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Baylor, Kansas Postgame Quotes

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Football 10/15/2016 12:00:00 AM
Oct. 15, 2016

Recap | Box Score | Notes | USATSI Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery

11/8 BAYLORà ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ € (6-0, 3-0) 49, NR/NR KANSAS (1-5, 0-3)à ¢Ã¢' ¬Ã‹ €  7
McLANE STADIUM - WACO, TEXAS
OCT. 15, 2016 - ATTENDANCE: 47,598

Baylor Head Coach Jim Grobe
Opening statement...
"Well, I tell you, I'm really proud of our football team. I thought from what Kansas did to TCU last week, I felt like we had a real challenge on our hands, and I think our guys accepted the challenge. I think we came out today and played really, really well. Started really fast on offense and defense. Went into a little bit of a lull offensively. We had three or four three-and-outs there after we got a lead. But our defense in the first half was just fantastic. I was so excited to see our defense zooming around and playing better. We needed to step up a little bit because we were disappointed in our performance at Iowa State, so I was really excited about the defense, especially the turnovers that we forced. I thought that was really, really good. And you know, it's a good feeling right now to have the first six under our belt. But we know that the lion's share of our schedule lies in front of us, and the toughest part is the second half. So our guys realize that we're happy to be 6-0 right now, but we know positively that we're going to have to play great down the stretch."

On if he saw that performance coming from the defense...
"I sensed last week that we will have some lighter practices. We worked hard, but we really wanted to get our guys to get fresh, get their legs back under them. This past week on Tuesday and Wednesday we had two of our better days of practice. I always worry about an open date. When you give kids time off, a lot of times we give them that weekend off and they come back and they're kind of sluggish and they don't want to get back into the rhythm of practice. But I really thought Tuesday and Wednesday were good practice days for us, especially defensively. I thought maybe a couple of the best practice days we've had all year. I think two things happened. I think the coaches did a nice job, but I think the players got the message at Iowa State that everybody's got a lot of talent and you have to be ready to go every week."

On what he sees in this team in the first six games that makes him believe the team can keep this up in the second half of the season...
"Well, I think the thing that I've noticed about this football team is we really enjoy playing football, and our guys play with a lot of energy. Talent-wise everybody we play is going to have good talent down the stretch, but I think we've learned a lot of lessons. I think we've learned a lot of lessons about forcing turnovers defensively, taking care of the football on offense, and we're still learning lessons, unfortunately, the hard way sometimes in the kicking game. But I do think this is a football team, if I look at the maturity of our football team from the start of the season to where we are right now, I think we're just playing it a little bit smarter football. The thing I liked the best about this team is they just like playing together. We've got a really good energy right now. We know all the teams left on our schedule are going to be very talented and really, really present major challenges to us. But I think our guys are going to play really, really hard, and that's what makes me feel best about this football team. This football team plays about as hard as anything I've ever been a part of."

On the team's young defensive linemen playing well today and if they're up for the challenge of facing the league's top running backs down the stretch...
"Yeah, I think so. I don't know that we're up to the challenge, but I think our guys are ready for the challenge. I think we're improving every week up front. I wish we hadn't lost Bravvion (Roy) at Iowa State. I thought he was a young guy that was going to play a lot of football for us, and hopefully we'll have him back this week. But we got another freshman in this week. Micheal Johnson got to play some, and I really liked two or three of the young guys I thought Xavier (Jones) played good coming off the edge. Tyrone Hunt did some good things down inside when we put him in for Ira (Lewis) today. The key for us, I think, more than anything, up front, we do have some young guys. We have guys like K.J. Smith that are old guys that are really playing solid. But I think one of the keys for us is we've got more than one deep. We're not experienced more than one deep, but we've got a lot of depth as far as getting guys in the game and keeping people fresh. So if the young guys keep playing good, then I think that is going to be good for us down the road."

On Shock Linwood taking over as Baylor's career leader in rushing touchdowns...
"I think the thing we found, and I have to give Kansas some credit, I thought they did a nice job in stopping the run. We had such a great game against Iowa State so you would expect that the Jayhawks would come in and David (Beaty) and his staff would do a good job working against the run. I thought Shock had some really good runs today, some tough runs. It wasn't easy. A lot of them were uphill. But I thought today he played probably as hard as anybody. Every yard he got today was well-earned. It's just nice to see him really start coming into his own. He's practicing really hard right now. He's one of our guys that the past couple of weeks, two or three weeks since the Oklahoma State game looks like he's having more fun than anybody out there practicing right now. And I think it shows on Saturday. It shows how much he's enjoying taking the field and playing football right now. He's enjoying that last year."

