Sept. 13, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Head Football Coach Rocky Long
Opening statement:
"We had a great experience last week and a tough football game. Hopefully that seasoned us up a little bit for what's getting ready to show up (this weekend). We're playing against a very athletic, big, strong football team that's coming in with a whole bunch of confidence, because nobody's even slowed them down."
On not having to play a triple-option offense for the first time this season:
"We've been working against a triple-option (offense) for two weeks and now we have a team that's going to come in here and throw it 60 times. We haven't rushed the passer and we haven't covered anybody for 15 or 16 days. It will be interesting to see. (Washington State) is throwing it and catching it well. They're running up and down the field and they're scoring a bunch of points. It's a completely different mentality. Now you're trying to penetrate the line of scrimmage, get up the field, put pressure on the quarterback, trying to cover wide receivers and tackle people in open spaces. It's a big time change. We'll see how we handle the change."
On whether he is concerned with the number of points Washington State is scoring:
"The number of points doesn't concern me, it's how many they might put up against us. That scares me. I think we will be fine if we can get over triple-option mentality and get back to spread-option mentality. The difference in the two offenses is far as it can be. The differences are unbelievable. The two offenses are completely on opposite ends of the scale."
On what a victory against a Pac-12 school would mean for San Diego State:
"It would mean we were 3-0 and moving on. I don't buy into any of that, never have and never will. We're Division I and they're Division I. Our league is as good as most BCS leagues. It's a travesty that we don't have an opportunity to play for a national championship. We're in the same division as they are. There isn't a big difference."
On whether he likes the way the schedule is set up:
"No, going to the east coast two times in your first four games puts you at a huge disadvantage. Playing there isn't the disadvantage (though), it's the week after that's the disadvantage. Just like when you play Hawai'i and I've done this several times, you're not at a disadvantage during the Hawai'i game, you're at a disadvantage the next week."
On Washington State rebuilding its program:
"The coaching staff and the administration has done a great job building that program from the bottom up. If you look at their roster, it's much older than it was last year and much older than it was the year before. They even put an asterisk by the players who've redshirted. They've been playing with a whole bunch of young players over the last couple of years, which are now at the mature age where they play better. The quarterback is a fifth-year senior, I think there's one sophomore and four redshirt seniors on their offensive line. Their best receivers are juniors or seniors who redshirted. They've done a good job of not panicking because their records haven't been good. They've given the coach a chance to build a program from the bottom up and all of a sudden, they're a whole lot better than everybody expected them to be."
SDSU Senior Quarterback Ryan Lindley
On the development of the wide receivers: "Every day in camp they got better and better. Week-to-week and game-by-game they've gotten better too. They're going to continue to improve and have been maturing a lot faster than I thought they would. It's happened a lot quicker and that's due to the offensive line play and the way were running the ball."
On wide receiver Dylan Denso:
"Dylan got a little (taste) of what it (the offense) was about last year. You can tell he's got more of a swagger about him. It helps him being one of the main guys, which gives you a little more confidence and makes you a better player."
On if people are keying in on the inexperience of the Aztec wideouts:
"Anyone is going to do that. Right now, it's the least experienced part of our offense and we know that's something people are going to try and attack. They're going to try and stop our running game and make us beat them with the pass. It's something that we have to execute what we're coached to do. Coach (Andy) Ludwig dials up a great game plan every week. After two weeks, we're pretty much all on the same page (as a unit). We know what (Coach Ludwig's) all about and what he wants to do. We're going to have a great game plan and great scheme today and we'll work it all out."
Senior Defensive Lineman Larry Gibbs:
On the defense transitioning from the option offense to the spread offense:
"It's definitely going to be different. Regardless of whatever we have to do, we have to attack. It's going to be a lot more spread out, but we have to transition from the run blocking and the heavy three-point stances of a Army or a Cal Poly, to the two-point stances and the lightness of a Washington State, who wants to spread the ball around because they're athletes."
On the high scoring offense of Washington State:
"It's a pretty big deal when a team can put up 64 and 59 points; they're doing something right. And any (defense) that can hold (their opponent) to 21 and 7, too, like I said, they're a pretty good football team. You just watch the film and see what you can do best against them and prepare the best and when Saturday comes, put your best foot forward."
Senior Offensive Lineman Tommie Draheim
On the opportunity to play against a Pac-12 school and a BCS automatic qualifier:
"It's fuel for the fire, knowing that we haven't had the greatest winning streak or any wins at all. It adds to the preparation, something that we'd like to accomplish in our last season here and something to get started for the younger members on the team. To get them in a winning way would mean a lot to us."
On having a big crowd for the KGB SkyShow
"It's always fun to play in front of a lot of fans. Hopefully we get that crowd noise up. (So we can) get them out of their rhythm, force a couple of penalties and put them in situations where we can bring pressure and force turnovers."