Conference Call: Klieman looking for growth

Will you approach this bye week differently than the last one considering you were off three straight wins on the first and two straight losses on this one?

“It’s a new week. We don’t handle it a whole lot differently, as far as not worrying about the past or worrying about what we did after the 3-0. You have to attack every day. We will probably practice a little bit more K-State vs. K-State, just so we can continue to develop and find some younger players that we know, as we get into a stretch in seven in a row, are going to have to help us. So, that’s probably the biggest thing we will do.”

Thoughts after watching film on the game?

“We’re close. We’re making some plays; we’re just not sustaining some plays. I think on both sides of the ball. I thought offensively we played better than we did against Oklahoma State. We maybe stubbed our foot or didn’t convert on a situation here or there. It’s coming along and getting better. On defense we made some big-time plays and had some really good plays out there; we just have to fix our tackling.”

At the start of the season you said there would be some adversity. Now there is some adversity. Is this team about where you kind of thought in the rebuilding process kind of the way it started off the first five games?

“Yeah… And I guess forget wins or losses; we are progressing like I would hope. I really believe, and the players believe, we did get better last week at practice as far as how we went about our business. I thought our scout team work was better. I thought we played faster. I thought we understood where we were at within our system last week. It doesn’t always mean it’s going to be successful on Saturday; you sure as heck hope it does. I am pleased with the progress we are making. We’d rather be 5-0, but we’re not 0-5 either. It’s a daily grind, and we are going to keep working.”

You have been around the players for several months now. I saw in the post game you kind of addressed the seniors after the game. From what you’ve seen, what is the character of the team and this senior class?

“Our seniors are winners. They are winners in life and are going to be very successful. I want to challenge those guys that this is their last shot, their last go around. Don’t let anything go unnoticed. Make sure you speak up when you need to speak up. Make sure you look at yourself in the mirror and make sure you are giving everything, which I believe those guys are. We are going to get this turned. I told them that, and I firmly believed we are going to get this turned in the right direction.”

Are there a couple of things you can put your finger on offensively?

“We’ll have an explosive play and get the ball moving, and then we’ll end up in a second-and-three and take a negative play. We have to eliminate the negative plays. We were in a few second and shorts, and then all of a sudden we are in third-and-medium or third-and-long. You have to figure those things out. Just like everybody else, who’s trying to battle it, you have to be more successful in the red zone. Some of that is execution, some of that is assignment sound. When we get down there we can’t come away with field goals; we have to come away with touchdowns, and its is something we are going to emphasize a little bit more this week, probably, with our ones vs. our ones, because we have to do the same thing on defense. Against Oklahoma State we were able to stop them and force them into field goals, and we weren’t this past week against Baylor. It’s something we have to emphasize more.”

Have you noticed any difference playing against Power Five teams and how they coach than at your level before?

“No, not necessarily. It’s still football. Football is still the ability to make plays, to block and tackle. Everybody is doing different things scheme wise, and you got to believe in your process and what you are doing. And we believe that.”

Any Malik Knowles injury update?

“We don’t know about Malik. We’ll kind of play it by ear this week. We’ll probably not have a lot of him this week, but we’re hopeful, just like we were last week. We were hopeful he could give us some snaps. We’ll see how far along he progresses.”

What has helped Chris Herron get on the field?

“Just watching him at practice going against some of our first line defensive guys, his ability to separate and his ability get open. Now, for Chris, it’s just about continuing to master and understand the playbook so he feels comfortable in those environments. I think we’ll see more of Chris, because he does have that competitive nature and he can get open.”

Impressions of Baylor…

“Offensively they have a tremendous quarterback that makes plays. That’s the first thing I would say. Whether we pressured him, he was able to get around and find some open players. He doesn’t scramble to run, but he scrambles to keep plays alive. They are obviously really sound and able to run the football and have a big target at wide receiver. Then on defense, they play physical. They know their fits. They play really fast. They are a veteran group back there that understands what they are trying to do. I was really impressed with them.”

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