By KEVIN LONNQUIST
Publisher
Each week, the Big 12 coaches meet with the media to discuss the week that was and the week that is to come. Their comments are either shared on the weekly Big 12 coaches call or the weekly press conferences. All comments are taken from those sources. Baylor coach Art Briles and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops had their comments posted earlier.
Charlie Strong, Texas: The Longhorns (4-5, 3-3) play at West Virginia Saturday – This road trip pretty much gives the Longhorns no wiggle room. They have to win because their last two are Texas Tech on Thanksgiving in Austin and then at Baylor on Dec. 5. "We know this: It's going to be a tough road test for us this week having to go up to West Virginia," Strong said at his weekly presser. “Any time you're on the road you've got to have your focus. We can't have any distractions. We have not played well on the road…."We have to get our seniors to a bowl game, and it's a critical now. We're sitting there with three left, and we've got to go win two of the next three, and it is, it's a one game season. They understand they have to go get two of the next three."
David Beaty, Kansas: The Jayhawks (0-9, 0-6) play at TCU Saturday – All of the offensive numbers for the Jayhawks have been poor. Kansas is last in the league in scoring offense 16.9, ninth in total offense (347.8) and last in rushing offense (116.9). “We haven’t been able to score at the rate I know we’re capable of doing,” Beaty told the Kansas City Star. ““We have to put the ball in the end zone. We’ve got to find a way to create some offense.”
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: The No. 5/5 Cowboys (9-0, 6-0) play at Iowa State Saturday – Oklahoma State’s Chad Whitener won defensive player of the week. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer told the Tulsa World he needs to do a better job of getting Whitener off the field on occasion. Whitener’s listed backup is redshirt freshman Josh Mabin. “I’m afraid he’s going to be like a plow mule out there, pulling the plow and just fall over,” Spencer said. “You see that in the movies, they just fall over one day? So we’ve got to keep him hydrated. Got to keep him happy. Got to keep him fed well this week.”…Of course, Oklahoma State was in this great position a couple of years ago to play for the BCS championship when it was upset by Iowa State.
Bill Snyder, Kansas State: The Wildcats (3-5, 0-5) play at Texas Tech Saturday – While it would seem the Wildcats have cleared the toughest part of their schedule, Snyder isn’t conceding anything. The Wildcats final four games against Texas Tech, Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia have revealed their dominance. The Wildcats haven’t lost to any of those teams since 2009. “Look, we have lost five ballgames in a row,” Snyder told the Kansas City Star. “What do you mean the easy part of our schedule? We don’t have an easy part of our schedule. There isn’t any. We haven’t proven that we can win in the conference yet. We haven’t won in the conference. “There isn’t anybody easy.”
Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia: The Mountaineers (4-4, 1-4) play host to Texas Saturday – Despite the win over Texas Tech that ended a four game losing streak, there is still speculation as to Holgorsen’s job security. Reportedly, Holgorsen has to reach eight wins in order to secure his return in 2016. However, Holgorsen has lost to all of the teams remaining on the schedule – Texas, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State. But then Holgorsen’s name has been connected to the Miami (FL) job, so it makes for a murky situation at the very least. Reportedly, West Virginia administration will allow the season to finish out for Holgorsen.
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders (5-5, 2-5) play host to Kansas State Saturday – Another week. Another strong rushing performance by the opposing team. Both Wendell Smallwood (163) and Rushel Shell (111) helped the Mountaineers to a 300-yard effort in the 31-26 victory in Morgantown, WVA. “We can't give up that many rushing yards when the game is on the line and it's 3rd and 7 and they're handing off and getting first downs,’’ Kingsbury said at his weekly press conference. “That's disappointing. But as a group they're making enough plays to give us the ball back, and in this conference that's all you can hope for. There are great offenses every week, and you just hope you get enough stops to give yourself a chance to win."…the Red Raiders continued to add to their penalty woes with eight more for 75 yards.
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State: The Cylones (3-6, 2-4) play host to Oklahoma State Saturday – Defensive end Dale Pierson is at 7.5 sacks for the season. He needs one more to tie the single-season of 8.5 established by Shawn Morehead in 2006. There’s no question he has one of the best motors in the conference. “He is really taken advantage of having (defensive ends) coach (Stan) Eggen here and improving his skills,” Rhoads said at his weekly presser. “He’s really adapted to the 3-4 defense very well and a defense that doesn’t always give you the best path to get to the quarterback and with the production he’s had very happy for him as well.”…Saturday is senior day at Iowa State. The Cyclones play their final two games on the road at West Virginia and Kansas State.
Gary Patterson, TCU: The No. 12/13 Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-1) play host to Kansas Saturday – While wide receiver Josh Doctson’s injury status about his wrist was unclear as of Monday, Patterson wasn’t trying to be abrupt because he had not seen the report yet at the time of his Big 12 call segment…but the injuries didn’t stop there as defensive tackle Tevin Lawson did not play against Oklahoma State. “We’re playing without a lot of people,” Patterson said. “Obviously, I think sometimes it becomes frustrating to them because we have had so many people down. But you know, they’ve fought through it….."You get a month after the season to get people healthy. Right now, our job is to fight through it, find a way to win the next three ballgames. And that’s what we’re trying to do. If I show any weakness, they will.”…quarterback Trevone Boykin’s four interceptions at Oklahoma State are a career high.
