I was able to catch up with Justin Stockton, Dakota Allen, Jared Kaster, Ian Sadler, Jakeem Grant, Pete Robertson, Jah’Shawn Johnson, and Le’Raven Clark to talk bowl prep and other things.
--On a side note I sent in my player requests earlier today and included both Devin Lauderdale and Davis Webb. I immediately got an email back and was denied Webb and Lauderdale. I have never received an email back telling me that players were unavailable like that. Something to maybe monitor going forward.
Justin Stockton
--First up is Justin Stockton who commented on bowl prep and getting a chance to play a team like LSU in their bowl game.
“I was excited. Who wouldn’t want to play LSU in a bowl game? It’s great for us and the university. We are excited, we are practicing hard. We are taking the challenge to the fullest and we are ready.”
“Bowl prep is going good. We had a great day today. We are ready to move on and improve on it tomorrow. We are accepting the challenge to play a great team like LSU. Every day we are going to improve and watch film and do what we do best and play fast.”
--Stockton understands the ‘SEC defense’ aspect of LSU’s team but also doesn’t want people to forget that Tech is the number two offense in the country.
“They are big, physical, and fast, especially the defensive line. They have good safeties, linebackers all around. The thing is though, we are good too. We are excited for the game and can’t way to play in Houston.”
Dakota Allen
--Redshirt freshman Dakota Allen is also excited for the opportunity to play LSU. The first year starter at linebacker finished his RS fr campaign with 84 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. Allen played hobbled the past couple games but should be all healed up for the matchup against LSU.
“I was really excited to hear the matchup. This is what you live for. We have already beaten Arkansas and we have already beat Texas and we just need that one more big school to beat.”
“Practice is going good going good. We are all 100% ready and ready to go. My injury is all healed up, and I’m just ready to go.”
--It will be no surprise if LSU comes out and runs the ball a lot on the Tech defense, but Allen and the other linebackers are excited for the challenge.
“I’m pretty excited about that. This is a big opportunity for us as a defense to show what we can really do. I especially like it too because it is going to be in Houston which is my hometown.”
--There are a lot of aspects of their game that needs to be refined before taking on LSU and Allen shared in detail what the areas of focus are over these next few practices.
“We need to work on getting off the blocks. Before we worry about the running back, we have to be able to get off blocks. We are working tackling a lot and hopefully we will come out victorious.”
“We are going to try and do what we did against Arkansas and against Kansas State. We are going to focus on stopping the run and then try and make them beat us through the air.”
Jared Kaster
--Kaster and the rest of the Tech offensive line will have a tough task against the physical front seven of LSU but the senior center feels like they are all up for the challenge.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity. LSU, everybody knows who they are, they are a great fundamentally sound football team. They are big up front and we are going to have to bring our A-game us five up front. They are one of the most dominant schools in the SEC. Les Miles does a good job over there getting them prepared game in and game out. It is going to be fun and a great experience and a great opportunity for us.”
--Kaster has already hit the film room and has spent a lot of time studying film on the Tigers. Even from being a casual observer, Kaster feels like he understands what they like to do on defense and understands what his group will have to do to win their matchup.
“They don’t do anything special. They just come out and try and hit you straight in the mouth. That is just how the SEC is and how LSU is. They don’t have to do anything special because they don’t have to. They are big upfront. They have a good secondary. Their linebackers are great athletes. We are going to have to really be on our game. We just have to stay in and prepare and get physically and mentally ready for them.”
“Just be physical. Whoever is the most physical in this game is going to win the game. That’s what the SEC is all about is physicality and that is what they are and is something that we are going to have to bring to the table. That’s just how it is going to be.”
--Kaster will be playing his last game as a Red Raider in the bowl game. It will also be the last game of a few other offensive linemen, Le’Raven Clark and Alfredo Morales. I asked him what it was like to have played beside these guys for the last few years.
“It has been a tremendous ride with them, and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else but them two. These years have been a great opportunity for me and we want to give it all we got and go out in the right way. We want to leave this team with a victory. We are teaching these younger guys to take it one day at a time to get better and prepare.”
