Oct. 4, 2011
ROCKY LONG | PARKER, LINDLEY, BURRIS
SAN DIEGO--
Head Coach Rocky Long
Opening Statement:
"I appreciate everybody coming. Since we didn't play last week, it seems like it's been a long time since we last played and the last time we played, we didn't play very well so we are kind of itching to get back on the field. The good part and the bad part is we play a really good football team that lost last week and the last time they lost, they played really well the next time they stepped on the field and beat up on Air Force a little bit. We are going to get the good TCU team, so we better be on our "A" game. The good part about it is that we play at home and last time we played at home, I thought the student section and the crowd was the biggest difference in the game. If you all remember we were struggling big time in the third quarter and we came back at the end of the third quarter and in the fourth quarter. I think a lot has to do with the crowd in the stands and the energy that was in the stands that allowed us to, for the first time since I've been here, have a home field advantage. So since we are playing such a good football team, I hope we get that same home field advantage this week.
On TCU's younger players getting experience last season:
"That's what happens when you're really talented. If you're in a good football program, those guys have been waiting their turn. TCU's been one of the top three programs in the country ever since Gary Patterson's been the coach. They play some games where they've won the game at halftime, so all the younger guys get to play most of the second half. When the seniors leave, it's not like you're putting new freshmen out there or new guys who haven't played. Over the last two or three years, I would say TCU in six or seven of their 12 (games, the younger) guys have played in at least half the game. So now all of a sudden, they're the starters and guess what, they're playing at a high level because they've already played a bunch of football."
On whether last week was a "week of rest":
"First of all, I don't think it was a week of rest. We went back to fundamentals. We practiced like we did in training camp. They were in full pads, went one-on-ones, twos-on-twos. We scrimmaged all of the younger guys, so we didn't use it as an extra week for preparation or a week of rest. Now they did get Saturday off, so they got one (extra) day of rest. We tried to get back to the basics and develop our team so that we can finish out. We've got another bye week coming up that's going to (last) forever. Football teams are better off if they go week to week and get in a routine. Bye weeks, other than getting somebody hurt to healthy, really don't help."
On linebacker Miles Burris' Leadership:
"Well, I think what we have is a group of seniors. I don't think the leadership of our football team is based on one guy. It's not based on the captains (either), even though the players voted on their own captains. Miles is a quiet guy who leads more by his production and his play than he does by anything he says or any speech he gives or any way he addresses the team. It's more about the way he plays with energy and with excitement and plays hard.
"He's a good football player. He's got good quickness and good speed. Most important, he reacts to plays quickly. He can see what they're going to do, where the play is going and can react quicker than most. He's undersized, so at times he gets engulfed by those big guys up front and has trouble with the size of the offensive linemen. But he reacts to plays so quickly, he can use his speed and quickness to make more plays than people would guess that he would have."
On motivating the team and never beating TCU before:
"I don't think it has anything to do with this year's team. I don't ever think it does and those six losses were to other teams. This team has a different personality, a different way we do things. I think when our football team prepares to play the way we can play, we have a chance to win. When we let all of the other bologna get involved, we don't play well."
On the experienced TCU defense:
"I have a completely different take on that. I think they lost some experience. I think they had a great group of seniors on last year's team to be as good as they were. I thought they should have played for the national championship to be honest with you and they could have won the national championship. I think (the losses were not about) them. I think it's the two offensive teams that they played, so their statistics aren't as good as they have been in the past. People think there's something wrong with them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with their defense. They played Baylor, which has maybe the best quarterback in the country playing for them, and SMU with (head coach) June Jones, who has an explosive offense that can score points. I think that's the biggest factor. TCU is just as good, (but maybe) not as experienced, as they have always been and they played two really, really good offensive football teams."
On the SDSU offense:
"I don't think our offense has shown the consistency to be considered a really, really good offense yet. `Do we have potential?' Sure, we've got a lot of potential. We have a great quarterback, a great tailback, some young wide receivers and we've got a pretty good offensive line. `Have we played like a really good offense to this point?' Only in spurts."
On last year's game at TCU:
"The way I recollect last year's football game was that we played (well) early (for) about half the first quarter and we played well about half the fourth quarter. The rest of the game, we got completely dominated on both offense and defense. From halfway through the first quarter until the end of the third quarter, we didn't have a first down. We never slowed them down after the first half of the first quarter through the first half of the fourth quarter."
