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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCEOctober 14, 2013Jace AmaroQ. You live in the fast‑catching world. I know you take pride in the blocking aspect. To see the success like you had on Saturday for some of those tailbacks that finally got loose, how does it make you guys feel? JACE AMARO: Thens us out a lot. Because I think if we get the run game going we'll be a lot more tough to beat down the road. That is one thing that we've taken a lot of emphasis in practice is just getting the run game going. With the primary blocking, that is one thing where Coach Morris and Coach Cumbie really strive on for both the outside and inside receivers to block as hard as you can, because those guys are blocking for you in the pass protection. That's kind of what we do. We're a team and we're doing it for each other. Q. What is the motivation going into this week obviously, West Virginia ended the season for you last year? JACE AMARO: No, I don't think so. We're just going in there. It's just another team we're going to play. We're going to practice like we do every week and prepare like we do. It's just another team. There is no revenge or anything like that for me. Q. What is different maybe about the way you've handled road trips this year and how does that correlate to success? JACE AMARO: I just think the coaches prepared us well for the road. They do a great job in practice of getting us ready every single week. We don't change anything up for any team. We practice the same way every single day. They help us get our minds right on the road, no distractions and stuff like that, and that's been a big difference between this year and last year. Q. Do you pride yourself in being able to go over the middle and constantly take nine grabs? It seems like you get hit every catch you make? JACE AMARO: I know that I'm going to get hit a lot. I know there are a lot of defenders around me, usually every time I catch the ball. I know that's the way it's going to be until they start throwing‑‑ I'm glad that Jakeem had a really great game in the first half and Eric is starting to pick it up again. Then once the running game gets going, I think they're going to have to put me one‑on‑one at some point and they did last week against Iowa State. I almost took it 40 yards for the first time we had a man to man. That's just kind of the way it is and I know that's the way it's going to be. Q. What do you think the key is to keep your guys responding well to success and not getting complacent? JACE AMARO: I think we got kind of complacent this past week. It was probably the worst game we played as a team against Iowa State on all three sides of the ball. I think especially special teams, we just have to make sure that the seniors, me and Kenny, and all the guys expected as starters, make sure the young guys emphasize the team. Because that could cost us a game. If we were playing OU or Texas or anything like that, they're going to be on great on special teams. We have to make sure everyone's intact every single day and all the meetings and outside in practice and stuff like that. Q. You guys are going one game at a time and you know all that kind of talk and whatnot. But how cool is it now that you guys are six games in, 6‑0? JACE AMARO: We weren't expecting anything else. We knew we were going to be 6‑0. We knew we were going to be winning every game. That is the way our mindset has changed from this year and last year. We're not going in there to try to‑‑ we're going in there to win every game. I think that last year we were trying not to lose is what I'm trying to say. We were trying not to lose. I feel like this year we're going in there and winning instead of trying not to lose and preventing small plays and stuff like that. Q. The team really cut down on penalties last week. What was the coaching staff telling you last week about that? JACE AMARO: They make a big deal out of it every single week. I think last week‑‑ the offensive line is really young. There are a bunch of sophomores on there and couple juniors. There is not one senior on that offensive line. It took them a couple games to get it going. I think they're finally getting their feet wet and stuff like that. I think with the penalties, they've really emphasized that all off‑season, during camp and all during practice this year. Q. How special is this group of quarterbacks and the two freshmen in their first career starts winning Big 12 Player of the Week? JACE AMARO: They both came in really relaxed. I think they've done as good a job as anybody could with their first start, especially as true freshmen. They're both great guys and great quarterbacks. They bring different things to the table, and it's great to have both of them on our team. Q. What do you think the competition is going to be for those guys going forward? JACE AMARO: It's going to be a ride. It's going to be a show. I think it's going to come down to whoever is going to work the hardest and whoever wants it the most. Like I said, I think that every single quarterback brings a little different thing to the table. I think Davis probably throws the best ball out of the three. I think Baker does a great job making plays and keeping them alive. Once Brewer gets back, he brings a lot to the table. He understands the offense, so we'll see how it all plays out. Q. What impressed you most about Davis's performance on Saturday? JACE AMARO: When things weren't going well when he threw that pick, we were up 35‑21, he was very relaxed. He didn't think too much. He was still same composure and everything. The next drive he takes it 80 yards down with the game‑winning touchdown. So I think that's probably the most impressive thing is he didn't get rattled. Q.  