Fresno State Athletics
Pat Hill Quotes From Monday's Press Conference
11/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 25, 2002
On the San Jose State game
"After watching the film, I think the defensive effort was as good as we've had here in a real long time. We played very, very hard in the second half. We finished a game [in the fourth quarter] by winning it 6-3 and controlling the clock. The defense didn't allow them past the 50-yard line and made a couple of big fourth down stops. The special teams made a big play at the end of the first half when they needed to. I thought it was a great effort by our team."
"It was really a fine football game that everybody thought was going to be high scoring, and usually those games end up being defensive struggles because intensity takes over. Both defenses played up big. It was against a team that once again had a lot on the line."
On this year's schedule
"If you look at our schedule this year, not only was it as tough a schedule as we've ever played at Fresno State, but there were six teams that we've played who have been in the top 25 at one time or another this season. The combined record of the teams that we have lost to is 43-17 so from a schedule standpoint, this is the toughest we've played in the six years that I've been here. The thing that made it even tougher was the mindset of the opponent. I think it's so important in college football of how the games fall. When you look at the schedule at the beginning of the season, you could tell some of the games would be very pivotal but you never knew that Nevada and San Jose State would be must-win games for us and for them to get to a bowl game. We never knew that June Jones would be coming out of here saying that it was the biggest win in his tenure at Hawai'i. So a lot of the games were point-to games. Now, we're going to Louisiana Tech where you can call it a trap game or whatever you want to call it, I think it's going to be a very tough game."
On Louisiana Tech
"I looked at Louisiana Tech at the start of the year and I look at them now as one of the most talented teams in our league as far as speed and everything else. I remember walking up the ramp of the stadium last year with people upset at the 38-28 score. I thought to myself that was one of the fastest played games as far as speed that I've seen at Bulldog Stadium since I've been here. Nobody knew it at that time but they went on to win the conference at 7-1 and had most of their team back this year. They have not had the season they've expected by any means but if you look at it now, we're going into the final game of the season, first nationally televised game in Ruston, with a football team that's going to use this as their springboard into next season."
"How we play in this game will be very interesting to see. I do believe with this team --because of what they've been through after the 59-19 loss to Oregon State when everybody counted us down and out -- I'd like to see this team finish 7-2 over the second half of the season. Going into a bowl game with seven wins out of their last nine games would be a hell of a tribute to this football team."
"So that's how we're approaching the game with Louisiana Tech who, after watching film the last two days with our staff, is a very talented football team. The thing they have is great speed. They beat Oklahoma State and then fell into some tough times. You look at three of their losses on their schedule, and they are against big-time quality opponents. I think this will be a very tough game for us. I think it will be a very emotional type of situation we're walking into in Ruston. Our football team is coming off two highly emotional games where there was a lot on the line and from a preparation standpoint it's going to be a nightmare for me as coach."
On the preparation of this game around the Thanksgiving holiday
"My way of planning as a coach is very structured, very detailed, it's three days of no nonsense, 48 hours locked up and then play. This game, none of those types of scenarios are attached to it. We are asking this team to maturely handle this trip and play well right around Thanksgiving."
 | "We can increase our record, keep winning and have momentum going into the bowl game. There's nothing on the line but the fact that it's a pride game and I think that's very important for both teams." Head coach Pat Hill on Fresno State's regular season finale against Louisiana Tech |
"This game was planned for a national TV game. I wasn't really excited about playing this game late in December. It cuts into our recruiting and some other things but that's the way the cards are dealt. Those are things you have to do if you want to put your team on national television. I think this will be our eighth national TV game this year. The exposure is great but the price you pay for exposure is very high.
On how he views this game having already been invited to a bowl game
"I look at this as a very important game as far as momentum going into a bowl game and momentum hopefully eventually in taking us into a top 25 ranking at the end of the bowl season. A lot of people say there's nothing at stake but there's a lot at stake anytime you play. Winning is of the utmost importance and I do believe our team understands that."
