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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 4, 2019

Matt Wells

Lubbock, Texas

MATT WELLS: Just a little update on some injuries. Probably not going to be great news for y'all but we'll just address some things right here coming out of the bye week. We are getting healthier. I do think bye week was good for us to get healthy and rest up as well as get some key practice time in, especially with some young guys. But we got a lot of guys that are in day-to-day so they are getting healthier, they are getting closer, but none of them are all the way back yet and so we're just going to leave it at that. Alan Bowman, Maverick McIvor, both of them will be X-rayed very soon but they're still day-to-day. Obviously you saw Alan throwing, warming Jett up before the Kansas, every series at Kansas, so he did. They both are getting closer. So that is what it is. But they are very much day-to-day.

Nelson Mbanasor, Rambo, Des Smith, all still day-to-day but getting healthier. We won't know on any of them until, probably it will be a game-time decision. Armand Shyne, unfortunately out for the year, broken ribs. We get back for a bowl game, I think there's a possibility defending upon when the bowl game would be, we may get him back. We'll see at that point. Won't know that for quite awhile. But anyway, unfortunate for us Ta'Zhawn and SaRodorick will both step up. Jax Welch will be the third tailback in that situation but we'll be fine there, those two guys are playing well right now and are very healthy and ready for the stretch run. So with that open it up for questions.

Q. How much does that change what you guys want to do with the running and with having one guy for sure out?
MATT WELLS: None. Got two healthy really good backs. Play football.

Q. You mentioned Jax there what have you seen from him just from the off season and to where he is now?
MATT WELLS: Jax Welch? He's a stud. He does everything, as a coach, that you would ask of a player. He's a football junkie. He is a team captain, he plays starts on four special teams, tremendous unselfish player, great teammate, guys love him in the locker room, kind of epitomizes West Texas tough. Texas Tech Raider through and through. Love him.

Q. Following up on your opening, did you say, if you said Alan is will be X-rayed very soon should we assume he will not be cleared before his X-ray?
MATT WELLS: I wouldn't assume anything. It's going to be day-to-day.

Q. Would we expect to see him this weekend.
MATT WELLS: I wouldn't assume anything.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WELLS: No, it was the Kansas game.

Q. What did you guys work on most on the offense during bye week?
MATT WELLS: On offense? I think just trying to shore stuff up. A lot of it was us up front shoring communication up. Just reps, being sharper, passing game timing, play action timing, all that kind of stuff with Jett and the wide outs. But more up front in terms of communication and detailing things, just like we worked on in the back end in the secondary. Starts with your alignment, it starts with your technique, how far off you are, are you inside out, are you outside out, the communication, there's some things like that that were part of the breakdown in the Kansas game.

Q. How have your guys have responded through the bye week?
MATT WELLS: Good. I think they, I think last week was good. It was a combination of practice and rest. They came in here this morning, even last night, I think refreshed, refocused. There's a little bit of a renewed energy, I think for this stretch run. You got four games left, our guys know that this a competitive league. And a lot of games on Saturdays, especially the ones lately, have come down to the wire. We need to find a way to win one, to finish one. And I think they're very well aware of that. They have continued to play hard and bust their tail for us and I respect our guys for that, I love our guys for that, I think that shows buy in. But the biggest thing for us is that we continue down our process, we live by our core values, the things that we're going to do every single day to give us a chance to win and deserve victory on Saturday and that's what we have to continue to fight for as coaches and as leaders in this program, the culture and the how, how you do things every day. But I like the way our guys are playing, they're practicing hard, and, man, we're going to turn the corner and we need to find a way to win one. We know that.

Q. As you guys go week to week and you learn your players and team more and more, is there a tell that you can see from them, maybe body language or something that you know, hey, these guys are focused and where I want them to be on a weekly basis that maybe you couldn't see in week one?
MATT WELLS: I think we're always trying to read body language. I think body language is important. The vibe that you give as a leader, as a captain, as starters, I think that's so important. I think it's how you live your life, it's how you wake up every single day, you come in the building, going to school, the way you grind, to being a football junkie, I just think your body language is extremely important.

Q. West Virginia on the offensive side of the ball, what have you seen from Austin Kendall? Just there's been times he struggled but he has the talent being an Oklahoma transfer.
MATT WELLS: I just think a first-year starter he's at his moments just like most first year guys do. He's done a pretty good job of taking care of the football. He's a talented kid, he can make a lot of throws, he throws it on time. When he gets protection and the guys protect in front of him, he can throw it, 1 and 13 are really good wide outs that have had good years and so they certainly have some offensive explosive guys out on the perimeter that he can get the ball to.

Q. When you look at West Virginia's defense, specifically the defense of Stills, what makes him so dangerous?
MATT WELLS: Another big nose guard. Another powerful nose guard. Stills is a good player. You have seen the last few weeks against, he held his own against Oklahoma and Texas and certainly had a good game against Baylor Thursday night. I think that's where you always want to try to start to build a defense. It's right up the middle. And in this league the longer, I mean, I guess, week-to-week it seems like I keep setting up here saying, man, there's another good nose guard in this league. And I think Stills is a really good player.

Q. Seems like every week in the Big-12 there's a team no matter where they are in the standing, anyone can beat anyone. Is that, that a universal thing that you noticed in other leagues or is the Big-12 kind of self-cannibalizing?
MATT WELLS: I don't really study -- good question. I really don't study the other leagues. I just, I see this one and right now you got one team playing at a really high level and Baylor's playing with a ton of confidence and they deserve their ranking. But I think what you see is, I mean, every game has been competitive. So there is a lot of parody in this league and what it's going to come down to is who is going to be, who is going to find a way to win a game in the fourth quarter. I think it's a lot deeper than that, I think it's the teams that's going to practice hard, that's going to have great body language during the week, that's going to invest in the, during the week they're going to be disciplined, they're going to be tough-minded, they're going to be able to withstand a road trip, certainly like the one we're facing right here with the longer road trip. But the teams that can overcome it and things that are not that big a deal, weather, some injuries, you know, it's never about one man, it's about other guys stepping up. Those are all things that are important to teams and the vibe of a team. And I think the teams that major in that, they tilt the balance. They tilt the scales on Saturday and give yourself a better than average chance to win in a league that's very competitive. And there's a lot of similarities between a lot of us right now. We need to find a way to win close games here in the month of November.

Q. Jordyn Brooks. How important is he to this defense?
MATT WELLS: He's everything. I think so, so impressed with Jordyn. Truth be told maybe more so in the last six weeks than ever before. But the guy since day one, I remember him, he sits right there in team meeting, since December 1st he's fully bought in to what we have brought here to Tech in terms of core values, the way we practice, Keith Patterson, a new scheme, a new way to do things, a new way to be coached. He is, he cares, he's becoming a better leader, quiet by nature, just in his personality, and you guys have all seen that. But he's really come out and I think spoken up at times and in the meetings and locker room and I respect Jordyn. And I know the whole room does, the whole locker room does. And he continues to play at a high level because he practices at a high level and he invests time into the game plan every week and he comes ready to play, mentally emotionally ready to play every Saturday and I just think you see it by his production every Saturday. He's playing at a really, really high level.

Q. How have seen Jett progress, like specifically has he earned just like, I don't know if it's more trust, but has the play book got a lot bigger for him and he's developing well in this offense?
MATT WELLS: I think Jett's played well, there's still things that he needs to improve on and Coach Yost is certainly addressing those with him. But the thing that as a quarterback you got to do before you win a game is not beat yourself. He's done that. He's been very stingy with the football and given us a chance in every game, really, and I think that's the mark of a good quarterback. I think the better he becomes within some of the things that he needs to improve on, you know, I think maybe you get to the point where the quarterback can win one for you. But it also takes the 10 guys around him protecting him and making plays for him out on the perimeter and any time you can establish the run game and when we have done that I think he's played better because I think the running game's a quarterback's best friend.

Q. What are some of the things he needs to work on?
MATT WELLS: I just think some of the progressions in our passing game, some of the things in the run game that whether it's reading the run game, it's checking out a run game, all those kind of things that I think continue to come with time and different looks each week and there's certainly getting addressed in the QB room. But he's no different than anybody else. We always try to address things that he can work on and try to continue to improve on the other things, but take something each week and improve on that and make that part of your game better. And Jett's doing a good job of responding to that.

Q. Talk about the respect that guys have for seniors like Jordyn Brooks in the locker room. Is it easy to get 18, 19, 20 year odds to play now as you guys look for that bowl eligibility to play for seniors like that, even if maybe they have a couple of years after this at that point to have success this year?
MATT WELLS: I think that's the consummate teammate, that guys that want to play for each other. I think as soon as you want something for your, the guy sitting right next to you in the locker room, I think that's when a team can become special, the more and more that happens.

