Lengthy, insightful post game with coach McGuire.
Opening Statement:
"I don't have a lot to say. Man, I didn't do a good enough job to win the game. And there's a lot of stuff that's going on between the penalties, uh, frustrating. 10 of 80 for penalties, one of five for fourth down, four turnovers. And, you know, that's on me, and I've got to get it fixed. It's very frustrating right now."
Coach, obviously, it's seemed like it was special teams. It was offensive execution. Situational football, complimentary football that you touched on in the week. I guess is there any bright spot for you tonight?
"It's kind of a double edged sword. I mean, I thought that we played better in the secondary, but then we also gave up 212 yards rushing to a quarterback, you know. So it's kind of back and forth with that, but you said it. I mean, we come out. We're trying to be aggressive. We take the football and we can't field the kick, you know, and so they get the ball right there. So you lose the possession, like we had two turnovers that were on their side of the field. You know, I know there were two big penalties to where we're on their side of the field, same as last week. You know, we get penalties when we're driving in, and it's frustrating. We're our own worst enemy right now, and you don't have a chance to even win a game whenever you're doing the things that we're doing, playing the way we're playing."
What did you think of Cam Dickey tonight?
"Yeah. I mean, I thought he did a good job. I mean, you know, you play a freshman, you know, there was some stuff that definitely, you know, you want one of the best, or the best backs in the country back there. We've got a really good play blocked up for Jalin Conyerson the fourth down, the first one that we missed that turned into, really, a 14 point swing. We gave up a touchdown on the very next play, and then we turned the ball over on our possession. And so they scored 14 points. And, you know, we missed a big block there, and it would have been good to have Tahj in that position."
Did Mateer surprise y'all with what he was able to do with his legs?
"He's shown it, they hadn't done it very much. he can do that. You know, it's again. I thought we did a good job of playing coverage much better than we did last week. Did some different things. We dropped eight. Some of the times that we dropped eight, we gave up contain, we gave up contain when we rushed four. The frustrating part of him running the game was just some of the things that we've really struggled with. I mean, you go back and you're going to see some of the stuff that K State has hurt us on with the quarterback run game and and there were times that they did the same thing with him."
How discouraging is it to start like this with all the transfers you brought in?
"The discouraging one is tonight, because we lost. I mean, if we came out and we won by one point, I would say that we every game you got to learn from and you're not going to play a perfect game. But, you know, I would be happy. I'm really discouraged right now, because for two games, we have been our own worst enemy. We can't get out of our own way. And when I say we, it starts with me, you know, going back and taking a really hard look at what we're doing on both sides of the ball and on special teams. And, you know, some of the in game decisions that you've got to be better at."
One for five on fourth down...
"We're one for three in the first half. What I said to our guys the first half of whatever the score was. I mean, it was all us. You know, we turned the ball over. I think three times at that point could be wrong. It might have been only two. We had had some penalties, and they were one of three on fourth down. And again, one of those, one of three, we come up short, and it turns into a 14 point swing."
You mentioned a moment ago, questioning some, some in game decisions. I'm sure, obviously people will talk about the fourth downs, yeah, some you're thinking of in game decisions in addition to that?
"I mean, like if, if you're sitting there and, and, you know, you if we're not going to be better on fourth down if you punt that ball now, do they have a longer field to drive? We're not playing very well on defense right now either. So they have a longer field to drive. I mean, it's just one of those deals in the first, really, the first two years, we have done really good job, I think, defensively off of missed conversions. And right now, through two games, we are not doing a good job after missed conversions. it's frustrating, man, because our philosophy is to be aggressive. And we're an analytics team, and right now the numbers are coming up, you know, short for us. I mean, I the big turn in that game again, was the missed first down. They score on the very next play on, I think the running back, they run counter to the nub. He scores. We come out, throw the ball. Josh Kelly fumbles. They get the ball down like the one yard line, and they score. Mean, at that point, it becomes 21-7. And that was big part of the game."
In that same vein, All five of their touchdown drives came when they had a short field, 51 yards or shorter. Does that change the thought process analytics, and maybe going for it a little less with you guys not executing on defense like that?
"It does 100%. But the first short field was, we can't field a kick. You know, we're not positioning, and so that starts the short field. But you're right. I mean, they the defense gives up however many you said. I mean, that's really frustrating. But in the same boat, they had a 43 yard touchdown on quarterback counter. So, I mean, on running back counter. So the ball was, they're still going to score on that because we played it so freaking bad. You know, the quarterback had that long run at the end. If he was at the one, he just would have gone longer, I mean, but you're 100% right. Like, that's the first thing whenever I went in there and sit down to question myself is, do we need to really look at when we're going to go for it on fourth down? Because in the first half, seven to three, then it goes 14 to three, then it goes 21 to three, and then it goes 21 to 10. It goes 21 to 27 to 10 going into halftime, you know. And so 14 of those points, you know, come off like really, back to back plays."
