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Story by Liz Alper
Videos courtesy goaztecs.com
For Parker Baldwin's, David Wells' and Brian Dutcher's portions of the press conference, click "read more" and scroll down.
September 26, 2017 (San Diego) - Aztecs football opened conference play on Saturday with 28-24 win over the Air Force Falcons. This week, Rocky Long, senior tight end David Wells and junior safety Parker Baldwin sat down with the media. Also this week, the Aztecs had a surprise for us: new men’s basketball coach Brian Dutcher spoke first.
“It’s kind of an exciting time for me. Year 19 on campus and first year to run my first official practice as head coach, and we’ll do that on Friday,” Dutcher said. “Super excited for that opportunity and the team has worked extremely hard in the fall...[We’re] trying to get the ball to go in the basket a little more this year and the kids have responded great...We’re healthy and our seniors will provide great leadership...The Aztecs are ready to take the floor and get ready for another exciting season.”
What will a Brian Dutcher-coached team be like? “I’ve always been a positive person, so hopefully it’s that positive energy. It’s not looking at it as the glass half full. If a shot doesn’t go in, let’s not worry about that, just make the next one. We’re getting good opportunities, let’s take advantage of them. So I think I’m trying to bring a positive energy not unlike coach [Steve] Fisher brought, but in my own way.”
What about nerves? None, he says. In fact, he’s excited. “...to step out there and be the final voice on everything is kind of exciting.”
Dutcher said to get back to the postseason, the Aztecs need to “win close games.”
Then it was on to football. Northern Illinois is usually a breeze for the Aztecs, but Long was nervous. “We have our hands full this week with a team that is coming off a bye week, so they’re well rested and probably healed up. They’re coming off a big win, beating Nebraska…”
Coach also gave a scouting report on the Huskies. “They’re big and strong up front and they’re very, very talented and skilled at the positions they need to be talented and skilled at...It’s a very good program that’s run by a very good coaching staff and they’ve got talented players, that’s why they’re good.”
Senior running back Rashaad Penny’s name is in Heisman conversations. Long was asked if this is affecting the team. “No, I think everybody enjoys the notoriety that Rashaad is getting and Rashaad handles it really, really well. He’s a team guy and I don’t think it makes any difference to our team. It might at the end; If he’s still in the hunt at the end it might make a difference.”
Wells echoed: “I wouldn’t say it’s more pressure than usual. We’re around Rashaad every day. We know how good he is. Really, we put pressure on ourselves each play to make sure we’re doing the correct thing every single down. The coaches are always on us making sure we’re doing the right thing and I don’t think it’s just because he’s gotten the national recognition that we’re starting to step up…”
As did Baldwin. “Rashaad cares about the national recognition stuff but he’s a team guy. He just wants to win games and I think that’s how all of us on this team are; we just want to win games. As long as we’re winning, everyone is going to be happy.”
Long talked about Baldwin. “...but he’s a very good player that we put into position to make plays. Last year he had to go in as a rookie when Na’im McGee got hurt and ever since that time he’s gotten better and better and better. He’s a quality football player now...I think he has natural instincts where he knows where the ball is and he goes and gets it and he’s not afraid...He’s a good athlete and he’s not afraid so he makes a lot of tackles.”
He also commented on the state of the offensive line. “Even though we’re 4-0, our offensive line is still a work in progress. I think they’re improving every week, I think they’re going to be really good here pretty soon and the future is bright for those guys because most of those guys are really young guys.
The Aztecs are setting tons of milestones this season, but Wells says they aren't focused on that. “We’re really just focused on being 1-0 each week. All of that stuff just comes with it. It’s really cool to see that stuff happening...Every week, the goal is just to win and that’s really all we’re thinking about.”
Baldwin talked about the adjustments made to win so closely against Air Force. "“I think more than anything, we started playing tougher and started hunkering down...After we had the (lightning) break, Coach (Long) came in and talked to us and he said, ‘We’re not playing tough enough on defense. We need to man up because they can’t keep running the dive for five yards. That’s what they run through. You’ve got to stop the option from the inside out.’ And luckily, we toughened up and everyone started to play a lot harder after the break. We changed play calls a little bit but for the most part, we ran the exact same stuff we ran before the break.”
Baldwin says the pressure is on now that the Aztecs are 4-0. “I think it’s definitely motivation. We were talking about it the other day. (Being in the) Top 25, it’s recognition but at the same time, it is a target. It’s like a warrant for your arrest. Everyone is coming for you. Northern Illinois is definitely going to want to knock us off, especially after they knocked off Nebraska two weeks ago, and they’re coming off a bye week, too, so they’re going to have a lot of motivation coming in here. They’re a really good, athletic, physical team and we can’t overlook anyone on our schedule because you know any given Saturday, anything can happen.”
The Aztecs take on NIU Saturday at SDCCU Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
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