DAVE ARANDA: (opening statement) I thought in speaking to the team, it was really the best week of practice that we’ve had. Really, the best week of practice that we’ve had since I’ve been at Baylor, in terms of effort and finish and the energy, having a real energy and not something that’s forced upon, or we’re doing it just because there’s an expectation. I thought all of the energy was real. Some of the film from a Tuesday or a Wednesday practice, you’d look at it and there’s guys covering 20 or 30 yards of ground, long stride to a short stride, thudding up ball carriers, receivers working across the field to cut off a safety. Just way phenomenal effort, way impressive. All of that kind of gets you in position to play at your best on Saturday. It’s not going to guarantee that you play well, but I think it puts you in a great spot to do that. I thought the guys were able to put those two things together. The week, and then the mindset to start fast. I think we’ve had games before where we’re fighting uphill to do that, for whatever reason. Way impressed with that. I just think that’s kind of the glimpse of who we can be. We’re still just scratching and clawing and fighting to be that, and still have belief that we can be that. It’s elusive, though, because you guys were all with us in the second half. I think the ability to finish and just all of it, everything this season is all about defining things. It’s difficult to have patience when you’re counting the wins and losses, but I think it’s way important to have patience and to teach. So, the ability for us to learn a really hard lesson and then win, is a successful thing. Because we’ve learned some hard lessons and have taken losses. So, this is the first time we can do it and say we’ve won. I’m proud of the guys. There’s a whole lot to work on that we can get better at, and we’ll do that.
(On Richard Reese) He played physical, he played with an edge. I thought he was violent. There’s something when you’re an O-lineman and you’re moving people and you’ve got combos and you’re working up to linebackers and you’re getting attached to people and you’re running off, if you can get a running back three or four yards prior to contact, there’s something about that running back and what he’ll get for us, to get two or three yards extra, and fall forward. We had a fair amount of that a year ago. What ends up happening is that as an O-lineman you see that happening and that energizes you. Because you feel like you’re kind of running downhill at that point. There’s been flashes prior to this game. But I think there’s been a fair amount of us creating three or four yards and then kind of running into a wall. This is the first time I can remember constantly falling forward, and the violence of all of it. That fed into the O-linemen. Once you’ve got that, you’ve got yourself a running game. Our task is to continue that.
(On the butt-slapping drive) That was good to see. I wish there was probably more of that earlier, and that it didn’t take all of those points that we scored prior to that for that to happen. However you call that, that killer instinct or whatever that is, we’re aiming to work to get it. The best teams have that. I think for us it’s something we have to teach. I have to teach it better and we have to execute it. To make it to where we want to make it, with the rest of the schedule the way it lays out, it’s going to be needed. To build that and close out the game when it’s needed was good to see, but we would all like to not be in that situation again.
(Shapen ball security) I think there’s improvement he can have with his ball security, for sure. I think there’s also decision-making improvement. Both of those are kind of combining for the turnovers that we’re seeing. I think a week ago, out of the pocket, I’m no longer a thrower, I’m a runner, he’s got to secure the football. This one, I’m trying to decide, am I still a thrower, am I turning into a runner, those decisions being quicker. There’s a pause and a hold and wait, and the ball comes out. So, I think those are two separate things and we’re going to work to improve both of those. As far as some of the picks, there’s times in his past where we’re either pushing late in the fourth quarter or we’re trying to get back in the thing, or the ball is thrown to a guy and he has it, and it bounces off of him and bounces to the other guy, not letting that cloud things. Really focusing and taking the emotion out of it. That’s what we’re seeing – here’s what we’re doing, here’s what we can improve on, I think that’s the approach we’re going to take. I know out of everybody, it hits Blake the hardest. And I know he’s going to work really hard to improve on it.
(The difference in the 3rd quarter and being able to put together that drive in the 4th) Yeah, I think it was just finish. I think at one point, if you were to go from the 20 to the 20 or whatever it was, it’s five yards a play, six yards a play, whatever it was. The time’s coming off the clock, and you could sense that Kansas was tired and they were kind of pushing against it and having to get subs in. And you could feel the wilting, or the initial part of it, which is all good. That’s all the stuff that you want, you just want to be able to finish a drive. And I think it comes down to focus and mindset. Those are things that we had at the start and those are things that we lost at the finish. I take that upon myself, I have to do a better job of that. And we will.
(Did you ask for a review of the mark on the Shapen sneak) We did. They said they replayed it and it was confirmed.
