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. Earlier on Monday, Baylor coach Art Briles and Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury gave their thoughts on Saturday’s game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Charlie Strong, Texas: The Longhorns (1-3, 0-1) play at No. 3/4 TCU (4-0, 1-0) Saturday – While questionable calls contributed to the Longhorns 30-27 loss to Oklahoma State, the Longhorns were guilty of 16 penalties for the game. One was odd where Strong was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the fourth quarter that led to the Cowboys game-tying drive. But some footage appeared to show the game official bumped Strong first. Regardless, the Longhorns are a heavy underdog in Fort Worth. “Coaches need to do a better job of coaching, players need to do a better job of playing, but we need (fans’) support. We need everyone behind us. Because you know what? When it flips — and it’s gonna flip — everyone’s going to want to jump on board. So you might as well jump on board right now.”…OL Kent Perkins is day to day with a knee injury.
David Beaty, Kansas: The Jayhawks (0-3) play at Iowa State (1-2) Saturday – The Jayhawks QB situation is turning upside down. Montell Cozart didn’t start Saturday at Rutgers because of the flu. But backup and junior college transfer Deondre Ford, who started, suffered a thumb injury midway through the second quarter. But the team didn’t use freshman Ryan Willis. “We are going to use Ryan. There's no doubt.” Coach David Beaty told KUSports.com. “But he is not ready to play with the whole system right now. There's just a lot for a (true freshman). But we're gonna utilize that kid and we can play him into some experience that way.”
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: The No. 14/15 Sooners (3-0) play host to No. 21/22 West Virginia (3-0) Saturday - Saturday will begin a stretch of the Sooners playing nine straight weeks. But Stoops was pretty matter-of-fact about it. “It doesn't really matter. The schedules are made, you go play it. I don't pay any attention to it. That's the way we have it,” Stoops said. “Sometimes, too, if you get on a good roll, you don't want a bye week. You get in a rhythm of playing and sometimes that can be good.”… Offensive line starters Nila Kasitati and Ty Darlington are expected to return to practice this week.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma: The No. 19/20 Cowboys (4-0, 1-0) play host to Kansas State (3-0) Saturday - Starting quarterback Mason Rudolph felt some numbness in his hand at Texas. However, Gundy said he didn’t think that impacted Rudolph’s performance. Rudolph and J.W. Walsh split time in the fourth quarter. But Walsh did not attempt a pass. "J.W. could play five plays in a game or 25 plays in a game," Gundy said. "It's hard for us to tell. And sometimes we feel like we need a little bit of a change of pace just depending on what's happening with our schemes, our matchups against theirs. At that time, (Rudolph) had a little bit of numbness and so we just said 'Hey, we'll go with the other guy for a little bit', and then, 'He's fine, put him back in.”…running back Chris Carson (ankle) should be back this week.
Bill Snyder, Kansas State: The Wildcats (3-0) play at No. 19/20 Oklahoma State (4-0, 1-0) Saturday - The Wildcats are coming off a bye and used that to spend time on themselves and Oklahoma State. “I think we made probably a little headway,” Snyder said. “We wanted to be able to get a little bit of rest, and I think we accomplished that. We wanted to try and get a little healthier, and maybe some of the bumps and bruises have healed a little bit better. We put a great deal of attention on some of the issues that we’ve had and some of the things that we needed to improve upon. Not collectively, but a substantial amount of improvement has been made in a number of those areas. “Still, we have a ways to go. The opportunity to spend time on Oklahoma State, we were able to invest some time there, as well.”
Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia: The No. 21/22 Mountaineers (3-0) play at No. 14/15 Oklahoma (3-0) Saturday – While Oklahoma has won the first three meetings, this meeting is the first time the two programs will have been ranked. “We felt we’ve been in the game for the last three years,” Holgorsen said in the Big 12 coaches teleconference on Monday. “Going into the fourth quarter, we were in the game and just didn’t finish it the way we needed to in order to get the victory….I doubt I’m going to have to say a whole lot to our guys. They understand this.’’…the Mountaineers have the top scoring defense in the nation at 7.7 points per game and throttled Maryland, 45-6.
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State: The Cyclones (1-2) play host to Kansas (0-3) Saturday – For a change, the Cyclones are favored to win. They enter this meeting with the lowly Jayhawks as two touchdown favorites. “When you’re an underdog, the pressure is off,” Rhoads said. “When you’re expected to win, you have the challenge of living up to that, and delivering what everyone expects you to accomplish.”…Iowa State has lost nine consecutive league games.
Gary Patterson, TCU: The No. 3/4 Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0) play host to Texas (1-3, 0-1) Saturday – Slowly, the Horned Frogs defense is getting players back. Defensive tackle Davion Pierson (concussion) returned against Texas Tech Saturday after getting missing the last three weeks. Defensive end Terrell Lathan, who did not play against the Red Raiders (possible shoulder) could be back Saturday….wide receiver Ty Slanina is likely lost for the season with an apparent shoulder injury….receiver Kolby Listenbee (back), who also did not play at Texas Tech after getting hurt against SMU, may be back against Texas.
