Watch: Chris Klieman | Conor Riley | Brian Anderson | Steve Stanard
Listen: Wildcats Uncut
MANHATTAN, Kan. ā Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman and select assistant coaches met with members of the media via Zoom on Tuesday as the Wildcats prepare to host No. 14/12 Oklahoma State on Saturday. A complete transcript of Kliemanās press conference ā which was also streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ ā and assistants are posted below. Players were unavailable on Tuesday due to an NCAA mandated day off. The Wildcats and Cowboys kick at 3 p.m. on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium in a game televised by FOX.
CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACH
Opening Statement...
āGood afternoon everybody. Itās kind of a different day around here for a Tuesday. All of our players are off for the election. We visited about that a number of times, and Iām excited for our guys to be able to express their opinions and views on the election and be able to vote. We had a practice on Sunday coming off of a long road trip. We came back and had about an hour-long practice on Sunday evening, didnāt have a lot of time to gather a bunch of information as far as Oklahoma State game planning wise, but we were able to get a few things done. Yesterday, which typically wouldāve been our first practice of the week, just basically in helmets and jerseys. We put on shoulder pads and had a typical Tuesday on Monday and were able to get some good work done with the guys. From a coaching staff standpoint, weāre a little behind from a game-planning perspective. Weāre kind of getting caught up on that throughout the day today, and then weāll reconvene with the guys tomorrow and have a pretty heavy practice just putting all the final game plans in that we would typically do on Tuesday will be on Wednesday now. Interesting week in how we have to handle it, but I know the guys are handling it well.ā
On if Oklahoma State is more complete this season...
āTheyāre a good football team this year for sure. Weāve watched cutups of last year, and they handled us relatively easily at their place last year. Theyāre a really experienced defense that flies around, very aggressive and donāt miss tackles. Theyāre going to blitz you and put constant pressure on you. Offensively, we have our hands full because they can beat you at every level in the fact that the quarterback can beat you with his arm or his feet. Two great running backs. One everybody knows about, but they have two really talented running backs. At wide receiver, I think they have one of the best wide receivers in the country in (Tylan) Wallace, so weāll have our hands full trying to come up with a great plan. You canāt stop them, but you have to slow them down.ā
On the West Virginia offensive attacking the middle of the field last week...
āThey had success in whatever ways they wanted to. We didnāt play very well. Give those guys credit. They were able to run the football, which opens things up in the middle because your linebackers are coming downhill a little bit more. Then, the play action can get you behind. One play in particular, we got caught in a pressure, dropped coverage and they got a 58-yard play. That was more of a bust than anything else, but we need to play better in all phases.ā
On the progress of defensive back AJ Parker and tight end Briley Moore...
āAJ practiced limited yesterday, so it was good to see him out there. Briley, we didnāt practice him yesterday, but heās doing all of his treatments. I know heās starting to feel a little bit better. Hopefully weāll have more of an idea on Wednesday or Thursday with both those guys.ā
On if it just wasnāt their day or if there were bigger issues at West Virginia...
āGood question. I donāt know. Weāll find out how we respond when adversity strikes. Weāll find out the character and resolve of our guys. You have to attack the adversity. We didnāt play well. It was on the road, and we fell behind and had a hard time digging ourselves out of it. All that being said, in the second quarter, we had our opportunities. We couldāve been in a competitive game or even potentially ahead, and instead they made the plays and we didnāt. You have to evaluate that and make your corrections, but you canāt sit and dwell on it because you need to move on. In this league, everybody has the ability to put points on the board and everybody has the ability to play good enough defense and stop you. We just need to learn from it, get better and move forward.ā
On the health of running back Deuce Vaughn...
āI thought he was healthy, yeah. He was fine. He didnāt practice a bunch last week because of an issue, but he was healthy for the game. Once again, as talented as that young man is, you have to find ways to take him away. West Virginia did that. We thought we had some creative ways to get him the football, but we couldnāt have time to throw it or whatever else happened. So, once again, give West Virginia the credit they deserve.ā
On Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard...
āWe gave up the explosive play via the run last year. We cannot do that to be successful. We have to limit those explosive plays. We need to tackle better. We need to fit things better. We didnāt fit things very well in the run game last year. Obviously, thatās been a point of emphasis and will continue to be throughout the week. We have to make sure that he doesnāt have a huge day, or everything opens up. If he has a huge day, then weāre stacking the box with more and more guys, and then it creates all sorts of other issues. We have to come up with a great game plan, and thatās what today is. We were able to piece together a few things yesterday, but today from a coaching-staff standpoint, we need to go through all the tape to see what gives us the best chance to be successful.ā
On the disruptive defensive players needing to step up against Oklahoma State...