“We just got to leave all that other stuff outside or in the locker room and go out there every day and make each other better. We know who are opponent is and we are going to fight and prepare each other every day despite what is going on outside. He tells us to get better every day and stay focused.”
Ian Sadler
--Sadler hasn’t got the chance to study a lot of film yet, but has seen them play enough this year to know what to expect. They have good defensive backs and Sadler is excited for that type of matchup.
“I’ve watched LSU a couple times this year and they have bigger guys, stronger guys, and faster guys. You always heard LSU is ‘defensive back university’ so it would be really interesting to see them against our wide receivers.”
--Sadler said the receiver group is mainly getting excited due to the type of coverage LSU will try and run. Sadler likes the matchup and the other receivers do too.
“Coach Kingsbury telling us that they are going to come up and play press man, you just have to be able to win and we would have a great day. Hearing that is what gets a lot of us receivers excited to play against that type of coverage.”
Jakeem Grant
--Fellow inside receiver Jakeem Grant is also excited for the chance to play against a prestigious school like LSU.
“I think it is going to be great. LSU is always a team that I grew up watching and playing NCAA with. It is going to be fun playing against them.”
--Grant understands the mantra of ‘SEC defenses’ and understands the whole ‘DBU’ nickname that LSU has but Grant warns against sleeping on the Tech receivers.
“They are DBU and we are receiver u. It is going to be a great matchup. We have weapons all over the field and they have great defensive backs. They are going to make it hard for us and we are going to make it hard for them. It will be a great game come the 29th with all our playmakers versus their playmakers.”
--Who is the biggest X-Factor in the game versus LSU? Jakeem Grant says Jakeem Grant.
“They definitely haven’t seen a guy like me. I’m pretty sure they have been watching me on film and studying my moves. The thing is is that I have moves that I can pull out at anytime. They are very physical and they are going to use their size to try and get their hands on me, but I already know what they are going to try and do to me. I’m looking forward to matching up against them. I know (Jalen) Mills will be guarding me and matching up against me. He is a great defensive back and I’m a great receiver. It is going to be great.”
--Already knowing what coverages LSU will try to run against them, Grant and the other receivers have constantly been working their releases and Grant really likes his chances one-on-one.
“I’ve just been working releases and just using my speed and quickness. I usually succeed against bigger guys. Mills is a bigger guy, he is long and I am looking forward to going against him and seeing the outcome.”
--Even though the Texas game was a couple weeks ago, the ‘Little people, Big world’ fumblerooski/Annexation of Puerto Rico-esque trick play that Grant scored on is still a major highlight in the back of everyone’s minds, so I asked Grant if he could walk me through again what happened on that magical play.
“Coach Kingsbury told me that we were going to run little people, big world. He was like you think you could do it? And I told him that if we run that play we were going to score hands down and he said okay let’s do it then. He told me to watch that defensive end coming up. I saw him but I just ran around him. Once that defensive end is running down running full speed ahead, it is hard for them to change directions. I just took the coaching and did what Coach King told me to do. Our offense sold it great and we made the big play.”
--Grant says he is excited to see if Kliff comes out with another crazy trick play for the bowl game and would be happy to run anything that Kliff comes up with.
Pete Robertson
--The senior linebacker shared his thoughts on playing against the Tigers.
“It is a great LSU team. A great SEC opponent that we get another chance to play against and a lot of guys don’t get an opportunity to play against the SEC twice a year from a conference like ours. It feels good to have an opportunity to play in a bowl in general.”
--There are a lot of things to get excited about for this bowl matchup. The chance to stop a high profile running back, the chance to go to 2-0 versus the SEC this year, or even the chance to play in Houston. I asked Pete what were some things that excited him about the bowl matchup.
“What makes me excited is just coming in and playing with the guys on our team. We have battled through up and downs since we have been here. What makes me excited is going to a bowl game and getting another opportunity to battle with these guys. It felt good making a bowl game and staying down here in Texas and not having to go so far. Now we are working hard to get the win and am excited to play with my teammates.”
--I asked Pete what were some things that Coach Gibbs was telling them as they prepared for the bowl matchup.
