Here's the transcript from Coach Kingsbury's presser this morning, where he previewed Eastern Washington and talked about his team leading into this weekend's contest...
Q. What do you see from Eastern Washington last year on film?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Very well-coached, first and foremost, lots of talent. They had two players drafted last year in the NFL, and some others that are still in camp. So they are a very good opponent. It will be a great test for us to start the year.
Q. How hard is it to replace a guy like receiver Cooper Kupp and all their production at receiver?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, every year it seems like they have a tremendous offense. I'm sure they've had guys waiting in the wings, Kupp and those others were dynamic players that could have played for anybody, so I'm sure they'll have another group that can come in and compete very well.
Q. What do you know about their quarterback?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's a good player. Really moves around, extends plays. We had one at Houston named Case Keenum that he kind of reminds me of. Very accurate, can get out of the pocket, make plays, can hurt you getting first downs with his legs. He's a real competitor.
Q. What kind of test will there be for your young O-line group against an experienced EWU defensive line?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, like I said, anytime you're ranked fourth in the country and in that league, you're doing something right, so they're a good team. They can play with a lot of teams in Division I football and we know that. We won't take them lightly. It's going to be a great challenge for some of those new guys up front early on, and we'll see how to handle it.
Q. What is the biggest challenge for a coach when you see what EWU can do to teams like Washington State last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It can't be a trap game when you look at the results around the country the last few years playing FCS teams, and our players know that. They know the caliber of teams that are in that division, so that's how we'll approach it. All you have to do is look, like you said, look at last year what they did. Washington State had a very good football team and came in there first game of the year and beat them. So our team will know about that. They'll know how good this team is, and we should prepare accordingly.
Q. What challenges does No. 99, the nose tackle, pose?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's a big guy to move. There is no doubt. He's a force inside there. He does a good job of keeping those linemen off those linebackers so they can come downhill and make plays, so we'll have our hands full. Couple of those guys, Jack hasn't started a Division I football game, so that will be a good barometer to see where he's at going against a talented player like that.
Q. How do they play on the back end?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: They mix it up quite a bit. They play some man in conference, didn't play a ton of it last year against Washington State, but, you know, lots of two-high stuff, but they'll mix up their coverages.
Q. What do you see from them using a tight end in-line, flexing them out, using different formations. They do a lot of that kind of stuff?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Offensively they do everything. That's the tough part. The quarterback run game, and they'll be in quads one play and they move people all over the place and they'll have a tremendous scheme. So week to week you never know what you're going to see. And that's a credit to their coaching staff, being able to get that implemented and get that coached and their players execute at a high level.
Q. Other than you obviously pick up the win, what do you want to see from your team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, defensively trying to stop the run, first and foremost. Then we've got to create more turnovers. We've got to find a way. There will probably be a lot of plays in this game, and we've got to find a way to get the ball out. Got to find a way to turn them over somehow, offensively start fast, secure the football, and establish the run game. We weren't good enough by a long ways last year running the football. Hopefully we've made some strides in that area.
Q. I know they're replacing a lot of production, but they've also got a lot of players who have a lot of snaps. For your team you've got a bunch of players making their first snaps this year. Is that a concern for you?
KINGSBURY: Yeah, we have a lot of guys back as well. So I think both teams do, really, when you look at it. We have a lot of veteran players on both sides of the football, so I don't think that's much of a concern.
Q. You have several players from Houston. Any update on their families?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we keep asking. Some are in different areas that have been hit too significantly, and I know a lot of people are trying to figure out whether to go or to stay. So we just get daily updates from our players. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and hopefully that subsides soon and we can get on the road to recovery down there.
Q. When you look at teams like TCU and Texas who are hosting Rice and the University of Houston right now, what do you think that says about the camaraderie that exists across college football?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's awesome. Anytime, especially in our state, you have something like this you see the type of people we have in the state and the type of leadership we have in the state to reach out and take care of others. I was actually at University of Houston when we had to evacuate one time and we were in Dallas for two weeks. They put us up at SMU and it was the same type of treatment. It's awesome to see in this day and age.
Q. Where did yall stay?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: There is a hotel, a Hilton something right there in Dallas. Waited it out for two weeks and it wasn't easy. The team has a lot of family and friends and their apartments and houses and waiting to see what happens. So I can empathize with what they're going through right now.