āWe feel one of the strengths of our team is our defensive line. Youāre right, Wyatt Hubert and Drew Wiley have played really well for us. Khalid Duke is playing well. Bronson Massie and Eli Huggins, and (we) keep rotating guys in. We have to play really well up front to try to slow down Oklahoma State a little bit. Playing a number of linebackers and defensive backs, we have to continue that rotation. Oklahoma State wants to play 100 plays against you. We need to make sure that weāre able to stay fresh, and thatās one thing weāve been able to do is rotate a lot of guys at all levels of the defense. Weāre going to have to do the same thing because itās a game where theyāre going to want to run up-tempo and try to get a bunch of plays. We need to make sure we have fresh athletes in there.ā
On the Oklahoma State punt team against the K-State return unit...
āHopefully we can get them to punt a few times. Thatās the first thing. Youāre 100 % right. We have to do a great job at the line of scrimmage to get our punt return started. Thatās what we always talk about is just getting it started. If we can get it started and not get it disrupted by guys going down quickly and forcing a fair catch, Phillip (Brooks) is a pretty talented guy. Guys understand leverages and using their tools in blocking players, and Phillip reads those things really well. For us to be successful, we need to be able to flip the field somewhere along the line, whether thatās a punt return, kick return or whatever it may be, so that we can get a shorter field for our offense.ā
On if he thought about going for a touchdown instead of a field goal early against West Virginia...
āYou can easily say, in hindsight, that we shouldāve gone for a touchdown there. Early in the game, trying to get points as well as we just had three shots from the two-yard line and didnāt get in. So, maybe from a rhythm and momentum standpoint, if we take another shot and donāt get in there, maybe it wouldāve even hurt our confidence more. Bottom line is we canāt put ourselves in that position. Weāre 2nd and Goal at the two or whatever it was, and we canāt get in the end zone. We need to be able to score. Thatās been kind of where weāve been the last few weeks. We had a couple of short fields against KU and didnāt get touchdowns and had to settle for field goals. The way weāre going to play and the way we need to play, we need to be able to convert those into touchdowns in the red zone. Whether itās that play or another play in different games, we have to be more productive and get touchdowns.ā
On how quarterback Will Howard responds to mistakes in practice...
āHeās good in that respect. Coach (Collin) Klein does a great job, and we go on to the next play and coach on the run and get him schooled up and we move on to the next play. You have to have a short memory a little bit. You have to have it in the back of your mind. You canāt have mistakes where youāre turning the football over, but we still have to push the ball down field. We still have to be able to run the correct routes for him to get the ball out on time. We have to be able to protect so he knows heās going to have a cleaner pocket to throw the football. Itās a culmination of things where maybe it was an errant throw to maybe a wrong route or maybe a busted protection, and then all the sudden hands are all over you and maybe you get a tipped ball or something. You have to realize that this kid is a true freshman thatās playing high level football and learning on the run. More than anything, I like the way he handles things and like the way he handles himself. Heās leading our offense whether itās a 55-14 or a 37-10. That canāt change because he has to be the catalyst that leads the offense.ā
On what defensive tackle Drew Wiley means to the defense...
āI think heās been the MVP of the defense this year. He plays a ton of snaps. He loves to play the game, and thatās whatās so fun to watch is Drew loves to practice and compete. He likes to go to meetings and the walk throughs. He has a great time with the guys. Heās disruptive. Heās tough to block one on one. Heās doing things in the run game. Heās doing things in the pass game. Weāre starting to design a lot of things around him because he is such a playmaker. We knew he was going to be a good player this year. We were really confident in that. Heās been our most productive guy for six games. Iām so excited in his senior season that heās having this great a year.ā
On Drew Wiley taking steps forward in conditioning and preparation...
āHe has that will and desire to compete and be his best. He was a part-time player, at least last year for us, the year I had with him because we had (Jordan) Mittie and (Trey) Dishon in there, so he was a rotating guy. He said, āIām going to be the guy, Iām going to be the Trey Dishon or the Mittie that is a playmakerā. Heās a really competitive guy and works so hard at it whether at the weight room or at practice. He doesnāt take any plays off. So, for a younger player to watch Drew Wiley compete everyday and on every play, itās a great thing for a young kid to model your game off of what Drew Wiley does.ā
On the challenges Oklahoma Stateās offense provides...