“We have to prepare as always which is the most important thing. That is why we practiced today and will practice again tomorrow in the morning because we are going to get better every day. We have to use these days and every single hour and minute we are going to get better perfecting our craft.”
--Robertson is graduating and will be leaving a huge void from both a production and leadership standpoint on the defensive side of the ball. I asked him with his departure who are some guys who will step up and become the next ‘Pete Robertson’
“I won’t say the next Pete Robertson because everybody has their own legacy and name to live up to. Guys like Zach Barnes, Gary Moore, Gilmore the freshman, and them guys are going to step in and take over their roles because that is what we will need and that is what we want. They are going to kill it in the Big 12 in the roles they have.”
-As mentioned earlier, Robertson has been a very productive player for Tech racking up 222 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks, and 7 forced fumbles over his four years. His tackles for loss and sack totals both place him ninth in the Big 12 since 2005. Robertson has NFL aspirations and has already looked into getting trainings set up. He will look to enter in as an OLB.
Jah’Shawn Johnson
--The common theme among all the Tech players in their matchup with LSU is excitement. The game offers a big stage and a high-profile opponent and most Tech players are anxious for the matchup.
“I was excited. It is a great chance to show our talents on a big stage and hopefully get a win and get this program to end on a good note.”
--LSU runs the ball and runs the ball a lot, but the matchups on the outside with the secondary should also be fun. Through watching film, Johnson has noticed that a lot of teams get sucked in on the run and LSU does very well in the play action passing game.
“I mean they run it so much that they trick a lot of people on the play action. They have a lot of good receivers that can go up and get the ball well. Mainly just read your keys and everything should be fine.”
--Johnson doesn’t expect too drastic of change in the defenses scheme going against LSU.
“Same as every week. No major change or anything like that. We are just going to go out and get our calls and play our calls that Coach Gibbs gives us. We are going to rally to the ball and hopefully get a lot of hats on the ball carrier and have more than one person tackle him at a time.”
“He (Gibbs) just tells us to be coachable, to not let the atmosphere get to us or affect our game or anything like that. We still have to be poised and play our game and do what we have been doing up until this point.”
--Johnson’s stellar redshirt freshman campaign did not go unnoticed this year as he received All Big 12 honorable mention after posting 79 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss with 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles.
“It is a great honor. I can’t let it get to my head and just have to go out and get better and work towards first team for next year. It is a great honor though.”
Le’Raven Clark
--Clark things the bigger SEC defenders are going to have a hard time with the tempo of the Tech offense.
“They are bigger bodied guys with lots of strength and can move around a little bit. We play a tempo offense which will hopefully work to our benefit and tire them out a bit.”
--The senior leader is pleased with the attitude of the team heading into bowl season. The younger guys understand that this is no-nonsense and a chance for the team to get a big win.
“It is usually our system whenever bowl season rolls around. Kliff usually keeps a pretty tight ship on that just letting everybody know that this isn’t some exhibition game but that we are going to go out there and compete and win the game. We aren’t going to mess around, we are going to put in the work to win the game.”
--Clark is excited about all the aspects of the matchup with LSU and is ready to show people what this team is capable of against a big opponent.
“Everything about it. We really just want to gain more respect. We want people to know we can play with anybody because talent is talent and everybody has talent. It is going to be a fun game to go out and play.”
--I asked Clark about receiving All Big 12 First Team accolades for another year in a row and the big man just shrug it off and said he is focused on getting the win right now. As mentioned earlier with Pete, Clark is leaving a massive void on the left side of the line at the left tackle position. I asked him who were some names to watch on the o-line for next year and the years afterward.
“I hope their aspirations are to be better than me. I hope everyone wants to be better than me. We have to be better than the next guy to step up into our roles. Definitely Justin Murphy once he gets back from his injury will be a great player for us for sure. He will be a leader then we have a lot of guys coming back who have gotten a lot of reps who can be really good for us. There are a lot of freshmen who will be good when their time comes.”
--Like Pete, he is also looking ahead to the NFL and has also already started looking at places to train and get better. Right now he is just looking for an opportunity. He has not decided what position he wants to settle on just yet. Clark also said his favorite NFL team is the Ravens because his name is Le’Raven ….
