Texas Tech Football vs. ACU: Postgame Press Conference | Aug. 31, 2024

e e e for holy moly that's my statement um man I I'm uh you know the the message I had in the locker room um was to the players was you know number one um don't hang your head or anything we won the game we're one and0 you know and that's something that we couldn't do last year when we went to Wyoming we're in double overtime and we couldn't find a way to win the game and uh never thought we would be where we were at but that's that's where we were and we found a way to win the game um and then the other thing you know we talk about it all the time whenever we uh get to film the next day it's kind of tell the truth Sunday you know we've got a lot of things that we have to fix uh to get better and we got to do them in a hurry because we're going to play a really good Washington State team um but at the end of the day uh we're want to know and that one thing I definitely don't want them to do is hang their head for finding a way to win the game and um so with that I will open up for questions hey coach I know this isn't what you're expecting from the defense yeah and specifically with the secondary was that uh mixups in coverage the the scheme that ACU was doing a little bit of both or what happened from your perspective you honestly you could like check off everything that could go wrong in the back end at different times did you know um I thought number one you know I talked to their offense coordinator afterwards I thought he did a great job you know um he comes from a great tree uh they call you know we've talked about it a aay 2.0 and I thought he did a great job uh they' got some really good skilled players we know some of them and uh you know those guys made some big plays uh but it was a mixture you know it was a mixture of those guys making plays it was a mixture of I think four of the five Five Guys that we started tonight in the secondary that was their first college start I know the two corners it was their first college start um I was really proud of jayen peoples because you know really up until probably about one o'clock today we thought that we would be able to get uh Lux going um but we couldn't um so Jaylen that was his first start AJ that was his first start for us um it might be his first college start the only guy back there was CJ um you know and we definitely have got to improve in a hurry in the secondary especially with the team that we're about to play and then you know really the next week playing un um but it it really was as a mixture of uh there was a couple of um times that uh we had good calls and we didn't communicate I thought really early in the game um that was the the deal and then it was different times we were on our heels you know uh they put a lot of pressure on us and the the tough thing is we got no pressure but it was hard to get pressure because that ball was coming out you know I I asked uh blanch to give it to me in the morning but uh how fast you know from the B time the ball was snapped uh where the quarterback was letting the ball go of you know how fast he was getting it out because we couldn't get any pressure and we really tried everything that's one more yeah heck yeah thank you coach uh we talked about so much in the offseason obviously put up a lot of points how do you feel like the offensive line played though overall um you know there was on that side my frustration we've talked about this where we've got to improve is we had four pre- snap penalties maybe five um and you know we were stopped two times on fourth down and I believe on both those drives um we're we're off of pre- snap penalties that put us you know instead of being in second four we were like second and nine something like that but we had four or five of them and um that's you know where we've got to get better I mean um you know I I think at the end of the day if you look we gave up a sack you know which you never want to do uh TI's rush for 157 um you know I I think there was some good things in the offensive line but pre- snap penalties I mean that that killed us and that's the thing that we've got to fix we've talked a lot about it and um we' we've got ways to do it we just uh got to go to work at it you kind of touched on it but with the the pass rush and the quick seemed like they were getting the ball really really quick but I guess how big of a difference was it do you think just your guys getting pressure tonight just do you think it was lack of execution or just not having the opportunity to do so uh I think it was a I'm I think a lot of it was um a lack of execution um I think there was different times like when you think that you're should being pressed and you're playing off now the ball come you know there's no cloudiness you know like pass rush if the ball's coming out that fast when we never made him you know like do anything other than almost go to a second and third read at different times um you know and I I I really think like early in the game we were playing pretty decent and then we just really got back on our heels they got the momentum and um they they did some really good things you know offensively but we've got to find a way I mean I think we're missing you know and he's going to be out for another couple weeks but we're missing Charles Esters right now um if you go back I mean you think about the defense um that was Harvey Dyson's first start that was Amir Washington's first start um you know so again there was probably six or seven guys on defense that was their first college start uh we'll we'll get better we will was really what Josh