On the kicking game today and if that's a concern or possible open competition now...
"Well, we really hurt Drew (Galitz) today. I feel bad for him. He punts for us, kicks off for us, and he's our long distance field goal kicker and we actually told him to kick a field goal with two seconds on the clock. And he went out there and didn't make it. But that's what we want at every position we've got. We want competition at every position. And for the kicking spot, Chris Callahan knows he's got to make field goals. Those are makeable field goals. There is a lot of involved, snap, hold, it's not easy. Anybody that's ever played golf and try to make a two or three foot putt when it really counts knows how hard it is to kick field goals. So I tell our team all the time, hardest job on our team is kicking field goals. So our guys understand that. But going forward, Drew does a lot for us. Honestly, we worry about him kicking off and punting and kicking field goals. We'd like for Chris or Connor (Martin) to end up being the field goal guy. But going forward, we need guys to make it. So I don't think we were fair to Drew when we threw him out there as late as we did today. But going forward, we have to take a look at that."

On how big Ryan Reid's pick-six was and if it was scheme or a veteran reaction...
"Well, I think the defensive coaches would say it was the scheme. But I think one thing we did as a coaching staff this week that I was really impressed with and that Phil (Bennett) and the guys did, I think they really had the guys tuned into what they like to do out of certain sets. Ryan would probably be better to ask that question too. But I think it's probably a little bit of both. I think because of the coverages we had in this week and the set recognition probably gave him a little extra jump on the ball, but it was a huge play for us. Of course anytime you score defensively, it's huge. And I thought Ryan just made a great play."

On how much he is having fun in his time at Baylor, remaining undefeated and becoming bowl eligible...
"What's really fun for me as a coach right now is I've gotten to know our players. When I was first here I didn't know many of the guys, and that was hard. About the time I started learning the faces, we put numbers on these guys. And I had to start learning numbers. I'm just to the point now about halfway through the season where I've really got a kind of feel for our guys and what their abilities are and what their energy level is. It's just been a total blessing for me to have the opportunity to work with these guys. I keep talking about these guys over and over and over. But you asked a question, I don't know if I've had any teams -- we've had some great energy teams at Air Force and Wake Forest and some of the places I've been. But I don't know that I've had a team that's had anymore energy than these guys and guys that care more. We've just got a good group of guys. So for me, it's been fun to win the first six games, but more important than that, it's been fun to watch our kids win the first six games."

Baylor CB Ryan Reid
On his two interceptions (one pick-six) and trending on Twitter...
"Well, the first thing, we game planned for the outs and just certain routes that they run. It changed our whole game plan. The second thing is, man, I just put it in God's hand. I had faith all season. This is something I prayed about, just to live up to the expectations that I know I can, and it just turned out great."

On performing better as a defense after the Iowa State game and bye week...
"I mean, we were just trying to make a statement. A lot of people thought that the Iowa State film is who we are, which it's not. So we had to make a statement with our next game. And I told you Kansas was in the way, and I told you we were going to up can out fired up. We didn't want to play like that ever again in the season. Like I said, we just have to make a statement and show everybody."

On starting a little slower on defense last two games before today's stellar performance...
"Well, first it starts in practice. In practice we start off during -- our two practices in the bye week we started off pretty fast. And this week for preparation, up against the offense, we made sure we started off fast, and it bled over to the game."

On what it means to be 6-0 and highest ranked Big 12 team at the halfway point of the season...
"To us it just shows everybody on the team that we're dangerous. We have a bye week again. We get to rest again, so everybody else should be should be worried about Baylor again. So we're ready."

On the last two weeks being some of the best practices the team has ever had...
"Yeah, I mean, that's what playing on Saturday all comes from -- practice and film. Just learning what you did wrong, trying to correct stuff. Just going out there and polishing it up. It really starts on Friday during the walk-through. You've got to polish up during the walk through and that's where it all started."

