Sept. 1, 2008

LOGAN, Utah -

USU head coach Brent Guy, junior defensive end Darby Golden and sophomore running back Robert Turbin recap the UNLV loss and preview this Saturday's game at No. 21 Oregon.

Head coach Brent Guy

On UNLV game:

"The film indicated like I mentioned after the game, it felt like the two turnovers were real critical as far as the field position that we gave up and the points we gave up on them. It was seven points on the first one and three on the second one."

"It felt like we started the game pretty fast offensively and moved the ball well. We had a pass the very first series that, had we caught it, would have been a very big play for us. Then we came out the very next series after they had scored and took the ball 12 plays in 80 yards. We made a nice drive and tied the score up."

"The inappropriate things I think were still penalties at inappropriate times. Like I mentioned, probably the most disappointing was getting the PI (pass interference) on the series and then they go three plays and 74 yards and score. They get the PI and a first and ten, then Summers gets probably the best run of the night and then the next play they throw the bubble screen and we have an unblocked player and can't make the tackle and they score. It was almost identical to the play we had at third and two late in the game when we threw the ball out to Curtis Marsh and we dropped the ball in the flat."

On improvements:

"There's a lot of stuff we can fix. We need to be better on third downs. Defensively two of the scores were third and goal. We had some trouble in third and sevens, they converted five third downs. That's not real terrible, five of 14 is not awful as far as defensively, but they were at critical times. We need to be a football team that realizes that those moments in the game are going to come up."

"It was unfortunate with Marquis (Butler) the fumble that happened to him. Marquis is going to be a good football player here. I think he will learn a valuable lesson there but we have to jump on that fumble instead of trying to field it."

On good things of the game:

"We were real pleased with one aspect of the game. Pete Caldwell was fantastic kicking and punting the football. He hit the only field goal opportunity that he had. Had we made the tackle on the real long punt where he kicked the ball at about the five yard line and the ball landed around the thirty it would have been a great night. We just missed the tackle. We were just pleased with both he and Chris (Ulinski) kicking the football."

"We just have to correct mistakes. We didn't turn the ball over defensively. One of the things that you always expect is one the other team turns the ball over you have to respond. We couldn't help our offense any that way. We couldn't shorten the field at any point. One of the most disappoint was the onside kick. Chris Ulinski hit that thing perfectly and we had two guys with an opportunity to field the football and couldn't do it. I think those are the plays you have to make in a game to win it, especially when you get down three scores, and we just couldn't do it."

On Oregon game:

"We'll have a great challenge this week in going to Oregon. It is a very hard place for an offensive team to go into and execute. It will be a challenge for our offense because of the type of environment that they have and they are as impressive an Oregon team as I have seen. I don't think I played against an Oregon team with as much talent offensively and defensively and even in the return game."

"The Oregon group that played against Washington looks like they have done a great job of revamping who they are. It doesn't even look like the same Mike Belloti offense that I defended for four years at Arizona State. They completely retooled even the blocking schemes and they style they are offensively. They are about the same on defense but offensively they are a completely different team. So that will be a challenge for us this week to go in there and improve on the things we did poorly this week."

On individuals who stood out in Saturday's game:

"First standout you would have to say is Pete averaging 46 yards a punt and making the only opportunity that he had at field goal. He stood out. Caleb Taylor played one of the best football games he has played for us. In the safety position he made a big stop on a third and three to give the ball back to our offense when we were down and needed a score to get back into it. He did not miss any tackles, which has been a problem in the past. Darby Golden really played well for us in the defensive line. We were pleased with his effort. Offensively Robert Turbin was a guy we were pleased with."

On running game:

"We didn't run the ball well from the running back position. We need to run the ball better. We averaged three yards a carry and that number needs to be higher."

On quarterbacks' play:

"Both quarterbacks at time played well. Sean Setzer opened the game, until he threw the interception, threw the ball and ran our offense very well. When Diondre came in he did a good job of making things happen. He ran the ball better than we did from the running back position. He did throw the ball well and accurately so we were pleased with both of those guys."

"We will play both of those guys [Setzer and Borel] in the Oregon game. I don't know exactly who will start. We will wait and see how we do in practice this week and announce somebody before the end of the week. Both of those guys are still going to play and we are going to need both of those guys all through the year. We are going to have two different styles of play but when they are on both of them play well."

On offenses differences:

"They (UNLV) made some good throws to the edges and then the bubble screen hurt us. We had more big plays then they did. They only had three plays over 20 yards and we had four in the passing game and Diondre had a 15 yard scramble which was close to another one. But they did a better job throwing it to the edge and underneath. We may just need to play more press coverage."

On preparing for large, loud atmosphere of Oregon's Autzen Stadium:

"The only way to do it is practice with the noise. We will come into the stadium with the offense and just turn the speakers on for the offensive team and practice with noise. These people know how to disrupt an offense. What I mean by that is they won't start yelling until you approach the line of scrimmage and they'll stand up and scream and as soon as the play is over they stop. Then they wait till you walk to the line of scrimmage again and they yell at the top of their lungs. They take pride in making teams jump and disrupting the offensive counts. We'll have to practice in the stadium because that is the only way we can create that type of noise."

