Football Meet The Press: Kansas State
10/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 18, 2010
Head Coach Art Briles
Opening Statement €¦
"That's great to hear about (Byron Landor being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.) He really had an outstanding game. He's been an outstanding leader for us all year on the field and off the field in every capacity that you need from somebody that's a physical, tough-minded, defensive player. I'm proud for him."
On playing for the opportunity to become bowl-eligible €¦
"I think it's what everybody shoots for. I don't think we're any different from the other 119 FBS teams. It's foremost in everybody's mind in starting the season and as the season progresses. What we've done is put ourselves in position to make it a reality and that's a lot different than hope. We've operated on hope for a while and now we've got an opportunity to operate on reality."
On maintaining the team's focus throughout the week €¦
"Our guys have been pretty steady. I think that was pretty evident last Saturday on how we just stayed to the course and kept battling, believing, grinding and just stayed in the moment. That's what we've got to do and that's what our leaders will help us do on the football team and what we'll have to project as a staff. What you can't do and what we have concentrated on all year is not looking at the big picture. The big picture will take care of itself in November and December. The small picture right now is to be the best football team on Saturday."
On the importance of the forced fumble by Senior S Byron Landor €¦
"It's critical because it's really a 14-point swing. I'm not sure what the score was at the time, but I think they would have gone up by nine. (It would have been) a two-score game at home for them. That would have really ignited the crowd. The crowd was pretty hot anyway, but that really would have gotten them going. Then to turn around and take it 80 (yards) for a score was critical to the football game. I was kind of thinking in my mind that it had equaled out. We missed some scoring opportunities prior to that. It equaled things out. It was a hustle play by Antonio Johnson as well to recover the ball."
On the performance of the interior defensive line €¦
"Those guys were really good. Phil (Taylor) and (Nicolas) Jean-Baptiste both had career nights. Nic really played well up there. Of course Phil has played well all year. We knew they would be involved. They had to be a force up there and they were. It was really not unexpected for them to step up and make plays because we knew they would have a lot of opportunities."
On the performance of Sophomore QB Robert Griffin III €¦
"I definitely think he has grown each week. He's getting a lot of experience in a lot of big-time football games. That's something that's really helped him progress and I think with some of the other weapons we have, on the offensive side of the ball, really allowed him to have some pressure taken off of him."
On the importance of having more than one guy carrying the ball €¦
"I think it is a necessity. It is really hard for a guy to take the entire load all year long playing in any level of football, but it is particularly hard at this level. You have to have other guys and really everyone has two or three guys that are very capable and we are no different."
On the amount of guys that have caught pass this year €¦
"I think that goes with what we are trying to accomplish offensively. It helps Robert (Griffin III) be better when other people can carry some of the load."
On Byron Landor €¦
"I found him through recruiting from Blinn Community College. There was a definite needs for us. When you go JC, you look for needs because you do not want to bring a guy in unless you feel like he can contribute now. Most of those guys are ready to go when they step on campus and Byron certainly has done a great job for us."
On Baylor's rushing performance against Kansas State €¦
"It is important for us to rush it and it is important for us to stop the rush. I think that is two critical parts of the game on Saturday for both sides. We need to be effective running the football and we need to be effective stopping the run."
On Jay Finley's performance at Colorado €¦
"You hope you are never at your best. He will do better. He will produce better and he will keep growing just like the rest of us are. As a football team, as a staff and as a program, we grew (last Saturday at Colorado). If somebody were to say "Is that your best win as a team?" I would have to say no because your best one is always waiting out there."
On Kansas State's trademark €¦
"We have not studied them the last couple of years because we have not been playing them. This is just (Bill Snyder's) second year back because (Ron) Prince was there before. I would say that his teams are very disciplined, very efficient on both sides of the ball. There are no wasted plays on either side of the ball. They are very disciplined, very structured and very intent on what their purpose is; just like he is as a man. He is pretty determined and pretty structured in his life and it carries over to his team."
On Baylor Nation and waiting to be in this position (on cusp of bowl eligibility) €¦
"I am sorry (Baylor Nation) had to wait this long. We are excited about being home on Saturday. There is a certain comfort level at home now; conversely, when you are not at home, you have to be a very tough-minded football team. When you are at home, you have to really make full use of the resources that are provided there. And that is a home crowd, a comfort zone of knowing the field, knowing the playing surface and knowing the playing environment. We need to take full advantage of that this Saturday to help us to fulfill our goal."
On Tracy Robertson's first game back from injury...
"Tracy is a really good football player. He provides a lot of advantages for us from a defensive standpoint in that he can play inside or outside. He did a little bit of that (at Colorado). I think he is just now getting his legs back under him. He was good (last Saturday), but I think you will see him even better this week. It is hard to sit for four weeks and be at your top level first time out."
Sophomore CB Chance Casey
On possibly being eligible for a bowl game €¦
"We just want to go out and beat Kansas State on Saturday. That is our only focus right now. We're not going to worry about anything else besides getting a win."
On being a cornerback in the Big 12 after playing running back in high school €¦
"It is a lot different. There are a lot of things I have learned at the position and a lot of things I still have to learn. And there are a lot of different techniques and so forth that I am trying to get down and master. It is a little difficult, but I like the challenge."
Junior LB Elliot Coffey
On the chance of being bowl eligible €¦
"This is my fourth season and my third playing. Every year we've had the expectation to go to a bowl and that has been shattered the last three seasons so to be 5-2 going into Homecoming and having the chance to get that bowl bid is huge. That is what we're looking to do right now."
On this year's defense opposed to last year's €¦
"There were great guys on the defense that we lost and they taught me a lot of what I know now, but I think coming into this year we knew that we were faster and stronger. We knew we were smart guys who were ready to win."
On Saturday's win against Colorado €¦
"We went to another Big 12 team's stadium and we beat them there which is huge for us because it was a close game. You have to win close games and winning close games for us on the road has not happened much in the past so it is huge for us to get that win."
Senior RB Jay Finley
On the importance of this week's game €¦
"This is a big week with Homecoming. We have a lot of people coming back home. It's big for us because we have a chance to be bowl eligible this week and we need all of our fans out here to come support us and that would be a big help."
On being so close to becoming bowl eligible €¦
"It feels good, but it will feel better once we get there. I want to see how it feels to be a part of this."
On the importance of the home field advantage this weekend against Kansas State €¦
"It is so important. When the fans get loud, the opponents get rattled and they get a little scared. We need all our fans to come out and be present this week. I want them to bring everything because we want to make as much noise as we can!"
Sophomore WR Lanear Sampson
On quarterback Robert Griffin III €¦
"He is slowly getting his groove back from last year. He is getting better every week. Everything from passing the ball to running the ball; he is improving every week and getting more explosive."
On the possibility of being bowl eligible €¦
"I'm very excited. It was a good win against Colorado last Saturday and I was very proud of that. This week is going to be a big week for us, too. This is the first time we might be bowl eligible in a long time. This game means so much to us and we just need to stay focused, get out there Saturday and get a win against Kansas State."
