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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 9, 2015

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. What did you feel like your team's performance was Saturday relative to where you perceive the potential at this point in the season?
COACH KINGSBURY: Not as good as we should have been. I think that was a tough team physically and they got after us. I think we didn't respond the way we should have at times. Had opportunities throughout the game, kind of hung in there, but never made the push we needed to make.

Q. You've talked about execution in certain situations during games that's really been lacking. Do you see that in practice? And if you do, what do you see is the reason it's carrying over to games?
COACH KINGSBURY: I think a lot of it is nerves, I guess, being fearful of failing. It appears to me you have five drops offensively, some of the things we did, and then defensively some missed tackles, missed assignments, not triggering. It's just something we have to get better at and play ourselves out of.

Q. How do you fix the toughness situation?
COACH KINGSBURY: Just keep working at it, I don't have any answers to that one. Like I said, that team was a tough team and they took it to us, and that's, as a coach, as a player, you've got to look at that film and say, hey, we have to be tougher than we were.

Q. Is that frustrating to you?
COACH KINGSBURY: It is because we knew what environment we were going into, and as coaches you try to prepare them as a senior-laden team, they're very physical, they play tough. When you don't answer the bell the way we'd like, it's frustrating, but it's something we have to get better at and grow up a little bit.

Q. Anything the coaching staff can do to cut down on the number of personal fouls?
COACH KINGSBURY: We're working on it. It's something that we have a punishment in place. When you have a senior team captain do it in that situation, it's out of the ordinary and something that obviously needs to be addressed.

Q. What is the first one?
COACH KINGSBURY: That's something we'll keep in house, but there is something in place for personal fouls, and hopefully keeps them from happening again.

Q. From the 35 in on Saturday, it seems that you got stuck in the mud at times. What do you think was the biggest issue? Was it execution or was it more being physical?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think everybody when you look at the teams they've played, outside of Baylor, have struggled in that area. They're a good defense with good linebackers. With our struggles at outside wide receiver, they came down, played some press man, filled up the box and we were kind of handcuffed a little bit.

But I thought Pat at times did good things, moving around, creating on his own. But until we get some guys winning on the outside, we're going to have those struggles.

Q. You started Tony and Keke on the outside, what went into that decision, and how did you feel those guys played?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I just think trying something new. It hadn't been working with the combination we had, so we wanted to get fresh guys in there. They were young, they played young. We'll get everybody practicing this week, and whoever practices better this week will start this game.

Q. (Indiscernible) secondary, their ability to possibly do the same thing to you on Saturday?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, we'll see. They're a team that's traditionally played the coverages they play. They're very solid. They don't change up a ton of looks, but they're great at executing the defenses they run. So I'm not sure if they'll come down and get in our face and challenge us that way. But traditionally, they've pretty much run what they've run.

Q. Again, you'll face a team that's played two list games than you. How much of a disadvantage is that to your team?
COACH KINGSBURY: I'm not sure. Like I've said all year, it can go both ways. If you get hot, you don't want a bye, and if you've had some struggles or some injuries you wish you had one. So I don't know. It could go either way.

Q. Do you like Texas Tech's policy of not playing during finals because that prevents you from playing that first week in December?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think that's something we can talk about after the season. There are always ways to get better when it comes to scheduling.

Q. Is that a charge you'd like to lead?
COACH KINGSBURY: No, I'll leave that to Kirby and let them see if we can work something out.

Q. On a more positive note, Dre goes over 1,000 for a second straight season. It's almost like he's done it quietly. What's he meant to the program?
COACH KINGSBURY: He's meant a lot. It's been awesome watching him grow up on and off the field. He's coming off that knee injury when we first got here, and to see his development and the type of player he's become, pass catching, blocking, and running. He does a lot of it on his own. He's great at making people miss and great after contact. He's a guy that our young players can look up to. His work ethic and the way he carries himself, so can't say enough good things about him.

Q. Working with much of the same offensive line as last year, how much does it mean to get that task done for those guys?
COACH KINGSBURY: I know they take a lot of pride in that. They know how hard DeAndre works with the type of running back he is. So as a unit, they definitely take a lot of pride in it.

