COURTNEY MESSINGHAM, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
On dealing with missing personnel due to COVID-19 ...
"The biggest challenge for us is trying to do most of the offense out of different personnel groups. If it's 12 personnel, which is two tight ends and two receivers, if it's 21 with two tailbacks out there rather than a fullback and a tailback to get us where we can basically have three skill type guys out there, meaning one of the tailbacks and two wide receivers. Or if it's just using a hybrid guy like a Sammy Wheeler or even a Jax Dineen as far as the skillset where you're filling some of those quote 11 personnel, or three receivers sets, with guys that you feel like are athletic enough to help you in space."
On the advantages of scouting Arkansas State this weekend…
"Hopefully it will give us a very good advantage just from a standpoint of seeing them play and seeing them line up and being able to evaluate new guys that are going to be playing for their defense. They've lost a number of guys on defense, but yet, from what we understand, they've got a few transfers in and some new guys that will be starting for them. One, obviously just to see them line up and just play and evaluate who's their best players as we see it. Then the other thing you're hoping that Memphis sets up in some of the same formations and/or personnel groupings that we'll be in. You would think Memphis would run some run game similar to us, but Memphis is brand new, meaning that their head coach left and went to Florida State and now they've got a new system and new guys. Even though a number of them were hold overs, it's still going to be a new offense."
On his philosophy on trick plays…
"It's kind of the normal thing where, generally speaking, and not always, you're thinking maybe the 30-35 yard line you pull something like that out trying to get a free score. But then that always makes me nervous once we're inside the 50-yard line and all of sudden you have one that doesn't work and that puts you at second and 10. I've got to do a better job of saying, 'That's okay. Second and 10 is not a bad deal, taking the risk of having a big play that could create a touchdown for us.' We talk about it all the time, but I'm the one, though, that has to pull the trigger on gameday. We always carry about what I would consider to be four or five, not trick, but special plays you don't see every week from us. We've got to do a better job of getting them called."
On where this offense is better than last season...
"It has to be seen, and we have to go do it, but I think that just because of the depth aspect, we're better at the receiver position because they're a year older. Obviously, replacing Dalton (Schoen) is going to be extremely hard, but you feel like, from a talent standpoint, Wykeen's (Gill) a year older, YB's (Joshua Youngblood) a year older, Malik's (Knowles) a year older, Phillip Brooks is a year older. Replacing Dalton's going to be extremely hard, but you hope those other guys that are back will make us that much better. From a running back standpoint, I think Harry (Trotter) understands the offense so much better. Tyler Burns has made huge strides as far as being a guy that feels much more comfortable in our offense. Then you had a number of true freshmen last year that got on the field and played some that I think they'll be better. Part of it is just kind of assuming that from a maturing process and now being a second year on the field guys are going to be that much better in our system, but we've still have to get out on the field and prove that and show that."
On the progress of the offensive line…
"I feel really good with the communication aspect when we're in practice and when we're obviously going against a defense we see every single day. The biggest concern I have is once the bullets start flying and we're out there in a game setting. As much as you try to simulate in a scout-team setting the front that Arkansas State's going to play, it's still not the same. We play more of a four-down as our own defense, and Arkansas State is going to play more of what we consider to be a three-down. It will be new. The communication feels good right now, but the first drive in hopefully we're all on the same page."
On who is in the starting five on the offensive line…
"Well, right now, if we're starting tomorrow, which obviously it's not that far away, but K.T. (Kaitori Leveston) would be at left tackle. Our left guard, obviously Josh Rivas holds that position down. Noah Johnson will be at the center for us. Right guard would probably be Ben Adler. And then right tackle we're still a little bit of a work in progress there. We feel really good about Cooper Beebe. We feel really good about Logan Long. We feel really good about Christian Duffie. There's about eight guys that I would tell you that should be in the mix to play. The left side is a little bit more solidified. Obviously, Kaitori needs to be a guy that can really be a good player for us. Our little bit of concern is just how do we make sure that we find eight guys that can all jump in there and communicate because, like it or not, we didn't have spring ball. We didn't have summer conditioning the way you normally do, and all of sudden you try and go out and play a 70 -lay game or a 75-play game. Five o-linemen probably aren't going to hold up. We need to find seven or eight."
On who those key reserve offensive linemen would be…
"Well, really, I think it would go back to saying the same with Logan Long, Christian Duffie, and Cooper Beebe. Those guys being that six, seven, eight – I lose count a little bit on how many I've told. But I would say I feel comfortable that there's going to be eight or nine guys competing to be in that position. Dawson Delforge has to get here and see him actually play, but he's a guy we feel is a really good player, and he's done a good job in fall camp. But again, when you go against the same defensive front every day, 'I'm ready to make that call, I'm ready to communicate. Oh wait a minute, now there's a whole different front. The movement skills are different as far as the defensive players.' So are we able to communicate? I feel good that we will have nine guys that will keep competing."
