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TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 23, 2019

Matt Wells

Lubbock, Texas

COACH WELLS: Good to be back at it this week. Great opportunity our guys and our coaches have in front of us with OU, tremendously talented team. Goes without saying. I mean, they're averaging 325 and 350 respectively on offense. That's pretty impressive in three weeks.

Shutout in the first quarter by their defense. Three times as many points in the second quarter. It's been three straight weeks for them of domination. And what a major challenge to our staff and our team to go in there and compete on national television. I'm excited about the opportunity, our players are. Started on it early this morning. But tremendous opportunity.

Jalen Hurts playing as good as anybody in the country. Obviously in the Heisman talk and justifiably so.

Trey Sermon is a big strong, athletic back. They have a few of them. Rhamondre is extremely talented and twitchy and thick. You have got to tackle him and wrap up and get population to the ball.

You look at it on defense. Kenneth Murray is a Sunday player. Gallimore is a Sunday player. And they've got some younger guys up front and in that front seven that are long, strong and athletic. They just haven't played a ton but you can see it on film; they flash on film.

Both corners have great make-up speed. They've got track speed. They've got straight-line speed. You see them on tape get beat by a step and they're right back on guys.

So poses a big challenge. But like I say our guys are ready, looking forward to it.

With the quarterback situation for us, you're going to see both guys. Not sure how that's going to play out. We'll see how the week goes in practice and we'll have a plan to find exactly for those guys by the end of the week before we get on the bus to head to the airport.

So with that I'll go ahead and open it up for any questions.

Q. When you watch Jalen Hurts on tape, you saw a dynamic quarterback in Khalil Tate. Now you see him. Are they similar when you watch them or is there a big difference between the two?
COACH WELLS: No, I think Jalen Hurts throws the ball better. He's thicker. He's stronger. He's more of a power runner, but don't confuse power runner for a lack of speed. That's not the case with No. 1. He's got really good speed.

Khalil Tate's got elite speed. But I don't think Khalil throws it as well as Jalen. And he's not as thick and powerful.

Q. What was the thing your team worked on most last week during the off week?
COACH WELLS: Well, obviously from the quarterback standpoint, just getting used to a new guy back there more often. It's not like they hadn't played with those guys because of spring ball and training camp. But corrections on defense. Some communication up front on the O line.

We used it to get healthier. We used it to prepare for OU. But also got a lot of good practice time, especially at the beginning of the week with our really young guys as well as the guys that haven't had near as many snaps.

You've got to be able to manage that. And we used the end of the week for recruiting for coaches and then gave some guys the day off.

Q. Speaking of your quarterbacks for practice this week are you going to do reps 50/50 or give one quarterback a little bit more than the other? Have you thought about that yet?
COACH WELLS: We have, yeah. I'm not going to reveal it because as I said we're going to define the plan as the week goes. We'll have it defined at the end of the week. But you're going to see both of them the in the game. So you'll see both in practice. But you all won't see it because I'm going to close practice all week.

Q. Looking at last year's game against OU, (indiscernible) Jett did get some reps, and how comfortable he was against the Sooners knowing he has experience?
COACH WELLS: It was a completely different defensive coordinator and defensive front and structure.

Q. What do Jackson and Jett bring to the team?
COACH WELLS: I think Jett brings some experience that you mentioned in the Big 12 and he's played well at times. He is elusive. He's got some athletic ability when he does pull it down and run.

Jackson has done a really nice job of coming in and learning our offense really quickly, and kind of just going through it for the first time in training camp. And from what he lacks in terms of game experience, I think he makes up in his knowledge and how quick he picked up our offense.

Q. Where does this Oklahoma offense -- you played against bunch of teams in the past -- how do they compare to other teams? Are they one of the best you'll probably face in your career so far as a coach?
COACH WELLS: Yeah, I mean, pretty evenly balanced, explosive playmakers. Some really good H-back tight ends, the backs. Up there. I think they'll obviously be one of the best we see all year. So they're hot. They play fast and start fast.

A couple of the games it's 21-0 in two of the three games in the first four series. And I think UCLA they scored 17 in the first three possessions. They're starting fast.

Q. What do you see from a guy like CeeDee Lamb? How can a receiver like that pose problems for your defense?
COACH WELLS: Confidence, explosive, makes competitive catches, big top-end speed.

