Sept. 4, 2007
Head Coach Rocky Long
Long’s press conference audio
Long’s Press Conference Video
On the rivalry between UNM and NMSU:
“I think it puts a little more emphasis on the game because it is a rivalry. I think our team, in practice this morning, was still hurting a little bit from our loss in El Paso. We figure that’s a rivalry game too. This is another one. It’s a little closer to home since we come from the same state. Because I played here I always thought the New Mexico State game was something special and I still do.”
On New Mexico State’s all around improvement:
“I think they are better on offense than they were last year. I thought they were a very good offensive football team last year. I think they’ve all matured. A lot of their key players, quarterback, wide receivers have all matured since last year and I think they are better now than they were then. I think their defense is improved. I think they have a little more size on defense. It looks like they are a little quicker and faster on defense. They’re a better football team than they were last year.”
On how to pick his team up after a loss:
“If you’re not a competitor, you lay down and die. If you are a competitor, by about Thursday you get excited about playing the next game. We talk about the rivalry game and we talk about the team that we are playing, what they do well what they don’t do so well, we talk about all that, but I think that a good competitor will get ready to play no matter what, and being a rivalry game it makes it that much easier.”
On the importance of offensive execution:
“… You work on your red zone offense more in practice and try to improve your execution at that end of the field. At this level it’s total execution. New Mexico State runs a great offense, but it’s not a great offense unless the quarterback and wide receivers execute it. Our offense is no different. We run a great offense too. It’s a great offense if we execute, it’s not if we don’t.”
Senior Center Vince Natali
Natali’s press conference audio
On the UTEP game:
“It’s definitely disappointing not finishing the game off against UTEP, we had a lot of opportunities, a lot of missed opportunities. We had a lot of chances to put this game away and we didn’t do it. All across the line everyone is taking the blame, the responsibility.”
On the new offensive system:
“I think there is always a learning curve, there was one last year. There is going to be ups and downs with learning this new offense, but we’re going to put it all together and put on a good show.”
On this week’s game vs. New Mexico State:
“We didn’t win the game and we are really eager to come back and show we can do this week against New Mexico State.”
On the rivalry between the Lobos and Aggies:
“You will see both teams want to hit each other. The team that competes longer and harder will win this game.”
Senior Defensive End Tyler Donaldson
Donaldson’s press conference audio
On facing New Mexico State’s offense:
“If we can hold them, I don’t know how well you can stop it, but as a pass rusher I love it. They are going to throw the ball 50 or 60 times during the game.”
On the UNM offense helping to keep the NMSU offense off the field:
“If the offense can control the ball like they did in the last game, it means less time that their offense is on the field, which means less time for them to make plays. It helps us as a defense because they are going to be running around which may make us a little more tired than usual.”
On the rivalry between the two teams:
“There is a lot of talking that goes on, but to me this rivalry is huge, I’m from Georgia and I told my friends who wanted to come to a Lobo game to come to this one because this is going to be the best one.”
“I play all the games the same, but this one you’re definitely going to have an extra adrenaline rush. All the fans are going to be out their cheering for you and that makes you play even harder.”