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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 24, 2017

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Coach, is Oklahoma doing anything different with Lincoln?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You know, it's hard to tell, I'm sure probably behind the scenes, but they're still, offense is obviously similar. They have the same defensive coordinator, so I think it's a lot of the same stuff. Really talented team. They've been finding a way to win at the end, so you've got to give them credit.

Q. How much do they look different offensively with so much turnover at running back and wide receiver?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, not a ton, honestly. They've slid some pretty talented players in there. The mixing of Pete Ryan, and DeDe, their guys are all NFL players. They've slid in some good young talent and they're still getting it done offensively.

Q. The defense you've kind of scene the past couple weeks where they dropped a bunch of guys back, is this things that you've seen on tape or are they waiting to install?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, it's kind of the rave in the Big 12 right now. You see a lot of these defenses playing it. So you know it's coming. You've just got to be effective and take advantage of drives, be patient, and not turn the ball over.

Q. Is that something that you expect Mike will do? You played against him as a defensive coordinator. Has he changed his philosophy at all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think he adapts to his personnel. I think week in, week out, he does a good job of mixing up coverages and bringing different blitzes. So I'm sure we'll see something new on Saturday.

Q. You have a reputation as an offensive coach. How much do you view it as a challenge?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, no question. I think we all are. You can look at the score down in Austin on Saturday, and see that the scores are coming down in this league. So we're all looking for answers. It definitely is a challenge to find ways to kind of offset what they're doing and be able to run the football and still move it efficiently.

Q. You mentioned (inaudible) is that more effective that the defense is catching up on the offense or is it the amount of talent that graduated and moved on to their pro careers on the offensive side?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, Oklahoma State has everybody back. You look at the score, they scored ten down in Austin. You watch the film, UT did a good job keeping all those guys in front of them and making them have long drives. So that's what some teams in the league are doing. I think all the offenses are getting used to adjusting to that and the style of play that will come from it.

Q. What do you think of the defensive coordinators in this league? They've been there for 17 years or 20 years or so.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I just think the game is evolving, and it always does. It's cyclical. Football has always been cyclical. Now they're starting to try some things on the back end and play different styles, and as an offensive coach, all of us are adjusting and doing certain things to still try to be effective against it.

Q. Do you see it have differences compared to the defense (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, it's a lot different. It's a lot different. It's kind of a hybrid coverage that not a lot of people are running. Even looking across the country I think it's pretty predominant in the Big 12.

Q. Those three years when you were playing in 2 thousand to 02, what kind of defenses did you play most Saturdays?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We got a bunch of different looks, obviously people tried different things to try to stop it. It was still new to this league. So week in, week out you'd see every coverage imaginable. I think we'd prepare one week for something, and you'd get a different look on Saturday.

Q. Is there any plan going forward to let Nick kind of make similar decisions at the line of scrimmage or just rolling with what you all have been doing where he kind of looks over to you and you kind of give him the play?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we do both right now. So we'll continue to mix it up. He has a lot on him every Saturday. So we'll get him play sometimes, and sometimes he'll get us into the right play.

Q. With the quarterback struggles, obviously people have asked if you're going to change quarterbacks. What is your response?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't think he's struggled from my point of view. I think as an offense we struggled to have continuous drives and take care of the football. The interception and the screen, we missed a block. But he was efficient in the passing game. We moved the ball well at times. So I didn't see it as a struggle for him.

I just think offensively they had a good game plan, and they were playing good defense, and we didn't execute the way we needed to.

Q. Are there any positions on offense that say everybody is battling for a job each week and there are varying positions on the offense where you might make any changes?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You'll have to see on Saturday.

Q. Where are you with protocols on Justin?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we're still working through it. He's day-to-day, and we'll see if he'll be ready to go this weekend.

Q. Anything new on Clayton?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I do not. Same thing. We're still working through it. He's rehabbing. When he's ready to go, we'll get him out there.

Q. If Justin doesn't practice, does that affect preparation at all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's kind of how we're doing it. Justin has had a solid senior season. He brings real explosiveness to that position. We'll get NIZ bee, and Felton and Trey going, and go from there.

Q. Trey a scholarship player?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is.

Q. Was he a scholarship player from the beginning?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, he was not.

Q. When did you all decide to get him on?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't remember the exact date, but it was into camp at some point.

Q. You had the reunions with Ruffin and (inaudible). Were they kind of brief?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's great to see those guys. They're always great to be here. They did a lot for Texas Tech in their time here. But usual lie you get to the game and it starts, and you don't have a lot of time to reminisce.

Q. Coaches are kind of saying each game means the same amount. But the next stretch of three or four games, how important is it for the team's morale and how you've done this season?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we need to play better. I felt like Oklahoma State, West Virginia had a chance to win those games last week. Even in the fourth quarter we're driving for the interception. Had a chance to win the game. But can't turn the ball over three times. We got stopped on fourth twice, which we consider a turnover. Just have to have more intensity and have better execution. I think this team has it in them. When we're playing well, at times we're playing really well, but we have to be more consistent.

Q. (Indiscernible) when he was in the second quarterback room with you over here?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, just really bright. I think you could tell he was really sharp. Coach Leach identified that early on. He loved football. I just remember he was passionate about it and very sharp at a young age.

Q. Can you relate with him since both of you all were very good high school quarterbacks who didn't get much recruiting attention and had to prove yourselves?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he was out here in West Texas, which a lot of these kids don't get recruited very heavily. But I've always respected Lincoln because of the way he's worked. He was a student assistant and a GA. He was up here at all hours with Coach Leach, and learning and grinding and doing anything we asked him to do. He really paid his dues to get where he's at.

Q. Your thoughts on Mark Andrews? I know you guys played a lot of big bodies receivers?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, impressive. Reminds me of Jace when he was here. I guess he's about 265, 270 pounds now. He's has really developed his body into an NFL body. They split him out. He's physical on the run game when they ask him to block there. He'll be playing on Sundays for a long time.

Q. Are you glad this is the last time you've had to face Baker?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's had a heck of a career, obviously. Watching him this year, and just the command he's playing with and having so many reps in this offense. He doesn't make a mistake. He's virtually impossible to sack, and just playing at a really, really high level. Losing that skill that he lost last year. They start talented players, but he stepped his game up even more. It's impressive to watch.

Q. Has Justus Parker reached a point where he might be a starter even when everybody's healthy?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. He continues to make big plays, but we're going to keep that competition going. We feel like we have a good rotation there at that nickel, so it will be a week-by-week basis.

Q. What is the follow-up to that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's been better. I'm hoping he'll be able to go this week. We'll see how he looks today at practice, but he's been better this week.

Q. Is he getting closer?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Getting ready to go, yes, sir.

Q. (Indiscernible) everybody's going to run out against you. Is it just because do you think because they're not afraid of Nick running at all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, no. It's something that's been on the rise, and like I said, they're playing it against everybody. It's a challenge, and it's a new fad in our league and people are executing it well. So offensively we just have to do a good job of adapting to it. Like I said, you're not going to have as many quick strike, big-play-type touchdown drives. You've got to be efficient and you've got to maintain 12-play drives and not turn the ball over.

Q. The play type rush in (inaudible) causing you a bit more problems the last few weeks. Is the rotation there more so based on (Inaudible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, I think Kolin has played well. We're still getting Tony comfortable with everything. He's playing some snaps. We want him to be able to play every package we have, and we're still working through that, so he understands what to do in every set, every defense we're running.

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