Player Quotes from MSU Tuesday Press Conference
10/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Quotes from DE Brad Smith and RB Demetrius Crawford, who participated in Tuesday's MSU Media Lunch...
DEFENSIVE END BRAD SMITH
The defensive line has been decimated by injuries, talk about the opportunity that presents. “It’s really unexpected. It seems like, especially up front, we’ve been getting sniped down one kid a week. But, it’s a good opportunity for guys like myself, Dan Ogden, Dustin O’Connell, all of us younger guys, to step up and prove to the older guys and our coaches that we can hold our own in there. It’s definitely a challenge, but I think so far we’re doing good. This week will be a big challenge for us, especially up front, to see if our younger guys can get it done.”
How important is playing in games early, like Adams State, in gaining experience? “It’s huge to get experience early on for myself and the younger guys. Later on in the season when you have to come in for someone who got injured we know what the speed’s like and what to expect throughout a game, and the ups and downs of a game. It’s big to have those kinds of games.”
Was the start of Saturday’s game a wake-up call for the defense? “They had a great offense, and we went through a lot of adversity right away with them driving right down the field and scoring on us, they didn’t even throw it on us that (first) series. They just ran it right up our gut. Every game you’re going to deal with adversity like that. A good defense will be able to deal with that well, like we did.”
Talk about your experience at halftime? “They had an X-ray machine right across the street, so they just took some X-rays of my hand to make sure it wasn’t broken. It wasn’t, so that was good news and I was able to come back and play. I never went to the hospital.”
How bad was the hand hurting? “It hurt, but during the game the adrenaline’s going so you don’t really feel that kind of pain. So it didn’t really bother me at all.”
How big is this game? “It’s going to be one of our tougher games, for sure. I mean, the whole Big Sky Conference is really good this year. Weber State stepped up big last week, beating the Griz. This is really going to be an important game for us to see where we’re going to stack up in the conference. They’re a ranked team now and one of the top teams in the Big Sky. To beat these guys would be a big step toward achieving our goals.”
How do you slow down a high-scoring team like Weber State? “They put up a lot of points. It just comes down to executing our game plan that the coaches are going to put together for us and playing with technique. You saw our defense fly around the last two weeks and play with a lot of enthusiasm, and that’s what we need to do to keep winning in the Big Sky, play with a lot of enthusiasm and fire.”
Chase Gazzerro has described the defense as a family, is that how it feels? “We really (buy) into that and believe that when one guy goes down the other steps up and fills his spot just fine. Everyone believes in that backup. We’re all getting along good and playing hard together. That’s what makes a team good. I’m happy to be a part of that kind of defense, to be able to trust everyone and to have people trust me, as well. It’s a good feeling.”
How much of an advantage is Weber State’s experience on offense compared to MSU’s inexperience? “It might be an advantage. We went from having a really experienced D-line to having one of the youngest D-lines in the whole conference. But if we play with good technique, I think technique and desire can overcome experience.”
RUNNING BACK DEMETRIUS CRAWFORD
How much emphasis do you guys place on this week’s game? “It’s a must win. It’s more (so) now that two top teams got knocked off. It’s a perfect opportunity for us to … make a statement in the Big Sky that we’re a team to be reckoned with.”
How difficult is the Big Sky this year? “It’s real difficult. It seems like anybody can win any given week. Teams have to be on their A game every single week, and as far as that goes we have to put up big wins every week. We come out every practice and say we want to be Big Sky champions, and this will be a big test, right here.”
With the defense playing stout and the offense playing well, are things starting to click? “We can’t come out and come out flat at all. We have to have momentum every week. We saw what happened with two top teams. Our team … we just have to come out Saturday and keep rolling.”
With the injuries on defense, does the offense have to come out and pick up the slack? “We do. But we have other guys on defense that can make plays, you know, I’m not worried about that at all. We practice and do everything that we need to do. Those guys that have to come in and take up the big roles, I’m not worried about that. I think those guys will come in and do a good job.”
At ISU the stats didn’t look great but the running game was still productive, what was the running game like last week? “It was hard. That’s something I expect every week. Those guys are going to be keying on the run a lot, and that’s going to help our passing game. Our passing game stepped up a lot, too. We didn’t have any turnovers passing the ball. I might have had a fumble, but that’s something that is going to help us in the long run. If they have to balance out whether they can stop the run then that is going to open up the passing game. Cody is going to be able to make better reads if they’re keying on me, the receivers are going to be able to make catches. That’s something that can go hand-in-hand. Teams are going to have to figure that they can’t key on the run, they have to stop passes, as well. It’s going to be a 50-50 thing. If teams are keying on me, like I expect, that’s perfect, because then the passing game will be opened up a lot.”
How excited are you to go up against a team that also rushes the ball well? “We’re just going to have to see what happens. We’re just going to have to see what happens. I have confidence in my O-line, my tight ends, my receivers, as well, because everyone’s blocking real well. Our defensive line, we might be hurting … but everybody’s going to do what they have to do. I’m not worried about that at all. Weber State, they’ve got a good offensive line and a good running back, but we have a good run defense.”
Talk about how the running game has evolved into a team concept? “I like when Cody runs the ball, a lot. If we run a little fake to me, everybody’s coming to me and there’s a lane for him to run. When CJ gets in for short yardage, I know if it’s third-and-one I’m like, ‘OK, let me get out real fast.’ That’s fine. (laughter) CJ’s doing a good job, he’s getting a lot of my touchdowns (laughter), but that’s fine, we have camaraderie, I know he’ll get the job done. I know Cody, when he gets the open field, he’s got moves, he’s spinning. I like seeing that out of those guys, it’s nice.”
