LOGAN, Utah - Utah State head football coach Matt Wells, along with senior center Austin Stephens and senior defensive end Ricky Ali'ifua, held a press conference Monday to recap the Aggies' game against Nevada and preview their upcoming road game at BYU. A complete transcript of the press conference can be found below.

Head Coach Matt Wells
On recapping Nevada:
"It was another disappointing loss at the last second for these kids and this program. We've had five losses in Mountain West play by a combined 29 points, which is less than a touchdown per game. That's hard, but you've got to find a way to win close games. We've got to find a way to call a better play or call a better defense, make another play or not turn it over. When you've got all three phases, everything obviously gets critically looked at and in a one-point loss, there are multiple things that could have won the game at any time. That just goes to show you how fragile and how precious winning is, and how hard that is when it's down to that type of a game."

On previewing BYU:
"This game is for the Wagon Wheel and it's a big rivalry game for Utah State. The players need to get up for one game and the seniors are playing their last significant minutes in a major game. It will be a tremendous atmosphere and it always is down there. This is a really good BYU team. They've won a couple of close games, but in their four losses, they've lost by three twice and lost by one twice. They are that close to being in the College Football Playoff discussion. I think (head) coach (Kalani) Sitake would say the same thing, is how fragile and how thin of a line that is because there are plays that could have gone either way. They've won a couple of close ones, but they've lost a lot of close ones and that shows you how good this team is.

"Taysom (Hill) is a tremendous competitor and I have a lot of respect for him and what he's gone through in his career - the ups and the downs, the struggles and the injuries. To see him and what he does, is a testament for that young man's character, talent and ability. He's got two big, tall wideouts that are great targets. They have the best fullback we will have seen all year in (Algernon) Brown. You look at their defense and the three linebackers they have will be the best three linebackers we play this year. Both safeties, Micah Hanneman and Kai Nacua, are strong run-support guys. They are great tacklers in space and are very aggressive. They've also got two really talented freshman cornerbacks on the perimeter that they're playing with, so it's a really good team and they're coached well. I have a lot of respect for Kalani and the staff that he's assembled. They are having a really good year, so it will be a tremendous challenge for us."

On if he senses the same consistency in the attitude of the team, especially after a loss like Nevada:
"The consistency and the attitude has been this, is there's always disappointment on Sunday and Monday. When you go through it and you see where you're at, and you correct mistakes and you see the good things, then you start to work out of it through practice and weights later today, and into practice tomorrow. Winning is fragile and losing will never be accepted here and it will never be tolerated here. Their ability to persevere when they're not getting rewarded with wins is very respectable. I have a lot of respect for this team, and I've said that the last couple of weeks. I will not fail if I don't quit, and that's perseverance. They've got the courage to continue to put everything out on the line to try to win each and every week, even when we're not finding a way to win a close game, and that's hard. When you don't have that conference championship or a bowl game to play for, that's hard, but these kids continue to fight. The sideline in the fourth quarter on Saturday was unbelievable. The energy and excitement was off the charts."

On if it's easier for them to get up under the circumstances where the team doesn't have a bowl game or conference championship to play for:
"The rivalry game will help, but it's hard to bounce back every single week. That's why I said I have so much respect for them. You know where you're at and the record is what it is, but they're still coming out and preparing and investing during the week, and giving everything they've got emotionally, mentally and physically. We've battled through our fair share of injuries and a lot of it has been next man up, but they have never used that as an excuse. It's hard, but that's why I said I respect them so much, and they'll do it one more time. The rivalry game and playing for the Wagon Wheel will help this week."

On the linebackers being banged up:
"We're pretty banged up, but like I said, we're not using it as an excuse. Leki Uasike has had neck injuries and neck issues and is probably going to be done, unfortunately for his career. He's sat out the last several weeks. Chase Christiansen has a broken hand, but he's been suiting up for emergencies only. Brock (Carmen) is playing hurt and Anthony (Williams) is playing hurt. We missed Alex (Huerta) for a week with a concussion. You can go on and on, but we are banged up at linebacker. We lost Justus (Te'i) in the second half against Nevada and didn't have him the rest of the game."

On BYU quarterback Taysom Hill:
"He doesn't seem like he's had to carry the load in terms of running the ball, but he's absolutely a threat with his feet. He's a fierce competitor and runner. It doesn't seem like he's taking as much of a beating this year. Their offensive line is protecting him pretty good and I see him being a little bit more fresh. They've gotten on a roll and he's played really well."