Q. How did it affect your preparation?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I mean it was tough. Like I said, the focus is the biggest thing. They're thinking about 1,000 other things and family and their apartments and their cars, so football is really not the biggest thing on your mind at that point. So I don't know. If there is a way to handle it appropriately, but I just remember it being a tough situation for us.
Q. Can the football aspect of that be a comfort knowing that it's at least consistent, 100-yard feel, touches are the same, players are the same?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think so. I think you can find some peace when you're out there. When you're watching the news and you're hearing reports, I think it's hard to not keep going back to it.
Q. Quentin Yontz hasn't been talked about much over the past month, but he's now on the two deep. What can you tell us about his progress and what you saw from him that enabled him to earn that spot?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he got here late, but has really come on the second part of fall camp. We feel like we have quite a few bodies that can rotate through there now. He's a guy that made some plays in the last couple scrimmages, and we feel like had earned the right to get in the rotation.
Q. Between end and tackle, in camp how much did he play each?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I would say 50-50. We moved him in and out based on need, if someone was banged up that day. So we learned both, which is good because you never know what spot you may need help.
Q. Is Joe Wallace still in the mix there?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is, he is. We'll see how that all plays out, but he's had a good camp. He's worked hard, so hopefully we can get him out there.
Q. I can't remember exactly what it was, but was it an injury (inaudible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, no, he ended up practicing quite a bit during fall camp.
Q. You just had more production from other guys?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yes, sir.
Q. As you entertain this season being your fifth compared to even just last year, what is the biggest difference in field confidence, just emotion-wise going into this season than last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, every year is a new opportunity and excitement, just ready to get out there. I don't think it changes much. I mean, you feel great about your team every year going into game one and then you figure it out. So I think we're in a good place as a program. We like where we're at. We like how hard our team has worked. We like our coaching staff, so now we've just got to go get it done.
Q. You've probably answered more questions about feeling pressure this off-season than you can probably count. You said if you're not going to the College Football Playoff, any coach kind of feels the heat. But I wonder this off-season was there ever an inner battle at all questioning how you've done things before and just trying to look at it in a different way and then maybe reverting back to what's gotten here and the success that you've had that's put you in the position that you're in? And whether you look at philosophy-wise differently than in years past?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think you evaluate every offseason what you did good, what you did bad, what you can get better at, and you take it from there. A lot of it has to do with your personnel, your team, your staff, and what you're going to be good at. That's what we try to do each off-season is evaluate what we did good, what we did bad and where we've got to go from here. So we didn't change that philosophy.
Q. Did you decide on the running back rotation might shake out Saturday?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I really can't because I'm not sure exactly. I think Justin Stockton will start the game and we'll kind of roll with it from there. We want to make sure the next guy's in, if it's going to be Trey or Desmond are comfortable with the plays we're giving them being that they haven't been in the system very long. So we'll kind of start with Justin, and seeing how the game goes, take it from there.
Q. Is Felton in the mix there?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is. Felton's had a really good camp. He's a guy you know you can put in. He's going to execute your offense at a high level and be very steady for you.
Q. Once we actually get through week one and a couple weeks back, Nic Shimonek was on the verge, and probably the only quarterback at the power five level to be in his fifth year and actually have his first game that he will start, what do you expect his emotions to be like just going into the game like that after having waited for an opportunity for so long?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think all of that is gone by the wayside. He knew he was going to be the starter for a while. So he's had a lot of time to let it digest. Really just work his tail off to make sure he made this last year count. I don't think there will be any crazy emotions. He played some meaningful football for us last year and played at a high level. So I think his focus is to show everybody how good he really is.
Q. Just in your conversations have you sensed that desire to go out and be able to show what he's capable of and why he waited around for this opportunity?
KLIFF KINGSBURY. Yeah, no question. He wants to get his money's worth. When you're sitting around that long and you're around really good players and you know you're a talented player yourself, you want to make sure you maximize the one year you have. He's done everything he can to put himself in position to do it as far as work ethic, and studying and leadership, and now it's just a matter of going out and executing.
Q. As a head coach, how many ideal touches do you think Justin Stockton is going to get between the season? What is the ideal number?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: For the season, I'm not sure. We're going to kind of rotate that as the game's going, as we're doing. I did a poor job last year of getting him going in certain situations, circumstances, and I'll do a better job this year. So his touches should be up. As long as he's healthy, because he's a dynamic player, and we'll find ways to get him the football.
