Coach Sark - Post CSU Conference #texaslonghorns #stevesarkisian #secfootball #collegefootball #sec

all right we'll have Coach start it off and we go to some questions okay uh first thing I'd like to do is thank our our our fans our students our crowd uh the students were there early um they they you know awesome energy great atmosphere uh what you what you hope for you know your opening game coming off of seas mad last year to kick off the season I just thought the atmosphere was awesome they were super engaged U that's always tough when you got a 230 kick in August 31st to hang in there the way they did I thought that was great um I thought in the first half of the game um we accomplished probably a lot of the things I was hoping we would I think we played 51 different players in the first half uh so from that aspect the fact that we were able to play a lot of players early in the game and get involved in the game was huge um I thought we did a nice job of playing complimentary football as a team you know when we're able to get you know stop the fake punt we're able to to get a field goal out of that Jade's interception we're able to get a touchdown off of that we get the big punt return by Silas we get a touch down off of that and although we didn't quite find our Rhythm the way we would have loved in the first quarter I thought the second quarter we started to find that Rhythm um and then to come out of halftime and to continue to play that way throughout the third quarter uh in both sides of the ball was big from a from a defensive standpoint um you know proud of our secondary uh you know to really minimize the explosive plays you know those guys have been hearing about themselves all offseason uh and so of them to come out and and kind of shut down that passing game the way that they did um was good you know I thought in the Run game we had a couple really good stops and then a few things got a little bit leaky uh so we got to clean some things up there um but in the end for me as a coach the one thing that made me probably most proud you know you get the first shut out in school history to to start in a season opener since 2004 and what did it take for that to happen a guy diving on a muff punt on our own 5 yd line to secure that and then uh an interception by a true freshman in the back of the end zone so that our guys were all of them were playing and playing for the entire ball game um as we say all the time everybody's got to roll on our team to contribute to the success of the team uh and that definitely shine through today so proud of the guys we definitely in all three phases have things to to work on to get better at as a team as we continue to to forge forward and um and we're going to need to obviously we got a we got a heck of a challenge next Saturday if you have a question we'll get a mic to you stting the far right chip Steve uh my question is about the defensive helmet communication no I'm just kidding uh um can you can you uh that was actually really funny CH can you can you talk about the uh the team success in the Red Zone 7 for seven all touchdowns a variety of ways of doing it and and Jerick Gibson you know running strong there at the end yeah um you know a couple things for us I I'm of the adage as a coach you know and you guys have heard me say this before on on different topics generally as a coach you kind of get what you emphasize and if if you if you emphasize it and then you actually have a plan of trying to improve upon something and then the players understand the why of the plan and then and then you do the work and then they start to have a little bit of success and they they that the Hope starts to transition to belief and a knowing that that we're going to play really well in in whatever that situ ation the red area clearly was something from a year ago that we had to improve upon as a team um and that's a group effort that's offensive line that's the quarterback that's the running backs that's the receivers that's the tight ends you know so many times last year when we analyzed the red area was was kind of self-inflicted wounds um starts on first down that would you know now we're in first and long which ends up in a third long in the red area is never never fun um you know inability to to run through the the last tackler you know to score a touchdown inability maybe to win a one-on-one matchup on a route that clearly today our guys won on those one-on-one matchups and then the quarterback making really good decisions so um you know again credit to the staff it was a good plan um but also probably bigger credit to the players for executing it and and making it feel not frantic like that man we we better get good in the red area and then guys start playing with their you know white knuckled I think they were confident they were loose and and they executed on your left coach Thomas uh coach ultimately what was the biggest decision or the biggest factor in moving today out to Corner starting Gilbo and then you kind of touch on the past defense what was the biggest factor in keeping Horton under control well you know J is a really versatile player for us and there's going to be different games where he kind of plays different spots you know he was really prepared to play three positions today he could have played Corner star or safety and that's the that's the the veteran player in him the Savvy player in him that allows us to do that Jaylen gilo's had since Spring ball till now has had a great spring a great training camp we're very confident with him at that position and so you know our goal was how do we find our our best five to get on the field and the fact that J A gives us a little bit of a different physical Presence at The Corner Spot that allows us to free up Manny Muhammad and to do some different things there and then I also think the versatility of our safety room um you know we're really we're really athletic back there you know addition of makuba the the transition of gelan McDonald the the growth of Derek Williams and then just the veteran