On why BYU is so good at forcing turnovers:
"They are aggressive, they play hard and they run to the ball. Like I said in my opening statement, the three linebackers are the best group of linebackers we'll play all year. I talked about the two talented freshman corners and I talked about the two safeties that are very aggressive. I've seen enough to know how good they are on defense. They are tied for second in the country in interceptions (18) and No. 1 in forced turnovers (27). Eighteen picks, are you kidding me? That's a lot. That's more than one-and-a-half a game, which is a lot of picks. They are very aggressive and they do a good job. They've been around where the ball is. It's like one of our coaches always says, `Luck follows effort.' When they've gotten balls out, there have been enough BYU helmets around them and they've recovered those fumbles."

On if the grading for the Nevada game would be highly positive with the way the team moved the ball:
"Our offensive line played well and Wyatt Houston blocked well. We ran the ball very well. We had 396 yards rushing and we left some out there, to be real honest with you. It could have even been a better day, so there were a lot of positives in terms of that - moving the football by running it. The wind in those weather conditions led to more carries, too."

On if they considered taking a safety on the last punt from the end zone:
"The consideration was yes, but it wasn't real long. We were into a fierce wind and Aaron Dalton punted it really well. I didn't see an advantage for that. You give them two points, but they're still going to have to score a touchdown. If you don't give them two points, they're going to have to score a touchdown and kick the extra point, which we were close on blocking, but we didn't get it done. You still have to kick it to win it, but if he misses or it's blocked, it goes into overtime. If we give them the safety, a touchdown wins it and you don't have to kick the extra point."

On what you say to a player like Andrew Rodriguez, who has been great all year, after the muffed punt:
"He's been excellent all year. What do you say? He hadn't muffled or bobbled one all year. And, in however many punts before that, he had been spot on - against the wind or with the wind. He caught both and he has caught balls knuckle-balling. He didn't attempt to catch it inside the 10. He was at the 25 and drifted back to about the 12- or 13-yard line. He is obviously not going out trying to do that. He gives everything he has for this program and has since he's been here. He walked on in 2014 and was the scout team Player of the Year, and eventually earned a scholarship. He was honorable mention all-Mountain West last year and has been very consistent for us this year, and he was in that game in those conditions."

On how he'll remember this team:
"It's not the season that any of us dreamed or anticipated or set goals to, but the one thing that these players have learned to do is persevere. It has not been fun and it has not been easy. Like I said, we have five close Mountain West losses by a combined 29 points. We've got to find ways to win those games - all of them or some of them - and your season is completely different. If you don't win all of them, the season still may not be where you want it to be, but you're bowl eligible right now. Unfortunately, we're not. But, for them to continue to come back to work and invest and put it all out there in the public's eyes and the fans' eyes amidst losing those close games, is very commendable and respectable. I've grown to respect them a tremendous amount this year because none of us wanted to have this. They continue to fight and that speaks well for them individually and it speaks well for moving forward as we go through the offseason and even into next year. It's an example for our younger kids to know that winning is precious, it's fragile and it's hard. There are a handful of plays every game that can tip it either way."

Senior Center Austin Stephens
On recapping Nevada:
"Obviously, another disappointing loss for us. Coming into that game we thought we were going to play well and to come out and have that happen to us is, obviously, very disappointing. But, offensively we played really, really well. We had to execute better later in the game, we had to get a first down and keep our defensive off the field. Moving forward, we have another team this week and it's a rivalry game and a big game for us, so we'll see if we can get after them."

On if the Nevada game was the best the offensive line has played:
"Yeah, we played really well up front. There's still things to be corrected, just like every week. There's always corrections that can be made. But overall, this has been probably our best game from the five of us and you saw the results between what happens when we can execute and do things the way that we're taught. We ran the ball really well, so it's good to see that performance from us."

On the BYU defense:
"They're very good. They have a lot of guys that returned from last year, so, obviously, playing in that game last year, we didn't play that well. They're going to be very talented up front, this is probably one of the best defensive lines we'll face. From the four players, I have a lot of respect for those players, they play tough and they're physical and they just do things fundamentally sound that are very good. It's going to be a challenge for us, but all of us five in that room are up for a challenge every week and this team's up for another challenge. So, that's got to be our mentality."

On how important it is to get that momentum against a BYU defense:
"It's a huge momentum boost. Like I said, there are still things out there that we can correct, which is always a positive, too. It's not like we played perfect and there are still things to be corrected and we'll correct those this week. Moving forward for momentum and just building off that and seeing that we can, and believing in ourselves that we can run the football and we can play physical, that's what we have to do this week against this team, because they're very good down there in Provo."