On Skylar Thompson and Noah Johnson being named team captains…
"Well, I think that was a little bit of no-brainer on Skylar, obviously, because I think our players look at him as a guy that should be a leader and is a leader. He's been successful in our offense. The guy that maybe some people wouldn't know would be Noah, but throughout this entire situation, Noah's done a great job trying to continue to teach the other linemen what we do. He's a guy that didn't play as many reps as you would think of to be a captain, but he was ready to play the entire year last year. If he would've had to play last year, I don't think any of us would be nervous about it as he kind of became a leader of that group. Five seniors were gone, so who's that next guy up to kind of be that leader? He did it all year long. So, I was not at all surprised by Noah. I think he's done a good job not just with the o-line, but with our offense as a whole. When he speaks, the running backs, tight ends and receivers all respect him and know he's a guy that's all in. He cares about our program as much as anybody in the program."
On the intensity in practice as the first game approaches…
"I think we've been fortunate. This group has been pretty focused the whole time. They understood that they lost out on a whole bunch of spring practice and, really, summer opportunities. So we've been fortunate to have guys that are pretty focused. I think the biggest key is now they're starting to understand you have to hone in on the details and you have to really start worrying about Arkansas State and not worrying as much about how do we block Wyatt Hubert. Now we have to worry about blocking that next opponent."
On running backs Thomas Grayson and Clyde Price…
"I'm not disappointed at all in their development. It's a little bit been more that the first guys you've mentioned have been on the field and have shown things. The two new young guys bring a little bit different skill set. If I could tell you that everybody would be healthy the whole year, I'd tell you those six you mentioned in the three different tiers would be the guys that would take the most reps. That being said, with some of the COVID situation, a (Keyon) Mozee, a Deuce (Vaughn), a Jacardia (Wright), they all have really good ball skills. They might have to play some receiver-type things at times. It's going to be how do we fit the puzzle together each week. We feel really good about the tailback position. We feel like there are eight guys that have good skills and can play at the college level."
On Malik Knowles gaining weight to make him more durable…
"We feel like he's worked hard to put some weight on, and we feel like that will help him. We feel like that will allow him to stay healthy and stay a main guy for us hopefully all year long."
On the advantage of having a senior quarterback in Skylar Thompson…
"I think it's a huge deal for not just myself, but for our offense knowing that if it's third down, he's going to understand how to make it work. He's going to understand how to get the job done. A big part of offenses being successful and moving the ball down the field and moving the chains is having a trigger guy that makes things right. In other words, just as an example, let's say it's third down and five, and he see there's a free access to take a hitch and get a first down without having to battle for it. He has the ability to make that move, make that check and just take the free hitch. That's something that a year ago I'm not sure he would've felt comfortable doing and now he does. That helps us tremendously as an offense."
JOE KLANDERMAN, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
On Arkansas State quarterback Layne Hatcher and being able to watch him on Saturday...
"Well, there's no luxury, I'll tell you that. I'd say what makes him really scary is that he extends plays, he's very pocket-aware. The other thing that makes him really effective is that his accuracy is really good. He throws a tremendously accurate deep ball, he hits guys in stride and he has very good vision. The ball goes where it should based on the coverage, and he's usually right. He's a little bit of a risk taker at time, but most of the time that's paid off for him."
On the secondary...
"It's going good as guys get more and more comfortable. I think of guys like Kiondre Thomas; I think of guys like Ryan Henington, guys that weren't part of it last year either because they weren't here or they didn't play the position. Jahron McPherson, playing a new position. Those guys are doing a really good job. I think, across the board, we're getting more comfortable with the package. The way that it's taking shape, we're not built the same way that we were a year ago personnel-wise. We have strength in some areas that maybe we weren't strong in last year. Maybe we're not as proficient in some areas as we were a year ago. So, we have to adapt to that. So those new guys have fit right in."
On what he views as the strengths of the defense this year...
"I think we're better in man coverage than we were a year ago. I think we can cover people better. I think we get after the passer better. I think guys understand their roles better. I think of a guy like Drew Wiley, a guy like Eli Huggins. Their role - and who knows, they may end up with double-digit sacks - but that's not what their role is in our scheme. Their role is to dominate up front and be tremendous run defenders. As we define those roles for those guys a bit more, guys are getting more used to and taking more pride in them. So, we have some guys that come in and rush the passer. That's what they do. That's their role, they're taking pride in that role and they're mastering their craft in that role. We have some guys that come in to do this job or that job. I'm pretty big on personnelling as many things as we can and getting guys in to do what they do best."
On if he believes that Justin Hughes is back to 100% following last year's knee injury...
"Him and I were actually talking about that yesterday, so it's funny you say that. Early in camp, I thought a lot about his knee, personally, I did. I was like, 'Jeez, I wonder how that's going to affect his knee.' I didn't necessarily notice it in his movements, but it was always on my mind. 'Is it bothering him? Is it something that's in his mind?' The last week and a half or so, I haven't thought about it once. You wouldn't know it. He's back in there communicating like he has been like the Justin Hughes of old, running around, changing direction and making plays like he should."
On what stands out about Brock Monty and why he deserved to be a captain...
"Part of being a leader is not being afraid to speak up. I think it today's day and age, a lot of people are afraid to speak up about this or that. They don't want to be the not cool guy. They don't want to be the guy that might rock the boat a little bit with a teammate. