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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 3, 2017

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Coach, Peyton Binder who playing quarterback for Kansas this year, a guy who was at Washington State, what do you know about him, and what have you seen on him?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Not a ton. Coach Morris knows him a little better than I do. But had some nice games early. Looked like last week they went to the ground early and probably saw something in the defense. But a talented player. It seems like when the guy's there, he can make the throw.

Q. How different does their offense look this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think he does a good job of adapting to his personnel. That was definitely the case last week of getting the running backs, he's a very good player, at the ball more, doing different things schematically that they haven't shown a ton of. I think it cost West Virginia off guard a little bit and had success running the football.

Q. Steven Sims seems like he's been at Kansas forever. What do you see out of him?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, a talented player. He's had some big games against us, so we're going to know where he's at. And they do a good job, like you said of getting him the football. He's been making plays in the Big 12 against really everybody for a long time, so we'll definitely know where he's at at all times.

Q. Defensively Armstrong gets all the love. What does Wise do for them?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Both those guys jump out on film. Daniel Wise had a heck of a season so far. Lot of tackles for loss, lot of pressures. They had a good front. We struggled with him last year here, protecting and running the football. We'll have to be much better going up there?

Q. (Indiscernible) Armstrong?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Not as well as we should have.

Q. What is it about him that makes him so productive?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, athletic, very athletic. He has a high motor, plays hard, and has really changed his body. You see him, how much bigger he's gotten. So he's obviously working at it as well.

Q. As far as your offense the last two weeks haven't been up to your expectations. What's been the main reason for that after seeing film?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Pretty good defenses. You know, we had some things, dropped a couple touchdowns, missed a few things that we should have hit, obviously, both weeks. But, yeah, I think you have to credit those defenses as well. Those are two good defenses with a lot of talent, lot of senior-laden players. We just got to execute at a high level when you're playing those type of defenses.

Q. Do you feel like it's been more them though than something you're doing?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: A combination of both, I'd say. But, like I said, you're not going to score 60 against the top 15 team in the country. It's just not going to happen most times. So we had a chance to score more, but we just didn't get it done.

Q. How does your team change offensively if (Indiscernible) can't go this week?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We've just got to have other guys step up. He's been a big cog in what we're doing. A dynamic playmaker who we're trying on give the ball to a bunch of different ways. But we have others. If he can't play, we'll find different ways to move the football.

Q. Who is somebody that maybe you talk to about filling in that role and stepping up?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I mean, all of them, really. All the running backs and every other receiver we have, they know that they'll get a few more touches if he can't go, and we'll make it work.

Q. What is the update on his status?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, day-to-day.

Q. What is Da'leon Ward's status?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Day-to-day.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'm not sure.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Probably about the last game of the year. We'll just take it day-to-day with old Da'leon.

Q. You guys (Indiscernible) the run game after you played a quarter or a third of the season, is there anything you got back that you wanted to change up? What will be your thoughts?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I thought against Houston we did and last week we didn't. So we've just got to get better. If we want to have success in the Big 12, all the teams that have won our league have run the football effectively. We didn't last week, and we just have to improve upon that.

Q. Do you feel like some of the younger guys in the trenches kind of have, I don't know, like an awakening or had their eyes open as far as the physicality that Oklahoma State brought?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think it was definitely a step up in competition, no question. Houston has a good front and they're a good team. But like I said, you're talking about a Top 10, quality team with a really, really good front. We didn't do what we needed to do up front.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see how practice goes. There are six or seven guys we feel comfortable with. So we'll see how practice goes this week.

Q. How do you think the team responded on Sunday in practice?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, great. They're disappointed Saturday night, but we get over it. That's the nice thing about practicing Sundays this season. You get it out of your system, you get back out there and move on to the next.

Q. Do you do anything different trying to get them ready for a game that's going to have a few thousand people in the stands, 11 a.m. and all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, we address it. We know our struggles there in the past. Last year was a very competitive game up until the end here. So we know what we're getting ourselves into. They've had two weeks to prepare. We'll get their best shot and our players understand that.

Q. How much does already having a road 11 a.m. kickoff help prepare your team for getting into that game mentality that early?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I hope it has. We have another one coming up the next week, so hopefully we can get used to that format, that set up, and come in with good energy and start fast.

Q. Do you feel there is a different feel in the locker room? Nic said the other night he felt the team was more disappointed that they lost. I'm not there, I don't know for sure, but do you sense that with this team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think they just understand how good they can be more than anything. It wasn't like a wing and a prayer. We were right there. We felt like we just ran out of time, and that's a good sentiment to have.

Q. How do you think (Indiscernible) is doing these first four games?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Doing well. Protected the ball well. Been under some adverse situations the last couple weeks. We haven't protected very well. I thought he was throwing the ball very effectively. He's just going to get better. It's only his fourth start, and I'm proud of the way he's played so far, and we'll just keep getting better each week.

Q. How would you describe his leadership? What type of leader is he on the sidelines and in practices?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's what you want. A tough young man, doesn't get rattled, ever. Very emotional, the hardest worker on our team, so he kind of leads by example, and he's got a fiery side to him as well.

Q. What do you think about Zach Barnes?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Zach is doing a nice job. Moving to more of an inside-type player this year. Been proud of the progress he's made. He's really stuck it out. Got bigger, stronger, faster throughout his career here, and really found a nice role his senior year.

Q. Are some of your JUCO guys enthusiastic about going back to Kansas (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'm not sure, really.

Q. How did you define (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, Coach Juluke really had a connection there, and we knew we needed another back coming in to fall camp to really add depth to that position. He's come in, and we were told he's very tough, very competitive, and he's been all those things. Still learning our system, still getting used to this level of play, and really been excited about how quickly he's come along.

Q. Does it surprise you at all considering he was a walk-on?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Not so much, just because we'd heard such good things about his competitive side and how tough he was. That's what he's shown. He's hopped in there and hasn't backed down from anybody.

Q. What do you think of his progress?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Very active, very productive, makes a lot of plays. Just got to clean up some of the mental things. Can't have busts, can't chase down in and not play the quarterback. But he's one of those guys that's so athletic, he's always around the football, getting his hand on the ball and can chase some things down that most rushes and defensive ends can't do.

Q. Any of those guys you feel have changed their attitudes?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think collectively, just like I said all along, they weren't a part of some of those defenses that really struggled, so that didn't effect them or their psyche or who they were. They wanted to come in here and show this is who we are. Yeah, as a collective group, any of that new blood that we've gotten in has been good for us.

Q. Do you think that it will help that last year he got significant time against Kansas. Most teams he's seeing for the first time, but this will be one of the few teams he actually saw last year. Do you think that helps him at all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't think so. Every year is different. He's never played at Kansas. So I think new year, new challenge, I don't think there is as much carryover.

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