On if this is a good time for a bye week:
“It feels good. It’s early, I suppose, to have a bye. But part of the Hawaii scheduling, I think Bob (De Carolis) did a good job of getting the bye week after the trip. It would be tough duty to be starting game prep today, probably. We’re treating today for the players like Sunday (with no practice).”
Agree with this one. It is a good time for a bye, and I think if they had to practice and play on Saturday SDSU would be much tougher.
On being 2-0 heading into the bye week:
“We’re glad for our record and have a lot of work (to continue) to do. There was a lot of good football, and of course we melted down in some areas in the fourth quarter that will get everybody’s attention back pretty fast. It shows you how you can lose a little bit of an edge and they made some plays that, all of a sudden, it’s not so rosy anymore. So you’ve got to keep playing. But there was a lot of good football, so we’re pleased with that, and still a lot of things that we can continue to have to grow in.”
This is all pretty accurate, though vague…
On the difference between heading into a bye week after a win versus a loss:
“It’s a big deal. It’s good to have the wins and everybody has to realize we’re certainly far from perfect. The record’s good, but the football has to improve. That has to be a rallying point every week right now. But I was thinking about that. Boy, it would have been a long trip home and kind of a bad atmosphere had we lost the game, and then it would have been doubly bad to have to sit on that loss for two weeks. So it was good to win. Made the trip home a lot better, made the bye week a lot better.”
Dur…obviously a win is better than a loss. Riley is Caption Obvious here.
On the injuries coming out of the Hawaii game:
“I haven’t talked to the trainer since we actually left yesterday, even though we were on the plane. I did not hear anything, which is good news. D.J. (Alexander) had a sprained ankle and Jabral (Johnson) had an arm problem, but I think those were pretty well defined. I don’t know what D.J.’s status will be practicing tomorrow, but since we have a bye, I would be anticipating him being fine. And everything I heard about J.J. is good, too.”
He hasn’t talked to the trainer, even though they were on the plane together? Okaaay………………
On four consecutive games with a 100-yard rusher, dating back to last season:
“Yes, that felt good. There were some nice runs and some very consistent runs that were nice to see. We’ve just to keep pushing that hard. That really makes it for a better game when you can hit some runs consistently.”
He’s saying running feels good, but he doesn’t seem to believe it. Actions > words.
On if Chris Bown could get involved in the running game:
“I don’t know. It’s hard to plan for three (backs to get carries). We’ve got a pretty good older duo (with Storm Woods and Terron Ward). Chris Brown is a good football player, and I have no reservations about playing him at all. It’s just not that easy to do and fit it all in together. But I’d like to. And like I said, I have no reservations whatsoever (about) him playing.”
Is it hard? If back 1 or 2 aren’t doing the job, put in back 3. There…problem solved in exactly 1 second.
On the chance Isaac Seumalo returns for the San Diego State game:
“That’s, for sure, a wait-and-see (thing). I have no indicator at this point that he’ll be ready for the next game, but obviously getting closer to that date. But it’s too early to say when.”
I guess the guy who posted here that Seumalo would not play this year was wrong. This could be a huge boost if he returns healthy.
On the blocked punt against Hawaii:
“They overloaded and we didn’t adjust. Gave a guy a free angle to the ball. Those are bad things because as people watch us, they’ll smell blood in the water and we’ll see more and more of that. So we’re gonna have to do an extra-good job of punt protection.”
Dumb.
On Lavonte Barnett and Jalen Grimble getting starts on the defensive line:
“Lavonte, for sure, (earned that) from his first-game performance. And as I’ve mentioned on the interior, we’ll probably rotate that around because we feel like we at least have three starters in there that all deserve this opportunity, so that’s why Jalen started.”
Not sure what this is all about…the line rotates so who really cares who starts.
On receiver Victor Bolden’s performance against Hawaii:
“That’s a young group in general. We think of Victor being the old, grizzled vet, but he caught six balls last year and ran some fly sweeps. To have some growth through production is good and a little better picture of what we need to do in the passing game.”
I don’t think of Bolden as an old, grizzled vet. I think of him as a green, scrawny Deshawn Jackson light edition. He’s fine but definitely need someone else to step up.
On Brandin Cooks’ strong NFL debut with the New Orleans Saints:
“Not surprised. And I just saw a little ticker-tape deal that Markus Wheaton also got the start (for the Pittsburgh Steelers) and had six catches for 97 yards, so we had two pretty good players playing there the last few years.”
No surprise here, either.
On safety Justin Strong’s early impact as a redshirt freshman:
“Very instinctive player and he’s a good tackler. He’s a guy that should continue to grow in there, because he’s not afraid to make plays and tackle guys and has been really productive for a young player in his first couple games.”
Agree 100%. Strong stood out in game 1, too. His angles and tackling were exceptional.
On the improved red zone production against Hawaii:
“We gotta be better down there. Still not perfect, but some good things. We ran the ball in and we threw a couple in and so it was better, for sure, and played a big, big difference in that game.”
Didn’t he throw 3 times on 1st and goal during one possession? He’s addicted to passing. He thinks Mannion is someone he isn’t…he thinks passing records matter. He’s trying to force an “identity” of a high octane passing attack, when that isn’t how the roster is built.
On the early impressions of San Diego State:
“I have a lot of respect for that program. Rocky Long, and he’s got a veteran coaching staff that does a great job. And they finished the season real strong last year, so we’re in for another tough nonconference game.”
This game is more winnable than Hawaii, imo. Long is a good coach, though, and that will level things out.
On the bye week goals:
“I’ve got a list going right here in front of me that we’ll need to touch on as we go through the week. Some things we have to have in our game that we’re not accomplishing right now. And then just some clean-up stuff that we need to do. A n d then some situational stuff — some two-minute stuff and some silent-count stuff—because eventually we’ll get into some issues with noise. So it’s a good week to touch on all those things that we’re gonna either see in the next game or need to add to what we’re doing or improve what we’re doing or just be ready for the future.”
Gina missing the obvious follow up questions. “Some things we have to have in our game that we’re not accomplishing right now.”…like what? What clean up stuff? Etc. This is so vague.
On the Beavers still finding their identity:
“I think we made a better push toward that. I’m not sure offensively in the first game we had one. We did a little better with it offensively, and defensively I think that we played a lot of good defense. There were some disappointing things in the fourth quarter the other night, but we certainly need to grow and improve that stuff. We’re working toward a better picture, for sure.”
Ah! The old finding our identity line. Classic stuff. Riley is forcing an identity onto the team. He wants them to be a high octane passing squad when they’re more built to be balanced. Sean Mannion is going to set passing records, but I’d take about fifty guys off the all-time Pac-12 passing yard list ahead of him. Ask Warren Moon about passing yards and what they mean.
In general, this is classic Riley, and Gina didn’t really press him, which is disappointing.