UNIVERSITY OF TULSA FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 28, 2023

Kevin Wilson

Press Conference

Tulsa 48, Temple 26

KEVIN WILSON: Proud of the guys. Good week. Made a big deal several months ago. We thought last week this week coming off our first couple of games was going to be big for our team with the seniors. We talked about it a long time ago.

I thought the answer to call was some good practices last week. We started sluggish and slow last week. I thought we had a really good week of prep.

It was kind of neat how we did it because of the academic issue with the classes and evening classes. We had some great prep with Sunday we went right into these guys, and Monday morning had a walk-through, practiced Monday night. Tuesday afternoon did another walk-through because it was hot. Practiced quickly again Tuesday night. Didn't have long practices, but with the walk-throughs I thought we had our guys' attention and had a good plan.

I think the coaches had time to plan, and then the kids just went out and played a whale of a game. That was good for them and good to see. We'll get a chance to catch our breath.

Our opponent didn't play. For next week we're open this week, so we're playing a rested team, and we have to travel, but it is good to be 1-0. It's good to get these two and really happy not only for the team, but most importantly for those seniors.

When I got here, and it's a day and age when everybody leaves and everybody goes and gets new guys and tells guys to leave. We asked guys to hang around and buy in if they wanted to. They did. Really just happy and talking to our team about playing for K. Ray in his sixth year, and who else? I think Darrell Simpson is a sixth-year guy. We have several six-year guys and fifth year guys. So I'm happy to see those guys get a W and play well for those gee.

Good week. That was a very good win. A lot of work to do, but feel very fortunate.

Q. I felt like for the most part you guys were in control throughout. I think they run back that kick, and people might think this one is starting to get a little tight, but you responded really well with a nice drive and got down the field and scored. Do you think that was a turning point but a nice moment for you guys to kind of put your foot on them there?

KEVIN WILSON: It was good. The kicking has been good. We have had a couple of kick returns to the field that we've got to clean up, whether it be our leverage or speed or players.

We've had a few kicks get out, so we've got -- our kicking has been really pretty solid. That has been one Achilles heel, and everyone is seeing that, and they attacked it, and they made a big play there.

It was nice to see the offensive guys, though, come back. I think that's the drive that Cardell made a big run, got it down. Then we settled for a couple of field goals, and we did have a few more field goals tonight than we like. We did move the ball well, but that was a good answer.

It was nice. There's been games -- I think we're coming together as a team. We've had games we turned the ball over, and our defense has had to rise to the occasion. It was nice for that one for the offense to rise to the occasion because the defense has yet to give up a score.

When you are sitting there saying, hey, it's a 14-point game or something like that or whatever it was, 16, 17. It was good for the offense, for Cardell to make that drive and for us to finish with the touchdown. I think it was Anthony Watkins bounced the one and scored.

Q. I know a lot of the QB run game stuff is probably more read-based than call designed. I'm sure there's a lot of that too, but it felt like Cardell was able to get out and get loose more tonight than we've seen.

KEVIN WILSON: Yeah, and I think a couple of them were really some plays that aren't true read plays, but they were committing so much to stop some of the runs.

And we're really getting a feel for it. I'm not trying to bring him out the first couple of games because it's not like I want him sitting back there just throwing every play like where are you at? I think he was 7 for 8 in the first half, which is a good start. So we're trying to build his confidence up.

Again, I think one of the best plays all night was I think the drive following the kick return. We're down there, and we called a pass play on third and seven or eight in the scoring zone, and they played -- I thought they were going to play a little bit more aggressive.

I thought we had a chance to get it over the top shot, a fade route or something. They played coverage. He stepped up and found the tail back and checked it down. Came up a yard short, had to kick a field goal, but it was a mature -- I said, That's the best play you've made since I've been here, and no one is going to notice that except me. I said, Thank you. Because two weeks ago I think it might have gone to the other crowd.

