Opening Statement
Obviously great, gritty, tough team win. Going on the road like we talked about last week is hard. Something that good teams do. Obviously tremendous effort by our defense stepped up time and time again in a really huge way, right? Because of the effort of that side of the ball really gave the whole organization a chance to win and I thought the offense in critical moments when we had to respond in the opening drive to get points, we did that. And then after, you know, a bunch of things where we are inches away from maximizing opportunities and being able to execute at a high level and fighting our way through that and pulling together and responding. It was like, “All right, we get the ball back and we have an opportunity, right?”
And so, the guys did a great job responding in that moment, going on a drive, setting up uh, special teams to put the ball through the pipes. Gabe did a tremendous job on all the kicks. I thought special teams did a good job in most areas of, you know, creating some momentum, obviously flipping the field, obviously in a huge field position game like that, pinning them as far away from the goal line and scoring opportunities as possible. But, you know, disappointed in that phase of the game where we have so many guys who have played so much ball for us where we continue to make some foolish and immature mistakes with penalties and different things that we cannot have and that we need to clean up.
So, luckily, we got a short week here. it’s good to get back into it and yesterday the guys did a great job coming back. You know, let him sleep in a little bit with the travel and everything, but then got back here in the building yesterday. So, yesterday was really like our mashup day of Sunday and Monday to put the NIU game to bed, to put Non-con behind us and then to turn the page and to start the preparation on the Rams. Good team, dangerous team, battling through some things themselves with injuries, but man, have been close against some really, really good opponents and are right there and and they’re dangerous, right?
So, we got to have a great week of preparation on the short week. The guys had great energy, great attitude, went about the work the right way this morning and you know, so need them to continue to do that. Need our city to continue to show up for us. I mean, there was a tremendous opportunity against Cal and there was a direct correlation that you can make from the energy, the enthusiasm, the number of people that were in the stands to the impact that they had on the game.
So great opportunity this Friday night for our city, for the community, for the school, for the student body to come out to pack Snapdragon and to continue the party that we started, you know, a couple weeks ago as we continue to roll through the season together with conference play kicking off against a really good Colorado State team.
What would you say was the main issue on the short yardage stuff on offense?
Yeah, we lost gap integrity and so there’s on both those plays where we came up short, we ran the ball, right? We didn’t maintain our gap integrity and there’s going to be run throughs. We got to anticipate backers playing fast downhill in those situations and we hung a little bit too long on our level one threat and didn’t come off and maintain our gap integrity on that. So saw it, learned from it, right? Know that we’ll be better because of it. It’s something that we’ve been emphasizing. Coach Smith’s been talking to and we’ve been getting away with some things a little bit with it, which is how heavy we’ve been leaning on level one. And you know, again, like at this point as you go, your tapes your resume, right? And people are going to see different things. And so you got to again have the humility to know like all right detach from results right like there’s a process that needs to um be top of mind in each of those situations in those critical moments and that each down’s important but the urgency in each situation is not the same. So we’ll learn from that we’ll get better because of that but yeah we just you know had some run roughs because we lost our our gap and integrity on those plays.
You’ve done some under center stuff at the goal line maybe some sneaks in the past. Is that something that could be kind of an improvement on that?
Yeah, I mean that’s what we got to at the end of the game. And so we were able to change our substitution package right there at the end of the game and knew that we were in a spot where we wanted to just advance the ball a little bit more and I thought the staff did a tremendous job and the kids did a tremendous job of how we managed that timeout and having the personnel in the huddle and then because of the way that we managed that and our kids executed that, it’s something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet in a big time way, but it turns out being a offsides or an illegal substitution, however they put it down. It’s like, well, then you get the first down because we managed that the right way, but we were getting under center in that situation. It’s obviously something that we used early on in the season and something that we’ll continue to explore and use to our advantage if we feel it gives us a competitive advantage for sure.
You give their defense any credit?
