STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 5, 2022

Jake Dickert

Postgame Media Conference

Washington State - 52, Stanford - 14

Q. Obviously about as good a bounce- back as you could have hoped for. Was that due to guy's confidence going forward?

COACH DICKERT: Winning is a magic elixir, and it grows so much confidence and belief. But before you win a game like that, I saw it on Monday. I saw it on Tuesday. I saw it on Wednesday's practice. I saw it on the travel. I saw it this morning when we had pregame. There was a look in the eye.

They're hungry. They wanted to win. We wanted to get back out here. We wanted to show the type of team we can be. And credit to the coaches and the plan but the credit to the players who go out there play with that kind of effort and energy and that type of execution.

We knew we had a couple of days in preparation on Stanford. I thought it showed. And our guys played hungry. They played fast. And I think you really, you get what you emphasize.

So we emphasized running the ball -- 300 yards rushing is incredible. We emphasized taking the ball away for the last 10 days and we came out here and took it away. That's from coaches and to players and to the program, just really proud of our guys right now.

Q. You sustained it for the whole game and all through first string, second string, third string, too.

COACH DICKERT: I think it's an interesting environment coming into. We said all week we had to bring our own juice. They don't call it the Farm for nothing. It's the Farm. It's quiet. They make you play on a hay field. That grass is not in great shape.

But our guys, no matter what the circumstances, we knew we had to pour it into each other. And I thought that's what you saw. And I thought even when our backups were in, our guys were at that line. They were cheering them on. They want genuine appreciation and success for the next man in. That's who we are, and credit to that locker room and why they're celebrating so hard right now.

Q. Talked about running the ball. You had a long run (indiscernible). How much did that set the tone for you guys offensively?

COACH DICKERT: It was everything. And the major part of it was Nakia coming back. I think the biggest thing that helps injuries is "want to." And I've seen that kid since then that USC game in the training room five times a day wanting to be out there, constantly pressing. And he was himself.

He gave us a jump-start, and credit to the offensive line. He hit a big hole, made some people miss. But it just set the tone for what we could do. We knew coming into the game Stanford wasn't strong against the run. And we had to come in there and take advantage of that opportunity. I thought we took obviously in a big way that slanted our way.

Q. In terms of -- aside from just having Nakia back and having execution and (indiscernible), what did you see compared to weeks prior? (Indiscernible) what was as far as the scoring this team's had through the years. I guess what was the main turnaround, would you say?

COACH DICKERT: I think it's just confidence in the run game. And Nakia is a big part of that. And we had confidence in Paine and Jaylen and all those guys. And Jouvensly showed what he could do today.

Nakia just brings something different between the tackles. Our guys wanted to prove they could move people and move bodies, and execute that way. And a strong running game is -- really a pleasure for me to see Mateer come in at the end of the game and show the type of dynamic player he can be and how different he is.

Just excited all the way through, proud of our offensive staff. Really proud of our offensive players to go out there and establish that and do it for 60 minutes.

Q. Last three games or so, the Cougars offense has averaged about 13 points per game. What did you and the coaches do to motivate them, the team, for this game?

COACH DICKERT: First thing we do is we didn't flinch. There's so much outside noise and that. We stayed the process. There's so many people -- when things aren't going right, they want to change. They don't believe. They don't stay the course. They don't keep doing it.

This is a process. This is the first year in this offense. This is game nine. Okay? Game nine. And we want to do these things for a long time for the long term. So we didn't sit there and make drastic changes or over-emphasize.

There are ways where our guys saw that they could get better. We took a hard look in the mirror. We were very critical of those things. I thought you saw that.

Our guys love playing. Our guys love playing for each other. I think that's what you saw for 60 minutes on the field.

Q. Defensively how much were you reminded of getting the juice from 2021, that similar style?

COACH DICKERT: It was Arizona State all over again, where -- but I mean it. Our defensive coaches emphasized it. Sometimes you go, why didn't you emphasize it the whole season. It's one of those things where our guys took it. They got the ball out. Not just getting the ball out. That's one thing. But the effort to get there and constantly get it is a whole nuther thing.

It reminded me of that game and that creates the momentum for the offense. That gets those easy scores. That's what we've been talking about just missing a little bit with our defense. And our defense has been very strong.

But to now be that to where you can go out and create offense, and then have some fourth-down stops inside the red zone, I thought were really key and big to this football game.

Q. Offensive line played too, zero sacks. (Indiscernible) Kingston goes out. What did you --

COACH DICKERT: It's by far their best game. And talk about a group that's been challenged constantly over the last 10 months, and they weathered their storm. They're passionate about what they do. They're prideful. They see where they can get better.

I think Fa'alili coming in really gave us a jump-start and you see him playing better giving that edge. And Cam's confidence in the pocket. And we rotated Ma'ake in there and even when you're down you never know when your number's going to be called. And I give credit for Ma'ake for staying ready and mature, being a competitor, wanting to get better, because we knew at one point we knew we would need him. And that time is now.

And credit to Christian Hilborn, with limited reps to go out and flip and play tackle, that's big time for our football team.

Q. Know anything about Kingston?

COACH DICKERT: I don't know anything at this point. We'll probably get back home and get some details there.

Q. How about Jaylen Jenkins? (Indiscernible).

COACH DICKERT: We're going to get Jaylen back next week.

Q. This big of a win -- obviously a win no matter what would have been huge moving one win away from bowl eligibility and everything else. But doing it in this manner where it's lopsided like this, how much more energy does that give you guys just knowing you can run past people like this when you play (indiscernible)?

COACH DICKERT: Confidence is a special thing. It just is, in football, in life, in everything you do. And I think winning in this manner breathes life into our guys and reaffirms the mission.

I've never lost faith in our team. I've never lost faith in our coaches. I've never lost faith in our players. They know that because I tell them that every day.

But to go out and do it and to see themselves doing it, man, there's something about it. Because game day is our test. And to go out there and ace the test like this, and there will be some learns, is a big confidence booster going in.

They'll remember November. This is a heck of a start to that. We've got another great team coming to our place in Arizona State this weekend. We'll celebrate the heck out of this one, be ready to turn the page tomorrow.

Q. Did Stanford do anything that surprised you during this game?

COACH DICKERT: No. No, I just think the biggest thing -- I don't worry about them at this moment. I worry about us. And I thought we were ready. We had energy and we showed it. I thought you could see that clearly.