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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 8, 2014Davis WebbKenny WilliamsQ. Davis, how frustrating was it looking at the film and seeing how many times you had a chance to put that game away and just missed it by just a little bit? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, I think that's the message we had the first two games is how close we were to really scoring a lot of points and having probably a different finish than we had in the first couple games. We've got to emphasize that this week starting fast and really finishing drives, and that's one thing we're really going to get on to the receivers and me and running backs this week in practice. Q. It seems like second downs and third downs, it's not a short yardage situation. Is that something you would really like to turn around? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, first half is obviously a huge down, especially for us. We've got to be able to be better in the first. I think our third down conversions were pretty solid thus far throughout the year, but we've got to be good every down, because if we're not, then we're not going to be scoring a lot of points. Q. How do you feel like you played the first two games? DAVIS WEBB: I think I've got a lot of room for improvement. I just haven't been my best, haven't been myself the first two games, and I'm really looking forward to the third game because I felt like the first two games were off for everybody. We're all coming together as a team as an offensive unit. You saw the last drive, that's how it should be every drive for us. I feel like we buckle down and don't worry about anything else, don't worry about the media or the fans, just worry about those guys in the locker rooms. Just worry about getting touchdowns and that's how it should be every drive. I feel like us going off that field defensively with that huge three‑and‑out, and then offensively scoring on that last drive has been a huge positive going into week three. Q. A drive like that at the end of the game like that, it wasn't pretty but you found a way to win, does that galvanize you as a group to help you move forward? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, it's definitely a positive because if we don't score on that drive, we don't win the game probably. We all looked at each other in the eyes and had that belief we could do it. We could tell we were going to score. There was no doubt in anybody's mind. It wasn't because we were playing UTEP; it wasn't because that place was a hostile environment. We saw how hard we worked this summer. We dream for moments like that. If it's a game winning drive, I feel like we have the guys that can do that, and it's a huge credit to Coach Kingsbury calling all those good plays and our guys executing it. Q. Talk about the Stockton touchdown, what you saw on the field from snap to the touchdown? DAVIS WEBB: Looking at it, I saw a good box, and I saw to the right a good screen to throw it. It was kind of iffy, and I felt like we were not moving the ball as well as we needed to, so maybe it was time for our run game to pick up. So I gave it to him and Justin ran fast. That is one thing he does good. He's a heck of a player and a good teammate. He's very religious and a good kid, and we're very happy he's on the team. You can tell when he scored, you could see the whole offense rallied behind him. That's the kind of guy he is. We all believe in that kid, and he's going to have a heck of a week this week. Q. Is it just sheer speed, and does it take the offense another year? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, it's different. We don't have many guys that can run like that. But Dre had a good week one and had a good week two. Q had a great run on 2nd and 8, I believe, on one of those drives. I feel like our running back is a really strong play of our team, so all three of those guys are really, really good. Q. Do you think Stockton's transitioned to the college game quicker than you might have expected? Or is that something you've seen since the season started? DAVIS WEBB: I think all those freshmen players are doing a good job. Justin is the guy that's getting the most. Tevin Madison has done great. Jah'Shawn Johnson has done great. It's just our coaches recruiting good players and having them ready day one. Yeah, Justin has done probably the best of any freshmen so far. We knew in fall camp his speed was unmatched and now we give him the ball a little more because he's shown he can do it. Q. What have you seen from Arkansas thus far? And what kind of challenge do you see that they'll bring to you guys? DAVIS WEBB: The best team we've played this year, so we haven't played really that good this year, and we obviously have to pick up both sides of the ball, mostly offense because that's what I play. We've got to score a lot of points, because they're a good offense and scored a lot of points last week. Obviously, had a great defense, and big guys up front and they're well coached. So we had a great week of practice and a great game on Saturday. Q. Are there players you guys don't know that you've talked about? DAVIS WEBB: Not really. We're just excited to play Arkansas because that's a big‑time program. I know when I was a little kid I always went to the Cotton Bowl. I have family members involved with that, and just going to the Arkansas game and seeing how great their fans are and they support their team, just having that tradition Arkansas has and their SEC and all that stuff, it's fun to play an opponent like that, and I know our guys are ready. Q. Can you talk more about the excitement surrounding this game and the new uniforms? KENNY WILLIAMS: I know the coaching staff is going to have us ready. I think they're the best in the country to give us what we need Saturday. The