Chris Ault Quotations

What a great challenge. We'll play schools from four different conferences this year, including the WAC.

There are a lot of factors that go into evaluating a coach but conference finish and beating your rival have a strong presence.

We have had three really good meetings and we are still visiting. There will be an announcement next week. That was at my request because I want this recruiting class to get all of the attention it deserves.

Nick was the best defensive back we've had this year. This is just a huge, huge loss for us.

Nichiren does not have a sense of urgency and he needs to practice better.

Chris is everything you want in a receiver. He has speed and he has size. We were just tickled when he decided to come up for a visit and getting him at the last minute was just a huge thing for our program.

He has great speed for us compared to last year. That allows us to do some different things in the secondary. We are very pleased with him. He is very intelligent and just a quality young man.

He going to be on our special teams and he will play as a receiver. He's had a very good spring.

For me personally, there's nothing more gratifying than bringing that cannon home.

He's as good a back as you could recruit as a freshman... If he gets out in front of you, he'll get to the end zone.

We lost our quarterback for about nine minutes when they got the two touchdowns.

He was a freshman and he was feeling his way. As the season progressed, you could see him getting better and better. He's more mature now. He's more confident now. He's doing a great job now on his route running. You can see that he has a year under his belt. He is having an excellent spring. He really is.

He did not past his test so he is not going to be with us right now. If he passes it, he is welcome to come on our program for a semester as a walk-on and we can put him on scholarship next year.

He didn't make the plays last year and that is the story you can do everything right but you have to produce. He learned. He was thrown in the fire because of the injuries. He had a chance to do some things and he did some things. We need him to do more.

Joshua has been one of our more consistent defensive players. He's making plays. He's a natural.

I thought Caleb played pretty well, and Jeff was solid. They did a nice job with it. I think that combination continues to get better and will do nothing but help us down the road.

I thought overall the defense was better than last week. We need to be more consistent. We would stop them and then give up a big play. We can't afford to do that .

I thought our defense was just outstanding. That was a team that rushed for 350 yards against Hawaii. The defense won the game for us.

I think that is just terrific. To have a chance to play against that program is just a great opportunity.

Jeff Rowe was outstanding. I was really pleased with Jeff and how well he ran things.

Jeff has paid his dues to the company. I expect him to be good, I mean real good. He can be a guy who can do it all, there is no doubt in my mind. The Jeff Rowe I am expecting this season is going to be a difference-maker. He has to take command of this thing. If things aren't going right, he doesn't have to fix everything, he just has to put us in position to make things go right.

Overall, I think it is good, especially once a coach gets a chance to establish a program and settle in. It is a good checks-and-balances system. It still has some flaws, though.

Sure, I'd like to have a little bit of this stuff under our belt.

That's the kind of thing that costs you a game right there.

We expect big things out of this program. Our standards are high, they are not going to be lowered.

We got beat in every phase of the game.

We need Mike to step up and play well. He's got great speed and he's very strong. He's got to learn to be a Nevada back.

We are optimistic he can pass it, but if not, we would like to put him in a JC.

Those four guys are going to have a chance to really show what they can do. Hubbard is doing very well and we are anticipating that he might get some time the last week of spring (practice).

We are not a big, great talented team, but we play with this big heart.

The defense from last week to this week is the best turnaround I think I have ever seen. The defense got after them. The spread offense is hard to defend. The tenacity we showed. We really mixed up the defensive calls. We didn't back off and came up with plays.

We've got to find that competition at each spot because that is how people get better. Now, some guys proved last year that they can do the job and we are not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. But guys get better when the guys behind them push them. That's the key.

We will have five defensive coaches on the field. We want the players to see that where the emphasis is being placed. Defense is where you win championships.

We wanted to get two smash-solid guys who can run.

There is some great competition. They are all competing strongly and they had a great week last week. We are pretty pleased. Now, as it intensifies and the bullets get live, you find out a little bit more about who really can do what they can do.

We have a bunch of stuff that is a concern right now, if only because we are just two days into camp. But also because we are putting in two new schemes and there is so much learning going on right now.

We gave them all the credit in the world. We got our butts kicked. It wasn't even a game. We know to beat them we have to play our best game, no question about it. They are an exceptional team.

To just get one (quarterback) tells you the confidence we've got in him. This was a critical critical move for us. ... He's got a gun.

We saw some good stuff out of Dominic. At times, I thought the offensive front did a real nice job. And I thought the defensive front played well at times. There was good and bad stuff from both fronts.

Andy had a nice spring - and not only on special teams. He will play next year. He's a tough kid. He'll get better and he'll have a home in the extra receiver spot. He will contribute there.

Everything went fine with the surgery. But we're not going to push anything with him for the spring. If he can go, that's great. But we're not going to push him.

The surgery he had last year was the second one he's had and it is just a problem. He is no longer playing. He's in school and he'll finish the semester but he just doesn't feel comfortable with the shoulder.

Our defense just flat got after them. They just played special, hard-nosed, consistent football.

That Virden keeps showing up. He has done a very nice job. He might be the most improved secondary guy we have got.

This is an exciting time for Nevada football and Wolf Pack athletics. I am committed to achieving at the highest levels and embracing all of the responsibilities associated with being the head football coach and a member of this athletics staff.

This guy is a gazelle. And he's so big and strong they sometimes put him at tight end.

The nucleus is there on the line, but the depth is a major, major question.

The offensive line is the area I have the most concern with because we have to develop some depth.

The biggest thing I want these guys to understand is that last year is done and gone and it's history. That is the critical factor. There is no sneaking up on people now. We gained some respect, but now we have to continue to earn respect. You can't command it.

It was a good effort. We didn't give up in adverse situations.

They came out to play ball and go up 21-zip after that punter fumbles that ball. It's tough to dig out of that.

I'm proud of Jeff. He's stepped up and taken a leadership role. He's stronger. He's a terrific athlete.

I really like that corps. There is some youth in it and some speed and we have some excellent competition. We're seeing that competition now and I think we have a chance to develop some good competition in the fall.

He's ready to go. He knows the offense. He's better this spring.

He's one of the most talked about guys in Southern California. He's a prime time player for us. He is a physical, physical kid.

However, the inconsistencies of our program, coupled with a poor home record have resulted in a loss of confidence from our community, as evidenced by our last two home games. Chris is a quality person and a solid coach. I wish things would have worked out but the fit is just not there.

He played the rest of the game, and I have gotta tell you, we were watching him like a hawk. He did outstanding for a young guy that was a little nervous.

This is a great schedule. We open at home on ESPN against Washington State. That game will set the tone. It's a tough, competitive schedule, and I'm excited about it.

The great thing that Jeff has going now is that he doesn't have to say much. He certainly has the respect of everyone on this club.