He stepped up and found the guy. We didn't get the first down, but it was the right decision, the right play, and that was great to see.

Especially in the scoring zone I want to get my touchdown, I want to get my name, my picture, my Twitter hits, whatever. He checked it down. It was a great quarterback play.

He is growing as a quarterback, and that's good to see. He is growing under fire. Iron sharpens iron when it gets hot and you start molding, and he is molding in a good way. Proud of him.

Q. Talk about a defense. I mean, the defense played a heck of a game. Talk about what the key to stopping Temple was today.

KEVIN WILSON: Yeah, it was -- what, we held them to, what, 24 rushing yards, which is good. They came in not running the ball that well, but they said they played some pretty good teams. It was good because you got them one-dimensional.

They threw 53 passes, but to hold a team under 300 yards was really good. Offensively we had to balance with some good run and high percentage of pass. We didn't have the turnovers. We created turnovers.

When we talk about our plan except for the kick getting out, that was a pretty good follow the plan of trying to play winning football, and that was good for our team to do here in game five.

Q. Also, you talked about the turnovers and getting off to a decent start because your first quarters have been problematic a lot of times.

KEVIN WILSON: Correct.

Q. No turnovers, I mean, that's got to be incredible step.

KEVIN WILSON: It's good to see. I don't want to say incredible because one of our goals is none. We tell them every day that when we play -- we're playing football, so when we hand you the ball, we're handing you the game. The game is called football, and we're handing you the football. We're handing you the game. You control the game. Take care of it.

That was good for Cardell. It was really great for our backs tonight because they were great with the ball. I don't think we had a balance loose. I don't think we had a ball out. So that was great ball security. It was good to see.

A lot of things to see. We have a lot of things to build on. We'll come in tomorrow. We have two games to watch because we didn't really watch Northern Illinois. So we have two games to correct, to grow.

Then we can catch our breath a little bit tomorrow and Saturday. We will start Sunday with the implementation of getting ready to play a good FAU team.

Q. What went into Cardell finding the rhythm he found tonight?

KEVIN WILSON: I yelled at him the other night and told him if you throw the pass again, we're going to run every play. That might have been some of it. A couple of practice plays we threw the ball to the other jersey. I'm, like, Okay, I'm just going to run it every play.

But I asked him before the game, I go, What do you want to do?

He said, Coach, let's run a couple and then maybe get me out on the corner.

I said, Okay. You know, so I just -- and we brought him in a little more this week to meet. Let's start working like a quarterback. Quit practicing like at right guard, and let's get a little extra meeting time and spend more time on task.

Again, he is growing. The more you play, the better you get. I think they all think they understand, but they never understand. You know, you never understand until you're under fire. First time you had to do your first interview, you are all cotton mouth. We're all the same.

It's nice to see him growing. He is a great kid. He has a lot of growth.

We had Braxton this week practicing with the ones. I felt he couldn't push and protect himself and play like he needed to. We'll see. Maybe FAU. Maybe if not, down the stretch.

Again, Roman had his best week of practice. So I don't need too many guys away. The group is coming on. The receivers are getting better. We're still a work in progress in the passing game. That's for sure.

Q. We had Dayne here tonight. Didn't even know he was on the team probably in August. I didn't.

KEVIN WILSON: He looks like your brother.

Q. A little more athletic than my brother.

KEVIN WILSON: You have the same size, same hair.

Q. How is he doing this?

KEVIN WILSON: It's a credit to him. I mean, when I got here, he was one of the few guys -- there were several guys that were quality walk-on players that guys that have been around the program that say, Coach, this guy is going to play special teams. He is a pretty good player. Might not be as flashy as the other guys.

Coach Polizzi is doing a nice job with him. Kanion has had -- not a major. I don't know. Did he go tonight? Yeah, he was back practicing and was trying to go, so he stepped in that role. It was nice to see. Again, he has had two good games. So good for him, good for us. We need that.

It's nice. For example, Carl Chester said, What do I need to do to play? I said, How about practicing better? Just practice better. You don't practice really good. Well, he had a good week of practice, and all of a sudden made a couple of really good plays tonight. That's good.

We need Nick Rempert, made a couple of big blocks. Talked to Nick. Nick, I'm not mad at you. Practice better. We need you to play. We need you to step up. It's nice to see because to be a good team and to win some of the games down the stretch, our twos have to play like ones.

We need those guys to step up, and I appreciate it. We're selling that, and those guys are buying it. I appreciate that. We need that. That's good to see.

Q. This is the first game that you recorded touchdowns in the first quarter. What do you think the key was to the strong start?

KEVIN WILSON: It was one thing to talk about it. We had a good week of practice. We talked about this game is coming fast. We need to start fast. We talked about we need to get locked in. We got locked in. We got locked in fast.

We had some good work, had some good prep. We made a couple of plays there, fortunately. We had a really good passes with Carl. They got us going.

What did we score on that first drive? What was the first touchdown?

Q. Shoulders.

KEVIN WILSON: Was that a fast play, a double? I'm trying to were the first play.

Q. Similar looking play.

KEVIN WILSON: Kind of blanking, but it was good. Again, one thing to talk about it. You've got to do it. We had a good week of practice. I think we've got our team tough through the summer and preseason.

We're not like out there killing them in practice. We're getting better, and we're emphasizing some things they need to do better. We have some good work, and it was just good to see it come to fruition.

Q. How much confidence can be built? It's hard for us on the outside to have any idea where you were after Pine Bluff, Washington, and Oklahoma. You guys knew all along, but to go grind one out and then on a short week to be able to have some really good things happen on both sides, does the team just gain a lot of confidence from the last ten days, whatever it's been?

KEVIN WILSON: You hope, and it's our job. Again, you gain confidence with your performance. And not getting off to good starts, it's hard to have confidence. When you have the turnovers, it's hard to have good confidence.

So you've answered -- we answered that in a game. Let's do it again.

Coach Spurrier's father was here. Had him talk to the team. He just gave a quick little deal about when he was at Duke. He said one of the first years one of the guys made -- a player said, Coach, we can win the championship.

The Coach said, You sure now? Let's be careful and not be telling the world this.

He said, Yeah, Coach, here's the deal.

He said, If you believe we can, we can because like it says, if you believe, anything is possible. Doesn't mean it's guaranteed.

That's exactly what the Coach said. It doesn't mean it's guaranteed, but it's possible. He said, you have a good-looking team. You guys sit here paying attention. I watched you practice. You have a good team.

I built off that the last 24 hours. Okay, we've had a good week of practice. We had two good weeks of practice. We talked about it. We had a great win on the road last week.

We didn't play well against two good teams, but we did good night, we did battle. I think the way this week went, we got a little bit more back on task of fundamentally cleaning up and helping our guys play better.

Now we've got to go play. We have to walk that last plank and go play the game. And they teed it up like when those guys came out at the Ryder Cup and walked out to that first shot. They came out and waled the plank. That was awesome.

Like Coach said, if you believe it's possible, it's possible. We can be a good team. We have to play well. We have to do what it takes to win, but we have good players. They have bought in.

We just have to keep -- what we're doing right now is our strength is we need to be a good team, and that means we need to play together. We did tonight, and when we do we have a chance if we take care of the ball and can make a few plays and defense does their part, we get the kicking, we can be a very competitive, solid team.

Q. You going to stay up for the Ryder Cup? 12:30 this morning.

KEVIN WILSON: It's all replays.

Q. We talked earlier in the week about Thursday.

KEVIN WILSON: It does look pretty cool. I'm just telling you. Like those young receivers are talking about with Coach Switzer, you don't know what it's like until you're out there, but once you're out there and sometimes when you fail and it's hard with these kids. They fail and everybody sees it, and they start putting the psychological stress on yourself.

