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 Poll. 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 (4-0, 1-0) play host to Iowa State: While Leipold’s name is connected to every opening – the new one is Georgia Tech – the goal is to keep this his players in the moment because winning is hard. This program knows that. “I would say that the continual belief in what we're doing for when times are tough,’’ Leipold said. “How we're overcoming those tough moments. Things that we saw late last year, and you've kind of seen it play out with body language and things of that nature on the sideline. Probably better than I anticipated at this point."
Brent Venables, Oklahoma – The No. 16 Sooners (3-1, 0-1) play at TCU: Venables looked back on some critical moments where QB Dillon Gabriel missed in the 41-34 loss to Kansas State. “Yeah, I think it was more off. You know, he's been good enough. And that's what I know. But we had that [stretch where] we went punt, punt in the first half, and then touchdown, maybe three plays, 70 yards, and then we come back and really we were really starting to [get going]. Had a really good drive, and then we come back and we're going. We had a good drive going that I think we were five at the 50, we had a penalty. We got backed up we had to end up punting. And then we come back and we go touchdown, field goal right before half. So, [it’s] a lot of things. It’s not all Dillon in some of those situations.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State – The No. 9 Cowboys (3-0) play Baylor: (Note - Will have more from Gundy later in the week) Gundy assessed where his team is right now. "I think they're focused. I think it's important to them. I think they care about each other. We'll know a lot more about ourselves as a team in a month. We're getting ready to get into the meat of it and we'll get a pretty good feel. We'll have some conference road games, some home games against good teams, so we'll know a lot more about us in a month."
Neal Brown, West Virginia – The Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) play at Texas: Brown could take some satisfaction following a big 33-10 win at Virginia Tech. “I think the story of our downturn was probably exaggerated,” he said with a quick chuckle. “Pitt’s a good football team, and we had a chance to win. It was a fluke play. There were some other plays where we could have won the game. Kansas did a nice job, but we kind of were our own worst enemy. But I knew we were close. We didn’t hit the panic button. I really like our staff, and I felt good about our team going into the year.”
Chris Klieman, Kansas State: The No. 25 Wildcats (3-1, 1-0) play host to Texas Tech: For the second consecutive trip to Norman, OK, the Wildcats walked out with a win. "I couldn't tell you that we were the tougher team,’’ Klieman said. “We had one more score in the end than they did and they onside kicked it to the kid that's got the best hands on our team in Kade Warner and I felt pretty good. And then when he recovered that I 'was like wow, we're gonna beat these guys again here.' It's amazing to do this two times in a row here."
Matt Campbell, Iowa State: The Cyclones (3-1, 0-1) play at Kansas: While there was a moment against Baylor where Campbell called timeout just to rip into the officiating crew, he did give Baylor credit. “What I love about (this team) is they kept playing, and they kept fighting, and they kept competing,” Campbell said. “We sputtered (in stretches) for whatever reason… We were playing a little bit into their hands because we’re playing a game that’s probably more conducive to their rhythm than ours. The fact of the matter is you’re playing catch up most of the day.”
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech – The Red Raiders (3-1, 1-0) play at Kansas State: He didn’t specifically to the postgame ruckus that resulted in a Big 12 reprimand and fine after the Red Raiders knocked off Texas in OT, 34-31. However, McGuire to speak close to it. “In the world we live in right now, we’ve gotta be smart, protect each other, and realize that there’s a class that we’re going to play with. I think--I’ve been coaching for 29 years, head coach for 15 years. In my 15 years, I think everyone would say my players play with class. They play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, and the way they’re supposed to act. I hope we continue to do that as a football program and be the class of college football. You control what you can control, I control that because that’s what I’m over, and I’m going to make sure I pour into my guys and make them understand how you’re supposed to play football. Hopefully, that carries over and serves as an example for everybody,” McGuire said
Sonny Dykes, TCU – The Horned Frogs (3-0) play host to Oklahoma: In some respects, just getting through the emotions of the SMU game – a TCU 42-34 victory – are a relief. Dykes now has a ranked OU team coming to Amon Carter Stadium Saturday. “I’m glad this is over. I’m hopeful now we can go on and I coach my team and not have to deal with some this stuff you have to deal with. There wasn’t a lot of talking going on,” Dykes said. “I thought it was a cleanly played, good, hotly contested football game. Just exactly what you’d want.”
Steve Sarkisian, Texas – The Longhorns (2-2, 0-1) play host to West Virginia: Accountability is what blowing the 31-17 lead at Texas Tech was paramount. "It's on all of us. We all take responsibility on that,’’ Sarkisian said. “At the end of the day, it's our job to put our players in the best position to be successful, and then ultimately, when you gain the trust of us to put you out there to go do it, then it's your job to go execute. So ultimately, that falls on me, but then it's our staff and then it goes to the players. We all take responsibility there."