Quarterback Ryan Lindley:
On if this is the best chance for SDSU to beat TCU compared to other years:
"I think they're a great team and a great coached team and they have a ton of talent. They're deep and they got guys to replace the guys they've lost. They just have a ton of guys who can play football and play the game. I think every time we go out, we (want to have the mindset that) we're going to beat (our opponent). We're going to go out and play hard and play our best football. We've got a lot of things we can improve on."
On the TCU defense:
"They have their own defense (scheme). In a way, they kind of play their own combination coverage. A lot of things are man-to-man and I think some teams that had some pretty good receivers, exploited that a little bit and made some great plays. At the same time, they're pretty stingy, too. They got a great D-line, a great group of linebackers and a lot of athletes on the defensive side."
On the difference in the last two losses to TCU:
"I think that was part of our team growing and maturing. It's something where we gained some confidence in (the close loss last year), but at the same time, it was a loss that hurts you a little bit and sticks with you. But it's not about last year, the year before or whatever it is. It's about this year and what this year's team can do."
On the conference race:
"We're opening (up conference play), but all we're worried about is TCU. With the bye week, you get to see some other people playing, which was cool. Until you play them, you're rooting for people in your conference. You want to see us do the best we can. When we're watching that Air Force-Navy game, we're rooting for (Air Force). There's only one team on our mind right now and that is TCU."
On having the bye week to digest the Michigan loss mentally:
"I think it was good and bad. In a way, we wanted to get back out on the field and play another game. You also want to redeem yourself and play better. At the same time, it was good to get back to basics and get some fundamentals. It was a good week for us. We got a lot done and it wasn't a lot of focus on (game week) preparation. At the same time, though, we got a little bit of a jump (on preparing for TCU), so it was more than a regular game week. I think we'll be ready to go come this week."
On the improving student section:
"Yeah, it's been great. It's just really been awesome to see the way we kind have gotten the community to rally around us. I've been saying it since I was a freshman - people are going to rally around a winner. All we need to focus on is playing well as a team and putting the best team out on the field that we can every week. There's not a whole lot we can do besides that, but when they're out there, we love it. Washington State was one of the best atmospheres, probably the best since I've been here. It was a lot of fun. We hope they come out; it's going to be a big weekend with Homecoming and everything else. Like we said, we're going to make it fun out on the field."
On taking advantage of the defense forcing turnovers:
"It's something we look at. Coach (Long) literally talks about that our defense is doing a great job of forcing turnovers, getting us the ball. It's just up to us [the offense]. We need to capitalize on that a lot more, (and do) just (the) little things. It's nothing that when we line up, we're thinking about capitalizing on turnovers. It's not something you can focus on as team or as an offense, but it's more just ironing things out, taking advantage of opportunities, being solid and being disciplined."
Defensive Back Larry Parker:
On if this game means more, because SDSU has never beaten TCU before:
"We want every game more. We just want to win the conference championship this year. It's not about any one team, it's about that week. We're going to play TCU this week, so that's all we're focused on right now."
On the bye week helping to become in or out of sync:
"We got in rhythm. We got together. Everybody's on the same page now. We got to talk more at practice and like Ryan (Lindley) said, we got to just work on the basics. I think what is going to help us this week is learning our own defense and how we do things rather than just switching from week to week and changing up game plans. We actually got to focus on what we actually really do."
On how he forces so many turnovers:
"Just practice. Focus on the play and doing what I have to do every play.
On going into the game wanting to force turnovers:
"To win the game, you have to force turnovers to give offense the ball. Just making plays on defense, forcing fumbles and trying to get interceptions is good."
Linebacker Miles Burris:
On if it bothers him that the team hasn't beaten TCU yet:
"Every game, the goal is to win. Every time we've gone to TCU since I've been here, we've lost. They're next up on our schedule and the first one in our conference (schedule). We're just trying to get the `W'."
On Larry Parker and his forced turnovers:
"He's got a good nose for the ball. He's good at adjusting to the ball when it's in the air, when it's thrown and making a play. (He puts) his body in position to catch it over the receiver. Other than that, as far as forcing fumbles and all that kind of stuff, that's a big time mindset. When you get to the ball, think turnover when you get there. Larry's done a great job of that so far."
On linebacker Jake Fely:
"Jake's just a player. I'd put my money on it that he's one of the hardest playing football players in the NCAA. He sacrifices his body every play. He'll be a little banged up here and there and he plays through it. He's tough and he doesn't complain. He's also really quick and agile and he's got good speed. He's got a good feel on where the ball is, how to adjust and what gap to shoot to get into the backfield. He has a really good awareness of blocks coming at him and how to elude them."