If you can teach these guys that through failing they're growing and becoming men, that's the beautiful thing about what's going on. That's what those guys, the greatest people in the world are going to feel that tomorrow when they play golf.

No matter who you are, that's one of the unbelievable things is when that athlete walks that plank and has to go out there and do his job. I was proud to see our guys do their job tonight.

Q. Curious, you mentioned earlier in the week that you hadn't dealt with short weeks like this at previous stops. Thursday games, Friday games. This is kind of the first one coming off of a Saturday game that you've had to deal with. How do you feel like you handled it this week? You won and played well. Do you think the logistics of it went well for you guys?

KEVIN WILSON: Again, we didn't -- again, we're not outsmarting or out-coaching. The main thing is kind of what works here.

So the first thing was I felt we had to go straight to the next game. So we showed 20 minutes, 30 minutes of the last game. Okay, we have to go on. We showed things we did well and what we want.

We also showed some things if we keep doing, we're not going to win tonight if we keep doing this. So stop these offensive and defensive -- but keep doing this. This is why you won.

Then we went straight to those guys. Had a good walk-through. I think offensively we got about 65 plays of walk-through. The deal was do you really know what you are doing now because we just played a game within 24 hours, and then you're onto the next one? Typically you're not doing that until sometimes Tuesday. Now we're doing it Sunday night. You don't want it to be a waste of work.

So we came in Monday morning because of our class schedule, had 30 minutes of walk-through from 7:00 to 7:30. They went to class. We came back that night and practiced from 8:30 to 10:00.

That's what we had. I think we finished about 10:10. We couldn't get started until 8:30 because we have these night classes. Because we had a walk-through -- now, in the afternoon the guys didn't have practice. We had over 100 plays to watch from walk-through.

So, okay, did you see this? Did you see this blitz? Do you see this route? Do you see this formation? Here's what they're doing. This is what they're doing.

Then Tuesday it was so gosh darn hot. I said, If we go out in the afternoon, we have to be ready by 2:00. We didn't get off the field -- I didn't -- not that we're working late. By the time you got off the field and showered it's 11:00 Monday night.

I said, Guys, I'm not jacking you here with your time. Let's come in Tuesday afternoon for two hours and watch this practice and talk about third downs, and let's practice Tuesday night again.

Went under the lights. It was cool like it was tonight. We had two great short practices, but we knew what we were doing, and I never would have planned it, but the way our school is academically it forced me to do that.

I think it was the best thing that happened. It wasn't like -- I think we just flat-out stumbled into it, and we had great preparation. The kids had great work. We had great teaching off of that.

Then we had two really good practices. Yesterday we stole 30 minutes of walk-through, and today we stole another 30 minutes that were a little bit more than normal, so we knew what we were doing.

The kids bought in, had a heck of a week, and that was a good win for our program.

Q. Monday you talked about how big of an opportunity tonight was for your program with the spotlight being on you on ESPN. Do you like how your guys kind of took advantage and you took advantage of the spotlight tonight?

KEVIN WILSON: It was good. I appreciate. I think our Conference Commissioner with his TV ties has done a great job this year. With some of the leagues there are some openings where our league has gotten into some of these ESPN games.

Had a chance yesterday. I know Coach Mullen real well. They did a nice little blurb deal, a recruiting deal called "All Access Tulsa." They're talking about the tradition. There's a thing on YouTube. Google it up. Hit it up.

He said, Hey, we've been doing this. How can we help sell you guys? He asked me yesterday. I said, Hey, it's a great city. It's a phenomenal school and a beautiful place. We have had a boatload of great teams throughout the years, and we have a chance to beat a good team here. There's just a lot of things in place. It's a great time to be here. We're excited to be here.

So I appreciate those guys, and I appreciate our conference giving us a chance to be here tonight. It was good to answer the call. Have a good weekend.