Quote Board: Kingsbury Discusses Offense and Being Patient

It’s that time of the week, where we review the weekly press conference of Kliff Kingsbury (you can also check out Kolin Hill and Dylan Cantrell at the link, but I don’t have time for that). Let’s go.

Last night I was on 88.1 for 2 or 3 minutes (not a very long spot, but whatever) and one of the questions they asked and questions that you have asked is if we’ll see any change at the quarterback position. My opinion is that Kingsbury is very slow to make a change so just don’t even expect that sort of thing to happen unless the offense falls apart again on Saturday against Oklahoma. Even then, Kingsbury will probably stick by Nic Shimonek. In any event, here’s your answer.

Q. Is there any plan going forward to let Nick kind of make similar decisions at the line of scrimmage or just rolling with what you all have been doing where he kind of looks over to you and you kind of give him the play?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we do both right now. So we’ll continue to mix it up. He has a lot on him every Saturday. So we’ll get him play sometimes, and sometimes he’ll get us into the right play.

Q. With the quarterback struggles, obviously people have asked if you’re going to change quarterbacks. What is your response?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don’t think he’s struggled from my point of view. I think as an offense we struggled to have continuous drives and take care of the football. The interception and the screen, we missed a block. But he was efficient in the passing game. We moved the ball well at times. So I didn’t see it as a struggle for him.

I just think offensively they had a good game plan, and they were playing good defense, and we didn’t execute the way we needed to.

An interesting exchange about if RB Tre King started out as a scholarship player and apparently earned one in camp.

Q. Trey a scholarship player?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is.

Q. Was he a scholarship player from the beginning?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, he was not.

Q. When did you all decide to get him on?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I don’t remember the exact date, but it was into camp at some point.

Kingsbury discuses how close the games have been and how important each one is.

Q. Coaches are kind of saying each game means the same amount. But the next stretch of three or four games, how important is it for the team’s morale and how you’ve done this season?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we need to play better. I felt like Oklahoma State, West Virginia had a chance to win those games last week. Even in the fourth quarter we’re driving for the interception. Had a chance to win the game. But can’t turn the ball over three times. We got stopped on fourth twice, which we consider a turnover. Just have to have more intensity and have better execution. I think this team has it in them. When we’re playing well, at times we’re playing really well, but we have to be more consistent.

Also asked is how teams will play Texas Tech moving forward and the offense is simply going to have to be more efficient.

Q. (Indiscernible) everybody’s going to run out against you. Is it just because do you think because they’re not afraid of Nick running at all?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, no. It’s something that’s been on the rise, and like I said, they’re playing it against everybody. It’s a challenge, and it’s a new fad in our league and people are executing it well. So offensively we just have to do a good job of adapting to it. Like I said, you’re not going to have as many quick strike, big-play-type touchdown drives. You’ve got to be efficient and you’ve got to maintain 12-play drives and not turn the ball over.

And Kingsbury is looking for ways to make that happen on Saturday.

Q. You have a reputation as an offensive coach. How much do you view it as a challenge?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, no question. I think we all are. You can look at the score down in Austin on Saturday, and see that the scores are coming down in this league. So we’re all looking for answers. It definitely is a challenge to find ways to kind of offset what they’re doing and be able to run the football and still move it efficiently.

There were some more quotes about Lincoln Riley and Ruffin McNeal that weren’t all that interesting, so I didn’t include them here.

Back To Top