LOGAN, Utah – Utah State interim head football coach Frank Maile, along with senior center Quin Ficklin and senior safety/linebacker Jontrell Rocquemore, held a press conference Monday to preview the Aggies' upcoming game against North Texas in the 13th annual Gildan New Mexico Bowl on Saturday. A complete transcript of the press conference can be found below.
 
Interim Head Coach Frank Maile
On practice and bowl preparation:
"We have great kids and the bowl preparation has been really good. We really haven't skipped a beat and that's a great job by our kids staying focused. They understand what the mission is and we have one more game to go get. Meetings have been up-beat and there has been a lot of juice at practice; they've been flying around. There has been a lot of really good work by these kids to be able to send their seniors out the right way one more time, and continue to build on this legacy that they've built for so long. I'm excited about the bowl game. We have a really good competitive opponent ahead of us with North Texas. Coach (Seth) Littrell and his staff have done a great job this season with those guys. Your film is your resume and their resume is really good."
 
On North Texas:
"We'll be looking to try and stop a very explosive offense with what they do, which is very similar to us. They are solid up front and do a great job. They have some big bodies and as you can tell, they are coached very well. They are fundamentally sound, they have a very explosive quarterback (Mason Fine) and he's a true dual-threat quarterback. He keeps plays alive, but when he has to, he's very dangerous on his feet. We have to do a great job defensively of containing him in the pocket and getting to him. Their running back (DeAndre Torrey) packs a punch. He's a violent runner, explosive, and he does a great job. He has the ability to take the roof off the top and hit home runs. We have a big challenge ahead of us to stop him in the run game. They are very similar to us as far as it seems like it's an air-raid principle that they have with the commitment to run the football. We have to stop them and it starts up front with our guys. As far as their skill positions go, they're very explosive and they have fast guys. They are very athletic, especially the two outside receivers with No. 8 (Rico Bussey Jr.) and No. 9 (Jalen Guyton). We have to do a great job, coverage-wise, of containing those two, and not giving up cheap ones and not letting them do what they do best, and that's explosive plays. They do a great job with their slot receivers inside. They are very dynamic, very explosive and they can stick their foot in the ground and change directions, and we have to do a great job of swarming as far as our defense goes.
 
"The kids truly understand that this is probably going to be one of the best teams they've seen all season long and they're ready for it. Our offense has to do what our offense does. They have to continue to be able to run the football and establish the run game so that it opens up the pass game and continue to be explosive with the kids that we have. Defensively for North Texas, they're a 3-3-5 odd front defense with the ability to get in some even fronts. Their coaching staff on defense has done a great job. They're very explosive and there is a lot of pressure that comes out of different fronts. For us offensively, we have to be able to take advantage of the opportunities they have, just like we've done all year of finding those holes and running the football, first and foremost. They do a good job defensively. They have two edge rushers that are really good. They have a bunch of all-conference players, beginning with one of their linebackers (EJ Ejiya). He's a heck of a player and he's what you would want a linebacker to look like and play like. They are relentless, they play hard on defense and it will be a challenge for our offense. These guys haven't skipped a beat, which is a credit to our kids, and we have awesome kids, the best in the country. They understand what's at stake here with the team we're about to face. We're excited about the challenge and it's going to be a good one."
 
On preparing for the game with such a depleted staff:
"It's been a little tricky, but at the end of the day, the guys that are still in the building knew that it was all hands on deck. I've taken the strengths that we had as far as the guys who were still here. Stacy Collins will call the defense. He understands it better than anybody else as far as that goes. He has coordinated before and the defensive players are excited about it and will rally behind him. We have Uani 'Unga that stayed here on the defensive side of the ball, as well as Justin Udy. Conor Dubin and Al Lapuaho also play a part in prepping that deal. A lot of our GAs that played roles in assisting those full-time coaches are actually going to be coaching those positions as full-timers. That's what the system has been built to do, regardless of who is running it. It is a well-oiled machine right now. The number one thing I told our players is they have to trust their training at the end of the day. Without coaches here, they understand already what's expected of them and how to do things. I don't think we're going to skip a beat, not at all. Will guys be wearing different hats? Yes, they will, but that's part of the deal. They are all big boys and they know what they signed up for.
 
