Opening Statement:
MATT WELLS: Congratulations to Texas. They played a good second half. We didn't have a particularly good third quarter. A couple key opportunities that were missed early in the fourth quarter. I thought we played a very good first half, but didn't make enough plays in the third quarter. And then obviously just kind of ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. Battled, but there's a bright future. I'm excited because there's a lot of guys in that room that I thought had really good games that are sophomores and freshmen and young players. We've got to continue to develop them and we've got to continue to improve. Development in the locker room is a big part of year two here coming up.
Q. Just to follow up on that you were expressing at the end, you've been through the conference one time. What do you see as your biggest issues and how far do you have to go?
MATT WELLS: I think it's developing everything off the field from player leadership to play accountability. We've got to get in the weight room. We've got to get bigger. We've got to get stronger. I think it was a makeshift -- it wasn't the off-season we're used to having last winter, just in terms of what we need to do in terms of heavy listing and heavy running. We've got to get more physical. We've got to be more physical on the offensive line, on the defensive line. I think that's a big part of it. Skill development is a big part of who I think we are. Our skill development, whether it's running backing, whether it's DB skill development, we've got to improve and we've got to recruit. So the guys coming in have got to be the guys, some of them are going to be ready to play right now, be real frank with you and some of them, I think will have bright futures. But I think that's the biggest key is we have to get bigger and stronger and get more physical in my opinion on both sides of the ball.
Q. What we saw out there today, you got the sense from watching that y'all just couldn't stop them for a good portion of the game. Was that an example of that?
MATT WELLS: Yeah, probably one of our poorer games tackling. I think that that has something to do with it. We got a lot of guys out. That's another excuse. That's a legit -- could not sub guys out. I think we got tired at certain parts and we didn't tackle very good the second half. I thought we tackled well most of the year, but it wasn't real good today.
Q. You mentioned a moment ago, you said that the off-season strength and conditioning last winter wasn't what you're normally accustomed to. Is that because of indoctrinating guys?
MATT WELLS: 100 percent. Yeah, 100 percent.
Q. You go up 14, Texas responds. Do they make an adjustment, or just plays that they made that maybe you guys didn't?
MATT WELLS: They made plays. Patterson says all the time, 14-0 lead is one of the worst leads you could ever have, because I think sometimes the complacency sets in, and I'm not sure if it did, but it apparently may have. But they made plays to get right back in the game. They are a good team. You know, they hit some shots on us. Got them right back in it.
Q. Going through every single fourth down -- were you more aggressive -- treating it like a Bowl game?
MATT WELLS: That's a really good question. Not so much because it was a Bowl game but some of the early fourth downs were right on the field goal line for Trey. It was also a feeling that we needed touchdowns and I wanted to be aggressive and I thought that the best option is to go for it on fourth down with our offense versus a fake field goal or a fake punt or something like that, and they were manageable fourth downs, they were, and converting one or two, I don't know, I don't have stats on me but obviously missed one. The key miss was 28-21, when we missed the one. I just thought we needed a touchdown at that point to continue to stay on track.
Q. Did the elements ever play a part in terms of running Trey out there or not running him out there, maybe in the rain?
MATT WELLS: No, not really. It was more range and dampness and where we thought his real range was with the dampness in the air and the rain.
Q. I know the game just ended, but when you reflect on this year, what are you going to remember?
MATT WELLS: I'll remember Washington. I'll remember Jordyn Brooks changing his body, buying into Dave Scholz and buying into Keith Patterson. What a tremendous season he had individually. I'll remember the interceptions -- those three senior offensive lineman who are gritty and stuff. Those three guys are going somewhere in life. I respect those guys. Obviously you're going to remember the close losses and we have got to get this program past close losses. There's no question about that. That won't be acceptable by me, first and foremost, but we've got to get past that point, and so I think that that plays a part, as we at one point will look back on the season.
Q. Following up on Brooks, there was a report earlier today, I don't know if it was from TV or radio that he's going to have surgery in the next week or two?
MATT WELLS: Coming up, yeah. Shoulder. He's got a labrum.
Q. And what has kept Evan Rambo out this past month?
MATT WELLS: Knee.
Q. Is he a surgery guy, too?
MATT WELLS: I don't think he's going to require surgery.
Q. For Jordyn to still be a leader in that huddle what does that show about the character of him, missing the last game and being such a key component?
