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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 9, 2015

David Gibbs

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Can you just assess your defensive performance Saturday and how you felt about it and the progression you're making or not?
COACH GIBBS: Obviously couldn't stop the run. Went into the game, game plan was to stop the run and make them throw it. We couldn't, at the end of the day, we couldn't stop them to give our offense a chance to win it. So back to the drawing board, back to practicing hard.

Thought we had a really good week of practice again. I say that every week, it's just it's not going on Saturdays and you're tired of hearing me say it, but it's true. You know, I get you we played I think 83 gradable snaps and probably 78 of them were run defenses or run blitzes.

So obviously got to do a better job coaching and getting our guys in better position so they can make the plays, make the tackles. There is no excuse. I mean, we've got to stop them and didn't do it. So it's my job to get it done, and we didn't get it done.

Q. Is there anything tangible that you see that's keeping you from translating what happens in practice to the game?
COACH GIBBS: Generally the people we play against are probably better than the people we practice against, so that could have something to do with it. But at the same time, we've got a lot of veteran guys. Obviously, at the end of the game, getting two personal fouls on the last drive is a direct reflection of leadership and it's on me.

Two senior guys who played a lot of football, two senior captains, it's not acceptable. For whatever reason it happened, and we've got to get it corrected and get it corrected now.

Q. Considering that neither of those guys have been very subject to penalties, so to speak, is there more talking back and forth in the game?
COACH GIBBS: I didn't think so. I did not think so. You can make excuses, but I mean your two senior captains, you can't make bad decisions. You know, in the heat of the battle some things happen, but not when the game's on the line and you've got a chance to give your offense a chance to win it. You've got to be mature enough and man enough to walk away, and we didn't do it. So it's not their fault. It's my fault.

Q. Why did you not play J.J. on defense since he was playing on kickoff? Was that a performance thing?
COACH GIBBS: No, you know, just the way the game went. We were trying to get him. He was going into the game he was going to split reps at safety, and it's just the way the game went. Hadn't tackled very good lately, so we're trying to take some pressure off of him. Obviously made a big play on the interception. Probably should have played him more and didn't.

Q. (Indiscernible) as a result of that?
COACH GIBBS: Keenon had a better week of practice last week. Played okay, didn't flip a coin.

Q. Coach, I'm curious how you say it's your fault with the penalties there? I realize you're the coach and defensive coordinator, but they're the ones that made the mistake. It seems like that's a little harsh?
COACH GIBBS: The truth is you build a culture, and if guys are doing that, especially senior guys who have been around, you can understand freshmen making mistakes and I'm okay with younger guys who aren't as experienced. But to me in those situations veteran guys got to do what's best for the team, what's best for the defense. Those are selfish, to me, that's selfishness, which comes from the top, in my opinion.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about what you're expecting this week?
COACH GIBBS: Run, run, run like everybody else does, and they're good, they're well-coached, they're smart. They know what they're doing. They lost five games in a row, and four of the five they could have won against really good football teams. So they'll look at us and be smiling from ear to ear.

Q. I know other people may not, but are you seeing any positives in your defense so far as the year goes on?
COACH GIBBS: I am. I see some guys getting better. I tell you that every week. We're creating some turnovers. I think other teams have fumbled like 16 times this year, and we've only recovered eight of them. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but some guys are getting better. And I said it again last week and I'll say it again this week. They kept competing. Even though we couldn't stop them, they were fighting. We were trying like crazy to stop them and get them off the field.

So they didn't quit, which there is a fine line because you're not quitting, but you're not stopping anybody. So just got to continue to work, get better, and like I say every week, keep coaching them as hard as we can coach them and keep recruiting when the season's over with.

Q. Did you feel like losing Dakota made a big difference?
COACH GIBBS: Dakota hurt us because he's been getting better. He's been our middle linebacker and he's getting better at that. When he comes out, then Micah's got to go back to Mike, and Micah's a better outside linebacker than he is an inside linebacker in my opinion. So it hurt a little bit. But 300 yards rushing is still 300 yards rushing.

Q. Can you talk about Kansas State and their run game and how they use their quarterback a lot more?
COACH GIBBS: They've mastered it. I mean, they've got an extra hat every snap, which it's option football is what it is. Instead of options outside, they're running options inside. Their offensive line is well coached. Their running backs, tight ends block, I mean, they are a true definition of a sound football team who is really good, and they utilize their personnel to the maximum.

Q. What is Dakota's status this week?
COACH GIBBS: That's a good question. You have to ask Coach Kingsbury.

Q. Can you assess the (Indiscernible) first sack, first interception?
COACH GIBBS: He played good. He's been playing good. I say it every week. Even though they're running the football on these spread offenses, it's hard for interior guys to put up numbers. It just is. They get doubled all the time. With the tempo, they get tired.

The kid continues to get better. He takes coaching. He's going to be a leader as soon as this season ends, I'm sure he'll take over this defense.

Q. On that 3rd and 7 on the last drive, critical first down, who was supposed to have containment on that play?
COACH GIBBS: Which? The one that went around? They had third down twice.

Q. I guess 3rd and 7 was a left perimeter run.
COACH GIBBS: He technically has the outside. The guy grabbed him a little bit, but that's no excuse. We had a three technique and defensive end at that side. That play was designed to go inside, and we've got to do our job and make sure ball doesn't bounce. But we've got to learn to make those plays. That's the history here and we've got to change it.

Q. With one win to become bowl eligible, is it almost a situation of two games left that you maybe throw in the kitchen sink and do some things outside that you usually do, or do you just continue to preach?
COACH GIBBS: No, I'm listening to anybody. I'm back here. I'll be in here tomorrow morning at 4:30 if you want to come help me. I'm all ears. I've said this before, the problem with bad defenses is they never stay in the same place twice. Even when you're doing stuff that you've done from day one. So if you start adding stuff and doing things that you don't have, they have no chance of being in the right places.

So your chances of being successful are slim to none. Of course easy to say what you're doing right now is not working, but we'll keep fighting, we'll keep coaching and trying to get better.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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