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BIG 12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 16, 2018

Kliff Kingsbury

Frisco, Texas

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Coach Kliff Kingsbury from Texas Tech. Coach will go right into questions.

Q. Coach, you had some key losses at receiver to the NFL. Who should we expect to see stepping up this season?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We lost quite a few playmakers that have been really good players for us at wide out, but have some young guys waiting in the wings, you have to start with T.J. Vasher, made some plays last year, has a high upside. De'Quan Bowman has played sparingly, waited his turn to get on the field and played well this spring. And Jacob Hines has a 6-year back a productive player at all positions and I expect him to step up and have a nice campaign this fall as well.

Q. The biggest thing about you guys last year, the tough finishes against K-state and those games. How do you practice that in the off-season? I don't know if stress or pressure is the right word, but how do you practice from late-game collapses?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We felt like we were competitive last year, more so than we've been. Had a chance in almost every game late in the fourth quarter and didn't get it done. We have to kick better. We have to be better on special teams and we preached finish in everything we do. Every drill we do, every session we have, it's about finish and finishing strong and I'm not sure there is a particular way to practice that, to simulate a game. But we have tried to preach finish this entire off-season.

Q. Coach, first, you guys have been successful the past couple of weeks recruiting. Talk generally about what you've been able to tell the recruits in order to get them to buy in this year and also the affect of Dakota. He seems to resonate with the defensive recruits and his impact out there.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It's been interesting for us having the early signing period and having the summer visits. I think it delayed some commitments because players are taking more visits and during the summer and they're having an opportunity to do so. So I feel like the recruits have been more thorough in going to see different places and that probably delayed some of the commitments and we're excited about the class. As far as Dakota goes, the Netflix thing was huge, they all saw him on there, he was portrayed in a very good light and he's a good player as well. So you combine those things, and he's visible right now to those younger players.

Q. Kliff, I wanted to ask you about construction of stadium renovations, what's the next trendy thing coaches are going to ask athletic directors to build for them?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Great question, bigger, better, shinier. I think that's the way it's going. Anything that you can attract recruits with, we're going to be wanting it and I think you're going to see that continued to move in that direction. Any way you can differentiate yourself from a facilities standpoint would be a positive for your program.

Q. You were asked last year bluntly about the struggles defensively. This year you come in leading the Big 12 in all Big 12 selections on that defensive side. How do you feel you're starting to trend on that side of the ball?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Obviously, it's preseason so you take everything with a grain of salt. But excited for Coach Gibbs and that defensive staff and those defensive players. When Coach Gibbs took the job four years ago he kind of had to redo it all. He had a vision, knew what he wanted to do but had to go through two tough years. To his credit, he stuck to his guns, with his philosophy and his recruiting and now we're making strides on that side of the football. So have to credit him a ton with sticking it out and just having continuity on that side of the ball to develop a culture and identity that those defensive players and staff are taking a lot of pride in now.

Q. With your success that you've had at Texas Tech with the quarterback, just curious what you have this year if Jett is in the competition and is it still open right now?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It is. We have three guys, all very talented, they're inexperienced players, McLane Carter, Jett Duffey and Alan Bowman. Each athletic, can extend plays, can do what we want them to do. We just gotta figure out who is going to extend themselves and be the guy. This is the first fall camp I don't know who it's going to be so working with the quarterbacks it's exciting, it's a challenge and we're fired up to see who steps up during the competition and separates themselves.

Q. Even if you don't say so, do you have in mind a guy that you feel like is in the lead at quarterback right now? Based on what you saw in the spring and what you've heard in the summer?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I really don't. I've tried to be very open minded on that. Matt, McLane has been there two years and got more reps than the other two. So I wanted to make sure that Jett and Alan were able to get on an equal playing field before I started evaluating any sort of competition. So I wanted to get them through spring, see how they worked in the summer, continue to watch them throughout the summer and really, hey, we're in fall camp, we're all on the same level now, let's see who can take this thing and run with it. I've tried not to pick a guy in my mind, I'm going to keep it wide open and see who separates during fall camp.