--On a side note I sent in my player requests earlier today and included both Devin Lauderdale and Davis Webb. I immediately got an email back and was denied Webb and Lauderdale. I have never received an email back telling me that players were unavailable like that. Something to maybe monitor going forward.
Justin Stockton
--First up is Justin Stockton who commented on bowl prep and getting a chance to play a team like LSU in their bowl game.
“I was excited. Who wouldn’t want to play LSU in a bowl game? It’s great for us and the university. We are excited, we are practicing hard. We are taking the challenge to the fullest and we are ready.”
“Bowl prep is going good. We had a great day today. We are ready to move on and improve on it tomorrow. We are accepting the challenge to play a great team like LSU. Every day we are going to improve and watch film and do what we do best and play fast.”
--Stockton understands the ‘SEC defense’ aspect of LSU’s team but also doesn’t want people to forget that Tech is the number two offense in the country.
“They are big, physical, and fast, especially the defensive line. They have good safeties, linebackers all around. The thing is though, we are good too. We are excited for the game and can’t way to play in Houston.”
Dakota Allen
--Redshirt freshman Dakota Allen is also excited for the opportunity to play LSU. The first year starter at linebacker finished his RS fr campaign with 84 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. Allen played hobbled the past couple games but should be all healed up for the matchup against LSU.
“I was really excited to hear the matchup. This is what you live for. We have already beaten Arkansas and we have already beat Texas and we just need that one more big school to beat.”
“Practice is going good going good. We are all 100% ready and ready to go. My injury is all healed up, and I’m just ready to go.”
--It will be no surprise if LSU comes out and runs the ball a lot on the Tech defense, but Allen and the other linebackers are excited for the challenge.
“I’m pretty excited about that. This is a big opportunity for us as a defense to show what we can really do. I especially like it too because it is going to be in Houston which is my hometown.”
--There are a lot of aspects of their game that needs to be refined before taking on LSU and Allen shared in detail what the areas of focus are over these next few practices.
“We need to work on getting off the blocks. Before we worry about the running back, we have to be able to get off blocks. We are working tackling a lot and hopefully we will come out victorious.”
“We are going to try and do what we did against Arkansas and against Kansas State. We are going to focus on stopping the run and then try and make them beat us through the air.”
Jared Kaster
--Kaster and the rest of the Tech offensive line will have a tough task against the physical front seven of LSU but the senior center feels like they are all up for the challenge.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity. LSU, everybody knows who they are, they are a great fundamentally sound football team. They are big up front and we are going to have to bring our A-game us five up front. They are one of the most dominant schools in the SEC. Les Miles does a good job over there getting them prepared game in and game out. It is going to be fun and a great experience and a great opportunity for us.”
--Kaster has already hit the film room and has spent a lot of time studying film on the Tigers. Even from being a casual observer, Kaster feels like he understands what they like to do on defense and understands what his group will have to do to win their matchup.
“They don’t do anything special. They just come out and try and hit you straight in the mouth. That is just how the SEC is and how LSU is. They don’t have to do anything special because they don’t have to. They are big upfront. They have a good secondary. Their linebackers are great athletes. We are going to have to really be on our game. We just have to stay in and prepare and get physically and mentally ready for them.”
“Just be physical. Whoever is the most physical in this game is going to win the game. That’s what the SEC is all about is physicality and that is what they are and is something that we are going to have to bring to the table. That’s just how it is going to be.”
--Kaster will be playing his last game as a Red Raider in the bowl game. It will also be the last game of a few other offensive linemen, Le’Raven Clark and Alfredo Morales. I asked him what it was like to have played beside these guys for the last few years.
“It has been a tremendous ride with them, and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else but them two. These years have been a great opportunity for me and we want to give it all we got and go out in the right way. We want to leave this team with a victory. We are teaching these younger guys to take it one day at a time to get better and prepare.”
“We just got to leave all that other stuff outside or in the locker room and go out there every day and make each other better. We know who are opponent is and we are going to fight and prepare each other every day despite what is going on outside. He tells us to get better every day and stay focused.”