āItās really challenging. Thatās why we have to do a great job of what we call complimentary football. We have to be able to stay on the field offensively and be able to churn out first downs, even if itās not a scoring drive. We have to be able to take four or five minutes off the clock, get some first downs and limit some of their opportunities. If theyāre getting 100 plays, weāre in trouble. Thatās what they want to have, so for us, we have to be able to slow down the rush. You canāt just sit in Cover 2 the whole game and let them run the football, but in the same respect, we have to pick and choose our chances on when weāre going to be aggressive with a run blitz or whatever it may be because you have some receivers on the edge that can make plays.ā
On communicating with Will Howard after Saturdayās game...
āIām getting a chance to visit with him today. I didnāt sit in on the meeting with Coach (Collin) Klein. I had other engagements, but he and I always get a chance during the week to visit. One of those days, weāll get a chance.ā
On the touchdown drive right before the half at West Virginia...
āIt was good because he (Will Howard) made some tight throws in tight windows, and we were able to move the ball down the field in a two-minute setting. The thing that impressed me most was that they took all the short routes away because time was running out. We were able to get behind on a post, and he didnāt say that he needed to keep methodically moving us down the field. He took a shot on the post and made a great throw. Malik (Knowles) got behind the corner, and it was great to see for the momentum. We just needed to keep that momentum. Our problem was they got the ball to start the second half and took six minutes off the clock and got a field goal. We needed a quick stop to get the ball back to the offense so that we could continue on with what we did. We werenāt able to do that.ā
On what other tight ends can step up if Briley Moore canāt play...
āJust the same ones, Sammy (Wheeler) and Nick (Lenners) have taken the lionās share of it. Konner Fox will sprinkle in a little bit. Jax (Dineen) can play tight end or fullback, or (Mason) Barta. We have a number of guys there, but Briley is a pretty special talent. We knew he was probably going to be out Sunday and Monday. We were hoping to get him back potentially Tuesday. Obviously, Tuesday is off so now we need to look and see where weāre at on Wednesday. I know that he is progressing.ā
On the production from the wide receivers...
āI think itās a combination of everything in the fact that we havenāt sustained drives. Thatās not the wide receiversā fault. Thatās not the quarterbackās fault. Sometimes itās the defense because we canāt get off the field. We havenāt had enough plays, I donāt think. You throw in the fact that weāve had a running back thatās been pretty dynamic, and when heās had the ball, good things have happened. Weāre going to get him the football, and weāve had a tight end thatās been dynamic as well. When you have the limited number of plays weāve had, sometimes it doesnāt go all around. Guys have to be unselfish. Weāre winning. Weāre 4-2, 4-1 in the Big 12. Letās be happy weāre getting the Ws. The catches and throws may come, but right now thereās a couple of guys making some big-time plays, so we need to get them the football.ā
On Briley Mooreās importance to the offense...
āHe moves the chains. He makes the tough catch. He can catch a ball on 3rd and 8 for five yards and get nine and get a first down. He can block the edge at the point of attack. He does so many things. He can flex out or be the fullback in the backfield. 100 percent heās a guy that makes our offense so much better because of his versatility.ā
CONOR RILEY, OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
On the progress of the offensive line this seasonā¦
āItās not where Iād hoped it would be, to be honest with you, especially coming off the performance this last week. We have to do a much better job of staying on, sustaining and finishing blocks. There is progress when you look at our grades from this last week, as far as what I consider mental busts or complete assignment errors. I believe that we contributed two errors throughout the game. So, that is an improvement. The one penalty that we did have in the game, itās on a RPO type of throw, and that's kind of the cost of doing business. You're searching for some positives right now, and those are two of them. The things that we have to continue to work on are our finish, sustaining blocks and then ultimately our physicality and getting displacement. It's turning that two-yard run into a four-yard run. Itās often said that in the game of football the most important yard is the difference between 2nd and 7 and 2nd and 6. It changes the complete aspect, the complete dynamic of that next play call and how you can continue to move forward.ā
On the difficulty that COVID has brought to the offensive lineā¦
āYeah, itās been a challenge. I think itās been a challenge for everyone across the country. So, our situation is not unique and itās not an excuse. Is that exacerbated a little bit when you have to replace five starters? Certainly it is, but those are things that we have to continue to press forward through. I think we all knew there was going to be some growing pains, but now you're getting into week six and week seven. Credit West Virginia certainly ā thatās a game that is most fresh in my mind ā credit their defense. They have a very good defense and a very disciplined defense. They play very hard, but we have to continue to push forward. The guys in our room know that. They know that we need to improve on a daily basis. They also know that three times a week someone can get pulled out of that room, like it has been done. So, ultimately, more so than in a typical year, the next man has to be ready.ā