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 Poll. 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 (4-0, 1-0) play host to Iowa State: While Leipold’s name is connected to every opening – the new one is Georgia Tech – the goal is to keep this his players in the moment because winning is hard. This program knows that. “I would say that the continual belief in what we're doing for when times are tough,’’ Leipold said. “How we're overcoming those tough moments. Things that we saw late last year, and you've kind of seen it play out with body language and things of that nature on the sideline. Probably better than I anticipated at this point."
Brent Venables, Oklahoma – The No. 16 Sooners (3-1, 0-1) play at TCU: Venables looked back on some critical moments where QB Dillon Gabriel missed in the 41-34 loss to Kansas State. “Yeah, I think it was more off. You know, he's been good enough. And that's what I know. But we had that [stretch where] we went punt, punt in the first half, and then touchdown, maybe three plays, 70 yards, and then we come back and really we were really starting to [get going]. Had a really good drive, and then we come back and we're going. We had a good drive going that I think we were five at the 50, we had a penalty. We got backed up we had to end up punting. And then we come back and we go touchdown, field goal right before half. So, [it’s] a lot of things. It’s not all Dillon in some of those situations.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State – The No. 9 Cowboys (3-0) play Baylor: (Note - Will have more from Gundy later in the week) Gundy assessed where his team is right now. "I think they're focused. I think it's important to them. I think they care about each other. We'll know a lot more about ourselves as a team in a month. We're getting ready to get into the meat of it and we'll get a pretty good feel. We'll have some conference road games, some home games against good teams, so we'll know a lot more about us in a month."
Neal Brown, West Virginia – The Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) play at Texas: Brown could take some satisfaction following a big 33-10 win at Virginia Tech. “I think the story of our downturn was probably exaggerated,” he said with a quick chuckle. “Pitt’s a good football team, and we had a chance to win. It was a fluke play. There were some other plays where we could have won the game. Kansas did a nice job, but we kind of were our own worst enemy. But I knew we were close. We didn’t hit the panic button. I really like our staff, and I felt good about our team going into the year.”
Chris Klieman, Kansas State: The No. 25 Wildcats (3-1, 1-0) play host to Texas Tech: For the second consecutive trip to Norman, OK, the Wildcats walked out with a win. "I couldn't tell you that we were the tougher team,’’ Klieman said. “We had one more score in the end than they did and they onside kicked it to the kid that's got the best hands on our team in Kade Warner and I felt pretty good. And then when he recovered that I 'was like wow, we're gonna beat these guys again here.' It's amazing to do this two times in a row here."
Matt Campbell, Iowa State: The Cyclones (3-1, 0-1) play at Kansas: While there was a moment against Baylor where Campbell called timeout just to rip into the officiating crew, he did give Baylor credit. “What I love about (this team) is they kept playing, and they kept fighting, and they kept competing,” Campbell said. “We sputtered (in stretches) for whatever reason… We were playing a little bit into their hands because we’re playing a game that’s probably more conducive to their rhythm than ours. The fact of the matter is you’re playing catch up most of the day.”
Joey McGuire, Texas Tech – The Red Raiders (3-1, 1-0) play at Kansas State: He didn’t specifically to the postgame ruckus that resulted in a Big 12 reprimand and fine after the Red Raiders knocked off Texas in OT, 34-31. However, McGuire to speak close to it. “In the world we live in right now, we’ve gotta be smart, protect each other, and realize that there’s a class that we’re going to play with. I think--I’ve been coaching for 29 years, head coach for 15 years. In my 15 years, I think everyone would say my players play with class. They play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, and the way they’re supposed to act. I hope we continue to do that as a football program and be the class of college football. You control what you can control, I control that because that’s what I’m over, and I’m going to make sure I pour into my guys and make them understand how you’re supposed to play football. Hopefully, that carries over and serves as an example for everybody,” McGuire said
Sonny Dykes, TCU – The Horned Frogs (3-0) play host to Oklahoma: In some respects, just getting through the emotions of the SMU game – a TCU 42-34 victory – are a relief. Dykes now has a ranked OU team coming to Amon Carter Stadium Saturday. “I’m glad this is over. I’m hopeful now we can go on and I coach my team and not have to deal with some this stuff you have to deal with. There wasn’t a lot of talking going on,” Dykes said. “I thought it was a cleanly played, good, hotly contested football game. Just exactly what you’d want.”
Steve Sarkisian, Texas – The Longhorns (2-2, 0-1) play host to West Virginia: Accountability is what blowing the 31-17 lead at Texas Tech was paramount. "It's on all of us. We all take responsibility on that,’’ Sarkisian said. “At the end of the day, it's our job to put our players in the best position to be successful, and then ultimately, when you gain the trust of us to put you out there to go do it, then it's your job to go execute. So ultimately, that falls on me, but then it's our staff and then it goes to the players. We all take responsibility there."
