Fresno State Athletics
Hill Quotes From Monday's Media Conference
9/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2004
Hill opens with general thoughts on the Kansas State game
"After watching the film, this weekend's game was an outstanding effort by our team. All phases played well together, which very rarely happens against good competition. I thought that we adjusted perfectly to the conditions of the stadium in that we had the wind to our back in the first and third quarters, that's why the field position was so glaring."
"We watched them in pre-practice, their punter was really sending the ball up high, and you really couldn't tell unless you looked at the wind. The wind went towards our locker room, and it really made a huge difference in the game. All the kickoffs going towards the locker room went out of the end zone; all the ones the other way were returnable. In the punting game, short punts and great returns really helped us. The one time we had a long field, Adam [Jennings] ran it all the way back. Field position was really huge. Any time we face an offense like that we want to put them onto a long field, and we were able to accomplish that."
"Offensively, we were able to control the clock, which was very important to us. So everything that we wanted to do going into the game we were able to do. We overcame penalties. In the last couple of years, when we lost a game, we were generally highly penalized. We had as many penalties in these first two games as we've had in those other [losses]."
"I thought there were a couple of great plays made out there, especially on the punt return. Except for the penalty yardage, I thought it was a game that we won all of the situations. We were in the +25 area six times, and we scored 42 points, which is perfect. That's really important when you're out on offense and you're not kicking field goals."
"As far as the game goes, it was a great performance, and it was won by playing good, tough, hard-nosed fundamental football, which is basically what Fresno State football is. It is playing solid defense, controlling the tempo on offense, and controlling the position of the ball on special teams. That's what we try to do here, and it worked out real well on Saturday."
How important was it to take away the confidence of that quarterback and removing him as a weapon?
"I don't think he got really removed until the last interception of the half. He was also throwing against some prevent [defense]. They got the one touchdown on an out-and-up [route] against Richard [Marshall] where he bit, and another touchdown off an interception that was set up late in the game off a long kickoff return. Other than that, the only sustained drive they had in the whole game was the one at the end of the half which ended with James Sanders' interception."
"The key in that game was taking [KSU running back Darren Sproles] out of the game. We did not feel that the quarterback was going to beat us throwing. We didn't feel the quarterback in Washington was going to beat us throwing. In both situations, eliminating the running game was the key. Now, there'll be some other teams that are going to come up, that we'll have to eliminate the quarterback. The philosophy of each game and the way you prepare changes each week. Hopefully as we go through this process that is the thing that we really take into account."
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"It was a great performance, and it was won by playing good, tough, hard-nosed fundamental football, which is basically what Fresno State football is. It is playing solid defense, controlling the tempo on offense, and controlling the position of the ball on special teams. That's what we try to do here, and it worked out real well on Saturday."
- Pat Hill, on his team's performance against Kansas State
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Were you surprised in how much you guys were able to dominate in every factor of the game?
"No, I think this team is really special. I think they have a very good resolve, a very good mindset. I thought the way they handled the trip was amazing. They practiced hard and they're very focused on having a great season. There would have been great disappointment within our own program if we had lost either one of those games. I know from the media it would have been harsh, but that's not nearly as hard as we are on ourselves."
"This team now knows that there is a long season to go, and for people to think that we don't realize that is crazy. I mean, just watch last year's Portland State game, and we didn't exactly thunder anybody in that game. And we have some big games coming up to focus on. We go to [Louisiana Tech], we have UTEP coming here, we have a trip to Boise, we have nine games still coming up, and we have to be ready for the fact that people will play up a notch against us. It will be a very interesting run, but we're in a position to make it."
What are your thoughts on the polls, and how much do you pay attention to them?
"Well, you have to pay attention to them, because they will help determine who is going to get the at-large bids. I think if you just keep winning and take care of business, there will be a national outcry. Everybody is waiting for someone to break through. I've gotten calls for two days straight from national media all over the country, and it's amazing how much people pull for someone to break through. Like I've said a couple of times, "Why not us?" In 2001, we had a chance, and now in again in 2004 we're back in the hunt. Two out of the last four years we've been in the hunt for a seat at the main table, which speaks volumes for our program. There are people that never get that chance."
Do you think it helps you guys that the new BCS formula takes out some of the strength of schedule stuff, some of the computer stuff, and puts it more in the hands of voters again?
"I don't know how the voters will vote. There's still a lot of games that need to be played, and people are going to lose, people are going to win. Strength of schedule is not going to be in our favor, and so if that is not a big part of it, that is going to be to our advantage. I think the AP is the area that a team like Fresno State or Boise State is going to make their waves. There's no doubt in my mind that the first two weeks of the season we made a heck of a statement. They weren't nail-biters, they were dominating performances, and we didn't resort to any trickery, any double passes. As much as some people hate to see it, it was old-fashioned, tough aggressive football, like you watch all day on Sunday."
Do you have a vote [in the coaches' poll]
"I have a vote in the USA TODAY poll."
Where did you put yourself?
"Eighth."
Why eighth?
"I think that's where we belong to be right now."
Are you disappointed in where you came in after the two dominating wins you guys had?
"Yeah, I thought it was a little low. But we don't have any control over that. We came from nowhere. We went from 17 votes to around 400. We didn't have a lot of momentum. Now if this had happened last year, when we started No. 23 in the Sporting News, it might have been a little faster climb, but going into this season, we didn't have the preseason hype that we had last year. We just had a lot of injuries last year. This is fine, though. At least we're in it. If we keep winning that number will just get higher and higher."
