UH-San Jose State Pregame Quotes

About how they want to repeat as WAC champions, Mack said:
"We're defending last year's team's championship. Our goal is to win the WAC championship." (HA)

About how he's changed from dividing their season into segments to focusing on:
"winning one game a week. If you start talking about the streaks and how many times we've beaten this team or that team and winning the rest of the games, it gets too mind-boggling. I've tried to simplify it for the players and the coaches. It's our focus to win one game a week. And then we need to accomplish that, and go to the next one, and win one game that week." (HA)

"All we're thinking about is doing everything we can as a team to beat San Jose State. All the rest of it doesn't matter. When you start thinking about all that stuff, it all gets bogged down. All we want to do is win one game a week." (HSB)


About how they want to repeat as WAC champions, Ryan Mouton said:
"It's very important. We have to come out and play like we're WAC champs. We'd better defend (the title) because everybody wants it." (HA)


About the struggles of their offense (last in the country in 3rd down conversion % and turnover ratio, 103rd nationally in scoring and total offense), offensive coordinator Ron Lee said:
"They just need to play together. Now we're starting to get some continuity and I see us getting better. The last two weeks were really good for us." (HSB)


About his blocking ability, David Farmer said:
"I think it's a tenacity thing. It's just getting in there and having the will to protect the quarterback. I'm worried about not letting down the other 10 guys on the field. My job is blocking that one guy so he doesn't get to (the quarterback)." (HA)


Excited about having Farmer back to be their power back, where he could run the ball as well as block, Mack said:
"He made a run the other day that made him look like Larry Csonka. I'm excited about Dave Farmer. He brings an addition to our package. We haven't had that big running back all season." (HA)


About their team goal to have the opponent start inside the 35 after a kickoff, Dan Kelly said:
"We need the better field position, period." (HA)

"I set our goal a little higher. Anything outside the 25 is considered a failure for me." (HA)

HA Note: "Of his 11 kickoffs this season, five have resulted in touchbacks. But the other six are landing, on average, at the 18."


About how losing Guyton Galdeira hurt their special teams this year, Jake Ingram said:
"We have a lot of the same guys, but losing Guyton hurt. He inspired people, and he hit people." (HSB)

HSB Note: "And he did it while listed at 5-feet-7 and 155 pounds. He may have been 155, but the 5-7 was Bill Gates generous."

Worried about what Coach Tomey will try on special teams, Ikaika Malloe said:
"We've got to be ready for anything. And we've got some crazy guys to do the job. The size of them might surprise some people, but they can do it." (HSB)

About the starters (Sol, Adam Leonard, Calvin Roberts) they will be using on special teams, Ikaika Malloe said:
"I think they'll boost energy, momentum, enthusiasm — all of those things you want before the defense goes on the field." (HA)

About the adjustments they made on kick coverage, Malloe said:
"We weren't doing well at all, so we moved some personnel around, changed schemes to make it a little simpler and we put a lot of time into it." (HSB)


About how Coach Tomey has changed from his old conservative offense to a more diversified offense, Rich Miano said:
"Dick Tomey has really diversified offensively." (HA)

"I never thought you'd see that from Dick Tomey. That's the college game. You've seen elements in the NFL. He has really diversified his attack. It's pretty scary. And they've got talented, skilled athletes at quarterback and running back." (HA)

HA Note: "The Spartans can align in a spread formation (with one back or an empty backfield), or a pro set (two backs, two receivers and a tight end), or a king formation (two tight ends). The quarterback can receive the snap from under center or in a shotgun. In the spread formation, the Spartans use the West Coast principles of short, ball-control passes. Against San Diego State, the Spartans rushed for 293 yards and five touchdowns. Against Stanford, they completed 23 of 26 passes with no interceptions."


About Yonus Davis, Mack said:
"He hits holes with power, and if he gets a crease on you he can take it to the house. He's a real offensive weapon." (HSB)


About SJSU's DL, OL coach Brian Smith said:
"They're fast, they're athletic, they've been playing with this group for the last two years and they added a transfer from USC (Schweiger), so they're better up front than they were last year." (HSB)