Going into a hostile environment like we expect this week as opposed to maybe Lawrence, Kansas? JACE AMARO: I mean, of course. You always want to go into those games. It's always fun on the road trying to win those games. I think no one's been up to West Virginia, but I think it's not going to make a difference of where we're playing at. I think everyone gets a little more excited to play on the road games, but I think we'll be perfectly fine. Q. What do you remember about the defense from last year's game? JACE AMARO: I knew they had some great players on their defense. They were very talented. I just think they were out of position a lot last year. I've watched tape on them already, and I think they do a better job of disguising their coverages and being in better position to make plays. So that's one big difference from last year to this year is that they're playing better team defense. So we'll see how it goes. Q. Was the fact that you've never been to West Virginia and this year playing in that environment, does that make it more exciting going in there for the first time? JACE AMARO: Yeah, definitely. Like I said, we're not going to prepare any different way. We're going to do the same thing we did every week. It's just going to be a fun game for all of us. Q. Last year you had a career game against those guys. (Indiscernible) have you had this game circled on your calendar or anything? JACE AMARO: No, like I said, I'm just going to go in there like it's another team. It's just another team in the way of our ultimate goal. There is no revenge plot or anything like that. I'm just going to go out there and play like I've been playing and we'll see how it goes. Q. Over the next week or so what were you told about how long you would be out? JACE AMARO: Well, the first doctor told me I was going to be out for two weeks. I was pretty pissed about that. The next guy said four, the next guy said six, and the last one told me three months. So it was kind of a thing where I didn't want to talk to anybody for a while. So I mean, that's just kind of how it was. It was really frustrating. Q. You anticipated being back sooner than you were? JACE AMARO: Yeah, it's just the way it happened. Q. (Indiscernible)? JACE AMARO: Last year against OU was pretty bad. For us, I guess, I think that was probably the worst one. Q. Another homecoming day, are we going to see the return of the pageant wave? JACE AMARO: Is that their homecoming this week too? I guess we'll see. Q. You guys were aware it was homecoming going to Kansas? JACE AMARO: Yeah, coaches made a big deal about it. I'm sure they're going to tell us today it's their homecoming, so we'll see. Q. (Indiscernible) it seems Coach is using him all over the place now, making great catch after great catch. Kind of talk about him a little bit? JACE AMARO: Yeah, he's grown up a lot since last year. I always thought he was a really great player. Last year he got overshadowed because me and him played the same position. Until I got hurt, he started stepping up. Last game was probably his best game. He had a lost catches in the first half. Some really great catch that's were really tough. He was really banged up. It wasn't just his head. He has a pulled hamstring and stuff like that and stuff like that. So he's done a great job on that left side. It's really going to help us out through the season when they're going to have to guard the fattest guy in the Big 12 in my opinion. He makes plays that are unbelievable. I've never seen a guy back up and juice somebody at the same time. He's an incredible player and he brings a lot to the table for us. Q. Last week (Indiscernible). Does anybody in particular help you with that, extra time spent? JACE AMARO: I think Coach Morris has done a great job of helping me with my routes. It's just one of those things where you watch a lot of tape. He sat me down for a couple of hours and watched nothing but NFL guys run routes and how they set up the routes and stuff like that. It's helped me out a lot. Every time I've gone one‑on‑one, nobody's been able to guard me. That is a great tribute to Coach Morris and the strength and conditioning staff for helping me get there. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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