"This game [against Louisiana Tech] is a pride game. We can increase our record, keep winning and have momentum going into the bowl game. There's nothing on the line but the fact that it's a pride game and I think that's very important for both teams. I know we're going to playing against the defending WAC champions who have a lot of their starters back from last year. This is the type of team that has great team speed like we do in the conference."
On his thoughts of being in another bowl game
"I am very pleased about our performance. I am very happy about being in a bowl game. It's like going to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row. It's the only reward we get in college football. The way this BCS thing has taken over, only one game now seems to be of importance any more. That's really a shame because these bowl games are great rewards for programs that have good years. It's a great opportunity for our fans to show up. Over 24,000 tickets last year went to the area codes around here and that's a great tribute to our fans. That's what Fresno State is known for, the way we travel. It should be a great game."
On who he thinks the Bulldogs will play in a bowl
"I'd imagine if Arizona State wins, they'll play in the Insight.com Bowl. Even if they lose, they'll still play there. There could be a five-way logjam of teams with 4-4 records. It doesn't matter which team we play. We like playing a Pac-10 team. I think it's good for our program."
On the long season
"I said after the game that there are a lot of people that don't know what this team has gone through. We've got a lot of real tough kids. We've got a lot of kids that need some rest. It's been a long season, it's been 17 weeks and 23 weeks total. We started when NFL camps opened and we'll end when the NFL regular season does. These kids are pretty banged up right now and we need a little time off. Once again we need a big-time game down in Louisiana. Then we have to patch them up and get them ready for a big bowl game."
"In my mind, this team has a chance to go down in history as a team that overcame a lot. There's still a lot in front of them. It's amazing, seven of our games have come down to the final minute of play, four wins and three losses. It's been one of those kinds of years. This is a team that has a lot of character and a lot of fight in it. There have been times that we haven't made the plays but there are more times that we have. If you remember the early years, we weren't making those plays in those games. I'm really excited about the prospects for this football team. There are players that we really talking about that are stepping up and making plays in pivotal games at a young age, which I think is very, very key for the future.
On the perception of the program
"This program is well respected outside of here, what we're doing, what we're trying to accomplish. You look at the Louisvilles and the Southern Misses and TCU we're keeping pace with the top mid-majors in the country. It is very competitive to get in that arena. Boise State is making a statement this year, now whether they can sustain it over time, we'll have to see. They have been very good over the last four years. Their competition is not the same people that we are playing. That's why they are going to stay at the Humanitarian Bowl.
On Fresno State's bowl options
"The only way you have a chance to play in a bowl other than the one's by our conference is next year's schedule. You have to go undefeated. This ride the last nine weeks has been an awesome ride. I hope people have enjoyed it. Our kids have battled and have really fought in nail biters."
On how he feels Fresno State can improve
"We have to improve ourselves in the Compete Zone. We've only scored touchdowns 51 percent of the time, which is the lowest in my six years here. Our defense has been awesome though. They've only allowed a touchdown 41% of the time this season which is unbelievable."
On the dropped balls that plagued the Bulldogs against San Jose State
"If you have eight or nine receivers and can threaten if you keep dropping balls then you're going to sit on the bench, that's the biggest denominator to cure those kinds of problems. We don't have that. We've got young men who need to keep their confidence level up. If production level stays low usually in most businesses you fire and put new guys in. We do not have that luxury. Nor do we want to hurt a young man mentally when they've had some big plays. When you have guys dropping balls, you want to stay as positive as you can."
On what he wishes Fresno State could have done better or differently during Saturday's game
"I think we could've scored more points. I think we left some big-time points on the field and they'll say they left some, too. San Jose State came in with a defensive plan that was not much different from what they had done all season but their players played so much harder then they had all season. That didn't look like one of the worst statistical defenses in the country. You talk about a team with a will to win, and our underclassmen came out and won the game. That says a lot for them."