Kelly was able to do obviously the big touchdown is the Highlight but it seemed like he was really really close to breaking one off and seemed like one gu one more tackle that he could have broken it was to the house I guess just the dynamic the dynamic ability you have on the perimeter I guess kind of showed tonight do you feel that that was the case yeah you know I thought you know all three of the receivers the our main receivers I mean you know uh Josh Kelly had 10 catches for 156 yards Coy Aken had five for 76 two touchdowns Jaylen had five for 63 Caleb you know had a big touchdown right there at the end for for 42 you know I think those guys have a chance to be really special and Josh Kelly is the guy that gets everything going I mean Baron will tell you man whenever we anytime uh we need kind of a spark number three is that spark I thought 12 did a good job being that spark tonight too um but you know that that's what we expect out of Josh Kelly he's a dynamic receiver and I think um as we continue in this offense that uh they're all going to get better coach just to follow up on the receiving group uh Micah Hudson didn't play very much tonight was that a coaching decision or it was kind of one of those deals that those three guys were playing really really well and then you know you get in a game like that and you're kind of like hey make sure you got your old guys in guys that are not gonna the game's not bigger than you know uh what they've played in same thing on the defensive side of the ball you know there were some guys that probably didn't play as any snaps in certain spots that we wanted to get snaps in but you know he had to ride with like a linebacker I mean Jacob rodrigus and Ben Roberts probably played a few more snaps and what you know we thought and even when they're rotating in I was like hey make sure you have your best guys in you know and so uh I think a lot of it has to do with that thoughts on on the uh the overtime and and their decision to go for two and what was going going through your game plan there yeah I mean I thought it was a great decision I mean you're sitting there you're the a dog and you're um on the road and uh you know me you said before the game started hey you're going to have one play to win the game uh you probably roll with it um you know they go empty uh we felt they're going to go quarterback draw or throw uh screen to the uh four receivers so um we played the numbers on that side so we tried we felt like we could force the quarterback draw and uh came up and made a big tackle coach it seemed like the offensive line did pretty well in pass Pro looked like Baron had quite a bit of time to throw just uh what do you think about uh just his processing and just kind of what he was able to do with his progressions tonight yeah I I was really proud of Baron because there was times that he threw it away uh there was times that uh you know different times he didn't try to escape um too early uh he stepped up delivered the ball I mean you look at his night he had a good night I mean he was had uh 42 attempts 30 completions 378 yards five touchdowns uh I imagine he would take that every single week I would take that every single week uh but I I thought his processing and and his control of the offense was really good I I was really proud of him and just going into tonight I guess how did you try to divvy up the snaps in the series between that right side of the offensive line and just what's your assessment of how those guys did overall um you know I thought they they we had a good plan and then um we kind of right there in the coming out of the second half uh DC kind of got a little banged up he could have come back in um but again being in the game that we were in uh we didn't want anybody out there that you know wasn't full speed uh ready to go but I thought they did a good job I mean our plan was uh the third series which we did third series tie go in it tackle and and uh Caleb going at guard and then just kind of see how it went can you give us a little bit behind behind the scenes of what those conversations are going to look like either tonight or tomorrow with Tim darer your coaching staff even just the defense as a whole yeah I mean the biggest thing we have got to you know how our day works tomorrow is uh everybody's got to have the film graded and grades on my desk by noon the players come in they've got a mandatory med check if they played in the game just to double check that you know they didn't wake up with something that you know they walked out of here feeling fine sometimes that happens and then I'll meet with each side of the ball special teams and then each side of the ball you know we just got to really go through and and see where the bust were um where their bust where their guys making plays you know because some of it was those guys making plays you know I mean at the end of the day uh we can all go back and remember Trey Cleveland making big plays against Texas and that win uh DMI Martinez was huge in the win in overtime against Houston if you back and you think about that game so I mean they've got some good players you know um the biggest thing is though we've got to figure out what do we do well have an identity in the secondary um and then also look at you know how can we get a little bit more pressure because I I mean you go back I haven't watched him um with this new quarterback I mean he played a little bit last year but Washington State's going to do the same thing I mean uh they do a great job I mean they're very similar to what we're going to see they're going to get the ball out