On starting the season:
“Very eager to play, very eager to open the season, very eager to have a bunch of young players having their first chance to play UCLA football. We understand the task is an interesting one, a unique one in that were seeing a team that we haven’t seen – haven’t played, haven’t opened practice, don’t have any idea exactly what they’re going to do. It will be a great coaching challenge, one that our guys have to embrace. We can’t use that as a crutch. WE have to find ways to make the plan
Very excited about the opening game and a great home crowd.”

On San Diego State:
“You can look at their personnel from a year ago, and see them on the doorstep of beating a Notre Dame team early in the season. You cannot discount that fact. The bottom line is, I think they’re going to be, like us, infused with excitement. We certainly aren’t in the position, after we had, to take anything lightly.”

On downplaying SDSU’s talent:
“It’s easy for coaches to do that. I think you always have to accept the fact that a new coaching staff infuses new enthusiasm, new enthusiasm breeds new hope, new hope brings new confidence. We’re going to expect that they’re going to play really well.”

On SDSU defensive coordinator Rocky Long’s 3-3-5 defense:
“You have to account for how you’re going to identify the defense. A 3-3-5 is not the prototype that you play against on a regular basis. Just when you start to identify it, they switch it. It’s as if you took all the linebackers and safeties and took their numbers off their jerseys. They can each play each other’s positions. They’re constantly switching places.”

On what is unique about the SDSU game:
“The unique is very little intelligence going into it. Unique is two freshman who are going to be pivotal in the offensive line. Unique is the myriad of looks that coach Longs gives you.”