MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -  West Virginia University assistant coaches and select members of the West Virginia University football team met with the media on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
 
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson
 
On Oklahoma State's senior quarterback Mason Rudolph
Well, they are so explosive on offense. They have the ability to go down the field at any point. He has three or four weapons to throw it to. He is a really good player. From where he was two years when we faced him out here to where he is now, they have done a great job with him. He is as good as anyone in the country.
 
On if Texas was able to slow the Oklahoma State offense down because of scheme or personnel
Now, Texas has some cats. Up front they're pretty good. They were able to do it with three down and have eight guys see the ball.
 
On if Oklahoma State having injuries at offensive line changes anything for him while game planning
Yes, it does. The problem is, listening to (Oklahoma State Head) coach (Mike) Gundy, he thinks they will get them all back this week; which is just about our luck.
 
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
 
On if it is important to make most adjustments post-snap against Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph
That kind of goes with every week. Our job on the back end is to try to confuse the quarterbacks and to try and give them different looks and be in different things, and we'll try to continue to build on that and just do what we do and see if we can hold up.
 
On if stopping the run first against Oklahoma State is still the most important thing
If we can stop the run and control the pass, then that gives us the best chance to win. We have to try to get them off the field. If they're running the ball, they're controlling the clock and eating up some time. They're going to make plays. It's them, it's their offense, the No. 1 offense in the nation, and they're going to make plays. We have to buckle down in the red zone and hold them. What we've been doing all year is trying to force teams to kick field goals and try to win with points-per-possession inside the 40-yard line, our offense score touchdowns and our defense hold teams to field goals. Obviously, you want to go in and stop the run and control the pass, and that allows us to do some more things in coverage.
 
On why the defense has had a problem with third-and-longs this season
It's our guys; it's a lot of missed assignments. Just little things that you don't see on field much in the game until you come back and watch the replay and watch it and correct it. Guys maybe locking too long in zone coverage on receivers when they should be getting their eyes back to the quarterback. Just doing a little bit better of a job understanding the situation and know when we're playing man coverage, knowing where the sticks are, knowing when we can be aggressive, and when we shouldn't be. It's all things that we can clean up and we have made corrections. Hopefully, we'll be better at it this week.
 
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) Doug Belk
 
On how Oklahoma State senior quarterback Mason Rudolph compares to redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier
Very similar. He's bigger, just as strong of an arm, reads defenses well. Probably not as good of a runner or doesn't run as much. He had a run here for 40-plus yards a couple years ago. He's a capable runner, but he's going to stand in there and he gets the ball in and out of his hands. He can make all the throws from in the pocket and is a difficult challenge.
 
On the message coming out of last week
A lot of good, bad and ugly last week, but we have to learn to finish the games. Start fast, finish fast. Don't get complacent, don't get comfortable. Focus on your job and if all 11 guys do what they need to do out there it will be better.
 
On if he is still waiting on a complete game
We've played well in spurts, but we need to play well from start to finish. We have a good opportunity this week, as we do every week, going into a big game. Our guys will be focused on what they need to do knowing that to submit gives up games, so hopefully this is our week.
 
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
 
On what he has seen after breaking down Oklahoma State's defense
They're a very sound defense. The offense, we've got our work cut out for us this week. Their front is a very physical front, their bigger type bodies are tougher to move. They've got a lot of these fast, quick-twitch linebackers that bring a physicality to the unit. They do a great job at keeping everything in front of them and rallying to the ball and making plays. (Oklahoma State Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Coach (Glenn) Spencer does a good job scheming things up and trying to hurt your deficiencies and then just exposing you a little bit. You can tell that they've done a pretty good job on the defensive end this year. They've only allowed four touchdown passes on the entire year so that's a challenge that we are looking forward to. Our kids are pretty excited to get a home game in Morgantown with an opponent like Oklahoma State coming in. It's going to be a fun week.
 
On if the offense worries about scoring more points because Oklahoma State's offense has the potential to score a lot of points
You don't look into it that deeply, it's more just go out and play our game and worry about the things that we can control. I know that they're going to have to fight for every single yard because they do a good job of keeping everything in front of them. It's mainly to keep the same mindset, keep them keeping confident and go out there and play our game. They are ready to go out and play this opponent.
 
On what he learned from the tape in the fourth quarter of the Baylor game
Yeah, we had two drives in the fourth quarter and we three and outed on one of them and we had about four plays and a punt. We have to take advantage of that, we do. Once the score started getting cut a little bit you still have that mentality that you're going to have to go out there and try to score points. We just didn't capitalize on it.
 
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
 
On teaching the bigger wide receivers how to get off the line of scrimmage
It's tougher for bigger guys to sink those hips and get those shoulders down. But, my guys are taking to it. They are getting better at it every day.
 
On how junior wide receiver David Sills V has scored so many touchdowns
Do you know what's crazy? I don't think people notice it, but (junior wide receiver) Gary (Jennings Jr.), (redshirt senior wide receiver) Ka'Raun (White) and (sophomore wide receiver) Marcus (Simms) take a lot off of him. He's not the main focus of a defense. It's just so funny to me saying he scored all of these touchdowns and if you talk to a defensive coordinator or a DB coach, they will say 'Yeah, we were more concerned with slowing down two or slowing down 12.' OK. Good. Good to know. Everybody compliments each other very well. They have to pick their poison with who they want to slow down.
 
