Texas Tech University Athletics
Press Conference Quotes, Missouri Game
October 20, 2003 | Football
Oct. 20, 2003
Defensive Coordinator Lyle Setencich
On Missouri's Brad Smith:
"He's a good player, he's very quick and fast. Some kids are really quick, but they don't have top-end speed. This kid is really quick and he can really run, and he's very bright. He's a real burden."
On what he does to help the team rebound from the game against OSU:
"What we did was showed them the film and we corrected what we thought were the errors, and pointed out what was good, which may be hard to believe for the average person, but there were a lot of good defensive plays in that game. When you play a team like that, it's like two heavy weights, like Mohammad Ali and Frazier. Each one of them knows that if they relax, the other guy can break his jaw, so you can't relax for 15 rounds, you pound each other. Oklahoma State was capable of not relaxing and Texas Tech on defense couldn't hold up to that. We'd make a play and then another play, and then they would hit us in the head again. We weren't able to take that pounding and give it back again."
On how big it was that Mike Smith didn't play:
"I think it's his toughness, and he has a spirit in him that you can't coach. He has a spirit and pride in himself of wanting to do well and play hard. He's a tough guy. Mike Smith could have played in that game, and wanted to play in that game. It was my judgment that he should not play. I think in the long future of things that it was better for him and better for us that he did not play. There are other guys that can play and that have to play."
On how he compares the OSU offense to the Missouri offense:
"Oklahoma State might be a little more experienced at wide receiver; they have three tailbacks that are capable. Missouri may not have as much experience, but I think they have a better offensive line because they have more experience with four seniors there. I think they don't have as many people who can play tailback that are also as fast. As far as quarterback choices, both of them have different styles and can do things that hurt you."
B.J. Symons
On how hard it is to get over this loss to OSU:
"I am pretty much over it today. Yesterday, you could tell that it was still on people's minds. It probably wouldn't have been that way if it had been a blow out, but the way we fought back and the way that we lost the game, it definitely took a toll. Yesterday it was still in my head just because it was disappointing that we had the opportunity to win, and you second guess a lot of things. It's pretty much over with now. Our main focus is Missouri and we have to bounce back and realize that we are still in pretty good shape with only one loss in the conference."
On whether it's good to go back out on the road and prove you can win on the road:
"We are looking forward to the challenge, it's similar to what happened after NC State and then we came back with a big win at Ole Miss. I am just looking forward to it, Missouri is a good team and it's going to be a challenge for us, but I think we are going to be up to the challenge and I think it's good."
On whether the OSU offense was pressuring you just enough?
"I don't think so. You can't complete them all. You are going to miss some throws. I would like to complete them all, but that's the nature of the game. Obviously that's not going to happen when you throw 67 times. I don't think that they were pressuring me into any bad throws."
On whether this loss puts a dent in the offenses' confidence:
"No, definitely not. We know what we can do. We put up 49 points and it was just two points too few. Basically what it comes down to is we just have to put up more points. We understand that, we're okay with that, and we comfortable. We take and accept that challenge, I am looking forward to it."
On still being in the mix in the South:
"There's only one team in the Big 12 that is undefeated and we play them. We still have control over where we go. It's going to be tough for now, winning that game would have made things a little easier, but now we can't lose a game. We have to approach every game and expect to win. Every team has one loss except Oklahoma and we play them, so we can't get discouraged by it. There are even a few teams which have two losses. We understand that we are still in pretty good position. The loss hurt, the loss definitely hurt inside more than it did really looking at the big picture as far as our schedule goes."
Head Coach Mike Leach
On Tech having the number one offense and the number 113 defense, how long can the offense carry the defense:
"I think we're improving on defense, and you battle that every time. I think every team is building or working on something. Every so often you look at teams that all the sudden get great at one position and they roll along for a while, but a few years down the road they are going to be rebuilding the same position, and that's just college football. You always rebuild and reload and you are going to be short somewhere and you just keep working it."
On what the message was to the defense after the OSU game:
"Really it was to focus on this week. You have to think about what happened on Saturday, but you have to be focused, put it in perspective and then prepare for the next opponent."
On what he is expecting from Missouri:
"The biggest challenge they present is Brad Smith. He's the ultimate multi-dimensional guy. What Smith does, is he can run and he can throw it. There are all these guys that people claim they can run and throw, and the truth of the matter is that most of them can't. Most of them are better at one then the other. They are good at throwing and then they can run some, or they are really good at running and they can sort of throw. This guy can really do both, he really can run and throw. That's what I think makes Missouri tough. Defensively, they have most of their same people back. They are kind of battling some of the same stuff we did, but they are all a year older and have been around a year longer. The looks will be about the same, and the players, in a lot of cases will be the same. Football has this whole emotional thing where you start and set an early tempo, play well, and get that collective rhythm where you don't squander downs or a series. I feel like we did squander too many chances against Oklahoma State, I was really proud how we bounced back late in the game, but we squandered too many chances. Sometimes you can squander chances and win, but I hope we don't squander any."
On Jarrett Hicks:
"Jarrett Hicks, part of it is he's tall, and part of it is he's got great body control. Jarrett's faster than the guy thinks he is. The place which he is the fastest of all, he's really quick at coming out of his cuts. That's the difference, there are other tall receivers out there and tall receivers aren't easy to find but you can find them. Rashaun Woods is this way, he's not as tall as Jarrett, but he's a tall guy and he has great body control. I think as a freshman he's rolling along pretty well. I think before long Jarrett Hicks will be, at the receiver position, a real presence in this conference."
