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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCESeptember 16, 2013Kliff KingsburyQ. How is Baker's leg? COACH KINGSBURY: Good, good, he practiced Saturday and he's full go. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH WILSON: No, just a deep bruise. It's a pretty violent hit when you see how it happened on film, but he's okay. Q. On 3rd and long, obviously (Indiscernible). Since you were already in field goal range, did you think to take the field goal? COACH KINGSBURY: No, we had the coverage we wanted, and we have full confidence in him. The first play he came in, he completes the big first down to Jace. And I said all along, he's a really good player, and we think we have three guy that's can move the football and win football games for us. So there was never any hesitation. We were going to play to win, and we thought that was the best play at that time. Q. Could you talk about how you look at being ranked at this point in time of the season? Maybe just look at it from the standpoint that here's a little bit of I reward, but there is a whole lot left? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I don't even pay attention to it. It is what it is. We just attack each week and try to get better that week and try to win that game. So that's really where we're at. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, there will be focus. I guess we said all along, we were picked eighth in this league. If that's not enough motivation to try to get focused, you probably shouldn't be on this team. I expect them to try to get better this week and come out and play with a lot of energy and lot of emotion like they did last week. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, they don't go many days without hearing that or seeing that somewhere. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Great question. When I got here it was one of the biggest things I harped on and we are still about dead last in the country. We have to try something else. We escaped some games and had lots of penalties and gotten wins that way. So if we can cut those in half, we'll have a chance the rest of the way. But we have to improve on that. I don't have any answers for you right now. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: In his mindset, he's a starter. That's just a credit to him the type of mental make‑up he has. But he's a very, very good football player, and we have every confidence in the world that he can lead this team as well as anybody. Q. Can you talk a little bit about (Indiscernible) what you expect from him and more or less try to focus on the running game? COACH KINGSBURY: You know, they're number one in the country in rush defense, and they've played some teams that throw it. But they do a good job schematically. They've had different looks than they've had in the past, so they're changing things up. But they're attacking, create turnovers. It will be a great challenge for our young quarterback to see all those different looks. As far as emphasizing the run game, we'll do what we do to score points. Q. Coach, can you talk about just the defense flying around. I know you're an offensive‑minded guy (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, it was huge. You turn on the film, and the effort was just incredible. Guys sacrificing their bodies to make plays. You know, old them on third down and fourth down. Just an incredible effort and great scheme by Coach Wallerstedt and our assistant coaches. But the effort is what jumps out at you. They play their butts off every single snap the whole night. We put on the field a ton offensively in the second half 57 plays, I think, and you'd never know it. That last rep they were going like it was the first play of the game. Q. Do you emphasize to them to go out and enjoy yourself? COACH KINGSBURY: We talk about it all the time. That's your reward. You put in the work, and Saturdays is payday so we want them to have fun, we want them to play loose and go out there and enjoy the moment. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: He's special with the ball in space. He's a hard guy to tackle. Just super explosive. So we'll continue to be creative in ways to get him the ball. There are a couple of times when there are three guys around him and not one of them touches him, so he's fun to watch. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: No, we've watched just a couple games from last year and then their film from this year and that will be it. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: The player of the game was Le'Raven Clark. So we thought he did a tremendous job against a very talented D and for TCU. So he was impressive all night. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: It's been through the roof every week. Coach Cumbie, Coach Morris, that's an emphasis, if you don't block, you don't play. Those guys take pride in it. Eric Ward is a guy that I did a bad job of getting him the ball that week, and he played his butt off every play. He didn't get frustrated. He's a team player. And Marquez shows up on both of those big home run hitters to the running backs, and he's out there leading the way. So, selfless play, and that's how you develop a great team. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Did I watch the A&M game? I did. I was screaming and yelling and stuff at the TV. It's hard to watch that when you've been around those guys and coached those guys. But I've never seen them before, and it's like Johnny against that defense. I've said it all along, he's the best player in the country, and he showed it once again. Q. When you talked about Taylor, was that something that he earned that job last week? COACH KINGSBURY: He has been stellar through camp and through the first couple weeks. We thought it was time to make that change and let him go at it. We have every confidence in Eric and he's been solid around here.  But Taylor is a special talent and he earned that playing time. Q. Coach (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: It would be day‑to‑day still. He's recovering. We don't know if it's this week or next with the bye week. But we'll push him full speed and see if we can get him back this week. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: I really have. He's really stepped up from where he was in the spring. He had a hard time even making it through scrimmages. His conditioning and his technique, and Coach Hays has done a great job with him. His effort, he's got a great attitude. He shows up every day and works hard, and I've been really pleased with him stepping into that role. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: It is. I think it's a great idea with the culture we have out here in West Texas, you've got to embrace that. We're honored to be a part of that, and I'm glad that the two sides have gotten together and made this a Cotton Game. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, it will be good. As long as they keep showing up, I don't care what color they wear. It's fun to have all those fans in the stands. Q. You mentioned (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I did a bad job getting away from the game plan. We had some things not go right and just got away from what I wanted to do. Got to find ways to get them the ball. I talked to them after the game and told them that. We're going to get you the ball; that's on me. He plays his butt off. He was open a few times and we just didn't get it to him, but he'll be back this week. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: I don't. I don't. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, the same as before game one. Just antsy, ready to get out and see what we've got. You want to try to get better this week, especially before the bye week. You'd like to really have a good performance and keep moving upwards, and I think our kids will. I think the atmosphere has been great out there in Jones Stadium, and I know they'll play hard this Saturday. Q. (Indiscernible). COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, we expect to play a great game every week. There is no more emphasis on this game than there was last week. It's just you'd like to get that bye week healthy and excited so you can hit that stretch run with what we've got going in the conference. Q. Is it hard for the team to have discipline (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: No, that hasn't been not issue yet. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, I guess. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, I told them on the sideline, hey, man, it happens, go make another play. Not a big deal. There is no reason to jump on him. He knows what he did. It's just learn from it, live from it. The penalty we got from that was about the least thing that could have happened. You know, the way the ball sat on the end zone, it didn't go through the end zone, so we got the ball back and ended up scoring again. So no harm, no foul, and great tape to learn from. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, it's a case‑by‑case and player‑by‑player. But knowing DeAndre, the type of competitor he is, he made a mistake, and he knew it was going to be all over the country on every replay. I mean, I just think less is more at that point. The fact that he knew he made a mistake, now let's get him fired back up to go score again. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, they know. They have been instructed to hand it to the official at this point, yeah. Q. Would you say the defense (Indiscernible) would you say in your mind that (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: I think it helps us collectively as a staff. We have a very open‑door policy. Our players know they can come talk to us about anything at any time and we're going to keep it real with them. A lot of us still feel like we could be playing, and I think we treat them sometimes more like teammates than coaches. We know the line and they know the line they can't cross. But I would say just our age in general has probably helped that. Q. Given that they were struggling a little last week and Webb came in and threw the touchdown pass, is there a little more competition between one and two or is there still a separation between the two? COACH KINGSBURY: No, Baker's our starter. He's 3‑0 as a true freshman at Texas Tech, and he did a good job reviewing the play. He had a couple of balls that were tipped that were intercepted. He had some throws that he'd like to have back. But that being said, that's a really good defense he faced. He had people in his face all night, and hung in there and kept playing tough and found a way to get the win. He'll be our starter moving forward. But like I said, we have every confidence in the world in Davis Webb as a starter as well. If he needs to come in again, he can win us a game and we'll keep approaching it that way. Q. Was that the first time that Baker encountered (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: He did great. He kept getting back up and wasn't really fazed by it. Like I said, two of those were just bad luck and one was a fourth down that tips off the guy's hands. I still don't know how they intercepted the one to Marquez. It kind of rolled over and the ball came up. So it happens, and there will be other rough days, but he'll keep getting better. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Somewhat. I'd say his escapability, and he's got a great attitude similar to Johnny. Where Johnny would stick his foot in the ground and outrun everybody, that is a rare trait that not many people have. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: He's getting close. He started throwing some. I think with that bye week coming up, we're going to try to start easing him back into practice and go from there. So I'd say within the next couple weeks he's going to resurface. Q. What is his status? COACH KINGSBURY: He's good. He took some big shots, but he's a big guy and hard to keep down. He's full‑go, and excited to get back out there. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, we've got to discuss that during the bye week. It's pretty timely that that's coming then. But those young kids are playing really good, and just trying to keep them progressing. We'll cross that bridge whenever he is fully cleared by Anthony to practice. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: Yeah, he strained his calf, and so he was out. We're not sure if he'll be back this week or not, but that's why Carlos is back there. Q. (Indiscernible)? COACH KINGSBURY: It's tough. I mean, it's a bam‑Bam call, and I'm glad they had the replay in. But you wish, when they would replay it and say hey, there is not a foul, that they'd take 15 yards back too. I don't know how that really works. But I was glad to see them get it right in that A&M game because that kid was going for the ball. But I don't understand how the yardage should still be tacked on. I'm still figuring that out. It's a new rule and I'm sure they'll work through the kinks. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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