Q. Are there similarities between your offense and theirs that can set your defense up to have success in this game?
COACH WELLS: Are there similarities --

Q. Do you see similarities between your offense and Oklahoma's that, since your defense sees your offense the whole offseason --
COACH WELLS: In terms of pace, I think they can. As fast as we go on offense, I think that that takes a lot of defense's, some game time and game reps early in the game to be adjusted. I think from that one aspect, in direct answer to your question, yeah, I think that's going to help our guys prepare for it and at least know what's coming at them.

Q. Is there an opportunity for this D line to also have a big game with Oklahoma losing four of their five offensive linemen from last year? Can you see you're more experienced, your experienced defensive line having a big factor in this game?
COACH WELLS: Not just our D line but our whole defense will have to play as a unit. The experience that we do have on the D line is one of our strengths. Certainly it remains to be seen if it's a positive in the game, we'll see.

Q. When it comes to a third-string emergency quarterback, if something were to happen to Jett and Jackson, would it be Logan or would we see Xavier?
COACH WELLS: You'd see Xavier.

Q. (Indiscernible) injury requiring surgery?
COACH WELLS: No.

Q. How do you feel the offensive line performs against Arizona and what do they need to do against Oklahoma?
COACH WELLS: I mean, I don't know what they're going to do against OU. But we talked about Arizona, I think, a week ago at this point. There were times where we didn't protect the QB well. We weren't executing in terms of our protection and kind of the -- not just the assignment, but there's things that happen in the middle of an assignment and protection that if they do this, we do this, and I'm helping here, I'm not helping here. And we haven't got all those intricacies down yet. Certainly need to do a better job of protecting the passer, we would all agree to that.

Q. This Oklahoma defense, how different is it from last year? I know you spent most of your time studying this year, but it's relatively the same group of guys just in a different scheme, right? What are they doing (indiscernible)?
COACH WELLS: They're getting off the field, creating negative yardage, lost yardage plays, negative yardage plays. They're getting guys behind the chains. They're canceling out gaps up front. They're sound in the secondary. Their guys are playing confident.

And I think that is a testament to coaching because the confidence that they, to me, display on tape goes back to understanding a scheme. And if you understand something then you play confident. Therefore, you play fast.

I think in three games that's pretty evident of Coach Grinch's defense, and it is a different scheme. But you can tell that they're rotating some guys in. They're getting a lot of their 2s in -- and I'm not saying when the game has gotten out of hand, certainly that's the case -- but they feel confident with some guys that they're giving them playing time early in the first quarter.

Q. How much of a test is this for your guys to grow, just playing against such a top opponent in such a harsh atmosphere, in terms of adversity they'll face?
COACH WELLS: This ain't adversity. Adversity is the two little kids we had come out, our special spectator program. This isn't adversity. Are you kidding me? Playing Oklahoma is a challenge. It's fun. It's a lot of the reason I come to coach here and guys come to play here, but let's not confuse adversity with a college football game.

Q. What kind of balance would you like to see among ball distribution with your receivers? And, B, is there any concern at all about I guess X in particular, you haven't had a lot of catches from those guys yet?
COACH WELLS: No, no concern. But I think the ball distribution, you want it to be decently balanced across with the Hs, the Xs and the Zs. Certainly if you get into game and a guy's got the hot hand or they're giving you something you've got to take it, that's not a coaching cliché but you've got to.

But certainly it can't be an end balance in terms of T.J.'s catching all these balls. And the X position isn't -- it doesn't have to be a certain guy, it can be RJ and EZ together combined with all the Hs combined with some at the tight end spot.

I think that's certainly, I think all of us on offense are cognizant of that. But the -- well, not but, but and it's going to allow -- the balance is going to allow us to I think take advantage of stuff. If not they're going to tilt safeties to T.J. every time. They're going to bracket T.J., they're going to (indiscernible) on him, they're going to combo him in the red zone, and I would, too, until somebody can prove they can make plays.

Q. The first three games, do you feel like Alan has kind of gone with what's been there or is it an X in particular? Has it been two guys here kind of playing that position in this offense for the first time just taking some time to get going?
COACH WELLS: Yeah, and I don't think they're taking time to get going. But they just haven't had anything big. I think they've gotten balls and I think Alan's taken the throws when they're there. But for whatever reason, the numbers aren't big yet at that spot. Certainly can be and should be.

