green Bay Packers' wideout Greg Jennings?
"That's probably as good a comparison as there is, probably very similar in a lot of ways."
Q. What unique challenges does Air Force pose?
"The scheme itself is always a challenge. I'll be honest with you, I love playing these types of teams as a defensive line coach. I think it really makes you be sound in what you do and how you play it. I think the essence of playing up front and the toughness it takes, the discipline it takes in making sure you're taking care of your part if it is the option game and those responsibilities. There's always challenges to it. I think they're awfully multiple. I think there's 63 different formations and a lot of that is just window dressing. You've got to kind of put that out of your mind and get back to what the basics of the game are as far as when you look at reading your keys and reacting."
Q. Who will run your scout team at quarterback this week?
"We're going to have Preston King be back there as a quarterback and Brandon Kohn as far as doing that part of it. As far as who runs it, I'll run a lot of it. I can tell you, because I can see my guys play too at the same time."
Q. On how you stop the Air Force run attack?
"You've got to be pretty disciplined in what you do. You've got to be physical up front and you know what it's all about. They're going to be aggressive coming off the ball; that's the way they play. They're going to be in your knees and in your ankles. You can't worry about that. You've got to worry about what your job is in the keys. Everybody's got to be disciplined in their responsibility."
Q. Can you explain how the Air Force offense works?
"You've got different variations of the option football, from midline to veer to counteroption to trap option. It all starts with what that guy, your key, whatever may be as a defensive lineman, it's usually the end or the guard, that will take you through the progression that you need to handle in doing your job. If you think the quarterback has the ball and you jump off the dive, then it's going to hurt our football team because that dive's going to go down the field."
Q. Is that something you've rehearsed in the summer?
"We've talked about what we wanted to do during the summer. We've played Navy the last 2 years at Ball State, so we saw a good dose of it. Rocky (Long), being in this league, he's defended it pretty well. Between the two, I think we'll have a pretty dag-gone good plan."
Q. On if the running backs being so beat up to you anticipate Ryan Lindley throwing more?
A. I don't know. We want to run the football. I don't think that changes.
Q. On if the defense is going through mental overload?
" I don't know if it's mental overload, because we've talked about this a lot as a staff, but I do feel sometimes we need to see ball-get ball more then sit there and think if this guy's blocking I need to cross or whatever it might be. They've known this defense since the spring, because we haven't done anything differently. I think at times you don't let it go like you're capable of or you have in the past and sometimes I think game day we want to be too perfect."
SDSU Player Quotes
Q. What do you think some of unique challenges are of the Air Force offensive scheme?
Luke Laologi: "They're really fundamentally sound, they're a hard-nosed team and they come off the ball and there are no surprises. We have a tough task at hand, but we're just going to begin at practice and work hard."
Q. What the team will do to prepare for Air Force?
LAOLOGI: "A lot of cut drills this week. We know that they're going to come at us, so it's just staying more lateral, so we can stay on our feet."
Q. Where is the team in understanding the 3-3-5 defense?
LAOLOGI: "We haven't changed anything since spring. It's just getting down to guys executing, guys doing what the coaches tell them and we're going to keep working really hard at it this week and try to get better."
Q. What do you expect from the Air Force defense?
Peter Nelson: "A lot of very disciplined and very active (players) getting after us. They're going to play hard. I think a lot of people underestimated (the fact that) they have very talented players. They play hard and they get the most of all their talent, so we're expecting a challenge."
Q. You didn't play against Air Force last year, did you go through a lot of tape of last season's game?
Ryan Lindley: "I'm excited for that. It was unfortunate that I didn't get a chance last year. I think, like Pete said, they're a disciplined group, and like Luke said, on offense, same thing on defense, they're fundamentally sound. They're going to come, they're going to play hard for four quarters. We're going to be at their place, they're going to be excited with that being at home. We've just got to go out and execute, that's the biggest thing, on offense and defense.
Q. On his finger injury?
LINDLEY: "It's good. (Athletic trainer) Don Kessler's done a great job of helping me out and everything will be fine. I'll be out there full go today."
Q. On what he thinks about Vincent Brown?
LINDLEY: "He's done a great job and I think other guys are starting to step up, too. I think DeMarco's (Sampson) really starting to get his groove back from where he's been and that's exciting to see, too. I think just as we continue, the biggest still is execution, guys not having any mental errors. We'll continue to improve as an offense a team.
Q. Does that come with being more familiar with offense scheme?
LINDLEY: "I think repetitions always help, but I think a lot of this stuff is just focusing in and be ready to go come game day."
Q. On if preparing for Air Force gets the defense out of rhythm for a typical week?
LAOLOGI: "I feel a little bit different, but coach (Rocky) Long has been around this league for a while and he's played Air Force a lot. He's going to come up with a great scheme for us and all we have to do is work hard at it this week in practice and show up on Saturday.
Q. Where is the offensive line at in terms of making adjustments to the new offense?
NELSON: "We're moving along. Every day we're coming to work hard. Coach (Darrell) Funk is always getting after us. That's one thing you can't miss at practice, he's always getting after us and we're trying to work hard and respond. We're trying to help this team win any way we can. Working hard and doing what the coaches ask of us and getting after it is what we're trying to do. I think we're progressing. We're getting better each week at what we're doing. I'm excited, because I think we can be a successful unit if we just continue to work hard."
Q. What is the team's confidence level after the loss?
LINDLEY: "I think we're just eager about going back to work. I think the thing you've always got to think about is going 1-0 every week and we failed to that last week. I think this group has a good attitude and some great leaders that we're going to take that as a challenge and then just come harder this week, all week in practice."