Oct. 22, 2012
CB Carrington Byndom
On the Kansas offense: We know they're more of a pro style offense, and that we're going to see a lot more running than we have in the past couple weekends. But we know that running is going to be their priority. But we're still prepared for anything that they might throw at us.
On Kansas’ run-first mentality: I think it'll be an exciting challenge for us. I think one that we'll take a lot of pride going into, that we have the ability to stop the run. And I think that that will be one of our goals again this weekend is to be able to handle the run. I think this is a good challenge for us.
On staying vigilant: You definitely have to make sure you don't fall into that. I think we have to take them just as serious as we have any other team. They're still a team in the Big 12, and any team in the Big 12 is able or is capable of beating you on any given Saturday. We will not take them lightly in any aspect.
On playing in cold weather: Not the funnest thing, but if I have to do it, I will. I definitely will give myself up and be bundled up this week, but I'll be ready to play.
On how to get the win: You just go in and you play your style of game. We know what game we're capable of playing, and we just need to play to that level and that standard. And I think we'll be okay when it's all said and done.
On if the weather will affect him: Not at all. You can't let it affect you. As cold as it can be, you still have to go out and play your game and handle your responsibilities. You can't let that affect you, and you have to go into each week no matter the situation or the weather condition and play the game that you're capable of playing.
On the defense being ranked low statistically: But you know, things do happen, and it's not about what's happening right now, it's about what's happening at the end of the season, and where we're at at the end of the season. Statistically we're not really worried about all the numbers and things like that. As long as we're winning I think that's the main goal for us, and the place that we're at at the end of the season.
On if he thought the defense would struggle after injuries to key players: No, I think the guys that were backing up, I think they were doing a good job this spring of stepping in and being able to come in and make plays and stuff like that during the spring. And so the dropoff, I don't think we ever saw coming or anything like that. But it is tough when you lose some of your starters for the season or for most of the games. For the guys that are stepping in, though, I think they're doing a good job of handling the situation they've been thrown into.
On how the defense is improving each week: You know, each week just going back and trying to improve on something that we didn't do the week before, and that's all you can do is go back and fix something that may have been wrong and may have been broken. Just going back to basics, again, like this week, we will go back to basics and try to make sure that we correct things that happen in the Baylor game so that they don't happen in this Kansas game, and so on and so on as the season goes on.
You've just got to continue to improve and everything will be okay.
On trying to become bowl eligible: We're just trying to get the sixth win first and become bowl eligible. So that's a starting point, and then after that we'll take it week by week, and hopefully we get the bowl that we're wanting.
On DB Josh Turner: I think he's definitely stepped up in the role that he's had. He's definitely taken advantage of the opportunities that he's had, and he played a tremendous game this past weekend, and that's what we expect and he expects of himself. We know what he's capable of, and he just has to go out and continue to play at a high level each week.
On if getting stops to get wins makes them more confident: I definitely think that happens. Like you said talking about Josh - Josh's interception came at a critical point. [S] Mykkele Thompson's fumble recovery came at a critical point in the game. When you look back at those, those are two crucial stops that got their offense off the field. If those would have turned into points, that's 14 points and we lose by eight. We're making the stops that we need, that are necessary. It may not be the prettiest of the games that we've played and things like that, but at the end of the day when we come out with a win, I definitely think we've accomplished our goal.
OG Mason Walters
On Kansas: They have the same practice hours that we carry, so I'm sure they have a lot of guys there that go out and compete hard every day. They're going to be a good challenge for us. I mean, Kansas plays well at home.
On Kansas’ six game losing streak: I don't know about that. There's going to be 11 guys on the field versus another 11 guys. Whoever prepares the best over the next week and works the hardest is going to win.
On not letting this be a “trap” game: This year more than most because the Big 12 is really competitive, and anybody can get beat every week. We're going to have to be on top of our game and get a win in Lawrence.
On playing in cold weather: I'll enjoy it. I don't think you can get too cold for my taste, but I hope I don't ask for more than I can bear in that regard. It's a long season. But I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully get some cool weather. That's what offensive linemen love.
On the difference playing in cold weather: It's kind of a mentality. Everything hurts a little bit more, your fingers are numb, you're down in the trenches. It's just another level of toughness you can play up to. And then the other thing, you don't get tired near as quickly. You're not losing sweat like you do in the heat. There's a couple good advantages.
On preparing differently for an 11 a.m. game: I don't think I did enough. Definitely going to start my schedule getting up earlier. That 6:00 a.m. pregame meal comes early, so just got to get your body used to getting up early and understanding that you kind of have to go through that process earlier in the week to get your body ready for an 11:00 game.
On the Kansas defense: They've got a couple good players I remember watching on film from last year that probably if they've gone and been in the weight room and been working like we have been in Austin, then I'm sure they're going to be a tougher challenge this year than they were last. I haven't gotten to watch any film yet, but we're going to jump on that after talking to you all and get ready for it.
On getting excited to play Kansas: I think the reason we're pumped for this game is because it's the next one. It could be win No. 6, make us bowl eligible. That's why we're putting a lot of emphasis on it.
On the importance of becoming bowl eligible: Very, very important. I spent a lot of time with my family two years ago over that Christmas break, and I didn't enjoy it and I don't think they enjoyed being around me. It's very important to get that bowl eligibility and keep the season going.