"Offensively, the tricky part on offense is coach (David) Yost is really the only full-time coach that is here. He's the most important one, as far as calling it. He's done a great job with the set-up of how we practice offensively. It was built for situations like this where maybe you don't have the man-power to coach all of these guys. The way they run practice has been run pretty smoothly because of how coach Yost has set it up. Our GAs on offense, John Cannova runs the offensive line and he's done a great job. Coach (Steve) Farmer did a great job mentoring him and getting him ready to go. He's been in this offense and he understands it. Those guys on the offensive side have done a great job. Special teams-wise, Jason Shumaker was an analyst for us. He was the special teams coordinator at Idaho when we brought him in. It was an easy decision for me to put him in charge of special teams. This is not his first rodeo and he understands all the phases of special teams from A to Z. The assistants with everybody that's still here, everyone plays a part in special teams."
 
On being ready for pressure situations during the game:
"I've learned a lot from Matt (Wells) and from a lot of the head coaches I've been under. I think that's the main reason of having a staff, is you don't have to do it on your own. I'm going to lean a lot on those guys and their experience. That's the beautiful thing of being on the headset, I just click over to one side or the other. Those guys understand it's a team deal. This isn't about me, it's about all of us doing it together. We're going to need everybody to work together to make this thing happen."
 
On keeping everyone ready and prepared:
"Our kids are awesome and if it wasn't for the kids, it would be a lot harder than what it actually is. They've made it pretty easy on me. Them handling their business on and off the field has allowed me to be able to prep practices and get them in a situation to be successful. It runs smoothly simply because of what the culture is like here and that's the biggest thing. We had recruits here this past weekend and that's what they saw. We're understaffed right now, but you wouldn't have noticed unless we told you. Huge credit to the kids and they do an awesome job. We have awesome leadership on this team and those guys can take pride and what their body of work looks like. For me, it's had its ups and downs. I'm learning a lot, but again, being in this profession, you're trained along the way by coordinators and head coaches to be able to handle something like this when it happens. I want to say thanks to Matt, and the coaches that are not here. They all played a big role in where we are today. The goal is to continue to climb up that mountain."
 
On the biggest adjustment for him:
"Really, just trying to make sure everything is organized and moving fluidly. Part of the title that Matt gave me as an assistant head coach was him mentoring me to one day be a head coach. I've learned a lot from him, just shadowing him as a head coach and it's been pretty smooth."
 
On Gary Andersen getting the head coach job:
"I love Gary. The Aggies hired a really good head coach. I have the utmost respect for him. He's a good friend of mine. He gave me my first shot here at Utah State, so I owe Gary a lot. I'm excited about him coming back."
 
On how big the seniors have been with handling the changes:
"It's been everything. They made me the interim head coach, but it means everything to have those guys backing me up, supporting me, being loyal to me and they're the reason why this whole thing is running the way it has been for all of those years. They have taken ownership that this is their family and this is their program. What they do is the reason why this thing is moving in the direction that is has and the success we've had here is all do to the locker room. That's probably the biggest key to this whole equation. Coaches get too much credit for the success that is going on. The kids have been awesome and I'm privileged to be able to lead them into this last game for this season."
 
Senior Center Quin Ficklin
On how practice has been going in preparation for the bowl game:
"Practice has gone really well. Thursday was our first day of practice, so it was good to get out there again and get the dust off. Saturday was a really productive day of practice because we had shells on, or shoulder pads, and we got to go out and bang stuff again and that felt good to go out. A lot of guys feel a little tense. Some people are pretty emotional. We had some stuff to work through, and it was good to go out and be able to do that. It was, honestly, a good, efficient day. We got the work done we needed to do, and we have another one this afternoon. It's going well. We're getting ready for this bowl game that's coming up on Saturday."
 
On the emotions of the team:
"Honestly, when we had senior day here in Maverik Stadium, for me, I was like, 'Eh, senior day. Whatever. I'm going to have another one in two weeks.' Then, we didn't pull it out against Boise State. That was a weird thing to have to get through, knowing that our game against San José State was my last time playing at Maverik Stadium. That was the case for a lot of the seniors, because we had every intention and every belief that we would beat Boise State and be home for the Mountain West Championship. Then, we had the coaching staff changes, which is purely business. Honestly, I'm very happy for all those guys. It's a great opportunity for them and great exposure for them. More power to them. I probably would've done the same thing. So, nothing but love for those guys. They did a great job this whole season and helped us get to where we are today. For that, we're just trying to get ready for a bowl game, trying to figure out what's going on. There were questions like, 'Who is going to coach us?' We have coaches here and people to do it. We're going to run it and we're going to win the game."
 
