Texas Tech University Athletics
Monday Press Conference Quotes
October 06, 2003 | Football
Oct. 6, 2003
Head Coach Mike Leach
The approach going into Iowa State:
"The one thing about Iowa State I have always been impressed with is how hard they play. They play hard for 60 minutes and a lot of teams don't play hard for 60 minutes, but Iowa State does. I have a tremendous amount of respect for their players and coaches and we have to play well and that's the biggest key every single week, is playing well. Don't squander portions of your 60 minutes to get on track and if you do a good job of that, you will probably win some games. That's the biggest thing, don't squander any of your time. That is key against Iowa State and just to get a week better and to pay well."
On what he expects from Iowa State this weekend:
"I think they will give us a variety of looks. They have done a pretty good job of disguising their front and their coverage and they play games with their second level people. The biggest thing is recognition. They're going to try to cover things up and we have to recognize it and just be focused with regard to that and not let them slip something in. I think that's the biggest thing, to play really sharp, polish against that defense, see and recognize it, and do that simultaneously. The last game we started both halves playing well on all three sides of the ball and we would like to do that again and for a longer period of time."
On whether he thinks the special teams are getting back on the upward track:
"I think we are improving, we had big plays on several units. The kickoff team was probably the most notable, the kickoff return team had some big returns. Of course, the punt team with Cody Fuller who got that fumble, and then the punt return team had some pretty good returns, but most importantly they stopped the fake punt. I think we had contributions all the way around."
On what he makes of B.J.'s numbers:
"I think they are impressive, and I think it's impressive for anyone to put up those numbers. Some of those numbers are tough to put up on air and he's throwing it with some great some resistance by some great football teams and I just think it's impressive."
On the Texas Tech receiving corps:
"They have done a good job collectively, as a unit they have played well collectively together. For the most part, in a lot of cases they became starters the same time as freshmen. I think they are really good and I think BJ does a good job spreading the ball around, which is key to us and what we try to do offensively."
Carlos Francis
On if the team put together a full game on Saturday night against A&M:
"I don't think we have played our best game. Saturday was a good game, we had a good offensive game, our defense played well and our special teams played really well, but Coach Leach wants us to rise on all three sides of the ball throughout the game. We rose at key times on Saturday which was crucial to the game, but we need to get that constant rise where all three sides are clicking. I think we played a very good game on offense, but I don't think we have played a total game yet. I think its coming and we want to take it one game at a time and get better every day."
On the evolution of the team from Coach Leach's start to Kliff Kingsbury to B.J.:
"I think when Coach Leach came here, all the receivers were excited about all the balls that were going to be thrown and I know Kliff was too. We had to figure out the offense and what Coach Leach was talking about and it was taking us a while to get it. I went from running 10 routes a day to 300 routes a day and you have to make that adjustment. The first couple of years, I think Kliff did a great job distributing the ball and doing the things to make this team successful and to build up the team. B.J. sat back on the sidelines and saw the good things that Kliff had done and saw some of the things he could have done better and I think he's taking advantage of that now. I think we have the experience now between me, Wes, Mickey and Nehemiah and we understand what we're doing, how to play football and why we do certain things and now we fully understand this offense and try to take it to the next level."
On the receiving corps:
"There are only two things you can do on defense - play zone or play man. If you play zone, you leave some holes open in the defense. B.J. can sit back there and pick you apart and use our receivers like Wes and Mickey. Then you have to play man and that's hard for defenses to do just because you have to go man on every one of our receivers and they are so good. You can't double up on anyone on our offense because that leaves someone else open. I think our receiving core understands the offense. I think that's the biggest thing right now, we understand the offense and we are just clicking right now. In my opinion, I think we are one of the best receiving cores in the country. I speak highly of my receivers not only just because we catch the ball, it's our blocking as well. We really take pride in how we block down field."
On if B.J. is in the zone right now:
"Yes. I still don't think you have seen B.J.'s best game yet. I think for B.J. to be so successful, you have to give a lot of credit to the offensive line, they do a great job blocking. He would never get the ball off if no one did any blocking. I think our offensive line is one of the best in the nation, and I don't think the offensive line gets the credit they deserve, because they are doing such a great job picking up blitzes and picking up blocks that B.J. can sit back in the pocket and pick people apart."
B.J. Symons
On looking to Iowa State:
"Coming off of a big win at Ole Miss, that was a big win for us on the road, and A&M was coming off of two losses and we are in the same position we were last week, we couldn't let down and its even more so this week. We are just going to have to get fully prepared, stay focused on our goals and what we need to do offensively and have a great week of practice. That's what we tried to do last week and that's what we are going to try to do this week and prepare for Iowa State."
On what the team's goals are:
"We have four goals. Win one game a week, get better every day, compete with yourself, and play the next play. That's really the four goals we have written down and I think you try to do all those combined. We want to win one game a week and focus on winning one game a week and not winning every game. Obviously that's our goal, winning every game, but you go about that by winning one game a week and competing with yourself to get better every day and that's what we're going to try to do. I think that's the path for the goal of the conference championship."
On the receivers and their role:
"Their biggest role is they are the playmakers on the team. I am confident that whoever I throw the ball to, they will catch it and they are probably going to make something happen when they do. They bring a lot of speed, quickness, hands and I feel like it's a very versatile group, the whole package with all of them. They all have speed and can catch the ball in traffic, and they all can turn up field and make plays. I think easily, as a unit, there is not a better group of receivers than this one in the country.
On whether the difference Saturday was not turning the ball over:
"That was big for us - no turnovers and we only punted twice. That is a pretty successful rate. If we can continue to do that and not turn the ball over and the defense continues to get better each week, we would put ourselves in position to win every game if we can score the way we scored without turning the ball over."
On how much it has helped knowing this year is his one shot:
"I have this one opportunity and I am trying to make the most of it. A guy who has three years can might look and say that there is always next year. That is not the case with me. Its my first year to start, and I want to make the most of the opportunity of I have with it, being the only year that I have, so it has definitely had an impact on the season and the way I have been playing and the way we have been playing as a team. We have great senior leadership, it's not just me it's all the seniors on this team. We are willing everyone to give it their all and leave nothing on the table and to have no regrets on the season. I don't want to look back and have any regrets on anything and I want to leave it all out on the field."