best clothes, best shoes, I know we'll be decked out. Had a blackout in stadium I saw earlier today. I think the atmosphere is going to be great. We have to come out and play for it. We had a great atmosphere week one and really play to the best of our ability, and I think we're all pretty motivated and determined to play really good this game? Q. Are you feeling harried in the back when you take the snap in does sometimes it looked like the poise I saw wasn't there yet. Are you feeling rushed? DAVIS WEBB: No, I feel like I put too much pressure on myself, worrying about things I can't control. Last game my footwork wasn't there all the way. I think it's something me and Coach Kingsbury worked on really hard this week just being settled in the pocket and get better at that. Because if my footwork is a little off, my throw is going to be a little off. There are some throws in that game that I missed that I never miss in practice and stuff like that. So just having that transition in the practice field, just making sure that happens. But I feel like we'll have a good week of practice and definitely harp on that for Saturday. Q. What are the things you need to focus on that you can control? DAVIS WEBB: There are a lot of things I can't control. Only thing I've got to do is make sure this offense gets the ball and moves to the end zone. I can't worry about what the defense does. Can't worry about what's going on officially‑wise, I can't worry about what's going on in the stands or what's going on my Twitter account. All I can worry about is getting the ball in the end zone. I'm not doing a good job of that in the first two weeks, and I'm really motivated for week three because I feel like we have a chance to do that. Q. How do you all get off to a better start? DAVIS WEBB: That is probably the biggest emphasis we'll have this week. Just get off to a fast start because that's something we haven't done yet. It's not because we're playing Arkansas or playing a better team this week, but because we have to get a better start. If we want to do the things we want to do this year, we have to get off to a better start. And the two games, first two quarters are unacceptable for an offense that can be good. Q. Do you think you're trying to be too perfect as opposed to just playing with what you have in front of you? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, I think we're all putting too much pressure on ourselves. I feel like that drive in the end was something we all needed to just say, hey. And once we just say forget everything, forget everybody, this is all we have, this is all we've got, just play your game. We're all Division 1 athletes, just play instead of putting so much pressure on ourselves. We want to score 70 points this game. We want to throw for 500 yards this game. We want to score how many points this season or average this many points. No, just win the game. Whatever it takes to score more points, kind of our offense is saying don't worry about what happens. You can see it there. That's where we are on the offensive side of the ball, just W I T, whatever it takes. Q. You guys were short early with some of those downs (Indiscernible). DAVIS WEBB: No, he's an emotional coach. He's fun to play for, he's very energetic and excited. He has a lot of expectations for me and rightfully so. And I've got to live up to the expectations because the first two weeks I really haven't. I have to pick my game up for this team to be more successful. It really just falls on my shoulders. Yeah, he's gotten on me more, but that's what you want of a coach. If he stops getting on me, I need to be worried because I'm probably not going to be playing much longer. Q. Do you think it's an advantage to have the style of offense that Arkansas only sees once or twice a year in SEC play? DAVIS WEBB: Not really. I think those guys are ready to play us. I think those guys are tired of hearing about our tempo. I'm sure our defense is tired of hearing how they're going to run the ball against us. We're both tired about that and ready to see each other and play each other. Their defensive front is probably one of the best we'll see all year. Their secondary is really hungry to shut down the air raid offense, so I know it's going to be a good game this Saturday. Q. Are you prepared for Trey Flowers coming off the edge, coming back for his senior year, kind of primed and ready to be All‑Conference defensive end? DAVIS WEBB: Yeah, our offensive line is definitely ready for that. Coach Hay's got them motivated this week. We have an experienced offensive line, but they have to get better. They haven't given up any sacks. The first two games we have zero sacks. So I know they're doing good so far. They have a big test this week with that big defensive line Arkansas brings to the table. I know they're going to try to get as much hurry as they can get on us. Q. Five touchdowns through two games to Bradley Marquez. Does being roommates help you all once you get on the field? DAVIS WEBB: No, he's just been open in the red zone. He's done a great job of that so far.  