On moving Christian Duffie from right tackle to left tackleā¦
āHe did well, in some instances. I donāt know that people quite understand the challenges of going from the right side to the left side. It's a little bit more challenging than you think, and because of some of those issues that John (Kurtz) talked about (in terms of COVID), some guys have not been able to settle into a position. Thereās a part that wishes I could just go up to Christian and say you can just stick right here. But, because of circumstances that are out of our control, those guys have to have the ability to play on both sides. When you have some younger guys like we do, you have to understand that playing 70-75 reps per game in a Big 12 schedule is going to be pretty challenging. You look at the lack of conditioning that may have taken place, that would have taken place through winter conditioning and spring football, all the way into summer. So, Iām pleased with Christian. I know that he is his hardest critic, but I think he is progressing along nicely. Heās playing with confidence, and then heās not available. Then heās playing with confidence on the right side, then you have to move him to the left. So, I have been pleased with Christian. I may ask him to keep playing those multiple positions because that is ultimately what we need right now.ā
On the challenge that the West Virginia defense broughtā¦
āItās, again, that we did not play with the focus that we needed to play with. Every week has to be a learning experience, whether you're winning or losing. We talk about continuing to move on, the bearing of last week, whether you won or lost, does not hinder what ultimately will happen this upcoming week, but there are still a lot of lessons to be learned. And those lessons, as you look at the course of that game, there were some good things. You have to search for them a little bit, but there were some positive things. Itās building on those positive things and continuing to work on those things we need to work on. So, is it a wake up call? Itās the same message since the beginning. Itās about being better than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than we were today. I know that sounds like coach speak, however, especially with where we are as a group, with the circumstances of 2020, I don't think that it couldnāt be more true than it is today.ā
On true freshman Carver Willis getting some playing time because of COVID or his performanceā¦
āI would say a combination of both, and Coach Klieman came down after seeing his film and said, āDid you watch Carver?ā I think very highly of our defensive ends collectively. He said that on scout team he is holding up time and time again. His maturity and how he wants to compete gives him that opportunity in my mind. Is there a little bit that was out of necessity? Yes, however I am not going to take that away from how far he has progressed and how excited I am for his future with this group. So, he has deserved the reps heās gotten when you look at it. Heās just getting better, and itās ensuring that those guys are available to practice preparation so that they can develop up front. Iām really excited about Carver because of his athleticism and how he competes and how hard he plays. That has to be a huge point of emphasis as we continue to move forward. We have to have the ability to play harder than our opponent, and I say thatās a got-to or a must because that is 100% within our control. Iām not going to control how good West Virginiaās defensive line is or how good Oklahoma Stateās defense, which is an extremely good defense as well. But, we can control how hard we play.ā
On any other young players practicing wellā¦
āYou're starting to see a little bit of it because we are taking some time, as Coach has mentioned, to have a young guys developmental period. Where you see that Taylor Poitier is really starting to turn a corner. He and I talk quite often as far as the ability he has, which I think is pretty exceptional. The consistency I see in him has to improve. When I see guys like Sam Shields, who over the course of the past two and a half months he and I have talked about where his weight was. Heās lost 23-24 pounds since August 18. Heās developing, heās doing some of the things that we expected when we recruited him now that heās in shape. Talor Warner and Witt Mitchum, you're starting to see those things in them. They are now understanding techniques and understanding concepts a little bit better. Getting them involved, whether it's 12 plays on a Tuesday or 15 plays on a Wednesday, are going to increase their development. With some much more time this spring, I'm excited about them all.ā
On being able to play a numerous amount of playsā¦
āI think that is a great question, and I think that is something that we continue to evaluate as coaches nonstop. You say, you want guys who are fresh and playing hard, but you also want cohesion. Am I going to have the ability to leave off this zone stack? There is a feeling that goes along with that. But, Iāve said since the beginning, that I want to be a group that can go seven to eight guys who are not only deserving but can add value. What that does is that it doesnāt leave you with a situation that we found ourselves in going into this year having so few guys with very little playing experience. What you are doing is preparing for the unknowns, and I know it's 2020 thereās a lot of unknowns and uncontrollables. But even injuries down the road, how can you be prepared for that? And, ultimately, how can you continue to move this program forward and build it not only for whatās in front of us right now but our what our plans are for down the road? How we keep guys involved and keep guys growing is by ensuring that they are involved in the game plan. So, there is a balance to it. Is there an exact science? No, but you have to make judgement calls on that.ā