"Eventually, someone will have to make a judgment call when someone runs the table. Nobody has had to make that call yet. When that call has to be made, if you're there, I think you have a good shot of getting in. Now, if you compare us to Utah and Boise State, we play Boise State so one of us will get eliminated. There isn't a whole lot of other teams we're really competing with in the national spotlight. I just want to see somebody break that zero loss barrier, just to see if it is for real, if there really is a chance, because that will speak volumes for where we're headed in college football."
How important is it for this team to have a solid crowd atmosphere at your home games this year?
"It is a key factor. I really would be very surprised if they aren't hanging from the lights in Bulldog Stadium against Portland State, because this team over the last two weeks, from a national perspective, has put a very good light on our community. I think a lot of good things have been said about the Valley and about the green V. You know, this is the Valley's team, and we're playing with Valley kids, and I think they take a lot of pride in the program. I believe that they'll come strong to support us. They have in the past, and I think they'll come again."
Aside from Dwayne, when do you think you'll get the other injured players back?
"Ray Washington will be out this week. He is getting a surgically repaired ligament in his thumb, but it'll be casted next week and he'll be practicing. Brian Morris and Claude Sanders will be out this week. That's three starters on defense, and good football players, but there are some good football players that are going to pick up the flag."
Have you talked to Bryson, about his role?
"Well, he was the starting tailback at the start of camp, and got a little nicked in camp and missed eight days. He was getting the reps. Whenever you lose a player as good as Dwayne Wright, that's hard, but we are very fortunate that we do have some good depth at the running back position, and proven players in Bryson Sumlin and Wendell Mathis. He's not a guy many people here know about, but he could explode onto the scene. That's a position, that while you hate to lose a player, that we still have some options."
Do you like that target on your back right now?
"I think that we've had a target on our backs for a long time here. I don't mind. That means you're good, that you're playing well. There is still a lot ahead of us. We have some very tough games in the future. We got off to the start that we needed to keep trying to attain the goals that we're after, and now we've got to remain focused on the goals that we have. We've never short-cutted what we've wanted to do here."
Who are you going to use at defensive end?
"Well, McIntyre moves out to end, and he'll play with Brisco, and at the tackles we'll have Jason Shirley and Charles Tolbert. We're getting back Louis Leonard this week, so they swung around on the inside."
How good was McIntyre's game?
"Oh, awesome. We don't get to hand Bad-Dog awards out too often. We had James Sanders against Washington, and McIntyre got one for his game against Kansas State. He can dominate the game. He is wound so tight, plays so hard. He is 250, 240 pounds and just plays."
One of the Kansas State players said on the post-game show that [Logan Mankins] was the toughest [left tackles] he'd seen in a long time
"Yeah. I talked to Mel Kiper today, and Logan Mankins is going to be one of the top linemen in the country. Right here from Catheys Valley. You have to really credit our coaches for going out and finding some of these players from the smaller schools. Recruiting is really what it's all about."
Talk about Portland State a little bit. Do you guys need to make a statement in this game the way you did in the first two?
"I don't think we need to make a statement. I think we have to win. I don't think we have to have statistics, I think we just need to get better as a football team. We need to have better fundamentals, we need to get better at understanding situations. This year at camp we talked to our team a lot about respecting the game of football. Understanding the rules and understanding the situations is really something that we have stressed this year."
Isn't this a golden opportunity for Portland State, getting a chance to come in and ruin your perfect season?
"Sure. It's going to be a golden opportunity for everyone left on that board. My hope is that as we go along, I hope to see Boise State keep winning, and that we have an undefeated vs. undefeated game. I'd like to see everyone we play keep winning until we play them. That makes each game as big as it can be. For us, we're all in. It is all up to us. It doesn't really matter what Portland State wants. They are going to come in here and play they're hearts out, but we need to go out and play our game. If we're not ready to play, they are capable of beating us."
You took the crowd out of the game early last week.
"Yeah, and that's two weeks in a row there was more red in the stands than purple at the end of the game. That's hard to do. They really faded towards the third quarter. It was loud for a while early. We didn't start out particularly well. But they played with a lot of resolve. That was a tired group after the game. Pretty quiet bus ride, pretty quiet flight home. I was very proud of them.
Why Portland State this week? Why not another BCS team?
"First of all, let me say that we are happy to have Portland State come in here this week. They showed last year they could play with us. That final score (42-16) was not at all indicative of how that game was. We were only up a touchdown at the half and by only 12 in the fourth quarter. They are a good football team, and if we don't show up, we'll be in trouble."
"But we ended up with Portland State because of Colorado State backing out on us like they did. We were supposed to play Colorado State at home last week (Sept. 11), and then we had an open date for this week (Sept. 18), and that's when we wanted to play USC down there and take 25,000 people. But then Colorado State backed out on us and scheduled USC, so that left us with two home dates. So we went to play Kansas State last week and had a home date available. It's just so hard for us to schedule home games, so we got Portland State. I know people here would like to see the Washingtons and the Cals and the UCLAs come here, but that's just not going to happen this year. Down the road, yes, it'll happen. We've got Washington coming in. We've got Oregon coming in. We've got Wisconsin coming in. So it's starting to happen. But with how we've played so far this year, I'd like to see that stadium filled, no matter who we play."