Q. Has the team earned the Double T yet?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Not yet, not yet. We're still trying to figure that out.
Q. Is that a possibility where you go into the game without learning the double team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You'll have to show up on Saturday to check it out.
Q. What have you seen in Mychealon Thomas year one to year two?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I've been really proud of Mych. He came on at the end of last year and he's really flashing the last few games. Watching him this off-season, the way he's changed his body, the work ethic, the pace of play, going full speed every rep. It's really been exciting to see. He's become more of a vocal leader for us as well. So that second year coming from junior college, it seems like everything has slowed down for him. I've been proud of the camp that he's had.
Q. It seems like he's done what you all want him to do in terms of being in the best shape he can get in.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I felt like that was an area we had to get better at and play more snaps at a higher level. When he was out there, we needed him to go full go. That is the biggest difference I've seen is that he's bigger, stronger, faster, more conditioned. When we ask him to go, he's going full speed every play.
Q. What kind of an impact do you think you've had or hope that you've had being more involved with the defense?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think more than anything just so they know that, hey, we're all in this together. I'm here with you. We've been working our tails off to get this thing right together. Let's go out and show how much we've improved.
Q. I know there are questions about Mike Leach, having played for years with him, but having played for Spike for a year, you guys wearing the decal on your helmet. How often do you share lessons or stories with some of your players about Coach Spike and just your thoughts on being able to honor him and wearing the decal on the helmet this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he was obviously the one to recruit me, and I was here two years with Coach Dikes. Just a great man, great mentor. You look at how he treated people more than anything. He was a great coach, won a bunch of games, did more with less than probably anybody in college football. But the way he treated people and the relationships he carried on, the impact he had on their lives, it was awesome. He's a guy that as a coach, if you can be half of what he was to people, then you're going to be a wild success.
Q. Is it almost Snyder-esque in how he went about coaching and the person he was?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think obviously they were friends. They went about it different ways, had different personalities. But both had a great impact on the game and a great impact on the players they coached.
Q. What do you see from Eastern Washington last year on film?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Very well-coached, first and foremost, lots of talent. They had two players drafted last year in the NFL, and some others that are still in camp. So they are a very good opponent. It will be a great test for us to start the year.
Q. How hard is it to replace a guy like receiver Cooper Kupp and all their production at receiver?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, every year it seems like they have a tremendous offense. I'm sure they've had guys waiting in the wings, Kupp and those others were dynamic players that could have played for anybody, so I'm sure they'll have another group that can come in and compete very well.
Q. What do you know about their quarterback?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's a good player. Really moves around, extends plays. We had one at Houston named Case Keenum that he kind of reminds me of. Very accurate, can get out of the pocket, make plays, can hurt you getting first downs with his legs. He's a real competitor.
Q. What kind of test will there be for your young O-line group against an experienced EWU defensive line?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, like I said, anytime you're ranked fourth in the country and in that league, you're doing something right, so they're a good team. They can play with a lot of teams in Division I football and we know that. We won't take them lightly. It's going to be a great challenge for some of those new guys up front early on, and we'll see how to handle it.
Q. What is the biggest challenge for a coach when you see what EWU can do to teams like Washington State last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: It can't be a trap game when you look at the results around the country the last few years playing FCS teams, and our players know that. They know the caliber of teams that are in that division, so that's how we'll approach it. All you have to do is look, like you said, look at last year what they did. Washington State had a very good football team and came in there first game of the year and beat them. So our team will know about that. They'll know how good this team is, and we should prepare accordingly.
Q. What challenges does No. 99, the nose tackle, pose?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he's a big guy to move. There is no doubt. He's a force inside there. He does a good job of keeping those linemen off those linebackers so they can come downhill and make plays, so we'll have our hands full. Couple of those guys, Jack hasn't started a Division I football game, so that will be a good barometer to see where he's at going against a talented player like that.
Q. How do they play on the back end?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: They mix it up quite a bit. They play some man in conference, didn't play a ton of it last year against Washington State, but, you know, lots of two-high stuff, but they'll mix up their coverages.