quick and and um so we've got to do a better job and you know hopefully we feel like we'll have Lux back so that gives us you know somebody else in there um that now we can do some different things with jayen especially I thought Jaylen besides he he got caught on an out and up in the fourth quarter uh but other than that man I thought he played really well seems like a couple times tonight especially early on when ACU would score and they would seem to kind of grab a little bit of that momentum um Dre McCrae would have a big return um obviously start to kick away from him and they and they learn and adapt but just take us through the opportunity on special teams able to set you guys up in great field position several times tonight yeah Dre's special man um you know I I was honestly I was a little surprised early that they kicked it to him you know it frustrating on that first long wi that we come out with a field goal you know instead of scoring that was you know that was frustrating if you go back you got to score touchdown there after that big return um but he's a weapon you know and uh that the last return where they kicked it uh to cam Dicky I mean he was one step away from a big return uh we had it blocked up we just um you know couldn't get all the way out but you know I I think that's one thing that with last year I mean we Dre led the nation and kickoff returns we got a chance to do it again we got a really good kickoff return group and the good thing is our off returner is a good kick returner and Jordan Brown we could do different stuff you know with uh people that want to Sky kick uh you know that was a what we did with uh cam Dicky whenever he we put him in the tight end position uh but I I was Dre affected the game in a big way coach you talked about miscommunication was it miscommunication getting the signal to the players with the helmets or was it a miscommunication by the players no it more it wasn't miscommunication signals it was more just uh them all being on the same page you know I I think I wished I could go through and and look at the score and tell you but there was a point I felt like we were playing really well but there was some stuff that we weren't communicating so you know that when you're looking in the secondary and you're doing different things there's different calls or checks that they can make with each other you know and I thought whenever they grab some momentum in the third quarter everybody wasn't on the same page you know and so then um we tried to simplify it a little bit play a little bit more man uh they started throwing it to the back a little bit more picking on our linebackers you know and uh again they they had a good plan to whatever we went to they had something to go to what was the thoughts on the fourth and six not going for it but yet going for it uh fourth and longer yeah it just goes back to analytics fourth and six it wasn't a go and the long one was a go where we were at you know and um felt like that we had a good play and uh I think that was the one that the ball got tipped you know uh I think or um God I think there there was one it was either a Kelly that we had a a speed out but that wasn't the fourth along um it just goes back to the numbers coach we talked about a bit of the negatives tonight uh playing a team like ACU but there also were some positives on that defense just go ahead and touch on some of the the positives you saw out of that the guys making the first starts tonight well you know at the end of the day I mean um they came up and made a play to win the game you know so that's a positive and they will grow I mean th those guys like I walked in the locker room and you know especially the defensive guys kind of had their head down and you know I told I I was like guys don't first of all you never ever I don't care what it is you never you honor a win period but I mean at the end of the day it's hard to win um am I frustrated I am I mean I I'm extremely frustrated you know I did not expect to be in a game like that but I was you know when we were and uh we found a way to win the game but the positives were they did not quit at any point they kept playing uh the positives were that I think they're going to come in tomorrow and uh really um hold each other accountable and we're going to hold every you know the coaches everybody accountable to get better um they're willing to get better you know there there was never at any point Jacob can tell you of any of those defensive guys I've been on teams and been in games like that to where the defense starts pointing fingers at each other and you know they start getting pissed off at each other and and um you know there was at no point that those guys were U you know point fingers at each other it was all we're all in it together and we got to get better but there was some good things you know I anytime that you can get a start and grow from it we'll be better next week Joy uh Jaden Coffield late in the game had the costly roughing the passer penalty yeah and he winds up being the guy that makes the play to seal the game what did you see from him after he got flagged for you know he he was I mean again uh it was one of those deals that he owned it and mean but we had to get him back in I mean he was playing he had a couple of really big plays for us tonight um you know he had a tackle for a loss um you know he had uh and that was tough I mean that if you go back and you look at that play it was rough rough in the passer but the reason it was rough in the passer is because it was below his knees and um you know it was it was uh not a lot of