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Dave Aranda said NT Apu Ika, who was helped off the field against Oklahoma State, is ready to play at WV. Khalil Keith (knee) is practicing. Status for the game is positive. RB Taye McWilliams (concussion) still a couple of weeks away from returning.
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Here is the two deep chart. Obviously there’s a little bit of an inconsistency with Taye McWilliams listed as the starting RB and he’s out. Just letting you know.
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Presser
Opening Statement
Dave Aranda
It was a good bye week for us. We had some time off and then some practice time. We had two really good days. I thought the energy was good. The coaches were able to get on the road Friday and see some schools and see some games. It was a little bit different week with this being a Saturday really being a Monday for us. We had game week prep, and this is how it panned out for us. I fully respect and have a lot of appreciation for Coach Brown and I know the environment we’re getting into is a tough one, and it will take our best efforts, so we’re really focused on that. I’m excited for the opportunity.
(What specific areas did you work on)
Underneath all the schemes and techniques, I think there is a level of immaturity or just youth that we’re really working on growing. With the vets, there’s some complacency that we’re working on getting rid of and waking up from. So I think the week was good in those respects and getting everybody on the same page in terms of where we’re at and what it takes to go where we want to go. I think it was a good week for that.
(Is offensive line what you wanted it to be)
It’s probably mixed. It’s a good question. There are pieces around the offensive line that are different that affect some of the outcomes of the offensive line’s work. But I think if you were to extract their play and just kind of how violence is there and how much effort is there, how much energy is there, I think those are things we can improve on and we must to get to where we want to go.
(Looking for first win at WVU)
I think intentional practice. I think all of our improvement can really stem from really being intentional in our work in our days, and knowing why I’m in this meeting, why I’m in this individual period, why I’m in this team period, and what I want to get better at, and what specifically I’m working on. To be here now is an important mindset and just get caught up in the routine of week one, week two, week three, and also just getting caught up in what happened in the last game and what could possibly happen in the next game. Just stay way focused in the moment and where improvement is at. I think it’s been a big push by all of us to be way intentional with our time. I think that’s No 1. Two would be play with an edge, I think we’ve already hinted at that. At the line of scrimmage we can improve. The edge is not after the snap. It’s not before the snap. It’s having a really violent start followed by a real violent finish. I think our line of scrimmage can improve with a better edge if we practice that way.
(JT Daniels)
Really strong arm. There’s a command that when you watch it on tape it really jumps off the screen. There’s a poise that he has. He can throw deep down field or across the field and be on the money with it. I think his arm strength is elite. The offense has grown around him. There’s elements of tempo there, there’s a change of pace back, a viable tough back, and they’ve got a fair amount of receivers that go in and out. It’s a talented offense with him at the helm, and they will always be a threat to put up a lot of points.
(Injuries) Apu will be ready to play, he’s been practicing these past couple of days. Taye’s return is still a couple of weeks out, he’s having a harder time with it than maybe some of our others. We’re hoping to get him back soon. Khalil will practice today, and it will be good to have.
(Is defense hungry) It’s a good question. I feel us as coaches , we’re trying to do that right now. There’s an expectation, and when it’s not met, hey there should be something you feel in your gut. This is how you use it. Just because you use it during the week doesn’t mean it’s given to you on a game day. It’s up to us teach that.
(Coaching self-evaluation) I feel like I do that. I think it’s always better to have other people tell you if you’re doing it or not, because I think the blind spots are real. For me, the complacency part is hard. I don’t know, if you were to be a coach and you were to say my team is complacent, it sounds like a way negative thing. And I think, despite all the best efforts of all of it, and I think bigger picture we need to find better efforts, but I think talking about what’s real is way important. And I think there’s an element of kind of a waking up. Here’s the jersey number, here’s the play, here’s all of it. I know that you’re better than this, I know that there’s an edge to you, and getting that back. So, I think that’s been a big, big focus. When I look at me, I just see that with the staff. I think this came up the other day. But, I think whether it’s the youth of the team or kind of the complacency in all of that, as a coach, to use all that and use it when we’re not hitting the mark either way, or we’re not growing the way we think we should. Or, we’re thinking we’ve arrived when we haven’t done anything. It’s using those moments to teach and not to weaponize, because I think then you’re in a thing and you create another thing. I think there’s both sides of it, because I think players are going to want to see, ‘Here’s my perspective. Oh, there’s a whole other perspective. OK.’ And that whole thing is easier to admit when it’s being taught to you by someone that you trust, and knows that they care about you more as a person than a player. But then, I think for the coach, it’s like all the anxiety and all the other things. ‘You’re not the only that feels that, dude.’ Players feel that, too. So, it’s not just about putting it off, it’s about using it for good. The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better. And I think it takes some intentionality to do that. We’re trying our best.
(Tough to see Josh Fleeks enter the transfer portal)
Yeah, I’m a big fan of Josh, and I want the best for him. You just see his growth. I remember, probably one of my first days in 2020, one of my first one-on-one meetings was with Josh. And just to see just how close he is to finishing off academically and just all the work that he’s put into it, and all the work that everyone here at Baylor has put into him, I think if you had your choice, you’d rather have all of it end here. But, I can understand and I see his view, and I wish him the best and want him to be able to finish with a degree, and I want him to be able to have the opportunities that he wants.
(Career day for Blake, what did you see from him during the bye week)
Very business-like. I think very into the details and into the energy of the team. I think as we go, from one week to the next, there is a growth in him and a more willingness and probably readiness to say what he feels. And I think that’s way important for us. So, I think that is becoming right now.
