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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 12, 2017

Nic Shimonek

Lubbock, Texas

Q. What sticks out to you about these guys defensively, what they're doing, especially when you've kind of see what they do?
NIC SHIMONEK: Yeah, I mean, we're not really sure how they're going to play us. They've played the first couple of teams this year a little differently than they have -- than the way they played us last year. But as with any week, any opponent, Coach Kingsbury is going to put us in the right position to be successful, so it's just a matter of us going out and executing that game plan, because like I said, him and Coach Morrison, Coach Jones, everybody, they're going to do everything they can to put us in a position to be successful. So yeah, it's up to us at that point.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
NIC SHIMONEK: Well, that San Diego State game was tough because they don't run a very similar offense to ours. There's a few things that we can take from it. It doesn't seem like they're bringing as much pressure maybe. I don't know, but like I said, that could change. They could come out and bring the house every play. But going back to what I just told Will, he's going to put us in a position to be successful no matter what they do. We just have to execute that game plan.

Q. Energy-wise does it feel kind of like you're back to full health, having had a little bit longer wait time?
NIC SHIMONEK: Yeah, I wasn't -- didn't really like the fact that we had a bye the second week, just because we played so well, you kind of want to keep that thing going. But you know, that's how the schedule ended up. You can't do anything about it. We definitely got better this past week with corrections and having the extra week to install this game plan. So yeah, I'm just eager to get back out there this Saturday.

Q. What were the things from the opener after you got a chance to really dig into the film from it that you really felt like you guys needed to correct or fix?
NIC SHIMONEK: Like I said right after the game, we've got to start faster. Our defense started extremely fast, a couple turnovers, three-and-outs, and we were kind of sluggish those first three or four drives. But yeah, I think if they can continue to play like that and we can find our groove a little earlier, I think that'll be beneficial for us.

Q. What sticks out about their defensive line? Seems like they've got some good guys.
NIC SHIMONEK: Yeah, they've got a couple good guys. You know, I trust the O-line. I know that was a point this off-season, this summer, that it seems like they were getting a lot of flak for not being up to par last year. But with the addition of Coach B-Jones, he's going to get them right. Studying the film all the time, I watched with them yesterday, and just getting those guys in the right position, going back to the previous answer. He's going to make sure that they're in the position to be successful. Whether they execute or not is up to them, but he's going to make sure they have a chance to do well.

Q. Kind of a different perspective from last year's game, what did you see from the sidelines, and what was frustrating for you?
NIC SHIMONEK: That was a tough game because I felt like we had a chance to really take the game over at numerous times. It just seems like we couldn't do it. I think we had a fumble recovery for a touchdown that got called back with a block in the back. That was a big turning point. Obviously nothing that I could have done, nothing that Pat could have done, either. It was just one of those games. The ball really wasn't bouncing our way, but like with the majority of our games that we lost last year, we still had a chance to win it at the end.

I mean, I'm excited that they have to come here this year. Obviously the Jones is a very awesome place to play, especially at night. Just ready for Saturday.

Q. You said as an offense you just have to start faster. Personally, what are the biggest corrections you kind of saw when you looked at the tape this week for yourself?
NIC SHIMONEK: You know, there was a couple balls that I was completing that maybe I could have hit something deeper down the field, and even a couple balls that I pulled on run plays and tried to throw a little screen to Keke or somebody that maybe I can just let that ride, hand it to No. 4 or No. 32 and let them do what they do. But you know, there's going to be correct -- whether I went 10 for 40 or 40 for 40, there's always going to be corrections. So yeah, it's just a matter of getting back in the film room afterwards and sitting down with Coach Kingsbury and correcting what we need to correct and putting it behind us and getting better, moving forward. Yeah, hopefully this Saturday we can come out clicking on all cylinders.

Q. With as successful as Arizona State has been at creating points off turnovers, has the coaching staff or maybe Kingsbury conveyed how important it is to protect the football this week?
NIC SHIMONEK: Yeah, that's every week. You win the turnover margin, you're going to put yourself in a position to be successful. And the defense stepped up and did a great job last week where they have three or four turnovers, and we didn't turn it over once. Any time you can win that turnover battle, like you can put yards and all that kind of stuff out the window if you win that, you're at least going to put yourself in a position to win the game.

Q. Is there any feeling of this kind of being a payback game knowing that you guys should have and probably could have won last year?
NIC SHIMONEK: I wouldn't say payback. We are anxious to get out there, just along with last year's loss, along with this bye week that we just had. We kind of wanted to keep it going. But I wouldn't say payback is the word. We're treating every game like we have to go 1-0, whether we play Eastern Washington or whether we play Oklahoma or whoever the case may be. We've got to prepare and go throughout the week like it's a win-or-go-home game, and if you do that, you're putting yourself in a position to have success on Saturday.

Q. Coach said Nisby can go for this game. What did you see that you liked from him in that Eastern Washington game that maybe he does differently from the rest of the guys?
NIC SHIMONEK: Yeah, we haven't had a guy like that really since I've been here. He's faster than people think, for one, and two, he wants to create contact, I guess. A lot of guys try to make somebody miss, but Nisby, whenever he gets the ball, he's looking for somebody to hit, which is a good mix-up. Obviously you've got Stock that can basically outrun everybody on the field, and then you hand it to Nisby, it's kind of like a different type of running. So the variety that we have at running back right now with those two guys and with Tre King and Felton, I think we have got some good guys back there, and keep mixing those guys in and take it from there.

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