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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 21, 2015

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. There has been some ambiguity about whether a handshake took place. It did take place, didn't it?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yes.

Q. Did you tell the players before the game what Bielema had said at the high school coaches association meetings?
COACH KINGSBURY: No.

Q. You did not?
COACH KINGSBURY: No.

Q. Do you want to talk about this today? Did you hear from any Texas high school coaches yesterday?
COACH KINGSBURY: I've moved on from it. What was said was said. Getting ready for TCU.

Q. I don't want to belabor it, but I have a colleague who asked me to ask you something. Do you have any regrets? Are you glad you made your point and you talked to him?
COACH KINGSBURY: It is what it is really, you know. We've moved on to TCU.

Q. What is the big thing you're concerned with about the Horned Frogs?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, everything. Their offense is as dynamic as I've seen when you talk about breaking down position by position. Very veteran offensive line. Most dynamic player in the country at quarterback, an NFL running back, couple of NFL senior wide receivers, young guys that can make plays. So it is very, very troublesome on offense.

And on defense I've always thought Gary Patterson was one of the top minds in the country. I know they've had some injuries, but you watch the film, and he has guys that they can plug in and they're making plays. They're always coached to do what they're supposed to do, so he's got them rolling right along.

Q. Like last week you said the team doesn't forget how the game went a year ago. Do you feel there is that same feeling going into TCU?
COACH KINGSBURY: I would think so.

Q. How does that give you anything to help you?
COACH KINGSBURY: I don't know if it does or not. I just know as a former player I never forgot any of the losses.

Q. Did you go back and watch film yesterday from last week, was there anything that got to you that you didn't see before?
COACH KINGSBURY: I didn't see Pat throw a block on running the option that he'll never do again. That was about it.

Q. You had said after the game you felt like last week based on the film that you watched that you felt you were the better team. Did you communicate that to the players? How do you do that when you see that on film like that?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's something I'd like to keep in house. But I just felt like the progression I'd seen us make from week one to week two and the other team make from week one to week two, I felt like we were the better team.

Q. Confidence certainly seems to be in your favor going into this week. How do you try to keep that?
COACH KINGSBURY: Just have to keep working harder. Once you get a conference play, the ante goes up and you have to work that much harder and prepare that much better. The only way to remain confident is to know you've done everything in your power during the week to prepare you for that game. So that's what we'll try to focus on this week.

Q. Coach, the three games you've now outscored opponents 41-3. What do you attribute that to? Maybe the halftime adjustments, the success in the third quarter specifically?
COACH KINGSBURY: I'm not sure. It's been a big emphasis. We talked about it a lot, but we had a bunch of leads last year and never were able to build on that. So we talked about finishing and being the second half team and hopefully that continues. But they've played well coming out of halftime.

Q. Are you making a concerted effort to get Reggie the ball? It seems like some of these plays, the reverse (Indiscernible), is that something you're trying to do to raise his confidence?
COACH KINGSBURY: No, really, it's just how it worked out. He happened to be in that position where the ball was going. He's done a good job when he's had his opportunities. For the most part taken advantage of them.

Q. So you would probably run hypothetically or some of the other guys would run similar plays?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yes, yes, similar. Cantrell's not going to get any reverses, but he'll go up and get it for you.

Q. What is the status (Indiscernible)?
COACH KINGSBURY: Day-to-day.

Q. Last year at Arkansas, is it still (Indiscernible)?
COACH KINGSBURY: No setbacks, just trying to get it right.

Q. It seemed like sort of like (Indiscernible)?
COACH KINGSBURY: No doubt. It's lingered a little bit.

Q. (Indiscernible) earlier in the game did you think you would go for it or was that just a pick easy all the way?
COACH KINGSBURY: We would have been more aggressive in the play calling throughout that scenario down there.

Q. Are you feeling good about the progress the team is making just overall? Week one to week two to week three?
COACH KINGSBURY: I am. It's been a steady progress and competition. Obviously went up quite a bit last week, but the clean play is what I've been most impressed by. We had more turnovers last week than I would have liked, but the penalties were way down. To play with that much effort throughout the game in a very physical game, to have that few penalties is saying something.

Q. With the performance the defense put in this past weekend, how much confidence does that give you going into conference play?
COACH KINGSBURY: They're going to see a whole other beast this week with what TCU does and the dynamic athletes they have. So it's really apples and oranges.

Q. DeAndre Washington has the most rushing yards of any running back. What's that say?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, it says I need to do a better job of getting him the ball, I think. We didn't have a lot of plays last week, I think 58. But we averaged over 8 yards a play, which is a good number, but I have to find ways to get him more touches because he is dynamic. When he gets going, it seems to really spur on our entire team.

