Opening Statement

I'll talk a little bit about the New Mexico State game. Our young men came out playing really hard in the beginning. We had a few big plays that put New Mexico State on their heels and our guys just kept playing hard.

We came out fast and furious in the second half and had 75 yards in two plays. We were able to play our whole football team which was a lot of fun for those young men and allowed the guys to get more experience because you will definitely need it down the road as you have different injuries. I was really pleased with how hard we played. It was a fun day for us.

We are getting ready to play BYU. They are a very good football team and they beat us last year at their place. We are excited about it being on ESPN2 and it's a big, big football game. I would say with BYU coming to town and everything, it is one of the biggest games in, I would say, modern history of San Jose State football.

It is a big deal that we are excited about. It kind of reminds me a little bit of Navy coming in last year about the same time of the year. BYU is bowl-eligible like we are and we are excited about playing. They have a really good quarterback, Riley Nelson. He has been beat up a little bit, but he is a good playmaker. Their defense is phenomenal. They are big, strong; they are athletic; and they do a lot of great things. It is going to be a very tough contest for us.

 I know our kids are excited about playing in front of a packed house here at Spartan Stadium. We love all of our people to be here in full force and we expect our whole student body to be there loud and cheering. It is going to be an exciting night this weekend.

Q: What makes this game against BYU a meaningful game?

I think that it makes it a meaningful game at the end of November especially for our program. They are a national big name coming here to town and they haven't played here since 1968. I think that is a big deal for us and for them coming here and playing in the Bay Area. We are pumped about that. They are bowl eligible, we are bowl eligible and that is two very, very good football teams playing each other on a Saturday night on national television. For a college kid and a college head football coach it doesn't get much better than that with a meaningful game at the end of November.

Q: What having recognition in the polls do for the football program?

I think that anytime we get recognition nationally in the different polls it is great for our kids and for our program. It gets our name out there and helps with us in our recruiting. It makes people proud to be in our program and I think it is a big pride factor. Our young men and coaches have worked hard and they have earned that recognition and if we keep winning we will keep getting that recognition.