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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 7, 2017

Paul Stawarz

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Just your thoughts on AT&T Stadium and playing there on Saturday?
PAUL STAWARZ: AT&T, it's awesome. Especially me not being from Texas and being from Illinois, going to something like that, it's almost a surreal experience. I've played there a few times, and it's always something I'm looking forward to, so it's awesome.

Q. What's it like being around the guys, do you see a lot of, not necessarily passion, but guys getting really excited, especially from the Dallas area that they're going to play there too?
PAUL STAWARZ: Oh, yeah, definitely. I know a lot of people have families and stuff there. So for a lot of them it's an awesome experience. I have some family coming too, so they're excited about it too. Some people don't have the opportunity to do, so to be able to do that, it's special.

Q. In terms of what you've seen from Baylor's offensive line, what have you seen?
PAUL STAWARZ: Their record doesn't show it, but I think they're a really good group. As a team, they have a lot of good athletes. I'm obviously not on their team, so I don't know why their record is the way it is. But at least from a D-line standpoint, I know they're solid up front. You definitely can't overlook a team like that.

Q. Do they do anything different defensively than they did a year ago?
PAUL STAWARZ: Yeah, a little bit. I don't necessarily think they have an identity as a defensive front. They run a lot of different four downs, three downs, some stuff to try to confuse you. So, as an O-line, we've got to be prepared for that. But as a team from last year to this year, yeah, there's definitely a lot different that they're doing.

Q. Is there anything you could pinpoint as to why Texas Tech has been so successful in scoring against Baylor?
PAUL STAWARZ: I couldn't tell you one thing. That's a tough one. I guess it's just styles and they kind of play the same way. I know the shootout, it's just how it's been the last few years. But that's what we're known for. So I guess playing against a defense like that, that's in a way somewhat similar to what we practice against, I think that's why we've had the success we've had against them.

Q. I know they have a lot of young players on that team. Can you see the similarity to what the defense did a couple years ago, when they had a bunch of young guys with you?
PAUL STAWARZ: Yeah, I haven't necessarily looked at the depth chart come meetly and seen it, but I've heard they had a lot of young guys and lacked some depth there. But, yeah. Kind of just seeing them and what we've had, I mean, in the future, once they get experience, I get that will be a much different unit in the upcoming years. But, yeah, I've seen that.

Q. On the offense, what was working at the beginning of the year against teams like Arizona State and Houston that doesn't seem to be working now?
PAUL STAWARZ: I guess that's a big question with all this. Really it comes down to execution and just finishing games. I guess in a way we've had that drive in the first half of the season we started out really strong. It seems lately just there are things we haven't been able to execute towards the end of the game, and that's shown these last few games.

Q. You guys come in here talking about execution and finishing games. Is it a want-to that you just can't get over the hump?
PAUL STAWARZ: You could say that in a way. There definitely is that mentality. Like I've said before, just having the want to finish the game and the drive to do it. But at the same time, there's a lot more that goes into that, just little details of the game. Executing certain blocks and at least from our offensive line standpoint, that's what I can speak of. Just the little details that as a unit we might forget towards the end of the game. But that's definitely hurt us, and something we have to work on if we want to have a good season these last few games.

Q. Do you guys think you're playing for Coach's job?
PAUL STAWARZ: Oh, that's a tough one. I don't know if I'm the one to talk about that. At least I can speak for the O-line again. We're going to come after it and attack it every week. Try to go 1-0. But I personally don't look into things like that. That's really not something I could speak on.

Q. Last time we talked to you about (Inaudible). He had another touchdown and another good game. What have you seen from him as the weeks go on, just getting better and his work ethic and overall as a player on game days?
PAUL STAWARZ: Him and Stockton, they're a great duo to have back there. I think Tre King is coming along great. Like I said, you could see just the way he runs and how he runs, he just has that drive that he's not going to be denied, which is great to have. Makes our job easier. But, yeah, over these weeks you could definitely tell and see his development over the weeks and then in practice, and his approach to the game has been great to see.

Q. Do you expect to see even more with the coming weeks? What do you really want to see out the last three games?
PAUL STAWARZ: He has all the potential in the world. I think he's embracing that and understands that, and he's gotten better every week. So if he keeps that mentality, the sky's the limit for him.

Q. Only a few more games left and the opportunity to make a bowl game diminishing week by week, do you all feel any extra pressure in the locker room? If so, how do you handle it?
PAUL STAWARZ: I wouldn't say there is necessarily anymore pressure. Kind of just have to attack the week, week by week. Got to focus on this week now, which is Baylor. Can't look two games ahead or else you could let one slip by. Obviously, we're in a position where we're trying to make a bowl game, so we can't let that happen. We've got to just focus on this week and build on it from there.

Q. You all got the ball back with 42 seconds left and a timeout, did you want to go?
PAUL STAWARZ: Absolutely, as players we're always ready to go. That's Kingsbury's decision. We have trust in him. He's played more football than me and coached longer than I've been playing this game. So me, the team, and me personally will back him up on that. We have full faith in him.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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