July 27, 2010

LAS VEGAS - San Diego State quotes from Mountain West Conference Football Media Day.

Mountain West Conference Football Media Day
Las Vegas, Nev. | July 27, 2010

San Diego State Quotes

Brady Hoke

Opening Statement:
"One thing I wanted to mention and most of you already know, we lost one of the great all-time Aztecs earlier this month in coach Don Coryell. I mention that because we as a team (feel) that coach has been a part of us. That is important part of who we are. The 18 championships and the legacy that Coach Coryell has at San Diego State is something that as a football program we are going to be very accountable to. I mention that for those reasons. It was a big loss for the Aztec community.

"We had a good spring. We have a good summer to this point. The way we finished the season a year ago was unacceptable. We have talked as a team and as a staff and I can tell you that we are excited to get an opportunity to go out and play football and compete.

"The two young men here today are guys that have done a tremendous job of being character guys that you want on your team. The type of guys with their leadership and their passion for the game is something we look for in each guy who comes to San Diego State."

Q: Impact of having 18 returning starters in year two

"It is great because we have some experience. We have some guys who have been in the heat of battle. It is great because our team understands our expectations of the team, of how we go to class, how we represent ourselves in the community, how we play the game and how we get in the weight room. I think that is always a positive. Our players have a better understanding, when you look at concepts and the expectations of how we want to play the game of football."

Q: On the improvement in team strength

"Our last day in the weight room is Thursday and we will finish our testing. We are a much stronger team than we were a year-and-a-half ago. Our body composition, besides the head coach, has really improved. I know that our strength coach Aaron Wellman is, I don't know if I should say happy because he is really never happy, but pleased with the growth we have made. In all areas, I think we have given ourselves a better opportunity to compete."

Q: How hard is it to be balanced with a great passing game

"If we are not balanced with what we do, we are not going to be a very good football team. You have to have ways to score points but you have to have ways to be able to manage games when you get in those situations at the end of games. One of the big believes we have offensively is you have to be able to make big plays when the opportunities arise. At the same time, you have to be able to take the ball and run it to help your defense and help your football team."

Q: What was different at Ball State

"As we grew the program there (Ball State), it all started with the mentality we wanted to have, the belief in each other, the accountability to each other and the way we wanted to play the game of football. I think the young men we have at San Diego State have really embraced the philosophy and the culture. As coaches, it is our job to educate them in life lessons and how we want to represent the University."

Vincent Brown

Q: How do the receivers compare to previous SDSU receivers

"I think we compare pretty closely to some of them. Just try and come out, be productive and do what we can to help our team win games. Looking back at Kassim Osgood and J.R. Tolver, I have watched film and looked at how they worked together as a wide receiver unit. It is something that we look at and try and model ourselves after."

Q: On the thumb injury and the frustration of missing the last half of the 2009 season

"No lingering effects (of the thumb injury). I am back 100 percent and ready to go. It was real frustrating at first. I took it pretty hard. I always want to be out there working and trying to win a championship with my team. I learned a lot in the second half of the season, maturing and watching defenses and understanding the game more."

Andrew Preston

Q: On playing the Aztrec position

"I was really excited when Coach Smith and Coach Long told me right before spring ball that they were going to move be from linebacker to the Aztec position. It is the highlight position of the defense. You get to roam around and make a lot of plays. You blitz the quarterback, you get to play deep middle, you play in the box like a linebacker. Anything that Brian Urlacher played and thrived at, it is exciting to play and an honor to play that position in the defense."

Q: Who should fans watch for this season on defense

"I look for Ernie Lawson to step up on the defensive line. He moved to defensive end and I think he will make a lot of plays out there. I think B.J. Williams will step up a lot this year. At linebacker, Miles Burris will make a lot of plays. I think a surprise name that you might here is Nick Tenhaeff. I think he will get in there, maybe just on special teams, but it will be exciting to see him out there. At the cornerbacks, Leon McFadden and Jose Perez."