Sept. 25, 2007
Head Coach Rocky Long
Listen to Long’s Press Conference
(on the two top offenses in the MWC going head-to-head on Saturday):
“After watching them on film and watching us on film, if we’re going to have a chance to win it’s going to be a high scoring event. They seem to move the ball really well against every one they’ve played. They struggled a little bit in their first game. I think they won 20-7 against Arizona. We’ve moved the ball really well in the last three weeks, but struggled a little bit against UTEP. We moved the ball well, but didn’t score any points. I would guess that, if the two offenses are ranked that high in the conference, it should be a high scoring affair.”
(on the difference in the UNM offense vs. BYU’s offense):
“They’re more of a spread type offense. We would like to establish the run and use play-action pass or at least use the run to keep the pressure off the quarterback when he drops back and throws. They’re more of a throw first and run second. Their run is to keep you honest, but they want to throw it. Our run is to set up the pass. So they are complete opposites.”
(on playing and possibly beating BYU):
“It’s always fun to beat BYU. They’re the defending conference champs and they have such a history and tradition about their program. They’re held in high regard and I think it’s all been earned. So playing one of the better teams in your conference or one of the better teams in the country and to have a chance to win – that would be pretty exciting and that would be fun, but I’m pretty sure they have something to say about that.”
(on his team’s maturity):
“That was the best thing about last week. After two emotional wins your team could take a day off or emotionally take a day off, but our team got ready to play. That’s the sign of a pretty mature football team. I think we are stepping way up in class this week though. I think it’s going to take more than us being focused this week to win this football game.”
(on what concerns him about BYU’s team):
“Everything concerns me. They’re a big, strong, physical football team at the line of scrimmage or at the defensive line and linebackers, and their offensive line and their running backs are big, strong, physical guys. You could tell when they played Air Force. Air Force is a good football team, but couldn’t match the physical dominance of BYU. We’ll have the same challenge that Air Force had trying to hold up against the offensive line of BYU. Their running backs are big, strong guys too that can make you miss, but they’d just as soon run over you.”
Junior NT Wesley Beck
Listen to Beck’s Press Conference
(on the team’s mind set starting conference play):
“It’s been shown in the preseason with different wins and losses from different teams in our conference. I think this conference is wide open. I think every game is going to be tight because no game is going to be a let-down game, and I think every game we are going to bring our A game.”
Senior OG Bart Miller
Listen to Miller’s Press Conference
(on the rivalry between UNM and BYU):
“They are definitely one our biggest rivals, especially in conference. They are a good football team and we’ve kind of had some battles through the years. They have been on the winning side the last couple of years so I think that has fueled the fire, especially with them winning conference last year and beating us to clinch the conference title. That’s something we take kind of personally.”