Aug. 6, 2010
2010 San Diego State Football Media Day
Aztec Athletics Center
Senior linebacker Marcus Yarbrough and defensive lineman Jake Tauanuu:
On adapting to the 3-3-5:
Marcus Yarbrough: Another year under our belt helps us a lot. A lot of people feel more comfortable with it now. Having it that first year made it a little tough, because you really don't see it (too much) and it isn't familiar to a lot of people. But I think in the second year, people are feeling a lot more comfortable.
On how close they are to knowing the system 100 percent:
Yarbrough: Now, I'd say about 75 percent and coming out of camp, we'll probably have the whole defense down. There's so much you have to feel in the 3-3-5 to totally understand it because with the blitzes and all the different schemes, it's more just getting a feel to it to understand how the 3-3-5 works.
On the team's offseason workouts:
Jacob Tauanuu: Being able to work out with everybody - defensive line and offensive line - we've been training together all summer. Definitely in the weight room and on the field, we're seeing gains everywhere. We're getting a lot quicker, stronger and our endurance is a lot better. The plays we rotate in and out of defensively, we'll be able to go 100 percent each time.
On learning how to finish team's off when they're ahead in a game:
Tauanuu: BYU and Wyoming especially, that one always sticks in my mind, just being able to finish teams off and not allow that door to stay open. It's something we won't forget this upcoming season.
On if they have a goal for how many sacks they will have this coming season:
Yarbrough: We don't really have a goal set, but because we're more comfortable with the defense, I think we'll have a lot more sacks. Last year, we didn't always feel comfortable, so we didn't know exactly how to attack the right gaps. But this year will be a lot better.
Tauanuu: As a defensive line, we took it personally that we had such low numbers when it came to sacks. The game begins in the trenches. When it comes to getting more pressure (it's not about) just relying on the three-man rush, but understanding the whole defense and where we need to be stronger. Understanding the whole defense will help us out when it comes to getting pressure.
On who will be the vocal leader of this year's defense:
Yarbrough: I see (Andrew) Preston, he's the vocal leader. I'm not too talkative, but I try to lead by example. Preston is more of our vocal leader like Luke (Laolagi) and Jerry (Milling) were. And Ernie (Lawson), he's a talker.
On what about Andrew Preston's personality will make him a good fit for the Aztec position?:
Yarbrough: The move to Aztec for Preston was a great move just because of his athletic ability, more so than his personality. Coming from an LB (spot), he has the mentality of being able to attack, but is also quick enough to play coverage and cover receivers. So he was perfect for that.
On if the team got caught up in possibly going to a bowl game by mid-season a year ago:
Tauanuu: I think it was in our minds that we thought about it, but the coaching staff and senior leadership made sure we were focused, and not focused too much on a bowl game or all of the talk around town. Basically coming every week and preparing like we're starting a new season. So I wouldn't say it was about that, but just the fact that we were young and didn't have that mentality going into last season.
On if the team's 0-4 finish last year is motivation this year:
Tauanuu: The coaches don't let us forget about it and we won't, because it stings. They do a good job of reminding us, but also help us remember that it's a new season. We can't forget about it, but we can't dwell on it either.
On how his role on the team will change this year:
Yarbrough: Last year, Luke (Laolagi) and I were splitting time and he was starting, so it was more on him to take the leadership role. But he's gone, and being a (middle) linebacker means taking a leadership role. So I'm definitely more of a leader on the defense.
Senior wide receiver DeMarco Sampson and junior quarterback Ryan Lindley
On where he is in understanding the offensive scheme:
Ryan Lindley: All the QBs and everyone on the offense are miles ahead of where we were last year, especially at this point. Understanding where you are through a year and then the second spring ball, the coaches have helped us out a lot. You can see in the 7-on-7s we've been running as a team and individually in our captain's practices on the side, guys are making less mistakes. Everyone knows what they're running, everybody knows their routes. It's looking good, it's crisp and efficient. That's what we want to see, we just want to be a good team and execute what we know how to do.
On putting on weight during the offseason:
Lindley: It was something that was apparent; that I needed to put on some weight. I talked to coach Wellman and he helped me out a ton, a lot of it was just with nutrition and eating right, knowing when to eat and recovering after workouts. I'd put that all on coach Wellman, he helped me out a lot with that.
On his diet:
Lindley: It's just getting a healthy balance. We had tons of guys make great strength and weight gains. They're doing the same thing with guys on the offensive line and defensive line. Just being solid and getting that muscle mass they needed.
On the team's offensive weapons:
DeMarco Sampson: I'm pretty excited, this was our first year with this offense last year and there are a lot of good receivers in this offense, they tend to do very well. I'm excited to have another chance to be experienced in the offense. Ryan is getting better in the offense as well so we're going to be able to do a lot more things than last year.
On developing the run game:
Lindley: Like DeMarco said, we have lots of playmakers this year in the backfield, on the outside and our tight ends with DJ (Shields) and Alston (Umuolo) coming back, we have a lot of guys who can make plays. Getting the running game would make us that much better on offense; it'd help our play action game and keep the defense on their toes. They wouldn't know what was coming at them and what we were going to hit them with. It's something that the offensive line has improved on with their strength gains and coach Funk has been working with them a lot. It's something I'm looking forward to in this camp and see how we compete with the defense before we come out in game one to see how we run the football this year.
On the importance of his senior career for his aspirations of playing in the NFL:
Lindley: I'm looking at it one day at a time - you can call me cliché or whatever you want. But for me right now, it's about the senior guys that were up here right now, Jake and Marcus and DeMarco and VJ, all these guys that have put four to five years in this program and I'm looking forward to seeing it happen this year. This is the year we're going to turn the corner and make it happen. For me, right now, it's about coming up on the ninth and going to that first practice. Then the next day, we'll have that second practice. You have to take it one day at a time. If God blesses me with that opportunity (in the future), then that will be there for me to make a decision with. But right now, I'm looking forward to winning a conference championship and going to a bowl game.
On how important it is for him to play in a bowl game before leaving school:
Sampson: It's very important, but our main goal is to win a championship. A lot of people talk about bowl game this, bowl game that. To us, if we don't win that championship, then the season is a failure. That's been our main goal this summer is championship, championship - everybody believing in their head and in their hearts that it's doable.
On being motivated about last year's 0-4 finish:
Lindley: You don't want to beat yourself up over it. There's a fine line between something like constructive criticism and where you're putting yourself down. It's something that the coaches have let us know and used it as a motivational tool. I think it's also something that they've done a good job of not beating us over the head with, not making us think about it every day. We just have to kick it in gear a little more. It's something we can use to push us to that next level.
If you're a competitor and want to win - the way we finished last year with some of those games - it's something you have to put behind you and it's a new year.
On how he compares himself with Vincent Brown:
Sampson: I think we have a similar attitude. He's the type of guy that where he wakes up, it's football first. And I'm the same way, that's all I think about is football, football, football. We're both aggressive receivers, going for the ball. I think that's what makes us good.