Fresno State Athletics
Pat Hill Quotes from Monday's Press Conference
10/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 8, 2001
General comments on Colorado State
"I think we are ahead in our preparation for Colorado State, which I feel is going to be a big-time football game. They play great defense. And whenever a team plays great defense, you've got a chance to win. They play coverages that really force you to keep the ball underneath them. They don't give up a lot of big plays. We are going to have to run the football, do some play-action pass. We need to throw the ball short and get big runs. They don't give up the big plays. They play a lot like Colorado. We just have to be patient. And we're going to have to be able to run the football."
"They've got two new quarterbacks, both have had their shot. I'm pretty sure they are going to keep going with Van Pelt. This will be his third start, and I think he should really have a chance to have the system under control. It's always hard to go with a young quarterback. We went through it with David [Carr] in his first game against Ohio State. But once he hit his second and third game, he was really in stride. I'm just hoping that [Van Pelt] isn't ready to hit his stride in his third game. Obviously, he's a very talented athlete. He can move around in the pocket, he can take a lot of hits. He looks like a very good athlete."
"Playing in Fort Collins at 8 o'clock at night will be an interesting scenario. We'll get in there Friday night and practice in the stadium. So we'll try and get adjusted. I've told our team to prepare for the worst. Prepare for bad weather and prepare for wind. Prepare for everything else. We're just going to go in there and whatever the conditions are, it doesn't make any difference. The bottom line is winning."
"I don't see it being a very high scoring game. I think it's going to be a tough defensive football game. When you look at Colorado State, over the years they've had great success. I really think, looking at their schedule, they still have a great chance to win their conference. I think they're a great football team."
On the last time Fresno State visited Colorado State
"They just pounded us. They were so much better than us. It was a dose of reality. It was where we needed to get our program in a hurry. We were fortunate to beat them here in '99. The score doesn't indicate the type of game it was. It was just one of those night where you have big plays and big turnovers. It was a very close, competitive game. It was like our Ohio State game - the score did not indicate how close it was."
On CSU's game against Louisville
"I think both teams played very well defensively. I thought it was a very good defensive football game. Of course, they had some trouble offensively, but so did [Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone]. It was a 7-2 game where both teams had a chance to win...I thought they looked really good defensively. I've watched that game a lot. I'm impressed with them defensively."
On CSU's offense
"They are trying to get their new quarterback ready, and they haven't been able to do it they way they have in the past. They can still run the football, though. They've got a big offensive line. I believe they are going to try and pound us. They've got the type of people that can line up and pound you."
On if the Fresno State program has caught up to Colorado State's
"I don't know if we've done that this season. We've still got to beat teams like Colorado State. Air Force and Colorado State, the past few years, have been very, very successful. They've done it over a period of time. They've been in some big bowl games, they've won against good teams. They've been in the top 25 rankings. They've done it consistently. I think Colorado State is a program, in the western United States, that is well, well viewed by the country. And this is a big game for us."
On the rest of the WAC
"Rice is playing awfully good. There's a chance they'll be 7-1 when they come in here. They've got a big game with Louisiana Tech. Louisiana Tech is a good team, and they have to go to Rice. Boise State went to Rice, and that score really surprised me. But being there last year, I know how they can play. Rice is a good, good football team, and so is Boise State. I think the conference is starting to separate itself a little bit. The Louisiana Tech-Rice game, and our game with Boise State - those will be big games in the next week or so."