On if some of the leadership falls to the seniors:
"You could probably judge a leader's real success by how well his unit performs without him there. Our performance will be a real recognition of the work those guys have done the whole year in leading us and directing us in how to do things. Now, we know how to do it. The training wheels are off and we're out there. A couple guys in the O-line room are going to take over and kind of run things and help everybody out. We have some great graduate assistants. Frank (Maile) is doing a phenomenal job. It will be a real testament to how well they've prepared us this whole year and how we can take care of it and handle it without them."
 
On North Texas' defense being similar to Utah State's:
"I would say schematically, yes. They run some of what we do. I've watched a bunch of their games, a bunch of their films, some cut-ups. They mix the four down, three down, just like we do. They like a lot of single linebacker blitz. The blitz a lot. But, frankly, every team before they played us blitzed a lot, and then they didn't against us."
 
On interim head coach Frank Maile:
"The biggest characteristic out of him and his leadership is love. I don't think there's anybody on this team who doesn't look at Frank and not know for 100 percent fact that, that man loves me as an individual. Not as a jersey. Not as a helmet. But, as an individual. That's been great. That's been exactly what we've needed here. He's done a phenomenal job. He's a passionate man, which I can appreciate. Frank has been exactly what we've needed these past few weeks. I don't know what's going to go on with him. I don't make those decisions. But, he's a great coach and I'd follow him anywhere."
 
On Frank Maile giving the team continuity:
"There absolutely has been some continuity. It's not like the entire old guard is gone. Frank's put on the pads and helmet inside the locker room just like we have. He's been a Utah State Aggie. He's coached here. He loves this program. He loves Logan. He loves us. So, that's been really smooth for this transition period."
 
On his fellow offensive linemen:
"This is our room that we are in right now. We do a lot of work in here, probably more work than we do on the field, because a lesser known fact about football is the offensive line is a very schematic position. I could have a great, tremendous block, but (Alfred Edwards) didn't and it doesn't matter how I block. All five of us have to be on the same page every play. In here, we do a lot of good work that way and us getting on the same page. But, talking about the core group of seniors, Sean Taylor, Roman Andrus, myself and Rob Castaneda, we are all scrappy guys I would say. You might not see that on the field perhaps, but in life, all of us that are on the field right now, none of us took a conventional path. A couple of us went to different Division I schools. Three out of the four us went to junior colleges and had to work their way here. Since we've gotten here, all four of us have worked tremendously hard. (Coach Steve) Farmer always had this thing that the top five will change. He changed it every day through camp. He changed it through the season, frankly. We'd have a game and he'd say, 'Okay, these are our best offensive linemen. You are our worst offensive lineman that plays. Maybe you don't want to be fifth anymore.' But, it was never, 'Oh man, how come Rob's better than me?' It was, 'How can I be as good as Rob? Or, how can I be as good as Sean? How can I pass protect like Sean? How can I run block like Roman? How can I give him what he's giving me?' That mentality has been great in this room specifically. How can I do for my brother what my brother is doing for me? We're going to go out and play one more game, and I'm really excited. It's going to be great. We're all going to be fired up. We were talking about it the other day and we wish it was here already. I'm looking forward to spending four days in Albuquerque. I'm not sure what I'm going to do there. Probably watch film and get ready for the game and beat North Texas. That's what I'm excited for. We're ready to go. We want to play the game."
 
On what the biggest offensive challenge is:
"For us, it will be just doing our job. It's never been about who we're playing. It's never been what are they going to do that's going to challenge us? It's about what can we do correct to destroy them? That's the goal. Do everything we can in our power, our job, every single play correctly, to win the game. I don't really care what they do. We're going to do our job, and they're going to have to react to it. That's why we run our tempo, so they can't get lined up and they can't call a great play. We're going to get lined up and we're going to blitz you. Hopefully, you're in good shape not to sub out."
 
Senior Safety/Linebacker Jontrell Rocquemore
On how practice has been going in preparation for the bowl game:
"Practice has been going well the past few days. It's been an adjustment, but our guys have really bought into our system. Practice since week one, our guys know how to practice. We know how to prepare for games and I'm confident that we'll do the same that we've been doing since week one."
 
