Colorado State University Athletics
Fairchild sees several positives playing in New Mexico Bowl
12/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 15, 2008
Opening Statement
"We just finished four straight practices beginning last Thursday. We actually went out to the stadium on Saturday and did some live tackling sessions during our practice. Being one week before the bowl game, I felt like we needed, after the layoff, to do some live drills. We then braved the single-digit weather out there yesterday and actually had a very good practice. So what I'm going to do today is we're going to walk through. I'm going to back off a little bit and let them get their legs back. Today is also, obviously, finals week for us, so we'll let some guys take care of some academic things. Then we're going to try and get a real good practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before we go. That will be the bulk of our specific Fresno State preparation. Then we're on a typical game-week schedule once we get down there - helmets-only practice Thursday and a walk-through on Friday and, obviously, play the game on Saturday. We're excited to have this opportunity; it's been great for our program for a lot of reasons. We're getting in 11 extra practices, which we've already taken advantage of for our younger guys. I feel like this gives us a little momentum in recruiting and I feel like our team feels like they're rewarded and maybe get a little momentum going into our off-season program."
On the impact of the weather on the team's preparation
"We had, obviously, a very cold situation yesterday. This will most likely be the last time we will have to deal with it because we'll have our indoor facility, hopefully, up and running next August. It's just these next couple of days, and it's not supposed to be real bad. We kind of toyed around with some alternative plans but we didn't feel like we needed them and, like I said, yesterday was surprisingly a very good practice for us."
On the impact of the impending bowl game on the team's future
"I think it's helped a lot. Also, the game we're going to, I think will have a lot of positives. We're playing right out of the gate, we're the only game in that time slot and we're on national television with ESPN. The exposure, without a doubt, is a real positive in recruiting."
On the potential impact of the team's month-long layoff between its last game and the bowl game
"Like I said, when we came back after the initial layoff, which was a while, we were very, very rusty. We almost looked like it was the start of spring football. These last four practices, and I think Larry (Kerr) would agree with me, on both sides of the ball we've kind of started to get it back. I still don't think we're in quite the form we were for our last game in Laramie, but we're right there. We're close. Like I said, I think we'll back off, get our legs a little bit today and get a little fresher. Then what we've got to have is two very, very good productive practices on Fresno State's stuff here Tuesday and Wednesday,"
On the similarity between the CSU and Fresno State schemes
"Yeah, they're very similar. Neither one of us runs a spread offense. We try to run the ball first, which is what they do. They've got some talented backs. They think they may get a couple of those guys back. Defensively we're both four-man fronts and we zone pressure. There are a lot of similarities scheme-wise between the two programs."
On whether that gives either side an advantage
"I don't think so. It's not like we're having to switch and go against Air Force's offense or a 3-4 defense. There is a little bit of familiar ground there. But having said that, anytime you give a good coaching staff, which is what (Fresno State Head Coach) Pat Hill has, this much time, there'll be quite a few things that show up on both sides of the ball that you have not practiced against. So we might have to do some problem solving on the sidelines once this game starts."
On whether it is a good thing or bad thing that Fresno State is coming off a difficult second half of the season
"I don't know. You can look at that either way. I think that Pat Hill has done a tremendous job. You look at how many games they've won in his tenure and that speaks for itself. Like I said all along, you don't beat Rutgers and you don't beat UCLA and play the type of football they have had this year without being a talented football team."
On whether he has noticed a change in Fresno State's approach as a result of all of its injuries
"There's been a little bit of change here and there, but that Boise State game was 13-10 going into halftime. There are stretches where, even in the second half of the season, they have played some very, very good football. You look at the second half of the San Jose State game and they just mauled them running the football. The ability level is there, it's a well-coached program and they've had some time off now to regroup. I expect both teams to, like you say, maybe be a little rusty initially, but both teams will play their best football in this game."
On whether he is happy to be playing a team with a similar academic schedule (going through finals right now)
"I hadn't thought of that, but the first thing that Pat said at the lunch down in Albuquerque was how concerned he was, like we were, with changing finals. This is just an incredibly hectic time for a Division I football coach. You're trying to not slight recruiting, you're trying to write and script practice schedules, you're trying to do opponent study and game planning and you're trying to still maintain your own team's focus in terms of academics. Guys are running around like crazy, but it's fun and I'm glad we're doing it. It gives us a chance to win a seventh game, which I think would be absolutely huge for our program this year."
On Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater
"He's experienced, he seems like he can thread the ball into tight windows, he's an accurate guy and he has some mobility. He buys time and makes some plays that way. They're like anybody else - when the guy playing quarterback has started a few years, you're usually much better for that."
On how he will find a balance between the business at hand and letting his players have some fun in Albuquerque
"It would be a little more difficult if we were at the bowl site for a week or so. We're only going to be down there for all of 48 hours and then we'll be in our pregame Friday night mode. There are some activities that we want to participate in because of the bowl and, obviously, our kids will do those and those are fun things. I think we'll get down there, we'll have a practice on Thursday and before you know it we'll be in our pregame routine on Friday afternoon."
On an injury update
"I think that both Mike Pagnotta and Klint Kubiak have a chance (to play). They've both been practicing on a limited basis and they'll have a chance to play some in the game. Our defensive staff is determining what role those guys will play. We should get Mark Starr and Dane Stratton back in the offensive line for the tackle spot. Both those guys should be available. Sevaro Johnson on the defensive line will come down to a game-time decision to see how ready he is. He has a knee/ankle type of thing. He doesn't look like he's ready right now but, having said that, we still have some time."
On OL Paul Madsen
"I don't know if he's going to be available but, because Mark Starr and Dane Stratton are, that's not a huge issue for us, although Paul is going to play a real role for us here down the road. At first it looked like it might be something serious, but I'm not sure it is now. He's moving pretty good."
On OL Dane Stratton
"Initially we didn't think he had a shot and that just broke my heart because he's a senior and, like Gartrell (Johnson), he's a real heart and soul of our offense in some ways. I know a lot of people look up to him and, like Pagnotta, it'd be huge to get him back for his last game. So for Dane to come back and participate is a really neat thing for him"
On today's practice
"Today we're not even going to go much, it's more of a walk-through. Like I've said earlier, we had four straight practices so I'm going to let them get their legs back and refresh before, hopefully, getting two good ones on Tuesday and Wednesday. We'll get some stuff done today indoors but it will be at more of a walk-through tempo."
On whether the bowl game being on Saturday will help thinking in terms of a regular game
"Yeah, it's exactly like a regular game. It's just like a 12:30 kickoff on Saturday. So once we hit a certain point on Friday, it will just be the exact same schedule that we had up in Laramie or in Colorado Springs like any other road trip. It just kicks in and away we go."
On whether he thinks Fresno State will use the fact that CSU used to be in the WAC as motivation for the game
"I'm sure they will a little bit. I think they will aspire to say, `Hey, we can play with the elite teams in the Mountain West Conference.' They did that when they got in the old WAC. We'll get their best game I'm sure, no matter what the motivation is. We just hope to represent our conference and our university in a real good way here at the end of the year."
On whether he thinks Brandstater is in the mold of an NFL QB
"I don't know. I haven't looked at him enough in that regard, but he does make smart decisions and he can hit what he's throwing at. At times when you evaluate him you see him thread the ball on some of those seam routes and he'll put it right in between three guys. So he's very confident, one in that he's got enough arm to do that, and two that he can accurately put it where he wants to. At the college level, the guy is talented and he's played a lot of football, which helps."
