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Players and Assistant Coaches Media Session
November 03, 2015 05:18 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University assistant coaches and select members of the West Virginia University football team met with the media on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
Assistant coach (defensive coordinator/linebackers) Tony Gibson
On Texas Tech’s offense and sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes
They’re pretty good. They’re statistically the third best offense in America. I don’t think (Texas Tech sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes) is as fast as (TCU senior quarterback Trevone Boykin), but he is fast and can beat you with his feet. He’s very athletic and extends plays. It’s the same stuff we’ve been facing.
On breaking down WVU’s defensive performance and errors against TCU
We had four third down penalties that kept drives alive, and they got points out of them. That was the biggest thing that stood out. We also couldn’t tackle (senior quarterback Trevone Boykin), so that was rough.
Assistant coach (defensive line) Bruce Tall
On Texas Tech’s offensive style
They’re like the previous teams we have faced. Everyone is similar. They all come from that same family tree and every guy tries to put his own wrinkle on it. They’ve all been very productive in doing what they’re doing.
On how WVU prepares for teams in the Big 12
You always have what you do schematically in your plan and then you see and change what you want to add to your game plan. We have what we’re going to do and you add some new wrinkles, but it doesn’t change our game plan.
On Texas Tech’s offensive talent
Their quarterback can move around and get out of trouble. Their running back runs very hard. We faced some very good backs, but these guys are tough. They also have an inside receiver that makes you work and is very tough.
Assistant coach (offensive line) Ron Crook
On what the WVU offensive line needs to do to serve as a cohesive unit
It’s part chemistry, and it’s part who performs better on a given day. We have seen good days out of every guy who is out there. We aren’t in panic mode. The guys are improving. We have played better on the offensive line in pass protection, and I think we gave up one sack in the game last weekend. We have improved individually, and we have improved as a group. It’s just about finding who the best five to have beside each other is.
On reaching a goal of being content with an offensive line
You get to a point where you kind of get comfortable with who you have in there. When guys are playing well, you don’t want to mess things up. You don’t want to throw someone into a pressure situation and then they make a mistake and lose confidence. There’s a lot of things involved in it, but we’ve six or seven guys that have been in there on a somewhat decent amount.
Assistant head coach (receivers) Lonnie Galloway
On getting young receivers to catch the ball
The week of practice that we had prior to the last game was great, and I would say out of the four to five days leading up to the game there was maybe three or four balls on the ground. It was shocking, and we didn’t expect it to happen, but we have to move on.
On confidence amongst the wide receivers
Hopefully, they’re moving on. They don’t have a choice. I’m hard on them in one sense, but I try and pick them up in another sense. Kids these days play the game and move on. That’s what we have to do, and that’s what we’re going to do.
On the team morale
(Head coach) (Dana) Holgorsen is doing a great job of keeping everybody’s morale up. Right now, the biggest thing for us is to take care of winning one game at a time. Obviously, we want to end with a winning season and go to a bowl game, but to get there, we have to take care of winning one game at a time.
Redshirt junior kicker Josh Lambert
On his game winning kick against Texas Tech last season
They’re always fun. I like going back to Texas, because I always get to see my family. It was a 55-yard game winner. It doesn’t get much better than that.
On the moments leading up to the game winning kick
I remember there was probably 12 seconds left, and they tried to throw a pass towards the sideline to get a couple extra yards. We didn’t get it, and (head coach Dana) Holgorsen sent me out there.
Senior wide receiver Jordan Thompson
On what the WVU offense expects of the Texas Tech offense
We don’t expect a shoot-out, because we have faith in our defense. We know they’re going to score points. Texas Tech has one of the greatest offenses in the league right now. We know that we’re going to have to score points on offense, because they’re going to score points.
On establishing confidence in young wide receivers and helping to overcome dropped passes
I just tell them to shake it off. You have to keep your head up, because the ball is going to find its way back to you. If you have your head down, you are going to mess up again. You have to keep your head up, and when the opportunity strikes you have to take advantage of it.
Redshirt junior offensive lineman Tyler Orlosky
On getting the offensive line to read what he sees as the center
It’s difficult, especially if you have guys in there that haven’t played a lot of snaps. It’s important to get work in in the film room, and I think we are on the right track.
On Texas Tech’s defense
We have to try and block it out. They could give up 50 points one week and then give up 7 points the next. We have to understand that they’re a good defense still, and they have hung with teams in all of their games. They’ve won five games. They’re a good team, and they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
On recognizing blitzes and defensive stunts
I think we’re recognizing it, but we’re struggling in executing it. I know he’s coming, but what do I have to do to stop it? That’s what I think we’ve been struggling at and we need to address that.
Redshirt senior linebacker Jared Barber
On the style of the Texas Tech offense
They’re really balanced. I’m sure all the stats and media say they’ll throw the ball around, but they have a really balanced running game as well. They do a good job of not being one dimensional, so we are going to have to cover all phases of the game this week.
On the balanced Big 12 approach of Texas Tech’s offense
They kind of implement everything. They have a little bit of Oklahoma, TCU and Baylor. They also run a little bit of what we do here. They’re very different from everybody, because they have so much different stuff. However, it’s easy to pick up on because it carries over from game to game.
On the shoot-out offensive style of the Big 12 and how the WVU defense must prepare
Personally, I don’t care who we’re playing. I don’t care how many points we gave up last week, and I don’t care about how many points the team we are playing put up last week. I want to put up a shutout every game. I know that’s unrealistic with the high powered offenses in the Big 12, but that’s how you have to think and prepare. If you’re going to settle for giving up 14 or 21 points, then you are accepting failure. I think you have to play hard, play fast and the rest will take care of itself.
Senior safety KJ Dillon
On issues the WVU defensive secondary needs to correct
Obviously we had a lot of issues filling (senior safety) Karl’s (Joseph) position, because he was such a big part of what we do. Then there are technique flaws, man coverage issues and tackling. That’s why we practice though: to get better.
On how his role as a vocal leader
It has been the same. I’m just trying to get in guy’s ears to get jacked up, play the next game and win.
On the Texas Tech offense
It’s the same thing we’ve seen in previous weeks. They’re going to spread you out and throw the ball. They have a decent run game, and they make plays.
On dealing with injury
You have to want to go out there and play. Everybody is banged up. It’s a little over halfway through the season. You have to go to treatment every week and get ready to play.
Redshirt senior Linebacker Isaiah Bruce
On how much the WVU defense categorizes and memorizes what opponents do from year to year
It changes, because not everyone stays in the same position. There are position changes all the time. There might be different tendencies, different players in different positions or it may be the same tendencies. Everyone improves and try to get themselves out of bad habits.
On his current defensive role
I’m more in the base defense now, because I’m getting more of a feel for the defensive end. I’m not strictly playing nickel. I’m getting a lot more playing time now.
On increased responsibilities at defensive end and against the run
You have to be ready for the run, but even the teams we play now wouldn’t hesitate to run on a pass play. It doesn’t really change much when nickel comes into play. I don’t have troubles or concerns when it comes to stopping the run.
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