On the effect of injuries on Cooper Beebeā¦
āYeah thatās a great question. Coop is a very tough young man. When I mean tough, I mean mentally. Which, in my estimation, is the only toughness that really counts. He really is overcoming things. Me and him have a great relationship. I give him crap every now and then saying you have to be 95% or better to get in that game, and he always jokes with me. Thatās quite not the case because I know that he is still feeling that high-ankle sprain that he sustained so long ago. In fact, I know there have been multiple times that Mindy (Hoffman) and our training staff, with high ankle sprains you try one tape job and go out there, play a little bit, head back and try a new tape job. So, I know there are some things that are frustrating to him. We ran in that second series, something that comes to mind, is a counter that we got six yards on. He was the second puller, and he fell off the block. So, I said, āCoop, what the hell happened? That's not you.ā He just said that, āMy ankle gave out a little bit.ā So, there is some frustration that he is having right now. He will continue to work through that, but most importantly, heās continuing to work through it. Heās not complaining, heās not making excuses, and I'm very excited to be with Cooper for the next three to four years.ā
On talking to the players about social issuesā¦
āYeah, itās something that we do talk about quite often. We told our guys that this is not just going to be about football. In order to develop relationships, you're going to have to talk about some social issues. We did have a conversation as a position group. Unfortunately, during this time it was via Zoom, which is not an ideal situation. I think it opened up a lot of eyes to some of the young people within our group who may not know what our other players are going through. It certainly opened up my eyes, and it certainly brought a lot of awareness to social issues that a lot of young people within our program and the country are exposed to that I am not. Itās been a great process. Yesterday in meetings, I told the guys and said regardless of who you vote for or where you stand in the aisle, I think it is most important that everyone gets out there and does their civic duty to go out and vote. Because you are right, this is a privilege that our democracy provides, and I don't take it lightly. Quite honestly, I don't think our players should either, especially in light of some of the current issues going on in our country.ā
BRIAN ANDERSON, RUNNING BACKS COACH
On Deuce Vaughnās performance at West Virginiaā¦
āJust take advantage of the opportunities, thatās all. The numbers werenāt there, but he played well. He graded out high. He just didn't have those big opportunities to make those big plays.ā
On West Virginiaās scheme to take away big playsā¦
āNo, there were a couple things there. We just didnāt get back to it because we got down and started pressing a little bit. We just have to settle in a get back to our basics. I think youāll see some different things this weekend.ā
On developing depth in the running back roomā¦
āWell itās going good; itās going really good. Guys are getting the opportunity to get a lot of reps in practice. Itās a long season, so you have to get guys ready to play. You never know what can happen week to week. So, guys are getting better everyday.ā
On if he was impressed with Deuce Vaughnās cut block at West Virginiaā¦
āNo question. One of the things we talk about all the time is donāt just think youāre a ball carrier or a pass catcher. You have to be able to do everything, and his blocking is getting better as he gains more confidence. That was a great cut block. To see that, that put a big smile on my face.ā
On Tyler Burns receiving more carries against West Virginiaā¦
āYeah what Iāve done is Iāve given guys some packages and certain plays and certain formations. So, his number was called a couple of different times and he got those opportunities and took advantage of it.ā
On young running backs who are close to seeing more playing timeā¦
āIām really pleased with Kaelen Shankle. His body has changed since heās got here. Heās really done a good job of understanding the offense. He runs the ball really well between the tackles. Heās very good in pass pro (protection). If he keeps developing, who knows what could happen in the next two to three weeks.ā
On Jacardia Wrightās lack of repsā¦
āWell I think itās all about consistency with us. Thatās the most important thing. When guys get their opportunities, they have to take advantage of them. It starts in practice. Iām not saying he has not done a good job but itās just being consistent and getting those opportunities and taking advantage of them.ā
On if Jacardia Wright is still adapting to playing against Big 12 competitionā¦
āI think thatās some of it. I think his development, mentally, is a part of it also. He was in a system that basically just gave him the ball. Understanding that running good tracks, having good footwork, having good eyes, reading your dots, and understanding your blocking schemes, itās all development.ā
On how the team has handled the lossā¦