Q. Lot of people, public reception of Texas Tech is throw it, throw it, throw it, but when you have a guy that has 2 thousands yards, what's that do for your program?
COACH KINGSBURY: I just think it shows any running back prospects out there that this is a place you can come and be very successful in this offense. We have that reputation as a pass-happy offense, but the last two years he's proven that you can still be very successful at that position.

Q. When was it (Indiscernible) to be so successful?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, just kept two guys on him. One guy inside and one guy over the top. Took him away. Like I said, challenged our outside guys and we didn't make a lot of plays out there.

Q. What do you see defensively from Kansas State that concerns you?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, the last two years we've played them we just turned the ball over a bunch. They're a defense that's not going to miss the line. They're going to be where they ought to be and they're going to make you beat them. Great executing. Coach Hayes is a tremendous defensive coach. They're always lined up and well prepared. If you're not ready, they'll embarrass you. In the last couple years we haven't played very well against them.

Q. Taylor Symmank's status for Saturday?
COACH KINGSBURY: We're going to kick him this week in practice and see if he can go. We're hopeful. But until we see him throughout practice, we won't know.

Q. Will you check if he's not able to kick off, will you change your strategy so you don't have the out-of-bounds kickoffs?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, we'd hope so. That was obviously a negative on Saturday. Prior to that he's done pretty good, but that's something we have to work on this week and see if Barden can step in and do that, if not, we'll definitely try to find a way to keep it in bounds.

Q. Kansas State doesn't have the reputation of bringing in blue chip recruits or leading in the recruiting rankings. What do you see on film every year, year-in and year-out from a Bill Snyder crew that separates him and kind of lifts his team up and separates them from the pack?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, just amazing at fundamentals and techniques. You never see them make any dumb penalties or dumb mistakes. Their execution is at a very, very high level. That's a credit to him. He's a Hall of Fame coach. What he does there year-in and year-out, what he's built there is incredible.

Q. Does that concern you, obviously he's doing well?
COACH KINGSBURY: He does. He's a big, physical kid. With our struggles against the run, we're going to see a heavy dose of him. He has more speed than you'd like. He can make people miss, so it will be a challenge.

Q. People look at 0-5 for Kansas State in the conference. Do you think that's a reflection of who they are or just the schedule they play?
COACH KINGSBURY: I think they've played some good teams. You look at some of those scores with the exception of, I think, one they've been competitive games. They're a tough team. Watching them last week against a very good Baylor team, hung right in there until the end.

So we know they're a good football team. We know we'll get their best shot. They're fighting and clawing like we are, and that's what we're expecting.

Q. Some seniors play in the final game at the Jones this weekend. Any different message you give those guys before they head out there?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, we'll pretty much make the whole week about those guys and try to send them out on the right note. It's a good group, bunch of big names that have played here a long time and made a bunch of plays around here, so we'd love to send them out the right way.

Q. I know there is always disappointment, but did you feel like you saw some good things defensively to continue to give you guys opportunities on the offense or so?
COACH KINGSBURY: I did, to an extent we just have to get better. We can't give up that many rushing yards when the game is on the line and it's 3rd and 7 and they're handing offer and getting first downs. That's disappointing. But as a group they're making enough plays to give us the ball back, and in this conference that's all you can hope for. There are great offenses ever every week, and you just hope you get enough stops to give yourself a chance to win.

Q. You all were really playing clean football (Indiscernible), recently in your opinion, what's been the difference? Why has that come back up?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's a great question. I'm not sure. Maybe level of competition to an extent. Guys trying to do too much, overcompensating at times, but it's stuff that we have to get cleaned up in a hurry.

Q. How do you hold the players accountable to get them to clean it up in the middle of the season?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, you put it on them. We do all we can as coaches to put them in position to be successful. But if you're going to go out and get a personal foul and do things of that nature, we have to play somebody else.

Q. How important is it to get the win this Saturday so you don't go to Austin needing a win to be bowl eligible?
COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think they're all important. We haven't brought that up as far as bowl games go. You get 12 of these opportunities guaranteed, and we're just trying to focus on the next one.

Q. Out of curiosity, did you follow up with any of the stuff going on in Missouri? Any reaction to the situation?
COACH KINGSBURY: I really haven't had time to look at it. Thank you.

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