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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 18, 2018

Kliff Kingsbury

Lubbock, Texas

THE MODERATOR: Questions for coach.

Q. Watching the tape on this Oklahoma State offense, what has stuck out to you about them?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Just how they've adapted to their personnel. I think Coach Yurcich, since he's been there, has been very creative. One of the best offensive minds in the country. The quarterback is a little more off schedule than Mason was last year. He was a great pocket passer. Everything is in rhythm, on time. This guy makes a lot of plays off schedule, can hurt you with his feet. They've adapted their offense to that.

They're still rolling. They execute at a high level, play at a fast tempo. As effective as they've ever been.

Q. What is the scouting report on Justice Hill?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's as good as anybody in the country, I think, as far as a total back. Can catch the ball, finish runs, fast. Has gotten better and better as we've seen him.

Yeah, he's going to be as good of a back as we'll play all year.

Q. With the way Alan has developed so far, do you feel like that first semester he was here early, how much did that help him? How much has that allowed him to immerse himself in the game plan?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's huge. He wouldn't have a chance to play at the level he's played at the last couple weeks without having that semester to learn the offense, go through some growing pains, get around his teammates, prove to the coaching staff what you can do. If you don't come in the summer, you wouldn't get those reps.

He took advantage of them. He works really hard at his craft. We got to keep him developing each week.

Q. (No microphone.)
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I'm not sure. We'll find out this week. We can't give up those big plays in the run game like we did. We had guys in the back end who weren't getting those guys down, turned into 50- or 60-yard runs. That's something we've worked on. Hopefully it will improve. We'll find out on Saturday.

Q. (Question regarding Antoine.)
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Started in the spring for me when we moved him back outside. His comfort level is definitely being an outside receiver, not on the inside. He was having a great spring, then he got hurt. He worked really hard in rehab to come back. Came back bigger, faster, stronger. Every day he goes hard at every rep he gets. Paid off.

Breakout game. Unbelievable plays. We got to keep him coming. He's a long ways from where he can be. He knows that. Hopefully that builds some confidence moving forward.

Q. What is it about playing in Stillwater that's been a bugaboo for the Texas Tech program since 2001? Is it the environment?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, they're a very good program. It's obviously a tough place to play. I think you ask anybody in the conference, those fans are right on top of you, have a great fan base, a great program. Coach Gundy has built a powerhouse. They have great players, recruit at a high level, great facilities. It's a combination of things.

But that's the only answer I have. They beat a lot of people there.

Q. Big win on Saturday. What did you take away that you liked the most from the team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think just finishing the game. When it was kind of going back and forth, we found a way to make some plays at the end to finish the plays both offensively and defensively. That's what we're looking for when you're in those close games, dogfights, in the fourth quarter: how do you finish. That was a positive we took from it.

Q. Obviously creating turnovers was such a big part of the team's identity last season. One against Ole Miss, none last week. What can you do to get that ball rolling?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: That's a great question. We've harped on it. We need that to happen as we move into conference. Having that many snaps last week, to not turn the ball over, either offense was an impressive feat. We have to find a way to create turnovers, be disruptive on defense.

Q. Offenses like Oklahoma State and West Virginia, was it nice to see the offense, how it was against Houston, because you know you're going to have to score points the next couple weeks?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: When you look at Ole Miss and Houston, they'll end up in top 10 in the country in offense. You did at least get kind of a barometer of what you're going to see.

We all know in the Big 12, offenses play at an extremely high level. Those are two programs that really have their offense rolling, with a great offensive mind, that have great talent.

Hopefully it prepared us for the barrage we're about to see from a couple great ones in a row. I think that's how you have to look at it. You went through a little bit of a storm, hopefully you grew from it, it pays off moving forward.

Q. Having played the position and working with so many quarterbacks, now you have Alan Bowman. After these first three games, do you think he has the intangibles to take this thing and run with it?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I hope so. Only time will tell. The work ethic, the mental toughness, he doesn't blink if he makes a mistake. I'm traditionally hard on the young quarterbacks. This is how we coach that position in our room. You earn your stripes. He handles it well.

Hopefully that continues. If he'll put in the work, continue to approach it the right way, he has some natural ability that we can work with.

Q. How is Jah'Shawn progressing?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. It will be a game time decision. We're hoping he can at least play some. But I'm not sure yet.

Q. What about Da'Leon?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. Same deal. He's rehabbing. We'll know on Saturday.

Q. The Cornelius kid from Oklahoma State, with him being a West Texas guy, how aware of him were y'all in high school? Did he come down here to camp?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I remember looking at him. Very good athlete. Thought he could play multiple positions. He's done a nice job at quarterback for them. Big, tough, hangs in the pocket, sheds tackles, keeps things alive with his feet. Very impressed by him. Have a ton of respect for him to be there five years and wait his time. That doesn't happen very often this day and age in college football.

Q. Oklahoma State as a team, they lost nine guys who started at least 29 games. Veteran offensive linemen, safeties. How have they managed to apparently reload, keep it going without missing a beat?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I just think that he recruited really well. They develop players very well. They're a great strength and conditioning program. Coach Gundy has done a great job with their coordinators there. They got it rolling at all positions.

