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. 21, 2017, at the Milan Puskar Center Team Room.
 
Associate Head Coach (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) Tony Gibson

On calling a defense being like playing a game of chess
Yeah, you make calls off of personnel groupings and formations. You study it all week long and get tendencies and do it that way. It is easy on defense to always be a play behind.  
 
On Oklahoma averaging 8.3 yards per play
I think 8.5 will break the national record, since they have been keeping track. Hopefully, they don't do it against us. Yeah, they're good.
 
On the key for the defense this week
What we have to do as a defense, no matter the quarterback, is we have to eliminate big plays. We got beat last year by them because of big plays; they big-played us to death. Two years ago, out there, they couldn't run the ball; they had 100 yards rushing. We tied it up or pulled within three and we got hit with a big play - a 74-yard touchdown off of a fake screen and go. We blew a coverage. Every year they find a way to make enough plays to beat us. We have to eliminate the big plays and do what we do. Don't press on, for our guys is, don't try to make a huge play, just do your job and get the ball down. Let's make them snap it again.
 
On Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield's ability to extend plays
No, because he can go sideline to sideline and no one can touch him. If it was two-hand touch, I don't know how many times they would get him back there. He'll just keep plays rolling. He's good. He is the best quarterback in the country for a reason. He can extend plays, and if he decides to tuck it, he can outrun you, and if he decides to throw it, he is pretty good at that too.
 
Assistant Coach (Safeties) Matt Caponi
 
On how you can slow Oklahoma's offense down
I've watched 11 games and really haven't seen anyone slow them down. It's winning the battle up-front, winning first down and getting them behind the chains, forcing them into situations where you know they are going to throw the ball. When we know, they are going to do that it is containing the quarterback and making sure you keep him in the pocket and disguise coverages. We have to do a really good job up-front, tackle well, especially if that ball gets to the second level. We can't miss as many tackles as we did last week. It's about playing hard strained and getting off blocks and sticking to our scheme. Just making sure our guys do their job and not try to press or do too much.
 
On correcting the tackling issues that the defense has faced
Yeah, ever since we called the guys out before the Iowa State game, the previous couple of weeks we tackled pretty well. It took another step back last week, and we went back to doing tackling drills Tuesday and Wednesday in practice for the last four to five weeks. In the heat of the moment, guys still want to throw their shoulder and take a knockout shot and do that. But as we watch film and correct it, I don't think that we have made one tackle like that all year, so it is just continuing to work on it in practice and getting the guys to emphasis wrapping their arms. When we do that on Saturday's, we are pretty good.
 
On the size of Oklahoma's receivers
They have some size. (Mark) Andrews, the tight end, he has some size and can create mismatches with smaller type bodies, smaller safeties. The other guys that they use in the slot have some speed. They run really well, and they do a really good job of using the run to set up the pass. It is making sure that we are disciplined with our eyes. We play great technique, whether it is zone coverage or man coverage, getting hands on receivers in zone coverage and collision and getting our eyes right in man coverage. Just trying to eliminate the big play. We will let them complete a 5-yard route, but don't give up the 70-yard route over your head. That is all about technique and eye discipline.
 
Assistant Coach (Defensive Line) Bruce Tall
 
On why it is so difficult to face the Oklahoma offensive line
You are playing against five returning starters. They have been real solid, they are ranked the No. 1 offense in the country. You don't just get that ranking by not having a good, solid foundation up front.
 
On what he looks for when trying to attack the Oklahoma offensive line
You still approach it the same way; you just analyze those guys. I have a sheet that I call the video evaluation sheet and each guy is responsible for doing a report on the guy that he is playing against and really breaking him down and analyzing. I've given them the form of how NFL scouts look at offensive linemen, and what they would be looking for. They are responsible for really studying any tips or any pointers that they might pick up and take advantage of. I will obviously give them some bits and pieces and then as the week progresses, I will throw bones at them. But I like to see them figure that stuff out on their own. Then, they will feel more comfortable when they get into games.
 
On his takeaway of the defensive line play after watching film of the Texas game
There were some things that we did well, but we still have to keep fixing things that we didn't do well. At points, we were doing some good things. Then at other points, we didn't do enough good things and at the right time. It is the big plays that are hurting us, and whether they happen inside, outside, regardless, the big plays are hurting us.
 