Q. What have you seen in the difference in the confidence this team has this year to last year?
COACH KINGSBURY: I think maturity, a lot. They all went through it last year, nine of those guys are back, and Coach Gibbs coming in, new scheme, the way he handles himself, his calm demeanor, you can see they feed off that. Coach Smith's work with the defensive line has been awesome. Coach Spavital joining our staff with the linebackers has really helped. So a lot of things go into them getting better each week.

Q. Scoring in the first three games there has been a huge improvement (No microphone)?
COACH KINGSBURY: It is. That's what we've got to do in this league. People are going to score and get their yards. You have to be able to turn them over at times and slow them down in the red zone.

Q. Were you unsure going into the game how your guys would respond to the first hostile road environment, or did you think they had the right type of attitude?
COACH KINGSBURY: I felt good about it. Like I said, there were a lot of them that have been on some road contests before, so they seemed to embrace it. It was a great atmosphere. It was a beautiful night. They, I thought, took advantage of the opportunity.

Q. You seem to be a little more involved defensively. Maybe just from an encouraging aspect. Has that been a change you've made over the last couple years or is that just perception?
COACH KINGSBURY: I think as you get better at being a head coach, you try to get more involved in each phase. They've got it handled over there. I'm not doing anything schematically, just trying to cheer them on.

Q. Each of the three games you've taken it down and scored on the first series and looked sharp right out of the box. To what do you attribute that? Is that the quarterback or who do you think is most responsible for that?
COACH KINGSBURY: That entire unit, just to come out -- we talk about starting fast all the time, but to come out and execute at a high level, don't have the nerves, don't be jittery. I think that entire group deserves a lot of credit for that.

Q. Was that scripted?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yes, they're all scripted. Yes.

Q. Kaster talks a lot about Mahomes having ice water in his veins. Could you talk a little bit about how cool he is in terms of game-time command?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, he is. He's very unflappable. You try to get something out of him, and it's all, yes, sir, no, sir, like it's practice. He loves the spotlight. He loves being out there, so it makes it fun to watch.

Q. The last few weeks you've talked about week-to-week improvements. In practice, how do you go about making sure or keeping that at the forefront of what you guys are trying to do?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, just got to keep people focused. You can't rest on your laurels about winning a road game. You've got to know what's coming this week and continue to get better and know that the competition is going to step up that much more this week and approach it that way.

Q. A win Saturday would give you as many wins as you had all last season.
COACH KINGSBURY: Thanks for pointing that out.

Q. It's my math major. How do you guard against them letting down if that happens?
COACH KINGSBURY: Once again, going through what they went through last year, there won't be any letdown. It was not fun. 18 of those guys started on that team and they don't want to go through that again.

Q. Can you speak to Boykin and really what he's able to do on the offensive end and what (No microphone) has brought to the table for him?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's a tremendous player. I was his biggest fan last year and I'm still his biggest fan. The way he extends plays for them, gives those guys an opportunity on the outside to get open and take shots and just very elusive. Obviously, Coach Cumbie is a very good coach, played the position. We have a lot of similar thoughts and theories in the way we do things at that position, and he's done a great job over there.

Q. The kicking situation with Barden missing the field goal, will there be some extra competition this week or will you try to get him in to get one?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, we've been competing, like I said, with those guys throughout the week every week. So you'd like him to make that one, but he's young and has to learn from it. But it's still week to week on who is going to go out there and kick.

Q. How many times have you heard 82-27? Obviously as a competitor, has that kind of struck a cord with you?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, a lots is a loss. I said it last year. At the end of the game we didn't tackle them and they kept scoring, and it was what it was. But if you lose the game, you want to win it the next year, and that's basically where we're at.

Q. Do you all do anything with that with the number 82? Is there any significance around the locker room facility? I know you're not necessarily a big rah-rah.
COACH KINGSBURY: No, unless somebody else put it up, I haven't.

Q. (No microphone) was that your low point, considering I think you were questioning some guys' efforts?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, the whole thing was a low point, the entire season. No moment sticks out more than others. I just remember watching some of those guys come out of the locker room at halftime already defeated, and that was what I was referring to in the postgame press conference.

Q. How different is your team this year going into TCU compared to last year?
COACH KINGSBURY: I think much more mature. I think I've seen more fight in them this year and more want-to. And they learned a lot from last year.

Q. On Cantrell, he has not played yet. Is he red-shirting a possibility, and if so, at what point would that become a consideration?
COACH KINGSBURY: It is. It's a great question. We're still working through that. We don't know what week would be the cutoff, but if neither one progressed like we'd like to, that would definitely come into consideration.

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