Q. The fact they blocked those couple of punts Saturday, something like that help because of the immediate 'this just happened last week'?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No doubt. It's a wakeup call for those units. Really turned the game in a big way there, those two plays, against Boise State. You can't have two blocked punts in a game, expect to win on the road against a quality team. No doubt, puts you on high alert to protect that unit.

Q. Dom, part of his game is waiting to let the coverage get down there, does he have to speed up operations this week?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, it's a feel thing. We run a different protection to Boise State. We'll see. First and foremost, we want to protect the punter, make sure we get it off. We can't have something disastrous happen in that kicking game.

Q. (Question about Preston Gordon.)
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I thought he showed up. He's gotten better and better within our scheme, smart player, can play the tackle and nose position. Proud of his development thus far. Now we get to conference, you'd love to see him have an even bigger impact.

Q. Back to Alan. Do you see any of yourself in him?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No. I mean, I wouldn't have been playing as a freshman, I know that. Just different. The way are brought up through seven-on-seven, they have QB mentors, graduate early. These kids are getting to us a lot more ready-to-go product than I was. As a true freshman, to step in, kind of lead the way he's doing, it's an impressive feat thus far. Got a long way to go, but hopefully we can take the next step this Saturday.

Q. So many people graduating, it seems like a lot of familiar names in the wide receiving corps. Speak to what problems they could pose for you.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: They just reload. The Wallace kid has really shown up this year on film. Stoner is back. McCleskey is a dynamic player. They do a tremendous job coaching those receivers, developing that position. Just like we do here, they take a lot of pride in the wide receiver position. Every year they have a new guy that kind of steps up, takes over for them.

Q. Can you look back at that matchup two years ago? Other than the missed extra point at the end, the most frustrating parts of that game?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, you know, I thought we had our chances. Last year we had our chances. Feel like we've closed the gap some compared to when we first got here. They've had it rolling now for a while. You got to take off to Coach Gundy, the job he's done.

We'll find out Saturday where we're at. We know it's going to be a heck of a challenge, night game in Stillwater, they have a heck of a team.

Q. Any thoughts about going with Bowman over Dom?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we'll take a look at everything. That's a decision we'll make throughout the week. I don't have an answer just yet.

Q. Talking a little bit about the atmosphere going into Oklahoma State, 10-foot-by-50 board. A giant orange picture of Gary Busey. Do you expect that might have any impact on an inexperienced quarterback? Are you personally afraid of Gary Busey?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'd like to spend one evening with Gary Busey, that's about it, just to pick his brain on some life questions.

It looks wild, there's no doubt. I saw the picture. I don't think that will affect us. I think it's a nice touch for them. Whoever picked it, kudos for that crazy picture. The atmosphere is awesome. Fans are right on top of you.

I remember as a player, then coaching at Houston, then obviously here, they do it right. It will be a lot of fun for our players to experience that, those guys that haven't been there yet.

Q. Obviously Ole Miss has great receivers, Houston has a lot of speed. Are you and David Gibbs disappointed with the number of big plays that y'all have given up so far in the pass game?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, no doubt. That's something we feel like we haven't made them earn it at times, just giving up easy stuff, busted coverage, not getting your hands on wide receivers, letting them run free through our secondary. That's not going to cut it when you get to conference play. We addressed that this week. We'll try to get that fixed.

Q. How do you go about that?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You got to try different things, change up coverages, looks, personnel, whatever it takes to make sure you don't have guys going 60 or 70 yards three or four times a game. Just can't happen.

Q. Antoine Wesley, have y'all seen that ability to break tackles? Did you think he had that big-play potential?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He's really slippery ran faster than you think. He's long. His gait doesn't always appear like he's moving that fast. He has good acceleration from starting to stop. He's made a few plays that surprised me. He works really hard at it. I think he is more athletic than he probably appears.

Q. Deaton and Hines stepped in. Wasn't a lot of dropoff on Saturday. We talked about in the off-season the depth on the offensive line. Are you seeing that play out this season?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No question. Those are two guys we felt all along could plug in at any number of positions, us roll right along. Hines, a senior, that has worked hard, never complained, done well. Dawson can play center guard or tackle. To step in at left tackle, play like he did, the future is very bright for him.

Q. What is the status of Bruffy and Akamnonu moving forward?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We'll see. They both went through some limited drills today. We'll see if they're ready to go. We're hoping so. It will be later in the week.

Q. Talking about the receivers, you said back in June you were really hopeful about this receiving corps. Are you surprised at the way they're performing? Is this basically what you expected?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I thought when given their opportunity, they would make the most of it. I really did. They've been good. They had NFL-caliber players in front of them with a lot of experience. So far when the ball is presented itself, they've done a lot with it. Hopefully that continues.

You have the veteran presence inside, T.J. and Antoine outside with a lot of length, athleticism. Got a long way to go, but it's a promising start for sure.

Thank y'all.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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