By Kevin Lonnquist
Publisher
Each week, Big 12 coaches have their weekly meetings with the media at their press conferences during the college football season. Baylor head coach Dave Aranda’s comments have already been posted. Rankings are from the AP & Coaches Polls. Here are some highlights elsewhere in the league. Quotes and notes are taken from those pressers if not specified elsewhere. All games are Saturday unless otherwise noted.
Lance Leipold, Kansas – The Jayhawks plays host to Tennessee Tech Friday: Two wide receivers will be suspended following an assault case that occurred this past Thursday. “I'll just say Trevor Wilson will be suspended indefinitely until there's further progress in what's happening there. Charges were dropped against Tanaka Scott. He returned to practice today and he will be suspended for the first game. Definitely disappointed that those young men put themselves in that situation, but equally disappointed in myself. As a head coach, it's my responsibility and you put out messages and to put it on young men to make great decisions wherever it may be and wherever that takes place. So, obviously I haven't done enough in my role to prevent those situations, and I'll continue to work to be better.
Brent Venables, Oklahoma – The No. 9/9 Sooners play host to UTEP on Saturday: Venables talked about his head football coaching debut. "At the end of the day, you’ve got a script," Venables said. "You’ve got a schedule and you try to be detail-oriented. But you've got to go through it, too. And until you do, it’s never the same...
"There will be plenty of things that happen and you’re like, ‘Man, I wish I woulda thought of that.’ You just learn and you grow, you know? You’re no different than a player. I’m a freshman, right? And I've got to grow up quick."
Neal Brown, West Virginia – The Mountaineers play at No. 16/17 Pittsburgh Thursday: To no one’s surprise, Georgia transfer J.T. Daniels was officially named the starting QB. "He never lost a job. He has been injured. If you look at his career path, it's really remarkable. He's had to deal with pressure since he was a freshman at Mater Dei, you know? One of the top high school programs in the entire country. He starts as a freshman, which has only been done a handful of times. He graduates school not a semester early, an entire year early. He starts at USC as a high school senior, essentially one of only two true freshman quarterbacks that have started at USC. He does that and I'm talking about a game opener. Has success. Wins the job. Graham's first year, tears his ACL, so injury. Transfers to Georgia still recovering. Gets the job once he's fully healthy, goes and wins the Peach Bowl. Comes from behind in a last two-minute drive to win the Peach Bowl versus Cincinnati. Comes back, wins the job, plays really really well. South Carolina home, Vanderbilt home, gets injured. For him, this is a great opportunity to remind people.”
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State – The No. 11/12 Cowboys play host to Central Michigan Thursday: Gundy spoke about what kind of infusion new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack could bring to the league: “I think he’s a wheeler dealer,” Gundy said Thursday. “I wouldn’t even begin to know where to start with him. He knows so much about the schools in this league, and he knows so much about the Pac-12 schools just because of what’s happened, and I was shocked.
“He didn’t say this, but if anything — in my opinion — conference realignment, if anything happens it’s going to be this league [the Big 12] going probably [west]. I don’t know that any of us, maybe him subconsciously, thinking that much is going to go [east]. I think that’s what I got out of it. But he knows details on every school in that league, and I was shocked.”
Chris Klieman, Kansas State – The Wildcats play host to South Dakota Saturday: Nebraska transfer QB Adrian Martinez was named a captain for the 2022 season. “Just the way he built bonds with all sorts of different positions, you know, not just on the offensive side, but the defensive side and he deserved it. He earned the right from his peers and I'm excited for him because I think he's finally, I know he's finally comfortable at Kansas State and knows he has high expectations and knows he has a lot of people around him that can help him so he deserved the honor of being a captain.”
Matt Campbell, Iowa State – The Cyclones play host to Southeast Missouri State, Saturday: The Cyclones have their own jersey tradition for a fallen coach. Since the 2014 season, the Iowa State football team has honored and remembered former assistant coach Curtis Bray with a current defensive lineman in the program wearing the No. 58 jersey for the Cyclones.