MATT WELLS: That's a great question, you noticed that and I'm sure a lot of other people did. Him playing the last two weeks with this injury -- getting told that it's 50/50, have surgery right now or risk it and keep playing. The guy played against TCU and Kansas State and he played lights out against K-State. That's what I'll remember and respect.
Q. So he has played in pain, obviously?
MATT WELLS: 100 percent he was.
Q. Do you change the offense at all to maybe more passes to allow him to not take as many hits?
MATT WELLS: We've got to do what we do. We still need to hand it to him. Can't just sit there and drop back all day. But I thought he competed. Jax Welch came in and competed, made a key catch, gaining the first down on one snap.
Q. Carter had by far his biggest game he's had here in two years. What was it that allowed him to do that today?
MATT WELLS: Kesean, we had to move him into the slot because Rigdon, another guy that didn't make the trip -- we were out two running backs, a slot receiver and outside receiver on offense. We had to move him into the slot. He played there down in the spring and we moved him back outside. Just had opportunities to make plays and kind of some of the reads -- he caught the ball. Competitive catches. Tight, tight windows. Wet ball. I thought Kesean -- I thought he played a great game. Those two guys have both got bright futures.
Q. When a guy has a game like Kesean -- I remember Joel Filani -- didn't do a whole lot his first two years and his sophomore year he had a huge Bowl game and then he had two 1,000-yard seasons after that. What can having a game like that do for Kesean going into next year?
MATT WELLS: It gives you confidence going into the off-season. I think it solidifies that you can play at this level. I think every competitor needs validation at times. It's based on your performance, and this is a performance that I would validate Kesean's talent and ability and I thought he played well out there today.
Q. On two fourths you took two shots -- is that you identified an advantage on the outside and wanted to take advantage of it?
MATT WELLS: It was them taking away the slant balls and the speed out.
Q. The ball to Kesean, fourth and four from the 18, did you want to see that ball thrown to the end zone at that point?
MATT WELLS: It's the same thing I just answered. The routes -- inaudible -- Jett doesn't want to throw that out of bounds. He doesn't do that out of purpose. That was the last read in the progression for Jett.
Q. Next week you guys move into the off-season. When do you start attacking that?
MATT WELLS: Tomorrow. It's already been starting to be attacked in terms of recruiting. Your off-season, real short time with our players and then they are obviously off for finals and a break and then January 15, here we go. But coaches will be out starting next Monday recruiting.
Q. Do you ever have time for reflection, or is it just kind of a 365-cycle?
MATT WELLS: I think it's important to take time to reflect. I think that's healthy. You have to know what worked, what -- you know, where your struggles are. I think we already know some of the answers in both that we did well and we struggled with. I think it's always important to take time and reflect over the next few weeks we'll do that as a staff, and you know, as a program.
Q. You talked about being one of the big things guys improve on is strength and getting bigger. When you look back on the single biggest thing that gives you hope for the future, what is it?
MATT WELLS: I don't think there's a single biggest thing. I think the hope is the fight that these kids continue to play with down the stretch. When you lose a goal of competing for a Big 12 Championship and you're fighting, I thought our kids showed tremendous grit and fight and you see signs of it turning. But the accountability, we've got to have player leadership behind closed doors in the locker room and weight room, those things are huge, the work ethic. That's got to be brought in, and then you've got to continue to add through recruiting. It's recruit and develop. That's the end of story.
Q. Back in August, back in camp, there was a whole lot of talk about him and the things he did -- seemed like over the second half of the season --
MATT WELLS: Maybe Iowa State game, mid-October on. The thing I respect about Erik is Erik is a guy that he didn't tap out one time in spring. You know, you start to see -- a zebra don't change his stripes. That guy didn't tap out one time in the spring. The guy grinded all spring, all training camp. He never asked to come out, and he made competitive catches, scrimmage one to the spring game to August and you're sitting there watching a redshirt freshman compete in a No. 2 role and you're like, there's greatness ahead for this kid and I think we all felt that. He confirmed it the last couple months of the season. That kid, he'll be one of the better wide-outs around here.
Q. How did Jett develop do you think as a starting quarterback?
MATT WELLS: I think first of all, David does a nice job with him and that's a young man that has played some in years past. Came out in August and obviously wasn't the starter in a backup role and sometimes that can be hard and credit goes to Jett and credit goes to David Yost. I think Jett, he played well down the stretch. I mean, you know, not perfect by any means but none of us did. But he's a competitive kid. Great demeanor about himself. I think our players believe in him.
Q. I think you have 17 guys committed. How many more recruits do you have?
MATT WELLS: Stick to 25. We'll see where those numbers are.
