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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 26, 2011Tommy TubervilleCOACH TUBERVILLE: Talk a little about last week's game, first of all, players of the game: Defensive scout team player of the game was Justin Cooper. Offensive scout team was Tyson Williams. Special teams player of the game, obviously after setting the school record, Ben McRoy. Defensive player of the game, Kerry Hyder. Offensive player of the game, Eric Stevens. We had I thought some very good performances on the offensive side of the ball. We had some guys step up and make plays. I think Jacoby Franks obviously made a statement of picking up where Darren, after he got hurt, and then Eric ward continues to play well on the other side. We had some good catches from some other guys, Zouzalik. Offensive line played well after Mickey Okafor went down. Justin Keown went in and played good twice the amount of plays that we expected him to play but he needed to go. And then of course Eric played well. Running game was very good, and that's what you like to see when they give you the run, they take it and you take advantage of it and you make them pay. We ran the quarterback; we ran Eric. The one thing we are disappointed about is not being able to get the fourth down. It's not that we won't call them again, but a good lesson learned about what we did and how we did it and hopefully we can get that done and corrected. Proud of our offense. We showed a lot of leadership with Seth. When you're behind like that and you have to do a lot of good things to catch up, you don't have room for error in the fourth quarter when you have to score and quick. I thought they did a great job. Good play calling, and they played hard the entire game. Defensively that's about all I can say. We played hard the entire game. We didn't play very well. We didn't coach very well. We got lined up wrong a bunch of times. They had us out-flanked in the option. It's a numbers game when you play the option, and our numbers weren't quite as good as they needed to be on weak or strong side of the field after when the ball was snapped. What they do is they roll over on one side, put a guy in motion, and we didn't adjust to the motion very well; and we played tentative once they started the option. That's a huge lesson that we'll learn. Our alignments continue to -- we make mistakes on alignments. We didn't tackle as we but we saw a lot of running game. There's a tremendous amount of room for improvement. We can't play again like that on defense and the next nine games we play, we can't put our offense in that bind. We have to get the ball back for our offense more. I think we only had, what, eight or nine possessions, and that's not enough. They controlled the ball on us, took time off the clock, exactly what you don't want a team to do, especially when you're at home. The only good thing we did other than playing hard is we kept them out of the end zone the last two times they had the ball but the six possessions they had in the game, other than the desperation drive at the end, they scored all six. They had four touchdowns and two field goals. And that's not very good defense. So as coaches, we have to make up for that. We have to make improvement this week. We have to make a lot of improvement each week as we go through. Again, as long as the effort stays as good as it is, we can condense it down to where we can play better but we just have to do a better job. Right now we are not helping the offense much. Special teams is about as good as it gets. Our punting team, our return teams, our extra points, everything that you want, the coverage teams, heck, they only got the ball outside of the 20-yard line one time on kickoff coverage. We really kicked well and our kickers kicked good. It was just a good day, thank goodness they came up because it gave a long field for them to have offensively. That said, a lot of work to be done. Not even close to being as good as we possibly can be. We have some people hurt. We need to adjust it around a little bit. But again, thank goodness we have a little bit of depth. But with nine weeks to go, we can't continue to have those type of guys go down each week. I think I went out on the field three or four times. It's just unbelievable, the luck that we are having. But, they are working hard, most of them, to come back, and you know, we won't know until tomorrow about who will play and won't play or have a chance to play. So we'll have to wait and see from there. First conference game, Kansas did not play them last year, don't know a lot about them, they don't know a lot about us. I coached against Turner Gill one time when I was at Auburn and he was at Buffalo. But there's no carryover there. I know quite a few of the coaches on their staff. They will well coached. I know the last outing was not very good but neither was ours. Although we did win the game, and we were at home. So we have got to go on the road for the first time in the conference, and we are going to have to play a lot better. It will be the best team that we've played and so we want to make sure that we give ourselves a chance and keep improving on offense, keep improving on defense, special teams and we just take it one week at a time now. We have got nine straight and we have got to become a much better football team in every area for us to have a chance to win these games. So we are looking forward to the challenge this week. They do a lot of things on offense. Very similar to some of the teams that we have seen, so there will be some carry over for us on defense. Defensively they do a little bit of all of it. They are multiple, a little bit like what Texas A&M looks like, three-man front at times, but we have just got to improve all of our techniques on both sides and keep playing hard and keep understanding that it's a four-quarter game and that's probably a good start for us last week, knowing that, hey, all of the games that we are getting ready to get into are going to be a lot like the one we just played. Questions? Q. Were you thinking