	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 10, 2016

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. You won the stat game, you lost the score. How often does that happen to you and what do you do about that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think when you look at the areas where we lost it, we're giving up a defensive touchdown on the interception, giving up a special teams touchdown and losing the penalty battle, that's kind of where we lost that game. Had some yards and did some good things at times but in crucial areas on the road we fell short.

Q. In the second half, what do you think about Pat's decision-making how he handled the blitz as well as his confidence?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I thought he did a good job. There were some plays we'd like to have back, but more so up front, communicating, picking up different things. But I thought he hung in there. You could tell by the end of the game his shoulder was getting a little tired, but he kept battling gave us a chance to win.

Q. Did you ever consider putting Nic in at any point in time as a player to do a little relief or do a different play?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No.

Q. What do you think the biggest difference was, like maybe third, fourth quarter that made (indiscernible) what you guys were doing?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't know that they did anything. We just didn't execute like we should have, had some third and shorts, things of that nature that would have kept drives going. Just didn't execute.

Q. Any of those fourth-down calls that you went for it on would you go back and do it differently?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No. The first one just felt like field goals weren't going to get it done. Had a good call on it. Just didn't finish it. And then the other two. Just were going to be aggressive and, like I said, I didn't think field goals at that time would be enough.

Q. It seems like the illegal man downfield is being called not only on you but a lot of teams. Would you like to see that redefined or redone a little bit given the spread offense as far as things go?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think there's a lot of gray area. So you either go one way or the other, but we just have to do a better job tightening up. Some of those plays the lineman isn't even designed to be down the field and ends up down the field. So we need to clean that up.

Q. What do you see from West Virginia on both sides of the ball, special teams that concerns you?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Defensively I think Coach Gibson is one of the best in the country at playing spread offenses, has a really good plan. Brings pressure, drops eight a bunch, does a good job taking away your run game, and I've been really impressed with him. Year in year out of the he does a tremendous job versus us.

And offensively they run the ball very well. Dana's done a good job adapting to his personnel, has great O line, quarterback's playing at a high level, has some really good wideouts. They're a good team, Top 25 team for a reason, and we'll have to play very well.

Q. [Indiscernible] Brown mentioned in the press conference that second half against K-State they started bringing six-, seven-man pressure and at times looked like offensive line was on ice skates. What's the biggest issue for them and what do they have to clean up?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Just to get better. That's all it is. They brought some pressures. But they brought some of the same pressures in the first half and we handled it and we just didn't play as well in the second half. Like I said, still had a bunch of yards. Had a bunch of yards, could have scored points but just didn't get it done. Have to find a way to finish those drives and score more points.

Q. After you looked at the film, did you like the way that the defense played, at least did it play more consistently, what you were looking for in this team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, it was improved, I'd say. Had some key stops where we had a chance to take leads and offensively we didn't convert. But still have to clean up a lot as far as their running game. I thought they were able to do some things that we'd like to take away.

But I thought both sides of the ball played hard until the end, didn't give up, kept fighting.

Q. From what you've seen on film so far this year, is West Virginia as much of a Big 12 Championship contender as the rest of the teams that they're up with the top of the standings with right now?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'm not sure who all is at the top. I know they haven't lost a game, so I'd assume they're in that conversation. They're a good team. I think they play really good defense. Quarterback is playing at a very high level, like I said, experienced offensive line. Dana does a good job schematically week in week out to try to take advantage of what you're doing defensively. So I think they're a good team.

Q. The spread offense, it seems like they get the rap that they only throw it around the yard, and last year you saw them finish in the top two in rushing. Why do you think that is that they get that rap, that they can't run the ball as proficiently as they seem to show week in week out?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Are you talking about West Virginia? Yeah, last year they ran it I think 57 times versus us. So I've known he's been doing that the last three or four years.

He's run heavy. And so I don't know what they call his offense. But he's definitely pushed that way where he's running it more than he throws it.