Yeah, they played Yeah, they did a heck of a job. Absolutely. You know, but I don’t control their defense, right? Like I control the guys that are in this building are trying. I shouldn’t even say that. I work to influence the guys that are in this building and I work to create an environment to where the guys in this building that I am responsible for see the opportunities that we left out there. But yeah, guys, like you know, we talked a week ago, right? Like the amount of respect that I have for that program, how hard it is to go into that place and win um especially coming off of the tremendous high that we had for our guys to refocus and to go from one extreme to the other, right? And that shows the maturity and the growth of our team. I mean, it wasn’t that long ago, right? Like we went on the road, we met some adversity, we didn’t respond, we didn’t pull together, and we saw how that went, right? So, we talk about, hey, constantly improving, constantly competing, improving our best on a daily basis. Like, yeah, that’s not the outcome. It’s not the score that we want to be on the board, right? But at the end of the day, we found a way to score one more point than them, and the defense did a great job of limiting the opportunities as well. So, I’m going to obsess about that and continue to influence the guys here as best I can. Coach Hammock runs a tremendous program and I think that team as they get into conference play, you know, is going to make some hay.
Question about your defensive metrics are so impressive. Is there some intangible that Rob (Aurich) has dropped from a creative point defensively?
Yeah, I think his ability to allow the players to play free, to play clean, and to play fast, to allow them to play has been great and it’s something that you know we saw with his development and in the way that he coached up the rushers taking a young man and Trey White last year right who had never played the position and giving him a set of tools giving him a set of rules within the set of calls that Trey really knew like within this call you can go this far right, you can go this far left and within those parameters of the call with the tools that I’ve given you go solve the problem right that so that Trey didn’t have to be a robot the edges last year didn’t have to be a robot and I think you see that through all of our defense right now. They they understand the intent of the call. They understand why we’re calling it in the situations that we are. And they know that the the support that they have on the boundary gives them the freedom and the confidence to cut it loose and go play fast. And so I think again like a lot of kids made about hey Aztec fast as just our style of offensive play. Like guys, that’s our identity and our brand for our program, right? To where those guys are focused, they’re intentional, they’re accountable to the call, they’re playing smart, making good decisions, and man, they’re a tough unit, right? like they’re they’re a hard out and what I loved about them, right? Like no matter where they what positions they were put in on Saturday because we didn’t put them in some great positions, right? It was like, okay, like put the ball down, like let’s let’s go play, right? I mean, they they work their tails off there and, you know, get off the field, punt block team goes out there, we jump off sides, we have a face mask penalty, and you know, give them another set of downs. It’s like that that’s another turnover, right? Like, so now the defense has to go back out. Okay, buckle it back up. So what? Now what? like guys demeanor were great, chests were held all up high and uh again they’re able to go play fast, play confident within the structure of the defense and play together.
Coach, what do you see from Colorado State? Both of you have played Washington State. Is that an advantage having the common opponent like that?
I mean, a little bit. You got a good idea, right? But again, like you can tell that, you know, they’re they’re multiple in their scheme, man. They’re aggressive on defense. Um they’ll blitz you from all over. Doesn’t matter where you are. Um and it’s all varieties of it. you know they’ve had some injuries to some of their key guys offensively um and kind of really don’t know the status of what that is. I guess we’ll learn a little bit more here in the next 48 hours as we all put forth our first availability report which will be neat. And then you know kind of have a better idea of what that is. But coach Norvell does a tremendous job. Had a chance to compete against him you know a couple years ago when I was at CU and obviously was in a a dog fight with him then. So those guys are going to be prepared. I mean they’re they’re a competitive group and he’s built a strong culture there as well. Well, so they’re going to come down here, they’re going to fight. You know, it’s a good reset, I think, for everyone, no matter what your record is when you get into conference played, right? So, you know, we got to bring our A-game. Um, and we got to, you know, again, that leads to the preparation and all the work that needs to get done typically in seven days now needs to get done in six, you know. So, again, it’s that response. It’s that so what, now what approach, right? Like either you point to that and you look to that like whoa is me or you lean into it and you embrace it and realize like yeah this is a little bit more challenging than the normal prep week but these are the fun moments that we signed up for right so let’s go do it together.
Coaches probably don’t even want to tell you what day it is if you ask them. What went into the availability report in your guys talks as coaches and what’s the benefits or negatives to them?
