Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State-Nevada Postgame Quotes
Fresno State at Nevada
Mackay Stadium
Dec. 5, 2020
Kalen DeBoer, Fresno State Head Coach
Opening Statement...
"Obviously disappointed with the outcome of the game. We have a locker room of guys who came here expecting to win. That is the expectation we have every time we step on the football field. We fought until the very end. There were a few things on both sides of the ball that we needed to do better. I know it's a different game, but it is what it is and we have to tip our hat to Nevada - they have a great football team. I know that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody. The fight in this team is something that I am super proud of. I know how we are going to respond, because they already told me in the locker room. They showed me on the football field over and over again that they won't flinch, and that is what it's all about. The guys are disappointed, but there is not one person or one area, it's all phases of the game."
On the specialists...
"They are unavailable. We have a lot of guys unavailable. It is a wide variety of things. It's things that have nothing to do with COVID, there are some that have to do with contact tracing, and there are some crazy situations that you could never even imagine that come up and why some guys couldn't make the trip. Everyday there is something different. There are injuries involved as well. We are way passed double digits in the injury column. We were out some guys after the Utah State game, some guys who we will hope to get back next week and others who won't be back with us for the rest of the season. It is a little bit of everything and hopefully we can get some guys back for next week, but it is still not an excuse for us. We had some of our key guys out there on the football field, and in 2020, you just have to roll with it. I just go back to, this program wants to win every time we step on the football field."
On the effects of not having a complete special teams unit...
"The defense had their backs to the wall early in the game, and that's hard. You saw our defense make some adjustments in the second half, and in the third quarter in particular, where we were stingy and we made the adjustments and got some turnovers. They moved [Romeo] Doubs around early in the game. They put him in a spot we had never seen before and they got a big explosive play. It was one big play that got them their field goal. Our guys responded and made the adjustments, the coaches and the players. I could hear the communication, and I loved what I was hearing. Our system is flexible enough to where it's not really a big deal. Once we see it, we talk about it and we move on. I saw that happening over and over through out the game, and you saw it too. They did a great job in the second half adjusting and continuing to fight. The longer the field, and the better job we did. We just missed it at the end of the first half recovering that fumble. We saw more and more pressure in the second quarter. It was exciting seeing those things happening."
On preparation with the specialist who played tonight...
"We had one practice. It's that simple. Our guys didn't flinch. Those guys were excited about their opportunity and they gave it everything they could. That's all I was asking from them. I am proud of the efforts. Obviously things didn't work out in some of those areas but it is certainly understandable."
On QB Jake Haener...
"Jake is always going to be ready to go. The thing that I feel Jake has done is he has become a better student of the game. He understands the direction we are trying to go with the offense. He is becoming more confident with the ball being in his hands and having to make big decisions and big plays. There was a lot of balls that we put on the ground too, and balls that could have converted first downs. Unfortunately, we also put the ball on the ground with fumbles. I think that was one of the biggest momentum swings in the third quarter. We kept fighting, but Jake is the leader of that. We were talking in the locker room right now, and Jake got in front of the team and he had some strong thoughts. There are a lot of positive things that he is talking to the team about. He is feeling like he is understanding what it takes to win. I am excited about how he is growing and what the potential is for our offense to do."
On his feelings after the game...
"I know exactly what I am feeling. I am feeling proud about the way that we fight until the end. That is what it's all about. I don't want us to have regrets when we walk off the football field, and knowing we had more left in the tank. I just made sure we left it out there on the field. Our guys keep playing, and keep fighting. That culture, the fight and the belief is what we are all about. We are going to make plays, we have great players in this program. We are going to continue to put it together. That is going to happen. The part I know that we are building is the culture piece, and that fight. I am proud of these guys. I am proud of them but it's not good enough. We expect to win every time we are on the football field and we didn't get that tonight."
On having Mac Dalena stepping in as the kicker...
"Each coach knows their position groups, and knows what they are capable of. Mac got out there and it was no doubt he was the guy. It was very quick to see that he should be the guy out there to kick. I thought he did a good job. He just missed those ones that he kicked. Considering the amount of time he had to practice, I give him a lot of credit. He is talented in a lot of ways, and these are growth moments. It's not what he's going to be doing for years to come but it builds some toughness and confidence, and he fights through adversity. We are not just asking him to do that, but we are asking him to be involved on special teams in a lot of ways. I am proud of him, he didn't back down. There are other guys who did the same thing tonight. Guys who were in positions they probably never imagined themselves being in. Naturally you'd look at the specialists positions, but there were other guys who had to do things they normally wouldn't as well."