contact uh but the quarterback went down and so you just got to play the next play man he I mean he knows all of our guys know man you you can't you got to get to what's next like that one play can't be the play that hold you back from getting to the next play we talk about it all the time and I was glad that he didn't hold his head down after that penalty and came up and make a big play for us and regarding Baron what concern through those are five touchdowns 378 tonight what was the maybe the thing about him that you were most pleased to see um you know I think that I think he got the b ball out on time and he limited the times that he got hit you know a lot of it is uh or not a lot of it you know a lot of it is the offensive line but uh some of it the quarterback too you know and it was funny he can tell you he's going to come up here but the first time he ran you know and uh slid and made sure he was on his left side and his right side all that good stuff that we've been talking about for a full year um I ask him I said how' it feel getting hit he's like a coach we're ready to go man I feel great you know and um I just thought that his timing of getting the ball out was was really big I thought he did some really good things I thought he checked us in some good runs whenever we needed to and then man he made some big throws that that last throw to to uh CD was was a big time throw all right thank y'all for Baron obviously quite a fight but you guys get get on the right foot obviously tough tough game you played pretty well just walk me through what it's like to be in a battle like that in g game one but come out on top yeah I thought it was really good that you know we responded you know the whole game we did um you know defense too um it wasn't just the offense but you know at the end of the day we put up some good numbers but you know we got a lot of things to clean up um you know there's a lot of guys that haven't played in this offense yet and so to get you know Josh and CD and all those guys up front too you know to play an actual game you know we're playing against the defense and it's a little different um our defense but to get to play against someone else you know we're good things to clean up um you know I'm proud of the way you know we fought back at the end and uh ended up with the victory J what was your assessment of the defenses overall performance obviously not the way you guys would like to play but you guys get a key stop at the final at the final play and win the game yeah I thought um I thought we kind of bat on X at the end uh hats off to them they gave us tough looks all night when they caught us in calls and and check to the right plays and that type of stuff and so it's hard to play defense like that but really proud of our guys flying around uh I feel like especially early we uh got a jump on them and and played hard and and uh like coach was saying earlier we really didn't give up I mean it's hard I mean 500 passing yards is really good and so giving that up is is really tough on a defense and I think that we had a lot of young guys step up and um in the first call start I thought they did a good job Josh talk to us about the that you were always just one step one uh broken tackle from breaking one loose how's it feel to after this knowing that that you still have room to improve but yet you could be going on and on and on yeah no I mean I think I think it's a good thing that I still have a lot to improve um you know just you know the biggest thing for me today was just you know focusing on the details you know um I fall started today and you know that's something that we preach a lot in our you know in our room is watching the ball so juice Got Juice got on me a little bit about it but uh yeah like things like that you know that could manipulate the game just a little bit um just working on those details how easy was it to be on the same path with Baron during during the game today I mean it's it's real easy especially when it's something that you work on a lot you know during the summer um during the fall I mean we obviously didn't have much of a spring with be but you know our main focus when he came back was you know getting that connection with all the receivers and I think he has a great connection with each and every one of us and him and kid put us in a great position you know be successful so I think it was a big big jump you know to be on connection with be uh Baron you talked about about how adding a bunch of weapons to this offense has really kind of been good and you know of course over the offseason we added Titan Jaylen Conor Josh Kelly cayb Douglas and Micah Hudson how does that elevate your game to a higher level yeah I think it elevates my game but not just me but just the whole offense you know we can you know rely on 28 in the back field when we need to but we can also rely on our receivers to make plays and I mean tonight I mean all the receivers had I mean four guys had touchdown pass that they caught and Ki had two so it's just like you can you know you you can have that versatility of you know having Taj running downhill but then also be able you know to drop back and you know go through progression so I think you know just having that mindset of you know uh atfa you know every single day and I think you know that's got to be the mentality moving forward and then one final thing for Josh uh so you transferred from Washington State how has that been for you in your time in LC and getting used to the offense and getting used to a whole new coaching staff and player personnel uh I think it's been good um