Yeah, you know, I mean, as as we went round and round about it all and everything, we we have our media day at the World’s Sports Book, right? Like it’s just the the games evolving, the environment is evolving, and also, right, like at the end of the day, like you want to know who’s in, who’s out, who’s questionable, and at the end of the day, that’s that’s all that we’re going to do. So I think you get a bunch of smart people in the room and you know everyone has a different set of ideas as you’re trying to like cook up the recipe for our league that makes it best. And as we shared the idea as it came to the surface that hey what we came to it was like we kind of looked at each other like this will be right nice little chef’s kiss right like here it’s it’s where we’re at. It’s not necessarily what some of the big big boys supposedly are are doing right but it’s not nothing. And it shows how we can continue to innovate. We can adapt, we can overcome and we can share some information and know like like we’re doing it anyways, right? Like we’re setting the travel roster and right like it’s it’s there. And then also I think again just knowing the reality of what it is, right? Like we’re here to serve the kids. So if we take the ownership and the onus upon ourselves to put that information out there, then some of the nefarious characters that try and get to our kids and try and influence them behind the scenes because there’s so much money involved in the legalized sports gambling across our country right now, it protects our kids because the information is out there. So, we’ll release that availability report, help insulate our kids a little bit, and again, like I just think that’s, you know, be a nice pizza pie. It’s good.
So, how much can you really glean from what they put out or I mean, you guys have probably some bigger intel already?
Yeah, I mean, we’ll kind of learn, right? I mean, you kind of see it with the conferences that are already doing it where some guys are I I don’t know if right or wrong is the right way, but like above board or not, right? Like where then fines are coming down because of the pattern of behavior for how guys are using their availability reporting. But again, like we got tremendous guys in this league in this conference, right? And tremendous leadership as well to where like, okay, at the end of the day, like let let’s not make this burdensome. Like let’s put the information out there. We all have the tape. We all have chat GPT that we can ‘Hey, is Kirk Kenny gonna be at the press conference?’ Like that’s a part of right like use all the tools that are out there. Like that’s a part of our process right now. Like I mean a couple weeks ago it’s funny like there was a there was a young man who wasn’t dressed in the previous game before we played. I called one of the GA in like back in the day and I’m like hey like go scour the internet check and see if so and so is going to be available to play. And I was like, “Wait a second, hang on.” And I logged on chat GPT and like, “Hey, is so- and- so going to be ready to play against the Aztecs?” And it compiles every single interview. And then it was like 30 second problem. He’s like, “Yep, he’s available. He practiced yesterday. Coach said it here.” I’m like, “Don’t worry about it. Go figure out something else to do right now.” Like I solved that. So it was accurate. This was not a big enough sample size, but it’s like all right, we have this tool and I don’t know how to use it. Luckily, the GA’s do. So, now they’re, you know, going with it, but it’s like, all right, let’s use it all. And now we have the availability report. And, you know, again, we’ll see as we go through the season. Like, all right, that information you can glean something from it from it. That information, we’ll see.
Three hours before you have to report a game before kickoff.
Yeah, I believe that’s what it is, right?
What more does that give you?
More availability or less availability? Game time decisions? We’ll see. I mean, it’ll be fun. Come on board. Let’s all go on this ride together into the great unknown.
So, you’re only required to do it for conference games. Is there consideration to do it for the non-conference games?
We got some practice reps of it for non-con, but it wasn’t publicly available.
You mean with the other coaches or internally?
No, I’m a reps guy, Andre. So, we just did it internally. Make sure that we’re on because we don’t get it turned in on time. There’s a fee associated with that and that ain’t coming out of the school’s budget.
What’s the deadline?
I think it’s 48 hours before. I don’t know. I got it listed somewhere. It’s not due today. I can tell you that. I’m worried about today, which is actually a Tuesday even though it’s here Monday. So, I know it’s not due today.
You guys obviously got close so that the winning field goal was only 25, but how comfortable would you have been sending Plascencia out there like distance-wise for that winning?
60 he could get it there, right? Like that’s a got to have it situation, right? So like I mean he’s made kicks 61 62 in practice now. The win had flipped. That was fun, right? We kind of managed the coin toss. We actually won a coin toss. That was neat and had the win go the proper direction. And then halfway through the fourth quarter, the wind changed. So I think coach Barton’s heart skipped a beat on that a little bit. I was like, “Hey, can’t control that. We’ll get closer for you.”
Thought’s on Plascencia as the kicker since last year when he was rotating back and forth.