(Going into a bye week coming off a loss and needing a break or wanting to go into it with momentum)
I think when you go in off of a loss, you really have to kind of sit in it. And I think it really makes you see kind of the parts and the places and the things that you would otherwise choose not to see. So, I think that’s all good. I think using it for the good is the other big issue. So, I think one, taking the time to be in the moment and really see the ugly things and see the things that need fixing, which is true everywhere, not just for us. But, to really hone in on that, and then to correct it, to teach it and to do it in a way that holds the integrity with the people you’re working with and builds them up as opposed to tearing them down. That’s a whole other (thing). So, that’s been us the last couple days. So, I’m proud of how we’ve approached it.
(On Christian making plays the last couple weeks, is he kind of coming)
Yeah, I think so. I just had a talk with him today. I’m excited to see his energy and his confidence. I think that’s probably something that has been missing in our back end is just the confidence to do that. We have a red-zone lockout drill, and there’s a scoring system, and it’s (offense) versus (defense). If the O scores, it’s these points; if the defense keeps them out, it’s these points. A field goal is this points for the offense, this points for the defense. So, you try to get to a certain number and who wins. So, this was Thursday, we’re practicing, and Christian is out there and makes a big play. The ball is on like the 2 or something, and the offense is trying to go in, I think it’s second down. And Christian makes a big play on the far end, away from the defense. The defense is kind of dead on that side. And he kind of gets them up, and all of a sudden, they’re just way loud and energetic and all that. And I think that’s exactly what we need. So, I think the ability to inspire and do all of it the right way, and not making stuff personal in terms of motivating guys and all that, but in terms of still being yourself, though, I think it’s way key for him. But, excited about his play. There’s been a great improvement. Excited for what’s next for him.
(Do you think there's more pressure coming into these big fall games subsequently after that loss; Trying to get back to Jerry World)
No, I appreciate that. I would say no. And I think probably what makes up some of the question – and I can understand the question – and I think it's probably good that we're talking about this here, is that I think that is part of the issue for me where it's, I have to do a better job of dealing with what's real and working to build up a team and whether it's the youth that ‘Hey, we've got to be able to get through a drill or a team period or practice or day just being where we need to be, doing what we need to be doing. And no pointing fingers, complaining, any of these other things.’ And then some of the older vets … last year doesn't have anything to do with this year. What is on tape this year is real. What's in your mind from last year, some previous other thing – right now is not real, right? And so, you want to see real stuff, put it on tape. And so, I think those are kind of the mindsets and I would say all of that is right in front of us and is real. And I think the expectations and all these other things can kind of cloud that picture. I don't know if I'm making sense. And so, I think it's very much an issue of kind of where we're looking and how we're taking in information. And so, we're hopeful that we can kind of stay [on] the path.
(What do you see from WVU defense)
Really active defensive lineman. Physical, they move them around. I think they are multiple. And so they'll get in different fronts with their linebackers, similar to Oklahoma State to a degree. I think they play a lot of quarters coverage. So, their safeties are involved in the run as well. And then they'll pressure, so they'll bring different patterns and blitzes and things to get negative plays. And so I think it's a matter of, if you're working combos in the run game, it's difficult because this linebacker could plug this front, this three technique could slant, right? This secondary guy could rush off the edge. And so it's if and or buts, right, in terms of rules. And so, to make it to where you’re real simple and can run off the ball and can take the incoming and push it the other way, I think is way key. And it's a challenge with them. They do a great job with it.
(What do you see confidence wise from the secondary?)
I think they’re growing, and I think sometimes when you're learning the position and all the details of it, I think sometimes your focus can be, “I just want to get my day right. I want to get this play right. I want to get – this check is coming up today. I want to get this right. I want to get this man coverage right.” And we're so worried about the internal, which I think is good. But then there's almost a lack of – whether it's giving energy or it's any type of praise to the outside and so it's kind of a self, almost like a siloed thing. I was probably that way when I first started in this job, I was like that. So, I think for anyone that's new as you're learning, that's generally the thing. “I'm just worried about messing me up.” But then as you grow, I think there's a broader perspective and you can see all the connections and you could see how you play a part in a bigger hole. And then at that point, the energy can now move out, as it should. And I think Christian’s at that spot, we got a few of the younger guys that are not there yet.
(On Monaray’s speed)
I think he jumps off the screen. People have to gameplan [for] him. And so there's mismatches that you'll try to find by formation, and by down and distance and things, where you try to be able to get that speed on maybe something that's not as fast. But then I think the other piece too, is that defensively, there'll be some form of history and some trail of evidence of, “Hey, when we've dealt with something like this before we've done this, we've doubled it, we've clouded it. We've tried to reroute it. We've .. whatever it is.” And so then you use that and then build around it to attack the other outer pieces. And so, it's a really good starting point to use to try [to] score some points.
(On Reese NIL deal, role for WVU)
Yeah. Excited for him. I think a lot of stuff is happening for him fast and it’s all stuff that's earned. And he's got such a great smile about him and genuineness and really there's almost an innocence there. You probably would not like that word. But you can't help but root for him. He's got two great parents at home. Keeps him grounded. And yeah, I think it's cool that there's some opportunities coming his way.
Then I think, our ability to run the ball, fall forward on offense is something that can use a lot of improvement from the last game that we had. I thought similarly to one of the very first questions was the O-line and kind of where it's at. I think the end result of it is, are we moving the pile forward, right? Or are we stagnant or are we moving back? And so, we want to be able to move it forward. And when we're at our best, that's the case. And so, I think he definitely plays a part in that. But I think as a collective whole, that's the goal for this one, is to improve the physicality and the finish in the run game.
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