Q. If some guy doesn't come out ahead and be "the guy" that you want by the season opener, are you willing to go with two quarterbacks or are you set on saying we're going to have one guy come that season opener against Ole Miss?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We would like it to be one guy. That's how I've done it, but whatever is best for the team and the offense we'll do. I would like to push the reps and the focus to one guy and develop him to the highest extent, making sure the other guys are getting good work, too, but we've had success in our program of really pushing it to one guy and making him the focus.

Q. How do you feel like your talent level compares defensively to the teams you're going to play in the Big 12 and is this the first year you feel like we can be as good as anybody in the league on that side of the ball?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I hope so, and depthwise we're light years ahead of where we've been. That's developed a competitive nature on that side of the ball that's made us better and is it starts with the defensive line having eight to ten bodies that we feel can play in the Big 12 and as many drives and plays as you're going to get you need to have that and we have three linebackers we think can play with anybody and a lot of experienced guys in the secondary. I think we will be able to compete at a higher level than we have and continue to trend in the top of the league on that side of the football.

Q. Did the success of dying defenses last year from Iowa State and Texas lead you guys to consider any changes in your offensive philosophies? Always been a team that threw the ball and more and more Big 12 teams are flooding the field with DBs. What are your thoughts?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think everybody is trying to find answers for that new scheme that's being run in the Big 12 by different people.

I think it's been an offense coming for a long time and defense are slowing down the game, eliminating drives, keeping things in front of them so I think you can see a cyclical friend in our league of trying to run the football more, more tight ends, fullbacks coming up with answers to off-set what they're doing defensively.

Q. With the big names that have left quarterback Baker, Hill, Rudolph, does it make this season different with the inexperience at that position?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think it will be interesting. In our league there always tends to be young guys step up and play at a high level. Will Grier at West Virginia is kind of the name coming back who has done a tremendous job there, but I'm sure there will be young players that step up and have great campaigns.

I think if you look at the history of the teams that have bone the Big 12 Championship recently they've had really, really good quarterback play so somebody is going to step up and get it done.

Q. The new redshirt rule, have you given any thought about roster management and how that might affect you guys during the course of the season, maybe being able to spot guys for four games?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: We have. I think everybody is trying to figure out when the best time is to use it, it's probably going to be a case-by-case basis. You want to try to get 'em in the game at some point during the year, whether this be the beginning or the end or the bowl game. I think it's a great rule. I think it will allow young players to build confidence, get in and figure out the game and not lose that year which is good and it's beneficial to them.

Q. The perception of the league seems to have improved a lot in the last two years, the stability. Have you found that on the recruiting trail? Is that something you guys don't have to answer as much? How beneficial has that been to the members of the conference?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think so. I think OU playing in the playoff last year was kind of stepping back in the arena. There were a couple of years where we weren't in there and that was being used against us in the conference in recruiting, but having that presence last year meant a lot to the Big 12 and hopefully that continues.

Q. I was wondering what you thought Patrick Mahomes might bring to the Chiefs now that he's the guy?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I'm excited about Patrick. He's been thrust into that starting position and that's a big responsibility in only his second year and replacing a pro bowler, but you look at the weapons they have on offense, and Andy Reid being such a great quarterback coach and knowing Patrick the way I do his work ethic and the type of maturity he has I expect them to be playing at a high level. It would be a lot of fun to watch.

Q. Six of the eight leading rushers from a year ago are returning this year. What does the landscape of the running back position look like in the Big 12 this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: There are some talented, young players. Montgomery there at Iowa State is as good as you will see in the country. I've been impressed with him since his freshman year and there's a handful of others who can play for anybody and with the zone coverages and teams dropping everybody out and playing the dime defenses, teams are going to be leaning on running backs more and more and you're going to see productive years from those guys.

Q. The fact that you open the season against Ole Miss, open the conference at Oklahoma State. In regards to the quarterbacks do you do anything different since those are a couple of tough teams that you have to have good quarterback play against early?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, you just do the best job you can and try to get those guys ready. I don't think there is anything that can compare them for that game one atmosphere. It's going to be a bowl type atmosphere for that game in Houston and you just throughout fall camp make sure they're as ready as can be and then you've got to cut it loose and see how they play in front of the bright lights.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, good luck on the season.

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