On if this is a good time to have the rivalry game:
"Yeah, I think so. Coach Wells talked about it this morning, we have five games this year in Mountain West Conference play where we lost by a combined 29 points. To have that, that's just under six points a game, so you flip a coin and then it goes our way, it's a whole different story. For us, playing BYU down there is just another opportunity and the goal is to bring that Wagon Wheel back to us that we had here two years ago from when we beat them down there in Provo. I know this team's a bunch of fighters and the guys out here are going to fight their butts off until the very end. That's what we're going to do again this week and go back to work and see what we can do."

On if as a player, late kickoffs make a difference:
"I don't think it makes much of a difference for me, personally. It just makes for a longer day, really, because you're getting up, you're starting your day later, you're not necessarily going to bed later, but you're in your room and then you're not getting up for a while. So, it just makes for a longer day for us. We're all accumulated to it now, we've had it so much. We've only had two games that have been before 6 p.m., really, so we're used to it now and it doesn't really make much of a difference for us."

Senior Defensive End Ricky Ali'ifua
On recapping Nevada:
"I'll mostly be speaking for the defensive line because that's what I play and I don't know, really, what all the responsibilities include with the linebackers and the safeties on every play. Quite frankly, we didn't play consistent enough to win that game, we didn't execute consistently enough and that's the biggest thing that you have to realize when you lose a game in the manner in which we did. You always have to look back at did we execute the game plan? The coaches sat up a perfect game plan for us, it was a great scheme, and it's on us players to execute that game plan to perfection, or at least as close as we can get to it. As I said earlier, quite frankly, we just didn't do that consistent enough. There were moments in the game where we did, and in those moments that we did, it was pretty obvious we were stout in those times. But, we didn't execute enough in that game and that's a big part of the reason why we didn't win. Starting with the defensive line, we didn't do our job on what our coaches asked us to do and we take fault at that."

On previewing BYU:
"Going into the BYU game, this is a great BYU team. Their offense is, in my opinion, really good, they have a lot of talent over there. Their running back -- if he plays, he hasn't played the last couple games -- is one of the best backs that we will have faced this whole year and his numbers and his stats, they speak for themselves. Obviously, he wouldn't have those numbers without the offensive line in front of him, so that's an indication that they're a great offensive line and doing what they're supposed to be doing and opening up holes for him. Their receivers, as every year, have that length, so our secondary will also have their hands full at making sure they practice hard and play through their hands. But overall, if we want to win this game, we're going to have to dominate on the defensive side and we will not win this game if we do not do that."

On where the loss to Nevada ranks on the most difficult losses:
"They're all the same, to be honest. Every loss is hard to take. It doesn't matter if it's against a big-time opponent, if we were to play Alabama, or if we were to play a high school team. Just the competitive nature in us and in me, a loss is a loss no matter who it's against or by how much it is, and in what manner you lose it. A loss is a loss and it hurts every time. So, I don't rank any one to hurt more. I hurt the same on every loss."

On if the effort is still there:
"Absolutely. If the effort wasn't there, the game wouldn't have been as close as it was and these last few games wouldn't have been as close as they were if our effort wasn't there. That just speaks volumes of the kind of guys that are in this program. Has the season gone the way we wanted it to or we imagined it would be going into the season? Not by any means. But with all that being said, the guys in this program, they're real standup guys, and I have no doubt that this Saturday we're going to play our hearts out like we do every game."

On if he feels they'll be ready to play a good, non-conference game:
"There's no doubt in my mind that every guy on this team, whether they be scout team players, whether they play a few snaps in the game or whether they play a ton of snaps in the game, everybody will be ready, everybody will be giving their best because that's what's expected of them. They know that and we're going to be ready by Saturday. Whatever we need to do to get prepared physically and mentally, the coaches are on our side and they're helping us every step of the way by making sure that we are getting our bodies back, because it is late in the season. It's up to us to get that mental part of the game in watching film, studying tendencies. It's Monday morning and I've seen a few guys in these film rooms already, and that's just a reflection of the kind of guys that we have in this program."

On if after Nevada's fumble in the fourth quarter they felt they were going to get the win:
"I felt very confident. The coaches, before we go out, tell us every time, `Let's get a turnover.' Let's get a turnover because that's what it's all about, you win the turnover margin, you're going to win the game more than likely. They had more turnovers than us and the outcome was they won the game. I just try to go out there and make a play for my team because that's what they need me to do, that's what we need every player to do. And coming after that play, I thought that we were going to put it away and I'm sure a lot of us did, but we just have to finish. We have to learn how to finish and have the dog mentality and just put teams away when it's time."