The number is a tribute to Bray, the former ISU defensive line coach who passed away in 2014 from a pulmonary embolism. Bray's presence is still felt inside the Bergstrom Football Complex and each season a new Cyclone is picked to wear the number he wore during his outstanding collegiate career at Pittsburgh from 1988-92. Bray was on the Cyclone coaching staff for five seasons (2009-13).
Senior defensive lineman Isaiah Lee a key cog on the unit, will continue the legacy this season. The Chicago, Illinois, native is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors for his efforts on the field in 2020.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech – The Red Raiders play host to Murray State Saturday: Last week, McGuire named Oregon transfer Tyler Slough, who played some last year before getting hurt, as his starting quarterback. But he also reflected on his first game as a college head coach. “"I haven't been a head coach in front of a team going out on game day in the last five years," said McGuire, who was at Baylor from 2017 to 2021. "I really do believe God put me on this earth to do that, and so I'm really excited to give that pre-game speech and lead those guys down the tunnel. It's going to be incredible."
Sonny Dykes, TCU – The Horned Frogs play at Colorado Friday: Apparently, the QB competition is not finished in Fort Worth. "We're confident in the quarterback room we have this year. With that being said, Max Duggan, Chandler Morris, and Sam Jackson will all see snaps on Friday versus Colorado,’’ Dykes said. Senior WR Taye Barber said: “Our wideout group is comfortable with whoever is back there at quarterback. Our coaching staff has installed the theme of playing fast, and we are really comfortable with our route concepts.’’
Steve Sarkisian, Texas – The RV/18 Longhorns play host to UL-Monroe Saturday: Sarkisian spoke about the anticipation for the season opener. “We’re playing with a lot more confidence now, but then again, we haven’t faced the adversity yet,” Sarkisian said. “Through it all, we’re going to get faced with a bunch of tight moments. This isn’t like, you know, you ho-hum your way through four quarters of football. We’re going to get put in difficult situations and the ball isn’t always going to bounce our way. How we respond is the key to the drill.”
Publisher
Each week, Big 12 coaches have their weekly meetings with the media at their press conferences during the college football season. Baylor head coach Dave Aranda’s comments have already been posted. Rankings are from the AP & Coaches Polls. Here are some highlights elsewhere in the league. Quotes and notes are taken from those pressers if not specified elsewhere. All games are Saturday unless otherwise noted.
Lance Leipold, Kansas – The Jayhawks plays host to Tennessee Tech Friday: Two wide receivers will be suspended following an assault case that occurred this past Thursday. “I'll just say Trevor Wilson will be suspended indefinitely until there's further progress in what's happening there. Charges were dropped against Tanaka Scott. He returned to practice today and he will be suspended for the first game. Definitely disappointed that those young men put themselves in that situation, but equally disappointed in myself. As a head coach, it's my responsibility and you put out messages and to put it on young men to make great decisions wherever it may be and wherever that takes place. So, obviously I haven't done enough in my role to prevent those situations, and I'll continue to work to be better.
Brent Venables, Oklahoma – The No. 9/9 Sooners play host to UTEP on Saturday: Venables talked about his head football coaching debut. "At the end of the day, you’ve got a script," Venables said. "You’ve got a schedule and you try to be detail-oriented. But you've got to go through it, too. And until you do, it’s never the same...
"There will be plenty of things that happen and you’re like, ‘Man, I wish I woulda thought of that.’ You just learn and you grow, you know? You’re no different than a player. I’m a freshman, right? And I've got to grow up quick."
