Cougar Football Weekly Press Conference
11/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 23, 2010
On playing in Lubbock
I've been up there with a bunch of different teams and some strange things have happened. There was a situation with the goal post while I was at Texas A&M. When I was at Oklahoma there was another situation with the touchdown at the end of the game.
The guys that are here have been all over the place and at this point they understand what going on the road is all about. We're looking forward to it. It's the last regular season game, it's against a Big 12 opponent and it's a chance to become bowl eligible. I like the way our guys have bounced around. I know some people outside the program think the season is over, but to our guys it's not. We have a lot to play for this week.
On Quarterback David Piland
In our system, our quarterbacks are given a lot of blame when we lose and lot of credit when we win. But at any level of football, quarterback play is extremely important. How he plays has a direct effect on how we win or lose, probably more than any other position. He has handled the pressure, communication and criticism pretty well. That's all part of the job.
Has he been great? No. Has he had great moments? Yes. He has had his good and bad moments out there. He's an 18 or 19 year-old guy that didn't have a red shirt year or have two-a-days to practice. Case (Keenum) would be the first person to tell you that (David) is a whole lot better than he was when he was a freshman. Case didn't even make the trips. I think he has a done a really good job on what we've asked him to do.
On Texas Tech's success at home
I have no idea (what to attribute it to). You have to remember it's not just the home field. If I am not mistaken there is only one team in the history of the Big 12 that has been to a bowl game every year so it's just not the home field advantage. That team is not Texas or Oklahoma--it's Texas Tech. That is something people don't talk about.
On what goes through his mind as the seniors play their last game
The seniors have had an opportunity to really visit with their team over that last couple of weeks on why it is important to them (to win). It's interesting that a couple of captains can't even make it out for the coin toss (after Case Keenum and Matt Nicholson's season-ending injuries). It's been an emotional time for those guys. To play in their last game on senior night and be close at the end of the game and lose that game (vs. Tulsa) was hard. They want nothing more than to end the regular season on a winning note and put the program in a position to start practices for next year and get to a bowl game. No one cares more about the season and about each game than the seniors and the coaches. Realistically, the younger players know they are coming back and no matter how much you put into them they always think, "I've got time." Some of these guys are possibly playing their last football game and the sense of urgency for a guy in that situation is completely different than for a freshman. (The freshman) says `I have time to improve, time to do some things and have other experiences. For our seniors, this will be the last organized football game they play if we don't win. For them, their leadership is imperative this week. Our team needs to feel that sense of urgency, not from me or the other coaches, but from them.
On what he is going to tell the offensive line this week
We aren't going to tell them anything different than we did six weeks ago. The expectation is still the same for both fronts. Last week we didn't play very well. As a matter of fact, we got handled. If that happens it makes it really hard to win a game. It puts the pressure back on our quarterback and our secondary and linebackers. We're not good enough to do that. From a scheme standpoint, physical standpoint and a personal pride standpoint we better play well on Saturday on both sides of the ball.
On the adversity of the season
I haven't really thought about that. We've got our plates full. I'm more concerned with where our mindset is week to week, what our scheme is and what we've got to do to win the next game. You get to the end of the year and it's still that way. I really haven't had the chance to think about anything more than what's going on right now, what 22 guys to put on the field in the best scheme that gives them a chance to win and the energy level that takes to win it. We talk about three things that are important. The three areas you have to be prepared to play: physically you have to be prepared, Coach (Larry) Jackson does a great job with strength and conditioning, mentally you need to be prepared as coaching staff and having a scheme that you understand; emotionally, you have to be prepared. You can win if your players have all three. You'll be in a game with two or three. With one of the three your chance of success go down dramatically. I try to concern myself with keeping those three factors together. If we can get to Lubbock and win a game, we can get more practice and figure other things out.
On Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville
I have a lot of respect for Tommy. He has won a bunch of games and he's been in a lot of big ball games. They are like some other teams we've played. It's a first-year situation and they are trying to find their identity. They have playmakers on offensive and have struggled on defense statistically, but have made plays to win game. They have made enough plays to beat Baylor and Missouri and hold Oklahoma State to 34 points. They've played in spurts. They've got talent. He is an excellent coach and they are well coached. You watch their special teams and where they are defensively and there is no doubt they are on the right track. It will be good for us to go out there and be on Fox and play a Big 12 opponent. Their backs are talented; (Baron) Batch and (Ben) McRoy can play for anyone. They've been effective. There are a bunch of those guys on their team we tried to recruit and they are there.