On if he is surprised by the offensive output of the Big 12: Not really. There's some really, really explosive powerful offenses out there, and if they get rolling it's really hard to stop. A lot of season left, so I'm sure defenses will be stepping their game up and figuring out different ways to stop these offenses. But I don't know, I just really hope to be one of those teams that's having more touchdowns than punts.
QB David Ash
On Kansas: They've got a new coaching staff that has a lot of they've been a lot of places and they've coached football for a long time and they know what they're doing. They've played hard this year in the games that I've seen. They've shown a lot more fight in the way they played. They're hard to play in Lawrence sometimes. It's another college football team that has good athletes and the ability to beat us, so we have to prepare to play football like we do every week.
On trying to become bowl eligible: It's a step we need to take, and that's possible this week, so it's something that needs to happen.
On preparing for Kansas defensive coordinator Dave Campo considering his past work: You know, probably a lot of it will be this year and probably what he's done in maybe the last couple places he was at. I think you start off with the most recent things, and you look at those first. If you get to it in your preparation, you look at those things, too.
On playing in cold weather: Well, I like playing in general. I haven't really played in the true cold before. I live in Texas, so I've never really played in a cold game, I don't think.
On Kansas playing hard with nothing to lose: We play a lot of teams who don't have anything to lose at times. So we've got to be ready for anything. We've got to be ready for them to take a lot of chances and do a lot of risky things. You know, yeah, they're dangerous.
On playing at 11 a.m. as against OU: That was our one 11 a.m. game, and we didn't play well. I don't know if 11 a.m. in the morning was the reason, but if it was, we're going to have to try to wake ourselves up and get ready to go.
On the reasons for the red zone success this season: Well, I think we've prepared better. I mean, it's something that we really concentrated on after last season when we were really terrible in the red zone. All through spring, all through the summer, we did a lot of red zone sevenonseven, and all through camp we've concentrated on red zone. So I think through that we've become a better red zone football team.
On success in third-and-long: Well, again, it's just being prepared for the situation. We emphasize third downs all week. It's “money” down, something we do a lot of during the week, and so we feel prepared when we go out and are ready to execute. Our percentages of executing are pretty good right now.
OG Trey Hopkins:
On carrying the winning momentum into the Kansas game: You just continue to get better. Personally it's always about just letting us know it's always about how we play, it's not about who we play. So we have to continue to get better and come in with the same attitude we had coming off a loss from OU. Just come in with the same worker's attitude knowing that we have to get better and have something to prove.
On becoming bowl eligible: I definitely don't want to be at home for that long ever again. But it's very important just because it's the next game, more importantly than [becoming eligible for a] bowl game. But definitely we need that sixth win, and we plan on getting it.
On the Kansas defense: I know that they're a defense that they're going to be put in the right spots. They have a great coaching staff. They have a great defensive coordinator, and they're always going to be put in the right spots. I know they're going to be very well structured and they're going to have a lot of film on us and they're going to be prepared to come in and play hard.
On not taking Kansas lightly: Just realizing where we come from. That's another part of just keeping that mindset we had coming off the losses. Just realizing that we have to continue to fight. That nothing is going to be given to us, and in the Big 12 any team can come out and win any game. It's been shown. We have such explosive offenses and such great teams that any team can come out and have a great night where somebody else can come out flat, and anybody can be beat.
On playing in cold weather: Yes, that's a fat man's paradise. I'll be pretty excited about that. Won't have to worry about too many sweats - just walking around like we do sometimes here in Texas.
On preparing for an 11 a.m. game: I think it's more than just the day before. I think it's just another big thing with getting into bed early throughout the week, because getting in the night before will be easy. Everybody will be in the hotel room. There won't be many distractions. Everybody will go to bed. But it's just getting the extra sleep throughout the week, like tonight, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, things like that. That will really help you on Saturday.
OT Luke Poehlmann:
On inspirational speeches being needed this week: There's no speech. I never think that everyone has really needed a speech. It was just more about we stay focused and we've got the next team and get ready for them. And we just need to keep going back to work.
On not overlooking Kansas: We take them very seriously. Take them very serious in a way that every opponent is important, and in this league anybody can beat anybody. So we've got to prepare for them just like any other team we would prepare for. I think we're going to do that, and we're going to watch film. And they've got good players and great athletes, and we're excited for this weekend.
On why linemen like playing in cold weather: Well, I guess linemen are kind of heavyset guys who are pretty it definitely will feel really good. I'm excited about that. I haven't really thought about that yet, but yeah, I am really excited about it being cold up there, just because it's kind of refreshing and won't sweat quite so much, I guess.
On his preparing to play multiple positions on the line: Our coaches have really done a great job at preparing us for any situation, especially [offensive line] Coach [Stacy] Searels. I feel like as a player he's prepared me in a lot of ways to play a lot of different positions. So whenever that position is called to go play that, I'm pretty confident in it, and it's been really fun.
On if he misses catching touchdown passes: Whatever we've got to do to win. That was nice, but whatever I've got to do now is fine.
On what is different about playing at 11 a.m.: I guess what's different is I guess we don't have all day to kind of sit in the hotel and stay off our feet and think about the game. It kind of comes quicker, which in a lot of ways I kind of enjoy that because you wake up and you don't have all day to think about the game. And you get to get up, and you're excited to go play. There's less waiting for it, which will be nice.
On preparing for Kansas: Like I said before, it's the next opponent, whether it's their homecoming or they've lost six straight or they've won six straight. It doesn't really matter. A team is a team, and they've got good athletes and they've got good players, and we're going to prepare for them.
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