Publisher
Each week the Big 12 coaches meet with the media to discuss the week that was and the week that is to come. Earlier on Monday, Baylor coach Art Briles and Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury gave their thoughts on Saturday’s game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
Charlie Strong, Texas: The Longhorns (1-3, 0-1) play at No. 3/4 TCU (4-0, 1-0) Saturday – While questionable calls contributed to the Longhorns 30-27 loss to Oklahoma State, the Longhorns were guilty of 16 penalties for the game. One was odd where Strong was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the fourth quarter that led to the Cowboys game-tying drive. But some footage appeared to show the game official bumped Strong first. Regardless, the Longhorns are a heavy underdog in Fort Worth. “Coaches need to do a better job of coaching, players need to do a better job of playing, but we need (fans’) support. We need everyone behind us. Because you know what? When it flips — and it’s gonna flip — everyone’s going to want to jump on board. So you might as well jump on board right now.”…OL Kent Perkins is day to day with a knee injury.
David Beaty, Kansas: The Jayhawks (0-3) play at Iowa State (1-2) Saturday – The Jayhawks QB situation is turning upside down. Montell Cozart didn’t start Saturday at Rutgers because of the flu. But backup and junior college transfer Deondre Ford, who started, suffered a thumb injury midway through the second quarter. But the team didn’t use freshman Ryan Willis. “We are going to use Ryan. There's no doubt.” Coach David Beaty told KUSports.com. “But he is not ready to play with the whole system right now. There's just a lot for a (true freshman). But we're gonna utilize that kid and we can play him into some experience that way.”
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: The No. 14/15 Sooners (3-0) play host to No. 21/22 West Virginia (3-0) Saturday - Saturday will begin a stretch of the Sooners playing nine straight weeks. But Stoops was pretty matter-of-fact about it. “It doesn't really matter. The schedules are made, you go play it. I don't pay any attention to it. That's the way we have it,” Stoops said. “Sometimes, too, if you get on a good roll, you don't want a bye week. You get in a rhythm of playing and sometimes that can be good.”… Offensive line starters Nila Kasitati and Ty Darlington are expected to return to practice this week.
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma: The No. 19/20 Cowboys (4-0, 1-0) play host to Kansas State (3-0) Saturday - Starting quarterback Mason Rudolph felt some numbness in his hand at Texas. However, Gundy said he didn’t think that impacted Rudolph’s performance. Rudolph and J.W. Walsh split time in the fourth quarter. But Walsh did not attempt a pass. "J.W. could play five plays in a game or 25 plays in a game," Gundy said. "It's hard for us to tell. And sometimes we feel like we need a little bit of a change of pace just depending on what's happening with our schemes, our matchups against theirs. At that time, (Rudolph) had a little bit of numbness and so we just said 'Hey, we'll go with the other guy for a little bit', and then, 'He's fine, put him back in.”…running back Chris Carson (ankle) should be back this week.
Bill Snyder, Kansas State: The Wildcats (3-0) play at No. 19/20 Oklahoma State (4-0, 1-0) Saturday - The Wildcats are coming off a bye and used that to spend time on themselves and Oklahoma State. “I think we made probably a little headway,” Snyder said. “We wanted to be able to get a little bit of rest, and I think we accomplished that. We wanted to try and get a little healthier, and maybe some of the bumps and bruises have healed a little bit better. We put a great deal of attention on some of the issues that we’ve had and some of the things that we needed to improve upon. Not collectively, but a substantial amount of improvement has been made in a number of those areas. “Still, we have a ways to go. The opportunity to spend time on Oklahoma State, we were able to invest some time there, as well.”
Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia: The No. 21/22 Mountaineers (3-0) play at No. 14/15 Oklahoma (3-0) Saturday – While Oklahoma has won the first three meetings, this meeting is the first time the two programs will have been ranked. “We felt we’ve been in the game for the last three years,” Holgorsen said in the Big 12 coaches teleconference on Monday. “Going into the fourth quarter, we were in the game and just didn’t finish it the way we needed to in order to get the victory….I doubt I’m going to have to say a whole lot to our guys. They understand this.’’…the Mountaineers have the top scoring defense in the nation at 7.7 points per game and throttled Maryland, 45-6.
Paul Rhoads, Iowa State: The Cyclones (1-2) play host to Kansas (0-3) Saturday – For a change, the Cyclones are favored to win. They enter this meeting with the lowly Jayhawks as two touchdown favorites. “When you’re an underdog, the pressure is off,” Rhoads said. “When you’re expected to win, you have the challenge of living up to that, and delivering what everyone expects you to accomplish.”…Iowa State has lost nine consecutive league games.
Gary Patterson, TCU: The No. 3/4 Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0) play host to Texas (1-3, 0-1) Saturday – Slowly, the Horned Frogs defense is getting players back. Defensive tackle Davion Pierson (concussion) returned against Texas Tech Saturday after getting missing the last three weeks. Defensive end Terrell Lathan, who did not play against the Red Raiders (possible shoulder) could be back Saturday….wide receiver Ty Slanina is likely lost for the season with an apparent shoulder injury….receiver Kolby Listenbee (back), who also did not play at Texas Tech after getting hurt against SMU, may be back against Texas.