savviness of a Michael ta so I think all of that played into containing Horton um you know they move him around a fair amount and so you have you have to find him um and then you got to make sure that you got your brackets and different things on him to to try to minimize the throw opportunities to him at least the easy throws don't care Steve I don't have the final numbers but looks like uh you had seven or eight guys uh catch passes just wondering ideally in terms of the receiver room how ideal is this for you as an offensive play caller to have you know four five six guys you can run out there at receiver and make plays I really think in the first half Quinn completed passes to 10 different receivers and so that's you know that's a really comforting thing you know where we didn't we didn't have that the last couple years you know where we almost had to keep guys on the field that were probably too tired to really play at optimal level and now that that we have a really good rotation and they're they're gaining they've earned our trust and I've been saying that throughout training camp like I'm very comfortable with those six guys going out there and just playing football and and really Ryan nibblet is the seventh because he's kind of cross trining at both spots but those six guys when they go out there it's kind of hard to tell the difference sometimes of what it really looks like obviously you know um Matt Matt and um and IB had had really good games but Ryan Wingo made plays you know jonte cook made plays you know Silas made plays the one guy who probably may have played the most or at least at least when we were 11 personnel was Deion J he didn't have a catch and he was probably the most spirited guy out there you know blocking doing everything and that's that's what he provides and I think a lot of that comes from he really was a great understudy to Jordan Winnington last year in learning that role and what that looked like and so we're very confident those guys comfortable and I think you could probably see Quinn was too you know it when and Arch was when he got in there it never felt like uncertain to throw it to anybody it was like that was the read I'm gonna make my throw and and those guys made majority of the plays Steve what was your message to Quinn after you kind of you Pat him on the back and pulled him there in the third quarter and just what were your thoughts about the way he played today I thought he played well you know I um the the the interception was an unfortunate one they kind of gave us a combo coverage of you know they kind of clouded us into the boundary and then kind of manned us to the field and so he really got stuck with nowhere to go with the ball and he went to step up and run and realized he couldn't go to run and he was really throwing the ball away when when the ball got tipped in the air and got intercepted but outside of that was really efficient you know I don't know you I think he finished you know 20 of 27 I I want to say there might have been a couple drops in there and one maybe even difficult catch so the ball was really going to the right people on time uh he made good decisions in the RPO game um and I and I just thought his command of the offense on the field was was really good so I was proud of him that way um we kind of chuckled about the start of the game a little bit he and I and he goes well I think it was at least it was a little better than rice last year and I said yeah I'd agree with you so um the growth is there and and so uh it's just different you know our our conversations are different he's so much more mature now that that um I don't think he ever feels like he has to prove anything to me I think he just goes out and plays and then we talk about it and so um that's that's it's it's fun as a coach you know that that you can have that relationship with your quarterback our left coach coach you talked uh a lot about you always try to put your players in the position to succeed and have success they took advantage of that today they had great success did they operate and uh succeed at a level that is going to translate against a Michigan or Georgia we we we have to play better I mean that that that's I I would I don't think there's a coach in America that's going to sit in his press conference today and say hey we're good enough to to go win a championship with the way we played today um there's always going to be some Growing Pains early in the season especially a first game of things that that show up that you got to improve upon um you just hope they're not so glaring that they that they that they can kill you you know and and um we've got things to improve upon and get better at but I but I do think for us this was a good start um but we also know where we're headed and what we're trying to get done this season and to do that we have to we have to you know kind of consistently improve and everybody's we got to do a great job as a staff of identifying those things across the board whether it's on offense defense or special teams or at a specific position group or specific players of where they can improve because just saying we want you to improve but not giving them what to improve on you know that they they don't know and so we have to be really intentional as a staff of where we're trying to improve as a team hey Steve picky backing on what Danny said um we talked in the spring about these new receivers coming in and how long it would take to get that chemistry that chemistry was obviously there with with Matthew and with Isaiah um and that doesn't happen without Quinn what does it say about his leadership and how far he's come in these couple of years well I I I think you know it started with those guys in Spring practice and then most notably it really went then into the summer you know when when we're when we're back in here in June and July um and those guys are you know got their throwing sessions a couple days out of the week um that's that Rapport and and I do think it's a credit to Quinn I also think it's a credit to the to