Sept. 13, 2005
Head Coach Rocky Long
(on changing the team’s routine during the week of a rivalry game): “We don’t do anything different. Back in the days when we played the fight song and things like that (at practice) it was to get our team used to the crowd because that was the only game those first couple of years that we had those crowds. Now we play in front of pretty good crowds at home and in front of pretty good crowds on the road, so were used to the crowd noise.”
(on looking past New Mexico State’s record in preparation for Saturday’s game): “I think it’s hard to predict how a rivalry game will come out. You look at other rivalry games and the same things happen. The latest one is TCU. They beat Oklahoma, which is one of the greatest victories in the school’s history, and then they play their rivals right across the street, who haven’t won more than two games the last three years, and they lose to SMU. In college football there is so much emotion involved and so much of a momentum swing when something goes wrong or right. You can never tell who is going to win. A rivalry game has higher emotions so there is a lot more of a chance of momentum swinging on any given play. Rivalry games are more up for grabs than a normal game is I think.”
(on the team’s approach this week after beating Missouri): “Well I hope our team approaches New Mexico State like we always approach New Mexico State every year. We know it’s going to be a hard fought game. We know its going to be really close. A key play or two is going to decide who wins. Now that I have been able to watch them on their films New Mexico State is a lot better football team than the scores indicate. They’re playing sound and hard and playing pretty good on defense and other than a few execution errors that have really hurt them on offense, they are really close to exploding on offense. They should have scored three touchdowns against Colorado. I read the news reports and you would have thought New Mexico State didn’t even show up, but New Mexico State moved the ball efficiently at times and then wouldn’t execute in the red zone or they would have scored 21 points. Going to Colorado and being in their first year with a new coaching staff that would have been respectable. They are a lot better football team then the scores indicate.”
(on the NMSU offense): “They run Texas Tech. They’re not exactly the same, but their philosophy and everything is based like Texas Tech’s offense is. They run the ball a little bit, but they don’t run the option. It’s not the spread option offense that everybody is going to. It’s a lot more like Texas Tech.”
(on the Aggie defense): “They are a 50 defense and are very sound. They are going to make you drive the ball, so they play zone coverages and keep the ball in front of them on passes. They play really hard and run to the ball well against the running game. They give up very few big plays, so you have to be consistent on offense and drive the football. Now they have a tendency on third and long to bring the house and that’s about the only time they blitz. We send four or five guys and they consider that a blitz, but when they blitz they are sending seven or eight, so when they come, they come.”
(on comparing Aggie LB Jimmy Cottrell to former Lobo Brian Urlacher): “[Cottrell] is a great college football player. He could start for any team in this country. He has good ability and what looks like great desire. He looks like he wants to make every tackle and he plays that way. He is an inside linebacker on a 50 scheme. They will cover him up sometimes where they put a guy on the guard and a guy on the tackle and have him stacked behind him so it’s hard to block him, but no they don’t use him like we used Urlacher. He’s a true inside linebacker.”
Junior Quarterback Kole McKamey
(on the success of the team has had so far): “It’s exciting. Right now, we’re at a point in our program where this big win (over Missouri) has done huge things for us in our confidence, emotions and for our coaching staff. We’re also at a point in this program, where nobody is going to remember us five years down the line if we’re the 2005 team that started off 2-0, but then didn’t do anything after that. That’s the most important thing. We got to keep rolling. We can’t let down.”
(on Hank Baskett): “He’s the man. He comes up with clutch plays. That’s just someone knowing how to play football. He gets himself open to make good plays and you can’t ask for anymore than that.”
(on New Mexico State): “The Aggies are going to play their best game of the year against us. They always do and so it’s important for us to take this game very seriously. They may not be as talented as Missouri, but they’re going to play harder than Missouri. The Aggies will keep fighting I think because of the rivalry between the two teams. So, that’s something to keep in mind.”
“It’s a personal game for everybody who grew up in New Mexico. It’s a hugerivalry. This is what makes college football worth it, playing games likethis.”
Senior Wide Receiver Hank Baskett III
(on the team’s confidence level): “Oh, it’s very high. I think it’s the biggest thing we got from that game. Especially for the young guys who are just coming in and playing their first road game. To beat Missouri, a Big 12 team, at their home opener, definitely brings home so much confidence.”
(on repeating his performance at Missouri): “It’s always hard to do that. Everyone was excited and I was excited, but what I did last week is last week. It’s what I do this week and I know it is going to get a lot harder in the season. I’m not greedy at all.”
(on the Lobos’ multiple weapons on offense): “For a long time everyone used to know it was going to be DonTrell (Moore) to the right or the left. We only threw in extreme emergencies. Now it is so much easier to take the pressure off of him and spread it around a little bit. Then once you turn your back on him, DonTrell will surprise you and have a 200-yard game.”
Sophomore Safety Tyson Ditmore
(on his decision to sign with UNM out of high school): “It was just a hunch feeling. I really liked the coaches out here, really like the program and wanted to come here to Albuquerque. I think my decision to come here was probably the best one I have made in my life.”
(on New Mexico State’s season thusfar): “I think that you just have to look past the first two games and realize that they are a solid football team. We’ve been fortunate to win our first two games. We’ve been on fire to start. Knowing that it is the rivalry and that they do have a lot of good athletes out there makes you realize that you can’t underestimate a team like New Mexico State.”