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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 14, 2017

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Is this the best defense you guys will face this season?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: They're really good. I've always said Coach Patterson does it as well as anybody to ever do it when it comes to coordinating defenses and coaching his players. They're as well-coached as anybody in the country, and they're playing at a very, very high level. So they're right up there, no question.

Q. Along those lines, their defense (indiscernible) with that coverage last year. So do you expect to see similar stuff from what they showed you last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'm not sure. He does a good job mixing it up. He's shown some different stuff throughout the season and mixed it up some last week. So I don't know what we'll get. But whatever we get, they'll be well-coached and they'll be good at it.

Q. What have you seen offenses do against their defense that's been successful?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You know, you've got to win some individual match-ups, really. It's a defense that's so well coached, they're going to take away a lot of the things you try to do schematically, and you've got to have good match-ups, you've got to make contested plays, you've got to make guys miss in space in the running game. Because they're always right there where they should be, and that's a credit to Coach Patterson and his defensive staff.

Q. Where are you guys in your running game? How many of those guys will be back and healthy and ready to go this weekend?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. Hopefully we'll have at least one running back to trot out there and get it going. But we're kind of taking it day by day.

Q. Do you expect (indiscernible) at practice today (indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'd like him to practice, if he could, throughout the week. But if that's what we have to do, we're going to test him today and see where he's at. If that's what he has to do, that's what he has to do. But hopefully we can get him out there this week and get some quality practice time in with him.

Q. What does the TCU offense do very well?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: They protect the football very well. I think Sonny has done a good job. They have a dominating defense. They're controlling the football more. They're not turning it over. They've been very effective in their screen game. Kenny has been really good at running the football when things aren't there and really possessing the football.

So they come off. They've got dynamic play makers everywhere. If they want to get into a scoring affair, they can. But you can tell they've been playing a different style this year because their defense is so good.

Q. Going back to the running game, do you think we'll see Justin the rest of this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I'm not sure. Still working through that. It's day-to-day. We'll get him up here today to see how he feels and see where we stand on that. But I don't have any answers yet as far as that goes.

Q. Keke going to continue to return kicks after last week?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. I think anytime we can get the ball in his hands and get him as many touches as possible, we'd like to do that. So we'll see how the game's going and kind of go from there.

Q. What does his versatility do for the team overall?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Keke?

Q. Uh-huh.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's dynamic. He's a guy that can change the game in one play, like he did on Saturday, kind of set the tempo for our guys and give us a lot of confidence to start that game off. Anytime he touched it, something good can happen. He's a special player.

Q. What did that do for the team from the start when he didn't return it? Did that give you extra confidence starting off?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, no doubt. When you have a guy like that touching the ball early and making plays like that, it really lifts the entire team's spirits, and they like watching him run just like I do.

Q. How do you expect everyone to go through -- was it kind of a sigh of relief (indiscernible) to see that field goal go through for the first time in four or five games?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I was excited for Clayton. He didn't hit it really well, but it still went through. He's been great in his career. So we expect him to continue to be that type of kicker. And hopefully that broke the ice for us in the kicking game. Moving forward it can be a strength instead of something we're all holding our breath about.

Q. I don't know if I asked you earlier, but what kind of challenges do the front seven pose?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, they're so well-coached and experienced. They're just always in good position and they tackle great in open space. You don't see them making mistakes in anything. You don't trick them in the pass game or the run game. They read their keys really well and they're always where they should be.

Like I said, it's a case where you have to make a miss in space or have some great move to get away from them. Because they're going to be there and they tackle well.

Q. The run game going to be kind of key for you all to set that tone and just kind of see if you can guys can make those one-on-one plays?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we need to be effective. They're hard to move inside there. Those guys are well-coached and really buckle down inside. Not many teams have gotten much movement inside. So we'll have to work at that. Got to establish a run game of some sort to keep us in the game.

Q. Big win, but another fourth quarter where the offense struggled again. It seems to be happening every other week. Have you been able to step in and identify what's going on where you can possibly change it these last two weeks?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I've got to call better plays is what it comes down to. Just looking at it, I felt like after that fumble, as an offense, staff included, we didn't respond well. I think it was nine plays for 29 yards. After that, everybody got down and didn't respond the right way.

