Sept. 17, 2005
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
NEW MEXICO HEAD COACH Rocky Long
“When you’re a big favorite coming into the game and they have the underdog’s emotion working for them – and we’ve been underdogs around here for a long time- it’s much easier to get ready to play. It’s hard to get ready to play after a big victory with everbody telling you that you’re going to win by a bunch of points. Our team showed some maturity and I thought we really got ready to play, and played really well for three quarters. We played a bunch of guys that you could tell aren’t ready to play in the fourth quarter and it didn’t look very good.”
(On DonTrell Moore’s rushing record):
“That’s a record that we knew he was going to get and I’m glad he got it against them. He’s a New Mexico kid at the University of New Mexico and he breaks the all-time record against New Mexico State – how does it get better than that?”
(On quarterback Kole McKamey’s performance):
“I thought he played well the last couple games of last season and he’s continued to play well. The more comfortable he gets with the offense the better he’ll play. New Mexico State did some nice things on defense. They have to make sure that Hank wasn’t in one-on-one by coverage and when they do that we’ve got to be able to run the ball. DonTrell had a real good night. If they want to come in here and stop DonTrell then Hank’s going to have another big night.”
(On McKamey’s decision making on the line of scrimmage):
“From the sidelines he gets two or three plays he can call and he bases which of those three plays he calls on the defense. He’s been doing a really good job of it.”
(On tonight’s game being a confidence builder):
“I was really impressed with the way they got ready to play. I’ve been around a lot of football teams around here and when we win a big game we’ve tended to pat ourselves on the back and this team didn’t do that. This team got themselves ready to play.”
(On the play of the defense):
“I thought the defense really played well for three quarters, but when we put the reserves in it looked really bad. We could have kept the starters in there and it could have been 38-7 or maybe worse. But the kids practice really hard and they deserve to play. When coaches start worrying about statistics I think they’re missing the point of college football. If you have a chance to put the reserves in that practice all the time, then put them in. If it means they gain 200 more yards and score two more touchdowns then who cares.
NEW MEXICO STATE HEAD COACH HAL MUMME
“I told the team that we are going to look at some plays that we won’t be very happy with. We had a roughing the punter early in the game which got us way off synch on offense and we sat on the bench for eight or nine minutes. I really like the way we battled. I thought the offense battled, as well as the defense, which is a big improvement. The offense hadn’t been making plays – it’s not that they haven’t been trying, but tonight they made some plays. The real positive that came out of tonight was Justin Buries, the running back – a really nice job running the football.”
(On how they struggled running the football):
“Buries, he finished with 20 carries, 115 yards. He had a pretty good night, he ran the ball hard between the tackles. He really, really blocked well. New Mexico has a great team and they are a very senior and junior-laden team on offense and it is really showing for them. They were able to keep our offense off the field with some drives. Our kids battled hard on defense but they are some good football players. Hats off to Coach Long and his staff.”
(On how they played two quarterbacks tonight, Royal Gill and Joey Vincent):
“I thought we needed a spark and Royal had a nice play to Paul (Dombrowski) early in the second quarter and got us back in the game, but then we had the interception at the end of the half and it cost us a field goal. To open the second half, we had another interception to cost us a touchdown. I just thought at that point that the team needed a lift. I think Joey did a good job. For as few snaps as our backup guys get during the week, we asked him to go in and spark the team up and I thought he did that. He got us down for two scoring drives. Overall I think he had a very good performance.”
New Mexico senior RB DonTrell Moore
(on breaking the UNM career rushing record):
“It’s exciting because it came in the context of a win and we’re undefeated. The record – it’s pretty crazy to think that that could be accomplished, but I’m excited about it.”
(on his growing confidence level):
“It’s kind of a bounce-back game. I got pulled early, so who knows what I could’ve ended up with, but we got the W and hopefully it will get this team rolling into UTEP which is a very important game for us next week.”
(on the Lobos’ offensive success):
“I think we’re doing well. We have a chance to be really good. We’re not 100 percent as good as we can be, but we see signs of a dominant offense. I’m just glad that we’re helping our team this year and we’re not necessarily relying on our defense.”
New Mexico senior CB Gabriel Fulbright
(on his interceptions tonight):
“The coaches have been calling a good defensive game. We were in zone on both of the interceptions and I had my head on a swivel. Sometimes the QB doesn’t see me. I’m so little that I can hide behind somebody then come from out of nowhere and get a pick.”
(on tying the MWC career interceptions record):
“I didn’t know that, but it feels real good. Just knowing that my persistence and all the time I’ve spent working has paid off. All the time I’ve spent with the coaches – it’s all coming together.”
New Mexico senior C Ryan Cook
(on the offensive line’s performance tonight):
“I’d say we did good. We pretty much dominated up front and I think we had a pretty good line surge, getting DonTrell up the field.”
(on helping DonTrell get the UNM rushing record):
“It’s definitely a great thing for him and it’s a tribute to the offensive linemen that are here now and those in the past. Getting him the record – he deserves it.”