Sept. 20, 2016
No. 22 San Diego State Football Press Conference
September 20, 2016
San Diego State head coach Rocky Long
Opening Statement:
"It's been kind of fun and exciting around here the last couple of days. Winning the game (at Northern Illinois) like we did is something that we always want to do, but since that time we've had some help with Cal beating Texas. We're ranked in the Top 25 and that is new and exciting. We legitimately have a Heisman Trophy candidate now (Donnel Pumphrey) since they put him on ESPN. He's always been legit to us, but I guess he is legit to other people now too. That last couple of days have been kind of fun and exciting. We're happy. We get to enjoy it for a few extra days because we have a bye week. We'll practice hard on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, give them the weekend off and then we'll get ready for South Alabama."
On using the bye week to develop younger athletes:
"We still continue to do some scout work, but we actually compete against each other - ones on ones, twos on twos, threes on threes - in every practice this week. Thursday we'll go full pads and the guys that are basically redshirting and who are not on the travel squad will scrimmage maybe 15 minutes."
On any lack of respect for the program in that it took 13 straight wins to make the AP Top 25:
"I never even thought about that or even considered that. I think you earn their respect and when people are willing to give it to you, whenever that is, it's nice to have it."
On any lack of respect for the program in that it has won 13 straight games and is not in the Coaches Poll:
"We do vote in the Coaches Poll and we ranked ourselves 22nd. We've done that for several weeks now, including the last weeks of last season. I don't know which coaches actually vote themselves and which coaches have people vote for them. Maybe I've made some enemies out there. Maybe some coaches don't like me. Maybe it's not about our team, maybe it's a personal thing and other coaches don't like me.
"I don't get into voting and all that stuff. It's interesting that college football that way because that's how you get into the playoffs and the New Year's Day bowls. They use the polls for determining that a lot. Those things are pretty important in college football, but I don't worry about it because 2/3 of them voting have never seen us play. If they haven't played us, they haven't seen us play on film and they sure as heck don't stay up late at night to see us on TV. Whether it's the coach or somebody or somebody voting for the coach, 2/3 of them haven't seen us play. It makes sense that they don't know where to put us."
On how to overcome the lack of being seen on TV late at night:
"You continue to win. If you continue to win, eventually they will come around. Some schools, even a school in our league, has established some tradition so (the voters) are more likely to (vote) for them. We are in the process of trying to establish our tradition."
On if Donnel Pumphrey needs a 386-yard game to get true Heisman Trophy recognition:
"I already think he is in the Heisman talk, so I don't think it has anything to do with him having a 386-yard game. I think he is already considered a candidate. I don't think he was at the beginning of the year even though we thought he was, but because he's done so well in the first three games I think he's a legitimate candidate. People are watching him and he doesn't have to have a 380-something-yard game. Because he's a team guy, I don't have any issues with telling him we're going to do what's best for the football team. He wants to do what's best for the football team so it has nothing to do with that. Now what's best for the football team is him having a great game. If we have the game won and he's only got 250 yards and he could get to 386 yards, he's coming out of the game unless it's the last game of the year."
On if the national ranking and winning streak changes anything in recruiting:
"I don't think it changes a thing other than we will have more interest from some guys who wouldn't have been interested. I don't think it changes our approach, we've been very aggressive to this point. Unless we can finish out the season on the same note that we're on right now, I don't think it will make a difference on which players we get. All our coaches will be out watching games and going to schools - Junior Colleges and high schools - this weekend. They are all leaving Thursday night after practice. We might get some interest from some players that we wouldn't have in the past, but unless we finish out the season the correct way it won't make a difference on who we get."
On the offensive line:
"Everyone is going to play us defensively where it is consistently hard to run the ball. But when they put that many people close to the line of scrimmage, they make themselves susceptible to the pass and if you pop the line of scrimmage, there is nobody back there to run you down. If you can get out of that first 4 or 5-yard area, there's nobody back there because there's nobody back there because they have so many close to the line of scrimmage. When they have that many people close to the line of scrimmage, there's going to be a lot of no-gainers, 1-yarders, 2-yarders and 3-yarders. I think everybody is going to crowd the line of scrimmage. It makes it much tougher on the offensive line because they have to block the line of scrimmage, then they have to get to the second level, but there's more guys at the second level than you can block. Ryan Pope will add depth, which is a needed thing since we have so many true freshman at the second-string level. He's a bit older and more mature guy, so his presence will really help our depth."
On last week's win vs. Northern Illinois:
"I do not want this sound wrong, but I did not think we played very well last week. I thought we played much better the week before (against California). Some of that credit has to go to Northern Illinois for having a great gameplan on both offense and defense that gave us some trouble. The best part of the whole thing is that you cannot play well and still win, which gives me great confidence that we can be an awful good football team if we can eliminate some of our deficiencies right now. I didn't think we blocked as well at the line of scrimmage as we did the week before. I also think we need to be smarter and not retaliate, where we got penalties. I don't think we need any of those unnecessary penalties to be a good football team."