MATT WELLS: Congratulations to Texas. They played a good second half. We didn't have a particularly good third quarter. A couple key opportunities that were missed early in the fourth quarter. I thought we played a very good first half, but didn't make enough plays in the third quarter. And then obviously just kind of ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. Battled, but there's a bright future. I'm excited because there's a lot of guys in that room that I thought had really good games that are sophomores and freshmen and young players. We've got to continue to develop them and we've got to continue to improve. Development in the locker room is a big part of year two here coming up.
Q. Just to follow up on that you were expressing at the end, you've been through the conference one time. What do you see as your biggest issues and how far do you have to go?
MATT WELLS: I think it's developing everything off the field from player leadership to play accountability. We've got to get in the weight room. We've got to get bigger. We've got to get stronger. I think it was a makeshift -- it wasn't the off-season we're used to having last winter, just in terms of what we need to do in terms of heavy listing and heavy running. We've got to get more physical. We've got to be more physical on the offensive line, on the defensive line. I think that's a big part of it. Skill development is a big part of who I think we are. Our skill development, whether it's running backing, whether it's DB skill development, we've got to improve and we've got to recruit. So the guys coming in have got to be the guys, some of them are going to be ready to play right now, be real frank with you and some of them, I think will have bright futures. But I think that's the biggest key is we have to get bigger and stronger and get more physical in my opinion on both sides of the ball.
Q. What we saw out there today, you got the sense from watching that y'all just couldn't stop them for a good portion of the game. Was that an example of that?
MATT WELLS: Yeah, probably one of our poorer games tackling. I think that that has something to do with it. We got a lot of guys out. That's another excuse. That's a legit -- could not sub guys out. I think we got tired at certain parts and we didn't tackle very good the second half. I thought we tackled well most of the year, but it wasn't real good today.
Q. You mentioned a moment ago, you said that the off-season strength and conditioning last winter wasn't what you're normally accustomed to. Is that because of indoctrinating guys?
MATT WELLS: 100 percent. Yeah, 100 percent.
Q. You go up 14, Texas responds. Do they make an adjustment, or just plays that they made that maybe you guys didn't?
MATT WELLS: They made plays. Patterson says all the time, 14-0 lead is one of the worst leads you could ever have, because I think sometimes the complacency sets in, and I'm not sure if it did, but it apparently may have. But they made plays to get right back in the game. They are a good team. You know, they hit some shots on us. Got them right back in it.
Q. Going through every single fourth down -- were you more aggressive -- treating it like a Bowl game?
MATT WELLS: That's a really good question. Not so much because it was a Bowl game but some of the early fourth downs were right on the field goal line for Trey. It was also a feeling that we needed touchdowns and I wanted to be aggressive and I thought that the best option is to go for it on fourth down with our offense versus a fake field goal or a fake punt or something like that, and they were manageable fourth downs, they were, and converting one or two, I don't know, I don't have stats on me but obviously missed one. The key miss was 28-21, when we missed the one. I just thought we needed a touchdown at that point to continue to stay on track.
Q. Did the elements ever play a part in terms of running Trey out there or not running him out there, maybe in the rain?
MATT WELLS: No, not really. It was more range and dampness and where we thought his real range was with the dampness in the air and the rain.
Q. I know the game just ended, but when you reflect on this year, what are you going to remember?
MATT WELLS: I'll remember Washington. I'll remember Jordyn Brooks changing his body, buying into Dave Scholz and buying into Keith Patterson. What a tremendous season he had individually. I'll remember the interceptions -- those three senior offensive lineman who are gritty and stuff. Those three guys are going somewhere in life. I respect those guys. Obviously you're going to remember the close losses and we have got to get this program past close losses. There's no question about that. That won't be acceptable by me, first and foremost, but we've got to get past that point, and so I think that that plays a part, as we at one point will look back on the season.
Q. Following up on Brooks, there was a report earlier today, I don't know if it was from TV or radio that he's going to have surgery in the next week or two?
MATT WELLS: Coming up, yeah. Shoulder. He's got a labrum.
Q. And what has kept Evan Rambo out this past month?
MATT WELLS: Knee.
Q. Is he a surgery guy, too?
MATT WELLS: I don't think he's going to require surgery.
Q. For Jordyn to still be a leader in that huddle what does that show about the character of him, missing the last game and being such a key component?
MATT WELLS: That's a great question, you noticed that and I'm sure a lot of other people did. Him playing the last two weeks with this injury -- getting told that it's 50/50, have surgery right now or risk it and keep playing. The guy played against TCU and Kansas State and he played lights out against K-State. That's what I'll remember and respect.