On if some of the leadership falls to the seniors:
"I'm sure the players look to the leaders and seniors to lead the way. I would say yes. It really is on us. The team's going to go as far as we want it to go. I have no doubt in our leadership and our seniors that we're going to take us and put us in the best position to win."
 
On having a last chance for a successful bowl game:
"I've been here since 2014, so I was at the New Mexico Bowl that year. I've been to two bowl games after that, which didn't go as planned. The leaders and seniors have been on this team since that. We know what it's like to win and we know what it's like to lose. That experience helps in knowing that's not going to be a game that we walk into and expect to win or think we're going to roll the ball out and win. It's going to be a game. I know UNT's going to play their best. For us to win, we're going to have to be hitting them on all cylinders on offense, defense and special teams."
 
On interim head coach Frank Maile:
"Coach Frank Maile is a great guy. He's been a great guy since I met him when he first came in. He's been the same guy that he is since everything went down. There's been no change in him, and that's been the best for our program because we needed stability. And that's what Frank did."
 
On North Texas' offense:
"I see North Texas' offense as a really explosive offense. They have a great quarterback (Mason Fine) who has been all-conference. He's a guy that can control the offense. They have a running back who hits holes, cuts back. I really like their running back. Their offense is made on key, big plays, the same as our offense. In preparation, it's kind of cool to go against our offense and get a similar look to what we're going to see in the bowl game. I'm confident since we've been seeing the same offense since fall camp, since the beginning of spring ball. I just know that they're going to bring out some new stuff that we're not used to seeing in a while, things we've been hit on. We're really focusing on the things that we've been hit on in the previous weeks. It's great we have an offense similar to theirs and a quarterback who manages the game. Jordan Love, we all know what Jordan is capable of. Going against Jordan is getting us ready to play another good quarterback."
 
On transitioning from planning to beat Boise State and play the next week, to waiting to play the bowl game:
"We lost. That was it. We have another one. I can't dwell on the past. The team can't dwell on the past like we wished we would've did this or that didn't go our way. As far as the next one, it's the next game up. We're not looking like, okay, we got beat by Boise State. It's time to get up and play, get off the mat. As for UNT, we see them as the next week and next opponent. It's 0-0. It's a bowl game. It's not a regular season thing. It's two teams going into compete. We don't really see it as coming off of a Boise State loss because now it's just going into a bowl game. Boise State was Boise State. But, now it's time to focus on UNT. Once we knew what bowl game we were going to, and who we were playing against, the focus has been on UNT."
 
On the health of the defense:
"We had some guys go down and we had some guys step up to play. That is kind of how it goes in college football. Guys go down and guys step up to play. As far as general health, guys are doing pretty well. We have some guys, (Deante) Fortenberry, Shaq Bond and Ja'Marcus Ingram who had their seasons ended. But, as far as overall health, we're doing pretty well."
 
On the biggest defensive challenges against North Texas:
"We have to stop the big plays. Their offense evolves around creating big plays, taking shots down the field, explosive runs and things like that. For us, as a defense, we have big plays ourselves to where we get takeaways, create negative yard plays and things like that. We have to hit on all cylinders on defense to really control the offense. We have to be sound on the back end, stop explosive plays and our main goal, which is to stop the run. That's been the main goal since week one. It's not really a difference for us. We have to go in with the same mentality that we've had since we played Michigan State on through the whole season. It's been a great mark of what our defense is capable of and what we should achieve. The blueprint makes us who we are."
 
On if it has hit him that this will be his last game as a Utah State Aggie:
"Not yet. It's been hit-and-miss since senior night, like it's getting close to being the last one. But, it hasn't really hit yet. I'm trying to focus on a lot of the different things. I'm focused on winning. That's all I care about. Once we win, then it will hit me like, 'Okay, this is it.'"
 
On if there's extra motivation because it is his last one:
"I take it just like week one. If I'm a competitor, I shouldn't prepare any different in week one than in whatever week it is now playing in a bowl game. It's going to be a game. There will be a lot of emotion, a lot of the seniors' last game and it's a bowl game. We want the win. We didn't get our goal as Mountain West champions, but we still have something to fight for."