Ian Sadler
--Sadler hasn’t got the chance to study a lot of film yet, but has seen them play enough this year to know what to expect. They have good defensive backs and Sadler is excited for that type of matchup.
“I’ve watched LSU a couple times this year and they have bigger guys, stronger guys, and faster guys. You always heard LSU is ‘defensive back university’ so it would be really interesting to see them against our wide receivers.”
--Sadler said the receiver group is mainly getting excited due to the type of coverage LSU will try and run. Sadler likes the matchup and the other receivers do too.
“Coach Kingsbury telling us that they are going to come up and play press man, you just have to be able to win and we would have a great day. Hearing that is what gets a lot of us receivers excited to play against that type of coverage.”
Jakeem Grant
--Fellow inside receiver Jakeem Grant is also excited for the chance to play against a prestigious school like LSU.
“I think it is going to be great. LSU is always a team that I grew up watching and playing NCAA with. It is going to be fun playing against them.”
--Grant understands the mantra of ‘SEC defenses’ and understands the whole ‘DBU’ nickname that LSU has but Grant warns against sleeping on the Tech receivers.
“They are DBU and we are receiver u. It is going to be a great matchup. We have weapons all over the field and they have great defensive backs. They are going to make it hard for us and we are going to make it hard for them. It will be a great game come the 29th with all our playmakers versus their playmakers.”
--Who is the biggest X-Factor in the game versus LSU? Jakeem Grant says Jakeem Grant.
“They definitely haven’t seen a guy like me. I’m pretty sure they have been watching me on film and studying my moves. The thing is is that I have moves that I can pull out at anytime. They are very physical and they are going to use their size to try and get their hands on me, but I already know what they are going to try and do to me. I’m looking forward to matching up against them. I know (Jalen) Mills will be guarding me and matching up against me. He is a great defensive back and I’m a great receiver. It is going to be great.”
--Already knowing what coverages LSU will try to run against them, Grant and the other receivers have constantly been working their releases and Grant really likes his chances one-on-one.
“I’ve just been working releases and just using my speed and quickness. I usually succeed against bigger guys. Mills is a bigger guy, he is long and I am looking forward to going against him and seeing the outcome.”
--Even though the Texas game was a couple weeks ago, the ‘Little people, Big world’ fumblerooski/Annexation of Puerto Rico-esque trick play that Grant scored on is still a major highlight in the back of everyone’s minds, so I asked Grant if he could walk me through again what happened on that magical play.
“Coach Kingsbury told me that we were going to run little people, big world. He was like you think you could do it? And I told him that if we run that play we were going to score hands down and he said okay let’s do it then. He told me to watch that defensive end coming up. I saw him but I just ran around him. Once that defensive end is running down running full speed ahead, it is hard for them to change directions. I just took the coaching and did what Coach King told me to do. Our offense sold it great and we made the big play.”
--Grant says he is excited to see if Kliff comes out with another crazy trick play for the bowl game and would be happy to run anything that Kliff comes up with.
Pete Robertson
--The senior linebacker shared his thoughts on playing against the Tigers.
“It is a great LSU team. A great SEC opponent that we get another chance to play against and a lot of guys don’t get an opportunity to play against the SEC twice a year from a conference like ours. It feels good to have an opportunity to play in a bowl in general.”
--There are a lot of things to get excited about for this bowl matchup. The chance to stop a high profile running back, the chance to go to 2-0 versus the SEC this year, or even the chance to play in Houston. I asked Pete what were some things that excited him about the bowl matchup.
“What makes me excited is just coming in and playing with the guys on our team. We have battled through up and downs since we have been here. What makes me excited is going to a bowl game and getting another opportunity to battle with these guys. It felt good making a bowl game and staying down here in Texas and not having to go so far. Now we are working hard to get the win and am excited to play with my teammates.”
--I asked Pete what were some things that Coach Gibbs was telling them as they prepared for the bowl matchup.
“We have to prepare as always which is the most important thing. That is why we practiced today and will practice again tomorrow in the morning because we are going to get better every day. We have to use these days and every single hour and minute we are going to get better perfecting our craft.”