DEFENSIVE END BRAD SMITH
The defensive line has been decimated by injuries, talk about the opportunity that presents. “It’s really unexpected. It seems like, especially up front, we’ve been getting sniped down one kid a week. But, it’s a good opportunity for guys like myself, Dan Ogden, Dustin O’Connell, all of us younger guys, to step up and prove to the older guys and our coaches that we can hold our own in there. It’s definitely a challenge, but I think so far we’re doing good. This week will be a big challenge for us, especially up front, to see if our younger guys can get it done.”
How important is playing in games early, like Adams State, in gaining experience? “It’s huge to get experience early on for myself and the younger guys. Later on in the season when you have to come in for someone who got injured we know what the speed’s like and what to expect throughout a game, and the ups and downs of a game. It’s big to have those kinds of games.”
Was the start of Saturday’s game a wake-up call for the defense? “They had a great offense, and we went through a lot of adversity right away with them driving right down the field and scoring on us, they didn’t even throw it on us that (first) series. They just ran it right up our gut. Every game you’re going to deal with adversity like that. A good defense will be able to deal with that well, like we did.”
Talk about your experience at halftime? “They had an X-ray machine right across the street, so they just took some X-rays of my hand to make sure it wasn’t broken. It wasn’t, so that was good news and I was able to come back and play. I never went to the hospital.”
How bad was the hand hurting? “It hurt, but during the game the adrenaline’s going so you don’t really feel that kind of pain. So it didn’t really bother me at all.”
How big is this game? “It’s going to be one of our tougher games, for sure. I mean, the whole Big Sky Conference is really good this year. Weber State stepped up big last week, beating the Griz. This is really going to be an important game for us to see where we’re going to stack up in the conference. They’re a ranked team now and one of the top teams in the Big Sky. To beat these guys would be a big step toward achieving our goals.”
How do you slow down a high-scoring team like Weber State? “They put up a lot of points. It just comes down to executing our game plan that the coaches are going to put together for us and playing with technique. You saw our defense fly around the last two weeks and play with a lot of enthusiasm, and that’s what we need to do to keep winning in the Big Sky, play with a lot of enthusiasm and fire.”
Chase Gazzerro has described the defense as a family, is that how it feels? “We really (buy) into that and believe that when one guy goes down the other steps up and fills his spot just fine. Everyone believes in that backup. We’re all getting along good and playing hard together. That’s what makes a team good. I’m happy to be a part of that kind of defense, to be able to trust everyone and to have people trust me, as well. It’s a good feeling.”
How much of an advantage is Weber State’s experience on offense compared to MSU’s inexperience? “It might be an advantage. We went from having a really experienced D-line to having one of the youngest D-lines in the whole conference. But if we play with good technique, I think technique and desire can overcome experience.”
RUNNING BACK DEMETRIUS CRAWFORD
How much emphasis do you guys place on this week’s game? “It’s a must win. It’s more (so) now that two top teams got knocked off. It’s a perfect opportunity for us to … make a statement in the Big Sky that we’re a team to be reckoned with.”
How difficult is the Big Sky this year? “It’s real difficult. It seems like anybody can win any given week. Teams have to be on their A game every single week, and as far as that goes we have to put up big wins every week. We come out every practice and say we want to be Big Sky champions, and this will be a big test, right here.”
With the defense playing stout and the offense playing well, are things starting to click? “We can’t come out and come out flat at all. We have to have momentum every week. We saw what happened with two top teams. Our team … we just have to come out Saturday and keep rolling.”
With the injuries on defense, does the offense have to come out and pick up the slack? “We do. But we have other guys on defense that can make plays, you know, I’m not worried about that at all. We practice and do everything that we need to do. Those guys that have to come in and take up the big roles, I’m not worried about that. I think those guys will come in and do a good job.”
At ISU the stats didn’t look great but the running game was still productive, what was the running game like last week? “It was hard. That’s something I expect every week. Those guys are going to be keying on the run a lot, and that’s going to help our passing game. Our passing game stepped up a lot, too. We didn’t have any turnovers passing the ball. I might have had a fumble, but that’s something that is going to help us in the long run. If they have to balance out whether they can stop the run then that is going to open up the passing game. Cody is going to be able to make better reads if they’re keying on me, the receivers are going to be able to make catches. That’s something that can go hand-in-hand. Teams are going to have to figure that they can’t key on the run, they have to stop passes, as well. It’s going to be a 50-50 thing. If teams are keying on me, like I expect, that’s perfect, because then the passing game will be opened up a lot.”
How excited are you to go up against a team that also rushes the ball well? “We’re just going to have to see what happens. We’re just going to have to see what happens. I have confidence in my O-line, my tight ends, my receivers, as well, because everyone’s blocking real well. Our defensive line, we might be hurting … but everybody’s going to do what they have to do. I’m not worried about that at all. Weber State, they’ve got a good offensive line and a good running back, but we have a good run defense.”
Talk about how the running game has evolved into a team concept? “I like when Cody runs the ball, a lot. If we run a little fake to me, everybody’s coming to me and there’s a lane for him to run. When CJ gets in for short yardage, I know if it’s third-and-one I’m like, ‘OK, let me get out real fast.’ That’s fine. (laughter) CJ’s doing a good job, he’s getting a lot of my touchdowns (laughter), but that’s fine, we have camaraderie, I know he’ll get the job done. I know Cody, when he gets the open field, he’s got moves, he’s spinning. I like seeing that out of those guys, it’s nice.”
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