I do not think that's natural. I don't think that's human nature. I don't think there's one person in this press conference right here that woke up thinking about the guy right next to you this morning. We all woke up thinking about ourselves. And then at some point it's a team. And I think the quicker you get to that as a team the more special -- you guys woke up thinking about each other? Is that what y'all are talking about right now?

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WELLS: Top-25 ballot? How was that ballot?

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WELLS: Alabama No. 1?

Q. You vote in the coaches poll, don't you?
MATT WELLS: I do. It's not public until the last one. Surprised I knew that? Are you? Okay.

Q. You've been coaching for a long time how much can a team improve this far in the season from percentage-wise or however you want to quantify it. But how can they improve from a week-to-week basis this late in the season?
MATT WELLS: Oh, I think there's always room for individual improvement and I think the more individual improvement you get the better your team is. I'll tell you the other thing is, is how can you stay upticking just a little bit with each individual and then collectively you're a little bit better each Saturday. I think it's also your mind. Minds get lazy, minds get tired on teams. I think there's a lack of discipline as teams, as the year goes on and I think that fragments a team. I've been on teams that have run the table in the month of November and I think more than anything their practice habits stay the same or they improve just a little bit, their level of investment, being a football junkie, the treatment they get is improving just a little bit. And then their discipline and their accountability is at a high level and it doesn't slack. I think as soon as teams start having individuals that lack in discipline or accountability I think you start to fragment from inside and then I think the elements or the travel or I'm tired or my stuff doesn't feel right and I think all that kind of stuff starts to creep in and then it can be difficult to win.

And when you keep it at a high level, I think when you play an opponent that doesn't do that, I think you have a chance, better chance for success and then it looks like you're improving, but what you're doing is you're just being more accountable and your being more disciplined and maybe your on-the-field improvement doesn't, it doesn't do that, but you just continue to do all the little things right and then when you face your opponent maybe in the fourth quarter, their performance goes down, it looks like yours is significantly better.

Q. You mentioned discipline there. Penalties have been down this year compared to others in the past and while not counting on previous stats, it seems like penalties are coming at the wrong times.
MATT WELLS: They always come at the wrong times.

Q. But you're losing a kickoff return for a touchdown on one and those type of situations. How do you correct that specific problem as opposed to just --
MATT WELLS: Well you don't ever know the result while you're committing the foul, okay, and I'm not trying to have the pen last or anything, but you asked the question. It's a good question. I do -- penalties are down. And that was a big emphasis through the off season, you guys let me all know that real quick here. I appreciate that. But I think the penalties are -- I think it's always tried -- I think you can take away a lot of them just based on your everyday discipline and everyday accountability. That's how we roll this program around here. It's also how you operate during spring ball and training camp and what's tolerated, what's not tolerated.

Unfortunately, we have had a couple penalties lately that are the during-the-play penalties that I live with. When I want guys to play aggressive and that you're going to live with those penalties. The hold on the kickoff return, that's unfortunate play. We stopped our feet, that's a technique issue and it got called. But it wasn't for lack of intent or a lack of a willingness to compete, that's what we were doing. We want to continue, not there yet, but we sure want to continue to reduce the amount of pre-snap, post-whistle penalties. We have had very, very little post-whistle penalties, I'm very proud of that. I think that is discipline, I think it is accountability, trying to reduce the amount of pre-snap penalties. But there are penalties that happen during the course of the action that is part of playing and playing aggressive and I want our guys to feel like they can play aggressive and when it happens you try to correct the technique and then you move on.

Q. You guys are in the upper half of the season on third down defense but obviously last outing not good in that category. What from what you saw on the tape was kind of that struggle that led to that?
MATT WELLS: Just accountability and the discipline to line up correctly. Where we're supposed to line up, say what we're supposed to say, line up with the right technique and the right distance off the receiver and make sure that we are running the correct twist game and we have communicated up front. That's the biggest thing.

Q. You mentioned Maverick and Alan both day-to-day. That kind of put your guys mind at ease to have a couple, not necessarily options, but other soon to be healthy quarterbacks to -- not putting any pressure on Jett, but just to have the option to have those guys to be healthy at that position?
MATT WELLS: I think we all like when guys get back and you have a full room and a full compliment of the players, every position room, including the quarterback room. But that's always a comfort for any coach.