They were at that position for us last year. So it's not in terms of the scheme or the offense.

Q. With Bowman being out for an extended period of time, who have you seen step up in a leadership role to fill some of that vacuum, with him not being on the practice field, not being able to participate as much?
COACH WELLS: Yeah, the guys that are going to have to do that are the O linemen. They're the ones that have played the most. I certainly think Donta Thompson is there and T.J. are there for us on offense.

Quite frankly, the guys on defense have to play a little bit better. The guys around the quarterback position, the other ten have got to play a little bit better. So the leadership, in terms of the vocal leadership or the in the locker room leadership are by some guys that continue to do that, whether it's Jordyn Brooks, it's Broderick, it's Doug Coleman, it's Bruffy, it's T Steele. Those kind of guys. And it's been evident, but it's not like they just started talking trying to be a leader this week.

Q. Have you put any thought into the idea of redshirting Alan, or see how long he is --
COACH WELLS: No, that's something that's not -- no. It's September the 23rd. No.

Q. The running back spot, are you looking for a guy to come out and take the majority of the carries or --
COACH WELLS: We'd like to. We'd like somebody to take that. I mean, if we can get it to somebody's taking two-thirds of the reps and the other two guys are splitting a third, that's fine. If not, we'll continue to distribute those carries fairly evenly.

Q. On an Oklahoma perspective, running back-wise, everyone obviously talks about Jalen and the wide receivers, but Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon, what do they bring to the table and how do they differ?
COACH WELLS: I just talked about Trey. Kennedy I didn't talk about. I talked about Rhamondre. All three of those guys are talented. They're twitchy. They've got strong lower bodies. That's the thing. You don't see -- rarely I would say you see the first guy bring him down. That's a testament to their strength, what they've done with their strength coach, what they've done in the weight room. And I think you see that across the board with a lot of their skill guys, strong lower bodies.

Q. As a coach going on the road for your first Big 12 game your thoughts on the 11.00 a.m. kickoff?
COACH WELLS: Play it as it lies. It is what it is. We'll get up early and get ready to roll.

Q. How excited are you, finally breaking into some conference play in your first year?
COACH WELLS: Well, that's what we want to do. You get into the conference, you want to get into the fight, get in the Big 12 Conference and here we go. And we're starting with the defending champs right out of the gate.

Q. Is there something you wanted to see from your team to know, okay, they're ready in my mind for conference play and they're where they need to be?
COACH WELLS: No.

Q. The 11.00 a.m. kickoff, you have one 11 a.m. this week and 11 a.m. next week. How many of those did you get at Utah State?
COACH WELLS: 11? What was our record at 11.00 a.m.?

Q. (Inaudible)?
COACH WELLS: The first one that comes to mind is Auburn, 2011. That was my first game as an assistant at Utah State. Had a 17-year-old quarterback. I think we had to sign a sheet to get him on the plane. He wasn't even old enough to get on the plane.

He started. Auburn was the defending national champs that year, if I'm not mistaken. They presented them with the crystal ball right before the game. That was an 11.00 a.m. ESPN2 kickoff. Chuckie Keaton was our starting quarterback, 17 years old.

He skipped the first pass into the turf. It was a heck of a deal, boy. I'm like, yeah, we got it going here. He played his tail off. We almost won. I think we were up 12 with two minutes to go in the game and got beat. Never seen something like that.

That's the first one that comes to mind. No, I'm sorry, I don't have --

Q. You all (inaudible) every few weeks?
COACH WELLS: 11:00. No, we had a decent amount of 12:00 kickoffs late in the year just because of the weather. I can't remember playing 11:00 very much. But 11:00, 12:00, you're starting early. It's pregame meal, walk through and here we go.

I like it. I think that's the way college football ought to be played. Maybe not 11:00, but maybe 1:00. Unless you're on one of the big four, five networks, let's just kick it off and roll. I've always thought that. So we'll take the 11:00. Get ready to go.

Q. You mentioned talking about Chuckie Keaton, obviously he made a lot of progress from that day. What has he brought to your staff?
COACH WELLS: Well, he brings a youthful energy. He brings a perspective to our players about playing for me, for our staff. He's played at a high level. He's knowledgeable about the game. He's a really good, young coach.

And like I said got a lot of energy. Great demeanor about himself. He's a good teacher for a young guy. Still learning. Not there yet but his time's coming. Time's coming soon.

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