	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 31, 2017

Paul Stawarz

Lubbock, Texas

Q. Have you ever made a football catch off a deflected ball before?
PAUL STAWARZ: There's been twice. That one, and then, what was it? I don't know what game it was, but I thought about it. It was kind of cool seeing Jack do that. But maybe I'll have my moment in one of these games.

Q. Has he been asking for more (Indiscernible)?
PAUL STAWARZ: He hasn't said much, but I know he does. I know deep down he wants it. Maybe he'll go lineup at receiver this week. Who knows.

Q. What is challenging about this Kansas State defensive front?
PAUL STAWARZ: Just playing them last year, I know what they're about. They're tough, they're disciplined, they're physical. I mean, me and No. 60, and No. 99, we went at it last year. I know what they're about. I think they're a good front. I just think their toughness and their discipline is what really sticks out.

Q. That first possession against Oklahoma when your offense seems to be running down the field, what went well, what went so well?
PAUL STAWARZ: I think just playing as an O-line. Playing as a unit. We were all five targeted right. We were playing physical. We came out with good energy. Tre King, he helped us out a lot. He's a great running back. Just the things he was able to do really helps us as the O-line.

Q. They shifted to a four man front later in the game, and you didn't have as much success running. What happened there?
PAUL STAWARZ: Yeah, the plan was just to run it as much as possible. Had to get out of that look, that three-down look that they were doing. So, yeah, the four was to stop the run.

I think we were targeted right at times. I think coming out, we didn't have as much energy as a group, and that's on me being a leader. So going for it the last four games is something I personally have to work on.

But, yeah, I mean, they're a good team, they're a good front. I mean, they made the plays when they had to and they slowed down the run.

Q. Why do you personally think you guys are struggling to finish a game?
PAUL STAWARZ: I guess that's a big question, really. We do definitely come out strong. I feel like, I guess, as a unit, I guess it's really having that mentality to really finish a game. But that's easier said than done. But, I mean, it's something we have worked on but really it just comes down to execution. That's something Coach Kingsbury has been talking about, our O-line coach has been talking about. Our defense gives us opportunities, I mean, as much as possible. It's really just up to us to capitalize. But it really comes down to execution.

Q. I know sometimes that success is kind of based on how you guys are playing. What have you seen from Tre King that allowed him to have that game last weekend?
PAUL STAWARZ: The way he approaches things, his mindset towards the game, I mean, coming from JUCO and the things he's come from, he's got a drive. You can look at the look in his eye, it's going to take a lot to stop him running. Like I said before, that makes the O-line shot a lot easier. At least in the run game, for the most part, we were targeted right. He ran as hard as I've ever seen a running back run. So that's really all you could ask for.

Q. You mentioned the JUCO route. Do you feel like there was an adjustment period for him? Or was it just a matter of him getting his spot and finally took advantage of it?
PAUL STAWARZ: I mean, me personally, I went the JUCO route too. I definitely had a learning curve I had to go through. Learning the offense and learning the new speed of the game. Because obviously at this level, it definitely changes. I haven't talked to him about that. I mean, I guess you could say that coming in from junior college and just getting adjusted to the Division I life of a student-athlete and then football itself can be a lot. But, yeah, right now he's embraced all that and is doing a great job.

Q. Is this the point of the season where the offensive line is kind of jelling together? When it comes to like a season with the O-line, are you still trying to figure it out? Do you notice by a certain game that you have it figured out?
PAUL STAWARZ: I mean, as a unit, we're always hanging out with each other. We're doing everything together. So, I mean, the chemistry's there. I think we're jelling right. We're communicating properly. I think that was an issue the first few games. But these past few games you could tell, at least my personal opinion, you could tell that things have gone a lot smoother.

You can tell that we want to win, we want to be physical. The traits that you want to see in an O-line, I think that's something we've had and we've developed over these few games, especially playing with some young guys. But overall I think we've definitely jelled through camp and these first few games. I think we've made huge improvements, and going forward with these last few games, I think we should do some really good things.

Q. The first part of Big 12 play, your opponents have a combined 14 losses, take away seven of those with Kansas, that's basically one loss a team. When you look at the rest of your schedule they were (Indiscernible) TCU has one loss. Does it help knowing that you have that kind of schedule in front of you with what you faced ahead of time? Knowing that you can't win the Big 12, but you can still have a successful season?
PAUL STAWARZ: Yeah, you can't overlook any team in the Big 12. Every team can sneak up on you. Every team is beatable, but at the same time, you can get beaten by every team. In a way, it is nice going. We've played some really good teams and gone against some good defenses and players. That's a good confidence boost going into these next four games.

But while we can win all these next four games, at the same time, you can't overlook them. They're very well-coached. They're very good players. But just playing the team that's we've played, really, I feel like it's a confidence boost to us.

Q. What would a bowl game mean to you personally this year?
PAUL STAWARZ: I think it would be awesome. I mean, we've worked really hard as a team, as an O-line. Me, personally, I've worked hard in trying to perfect my craft and things like that, but I think it would mean a lot. Obviously, some games didn't go the way that we'd want them to. But I mean, making a bowl game would be huge.

Q. (Indiscernible) did you get to see Jack's catch? What were your thoughts on that?
PAUL STAWARZ: I was right there. I was thinking about catching it but it just landed right in his hands. So I just turned around to push the pile as much as I could. I think he got like two or three yards, and that was really cool. I don't think he expected it. He said he just looked down and it was there.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
PAUL STAWARZ: It was Nic. It was mostly Nic. I'll give him the credit.

Q. (Indiscernible) No. 16, No. 9 last year, you guys, what makes him so good?
PAUL STAWARZ: I think, I mean, I think it was a really good mindset in playing D-line and playing in the trenches, you could say. I think he's really, really disciplined. He's a really strong player. But, yeah, I think the things he does definitely doesn't get unnoticed, obviously, but I think having them on their team, for them, I think he's a good player to have, good reliable player. He seems to be very consistent in the run game as well as in the pass game, so I think that's why he has the accolades he has.

Q. What are you going to be for Halloween?
PAUL STAWARZ: I haven't thought about this. I was thinking about candy, that's about it. I don't know. I don't have any costumes, really.

Q. What was your favorite costume growing up?
PAUL STAWARZ: Oh, gosh, I was a whoopee cushion one year. I think that was probably the best one.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297