the to the new faces you know that they have to be committed to it and they have to be willing to adjust and to a learn um you know and you think about you know Isaiah came in with some familiarity of the system um you know just because there was some carryover when we left Alabama so some of the things were similar and familiar to him but for Silas and for Matthew this was a brand new system and and one guy came from a total Pro style offense the other guy came from a spread Aid offense and so to learn our stuff the way they have uh and then to play with the speed in which they played today um I thought was very encouraging you know they they they played with a lot of confidence and knowing that they knew what to do and in our system that's half the battle when you know what to do and you play fast and that's when we're pretty dangerous congrats on the win coach uh just want to say earlier this week you mentioned how you really don't know what your team is until week one and so after this game what is something you found out about your squad well well I I think we're a fast football team you know the one thing I noticed today is our team speed you know which I thought we had um but but our our Playmakers with the ball in their hands you know really can can gain ground you know and that I thought that showed you know we were really good in short areas today um Colorado state did a nice job of kind of keeping the ball in front of them uh and so we had to catch a lot of balls in the short intermediate range and then and then get yards with our legs we're able to do that I thought defensively um I thought you could feel our team speed even when a couple of those runs spit man you could see white hats getting to the football you know quickly I I I thought thought our team showed a real level of physicality today um which is important for us too um when we tackled we tackled they were knockback tackles I think when when our guys ran the ball they ran hard they ran effective and we had a bunch of guys doing it um I kind of got a chuckle because I got asked about running between the tackles this week and our first touchdown was with Trey Weisner on a power play so our guys are tough you know and we know how to play and they know how to play and they're going to play hard and so I learned that about our guys you know they they didn't blink that that we have a style of play that we want to play with um and a brand of football that that we believe in and I thought they played that way today did did you run between the tackles effectively enough for you do you feel like you saw Improvement that and is Jon blue okay he looked a little gimpy yeah he he gets caught a cramp you know unfortunately and I said well hasn't run this much in the last two years so he's got he's got to get used to that but you know we did you know what like I said you know we always as a as a you know as a staff we I'm not I'm not ever trying to square peg round hole you know I try to look to the what are the strengths of our team and how do we play to those strengths of our team and um you we've got some pretty good tackles and and we've got a veteran tight end and we've got Runners that if they can get to the edge it's a problem for defenses because the speed they have and so when when we can when we can put stress on a defense that way that they have to worry about the edge that then allows us to run some of those runs in between the tackles because maybe they're a little bit more concerned for the perimeter other years sometimes you're really good on the interior of the line and your back's good in between you know guards and and and Center runs and then you run inside and then you offset that with perimeter runs so we're built maybe a little bit different um and at the same token we've got weapons on the perimeter that people have to worry about and so we just try to tie it all together of of what best fits for us but I think we ran enough and effectively enough on the interior um that that you know we should feel good about all the things that can come off of that uh from the broadcast it looked like Quinn's second touchdown pass to Matthew golden was a nol look pass is that something that you guys ever work on and what does that say about Quinn's confidence in Quinn I I I don't know I didn't see it so I'll have to watch the broadcast ask me on Monday I didn't see that but you know uh between he and Arch and Arch's little flip and Quinn no looking and you know but that's hey we got a high level quarterback room you know and and sometimes you know I don't I don't want those guys to be robots they need to play the game you know and um you we try to train them and we try to train them from a discipline approach and I'm hard on them they they'll be the first ones to tell you I'm hard on them coach mil's hard on them um but the end when it's time to play the game play the game and um I coached Arch harder than anything on his last incomplete pass on the fourth down because it was a misread and so just because he had some success and he was five for five before that when mistakes occur we have to coach him and we have to be demanding but when they have opportunities to go make those types of plays I I I let them kind of do that stuff hey coach from two things from a surface level the defensive line what did you think of their performance or Colin Simmons kind of coming on the edge a few times and then can you just I know you haven't maybe done a ton of on Michigan but just your thoughts of going there uh next week and facing them uh I I thought we played a lot of players this was a you know it's like anything you go into a game thinking it's going to go one way and we're thinking we're getting ready for a uptempo fast Air Raid Offense that was going to throw it 60 times and next you know they were huddling you know snapping the ball with less than 5 seconds on the clock and they were running zone scheme and so I thought the adjustment was made enough um you know granted hey I'd like us to play a little better in the Run game defensively