Wednesday, July 25

2:00 p.m. PT - Quotes from head coach Rocky Long

Q: Does this year have any special meaning because it is your last in the Mountain West?

"It means a little something (extra). I think this is the most underrated league in the country and it has been since the start. I thought when they went to The Mtn. that it was a great idea that did not necessarily work for this league but everybody copied it. (Other leagues) made a bunch of money doing it and The Mtn. did not.

"I thought we had several teams that should have been considered to play in the national championship game and had no chance whatsoever. I don't necessarily think the new plan is going to give them any more of a chance. You start talking about eight teams and someone from this conference has a legitimate chance to play for the national championship. As long as it is four, we know the conferences those teams are going to come from. You get eight and you can get someone in the tournament. They are good enough to win it, I promise you that. If you have a 12-0 team in this league you deserve a chance to play for the national championship."

Q: Do you believe conference realignment will continue? Is it good or bad for the game?

"I think it is going to continue for several years. I think it is good and bad. I think it is good because eventually there is going to be a true national champion. I think it is part of the responsibility of football and basketball to produce revenue for the athletic department. I really believe that is part of our job. The way college football is going it will allow you to produce more revenue so that sports that don't produce revenue still have a chance to compete. It has given us a better chance to produce revenue for the athletic department.

"The pressure of winning is getting ridiculous. In the past, they gave you five years. Now they don't even give you three (years) sometimes. I think the pressure on kids in recruiting is getting ridiculous."

Q: How do you replace players like Jerome Long and Miles Burris on defense?

"From the three years I have been at San Diego State, our defensive line is more athletic but really, really, really young. We are going to be playing a true sophomore at nose guard, a redshirt freshman and another true sophomore. Our linebackers are fine and the secondary is fine. The defensive line scares me and if the line isn't any good, the secondary doesn't look so good and the linebackers don't look so good. We are talented at linebacker and we are talented in the secondary. If the defensive line can hold up, we are going to be fine. If our young guys get beat up front, you are not going to know how good our linebackers and secondary are."

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Tuesday, July 24

5:30 p.m. PT - Podium session quotes from MW Media Day

Head coach Rocky Long
Opening Statement:

"First off, I'm the only coach that is here now that was here for the very first year of the Mountain West. So I've seen it from the beginning until now and things have gotten better. The addition of the three new teams has added to the competitiveness of the league. If you look at the way the teams are ranked in the (preseason) poll, the number of votes between the teams shows you how close all the teams are together in talent. This is a competitive league that can play with anyone in the country. I don't think, maybe because of population, we get the national exposure that we deserve. The league as a whole this year is so competitive that the games will be close, they'll be fun to watch, they'll be good for fans and it'll be exciting for the players."

The rest of the podium session quotes can be found here.

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8:30 a.m. PT - Mountain West preseason poll

San Diego State has been picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West, the league announced this morning. Senior cornerback Leon McFadden was named the Preseason MW Defensive Player of the Year and was joined on the preseason all-conference team by junior wide receiver Colin Lockett and  junior tight end Gavin Escobar. McFadden became the first player in school history to be named a Mountain West preseason player of the year. To view the complete release, click here.

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Monday, July 23

12:00 p.m. PT - SDSU set for Mountain West Media Day

San Diego State head football coach Rocky Long, junior tight end Gavin Escobar and senior defensive back Leon McFadden will take part in Mountain West football media day beginning on Tuesday at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

For more information, fans can also check in via Twitter and Facebook for updates.

VIDEO

Football  -  07/25/12 - New Football Uniforms Football  -  07/24/12 - Press Conference: Rocky Long, Leon McFadden & Gavin Escobar Football  -  07/24/12 - Rocky Long Interview Football  -  07/24/12 - Gavin Escobar Interviewed by Rocky Long Football  -  07/24/12 - Leon McFadden Interviewed by Rocky Long Football  -  07/23/12 - MW Media Day 1: Leon McFadden Interview Football  -  07/23/12 - MW Media Day 1: Gavin Escobar Interview