Publisher
Each week, the Big 12 coaches meet with the media to discuss the week that was and the week that is to come. Their comments are either shared on the weekly Big 12 coaches call or the weekly press conferences. All comments are taken from those sources. Baylor coach Art Briles and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops had their comments posted earlier.
Charlie Strong, Texas: The Longhorns (4-5, 3-3) play at West Virginia Saturday – This road trip pretty much gives the Longhorns no wiggle room. They have to win because their last two are Texas Tech on Thanksgiving in Austin and then at Baylor on Dec. 5. "We know this: It's going to be a tough road test for us this week having to go up to West Virginia," Strong said at his weekly presser. “Any time you're on the road you've got to have your focus. We can't have any distractions. We have not played well on the road…."We have to get our seniors to a bowl game, and it's a critical now. We're sitting there with three left, and we've got to go win two of the next three, and it is, it's a one game season. They understand they have to go get two of the next three."
David Beaty, Kansas: The Jayhawks (0-9, 0-6) play at TCU Saturday – All of the offensive numbers for the Jayhawks have been poor. Kansas is last in the league in scoring offense 16.9, ninth in total offense (347.8) and last in rushing offense (116.9). “We haven’t been able to score at the rate I know we’re capable of doing,” Beaty told the Kansas City Star. ““We have to put the ball in the end zone. We’ve got to find a way to create some offense.”
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: The No. 5/5 Cowboys (9-0, 6-0) play at Iowa State Saturday – Oklahoma State’s Chad Whitener won defensive player of the week. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer told the Tulsa World he needs to do a better job of getting Whitener off the field on occasion. Whitener’s listed backup is redshirt freshman Josh Mabin. “I’m afraid he’s going to be like a plow mule out there, pulling the plow and just fall over,” Spencer said. “You see that in the movies, they just fall over one day? So we’ve got to keep him hydrated. Got to keep him happy. Got to keep him fed well this week.”…Of course, Oklahoma State was in this great position a couple of years ago to play for the BCS championship when it was upset by Iowa State.
Bill Snyder, Kansas State: The Wildcats (3-5, 0-5) play at Texas Tech Saturday – While it would seem the Wildcats have cleared the toughest part of their schedule, Snyder isn’t conceding anything. The Wildcats final four games against Texas Tech, Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia have revealed their dominance. The Wildcats haven’t lost to any of those teams since 2009. “Look, we have lost five ballgames in a row,” Snyder told the Kansas City Star. “What do you mean the easy part of our schedule? We don’t have an easy part of our schedule. There isn’t any. We haven’t proven that we can win in the conference yet. We haven’t won in the conference. “There isn’t anybody easy.”
Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia: The Mountaineers (4-4, 1-4) play host to Texas Saturday – Despite the win over Texas Tech that ended a four game losing streak, there is still speculation as to Holgorsen’s job security. Reportedly, Holgorsen has to reach eight wins in order to secure his return in 2016. However, Holgorsen has lost to all of the teams remaining on the schedule – Texas, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State. But then Holgorsen’s name has been connected to the Miami (FL) job, so it makes for a murky situation at the very least. Reportedly, West Virginia administration will allow the season to finish out for Holgorsen.
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders (5-5, 2-5) play host to Kansas State Saturday – Another week. Another strong rushing performance by the opposing team. Both Wendell Smallwood (163) and Rushel Shell (111) helped the Mountaineers to a 300-yard effort in the 31-26 victory in Morgantown, WVA. “We can't give up that many rushing yards when the game is on the line and it's 3rd and 7 and they're handing off and getting first downs,’’ Kingsbury said at his weekly press conference. “That's disappointing. But as a group they're making enough plays to give us the ball back, and in this conference that's all you can hope for. There are great offenses every week, and you just hope you get enough stops to give yourself a chance to win."…the Red Raiders continued to add to their penalty woes with eight more for 75 yards.
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State: The Cylones (3-6, 2-4) play host to Oklahoma State Saturday – Defensive end Dale Pierson is at 7.5 sacks for the season. He needs one more to tie the single-season of 8.5 established by Shawn Morehead in 2006. There’s no question he has one of the best motors in the conference. “He is really taken advantage of having (defensive ends) coach (Stan) Eggen here and improving his skills,” Rhoads said at his weekly presser. “He’s really adapted to the 3-4 defense very well and a defense that doesn’t always give you the best path to get to the quarterback and with the production he’s had very happy for him as well.”…Saturday is senior day at Iowa State. The Cyclones play their final two games on the road at West Virginia and Kansas State.
Gary Patterson, TCU: The No. 12/13 Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-1) play host to Kansas Saturday – While wide receiver Josh Doctson’s injury status about his wrist was unclear as of Monday, Patterson wasn’t trying to be abrupt because he had not seen the report yet at the time of his Big 12 call segment…but the injuries didn’t stop there as defensive tackle Tevin Lawson did not play against Oklahoma State. “We’re playing without a lot of people,” Patterson said. “Obviously, I think sometimes it becomes frustrating to them because we have had so many people down. But you know, they’ve fought through it….."You get a month after the season to get people healthy. Right now, our job is to fight through it, find a way to win the next three ballgames. And that’s what we’re trying to do. If I show any weakness, they will.”…quarterback Trevone Boykin’s four interceptions at Oklahoma State are a career high.
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