Q. What do you see from them using a tight end in-line, flexing them out, using different formations. They do a lot of that kind of stuff?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Offensively they do everything. That's the tough part. The quarterback run game, and they'll be in quads one play and they move people all over the place and they'll have a tremendous scheme. So week to week you never know what you're going to see. And that's a credit to their coaching staff, being able to get that implemented and get that coached and their players execute at a high level.
Q. Other than you obviously pick up the win, what do you want to see from your team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, defensively trying to stop the run, first and foremost. Then we've got to create more turnovers. We've got to find a way. There will probably be a lot of plays in this game, and we've got to find a way to get the ball out. Got to find a way to turn them over somehow, offensively start fast, secure the football, and establish the run game. We weren't good enough by a long ways last year running the football. Hopefully we've made some strides in that area.
Q. I know they're replacing a lot of production, but they've also got a lot of players who have a lot of snaps. For your team you've got a bunch of players making their first snaps this year. Is that a concern for you?
KINGSBURY: Yeah, we have a lot of guys back as well. So I think both teams do, really, when you look at it. We have a lot of veteran players on both sides of the football, so I don't think that's much of a concern.
Q. You have several players from Houston. Any update on their families?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, we keep asking. Some are in different areas that have been hit too significantly, and I know a lot of people are trying to figure out whether to go or to stay. So we just get daily updates from our players. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and hopefully that subsides soon and we can get on the road to recovery down there.
Q. When you look at teams like TCU and Texas who are hosting Rice and the University of Houston right now, what do you think that says about the camaraderie that exists across college football?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, that's awesome. Anytime, especially in our state, you have something like this you see the type of people we have in the state and the type of leadership we have in the state to reach out and take care of others. I was actually at University of Houston when we had to evacuate one time and we were in Dallas for two weeks. They put us up at SMU and it was the same type of treatment. It's awesome to see in this day and age.
Q. Where did yall stay?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: There is a hotel, a Hilton something right there in Dallas. Waited it out for two weeks and it wasn't easy. The team has a lot of family and friends and their apartments and houses and waiting to see what happens. So I can empathize with what they're going through right now.
Q. How did it affect your preparation?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I mean it was tough. Like I said, the focus is the biggest thing. They're thinking about 1,000 other things and family and their apartments and their cars, so football is really not the biggest thing on your mind at that point. So I don't know. If there is a way to handle it appropriately, but I just remember it being a tough situation for us.
Q. Can the football aspect of that be a comfort knowing that it's at least consistent, 100-yard feel, touches are the same, players are the same?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think so. I think you can find some peace when you're out there. When you're watching the news and you're hearing reports, I think it's hard to not keep going back to it.
Q. Quentin Yontz hasn't been talked about much over the past month, but he's now on the two deep. What can you tell us about his progress and what you saw from him that enabled him to earn that spot?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he got here late, but has really come on the second part of fall camp. We feel like we have quite a few bodies that can rotate through there now. He's a guy that made some plays in the last couple scrimmages, and we feel like had earned the right to get in the rotation.
Q. Between end and tackle, in camp how much did he play each?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I would say 50-50. We moved him in and out based on need, if someone was banged up that day. So we learned both, which is good because you never know what spot you may need help.
Q. Is Joe Wallace still in the mix there?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is, he is. We'll see how that all plays out, but he's had a good camp. He's worked hard, so hopefully we can get him out there.
Q. I can't remember exactly what it was, but was it an injury (inaudible)?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: No, no, he ended up practicing quite a bit during fall camp.
Q. You just had more production from other guys?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yes, sir.
Q. As you entertain this season being your fifth compared to even just last year, what is the biggest difference in field confidence, just emotion-wise going into this season than last year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I mean, every year is a new opportunity and excitement, just ready to get out there. I don't think it changes much. I mean, you feel great about your team every year going into game one and then you figure it out. So I think we're in a good place as a program. We like where we're at. We like how hard our team has worked. We like our coaching staff, so now we've just got to go get it done.
Q. You've probably answered more questions about feeling pressure this off-season than you can probably count. You said if you're not going to the College Football Playoff, any coach kind of feels the heat. But I wonder this off-season was there ever an inner battle at all questioning how you've done things before and just trying to look at it in a different way and then maybe reverting back to what's gotten here and the success that you've had that's put you in the position that you're in? And whether you look at philosophy-wise differently than in years past?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think you evaluate every offseason what you did good, what you did bad, what you can get better at, and you take it from there. A lot of it has to do with your personnel, your team, your staff, and what you're going to be good at. That's what we try to do each off-season is evaluate what we did good, what we did bad and where we've got to go from here. So we didn't change that philosophy.