Impressions of Oregon:

"They are not only fast on offense but defensively they are a very fast football team and as talented an Oregon team as I have seen as far as size and ability. Offensively they have a lot of guys that can run with the football and they spread it out. It is impressive to watch. They did a nice job of making big plays on Washington."

"It will be a great challenge for us both for the environment we will be in and the type of football team we will be playing. They deserve to be ranked where they are."

On how things went with the new rules:

"We didn't have any delays and the new rules didn't effective the game as much as I thought it would. We still had 70 snaps so it didn't effect the game like I thought it would."

Keys to the game against Oregon:

"We certainly have to hold on to the football against Oregon. You can't go into a place like that and turn the ball over. So that would be the number one priority. Then defensively we've got a lot of weapons we have to defend so we are going to not give up big plays to these guys and that will be a tall order."

Junior defensive end Darby Golden

On UNLV game:

"I think it just came down to a few mistakes both offensively and defensively, as well as big plays, they made some big plays when they counted. We've just got to get better in practice, watch and learn from film, and get ready for the rest of the season. It's a long season. We've got to put this loss behind us."

On Oregon game, in particularly the Ducks' passing game:

"We've got to work hard this week on getting pressure. As a defense, we work together in getting pressure on the quarterback. The more pressure that we can get, the easier it will be on our secondary. We're going to have to mix up our blitzes to get pressure on the quarterback."

On playing in large, loud atmosphere like Oregon's Autzen Stadium:

"I think it's fun. It's definitely a challenge. As a team, we want rise to the challenge and we're really looking forward to it. We want to pull off the upset. We're going to practice hard this week and be positive the whole time and try to come away with a win."

On disappointment of Saturday's loss:

"It was definitely tough for us. We've got a long season ahead of us. Our goal is to win six games this year and while it's disappointing to lose Saturday, we can still get our six wins and get to a bowl game. We just need to put this loss behind us and keep getting better and get ready for the rest of the season, starting this Saturday with Oregon."

On evaluation of defensive line from this past Saturday:

"We want to have more sacks, we got one, but we want to have more. We want to get pressure on the quarterback but we always want to get better. We're never satisfied."

On focusing on improvements this weekend against a tough opponent like Oregon:

"As a team, we're very prideful. When we see ourselves on film and in the game and we see something we don't like, we want to get better. We've just got to come out and attack. As a defense, we've got to attack and the offense has to attack. We've just got to come out ready to play. We can't think about who's supposed to win and who's supposed to lose, we've just got to play."

Sophomore running back Robert Turbin:

On UNLV game:

"In the first half, I thought we did pretty well. In the second half, there were a few plays that if we would have made them down the field. We had a long pass play that we beat the DB (defensive back) that we dropped, but if he would have caught it, it would have been a touchdown for sure. Those are the types of plays that we just have to make. There were a few more plays that if we would have made them, the momentum swings our way and we find a way to win that football game."

On momentum swing early in the second half:

"Their defense was doing a great job, they were able to stop us. Our defense did a great job of stopping them coming out of halftime, they did their job just like we had talked about in the locker room, and stopped them. It was our job as an offense to now go out and get us some points, but they did a great job of stopping us, which turned the tide a little bit against us. Now our defense has to go out there and try to make some plays when we as an offense should have done our job in the first place."

On evaluation of running game:

"We had an average of three yards a play, we know we can do a lot better. We practiced all camp in getting ready and focusing on UNLV, since August 1st. So it's really hard to take after practicing so hard for so long for one team. The running game is something that we practiced a whole lot. We thought we could get some big plays, but unfortunately, it didn't happen like we wanted to. That is something that we're going to have to look over and get better at."

On importance of establishing a running game, especially in an atmosphere like Saturday against Oregon:

"We have to run the ball, it's very important for us to be able to run the ball. First of all, it's going to be easier for the quarterback to be able to throw the ball if we can run the ball. Then we'll be able to use play action to open things up down the field. It will also slow the game down a little bit, the crowd won't be as into it and as loud because the defense won't be making the stops if we're able to successfully run the ball. Running the ball is a very important part of a football game, you've got to be able to run the ball."

On difference in playing in large, exciting environments with large crowds:

"Oregon is going to be a great place to play, they have a terrific history and tradition. But we're going down there to try to win a football game, regardless of what they're ranked or what they've done in the past, what the stats thing or who people think is going to win the game, we're going there to try to win the football game."

His version of the play where he was ruled out of bounds at the one-yard line after appearing to score while also fumbling:

"I knew that I didn't score on that play, I thought they had just called the ball down at the one-yard line. So when I got up, I actually didn't know what was going on. I was just running back to the huddle until I saw Pete (Caldwell) coming on for the extra point and I was looking around wondering what was going on and everyone was jumping around and I thought, `oh, I guess I scored,' and then I ran to the sideline and got some high-fives. That's when the challenged it and I knew that there were going to overturn it because I knew I didn't get in. The play ended up getting overturned and ruled out at the one, but luckily we were able to score later in the drive."

On the play a few plays later when it again was questionable whether he got in to the endzone or not:

"That was a close one too, I was one on one with the safety and their defensive backs had been diving at our ankles all game, just like they're coached to tackle running backs. I knew from watching film that number eight was just how he tackles. I thought that we he dove low I was able to jump over him and I got in. I watched the film of it and the ball just broke the plane. I was just trying to make a play for our team."

-USU-