āI think theyāve done a good job. We came back Sunday, went back to work, had a really good practice Sunday night and had a really good practice yesterday. Our leaders are stepping up. We challenge guys to make sure today is not just a day off, itās a day to continue to get better as far as the details of the game plan. So, I think guys have done a really good job of it.ā
On Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbardā¦
āWell, I think heās a really good back. They have a couple good backs also, but the thing thatās impressive about him is he can get in the hole and get out of it. Then he hits the big homerun. Believe me, I saw it firsthand a year ago. Heās big, heās fast, he catches the ball really well out of the backfield. Heās a pretty impressive back for his size.ā
STEVE STANARD, LINEBACKERS COACH
On how his group has progressed this yearā¦
āIāve been really encouraged about how the four of them work together as far as Deuce (Daniel Green), Cody (Fletcher), Eli (Elijah Sullivan) and J-Ball (Justin Hughes). Theyāve really grown together as a group, and I feel confident about putting any one of them on the field. I think Deuce and Cody have earned themselves a position of getting equal reps as Justin and Eli. Last game, we were pretty much balanced right around 44 for the first group and 41 for the second group. So, we feel good about that rotation. Anytime you get a chance to put four guys on the field instead of two, theyāre going to play faster with 40 snaps as opposed to 85.ā
On the confidence of Justin Hughes after his knee surgeryā¦
āI think Justin is a very smart player. He understands the scheme and where he needs to be, and thatās what allows him to be on the field. I think his knee is probably ā Iām guessing because I havenāt seen film of him before the knee ā not 100% at where he was. I think he understands how the knee affects him and what limitations that may present for him.ā
On going up against another talented offense this weekendā¦
āThey have been an awesome group to work with. I appreciate everything they have done so far this year. I think a guy like Deuce has really tried the last four weeks to apply himself and understanding what he needs to work on, putting himself in a position to make more plays, which is going to be important for all four linebackers. Cody (Fletcher) is a tremendous special teams player for us and gives us unbelieve reps at linebackers. I think all four of them, especially three of the four, understand how important their angles are and their ability to get their body in position. Eli (Elijah Sullivan) is probably the most athletically talented and fastest of them. The running backs we are going against are similar to the ones I was up against at Syracuse, both very good backs. We are going to have to do a good job keeping great angles and great leverage on them. We are going to have to swarm them and in order to slow down a running back or two at this caliber. You have to hit them, tackle them and drive them to the ground. Then you have to get three or four people on them. Then, from a quarterback standpoint, he (Spencer Sanders) can run, he can throw. Heās definitely a dual-threat quarterback. We have to stop him from running with the football first, and then take care of the great receivers they have on the perimeter.ā
On looking down the depth chart of his linebacker for promising playersā¦
āIām really encouraged about the younger backers we have. There is a whole list of them that are really doing a great job of applying themselves mentally and physically. They are eager to learn. I look at Austin Moore and Nick Allen, and we moved Ryan (Henington) over there from safety. He is a travel man, I guess. He came here as a quarterback and a safety and now a linebacker. You talk about a guy who wears you out as a coach as far as wanting to learn. Heās up here all the time. You never want to tell a young man no, but sometimes you have to tell Ryan we donāt have enough time. He is eager to learn too. We also have Levi Archer, who is a talented kid who can run. I am encouraged by that spot with these young guys and their attitudes toward learning and developing.ā
On the offenses in the Big 12 compared to other conferences heās coachedā¦
āSo far, there are a ton of similarities. It seems like the whole Big 12 goes to a convention and decides theyāre all going to run the same offense. There are a lot of Y-off athletic tight ends who are going to move around, flex-out bring them in, a lot of Y on the line of scrimmage and a lot of Y off. There are a lot of plays that we consider similar run-game and pass-game wise and a lot of RPOs and similar pass routes. You have to be athletic to play in this league. From my position, linebacker wise, you have to recruit athletes who can run. You donāt need 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebackers. You have to have guys who can cover ground, tackle in space, and are aware of the routes around them. You have to stop the run. Thereās good running backs in this league, but the ball is thrown around from horizontally to vertically.ā
On Big 12 offenses running similar schemesā¦
āOf the ones we have faced, a lot of them are similar. I think Iowa State is a little more diverse, personnel wise. A lot of people like 11-personnel and 10-personnel in this league. There is carry over week to week as far as the runs you get and some of the routes you get, but everyone has their own little twist. The talent of who you are going against changes how you defend things, whether the talent on the perimeter with receivers or the running back position. Then, also, is the quarterback a runner? When heās a runner, it can change the dynamic of how you defend it, but it helps. There are a lot of the same runs week in and week out, so we should be getting better at defending those runs.ā