--Robertson is graduating and will be leaving a huge void from both a production and leadership standpoint on the defensive side of the ball. I asked him with his departure who are some guys who will step up and become the next ‘Pete Robertson’
“I won’t say the next Pete Robertson because everybody has their own legacy and name to live up to. Guys like Zach Barnes, Gary Moore, Gilmore the freshman, and them guys are going to step in and take over their roles because that is what we will need and that is what we want. They are going to kill it in the Big 12 in the roles they have.”
-As mentioned earlier, Robertson has been a very productive player for Tech racking up 222 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks, and 7 forced fumbles over his four years. His tackles for loss and sack totals both place him ninth in the Big 12 since 2005. Robertson has NFL aspirations and has already looked into getting trainings set up. He will look to enter in as an OLB.
Jah’Shawn Johnson
--The common theme among all the Tech players in their matchup with LSU is excitement. The game offers a big stage and a high-profile opponent and most Tech players are anxious for the matchup.
“I was excited. It is a great chance to show our talents on a big stage and hopefully get a win and get this program to end on a good note.”
--LSU runs the ball and runs the ball a lot, but the matchups on the outside with the secondary should also be fun. Through watching film, Johnson has noticed that a lot of teams get sucked in on the run and LSU does very well in the play action passing game.
“I mean they run it so much that they trick a lot of people on the play action. They have a lot of good receivers that can go up and get the ball well. Mainly just read your keys and everything should be fine.”
--Johnson doesn’t expect too drastic of change in the defenses scheme going against LSU.
“Same as every week. No major change or anything like that. We are just going to go out and get our calls and play our calls that Coach Gibbs gives us. We are going to rally to the ball and hopefully get a lot of hats on the ball carrier and have more than one person tackle him at a time.”
“He (Gibbs) just tells us to be coachable, to not let the atmosphere get to us or affect our game or anything like that. We still have to be poised and play our game and do what we have been doing up until this point.”
--Johnson’s stellar redshirt freshman campaign did not go unnoticed this year as he received All Big 12 honorable mention after posting 79 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss with 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles.
“It is a great honor. I can’t let it get to my head and just have to go out and get better and work towards first team for next year. It is a great honor though.”
Le’Raven Clark
--Clark things the bigger SEC defenders are going to have a hard time with the tempo of the Tech offense.
“They are bigger bodied guys with lots of strength and can move around a little bit. We play a tempo offense which will hopefully work to our benefit and tire them out a bit.”
--The senior leader is pleased with the attitude of the team heading into bowl season. The younger guys understand that this is no-nonsense and a chance for the team to get a big win.
“It is usually our system whenever bowl season rolls around. Kliff usually keeps a pretty tight ship on that just letting everybody know that this isn’t some exhibition game but that we are going to go out there and compete and win the game. We aren’t going to mess around, we are going to put in the work to win the game.”
--Clark is excited about all the aspects of the matchup with LSU and is ready to show people what this team is capable of against a big opponent.
“Everything about it. We really just want to gain more respect. We want people to know we can play with anybody because talent is talent and everybody has talent. It is going to be a fun game to go out and play.”
--I asked Clark about receiving All Big 12 First Team accolades for another year in a row and the big man just shrug it off and said he is focused on getting the win right now. As mentioned earlier with Pete, Clark is leaving a massive void on the left side of the line at the left tackle position. I asked him who were some names to watch on the o-line for next year and the years afterward.
“I hope their aspirations are to be better than me. I hope everyone wants to be better than me. We have to be better than the next guy to step up into our roles. Definitely Justin Murphy once he gets back from his injury will be a great player for us for sure. He will be a leader then we have a lot of guys coming back who have gotten a lot of reps who can be really good for us. There are a lot of freshmen who will be good when their time comes.”
--Like Pete, he is also looking ahead to the NFL and has also already started looking at places to train and get better. Right now he is just looking for an opportunity. He has not decided what position he wants to settle on just yet. Clark also said his favorite NFL team is the Ravens because his name is Le’Raven ….