Assistant Coach (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Jake Spavital
 
On redshirt junior quarterback Will Grier's thoughts after speaking with him
He's more p****d off that we didn't score more than anything, which was a funny conversation with him. He is not much of an emotional guy. He understands that this is what happened, these are the circumstances and it is time to move on from it and try to rehab as fast as possible and hopefully get back by the bowl game. While in the process, be a great teammate. He wants to travel to Oklahoma, he wants to be on the sidelines and he wants to be there for (redshirt sophomore quarterback) (Chris) Chugs (Chugunov) and the rest of the team. Not just the offense, but the rest of the team as well.
 
On if the mindset is different now that the Big 12 Championship is out of the question
Right, that is something that we have talked about. We really don't have anything to lose. That is what I have been telling (redshirt sophomore quarterback) (Chris) Chugs (Chugunov) all week. Go out there, cut it loose and have some fun. How many guys get to say that their first career start is going to be versus probably the No. 2 team in the country right now? Go out there, cut it loose and have some fun and see if we can kind of spoil them and mess up the rankings a little bit more.
 
On redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov's best attribute
He is very intelligent. He is a 4.0 student pretty much. You can throw a lot of things on him. He sits there, thinks it through and he can translate it on the field pretty easy. He doesn't need too many reps. He does have an arm; he can spin it around. He understands that he is not going to extend plays and run it around all the time. He is going to use his arm as a strength and checking into the right plays. You might see more run game checks with him, or maybe more pass game type checks, based off of the certain look. Chugs uses his brain for probably one of his best qualities of getting him in the right spots instead of just ad-libbing more like (redshirt junior quarterback) Will Grier does.
 
Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) Tyron Carrier
 
On if the receivers have to adjust to redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov, or vice-versa
It's both. It's more from a receiver's standpoint, we basically want to make his job as easy as possible. So whatever he likes, I will coach them up on it.
 
On if the game plan changes based on the strengths of a quarterback
Yeah, it's always like that, but we're going to continue to do what we do and what got us to this point. (redshirt sophomore quarterback) (Chris) Chugs (Chugunov) can handle that load; I have a lot of confidence in that guy.
 
On how the receivers are responding and preparing for Saturday
They're lit up about this opportunity. It's OU, it's there, it's going to be a crazy atmosphere. It's the games you want if you play at this level. Those are the type of games you want to play in.
 
On the receivers having to make plays just as much as the quarterback
Yeah, it's our job to make him (redshirt sophomore quarterback) (Chris Chugunov) right. They responded well after (redshirt junior quarterback) Will (Grier) went down, they picked up Chugs and said, 'hey, we won't make you wrong.' They know what the task is at hand and they're ready for it.
 
Assistant Coach (Offensive Line) Joe Wickline
 
On Oklahoma defensive end/linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
He's every bit as talented as (former OU linebacker Eric) Striker, that was there for years and made so many plays. They put him in places and positions that allow him to get one-on-one matchups. He's just twitchy; he's got a whole box of different types of moves. It's inside, it's outside, it's bull rush. He's quick, and again, he's a good football player, so we're going to have to have a plan for him. A good player.
 
On if Oklahoma defensive end/linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo reminds him of anyone
Again, (Eric) Striker. He's a guy that may not be overly big, in terms of your measurables, but my gosh, he's just, his twitch and his processing and how fast he moves, his hand speed and foot speed, he's that type of guy. They have him in the same position.
 
Junior Wide Receiver David Sills V
 
On being named a Biletnikoff Award finalist
I haven't really given it that much thought. It is an amazing accomplishment. We still have a game this week, so that is really what I am focusing on.
 
On if he would have ever thought we would be a Biletnikoff Award finalist 10 years ago
No, I never would have thought that. God did everything for a reason, I believe that. I am on his path, his plan so I am just trying to do what I am doing now and just work hard in practice and hope it pays off. 
 
On what he needs to improve upon at receiver
There is always stuff that you can get better at, definitely in the offseason, just getting bigger, faster and stronger, working on that. That's definitely a big thing that I want to do in the offseason as well.
 