you know they run you know sort of a similar offense um they both you know both coordinators came from Western Kentucky together so you know me being able to jump into this offense it wasn't much you know of a difference but you know when you have a different quarterback and things that such you know it could be a little difficult especially if you're not on time so that was really my main focus like I was telling him was just you know getting on getting on track with you know the quarterback things like that side jar call Josh you kind of talked a little bit already about just being like one broken tackle away from breaking one downfield you get the 35 yard post off the Flea Flicker just how satisfying was that I mean it's real satisfying you know when it comes to Breaking tackles and things of that you know um I'm making my my mission and my goal you know not to be tackled you know by the first guy so you know when I do break a tackle you know Springs Springs a little bit more extra yardage you know I wish I kind of broke one down the sideline but you know I ran out of bounds but you know that's kind of my main you know goal and the Flea Flicker man just to score my first one in you know Jones a TNT felt good I mean I got a lot of love from the guys and you know just celebrate you know just continue to do that bar has coach McGuire just about just the pass protection tonight you were able to get through your reads and your progressions just what's your own self assessment of how you were able to get through those reads and um just kind of what are your thoughts on that yeah it was really good all night uh the pass Pro was great uh even with rotating guys in and out um you know it it wasn't just five guys that played o line tonight we had probably seven or eight guys that played o line uh you know to have that depth um you know it's going to be really like help us to be successful um through the year um you know we can you know rotate guys in um but obviously you know we want to keep those guys healthy um so it was really nice having a clean pocket and I feel good Jacob uh coach mentioned the fact that you guys had like six seven guys making their first start how tough is that on you getting all the calls in and everything um it's difficult but I mean it's just like every first game there's always going to be hiccups everywhere and I think those guys that played really stepped up um I think communication was um smooth at times and Rocky at points and I mean that happens in and out of a game and so when momentum changes and everything like that we got to be able to communicate effectively and I think the guys that were in there did a good did a good job but we can always improve on it you talk about that final two-point conversion as well yeah that was uh a tricky situation we we knew that they were going to try um some some type of noback uh formation um we got caught in a call checked to it called a timeout and then um changed the call they stayed in the same formation and so we kind of knew sort of what to expect luckily we chopped up the front and kind of got after the quarterback but um matching those routes is tough I'm down on the goal line and for couple of you whoever wants to take it uh what was coach's message in the locker room after that yeah I mean you know how we started off the season last year um you know the the gut feeling that you had last year in that locker room in Wyoming uh you know it was we were not not going to feel that today and you know defense came up made a good play coach Maguire um you know has that mindset you know it's a 24-hour rule we won the game so let's celebrate you know we're one and0 we're moving on week two we're going to Washington State we're one and0 you know we're not 0 and one so coach McGuire is just preaching to us you know we're one and0 you know we're going to learn from this film we're going to correct it in week two we're going to go two and0 so you know you just got to have that mindset of going one and0 uh each week and coach was preaching that after the game right we end Baron you uh targeted Josh 15 times and he caught 10 he catches 10 for 156 is that more uh is that a reflection of kind of what yall were getting what you were seeing or is that a reflection of just all the chemistry y'all have built in the last six months yes sir yeah it's a little both um you know they left the middle of the field uh pretty open um so we could Target that middle of the field uh obviously with the fleet flicker some of the rpos that we hit over the middle too um certain things like that but again it goes back to the chemistry that we have too um you know it's not just with Josh I mean obviously Co eeken had two touchdowns today um you know Jaylen conjur played great and Caleb Douglas um you know all those guys you know those are new guys besides koi and so to have that chemistry you know with the whole entire group uh is really special Josh going back to Pullman next week what do you expect uh what do you expect there uh I expect him to be uh hungry you know um us coming in us being that power force school um they they going to have a chip on their shoulder and uh you know in terms for me personally I mean I got a lot of friends out there you know still good with a couple of the coaches so you know my my main objective is you know just stay focused you know don't let you know the outside of you know football reflect what's on the field you know what I'm saying like we still got to play this game at the end of the day and um you know and our goal is to come out Victorious so all right we wrap it up than you guys for