San Diego State Aztecs College Football Pregame Quote, 10/31/2023

Thanks for coming. A few things we’ve been doing … we’ve got to get better, we know that. Our guys worked their tails off. For some of you who come out, I think you see that, and the coaches are coaching hard. We have to continue to be resilient in everything we do, and stay together as a group and as a team. There’s things that we’ve gotten better at, but I don’t think the consistency that we need to have is where we want to have it. We’ve had great competition again. Two bye weeks is unusual and I don’t know if they’re good or bad. I’ve said that before, but I think we got a lot accomplished. We continue to work towards execution in all three phases, and we’re building the mental toughness with guys. We’ve had 15 new starters this year, that’s a little different, but there were some older guys who played and we have to continue to push for progress towards how we want to play football. During the bye week, you self-assess and those things, I think the one thing is the competition that we had last week and we’ve continued to have. We know that we have four games that are guaranteed, we’re going to play for our seniors and then hopefully we can keep one game at a time and do the job as far as getting bowl eligible. Competition is out there at every position, and some guys have responded, and as we go through it, we’ll know a little bit more. Homecoming this weekend, that’s awesome. We want to represent Aztec nation to its fullest and play for our seniors.

On the alleged regression of Maden’s quarterback play:

Well, if you look at regression, I would disagree a little bit with you. We had a game and didn’t play very well. It didn’t play very well offensively, but played pretty good the week before at Hawaii. We just have to have consistency in what we’re doing. I know every one of those players. I know how hard they work. And I know how hard the coaches are working.

On issues in the Nevada game:

Just consistency. We block a play up pretty good, and then run the same play and not block up as well. We run a route pretty good, and then just not having the consistency that you need to have. Defensively, they played a pretty good football game, and I think the one thing that we’ve got to do a better job at is creating turnovers. We have not been consistent enough. We were earlier, but we have not been consistent enough at getting the ball back for the offense. You know the turnover margins have been against us in a couple of losses obviously. We got to do a better job there.

On if the offense has been too conservative:

I don’t think so. I think when we assess our game plan, you always have to look at what you do well And within that, you’ve got to do what you do well against a game plan against a defense and offense or in the kicking game. The one place that’s been pretty positive is the kicking game, and that’s something that we have got to keep going.

On if practices or preparations have changed around the team:

Oh, yeah. We were in as a staff a little bit more, we went out recruiting a little earlier than the last time, but we stayed in and had a little bit of different practices, a little more physical.

On whether changes are potentially going to be made at various positions:

There are a few positions that we will continue to evaluate. So yes, that is happening. We’ll talk about that at some point.

On facing Utah State next:

Same record, two teams that have been fighting. They score 35 points a game. They’re a good football team. They have two quarterbacks, I can’t tell you who’s going to play this week, but, offensively they’re a good football team, and defensively, they force a lot of turnovers. Their turnover margin is really high. So, from that standpoint, they’re a good football team. We have to play better than we have, and we will.

On the similarities of Utah State’s quarterbacks:

They’re pretty similar. They’re both, within the offense, they do a good job. They both can run, yes. Are they runners? Not as much, though. They’ll find some places and get up in the pocket, and they scramble. We always go through how many scrambles a guy has when we look at tape. I don’t know that number, but it’s not like some other guys have had.

On issues on the defensive side:

To me, we haven’t tackled as well. I think I’ve said that about every week. Besides if we would have done this last week, we tackled well. I think that’s part of it, and that’s leverage as much as anything else, and I think we ought to be a little better upfront getting off blocks.

On issues with rushing the passer:

You can bring more, but when you bring more, which is what I think we’ve tried to do a little bit, you play a lot of man coverage. There are some pretty good skill players in this league. I tell you, there’s three of them on this team. I think one’s got ten touchdowns, one’s got eight and then six I think. I mean they’re a good group of skilled guys on offense.

On the importance of making a bowl game:

You can say, and people do say, it’s nice for the players depending on where you go and travel and all that. It’s part of the experience of playing major college football, and I think that’s important for the guys who play here at San Diego State.