Head coach Dick Tomey offers his views on the start of the 2006 college football season, the Washington Huskies and how the Spartans are making progress during the August 28 San Jose State University football press conference.

Click here for the question and answer video between the Spartans' head coach and the media from the August 28 press conference. Excerpts are below.

The next San Jose State University football weekly press conference is Tuesday, September 5, at 1:00 p.m.

Coach Tomey Quotes from Monday Press Conference (8/28)

ANTICIPATION FOR WASHINGTON

"It's great to get started with the season, and it's a great time of year for anyone that loves college football.  We are extremely excited to get started, and anxious to hit somebody you don't know, and we get to do that Saturday against the University of Washington.

"I'm real excited about the work our guys have put in, and we are very anxious to see what we can do this week against a solid football team.  We are very confident in our guys, and we are going up to Seattle on Saturday to get a victory."

QUARTERBACK SITUATION

"The position is being played right now better in all facets than it was at any time last year.  Both Adam Tafralis and Sean Flynn will play in Saturday's game, and that was our expectation going into the season.

"Starting at this point of the season does not mean a lot.  I don't believe you earn a starting job in practice; you become a starter by what you do in the games.  We are going to use these first three or four games to hopefully arrive at a starter at quarterback."

EXCITED FOR HOME SCHEDULE

"We are very excited about our home schedule.  We played our best football at home last year.  Our home opener is against Stanford, which is great for our university and fans in the South Bay.  Our opponents at home are all very good, and we are looking forward to playing so many quality opponents in front of our fans.

WASHINGTON, HUSKY STADIUM POSE TOUGH TESTS

"I'm looking forward to seeing how our guys respond to playing on the road.  Washington has always been one of the toughest places to play.  The fans and students are rabid, and the stadium itself is very unique.  I have some great memories in Husky Stadium, and also some memories I would like to forget.

"We have great respect for Coach Tyrone Willingham and his staff.  I think he is a terrific coach.  He is the guy to build that program back to where it was as the premier program in the Pac-10.

YOUNG DEFENSE SHOWS PROMISE

"We are further along with our defense.  We understand the system better.  We are young and inexperienced, but we feel we have guys that can make plays on that side of the ball

"We have a lot of young players on defense, especially on our defensive front.  We have a lot of confidence in those guys after watching them grow through the spring practices and into early fall camp.  Many of these young guys will be given the opportunity to play, and this will allow us to establish some depth.