He hasn’t missed a kick since we’ve made him a guy. He’s been really, really consistent. Um, he’s remained very humble, so he’s probably going to get this soundbite. someone’s gonna send it to him and, you know, I’m gonna have to tear him back down so I can build him back up again, right? But no, I mean, he’s he’s been in our leadership council. He he’s a guy that we know that we can trust intimately and the consistency that he has shown day in and day out um has been tremendous, right? And that’s all we ask for. Like we want our guys to be who they are each and every single day, you know, as a game manager, as a play designer, as a play caller. Like you just want to know who your guys are going to be, right? Like I often equate it to a game of chess, right? Like I can sit down anywhere in the world and get my butt kicked in chess, but I at least know how the pieces on the board are going to move. Doesn’t mean I’m any good at it, but I know how the pieces on the board are going to move, right? It’s the same thing like when you walk in the building and you see everyone. Again, like we’ve talked about this, like I kind of know from the people in here like how you guys are going to move and shake. You guys kind of know how I’m going to move and shake. And I want to know that for my kids as well, right? Like I know Gabe like there’s no moment too big everywhere that we’ve put him out. He’s put ball to foot and put it through the pipe. So, that’s pretty cool.
Colorado State’s gone through two quarterbacks already this season. How do you prepare for that? Do you prepare for both?
Yeah, you have to prep prepare for both of them, right? And we had a a rep at that earlier in the season with Wazzu and obviously two they’re two different kids and everything. Again, they’ve had a lot of different things going on up there. a lot of which I don’t know about, but you can tell from the tape that again they’re trying to find their identity and who’s up and who’s available and how they, you know, manage each week for what they have available. They’re starting to do a little bit more two back. They’ve been a little bit more 12 personnel, 11 personnel than they were a few years ago when, you know, I played him in 23. But again, like Coach Norvell’s, man, probably forgotten more offensive football than I’ll ever know. I mean, he’s a he’s a great coach and he’s got a great staff and um Coach Mumme as well, you know, like has great great knowledge. They’re going to push the ball vertically down the field no matter who their quarterback is. That’s what they want to do. You know, there want to be physical in the run game. They got backs that run hard. So yeah, we got to have a plan for both of them and we got to show up with great fundamentals and great communication. Like that doesn’t change regardless of the plan, regardless of who the quarterback is.
What do you think about Jayden’s ability to run your offense and trying to get to that next level of improvement for him?
Yeah, I mean it’s it’s day one execution. I think again I think his decision making has been solid. There’s been moments where I think he’s pressed a little bit. Obviously the interception he’d love to have back. The first one where he was late down the middle, you know, that’s a zone beater that they did a good job kind of breaking the tendency after an explosive play and they pressured it and played man. So it’s like him just knowing and understanding that I’m a pretty aggressive play caller, right? And so he doesn’t need to be overly aggressive because I’m going to be again, as we’ve discussed, default aggressive on it as well. So it wasn’t the premium look. It’s first and 10. You know, the play there is to throw it away and we’ll play second and 10. But again, he’s managed it. He’s he’s done a good job and, you know, we’re just a tick off here or there. You know, like that deep ball, you know, he connects with Bostick early on, it probably changes the course of the game, right? You know, so it’s like again just leaning back into the work and having that timing and the refinement of the craft so that we can maximize those opportunities when they present themselves and stop talking about how close we are and actually execute fully together so that we’re not just one guy away. And it’s not just him it’s you know hey like there was early on in the game there was a hot adjustment that you know Mikey Welsh made that Mikey read it great versus the internal pressure we got three deep two under hot coverage. Mikey broke the leverage of the you know low flat defender and so we got inside and Kaylin lost his block inside. So now instead of being in a clean pocket, right? Like Jayden’s got something in his face and it, you know, deters the throw. So it’s low and away and everyone looks at them like ah the throw. And it’s like, well, there’s a, you know, three technique that just got cut loose that’s 315 pounds trying to rip his head off. Like you stand in there and do that, you know, like and that’s just a part of the maturation of it, you know, and all of us working together. So we got to eliminate, you know, eliminate those one off plays where, hey, 10 out of 11. Well, you know, it’s a beautiful game. It requires all 11 on all plays for it to execute and for it to go.