about -- inaudible -- unusual event to have? COACH TUBERVILLE: Well, we know what we are going to get on offense. Offense is -- we are so much farther ahead. We can score points. We have got some experience at some areas. The great thing about us on defense is we do have some depth in most areas, and we are going to play a lot of people. We are getting some people back. Leon Mackey will be back this week. He practiced yesterday and I think we had a 60-play scrimmage, he went three of those plays. He's ready to go. We have just got to become more urgent in what we do on defense. You know, things are still going fast for us. They have not slowed down in terms of being able to play defense. We want to play fast, but you know, the recognition is a huge key, and instincts is a huge key on defense and we have just got to understand that. But we knew it was going to be this way. It's not that we all have not discussed it and dissected it over the summer and into these first three games. But it is what it is, and we have got to get better and knowing that we'll be better this week, but we are going to have to be because it's conference play, and going to be on the road and it's going to be a tougher assignment. Q. Are there certain games, like the one you just played, that can bring a team together or something to that affect? COACH TUBERVILLE: Well, I think winning, no matter who you're playing, winning makes everybody feel a lot better. Winning the way we did; it felt like a team victory. It really wasn't. Pretty much an offense and special teams victory. Defense owes an awful lot to both of those groups how they played, compared to how they played, defense we just didn't hold up our end of the bargain, coaching or playing, you can't give up that many big plays, that many running yards. We just look confused. We have condensed it, we have changed things around and we have tried to make it as uncomplicated as possible but you can only go so far. You still have to be able to make some adjustments as you go, and that's one thing concerning is we didn't -- we didn't adjust. We tried to, but the things didn't soak in as we went on of, make sure we do this, this formation. And it's just recognition. It's experience. But they played hard and I think after watching the film yesterday, it kind of dawned on me, well, that's what we were talking about, that's what you need to do. It's growing, and most of these guys will have an opportunity to do it for several years here. We are just here in infant stages, and luckily, luckily, we won that game. Just because the offense and special teams, and the defense showed up right there at the end holding them to three points two times in a row. But that's cutting it close. That's not going to happen very often. That's just -- we have got to get much better. Q. You talked and the coordinators and Seth talked about how the team has to panic -- is that something that you guys can develop as a mind-set, or talk about that a little bit, because it's fascinating how everybody says that word and it's really not happening? COACH TUBERVILLE: And you have to be realistic and you have to look yourself in the eye and say, who are we? We are a team that we knew we were going to be, you know, fairly good on offense. You don't know how far, early and how much better you can get. And I think that to this point, we have done pretty well offensively. We have pretty much been strong in the areas we figured we would be other than the first game on the offensive line where we didn't play very well. So put that aside, special teams, our punter, is pretty good, snappers, kickers, we knew we were going to have more depth, so that's going to make your coverage teams better and guys that can go out and play, hey, this is my time to go out and play. I can get it done, other than starters having to do it. Defensively we knew, all new, new coaches, new schemes, new techniques, new terminology. It wasn't going to happen overnight. But we can't say, okay, we are going to change, because you change, it just makes it that much more difficult. So you know, we are sold on what we want to do and the players are, too. It's just right now we'll make one play and make two plays and we'll get them in third and ten like we did the other day, and we'll turn a tight end loose, watch him catch it 40 yards for a first down. Or linebacker will take the run, hold, and run behind a defensive tackle and the quarterback will keep it and run it 50 yards. Or we'll have a DB fall down and catches a 40-yard pass. You know, on the last drive, we are trying to hold them to 30 seconds, and had a guy wide open, wide open and he drops it at the 40-yard line. I mean, it's just recognition and doing your job. And a lot of times, even some of the older guys are looking and saying, I've got to help this guy out, he might not do what he's supposed to do, leaving his job a little bit under-manned. It's just going to take time to start believing in what they are doing and how they are doing it, and we are better athletically than we were last year. That's not saying a whole lot. But we have got a chance to get better because we do have a lot of guys that can play and that want to play, and we are better on the defensive line. And if you are going to be anywhere you want to be better at, and stronger at, for defense and offenses, offensive line and defensive line. So we have got a chance. Q. How different is this defense with or without Leon -- COACH TUBERVILLE: Jackson Richards has done a good job. But the good thing about it is, now you have two guys that can do it. Leon, remember now, he's only played, what, a quarter, and so he's going to make some technique mistakes and fundamental mistakes because he's going to make them fast, hard, strong, physical. So you know we are not expecting him to be rolling by the butcher knives his first game. But I think he's got a chance to get better each week. But as we said when he went out, the worst thing is, he's not practicing. He's not getting better. So for four weeks or so now, he's been on the sideline waiting to get better to go back out and start over. So it's pretty much like he's starting over again. But he will be a tremendous help. Scott Smith next week, same thing. So fortunately for us, inside, we have stayed pretty healthy, and some other places. We just need to play. We need to play and need to practice well. Q. In the secondary, did you notice how much you needed a guy like -- COACH TUBERVILLE: Cody Davis, we lose two starters last week that don't even hit the field. So you have guys out there that have not played much. But they held their own and did pretty good at times. We turned some players loose. They did a good job of formationing us, scheming us. When you play a team that knows that they are doing on offense, they have run this offense forever now, they do certain things. See how you lineup, then they make an adjustment motion, see how you line up, and if you don't adjust right, they take advantage of it. And that's what they did. So we knew going in, a lot of things that they would try to do, but they ran some other things that we didn't adjust to as well. Q. Would you talk about what may or may not have happened with you and Coach Ault at the end of the game? COACH TUBERVILLE: Oh, no, somebody said something about that; he was disappointed. We both said, "Hey Coach, good game, good game." As I would, he turned around and walked off. I mean, that's what you do. You don't go out there and expect both coaches to be feeling good about what just happened, because we put too much into this, and it just rips your heart out and I know it did them. They played well enough probably to win the game. They came within inches of winning that game; hit a goalpost on the field goal. Had his fourth and four, last play of the game. Had twice, all they had to do was score one touchdown the last two drives, and just we made a play and they didn't. No, it was just both -- again, I would have been the same way going into a game like that and you come down, so close to winning, whoever loses is going to be disgusted. Q. In terms of your defense -- something about the option -- that Kansas offense? COACH TUBERVILLE: They do some of it. They do some of what we just saw. So as we do, we correct, No. 1, what we have seen and what people run against us. And we have to see it more during -- even though we might not think we see it, we'll still prepare for it, just because they do see the film. They do coach, and most of the time they are going to take advantage of what you have done wrong. No, we'll prepare for it. And everybody runs a little bit of an option. Nevada, that's what they do. That quarterback they have got can run, they will be a real good football team as the year goes on with that kid running the football. Q. Can you talk about the 11:00 a.m. start? COACH TUBERVILLE: When you are on the road, you want to play as early as you can, no matter where you're at. Whether you're in the biggest stadiums or smaller stadiums, early morning game hurts your crowd: They get in late, they don't get to tailgate. It's just an early atmosphere. So you know, when we play here, I would much rather play at night, because you have a much better atmosphere and everybody is fired up. Just there's something magical about it. But we'll have our day games here, and you know, but that doesn't mean that you're going to win the game if you go on the road and it's early. You've still got to go play and your players have to wake up. They are not used to practicing or playing that early. Q. Can you talk about Justin and his ability? COACH TUBERVILLE: Yeah, Justin, he typifies a guy that wants to play. He was really, really disappointed when he hurt his knee. He had some damage and he's rehabbed it hard. He's stayed up here hours trying to get it ready, and they have done a good job with him. I'm proud of him. He's stronger now and I think more focused. We just would like to have brought him along a little slower, but after the game, he was fine. He was a little sore, but you know, he did a good job, and just proud of his efforts, because we needed him to play after Mickey went down. Q. Can you talk about how important your running game will be this week, especially after -- against Kansas? COACH TUBERVILLE: We'll throw first, run second, but we are going to take what they give us. Eric had a great game. Seth had a great game running. Depending on what they do, depending on how many people they it put on the line of scrimmage, whether we run or throw. We are not saying every game we are going to throw it no matter what you do, you just don't do. That you take advantage of what they do less in terms of alignment. So we work on both of them all week long. But we're really proud of the running game and how much better we have gotten. I think we are 160 or 170 yards rushing average per game right now and that's helped us. Q. Is it nice with a young team -- COACH TUBERVILLE: Well, I remember last year's trip to Oklahoma. We'll play them as they come. It really doesn't make any difference. You just have to get ready to play and don't worry about the opponent. Just worry about the offense and defense and go play hard. Right now we need to focus more on going and playing well and playing well as a team, all three phases. If we can do that, we're going to be fine. But again, we have got a lot of work to do on both of them no matter whether we play here or we play on the road. Q. What about Darren? COACH TUBERVILLE: Darren, he's got a twisted knee and angle. He's walking around on it pretty good yesterday. They are not going to rule him out. He can't play this week to this point. But receivers and running backs, those guys use their legs obviously, and they have to be strong and we are not going to put him out there -- there's not a lot of difference between a lot of the guys we have behind him. He's a guy that just to this point has made the plays, and made big plays. I hate to see that happen to him but Jacoby came out and made some huge plays the other day, huge plays. We have got receivers. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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