Do you see a lack of everybody being on the same page? Because so many guys are coming from so many different systems and so many different places?
"No, because if you look at those guys, Josh Kelly, and he did turn the ball over tonight, and it happens in football, but he's probably more productive than anybody we've had in the last two years. You know, Caleb Douglas, a little bit in the same way, so, like the production, but you and again, you can't turn the ball over four times and expect to win the game. You can't go one for five on fourth down and expect to win the game. You can't have 10 penalties for 80 yards and expect to win the game. That if you look at all of those, that was more us than them. And so it that had nothing to do with being on the same page, that had us not executing."
At what point can Micah Hudson see more snaps? Given his reputation, people clamoring to see him on the field.
"People are clamoring for me not to go for it on fourth down. So much right now, you know, people are clamoring for me to do a better job, and I'm clamoring for myself to a better job. We have to do a good job of getting him going. It's just always one of those deals of like, he's got to play more. Jordan Brown, I don't see him show on what I got, but he made some big plays for us. We got to get him more on the field. But it's also like, who you take off? You know, got a guy that has nine catches for 95 yards, another guy's got five for 54 four for 71 and then we played with a couple young backs that, you know, had to step up."
Could you give your assessment on what Behren Morton did tonight?
"We had to throw the ball 60 times because we were behind. You know, I'm really anxious, so first time that he has been hit the way he was hit tonight, and I'm really anxious to how he responds tomorrow. You know, he's going to be sore. That's one thing, whenever, at the end, whenever I was talking to him, I was just asking, you know, how he feels, make sure shoulder felt good, and everything he felt good. I mean, he sore, because he got hit a lot. Anytime, whenever you get into where they know you've got to throw the football, then they can tee off and, you know, I think we gave up one sack. We got one sack, but he still got hit way too much.
Barnett Howard & Williams PLLC is a law firm founded by three Red Raiders and based in Fort Worth. BHW attorneys handle personal injury, family law, criminal defense, and Title 9 cases all across the state. We hope you never need us, but we are in your corner when you do.
Opening Statement:
"I don't have a lot to say. Man, I didn't do a good enough job to win the game. And there's a lot of stuff that's going on between the penalties, uh, frustrating. 10 of 80 for penalties, one of five for fourth down, four turnovers. And, you know, that's on me, and I've got to get it fixed. It's very frustrating right now."
Coach, obviously, it's seemed like it was special teams. It was offensive execution. Situational football, complimentary football that you touched on in the week. I guess is there any bright spot for you tonight?
"It's kind of a double edged sword. I mean, I thought that we played better in the secondary, but then we also gave up 212 yards rushing to a quarterback, you know. So it's kind of back and forth with that, but you said it. I mean, we come out. We're trying to be aggressive. We take the football and we can't field the kick, you know, and so they get the ball right there. So you lose the possession, like we had two turnovers that were on their side of the field. You know, I know there were two big penalties to where we're on their side of the field, same as last week. You know, we get penalties when we're driving in, and it's frustrating. We're our own worst enemy right now, and you don't have a chance to even win a game whenever you're doing the things that we're doing, playing the way we're playing."
What did you think of Cam Dickey tonight?
"Yeah. I mean, I thought he did a good job. I mean, you know, you play a freshman, you know, there was some stuff that definitely, you know, you want one of the best, or the best backs in the country back there. We've got a really good play blocked up for Jalin Conyerson the fourth down, the first one that we missed that turned into, really, a 14 point swing. We gave up a touchdown on the very next play, and then we turned the ball over on our possession. And so they scored 14 points. And, you know, we missed a big block there, and it would have been good to have Tahj in that position."
Did Mateer surprise y'all with what he was able to do with his legs?
"He's shown it, they hadn't done it very much. he can do that. You know, it's again. I thought we did a good job of playing coverage much better than we did last week. Did some different things. We dropped eight. Some of the times that we dropped eight, we gave up contain, we gave up contain when we rushed four. The frustrating part of him running the game was just some of the things that we've really struggled with. I mean, you go back and you're going to see some of the stuff that K State has hurt us on with the quarterback run game and and there were times that they did the same thing with him."
How discouraging is it to start like this with all the transfers you brought in?