What do you think you’ve learned about your team through the four games heading into conference play?
We’re tough, man. Like we’re tough. We’re resilient. Um and we continue to mature week in and week out. And I’ve said this about them going all the way back to January, you know, with winter conditioning and all throughout like the the emotional toughness and the mental toughness to respond when challenged. like they have this group has tremendous personal pride in their performance and in an internal way like respectfully not the external noise but to our standard when they don’t measure up to our Aztec warrior standard right that matters so much to them. Like that personal pride in their performance to respond and to do it better is a great trait that this team has and I think that’s a winning trait that all good teams have that they’ve possessed and because of that like they lean back into the work. Like good, bad, ugly. It’s like, “All right, well, we’re only as good as our last performance, so let’s go step back in the arena. Let’s go step back in the the the training dojo and and get better at what we need to do.” Like, let’s go get back in the film session and and get more dialed into the details of this so we can all be on the same page and, you know, measure up so that whether it’s within the program, it’s the offensive guys feel like they need to do more carry more water right for the defensive guys so that the defensive guys don’t have to do it all on their own but the defensive guys are like hey like we got you. We’ll cover and move like not a problem like we got you because we know like you guys are going to get it right and they’re a connected group and that way you know that’s all around the ethos that they’ve created in this culture and in this building.
Lucky’s been so productive you see him getting in even greater workload or do you still see yourselves breaking up the load?
So last year when Coupe got all the work I didn’t manage it properly. Now we’re managing the workload and I’m not doing that properly. Is that right? What are you saying? What’s your question?
I think he’s been very productive with the workload that he’s gotten and as we continue to move deeper into the season, we’re going to continue to play the hot hand. Obviously, he finished in a very productive way. And I think his style leads to as the game goes on, he’s more of a body puncher than he is a haymaker, knockout artist right now, right? And so I think as he gets more, he becomes more productive and we will continue to manage his load with the other loads of the other guys so that we can move through the whole season because I trust all the guys that are in that room, right? We’re going to play the hot hand.
Some of it kind of want to throw a change up to it. You put some Yeah, they all they all have different skill sets, right? I think, you know, it’s the beauty of the the guys that we have in that room, right? Especially between Christian and Lucky, right? Like they’re two different styles, right? Like Lucky is a good one cut downhill bruising runner, right? That shows up late in games and early in games. Like where guys start making business decisions as he’s coming down the tracks like, do I really want this right? And he embraces that. And then Christian is a completely different pace. Not that he’s not a physical runner, right? but he’s more of work on edges, one cut and they both have, you know, explosive ability to take it to the distance. But like me saying that is one thing. Them doing it and not letting shoestring tackles bring them down and create more and generate more explosive runs needs to start producing on tape as well.
As dominant as your defense has been, they’ve given up some really long opening drives. Is that just it’s only two games, so it’s not that much of a a worry or is that something to to pay attention to moving forward?
I mean, there’s going to be, you know, game plan adjustments that guys make. If we give up a long drive that concedes three points and then we don’t give up any more points the rest of the day, if that’s who we are, I think we’re going to be okay.
Sam Benjamin had a had a really good game, you know, stepped up this season. He talked about how in the off season about working on his strength and his speed. Has that something that’s helped him out this year?
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he was one of the award winners for player of the game. got a game ball. Um I think played his most consistent and most physical game. I think that’s a testament to the work that that he’s put in in the offseason. Um again, Sam individually, you know, really embodies our our culture and our enthusiasm to to go to work. Like he’s got an infectious energy that, you know, really rubs off on everyone in the building around him. Um you know, he was a guy that this past year, you know, there’s there’s only a few pockets in the year where, you know, like our guys are off off, right? And you know, particularly over the summer where they have an extended break, like Sam didn’t leave. Like, hey, like this this is important, right? And I need to get better. I need to work at X, Y, and Z. And so, it’s like again, it’s one thing to talk about it. It’s something completely different to do it and to invest your time in it. And so, he’d be here, he’d get keys to the equipment shed so he could work on his skills. And again, like it’s great things take time individually and collectively. He’s been on a unique journey the places that he’s, you know, transferred to and from and at some point in time he’s been an offensive lineman. At some point in time has been a defensive lineman. But like finding who he truly is and stepping into his authentic self and the leadership up front — you know it’s fun like we kind of share the walls here and I can hear the energy that they have and they’re meeting while I’m with my guys in here and um you know he’s a guy that’s always front and center him and Christian Clay man they’ve really elevated their game and there’s still so much more room for growth but I was really pleased with the effort that the two of them both had.