Baylor C Kyle Fuller
On what it means to be 6-0 and highest ranked Big 12 team at the halfway point of the season...
"That was our second goal as an offensive line for sure. We have it written on our wall. Make sure that we get bowl eligible first. It's a really big deal because this is my -- I think every year I've been here we've been bowl eligible after the first six or seven games, so it's a really big deal to us. We're just going to take it game by game."

On Kansas being ranked in top of nation in sacks and TFLs but the Baylor offensive line handling KU's pressure well today...
"The big thing was we watched a lot of film this week on a lot of their defensive tendencies, and that's what we do every week. But this week more so than most. We know that they have a really good defensive front. So, you know, that was a challenge for us going into the game and they remember that really well."

On how much the team was itching to get back and play the game today after a close Iowa State win and bye week...
"I mean, we just take it game by game. We had a bye week. We have one this week, so we're going to use those bye weeks to the best of our advantage. That was really the emphasis going into the bye week -- was make sure that we don't take these boys lightly. And that's how it's going to be after this bye week."

Baylor DT Ira Lewis
On the defense's bounce-back performance...
"It's all the whole defensive staff. Coach (Carlton) Buckels, all of them, all the guys were motivated out there ready to go because we knew we had a to make a statement game today. Because that last week at Iowa State wasn't us and that's not how we play. This week that's not what we wanted to show everybody. That's not us. So we wanted to go out there and play who we are."

On what it's going to take to finish strong in a loaded back half of the Big 12 schedule for Baylor...
"We've got to keep coming out with high energy and motivation. We've got to come out and get three and outs, we've got to keep it going, keep it rolling."

On having a fumble and sack for one of his more disruptive games and if he feels there is more responsibility on his shoulders...
"It's not necessarily on just my shoulders. The D-line, the coaches prepare us, the knowledge of the game, and then coming in knowing what we're going to do, that sets how the defense schemes. So we come in and just run it like they tell us to do, so that's how we play it."


Kansas Head Coach David Beaty
Opening statement...
"Congratulations to Coach (Jim) Grobe and his team. I think he's done a really nice job of managing that team over there. I have a bunch of guys that I recruited over there on that side of the ball that I know pretty well. I talked to a few of them after the game, and man, they think the world of him and they offer that up without me even asking. So he's done a really nice job over there, and I take my hat off to him. I thought he had his team well prepared off a bye week. Some types you don't know how you're going to play after a bye week. Sometimes you play good and sometimes you don't play well, and I thought they were ready to go. I thought Seth (Russell) did a nice job managing his team today. He made a couple of really nice runs to get in the end zone. One of them was a really nice run, a good competitor. We've got to do a better job getting those guys down. I thought our defense overall really played a nice workman game when it came to early in the game. They gave us a chance to stay in that game. We had five turnovers offensively, and I think they got 21 points off those turnovers, which is crazy, because we put them in serious situations and our defense just kept playing. I think there were three missed field goals in there. They continued to play hard. I really, really like what Coach (Clint) Bowen and his staff has done with those kids and those kids, there was never a quit in them. All the way to the last snap. They had two stops there on those last drives. One of which was off another turnover that went down there in scoring position. And they got a stop and got off the field, which was good. That was good to see late. Those kids continued to play. Offensively we've got to get better in a lot of ways. We've made some strides last week, and then today we took several steps back. That's my responsibility. I'm the one that has to manage that and make sure that we're productive on that side of the ball, and it didn't happen today. Those kids, they're going to continue to listen and continue to learn, but we've got to continue to provide them with great leadership and that's my responsibility. So we're going to keep working. We've got a good Oklahoma State team coming in this week, and we've got a big challenge ahead of us. I know you've got questions, so let's take them."

On what happened with C Joe Gibson's snap fumble that gave Baylor the ball at KU's goal line...
"What Joe said -- it was inexcusable first of all. Let me just say that -- but what Joe said was that the nose tackle called out the snap count. Now he didn't call it out the whole day, but he called the snap count out on that particular play. And, hey, sometimes they get it, sometimes they don't. It got Joe on that play. Joe's one of our smarter guys, so it doesn't happen to that guy very often. I mean, that's why it was like, man, something crazy must have happened, because I thought maybe Ryan (Willis) had said something, maybe checked it back there, and we didn't check at all. He heard the back caller snap count, and they snapped it. But, hey, you've got to know the quarterback's voice and where that sound's coming from. So nobody felt worse than Joe, but, hey, it happened, and we had to move on. We still had time in the game to go and compete."