Junior Wide Receiver Gary Jennings Jr.  
 
On having to rebuild trust with redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov
Yes sir, most definitely. Just one-on-one reps and with team reps as well, we are just going to have to get the continuity down very quickly.
 
On the team's focus this week
It's about us. We are worried about what we have to do and as an offense, from our standpoint, what we can do to help us win this game. 
 
On how the offense can work on gaining yards to make shorter third-down situations
Just by making those easy plays, those plays that put us at second-and-five. Just getting those plays definitely helps us out and prevent us from getting into those third-and-eight and third-and-long situations.
 
Redshirt Sophomore Offensive Lineman Colton McKivitz
 
On if the team talks about the opportunity to upset Oklahoma
Yeah, we do in the locker room. It is not really said by the coaches, but as players, we do not really have anything to lose now. We know where our role is as in where our 13th game is going to be. Now it is kind of the role of we can do something special and be that underdog. West Virginia, that is kind of built into the program. We are all underdogs and we come out fighting. That's a big message this week.
 
On if the team has rallied around redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Chugunov
For sure, it started Sunday and even during the game. We are like, 'this is going to be our guy for the rest of the year.' We are going to have to protect him and get behind him and let him have confidence in us as an O-line and those guys rally around him. He played pretty well; that helped him with confidence and that showed us that we can win with this kid. That was a big thing.
 
Redshirt Senior Linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton
 
On how the preparation for Oklahoma has been going so far
It has been going well. Just getting in and preparing for another game. We have another opportunity, another Big 12 opponent. Another opportunity to get better and ultimately get to our final goal, and that is our 13th game.
 
On if Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield not starting has an impact on how they prepare
No, that is none of my business, to be honest. We are going to play whatever 11 they put out there. Obviously, he is a good player and the guy behind him is good as well. Like I said, just preparing for whatever 11 they put out there.
 
On how the defensive line has grown throughout the year
They have come along well. Those guys took it to heart when people questioned their toughness early on in the season. Those guys took that to heart and made sure that they made it their business to wreak some havoc in the backfield and make some plays in the backfield themselves. That's what they have been doing. It's allowed us to play better as a defense as a whole, with those guys penetrating and making some of those plays in the backfield. They are winning some of the early downs. Those guys have been doing a great job and are getting better and better each game.
 
Senior Safety Kyzir White
 
On what he sees out of Oklahoma
I think they're a really good team; they can put up a lot of points and yardage. They have a good quarterback.
 
On responsibilities when OU is freelancing on offense
You just have to make sure you're reading your keys and staying disciplined because they'll do a bunch of different things.
 
On how OU quarterback Baker Mayfield is a different type of player
He could really keep the plays alive and stuff; he likes to scramble a lot. Yeah, I think he's pretty different.
 
On OU's run game making things more difficult
They're just a complete team. They can run and pass, so it makes it kind of tough.
 
On how a 'nothing to lose' mentality will help
It helps because we don't really have pressure on us. They just want us to go out there, play and have fun. Just do our best and try and come out with a victory.
 
Sophomore Defensive Lineman Reese Donahue
 
On the challenge of playing against Oklahoma and Baker Mayfield
Every week we always talk about how the game ultimately comes down to who wins the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. It's a big challenge for us, and we know that if we want to come out and win, then the hones falls on us, it's all up to us. It's a big challenge but every week, it doesn't matter who we are playing, we have to prepare the same way. It's exciting, especially this week since we have this nice break off to focus solely on football.
 
On how the extra practice time during Thanksgiving Week helps
It helps us concentrate more. It is less of a time constraint. I'd have to lift in the morning, I'd run to class, come back and watch film, then go to class some more and come back and practice. Instead, I can get it all done here and now I do not have to worry about all of the things, and I can focus solely on the things that I have to do here. Just like everybody else, it really helps us out.
 
On how much film he has seen on Oklahoma so far
We have watched some film today; we have been here all day long. Yesterday was our off day and I got to come in and watch a little bit of film on that. Ultimately as a team, today is the big study day, but yesterday I got to come in and watch a little bit independently. We are starting to dig into it deep. We will get to hit it a later when we get back to meetings, and then tomorrow, we will have all day to hit it.