Oct. 27, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - USU head coach Brent Guy and junior offensive lineman Brennan McFadden recap the Fresno State loss and preview Saturday's game against Hawai'i at Monday's press conference.

COACH GUY

ON FRESNO STATE

"Just as painful on Sunday to watch and go through as it was to watch the last two seconds of the football game. Like I said after the game the one thing you have to give credit to is that kicker. To go through what he has been through, missing the 22-yarder earlier in the game and then to make all of their points in the fourth quarter. You have to give credit where credit is do."

"We had chances in the last drive where we had some missed tackles out in the open field that could have prevented the kick. It was disappointing but I am still very proud of what we did in the 4th quarter to get back in the football game."

"I hope the effects of it are that we learn to play consistently like we did in the first and fourth quarter. I thought those were our most consistent quarters. We can make big plays, we had six explosive plays to their three, but we still have to make those special plays."

"In a tight game against a good football team like that you know any of the plays could make the difference. That is what we always tell the kids is that you don't know which one it is."

"We ran the ball much more effectively than we have which helped us in the run game. So that is something we have to build on."

"They are all very painful. I think that was just more of a take your breath away pain. Just with the situation we were in we felt the odds were good that a guy would not make a 58-yard field goal. I have never seen a 58-yarder in a game. So they are all painful, but hopefully we learned the lesson we can play good football."

ON MARQUISE BUTLER

"As soon as I say he is the man he will drop the first ball at practice so I am not going to say that. On Thursday we will put the starting group together with however practices best. Marquis Butler, certainly that 4th-and-1 run to score where he got his helmet knocked off, certainly proved that he is a guy we can live with. Mostly I hope it inspires the rest of the group to work harder with the competition."

ON Diondre Borel

"He is getting better every week. I think that just comes with the experience that he is getting. Those guys he is playing with in front of him did a good job. He didn't get sacked and avoided the rush. That helps a lot when you are not worrying about those things."

"Any time you have a running game that is not just yourself that helps you. It was nice that he didn't have to do it all himself."

ON HAWAI'I

"They won a game just like Fresno won at the end of a ball game. What started out as the third string quarterback won the game for them. So we will have a confident Hawai'i team coming in so we are going to have to play like we did in the first and fourth quarters of last weeks game."

"They are a different looking team but they have found a way to win. That is probably still the residue of winning from last year. A lot of those guys are still on the football team. They got six turnovers to win at Fresno and won with late against Nevada. So they have found a way to win and we are going to have to play to win against Hawai'i, instead of play not to lose."

"They are not as impressive on film as they have been in previous years. They are not like Colt Brennan and those four wides (receivers) running around. They can still throw and catch. They have a little bit more of a running game."

"They still play real fast on defense. They have lots of pressure. They have a lot of looks that they use. That is where they create big plays is with sacks and turnovers. They use a lot of blitzes which will be the biggest challenge for us. We have to protect the quarterback."

ON CONTRIBUTION FROM YOUNG PLAYERS

"Each year we have been able to sign better talent. We have facility upgrades. Our first year was the toughest year, and I think each year we have just signed better talent. Marquis Butler is proof of that, Robert Turbin before him. I think that just comes with knowing the territory better as the coach."

ON OFFENSIVE LINE INJURIES

"We will look at what we can do to help ourselves. We will look at Hawai'i and there strengths on the defensive line and shuffle around to get people lined up in the right spot. We don't have a second offensive line now."

"We won't know what we are going to do until the end of the week. It will look at lot different then it did last week because of the injuries at center. We will move people around and make it work."

JUNIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN Brennan McFadden

ON FRESNO STATE

"Watching the film on Sunday hurt just as bad or worse then the game on Saturday. Watching the film we saw so many things where we could have got a first down or things like that where we could have run thirty seconds out. You have to give the kid credit, a 58-yard field goal as time expires is pretty impressive."

ON PLAYING CENTER

"What happened was Disman got hurt on the first series, and we all knew he did but he went back in for another series. The pain was just too much so he went out and Ryan (Tonnemacher) went in. I was on the opposite side of the sideline so I could see the plays and I saw him limping and thought he would be fine then the next play he couldn't walk. So (offensive line coach) Coach Vice started screaming for me and I didn't get any snaps, I just sprinted onto the field into the huddle."

"I hadn't done a shotgun snap in about nine weeks since camp and that was the first play. It all happened so fast I didn't even think about it I just focused on the schemes and I guess it all worked out. I played center in spring so that helped."

"This week in practice will be huge for me just getting back to snapping and reading the defense. It is just different from guard because with guard you are by yourself but as center you have help. Practice will be intense for me this week."

"To be honest, I think it was better that I wasn't thinking. If you think about it too much something bad will happen. I was just thrown in there and before I could think about it I was snapping shotgun and making calls so I just have to keep working on it this week."

ON HAWAI'I

"We want to get it out of our minds and focus on Hawai'i as soon as possible. We have another tough game coming up. They are a good team, and we don't want to have this lingering over our heads all weak. We have to focus on the next game."

"I have watched them a lot. Their d-line is big and physical. Their two linebackers are very good. They have been there since I have been here. They have played every game and are good. They are on a roll and just find ways to win."

"It is going to be a real good game. I believe we got a lot better as a team on Saturday. Even though we lost we got a lot better in a lot of ways. Hawai'i coming in is going to be another close game, and if we don't turn the ball over anything can happen so it will be a real good game."