[BAYLOR FOOTBALL] BAYLOR FOOTBALL: Dave Aranda Weekly Press Conference Transcript and Video

[Bryan, Taylor]

DOWNLOAD LINKS
Video:
https://baylor.box.com/s/s6vkv9rzwnk22rr53mvfalu1w8rvgd1d
Audio Only:
https://baylor.box.com/s/jd9d7pb3nmwgpjjtcs34nniaz4kz1n2s

Baylor head coach Dave Aranda Weekly Press Conference
November 30, 2020

On mood in the locker room…
The mood is good. Yesterday was a good practice.  I thought the meetings were good. We had unit meetings like we’ve been having. We watched the film together and we were able to make the corrections and adjustments they need to make. We had our walk-through practice and I think that went well. We had a lot of good energy. For our players and coaches, it was a shot in the arm.

On John Mayers…
First of all, I like John as a person. I think John has a servant heart, and I feel he is a great observer. I think is he is very attuned to what is happening around him. He’s got really good insight. He’s very smart. He’s very loyal. He’s respected within our team, not only for what he does as a player but also the way he handles himself as a person. So I think when he’s put in those situations, which he was last year and he was just in, I think everyone was pulling for him because of the person he is. When he’s successful they’re that much more happy for him.

On Qualan Jones availability…
I don’t know. We were updated on him earlier today, so it’s still kind of wait and see. I would expect to get him, but I can’t say for certain.

On Jay Sedwick…
It was pretty cool. Jay was a captain for us. I think with Jay I got back to who he is and how Jay treats other people, and how respected he is. What type of team we have for a guy like Jay to be Jay, and for them to accept him for the way he is, and for Jay have his heart out for everyone to see it. All of that is before anything else. I think how Jay is as a person allows him in a situation like that where there is pressure. It’s on TV, the lights are on and everything, and for him to go out and execute. Jay is one of those guys that you depend on, that you count on, and you want on your side. It’s probably not the first time something like that has come about with him.

On how team can carry momentum forward…
When you do it one time you can do it another time. For leaders to emerge and kind of step out there and make plays, and to have our team step up and then back them up, I think that’s the way. From stepping all the way back from a football perspective and putting the game in the players’ hands, which I felt there were times when we did that, and there were times when we can be better than that. Just putting the game in their hands and giving the best opportunity to be successful and let them rise up and make plays, get them to feel comfortable throughout the week in terms of giving the best look possible. But if you did it one time, you can do it another time. We’re going to continue harping on that and messaging that the best we can.


On Charlie Brewer’s ability as a runner…
I look at part of that being on us as coaches, part of that being on me I think for not having that sooner. Charlie is at his best when it’s a 1-2 read, and if it isn’t there then go. That’s what you’re seeing. When it’s not that, say it’s a full field read or it’s this or it’s that, I think that’s not when he plays at his best. From the West Virginia game on to try to tie in or narrowing the scope to what we’re doing down to where there’s routes coming into his field of vision or he’s moving out of the pocket. Either way, if it’s not there then go. I think that’s Charlie and I think that’s us, so we’re going to continue to find creative ways to kind of get that done because it’s inspiring when he plays the way he plays. We want Charlie to be Charlie.

On what a strong finish to season would mean going into offseason…
I think it would validate. I think either way through these last couple weeks, just the effort that’s been put in, the cohesiveness that’s there. Coming off a loss Sunday, and Monday being down, and you have to regroup and reassess and come together again to build up for a Tuesday and Wednesday is really, really good, and a Thursday and a Friday and kind of hit a peak on a Saturday, to have to kind of come down again and then build it back up. The wins would allow us to not have those lows, and continue with those highs and build on recruiting and build on more skilled acquisition because you’re not focusing on other things. So I feel like we’re all in. I think the opportunity is there and we’re thankful for it.

On Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler…
Similar to what we talked about with Charlie in terms of kind of finding a rhythm and finding a style and a preference of play. I think he’s done the same. And it’s different than Charlie’s. It’s going to be in the pocket, it’s going to be drop-back pass, some play-action. But, I think it’s a great credit to Coach (Lincoln) Riley and just the staff there. For however long, personally for me I’ve been looking at OU, and the success that they’ve had with this quarterback or that quarterback or whatever quarterback they’ve had, is that the offense has looked different and it’s suited whatever guy that they’ve had. And I think you can see that here with Rattler. I think he’s found where he’s comfortable and he’s performing at a high level.
On the Baylor offensive line…
I think the majority of the reason is because we’re banged-up. So, I think guys are trying to go. Coach (Joe) Wickline got banged-up. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but he tore up his hand, tore up his ankle, bleeding. I was on the sideline there. Matt Kuehl is our trainer. Matt comes to me and he goes, ‘Dave, Wick is out. We’re going to have to take him and get him stitched up.’ I kind of nodded my head, and then I thought, ‘Who is he talking about? Who is this?’ And I turned to him and said, ‘Who?’ He goes, ‘Wick. Coach Wickline.’ So, Wick went in and got stitched up and then came back out. He had a tourniquet on his leg with a towel prior to that. So, I don’t know how much the guys were taking in, the adjustments he was making. They were just looking at him bleed, so I’m glad they took him and got him stitched up. But, I feel like to a degree, it may be too strong of an illustration, but that’s kind of what it’s been like. So, to come back and to finish it – they told me ‘hey, Wick’s stitched up, he’s coming back’ – I said, OK, we’re good then. So, O-line-wise, I’m proud of them, they keep scrapping and fighting.
On how Oklahoma offense compares to last year…
They’re different than last year. I think some of the pass game concepts are the same. But, last year looked different than the year previous. Kind of similar to what we just talked about a little earlier, just quarterback-wise and going to the strengths of their quarterbacks. So last year there was a lot more quarterback run. Obviously, they had (Jalen) Hurts, and that was a big part of their game. This year, there’s not as much of that. Last year, there wasn’t a lot of drop-back pass, it was a lot of play-action and (run-pass options). Now, there’s a lot of drop-back pass. So, I feel like they’ve found a niche there. Specifically for OU, but also generally for any explosive offense, the ability to take what they’re doing and break it down, really detail when they’re doing, what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, and try to play the percentages, whether it’s personnel, formation. It could be this receiver’s in, that receiver’s out. It could be field position and really play percentages to try to negate them from doing what they do best. It’s tough to do. I think there’s a great confidence right now with them, and you see it when you watch them, just their ability to execute and get big plays. A lot of misdirection, with OU. So, I think our ability to be good with our eyes, which I thought was very suspect in this last game that we played. So, our improvement is going to be a critical piece to all of this.
On what changed for offense in fourth quarter…
No, the ball was coming out quick, so there was a lot of quick game being called. And then, I thought there was a great rhythm. By that point, just about everyone that is a skill guy had answered the call. We had Tyquan, R.J., you name it, guys were making plays, contested catches. You saw 6 (Gavin Holmes) with a play, kind of up their hash. So, all throughout, guys had already kind of answered the call. So, I think their confidence in Charlie and then great confidence in our ski8ll with Charlie that ‘Hey, we’re doing this.’ Charlie just about said that on the sideline as well, so guys were playing pretty connected.
On what happened to Joe Wickline on sideline…
No, I don’t know. He’s embarrassed by it, so I’m glad we’re talking about it right now. I think it was some form of block coming from the side that he didn’t see, and someone’s cleat, it was a whiplash deal there. He was all cut up. I remember going to the O-line, this was early in the first half where we weren’t very productive, I’m over there and I just see blood everywhere. There’s a towel of blood, there’s another towel of blood. So, it kind of illustrated the situation a little bit when you walk over there. I wasn’t anticipating the need for him to get stitched up. Wickline right now has stitches in his leg and his hand is taped up, because he was bleeding from his hand as well. So, all of that is unique.


___________________________________
Taylor Bryan | Assistant AD for Football External
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-709-4411 | O: 254-710-3538

[cid:image001.png at 01D5070F.1E7C3CA0]<http://baylorbears.com/>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/fbmedia/attachments/20201130/5832d121/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 11690 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.baylor.edu/pipermail/fbmedia/attachments/20201130/5832d121/attachment-0001.png>