"The discouraging one is tonight, because we lost. I mean, if we came out and we won by one point, I would say that we every game you got to learn from and you're not going to play a perfect game. But, you know, I would be happy. I'm really discouraged right now, because for two games, we have been our own worst enemy. We can't get out of our own way. And when I say we, it starts with me, you know, going back and taking a really hard look at what we're doing on both sides of the ball and on special teams. And, you know, some of the in game decisions that you've got to be better at."
One for five on fourth down...
"We're one for three in the first half. What I said to our guys the first half of whatever the score was. I mean, it was all us. You know, we turned the ball over. I think three times at that point could be wrong. It might have been only two. We had had some penalties, and they were one of three on fourth down. And again, one of those, one of three, we come up short, and it turns into a 14 point swing."
You mentioned a moment ago, questioning some, some in game decisions. I'm sure, obviously people will talk about the fourth downs, yeah, some you're thinking of in game decisions in addition to that?
"I mean, like if, if you're sitting there and, and, you know, you if we're not going to be better on fourth down if you punt that ball now, do they have a longer field to drive? We're not playing very well on defense right now either. So they have a longer field to drive. I mean, it's just one of those deals in the first, really, the first two years, we have done really good job, I think, defensively off of missed conversions. And right now, through two games, we are not doing a good job after missed conversions. it's frustrating, man, because our philosophy is to be aggressive. And we're an analytics team, and right now the numbers are coming up, you know, short for us. I mean, I the big turn in that game again, was the missed first down. They score on the very next play on, I think the running back, they run counter to the nub. He scores. We come out, throw the ball. Josh Kelly fumbles. They get the ball down like the one yard line, and they score. Mean, at that point, it becomes 21-7. And that was big part of the game."
In that same vein, All five of their touchdown drives came when they had a short field, 51 yards or shorter. Does that change the thought process analytics, and maybe going for it a little less with you guys not executing on defense like that?
"It does 100%. But the first short field was, we can't field a kick. You know, we're not positioning, and so that starts the short field. But you're right. I mean, they the defense gives up however many you said. I mean, that's really frustrating. But in the same boat, they had a 43 yard touchdown on quarterback counter. So, I mean, on running back counter. So the ball was, they're still going to score on that because we played it so freaking bad. You know, the quarterback had that long run at the end. If he was at the one, he just would have gone longer, I mean, but you're 100% right. Like, that's the first thing whenever I went in there and sit down to question myself is, do we need to really look at when we're going to go for it on fourth down? Because in the first half, seven to three, then it goes 14 to three, then it goes 21 to three, and then it goes 21 to 10. It goes 21 to 27 to 10 going into halftime, you know. And so 14 of those points, you know, come off like really, back to back plays."
Do you see a lack of everybody being on the same page? Because so many guys are coming from so many different systems and so many different places?
"No, because if you look at those guys, Josh Kelly, and he did turn the ball over tonight, and it happens in football, but he's probably more productive than anybody we've had in the last two years. You know, Caleb Douglas, a little bit in the same way, so, like the production, but you and again, you can't turn the ball over four times and expect to win the game. You can't go one for five on fourth down and expect to win the game. You can't have 10 penalties for 80 yards and expect to win the game. That if you look at all of those, that was more us than them. And so it that had nothing to do with being on the same page, that had us not executing."
At what point can Micah Hudson see more snaps? Given his reputation, people clamoring to see him on the field.
"People are clamoring for me not to go for it on fourth down. So much right now, you know, people are clamoring for me to do a better job, and I'm clamoring for myself to a better job. We have to do a good job of getting him going. It's just always one of those deals of like, he's got to play more. Jordan Brown, I don't see him show on what I got, but he made some big plays for us. We got to get him more on the field. But it's also like, who you take off? You know, got a guy that has nine catches for 95 yards, another guy's got five for 54 four for 71 and then we played with a couple young backs that, you know, had to step up."
Could you give your assessment on what Behren Morton did tonight?
"We had to throw the ball 60 times because we were behind. You know, I'm really anxious, so first time that he has been hit the way he was hit tonight, and I'm really anxious to how he responds tomorrow. You know, he's going to be sore. That's one thing, whenever, at the end, whenever I was talking to him, I was just asking, you know, how he feels, make sure shoulder felt good, and everything he felt good. I mean, he sore, because he got hit a lot. Anytime, whenever you get into where they know you've got to throw the football, then they can tee off and, you know, I think we gave up one sack. We got one sack, but he still got hit way too much.
Barnett Howard & Williams PLLC is a law firm founded by three Red Raiders and based in Fort Worth. BHW attorneys handle personal injury, family law, criminal defense, and Title 9 cases all across the state. We hope you never need us, but we are in your corner when you do.