Neal Brown, West Virginia – The Mountaineers play at No. 16/17 Pittsburgh Thursday: To no one’s surprise, Georgia transfer J.T. Daniels was officially named the starting QB. "He never lost a job. He has been injured. If you look at his career path, it's really remarkable. He's had to deal with pressure since he was a freshman at Mater Dei, you know? One of the top high school programs in the entire country. He starts as a freshman, which has only been done a handful of times. He graduates school not a semester early, an entire year early. He starts at USC as a high school senior, essentially one of only two true freshman quarterbacks that have started at USC. He does that and I'm talking about a game opener. Has success. Wins the job. Graham's first year, tears his ACL, so injury. Transfers to Georgia still recovering. Gets the job once he's fully healthy, goes and wins the Peach Bowl. Comes from behind in a last two-minute drive to win the Peach Bowl versus Cincinnati. Comes back, wins the job, plays really really well. South Carolina home, Vanderbilt home, gets injured. For him, this is a great opportunity to remind people.”
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State – The No. 11/12 Cowboys play host to Central Michigan Thursday: Gundy spoke about what kind of infusion new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack could bring to the league: “I think he’s a wheeler dealer,” Gundy said Thursday. “I wouldn’t even begin to know where to start with him. He knows so much about the schools in this league, and he knows so much about the Pac-12 schools just because of what’s happened, and I was shocked.
“He didn’t say this, but if anything — in my opinion — conference realignment, if anything happens it’s going to be this league [the Big 12] going probably [west]. I don’t know that any of us, maybe him subconsciously, thinking that much is going to go [east]. I think that’s what I got out of it. But he knows details on every school in that league, and I was shocked.”
Chris Klieman, Kansas State – The Wildcats play host to South Dakota Saturday: Nebraska transfer QB Adrian Martinez was named a captain for the 2022 season. “Just the way he built bonds with all sorts of different positions, you know, not just on the offensive side, but the defensive side and he deserved it. He earned the right from his peers and I'm excited for him because I think he's finally, I know he's finally comfortable at Kansas State and knows he has high expectations and knows he has a lot of people around him that can help him so he deserved the honor of being a captain.”
Matt Campbell, Iowa State – The Cyclones play host to Southeast Missouri State, Saturday: The Cyclones have their own jersey tradition for a fallen coach. Since the 2014 season, the Iowa State football team has honored and remembered former assistant coach Curtis Bray with a current defensive lineman in the program wearing the No. 58 jersey for the Cyclones.
The number is a tribute to Bray, the former ISU defensive line coach who passed away in 2014 from a pulmonary embolism. Bray's presence is still felt inside the Bergstrom Football Complex and each season a new Cyclone is picked to wear the number he wore during his outstanding collegiate career at Pittsburgh from 1988-92. Bray was on the Cyclone coaching staff for five seasons (2009-13).
Senior defensive lineman Isaiah Lee a key cog on the unit, will continue the legacy this season. The Chicago, Illinois, native is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors for his efforts on the field in 2020.
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech – The Red Raiders play host to Murray State Saturday: Last week, McGuire named Oregon transfer Tyler Slough, who played some last year before getting hurt, as his starting quarterback. But he also reflected on his first game as a college head coach. “"I haven't been a head coach in front of a team going out on game day in the last five years," said McGuire, who was at Baylor from 2017 to 2021. "I really do believe God put me on this earth to do that, and so I'm really excited to give that pre-game speech and lead those guys down the tunnel. It's going to be incredible."
Sonny Dykes, TCU – The Horned Frogs play at Colorado Friday: Apparently, the QB competition is not finished in Fort Worth. "We're confident in the quarterback room we have this year. With that being said, Max Duggan, Chandler Morris, and Sam Jackson will all see snaps on Friday versus Colorado,’’ Dykes said. Senior WR Taye Barber said: “Our wideout group is comfortable with whoever is back there at quarterback. Our coaching staff has installed the theme of playing fast, and we are really comfortable with our route concepts.’’
Steve Sarkisian, Texas – The RV/18 Longhorns play host to UL-Monroe Saturday: Sarkisian spoke about the anticipation for the season opener. “We’re playing with a lot more confidence now, but then again, we haven’t faced the adversity yet,” Sarkisian said. “Through it all, we’re going to get faced with a bunch of tight moments. This isn’t like, you know, you ho-hum your way through four quarters of football. We’re going to get put in difficult situations and the ball isn’t always going to bounce our way. How we respond is the key to the drill.”
