Coach Kingsbury was on Tech Talk this afternoon, and I thought he gave some good insight into a number of things, including a few players on his roster, the new locker rooms, etc.
Thanks to @Kolt Rogers for transcribing it for you guys...
Thoughts on the benefit this new locker room and indoor facility will have on the program:
“First and foremost, it is great for our current players. They work hard and have been putting their heart and soul into this program. In particularly, these for these seniors who have been here through the ups and downs and have put a lot into this program. To have a facility like that to close out their senior year, is awesome. For the recruiting aspect of things, this is huge. This can be used as a source of pride for this facility, and that goes a long way.”
How quickly did this come about?
“Soon after the end of the season, we were looking at ways to improve our program and things that we could do immediately that could help. The locker room was one of the things we wanted to do, and we didn’t know if we could get it done or not. We proposed it, and the administration and the donors moved quickly to help us get this state of the art facility done in a matter of months. That meant a lot to us, and it meant a lot to our players.”
What are your thoughts on the Indoor Practice Facility, and how that benefits your program?
"First and foremost, we know that in August there can be some serious lightning storms that roll in right around the time we are practicing. Now, we don’t have to move, or delay, or cancel practice. We can just move over to the facility and continue with what we were doing and not skip a beat. That is huge for our team. From a recruiting standpoint, the players show up and see that massive, beautiful structure that defines the landscape of our entire program. They get excited. You drive up on our building now, and that facility just jumps out at you. When you are in the Jones, you can see it towering over everything. It is going to be huge for us in a number of ways for our program.”
How has the summer has changed for you and your staff with all the new rules that have been put in place? Are your players busier in the summer than they are in the fall?
“Yeah, it gets going pretty hot and heavy. Back when I was playing here, practices were voluntary. Some guys would come, and others would not. If you were not on scholarship, you did not even come for the summer. Now, it is mandatory for everyone. Classes are a little bit longer; each class is around one hour and fifty minutes. Then you get to come over to the facility and have your meals and your training. It is a long day, and it backs right up to fall camp now. In the past, there was a nice little break between summer workouts and fall camp. Now, they have two to three days off before we hit it. You come in to camp in better shape. I think there are a lot of benefits to not having that time off. You do not have to work as hard to get them in shape, because they have been working hard all summer.”
What are your thoughts on strength coach Rusty Whitt and what you have impressed on him to get done with this group?
“In year two, it is a completely different mindset. In year one, we broke guys down and there was a bunch of punishment. Guys have adjusted to his style. He is a no-nonsense, be there early, wear the same thing, and do everything right kind of guy. We had some guys who struggled with that. Going into year two, they have started to see the weight and speed gains they have made. It is a completely different mindset this year. The guys know what to expect and they have handled it better. There has been a lot less time wasted on punishment and trying to figure things out. We have used that time to get better.”
What went into choosing the four guys you selected to send to Big 12 media days?
There were several factors. When you look at someone like Cam Batson, a guy who has started for us and worked hard. He was valedictorian at his high school and he has worked hard for us. Dylan Cantrell, same deal. He is a guy who is a fifth-year senior and has gotten better each year. He has worked his tail off and is the type of guy you want in your program. Keke Coutee has a chance to have a monster year with the way he came on at the end of last season. He has really developed. JahShawn Johnson is a three-year starter for us, and he has gotten better and better each year. They are all guys who represent our program in a very positive light. They handle themselves well on and off the field. They have earned that right.”
What are your thoughts on Dakota Allen?
"He is a huge addition to our program, not just on the field. He played well his freshman year for us. He can help those young guys a lot by telling them what he has been through, and the mistakes he has made. His appreciation for this program and all the things that come with it. He has seen the other side of things; he has seen how tough it is if you have to drop down to the Junior College level and battle your way back. It has been great for him to be able to share his story to everyone, and to share his appreciation for the program. He gets to tell those young guys everyday how great it is to be at Texas Tech, and how well they have it here. He has been a huge impact for our program.”
Did you watch Last Chance U at all last summer?
“I did. I’ve been teasing Dakota a lot. It debuts on Netflix on July 21st. Dakota is about to be a hot commodity on campus, I’m sure. I’m hoping he is portrayed positively, but it could go either way. He is such a good kid. He is very well-spoken and has handled himself the right way. I’m sure he will be portrayed in a positive way.”
What are your thoughts on the junior college players you brought on during the spring?
“I think defensively, Octavious Morgan is a guy who has a chance to start at corner. He has really stepped in and competed well. He has gotten bigger, stronger and faster since he got on campus. He brings a different mentality than we are used to having on the defensive side of the ball. Vaughnte Dorsey is another guy who has stepped in and been very physical. He picked up our system very quickly. We have moved Tony Jones to the rush end. He is a very gifted pass rusher. He is very physical and uses his body well. We tried him as a standup linebacker, but we feel more comfortable having him at the rush end. All three of those guys have fit in well. I couldn’t be more pleased with their progress.”
What are your thoughts on the Mayweather vs McGregor fight coming up soon?
“Have you ever seen the movieThe Great White Hype? That is pretty much the exact same story line. I think Floyd is going to carry him, and they are going to make it entertaining. Nobody wants to get booed, or make it look bad. It is a whole different ballgame when you talk about one of the best boxers ever vs a guy who has never boxed. I’m still going to pay to watch it, but I don’t think the competitiveness is going to be there.”