On junior wide receiver David Sills V's ability to get open and break tackles
I tell them that every time you get tackled behind the line you don't want to score. It's just your job to finish plays. I can only teach you how to get open and probably how to maneuver a little bit while catching the ball. The rest is on you. That's all David.
 
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
 
On what goes into running the ball effectively
There's a lot of variables. The defense has done some good things, and they can obviously determine who gets the ball. They take away this, they take away that you go in a different direction. They have good players, and we have good players. They have older players, and we have younger players. They're getting better. They're moving forward. We've had some games that haven't been productive, and last week we took a step and that's what we try to do. We try to get better every week.
 
On if there was a conscious effort to run the ball more against Baylor
We do what's on the script. We have a game plan. We understand field position and we understand the clock, and we understand the score, and we understand the offense helping the defense and the defense helping the offense and special teams helping everybody. We do we do, and we call what we call. At the end of the day, the major goal is to have one more point than the opponent at the end of the game.
 
Junior Wide Receiver David Sills V
 
On how he has prepared to make a catch like his contested touchdown reception against Baylor
(Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Coach (Tyron) Carrier has really tried to challenge us and (Head) coach (Dana) Holgorsen and (Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) coach (Jake) Spav (Spavital) as well. Just on making the contested plays. Everyone expects you to make the easy catch and everything like that. The contested plays are the ones that the coaches really challenge us to make. It was just really just building up through the weeks. (junior wide receiver) Gary's (Jennings Jr.) made a lot of contested plays; (redshirt senior wide receiver) Ka'Raun (White) has made a lot of contested plays. A lot of my touchdowns have been just catches and everything like that. I'm just trying to make a contested catch.
 
On what made his contested touchdown catch at Baylor different than the others
They're all a little different. With that one, (redshirt junior quarterback) Will (Grier) gave me a chance. He put the ball right where I could high point it and I just tried to go and get it. I was in the back of the end zone, so just trying to go up and get it and secure the catch.
 
On lining up at H-Back against Baylor
We do a lot of different things, so just try to do whatever the coach tells me.
 
Redshirt Senior Wide Receiver Ka'Raun White
 
On Oklahoma State's defense
They're pretty good; their defense is solid. Their corners look pretty aggressive too for the most part. I haven't watched too much, but they look pretty solid on defense in the secondary.
 
On opposing defenses focusing on stopping the run
No, not really because you have to cross route (sophomore running back) (Kennedy) McKoy and (sophomore running back) (Martell) Pettaway and all of them back there. They, do a lot with the football, so it's not too surprising. Once they stop the run game, we open up the passing a little more.
 
On how Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier has responded to the wide receiver's performance so far this season
I don't think we are at our peak yet. Some of us have some good games here and there. As a whole, he wants to see all of us play and do well against a good, ranked team like this weekend coming up, so hopefully this game is it.
 
Redshirt Senior Linebacker Xavier Preston
 
On the challenge of playing Oklahoma State
I'm not going to give them too much credit. Those guys, they have put on a good season. They will give us a challenge. They play hard, so it is definitely going to be a battle. We have to come out with the right mindset in order to win this Saturday.
 
On playing against Oklahoma State's highly ranked offense
It's motivation honestly. Going against the best, why not get up for it and go play your best game. Anything like that excites us as a defense and as a team. We are excited to play those guys.
 
On if he has heard a lot of buzz on campus about the game against Oklahoma State
I just Ubered here and the guy was asking how much we are going to beat them by, so people are excited. We were talking about it on the way here. I can imagine so.
 
Junior Defensive Lineman Ezekiel Rose
 
On Oklahoma State's injuries on the offensive line
First off, Oklahoma State is a really talented team. We won't take anything away from them. Their injuries have something to do with it, but I feel like their backups are still a top priority for the team. They have a well-oiled machine going on over there at Oklahoma State. They try to keep their backups as fresh as their starters, so there will be a little drop off, but not much.
 
On taking advantage of last week's successes and bringing them into this week
The defensive line is going to have to do their job, but do it a little bit better this week. We have to face a good offensive line as well as a good rusher. Filling in the gaps, using our hands and using our techniques will really be a good way to do this. Like using it in practice, even on unpadded days, keeping our hands and getting good fits will be a good way for us to get ready for this game.
 
On the importance of getting Oklahoma State senior quarterback Mason Rudolph out of rhythm
As much as we can affect him will be a great thing to do because an affected quarterback is a good quarterback for the defense. We will try to affect him any way we can like sacking him. When he throws the ball, at least get in his face and show your presence. Try to affect him in any way, and we are going to try to take down on the time he gets to throw the ball in the pocket.
 
Redshirt Junior Safety Dravon Askew-Henry
 
On how he can put himself in position to get more interceptions
Just being aggressive on the ball. I am not going to change the way that I attack the ball, I just need to work on finishing the play.
 
On what he saw when he watched film on the play
The ball was thrown, the receiver was breaking on the ball and I tried to break on the ball as well. I was trying to make a play on the ball.
 
On biggest challenge of slowing Oklahoma State down
Just working on what we do. Trusting our technique and trusting the plays the coaches are calling. Make it work.