Q. Not that it changes your game planning for Jett but in years past we have seen him run more. Does that kind of maybe open the playbook up for him to potentially run the football a little bit more?
MATT WELLS: I think when Jett runs the ball I think he can be a threat to a defense. Any time a defensive coordinator has to account for plus one in the run game, every pressure that you run, every twist game that you call on third down you're like, oh, man, if we don't have a contain rush on this 7 gets out, we're in trouble. I think the threat of that is good, I think also the reality that Jett can get out with his feet and make plays is part of his game I think he's very strong at that.

Q. Does it make it easier for Coach Yost or you to let Coach Yost call a play for him maybe to run the ball a little bit more when you know you might have a couple more quarterbacks in the stable?
MATT WELLS: No, well I think you, I mean, you're not all of a sudden going to just QB run game because that's not really what we do.

Q. What, where are y'all on that conversation, what has Al expressed in terms of does he want to return?
MATT WELLS: Those conversations are between me and him and once we get to the point where we know what the doctors say and right where he's at and like I said he's on an every day basis we'll have more of those conversations.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WELLS: I think it's situational awareness for our players. I also think that it comes down to just doing the normal things the right way and it just so happens that there's under three minutes ticking and the quarter says four. It's an everyday discipline and accountability of, I'm going to communicate to the guy next to me what the coverage is or what the call is or what the call is on the O line and I'm going to do it the same way the first three minutes of the game as I'm going to do it the last three. There's nothing magical that you can do, I mean we put them in a ton of situational football in terms of in our walkthroughs as well as in our practices, two minute, last second this, last second that, we do quite a bit, we have always done quite a bit, that's how our staff has always kind of operated and making them aware of those. The more you got to, you know, you put them in, hopefully, hopefully in a game they can reverted back to some confidence they had coming out of practice but then at the end of the day you need to make a play in a game and find that confidence and that you are going to finish out a game. You go look at the Baylor game, think the offense gets the ball what four minutes to go on the road, four-ish, and we go all the way down the field and you score, I mean, that can give you confidence. We need to have a defensive stand now in the last couple minutes where we stand up and we do get off the field on one of those third and 21s, third and 15s, you know, the 99-yard drive at Baylor, we got to get off the field on those and I think when we do we'll have confidence.

Q. You mentioned way back when you first got here about the importance of running the football and that. Where do you feel like you stand now on that aspect of the game?
MATT WELLS: Still agree with that statement. I think that that's, that is part of the plan to win in the month of November. I think you have to shut down the run and I think you have to run the ball. And when I say that, I always mean because you are going to have injuries or it's going to be, you're going to have bad weather at some point and you're going to need to run the football and establish the run. I also think it comes, and it played out in the Kansas game where we didn't get it done one series, is you're going to need to run the clock out. You're going to need to stay on the field and dominate, so your defense doesn't have to come back on the field. We missed that one third and one at Kansas. But there are times that we're going to need to establish or have the run established so you can close out a football game. I also think that's a big part of it.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WELLS: Time will tell. Game day will tell. I'm confident in it. I can promise you that but we need to go out and do it. We need to go out and do it to convert on that third and one to stay on the field, to continue to move the chains and not let a team like Kansas have two more series in that game. So until we do it that will remain to be seen on both sides of the ball. We need to find a way to close out games on over and on defense.

Q. You mentioned getting over the field. Early in the season the defensive line was giving you a consistent pass rush but it seems like recently that hasn't been the case, it hasn't showed up?
MATT WELLS: Yeah. And we got to be able to establish -- and this will be good writing for you guys, but we got to be able to establish pressure on the quarterback with the three-man front. And there's been times we did that. I mean, all you got to do is flip on the Oklahoma State game. And we need to do that. That's technique, playing on edges, it's relentless effort, it's the twos, the second guys coming in, the guys that are backups coming in and playing with the same intensity and fire and passion. But the answers can't always be add two more guys to the rush. You guys all know the pluses and minuses with that. But I think when we have gotten pressure on the quarterback, it certainly helps the back end when the ball's coming out a little bit quicker. But we need, great point, we need to do that, we know that, it's been a point of emphasis and discussion in the last week.

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