Thanks to @Kolt Rogers for transcribing it for you guys...
Thoughts on the benefit this new locker room and indoor facility will have on the program:
“First and foremost, it is great for our current players. They work hard and have been putting their heart and soul into this program. In particularly, these for these seniors who have been here through the ups and downs and have put a lot into this program. To have a facility like that to close out their senior year, is awesome. For the recruiting aspect of things, this is huge. This can be used as a source of pride for this facility, and that goes a long way.”
How quickly did this come about?
“Soon after the end of the season, we were looking at ways to improve our program and things that we could do immediately that could help. The locker room was one of the things we wanted to do, and we didn’t know if we could get it done or not. We proposed it, and the administration and the donors moved quickly to help us get this state of the art facility done in a matter of months. That meant a lot to us, and it meant a lot to our players.”
What are your thoughts on the Indoor Practice Facility, and how that benefits your program?
"First and foremost, we know that in August there can be some serious lightning storms that roll in right around the time we are practicing. Now, we don’t have to move, or delay, or cancel practice. We can just move over to the facility and continue with what we were doing and not skip a beat. That is huge for our team. From a recruiting standpoint, the players show up and see that massive, beautiful structure that defines the landscape of our entire program. They get excited. You drive up on our building now, and that facility just jumps out at you. When you are in the Jones, you can see it towering over everything. It is going to be huge for us in a number of ways for our program.”
How has the summer has changed for you and your staff with all the new rules that have been put in place? Are your players busier in the summer than they are in the fall?
“Yeah, it gets going pretty hot and heavy. Back when I was playing here, practices were voluntary. Some guys would come, and others would not. If you were not on scholarship, you did not even come for the summer. Now, it is mandatory for everyone. Classes are a little bit longer; each class is around one hour and fifty minutes. Then you get to come over to the facility and have your meals and your training. It is a long day, and it backs right up to fall camp now. In the past, there was a nice little break between summer workouts and fall camp. Now, they have two to three days off before we hit it. You come in to camp in better shape. I think there are a lot of benefits to not having that time off. You do not have to work as hard to get them in shape, because they have been working hard all summer.”
What are your thoughts on strength coach Rusty Whitt and what you have impressed on him to get done with this group?
“In year two, it is a completely different mindset. In year one, we broke guys down and there was a bunch of punishment. Guys have adjusted to his style. He is a no-nonsense, be there early, wear the same thing, and do everything right kind of guy. We had some guys who struggled with that. Going into year two, they have started to see the weight and speed gains they have made. It is a completely different mindset this year. The guys know what to expect and they have handled it better. There has been a lot less time wasted on punishment and trying to figure things out. We have used that time to get better.”
What went into choosing the four guys you selected to send to Big 12 media days?
There were several factors. When you look at someone like Cam Batson, a guy who has started for us and worked hard. He was valedictorian at his high school and he has worked hard for us. Dylan Cantrell, same deal. He is a guy who is a fifth-year senior and has gotten better each year. He has worked his tail off and is the type of guy you want in your program. Keke Coutee has a chance to have a monster year with the way he came on at the end of last season. He has really developed. JahShawn Johnson is a three-year starter for us, and he has gotten better and better each year. They are all guys who represent our program in a very positive light. They handle themselves well on and off the field. They have earned that right.”
What are your thoughts on Dakota Allen?
"He is a huge addition to our program, not just on the field. He played well his freshman year for us. He can help those young guys a lot by telling them what he has been through, and the mistakes he has made. His appreciation for this program and all the things that come with it. He has seen the other side of things; he has seen how tough it is if you have to drop down to the Junior College level and battle your way back. It has been great for him to be able to share his story to everyone, and to share his appreciation for the program. He gets to tell those young guys everyday how great it is to be at Texas Tech, and how well they have it here. He has been a huge impact for our program.”
Did you watch Last Chance U at all last summer?
“I did. I’ve been teasing Dakota a lot. It debuts on Netflix on July 21st. Dakota is about to be a hot commodity on campus, I’m sure. I’m hoping he is portrayed positively, but it could go either way. He is such a good kid. He is very well-spoken and has handled himself the right way. I’m sure he will be portrayed in a positive way.”
What are your thoughts on the junior college players you brought on during the spring?
“I think defensively, Octavious Morgan is a guy who has a chance to start at corner. He has really stepped in and competed well. He has gotten bigger, stronger and faster since he got on campus. He brings a different mentality than we are used to having on the defensive side of the ball. Vaughnte Dorsey is another guy who has stepped in and been very physical. He picked up our system very quickly. We have moved Tony Jones to the rush end. He is a very gifted pass rusher. He is very physical and uses his body well. We tried him as a standup linebacker, but we feel more comfortable having him at the rush end. All three of those guys have fit in well. I couldn’t be more pleased with their progress.”
What are your thoughts on the Mayweather vs McGregor fight coming up soon?
“Have you ever seen the movieThe Great White Hype? That is pretty much the exact same story line. I think Floyd is going to carry him, and they are going to make it entertaining. Nobody wants to get booed, or make it look bad. It is a whole different ballgame when you talk about one of the best boxers ever vs a guy who has never boxed. I’m still going to pay to watch it, but I don’t think the competitiveness is going to be there.”
