UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 24, 2022

Kelechi Nwachuku

Press Conference

UTSA - 52

Texas Southern - 24

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How did you feel like you played today? What's the mood like in the locker room overall?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: We started out slow. I mean, I guess that's just when you're on such an emotional roller coaster, like last weekend.

But we came back in the locker room at halftime, we recouped, we were ready to go, made our adjustments. The rest is history.

Q. What was it like trying to defend that quarterback?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: He's a great player. Whenever you have a great quarterback, your team always has a chance. He was a lot to stop. He's so dangerous with his legs. A true dual-threat quarterback. But much respect to him.

Yeah, but he's a handful, for sure.

Q. You mentioned making some adjustments. What was the message from the coaches at halftime?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: The message was just to calm down. We've been in these positions before. Don't take these guys lightly. I mean, they're a scrappy, really good-coached team. No more post-snap penalties, no more pre-snap penalties. Lock in and handle the task. Everybody calm down.

Q. Was there something that was missing for the defense in the first half?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: I wouldn't say anything in particular. They have great players, too. Great players make great plays.

In the second half, we just made more plays than them, and that's what it came down to.

Q. I know you have been talking a lot about the amount of injuries this team has. How are you from a health perspective right now? Do you feel ready for the conference season?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: That's a good question. We're going to hit recovery really hard tonight instead of having the normal night off after the game. We have a short week. We got a lot of guys on the verge of coming back. We just can't wait for them to come back.

Q. When you're on the sidelines and the offense is doing all those passing yards, what's the mood like on the sideline with the defense?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: We have so much respect and just admire Frank Harris. I mean, the man, he's the man, so...

We see it every day in practice, him out there like playing pitch-and-catch. We have three receivers like that that are all-world receivers.

I feel like sometimes I can go out there and make some of those throws (smiling). I always mess around with him with that.

Q. What did it take for you guys to eventually pull away in this game?

KELECHI NWACHUKU: I think we just had to get settled in, settled into the pace. We had to bring our own energy. That's really it. It took us a while to settle down, just breathe, be calm.

We had a lot of first-time guys getting their first snaps in college football this game. You just got to get those guys calmed down, like you belong here. When everybody was settled in, we were ready to roll.