Q. Did you decide on the running back rotation might shake out Saturday?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I really can't because I'm not sure exactly. I think Justin Stockton will start the game and we'll kind of roll with it from there. We want to make sure the next guy's in, if it's going to be Trey or Desmond are comfortable with the plays we're giving them being that they haven't been in the system very long. So we'll kind of start with Justin, and seeing how the game goes, take it from there.
Q. Is Felton in the mix there?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: He is. Felton's had a really good camp. He's a guy you know you can put in. He's going to execute your offense at a high level and be very steady for you.
Q. Once we actually get through week one and a couple weeks back, Nic Shimonek was on the verge, and probably the only quarterback at the power five level to be in his fifth year and actually have his first game that he will start, what do you expect his emotions to be like just going into the game like that after having waited for an opportunity for so long?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think all of that is gone by the wayside. He knew he was going to be the starter for a while. So he's had a lot of time to let it digest. Really just work his tail off to make sure he made this last year count. I don't think there will be any crazy emotions. He played some meaningful football for us last year and played at a high level. So I think his focus is to show everybody how good he really is.
Q. Just in your conversations have you sensed that desire to go out and be able to show what he's capable of and why he waited around for this opportunity?
KLIFF KINGSBURY. Yeah, no question. He wants to get his money's worth. When you're sitting around that long and you're around really good players and you know you're a talented player yourself, you want to make sure you maximize the one year you have. He's done everything he can to put himself in position to do it as far as work ethic, and studying and leadership, and now it's just a matter of going out and executing.
Q. As a head coach, how many ideal touches do you think Justin Stockton is going to get between the season? What is the ideal number?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: For the season, I'm not sure. We're going to kind of rotate that as the game's going, as we're doing. I did a poor job last year of getting him going in certain situations, circumstances, and I'll do a better job this year. So his touches should be up. As long as he's healthy, because he's a dynamic player, and we'll find ways to get him the football.
Q. Has the team earned the Double T yet?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Not yet, not yet. We're still trying to figure that out.
Q. Is that a possibility where you go into the game without learning the double team?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: You'll have to show up on Saturday to check it out.
Q. What have you seen in Mychealon Thomas year one to year two?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I've been really proud of Mych. He came on at the end of last year and he's really flashing the last few games. Watching him this off-season, the way he's changed his body, the work ethic, the pace of play, going full speed every rep. It's really been exciting to see. He's become more of a vocal leader for us as well. So that second year coming from junior college, it seems like everything has slowed down for him. I've been proud of the camp that he's had.
Q. It seems like he's done what you all want him to do in terms of being in the best shape he can get in.
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I felt like that was an area we had to get better at and play more snaps at a higher level. When he was out there, we needed him to go full go. That is the biggest difference I've seen is that he's bigger, stronger, faster, more conditioned. When we ask him to go, he's going full speed every play.
Q. What kind of an impact do you think you've had or hope that you've had being more involved with the defense?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: I think more than anything just so they know that, hey, we're all in this together. I'm here with you. We've been working our tails off to get this thing right together. Let's go out and show how much we've improved.
Q. I know there are questions about Mike Leach, having played for years with him, but having played for Spike for a year, you guys wearing the decal on your helmet. How often do you share lessons or stories with some of your players about Coach Spike and just your thoughts on being able to honor him and wearing the decal on the helmet this year?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, he was obviously the one to recruit me, and I was here two years with Coach Dikes. Just a great man, great mentor. You look at how he treated people more than anything. He was a great coach, won a bunch of games, did more with less than probably anybody in college football. But the way he treated people and the relationships he carried on, the impact he had on their lives, it was awesome. He's a guy that as a coach, if you can be half of what he was to people, then you're going to be a wild success.
Q. Is it almost Snyder-esque in how he went about coaching and the person he was?
KLIFF KINGSBURY: Yeah, I think obviously they were friends. They went about it different ways, had different personalities. But both had a great impact on the game and a great impact on the players they coached.