Mackay Stadium
Dec. 5, 2020
Kalen DeBoer, Fresno State Head Coach
Opening Statement...
"Obviously disappointed with the outcome of the game. We have a locker room of guys who came here expecting to win. That is the expectation we have every time we step on the football field. We fought until the very end. There were a few things on both sides of the ball that we needed to do better. I know it's a different game, but it is what it is and we have to tip our hat to Nevada - they have a great football team. I know that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody. The fight in this team is something that I am super proud of. I know how we are going to respond, because they already told me in the locker room. They showed me on the football field over and over again that they won't flinch, and that is what it's all about. The guys are disappointed, but there is not one person or one area, it's all phases of the game."
On the specialists...
"They are unavailable. We have a lot of guys unavailable. It is a wide variety of things. It's things that have nothing to do with COVID, there are some that have to do with contact tracing, and there are some crazy situations that you could never even imagine that come up and why some guys couldn't make the trip. Everyday there is something different. There are injuries involved as well. We are way passed double digits in the injury column. We were out some guys after the Utah State game, some guys who we will hope to get back next week and others who won't be back with us for the rest of the season. It is a little bit of everything and hopefully we can get some guys back for next week, but it is still not an excuse for us. We had some of our key guys out there on the football field, and in 2020, you just have to roll with it. I just go back to, this program wants to win every time we step on the football field."
On the effects of not having a complete special teams unit...
"The defense had their backs to the wall early in the game, and that's hard. You saw our defense make some adjustments in the second half, and in the third quarter in particular, where we were stingy and we made the adjustments and got some turnovers. They moved [Romeo] Doubs around early in the game. They put him in a spot we had never seen before and they got a big explosive play. It was one big play that got them their field goal. Our guys responded and made the adjustments, the coaches and the players. I could hear the communication, and I loved what I was hearing. Our system is flexible enough to where it's not really a big deal. Once we see it, we talk about it and we move on. I saw that happening over and over through out the game, and you saw it too. They did a great job in the second half adjusting and continuing to fight. The longer the field, and the better job we did. We just missed it at the end of the first half recovering that fumble. We saw more and more pressure in the second quarter. It was exciting seeing those things happening."
On preparation with the specialist who played tonight...
"We had one practice. It's that simple. Our guys didn't flinch. Those guys were excited about their opportunity and they gave it everything they could. That's all I was asking from them. I am proud of the efforts. Obviously things didn't work out in some of those areas but it is certainly understandable."
On QB Jake Haener...
"Jake is always going to be ready to go. The thing that I feel Jake has done is he has become a better student of the game. He understands the direction we are trying to go with the offense. He is becoming more confident with the ball being in his hands and having to make big decisions and big plays. There was a lot of balls that we put on the ground too, and balls that could have converted first downs. Unfortunately, we also put the ball on the ground with fumbles. I think that was one of the biggest momentum swings in the third quarter. We kept fighting, but Jake is the leader of that. We were talking in the locker room right now, and Jake got in front of the team and he had some strong thoughts. There are a lot of positive things that he is talking to the team about. He is feeling like he is understanding what it takes to win. I am excited about how he is growing and what the potential is for our offense to do."
On his feelings after the game...
"I know exactly what I am feeling. I am feeling proud about the way that we fight until the end. That is what it's all about. I don't want us to have regrets when we walk off the football field, and knowing we had more left in the tank. I just made sure we left it out there on the field. Our guys keep playing, and keep fighting. That culture, the fight and the belief is what we are all about. We are going to make plays, we have great players in this program. We are going to continue to put it together. That is going to happen. The part I know that we are building is the culture piece, and that fight. I am proud of these guys. I am proud of them but it's not good enough. We expect to win every time we are on the football field and we didn't get that tonight."
On having Mac Dalena stepping in as the kicker...
"Each coach knows their position groups, and knows what they are capable of. Mac got out there and it was no doubt he was the guy. It was very quick to see that he should be the guy out there to kick. I thought he did a good job. He just missed those ones that he kicked. Considering the amount of time he had to practice, I give him a lot of credit. He is talented in a lot of ways, and these are growth moments. It's not what he's going to be doing for years to come but it builds some toughness and confidence, and he fights through adversity. We are not just asking him to do that, but we are asking him to be involved on special teams in a lot of ways. I am proud of him, he didn't back down. There are other guys who did the same thing tonight. Guys who were in positions they probably never imagined themselves being in. Naturally you'd look at the specialists positions, but there were other guys who had to do things they normally wouldn't as well."