	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

November 14, 2016

Luke Stice

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Luke, has the defense turned a corner?
LUKE STICE: I've definitely seen progress from week to week throughout the season. At this point in the season we need to be playing at a high level. So I'm definitely pleased with our performance. And throughout the rest of the stretch we've got to find a way to keep competing at that high level.

Q. You guys are hitting the road for Iowa State. The early weather forecast shows possible snow and freezing rain, if not. How do you prepare for that?
LUKE STICE: I mean, you've got to be willing -- you've got to be ready to play wherever they place the ball down at whatever time. You've got to be kind of trained for whatever. And whatever we end up, whatever the weather ends up doing, be ready to compete.

Q. As a defensive player, do you like playing in the frigid temperatures or would you rather it be 85?
LUKE STICE: I just love playing football. It really doesn't matter what the temperature is. Honestly, we're going to go play ball and we're excited to get after it regardless of the weather.

Q. What do you expect to see from Iowa State's offense?
LUKE STICE: You know, they have a great home atmosphere. They compete well at home. And we're excited to be part of that environment and use that energy to our advantage. And we're excited to just go compete.

Q. Does it make it a hard job for the defense knowing you're preparing for two different quarterbacks and two different styles?
LUKE STICE: You know, we're just going to be prepared going into this game to be ready to stop either quarterback. And as you mentioned, they do have kind of different ways of playing at the quarterback position. But whoever is out there, we'll be ready to compete against them.

Q. Kliff told us at the end of the game, he told the defense to let them score. Is that weird hearing that from the defensive side of the ball, letting another team score?
LUKE STICE: Right. I mean, at the end of the day you've gotta do what coach asks you to do. So that's the first time I've been put in that situation. But whatever's best for the team, that's what he thought was best at that point. And that's what we tried to do.

Q. Kirk said he doesn't feel like Iowa State's record is indicative of the type of team that they are. Has that message been clearly passed over to you guys?
LUKE STICE: No doubt. Iowa State, they play everybody at a high level throughout the entire season. Especially at home. So we've got to compete to the best of our ability and prepare this week. And we've gotta do what we need to do to take care of business come Saturday.

Q. Is there any talk about you've got to win the next two games so we can practice in December?
LUKE STICE: I think it just comes down to just knowing we've got to attack each day one day at a time and do whatever we need to do to compete at a high level on Saturday. You can't look too far ahead. You see how fast the season has gone by, and it's got to be a day-by-day mentality and knowing you've got to sell out for your brothers in the locker room and do everything you can do to help this team finish on a high note.

Q. What's the attitude in the locker room right now after falling to Oklahoma State?
LUKE STICE: A tough loss. No two ways around that. I mean, we compete at a high level. I know that. And it's tough to say that because at the end of the day we didn't find a way to win.

And the only thing I can do moving forward is promise everybody in the locker room is going to sell out each day to prepare and do everything they can to finish this season on a high note and continue to compete at the best of their ability.

Q. Looks like you guys made some progress on the defensive end. Although, there's still room to improve. But compared to earlier in the season, seems like you guys always knew what the problem was, you knew what needed to change but it just wasn't clicking for whatever reason. You had the diagnosis. And now it's started to be put into effect. What do you think that the disconnect there was?
LUKE STICE: You know, it's hard to put it on one thing, one particular thing. But just overall it's continuing to develop as a unit and continue to just play for each other and compete at a high level going into each game. And as we continue to get momentum and build confidence, especially with our younger guys, I'm just pleased to see that continue to improve, like you mentioned, throughout the season and at this point in the season it needs to continue to increase.

Q. (Indiscernible) more extended play time, guys going out with injuries?
LUKE STICE: It just comes back to doing whatever you can to help this team win. The mission statement of the United States military and it's when called upon respond with ready units. That's the mindset and mentality we each have to bring to work each day, whatever you need to do help this team win, that's what you need to do. And each day, whatever role you're assigned, you need to do that job to the highest level to help this team be successful.

Q. Do you remember when your last sack was (indiscernible)?
LUKE STICE: No, sir. I'm talking -- I've played a lot of offense when I was at Houston. That was actually my first collegiate sack. So you'll have to go back to the (indiscernible) days back in the fall of 2011 if you want to pull that one out.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
LUKE STICE: No doubt. Permian, they have their hands full. Des Smith, he's next to me in the locker room. He's my locker room buddy. I walked into the locker room, saw Dez Smith - Odessa, Texas on the name plate. I said, all right, we'll have to set a few ground rules before you come prancing in here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297