That's just a credit of how hard he's worked this summer. It's the first summer he's really worked with us. He's always going to the Mets organization and stuff like that. But just being around the team and being voted a captain, and everybody's seeing how hard he works, it's really paying off and I'm really proud of him through two games so far. Q. Statistically it may not look like it, but defensively, did you feel like you guys played better this week than you did the first week against Central Arkansas? KENNY WILLIAMS: I do feel like we played better. UTEP came out, they're a pro‑style offense, we knew exactly what they were going to do. It all came down to stopping the run. They ran the ball all game, and we're going to have to get better going into the Arkansas game. Q. Kenny, for you, how much more comfortable are you on the defensive side of the ball starting to make more plays with each passing game? KENNY WILLIAMS: Definitely a lot more comfortable. Everything's really coming to me. It's my first year really just being on the defensive side of the ball. Going through those games, getting the experiences is really helpful for me. I feel like I'm getting better with every week. Q. You're coming up against a very big offensive line and big running game. How do you think that's all going to go? KENNY WILLIAMS: Really got to prepare ourselves mentally to get into a dog fight. We know what these guys are going to do. They're going to come in and try to run the ball all game and really it comes down to man versus man. Q. Can your speed defeat that size? KENNY WILLIAMS: I believe so. I believe so. That is the benefit we have against them is we have more speed than they do, and we're going to have to use it to the best of our advantage. Q. Talk about getting into that mentality of having to stop runs. Talk about as a defensive player getting into that mentality? KENNY WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, there is not much more motivation that you need. SEC against Big 12. We know exactly what they want to do. It's all about preparing your front line for a game to play all four quarters in. Q. As one of the leaders of this team on both sides of the ball, you've been around now several years, after two games both wins but really close calls, people start to (Indiscernible) those teams. How are you feeling about the team's confidence heading into this slate of the game against a very good football team? KENNY WILLIAMS: Knowing that we can handle adversity, it feels really good in the season. The team itself, we know those games didn't go the way we wanted them to go, and we've worked really hard to have those type of outcomes. I feel like the whole team knows that, and we're trying to get the click for this game. Q. Sometimes you guys as a defense, you get off the field and the offense goes out and it's so fast‑paced that three‑and‑out gets them off the field really quick. Is that tough on you guys as a defense to get back out there after that? KENNY WILLIAMS: No, we've been preparing for this since the summer. This is a fast‑paced offense. It's the Big 12. Defense always has to be ready to get on the field and try to get off as fast as we can. Q. So there was no fatigue factor on defense? KENNY WILLIAMS: I didn't really feel a fatigue factor. I mean, it all goes back to how hard we worked throughout the spring and the summer. I play in all three phases of the football game, and fatigue really wasn't a big factor for me. Q. Did you hear any of the other players on defense talk about being gassed? KENNY WILLIAMS: Not at all, really. We have a pretty good rotation going in. So if a guy's gassed, we try to keep him fresh and rotate in and out as much as we can. Q. Talk about the defensive line. Obviously with Jackson out and Rika out and some of those guys stepping up, talk about the defensive line. KENNY WILLIAMS: The defensive line knew exactly what they needed to do. Rika's out, so we had to have guys step up, like Anthony Smith, Marcus Smith, Keland McElrath, and you know, for this up and coming week we'll have those guys back like Jackson Richards. We're going to have to, I believe, we're going to have to rotate the D‑line in and out, so they're going to have to mentally stay focused the whole week and be ready to get in when their name is called. Q. How much do the players talk (Indiscernible)? KENNY WILLIAMS: We're not trying to get into all the hype. We're trying to focus on what we can control. We feel that if we do what we need to do, execute the plays as well as we can and rally just give perfect effort, then we should come out on top. Q. What do you know about the defense (Indiscernible) that you might not have anticipated? KENNY WILLIAMS: Other than there was a lot of holding from the offensive line. It's all football. I'm still learning. Just trying to get better with every week and having my teammates that I have, they're helping me get through all of it. Q. What do you think of Justin Stockton's play so far? KENNY WILLIAMS: Justin Stockton has been phenomenal with that speed. I've been telling him all week, press the hold and get vertical because with that speed no one's going to be able to catch him. It showed in Saturday's game. Q. What about DeAndre? KENNY WILLIAMS: DeAndre is looking good. He's just an all‑around back. They're not really missing a beat with me being gone from the picture. That's good to see. DeAndre has really stepped up and been a leader to the young guys. Q. Were you surprised UTEP didn't run the ball at you guys in that series? KENNY WILLIAMS: I wasn't surprised. We knew all their plays and what they were going to do. We really prepared ourselves to stop the run going into that last drive. I think they knew that so they were trying to switch it up on us. Q. What is your biggest concern about Arkansas? KENNY WILLIAMS: Biggest concern? Q. Yeah. KENNY WILLIAMS: Probably their size. It's a typical SEC team, big line, want to run the ball down your throat. Like I said, we've got to mentally prepare ourselves for that. Q. Obviously you don't like to lose Jackson Richards and Rika last week, but do you think that's going to be nice to have Brandon and Marcus Smith and Keland McElrath before they get rotated in? KENNY WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. Getting them that experience in this Big 12 play, you know, we were missing Jackson and Rika, and it hurt us a little bit because we don't have much depth at the D‑line. But having those guys back is really going to be a big benefit. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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