um where I this think we you we showed flashes of knockback tackling and negative runs and then we we let a couple runs get leaky for seven eight yard gains and so we're always looking to improve upon that but the good thing is we're able to play a lot of guys and we'll get a good evaluation off the tape um going to Michigan is a heck of a challenge you know like I know everyone's going to point out that they lost 13 draft picks well we lost 11 too right and so um you know but everyone's saying we're a pretty good team and so I think good programs reload you know they've got they've got players they know how to develop their players they've been to the college football playoff three years in a row right and then they finally won it last year so they've got a heck of a team a heck of a roster they've done a great job with their environment um you know that the big house is the environment has changed it's louder um and so it's going to be a great challenge but that's that's the beauty of coming to Texas right you for two years in a row we played Alabama this year we get to play Michigan and to go along with our our conference schedule and our kids love it you know they're looking forward to the opportunity um we're going to need a great week of preparation you know just like I told them in the locker room you know I was praising them about their practices on Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday and their preparation for those practices and that led in my opinion to the performance that we had today in the game and that's what it's going to take this week too right the week in and week out grind of our schedule is as much as it is the physical component it's the mental intensity needed to prepare and for the variety of opponents we're going to face and Michigan's a different style team that we're going to have to prepare for and we got to erase this game and then move on to the next one and so that's the challenge for us as a staff that's the challenge for us as a team um but like I said I think we've got great leadership on this team that is going to um accept the challenge you know and they've already accepted that challenge in the locker room they're are they if they said to me the preparation's already underway they're already downstairs getting recovery they're already prepping for that and and I think that's a sign of a team that's got a good culture that that wants to be a champion two last ones Steve you've been talking for weeks and months about arch in terms of his maturation and moving forward and the player that he's becoming was that stuff on display with just the confidence that he showed today out there yeah no I mean I thought what Arch did literally until the one last pass there at the end he just ran the offense you know um his first play out there was kind of a bootleg and his first two reads were covered and he finds jont cook on an over route you know that wasn't a Young quarterback who's just staring down one guy you know he got to his third progression on that read um we had some we had some rpos built in for him where he made some really good reads on those and and at critical moments and um it didn't matter who it was it was Ryan Wingo Jon cook whoever whoever was out there and then you saw the athleticism and you know on that touchdown you know to to to Silas I mean he gets through his progression it breaks down he starts to go to scramble and run but the ability to have the vision to find this guy out here to his right for the touchdown like that's the natural football instincts that he has and so I'm glad that he played that way um you know I I fight with Arch a lot about him being a little too robotic at times because he wants to be right he's a guy that wants to do it the right way and I'm about I want him to play the game because he has so many cool instincts about his ability to play the game and so I think I did you know we saw that on display today with the injuries that you had in the running back room just to see jerro Gibson play the way he did he led the team in rushing Ryan Wingo leads the team and receiving what did you see from those two guys that you like today well you know again the fact that we got to play Young Players an extended extended amount of time um was big for us you know and and jerck you know I joked with him I said you know a year ago CJ Baxter was a true freshman he started for so the fact that that you get to play is that's why we brought you here and so um I thought he got his footing there um he ran hard he ran physical I think he's going to find his niche in some of the more of those short yardage things and have a little bit of better feel um you know sometimes in high school you can just run the guy over every time and and this level they they'll knock you back if you take they get a square hit on you so he'll learn that um but but I thought his comfort level got going and and I think he's figuring out there's a conditioning aspect of it too that you have to have but he's a he's got a nice change up to him as it pertains to Jaden and Trey and and those three guys working together and then our ability to I think to continually bring Ryan niblet along and and all the versatility he can provide that room's going to be really solid for us oh Ryan Wingo yes I mean it it was great you know Ryan like I said he's been doing nothing but that for us you know and and that's a that room's tough you know there's good players in that room and that's why we tried to play a lot of them and tra tried to play all six of them today and um again I think they all took advantage of their opportunities when they got them and and made plays and and Ryan did that you know he's for a a little taller guy he's really good with the ball in his hands you know and we saw that on the screen we saw that on the slant he caught there and he went out the back door um because he he does have real top end speed but he's a physical guy is tough to get on the ground so um I just think he's a good compliment to that room than all right guys thank you you