(You recall a guy going from fourth-quarter garbage-time snaps in the 1st game to starting and getting over 200 yards offense in the 7th game) One of the things that impresses me with Richard. We have chapel, and we do it on Monday, because we’re off on Sundays. He’s a musician, so he’s up there in the front. Coach Wetzel will generally have his guitar and he’ll do the singing. Richard is there playing bass, and the whole team is singing songs. And he does it with just no emotion at all, on his face. I think there’s a humbleness about him and there’s just a matter-of-factness about him. And I think when you put both of those things together, then you can see the journey that he’s had from where he started to where he is now. And I think if he can keep that humbleness about him, which I’m sure he will, and he can continue to have a learner’s mindset and really apply it, sky’s the limit for him. We’re way excited that he’s on our side.
(On Richard Reese) He played physical, he played with an edge. I thought he was violent. There’s something when you’re an O-lineman and you’re moving people and you’ve got combos and you’re working up to linebackers and you’re getting attached to people and you’re running off, if you can get a running back three or four yards prior to contact, there’s something about that running back and what he’ll get for us, to get two or three yards extra, and fall forward. We had a fair amount of that a year ago. What ends up happening is that as an O-lineman you see that happening and that energizes you. Because you feel like you’re kind of running downhill at that point. There’s been flashes prior to this game. But I think there’s been a fair amount of us creating three or four yards and then kind of running into a wall. This is the first time I can remember constantly falling forward, and the violence of all of it. That fed into the O-linemen. Once you’ve got that, you’ve got yourself a running game. Our task is to continue that.
(On the butt-slapping drive) That was good to see. I wish there was probably more of that earlier, and that it didn’t take all of those points that we scored prior to that for that to happen. However you call that, that killer instinct or whatever that is, we’re aiming to work to get it. The best teams have that. I think for us it’s something we have to teach. I have to teach it better and we have to execute it. To make it to where we want to make it, with the rest of the schedule the way it lays out, it’s going to be needed. To build that and close out the game when it’s needed was good to see, but we would all like to not be in that situation again.
(Shapen ball security) I think there’s improvement he can have with his ball security, for sure. I think there’s also decision-making improvement. Both of those are kind of combining for the turnovers that we’re seeing. I think a week ago, out of the pocket, I’m no longer a thrower, I’m a runner, he’s got to secure the football. This one, I’m trying to decide, am I still a thrower, am I turning into a runner, those decisions being quicker. There’s a pause and a hold and wait, and the ball comes out. So, I think those are two separate things and we’re going to work to improve both of those. As far as some of the picks, there’s times in his past where we’re either pushing late in the fourth quarter or we’re trying to get back in the thing, or the ball is thrown to a guy and he has it, and it bounces off of him and bounces to the other guy, not letting that cloud things. Really focusing and taking the emotion out of it. That’s what we’re seeing – here’s what we’re doing, here’s what we can improve on, I think that’s the approach we’re going to take. I know out of everybody, it hits Blake the hardest. And I know he’s going to work really hard to improve on it.
(The difference in the 3rd quarter and being able to put together that drive in the 4th) Yeah, I think it was just finish. I think at one point, if you were to go from the 20 to the 20 or whatever it was, it’s five yards a play, six yards a play, whatever it was. The time’s coming off the clock, and you could sense that Kansas was tired and they were kind of pushing against it and having to get subs in. And you could feel the wilting, or the initial part of it, which is all good. That’s all the stuff that you want, you just want to be able to finish a drive. And I think it comes down to focus and mindset. Those are things that we had at the start and those are things that we lost at the finish. I take that upon myself, I have to do a better job of that. And we will.
(Did you ask for a review of the mark on the Shapen sneak) We did. They said they replayed it and it was confirmed.
(You recall a guy going from fourth-quarter garbage-time snaps in the 1st game to starting and getting over 200 yards offense in the 7th game) One of the things that impresses me with Richard. We have chapel, and we do it on Monday, because we’re off on Sundays. He’s a musician, so he’s up there in the front. Coach Wetzel will generally have his guitar and he’ll do the singing. Richard is there playing bass, and the whole team is singing songs. And he does it with just no emotion at all, on his face. I think there’s a humbleness about him and there’s just a matter-of-factness about him. And I think when you put both of those things together, then you can see the journey that he’s had from where he started to where he is now. And I think if he can keep that humbleness about him, which I’m sure he will, and he can continue to have a learner’s mindset and really apply it, sky’s the limit for him. We’re way excited that he’s on our side.