On leading the nation in turnovers as an offense and his reaction to that at the midway point of the season...
"That's very disappointing. I think it would be for just about anybody in the country. I know we had at least eight turnovers in the last two games alone. With it being one of those three pillars of what we really said we had to do to get better. It's very disappointing. We are working diligently to try to prevent those things. Very disappointing. But when you do, when you turn a ball over that much, you usually lose and you usually lose big. We got lucky last week. I mean, we got really, really lucky that it didn't effect us as bad as it did this week. This week it effects you. You're playing a good football team in the Big 12, and that's Baylor. I looked on their side of the wall and it said Big 12 Champions the last two years. Those dudes are stinking good. So you can't give them anything. Does that make sense?"

On if Ryan Willis was settling on a receiver or reading the defense that led to interceptions...
"You're actually very observant. That's right. That's exactly right. One of the things young quarterbacks go through, and really all quarterbacks, in college football you have to read and reading doesn't mean picking. If it was picking, a lot of us could play quarterback. You don't get to pick a route. You don't get to do that. You have to read because any defense that's worth their salt in this country in Division I football are not going to show you what they're doing on the pre-snap. They're going to move and disguise and do all the things they can to try to confuse you as quarterback. So it's imperative you don't lock in on guys. The majority of the mistakes we've made from the quarterback standpoint to this standpoint has been the inability to read, and locking on and thinking, hey, I've got this. When you do that, you usually pay a price. So there's really no steps you can skip at that quarterback position. But, hey, at the end of the day, I'm coaching those guys and that's my fault. I've got to get better at that. There is nobody else to blame but me. And listen, I would be upset at me too. I'm upset at me because I haven't gotten it fixed and we've got to get better at it."

Kansas QB Ryan Willis
On the fumbled snap that gave Baylor the ball at the KU goal line...
"Guys were kind of barking in his ear when I was I was still giving the play call to the receivers and running backs. He just thought I said something, and he snapped it, and those things happen. It's a mistake and we've got to limit those."

On Baylor being one of the best pass defenses in the nation and if he can see why now after playing them...
"Yeah, yeah, I mean, hat's off to them. They played a great game. They were very well-coached by Coach (Phil) Bennett. Again, we need to be better as an offense."

On reading Baylor's defense and handling the pressure...
"They brought the heat at times. It may be better with pressure. I mean, we started off pretty well. We're should have been a lot better as an offense. I take blame for that. We can be a lot better. They showed different things and rolled into other things. They're a well-coached team, and hat's off to them, they deserved to win today."

-BU-
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Players Mentioned

Micheal Johnson

#92 Micheal Johnson

DT
6' 1"
Freshman
Ryan Reid

#9 Ryan Reid

CB
5' 11"
Senior
Tyrone Hunt

#90 Tyrone Hunt

DE
6' 4"
Freshman
Ira Lewis

#97 Ira Lewis

DL
6' 3"
Freshman
Chris Callahan

#40 Chris Callahan

PK
5' 10"
Freshman
Kyle Fuller

#55 Kyle Fuller

OL
6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
Shock Linwood

#32 Shock Linwood

RB
5' 8"
Redshirt Freshman
Ryan Reid

#19 Ryan Reid

CB
5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
K.J. Smith

#56 K.J. Smith

DE
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Micheal Johnson

#92 Micheal Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
DT
Ryan Reid

#9 Ryan Reid

5' 11"
Senior
CB
Tyrone Hunt

#90 Tyrone Hunt

6' 4"
Freshman
DE
Ira Lewis

#97 Ira Lewis

6' 3"
Freshman
DL
Chris Callahan

#40 Chris Callahan

5' 10"
Freshman
PK
Kyle Fuller

#55 Kyle Fuller

6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
OL
Shock Linwood

#32 Shock Linwood

5' 8"
Redshirt Freshman
RB
Ryan Reid

#19 Ryan Reid

5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
CB
K.J. Smith

#56 K.J. Smith

6' 2"
Freshman
DE