You find the water here not as clear as in some places you’ve worked?
No, this is just that’s some vitamins, guys. Some vitamins. You can tell I’m a little horse, right? Like it’s been a short week. So what? Now what? Like better better performance through chemistry here. It’s my Hulk drink. You know, like the uh Space Jam Bugs where Bugs Bunnies looking at MJ’s secret stuff. This is my secret stuff.
People look at that 6-3 score (vs NIU) and they go, “Ah, you know,” but in in your world as a head coach, what information can you tell people about just how difficult it is to win any kind of an FBS game anywhere?
I mean, look around the landscape of college football any single weekend, right? Like, it is hard to win, guys. And you have to have a humility and a hunger to go earn the right to call yourself a winner again. And so our kids have leaned into it, right? Like, yeah, there’s not a whole lot of style points. We’re going to look at that one, right? As a program and say, man, that was that was it. That was beautiful, right? But, I mean, when you look at it defensively, that’s a work of art. You know, I mean, creating turnovers, getting stops, rallying, responding, playing physical. And then again there’s so much that came out of that game that doesn’t show up in the stat book and that’s the stuff that I care about, right? Like the scoreboard is going to take care of itself and I know we got to score more points and I know we got to have more explosives and that’s going to come. Like I get that, but again, like I don’t know what their overall win loss record is at that place over the years, but that’s a hard place to win now. That’s a darn good program, right? Like they have a section in their building called the Boneyard for all the P4 teams that they’ve beaten, right? And they do a good job making sure that as an opponent, like you see all that stuff all the time, right?
So again, like to go on the road, all right, and all the comparisons that have been made about last year and this year, okay, well, we did that last year. We went on the road really far away from home, had adversity in the travel, go into MAC country, and we come up short. Okay, that’s done. All right. Well, we went on the road, we were met with adversity. The guys showed character. They showed resilience. They showed connection. They showed fight. They showed toughness. They showed love to finish together. And they found a way to win. Like there was good energy on the boundary. There was good encouragement. There was good enthusiasm. Three and one coming out of conference play. I think we all would have signed up for that at the start of the year. And again, as great as that is, it doesn’t matter. We got to get better. Again because we know what we signed up for. And I love our fans. They are fanatical. And I love them. I can’t wait to see them on Friday show up and be fanatical for us and generate more, you know, illegal procedures and false start penalties and all that they’ve done since day one since we’ve been here. All right. And build off and be better from where we were last time against Cal, right? Like cool.
You guys got high standards for us. Awesome. I love it. I love it. I got high standards for our city, too. I need 1% of San Diego County to show up so we can sell out Snapdragon Stadium. I need 1% of San Diego County to show up so we can sell out Snapdragon Stadium. And then how cool is that environment going to be? How electric will that be for our kids? How much will that energy feed our kids and be an energy source to generate explosive plays to strain and then to make it so much more challenging and so much harder to win for a road team to come in. If 1% of San Diego County could show up and pack Snapdragon Stadium this Friday and cheer on their Aztecs—their only football team in town. How cool would that be? That’d be cool. That’d be cool.
Are you guys gonna do some things similar to the CAL game as far as getting fans?
Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I’m going to school again on Wednesday and Thursday. I’ll be back in the classroom, back in the community in that regard. I can’t wait to see where I get to go learn, spread some positivity. My guy Billy from Philly on campus at Broken Yolk is going to do some things. He’s going to come with me. We’re going to spread out some food and some cheer in that way as well. We got some things working in the community. Also, there’s going to be some game day giveaways that are going on. So, yeah, I mean, we’re going to double down our efforts. We’re going to reinvest in it. Obviously, it was a positive net impact where we got over 31,000 tickets that were out. And again, I can’t wait for more to show up and show out and be a part of what we’re doing and what we’re building. And there’ll be some other cool things that are going to be happening a little bit later as well that, you know, will, I think, generate some buzz and some excitement also for this Friday night.
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