On the bye week:
"It's a great bye week for us. We don't need to get anyone healthy, which is a Godsend. We're not technically sound like we should be. We're assignment sound, but not as technically sound as we should be. We have to become a lot smarter, and have to be emotional and tough on gameday without getting penalties. You've heard me say this many times, but that's been explained to them and that will be emphasized, but they will believe what they want to believe."
On mentioning to players not to drop the ball before they get to the end zone:
"That has been mentioned about 25 times since the start of fall camp and I bet you it was in their meetings too. There were three guys last weekend that did the same thing (drop it before crossing the line) and I bet you it was mentioned in their meetings about holding onto the ball until you cross the goal line. For the people that don't work with this age group, it's interesting. We have great kids in our program - I have very few problems - but they still have strong opinions and believe what they want to believe, no matter what an experienced guy tells them. I was probably like that when I was their age, I just don't remember."
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Christian Chapman
On being ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll:
"I think it's good to finally get the recognition we think we deserve and it's good to have all of that publicity right now but I think that number doesn't mean anything right now unless we finish the season with that number by our name."
On potential recruits looking at the No. 22 ranking:
"I think it's a huge thing for kids coming out of high school. Especially from San Diego, seeing something like that, top 25, it's a thing to hook and bring in kids. They want to be a part of it and I think this will help with recruiting a lot."
On how a bye week helps the team:
"A little bit of rest, helps us get back to full strength, and then we just start prepping for South Alabama, get an early jump on them. Then we get the younger guys some reps, too. This is their week to get better on offense and defense and just start preparation.
On mistakes the team has made thus far:
"I agree with him. I feel like, on both sides of the ball, we haven't played our best game. I haven't played my best game; I need to be more consistent. I feel like when the run game and pass game are on, we're going to be an explosive offense and we've yet to see that. But we have time to grow and get better. This bye week, we'll take it and just get better for South Alabama."
On the amount of penalties assessed against Northern Illinois:
"That's a big thing that could cost us in the future. It's something we've got to fix. Those penalties, the drives and not being able to convert, it's tough so we've got to eliminate those as much as we can and just keep getting better.
On what he thinks about when he faces long yardage:
"In that situation, it's kind of a learning experience now. I was just thinking, 'give him a shot. It's second and 35, just put the ball up to Penny. Worst thing that could happen is an incomplete or they get the ball down to the 20s where they can punt'. But (quarterbacks) Coach (Blaine) Morgan talked to me and in that situation, you can't give them the ball. Try to get as much as you can, chuck it down, run, and then just punt it. (Senior punter) Tanner (Blain) in that game was great. He got it to the six yard line. You can't just force anything. The best thing would be to just run and tuck it because both guys weren't really open on that play so take your losses and get what you can."
On having a potential Heisman Candidate in senior running back Donnel (DJ) Pumphrey in the locker room:
"I think we treat DJ just like any other guy. We know he's a Heisman candidate but he's still one of the guys. Having all of this recognition doesn't put him on a pedestal. He's still one of us; he's still friends with us. We talk about it a little bit. We say congrats and keep on working but we don't want it to be a distraction. We just keep on going and doing what we do. But he deserves all of the recognition. It helps this program."
Senior running back/wide receiver Rashaad Penny
On being ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll:
"We're just taking it week by week and preparing for the next game but it doesn't mean anything if we don't finish it with that number by our name. We're satisfied, but it doesn't mean anything to us because we have to keep working and it goes week by week. We're just preparing to get better for the next week and we'll go from there."
On potential recruits looking at the No. 22 ranking:
"Not being a local guy from here and just based on my decision, I always knew that San Diego State could be a powerhouse; that's why I chose here. Just believe in your instincts and just believe in what you do."
On if he gets bored during a bye week:
"Bye week is to get your body right but as an older guy, we try to still execute and do what the coaches call. No week in football is boring. I feel like every week is a big week. Even though it's a bye week, it's still a big week for us because we have to prepare and get ready for this big South Alabama game. We've got to get them like they got us last year so that's a big week for us and we've got to prepare against them like we did against Cal and every other week."
On the timing of the bye week:
"It doesn't matter. Whatever they have on the schedule, we still have to come out and play. There's no difference. The bye week is just something that's in our way. We're trying to go out and beat a team so we feel good any other way and we're ready to play whenever."
On having a potential Heisman Candidate in senior running back Donnel (DJ) Pumphrey in the locker room:
"Honestly, DJ probably won't even talk about it. He's the guy that's getting all of the recognition but he's one of the humblest guys you'll ever meet. We make fun of him more than him because he deserves it. He works his butt off day in and day out and we're proud of him. I'm glad he's getting all of this recognition because he deserves it. To be a small guy like that, he makes everything looks so easy. He deserves it. But he's a great guy and we're glad to have him in our program."