Q. What do you think about the safety Kyzir White and how far he's come this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's a good player. I think they're entire defense is good really. Like I talked about year in, year out when we play them, schematically they do a great job trying to take away what you're good at and it will be a big challenge. Last year we weren't very physical and they got after us. And we need to be up to the challenge this year.

Q. Do you think this last game may be the best that your group of wide receivers have played from that standpoint since you've been here?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't know. I thought we left a lot out there. Thought Pat had some really good throws, made good plays. We had some balls we could have finished. But they're getting better.

Numbers-wise we're playing a lot of guys they're all kind of keeping that level which is what we want.

Q. When you make the decision to go for it on fourth down, when you're looking at maybe midfield, are you making that decision a couple of plays ahead, knowing that maybe the punt's not going to be that effective just given the field position? Is that kind of what you look at more than anything else or is it about it's fourth-and-seven, we're tied, we gotta go for it?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, I mean, based on a lot of different things, situationally, how the game's going where we're at, if we're stopping them, not stopping them. A lot of factors, if we cross the 50 we have a pretty good idea if we're going to go for it or not.

Q. You said Pat seemed to be getting tired there and the shoulder was tired there late in the game. Do you think that's something that will linger over the next couple of weeks or do you guys know that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't. I think he pushed it to be out there this past week. A lot of guys would not have played in that game. He wanted to play. And threw it really well. So it will just continue to get better and better.

Q. When did you know that he would play? When was that decision made?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Later in the week.

Q. How would you or have you handled it if there were any sexist, racist or other offensive language used in your locker room?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: That did not sound like one of your questions. (Laughter) somebody put you up to that one. I mean, I'm never back there to even hear it. So I hope none of that's going on, but we'll leave that to the politicians to discuss.

Q. How is Keke over the last month? Have you seen what you wanted?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's gotten better. We asked him, after last year, we didn't think he was physical enough in the run game. Talked to him about that being a complete wide receiver. We've always known he was dynamic with the ball in his hands. Has really shown great hands, great speed and great illusiveness in the open field and become a much more complete wideout, and he's still just a true sophomore.

Q. When he returned the punt that one time, was something that you all wanted him to do?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, it was more, it was just a feel thing. He was kind of hot right then, he wanted the ball so we let him have a shot at it. That's kind of how we go offensively, and special teams the same way, if a player has gotten on a roll or he's hot, we try to give him the ball.

Q. What are a couple of things you feel like your team needs to do this weekend to bring home a win?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We just have to be better in those crucial areas. We haven't won the turnover battle, I think, since week one, which it's hard to win in college football without doing that. Penalties, we had 100 yards last week. We have to bring it way down. And to me those are biggest thing. Special teams can't give up big plays. The week before we had the safety. Had a couple other miscues and this past week the kickoff return.

So I think that's key. We haven't played a very clean game the last two weeks, and we've got to definitely do that.

Q. Special teams something you're going to spend more time on this week or do you think you've done that now, it's a mental thing?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think it's a mental thing. Our kickers have to perform at a higher level and punters. That's where we're at. And we've worked with them. And we know they can do it. We believe in them. They just have to do it on Saturday.

Q. (Indiscernible) situation?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We're not sure yet. He'll be day to day this week and pretty much moving forward.

Q. Has he been on the practice field this past week?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He has.

Q. K-State, you guys were squibbing the ball. As far as kicking it to (indiscernible) right before the half, did you put it in a bad spot where you kicked it, or was it just the coverage unit?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we squibbed it after that play. So, no, we didn't kick it where we wanted to kick it. We didn't kick it through the end zone with the wind, which is something we've got to be able to do. He made a good play. We didn't cover it real well and we decided to start squibbing it.

Q. What were you feeling when you saw your team (indiscernible) down the field?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Somebody sent that to me. Looks like the tape is sped up. That's how fast he is. It's awesome to see how hard he's worked and it's paying off for him.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Same deal, day to day, saw him in the training room today walking around. Not sure of his status just yet, we'll try to get him loosened up today and tomorrow see if he can go.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, sir.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297