That's all me. I'm the one that calls the plays, and I've got to get us some better plays and plays that Nic is comfortable with and our offense is comfortable with. Find a way to be better at calling plays in the fourth quarter.

Q. (Indiscernible) what specifically have you done (indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I always think back and should have called this, should have called that. There are instances we could have taken some free access throws, but we didn't. Could have gotten more of a rhythm instead of taking some shots there at a point, and that's on me.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, yeah. Tried to push some stuff down the field and we should have just kept taking what they're giving them. That's on me as a coach. I have to do a better job.

Q. Is that one of those things where play calling changing in the fourth quarter or execution changing? Was it just not -- was it more than just last week?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah. I mean, obviously, it hadn't been very good closing out games the entire year outside, I think, Arizona State and I guess Houston. So when you're calling the plays, that's on you. I've got to find a way that our quarterback is comfortable, our team is comfortable, and executing the right plays late, and I haven't done that. So that's on me.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yes, yes, I think I've got to have a better plan late that we're doing stuff that everybody's comfortable with and can execute under pressure.

Q. (Indiscernible) the speed he has, is that kind of one guy that on your defense you say he's kind of your responsibility, or it's a team effort?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It's a team effort. Because the first guy probably isn't going to get him down, and he's one of those, you've got to run to the football, you've got to rally around him, and it's team tackling with a guy like that. He's as dynamic as you're going to find in the country in space, and they do a good job of getting him space. He tends to always make that first guy miss.

Q. Saturday's game is Senior Day. Any seniors you want to single out before the game?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: All of them, really. A lot of those guys signed on here with blind faith, not really knowing what they're getting themselves into. A lot of them were our first year here. So that means a lot to you and to me and what they've meant to this program. Good kids. A lot of them graduated and have done everything right. Just want to see them go out on a positive note in a great atmosphere.

Q. Coach Patterson said that Darius Anderson of TCU might be out for the season. How significant is that given that, on the one hand, he's the leading rusher, but, on the other, you have an experienced back?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think Anderson is a tremendous player, but they have other really good players as well. Hicks has gotten after us the last few times we've played him, and we have a ton of respect for him. So I don't think they'll miss too much on that end, even though that young man is a really good player.

Q. What did you think of Dakota's game on Saturday?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's getting better and better. He's really become a student of the game in diagnosing things. You watch presnap, he's pointing things out and seeing things. It's a credit to his preparation and Coach Spavital and his work with Dakota, but he's playing at a high level.

Q. Do you have a recruiting story of any of those guys in particular?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: The one that I always talk to Dylan about is when we were at A&M he came on his junior day or something when I was at A&M. We kind of brushed him off as just a guy. So he's let me remember that. He's turned into a heck of a player, and anybody in the country would be lucky to have that young man on their football team.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don't remember the exact timing of it. I think that Coach Cumbie at the time had been in contact with him, and I'm not sure if he was committed or close to being committed. But it was something around that time.

Q. So what made your opinion change?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Just watching his work ethic and how he's gotten better each and every year. He's everything you want. He's the one you want your daughter to marry. I can't say enough good things about him.

Q. (Indiscernible) sidelines I think the second time this season. What kind of impact or what does that mean for the team when you're shown support like that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, it's awesome. He's always been that way. He's cheered on his teammates even when he wasn't playing. He was the most enthusiastic guy on the sideline as a freshman. There is no bigger supporter of Texas Tech. Anytime you get a guy like that coming back, it's awesome to see. Our players like having him around. We want them all to come back anytime those guys get a chance to come see us.

Q. Are you impressed with Bart Reagor's ability to kick like that? Could you do that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I was a little nervous for him, to be honest. That was an aggressive kick. But apparently he's done it before, and he probably stretched out previously. But he's got the juice, man. You've got to give him credit. There is nobody who has more energy. He's got a positive spirit, and he loves Texas Tech. So I've got to take my hat off to him.

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