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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 12, 2017

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. This Arizona State defense, what kind of sticks out to you about these guys and maybe what they're doing differently this year than they were last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Just Coach Bennett has his philosophy what he does, the type of coverages he's run. He's had a lot of success with it. So you can see his influence on it, definitely. Still a lot of good playmakers, a tough front, good linebackers that can fly around and tackle, so it'll be a good challenge. I think they've played well in the first two games. The first game, late in the game, New Mexico State came back but they had pretty much dominated that game throughout and then obviously San Diego State had a couple long plays.

Q. What are you seeing from Wicker, (indiscernible) you obviously are pretty familiar (indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, they just continue to get better. They flash on film. Both great young men, enjoyed getting to know them through the process, and glad to see that they're having success because they do everything right.

Q. What was the most frustrating part of last year's game in Tempe?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think just getting dominated in the field position area. I think we started five drives inside our 7-yard line, turned it over twice, had a safety, a bunch of things you can't do on the road against a good football team and win, but I think more than anything, they dominated us in special teams and the field position battle.

Q. You have so many new guys on defense. Do you think last year (indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't, to an extent. I think obviously any time somebody scores eight touchdowns on you, you're going to know about it, but I think they understand this is a new defense, two teams in a new year, so last year doesn't mean anything really.

Q. How is Nisby health-wise?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's good. I expect him to be full go, so I think it helped having the bye week. We were able to rest him a little bit and get him feeling better, and I expect him to be ready to go if we need him.

Q. With as many backs as you played during the opener, do you think you will play that many backs over the course of the season or will you kind of narrow that rotation?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we wanted to get everybody as the game went, get everybody some touches and see how they played, and we have confidence in four or five of those guys carrying the football, which is good. Good to see them do it when the lights are on. But I could see as the games go on, people getting fewer touches.

Q. Is that Sparky Formation something specifically in your game plan?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think we've taken a long, hard look at that. I think after last year, the problems that gave us we've definitely had some focus on that, and hopefully we can do a better job of slowing that down this season.

Q. (Indiscernible) having young linebackers, you weren't sure what they were going to do at times?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: That's what it looked like, but they'd been effective against everybody with it, just probably not to the extent they were that game. They gashed us every time they ran it. So hopefully we've improved in that area, and you know it's coming at some point during the game.

Q. Manny had a pretty good game, as well. What stands out about him?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Manny Wilkins?

Q. Wilkins, sorry.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think last year he probably played one of the best games we had played against us as far as accuracy and moving around, extending plays and not turning the ball over. I thought he had a heck of a game last year, and he looks good this year. I know they had a couple protection lapses here and there the first two games, but he can get out and he can hurt you with his legs. He's an accurate passer. So I'm really impressed with him.

Q. You guys kind of stumbled there early in the Eastern Washington game. I know it's important to get off to a fast start in any game, but would it be more so against them considering those struggles on the offensive line they've had those first two games?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You'd like to try and make anybody you play one-dimensional, so last week or two weeks ago, we just -- weren't executing at a high level early. I wasn't calling a very good game early, and we didn't score like we needed to early on in that game. And so hopefully we've learned from that and can get going early and try to put some pressure on them.

Q. What stands out to you about their receiving corps?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Just size. They'll go up and make plays, big guys that can go and make plays. Talented group, even though they're young. I think talented quarterback, talented wide receivers, really good running backs. So it's a good offense, and we'll have to play a very good game to contain it.

Q. Do you have any update on Da'Leon?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He will not be playing this week.

Q. Is he practicing?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll just leave it at he won't be playing this week.

Q. I know you guys preach taking care of the football and getting turnovers, but how important is it this week that the success Arizona State has had?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It's huge. I felt like that was the difference in last year's game even though it got to be a shootout when you give up a safety and have two turnovers and they don't have, you're not going to win those games on the road. Preached that all season. I think our team understands that that's going to be huge in every game we play moving forward is being able to win that turnover battle, so hopefully we can find a way to get it done.

Q. How important is this game, you're playing a Power Five opponent, just to keep the good feeling going that you had after the opener?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, you want to always keep that good feeling going. We know it's a good football team coming in here. We know it'll take our best shot to beat them. It's a night game. We need it to be packed, need it to be loud, need it to be rocking. They had a great atmosphere last year, so we hope all those things are going our way and that we can execute at a high level.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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