The Weston Odom Show Breaks Down Kliff Kingsbury’s Time at the Big 12 Media Day
Kliff Kingsbury spoke with the media on Monday morning and the Weston Odom show was here on Tuesday to make sense and decode the language that Kliff Kingsbury spoke. Below are some of Coach Kingbury's best quotes, listen to the clip above for the full thoughts from the Weston Odom show.
Kingsbury on what practice can be done to avoid "Late game collapses":
We felt like we were competitive last year, more so than we've been. Had a chance in almost every game late in the fourth quarter and didn't get it done. We have to kick better. We have to be better on special teams and we preached finish in everything we do. Every drill we do, every session we have, it's about finish and finishing strong and I'm not sure there is a particular way to practice that, to simulate a game, but we have tried to preach 'finish' this entire off-season.
Kingsbury on recruiting and Dakota Allen's Star Power because of Last Chance U:
It's been interesting for us having the early signing period and having the summer visits. I think it delayed some commitments because players are taking more visits and during the summer and they're having an opportunity to do so. So I feel like the recruits have been more thorough in going to see different places and that probably delayed some of the commitments and we're excited about the class. As far as Dakota goes, the Netflix thing was huge, they all saw him on there, he was portrayed in a very good light and he's a good player as well. So you combine those things, and he's visible right now to those younger players.
Kingsbury on what the next trend is in the facilities arm race:
Great question, bigger, better, shinier. Anything that you can attract recruits with.
Kingsbury on three players being named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team:
It's preseason so you take everything with a grain of salt.
Kingsbury on Coach Gibbs:
Excited for Coach Gibbs and that defensive staff and those defensive players. When Coach Gibbs took the job four years ago he kind of had to redo it all. He had a vision, knew what he wanted to do but had to go through two tough years. To his credit, he stuck to his guns, with his philosophy and his recruiting and now we're making strides on that side of the football. So have to credit him a ton with sticking it out and just having continuity on that side of the ball to develop a culture and identity that those defensive players and staff are taking a lot of pride in now.
Kingsbury on the Quarterbacks:
We have three guys, all very talented, they're inexperienced players, McLane Carter, Jett Duffey and Alan Bowman. Each athletic, can extend plays, can do what we want them to do. We just gotta figure out who is going to extend themselves and be the guy. This is the first fall camp I don't know who it's going to be so working with the quarterbacks it's exciting, it's a challenge and we're fired up to see who steps up during the competition and separates themselves. I've tried to be very open minded on that. Matt, McLane has been there two years and got more reps than the other two. I wanted to make sure that Jett and Alan were able to get on an equal playing field before I started evaluating any sort of competition. I've tried not to pick a guy in my mind, I'm going to keep it wide open and see who separates during fall camp.
Kingsbury on possibly using multiple quarterbacks:
We would like it to be one guy. I would like to push the reps and the focus to one guy and develop him to the highest extent, making sure the other guys are getting good work, too, but we've had success in our program of really pushing it to one guy and making him the focus.
Kingsbury on Texas Tech's defensive talent compared to the rest of the Big 12:
Depth-wise we're light years ahead of where we've been. That's developed a competitive nature on that side of the ball that's made us better and is it starts with the defensive line having eight to ten bodies that we feel can play in the Big 12 and as many drives and plays as you're going to get you need to have that and we have three linebackers we think can play with anybody and a lot of experienced guys in the secondary. I think we will be able to compete at a higher level than we have and continue to trend in the top of the league on that side of the football.
Kingsbury on the changing landscape in the Big 12:
I think everybody is trying to find answers for that new scheme that's being run in the Big 12 by different people. I think it's been an offense coming for a long time and defense are slowing down the game, eliminating drives, keeping things in front of them so I think you can see a cyclical friend in our league of trying to run the football more, more tight ends, fullbacks coming up with answers to off-set what they're doing defensively.
Kliff Kingsbury on the new Red-Shirt rule:
I think everybody is trying to figure out when the best time is to use it, it's probably going to be a case-by-case basis. You want to try to get 'em in the game at some point during the year, whether this be the beginning or the end or the bowl game. I think it's a great rule. I think it will allow young players to build confidence, get in and figure out the game and not lose that year which is good and it's beneficial to them.