Q. So he has played in pain, obviously?
MATT WELLS: 100 percent he was.
Q. Do you change the offense at all to maybe more passes to allow him to not take as many hits?
MATT WELLS: We've got to do what we do. We still need to hand it to him. Can't just sit there and drop back all day. But I thought he competed. Jax Welch came in and competed, made a key catch, gaining the first down on one snap.
Q. Carter had by far his biggest game he's had here in two years. What was it that allowed him to do that today?
MATT WELLS: Kesean, we had to move him into the slot because Rigdon, another guy that didn't make the trip -- we were out two running backs, a slot receiver and outside receiver on offense. We had to move him into the slot. He played there down in the spring and we moved him back outside. Just had opportunities to make plays and kind of some of the reads -- he caught the ball. Competitive catches. Tight, tight windows. Wet ball. I thought Kesean -- I thought he played a great game. Those two guys have both got bright futures.
Q. When a guy has a game like Kesean -- I remember Joel Filani -- didn't do a whole lot his first two years and his sophomore year he had a huge Bowl game and then he had two 1,000-yard seasons after that. What can having a game like that do for Kesean going into next year?
MATT WELLS: It gives you confidence going into the off-season. I think it solidifies that you can play at this level. I think every competitor needs validation at times. It's based on your performance, and this is a performance that I would validate Kesean's talent and ability and I thought he played well out there today.
Q. On two fourths you took two shots -- is that you identified an advantage on the outside and wanted to take advantage of it?
MATT WELLS: It was them taking away the slant balls and the speed out.
Q. The ball to Kesean, fourth and four from the 18, did you want to see that ball thrown to the end zone at that point?
MATT WELLS: It's the same thing I just answered. The routes -- inaudible -- Jett doesn't want to throw that out of bounds. He doesn't do that out of purpose. That was the last read in the progression for Jett.
Q. Next week you guys move into the off-season. When do you start attacking that?
MATT WELLS: Tomorrow. It's already been starting to be attacked in terms of recruiting. Your off-season, real short time with our players and then they are obviously off for finals and a break and then January 15, here we go. But coaches will be out starting next Monday recruiting.
Q. Do you ever have time for reflection, or is it just kind of a 365-cycle?
MATT WELLS: I think it's important to take time to reflect. I think that's healthy. You have to know what worked, what -- you know, where your struggles are. I think we already know some of the answers in both that we did well and we struggled with. I think it's always important to take time and reflect over the next few weeks we'll do that as a staff, and you know, as a program.
Q. You talked about being one of the big things guys improve on is strength and getting bigger. When you look back on the single biggest thing that gives you hope for the future, what is it?
MATT WELLS: I don't think there's a single biggest thing. I think the hope is the fight that these kids continue to play with down the stretch. When you lose a goal of competing for a Big 12 Championship and you're fighting, I thought our kids showed tremendous grit and fight and you see signs of it turning. But the accountability, we've got to have player leadership behind closed doors in the locker room and weight room, those things are huge, the work ethic. That's got to be brought in, and then you've got to continue to add through recruiting. It's recruit and develop. That's the end of story.
Q. Back in August, back in camp, there was a whole lot of talk about him and the things he did -- seemed like over the second half of the season --
MATT WELLS: Maybe Iowa State game, mid-October on. The thing I respect about Erik is Erik is a guy that he didn't tap out one time in spring. You know, you start to see -- a zebra don't change his stripes. That guy didn't tap out one time in the spring. The guy grinded all spring, all training camp. He never asked to come out, and he made competitive catches, scrimmage one to the spring game to August and you're sitting there watching a redshirt freshman compete in a No. 2 role and you're like, there's greatness ahead for this kid and I think we all felt that. He confirmed it the last couple months of the season. That kid, he'll be one of the better wide-outs around here.
Q. How did Jett develop do you think as a starting quarterback?
MATT WELLS: I think first of all, David does a nice job with him and that's a young man that has played some in years past. Came out in August and obviously wasn't the starter in a backup role and sometimes that can be hard and credit goes to Jett and credit goes to David Yost. I think Jett, he played well down the stretch. I mean, you know, not perfect by any means but none of us did. But he's a competitive kid. Great demeanor about himself. I think our players believe in him.
Q. I think you have 17 guys committed. How many more recruits do you have?
MATT WELLS: Stick to 25. We'll see where those numbers are.
