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LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 12, 2016

Ryan Higgins

Ruston, Louisiana

UTSA - 35, Louisiana Tech - 63

Q. Ryan, knowing where you guys were at this time, similar time last year, having a bowl game to end the year with the division title on the line, falling short, coming into today, how much motivation was that knowing with some help you could take care of business tonight?
RYAN HIGGINS: It was a big deal. Just the energy and how everyone was locked in the locker room and last night in the hotel and everything, it just felt -- everybody felt really confident knowing that if we take care of our business, like you said, with a little help, we can put ourselves in great position and lock up the west and I'm thankful we were able to do that tonight.

Q. Coach said there was a lot of celebration in the locker room. What's the feeling amongst the team right now having -- I mean still work to be done, but you got the first one out of the way.
RYAN HIGGINS: Just elation. Everybody is -- our fight song that we sing, we have a couple of versions that we sing at the end of every game. Just seemed that much more intense and that much more -- just an amazing feeling and just -- especially during the senior year, it's just -- it's magical.

Q. As a senior getting to do this in your last game, having waited your whole career here to be able to get into these kind of moments and capitalize on the moments and doing it in your last game in Joe Aillet Stadium. For you personally what's that emotion like?
RYAN HIGGINS: I don't think it's quite hit me yet, and I hope it doesn't for a little bit. But all last night and all in the field, you know, we were talking, this could be our last drive at the Joe or whatever. And we just kind of reminded ourselves each drive and each chance we got, like, hey, this could be the last one, let's make it count. And just really can't describe -- I was getting a little emotional when Coach was talking right before our fight song. I mean it's just indescribable really.

Q. On the interception did you know that was offsides?
RYAN HIGGINS: I'm pretty sure it was. Like I thought it was, but I was just I guess more angry than anything. And I was just thinking like just in case, and I got yelled at for chasing them down by Coach. But that was good.

Q. A reminder to everyone that you got some wheels?
RYAN HIGGINS: Yeah. I had to shut some people up.

Q. With this offense at the beginning of the season it seemed like everything was going through Trent and then Carlos came along. The two of them the offense just continued to spread out even more. How have guys stepped up to add to this offense?
RYAN HIGGINS: I really can't say enough about guys like Alfred Smith and Marlon Watts and D.O. Just guys that are -- when they try to double or triple Trent or Los or both of them, whatever they try to do, it's just -- it's a comforting feeling knowing I've got guys like Kam McKnight and Conner Smith that I can trust them to run the right route and be there when I need them to be. And we're kind of on the same page. I have confidence in their abilities, and tonight I had a couple of guys really step up and make some good plays, and I'm glad I got to get them the ball.

Q. Is that a long time coming with Alfred, to see him go off like that?
RYAN HIGGINS: Yeah. Like Coach Holtz said, he was getting a little frustrated, but that's a really unselfish player, a guy who blocks harder than anybody and doesn't complain about not getting the ball or anything like that, does his part. And I was really excited for him to be able to have a great game statistically.

Q. When you hear Coach talking about the one and three start, how everyone was freaking out and now here we are talking about you're winning the division championship, won seven straight games. You're 8 and 3. How do you explain this turnaround, this run that you're on right now?
RYAN HIGGINS: I mean, really, like Coach Holtz said, we were so close at Arkansas, so close at Middle Tennessee from the start of the season being completely different. I mean we knew all along what we were able to do, or capable of. And not exactly sure what really sparked everybody gelling and able to move so smoothly, but I'm glad it happened.

Q. Being a guy from Hutto, not far from San Antonio, was this one a little sweeter for you?
RYAN HIGGINS: Yeah. It was. I knew a couple players -- and players I didn't even know were on the team came up and talked to me a little bit after, guys I played with in Peewee or something like that. And really just anytime we play a team from Texas or anything like that, I take it a little more personal, just not really even sure why. But it was just nice to go out in a big way last game in the Joe.

Q. Could it be that maybe some folks in Texas didn't believe in you maybe as much as the Tech coaches back in the day did and you sticking it out at Tech? Do you think that might make you play harder?
RYAN HIGGINS: Yeah. Definitely. More so in games like against Texas Tech and stuff like that, I really felt like -- because Coach Kingsbury recruited me when he was at Houston and just really wanted to -- I was playing with a chip on my shoulder, I guess. But yeah, I mean I'm proud to be a Bulldog and I'm proud of this team.

Q. Knowing you're in the title game, are you going to talk at all about a chance of posting it, going on the road like you did a couple of years ago against Marshall?
RYAN HIGGINS: Yes. That's the plan is to play in Shreveport, that's everybody's goal. That's what we're trying to do. Really just we know whatever we -- it's in our hands. We take care of business in two weeks and we'll be playing in Shreveport and that's everybody's focus right now.

Q. When defense is kind of doubling up on Trent the way they were tonight, and the last game as well, how refreshing is it knowing you have McKnight and you have Alfred Smith and a few other guys who can play out there on the field?
RYAN HIGGINS: Like I said, it's really comforting knowing that -- it's kind of like pick your poison. Doesn't matter really in my eyes what they do, we're going to be able to find somebody to get open and I'm going to do whatever I can to get them the ball. And I trust them to not only make the catch, but make a play, make somebody miss, and I was really proud of a lot of guys who stepped up tonight.

Q. What's your take away from a game like this? You put up 62 points. Trent five catches, Carlos has two. Pretty much shut down on the receiving end. And pass offense is kind of what's carried the team the entire year and here we are 62 points. What do you make of, I guess, the evolution as a team where you're able to score?
RYAN HIGGINS: I think it says a lot about -- our special teams the past couple weeks has made some great plays, couple scores, and Los is a freak, of course. But just really -- it's nice knowing that -- of course, I'd love to throw it 100 times a game and all that. But it doesn't matter what we do, we're able to move the ball down the field, and everybody on offense is unselfish, whether it's just giving the ball to Jarred or Boston or throwing quick screens. Everybody just wants -- we're all going for the same thing.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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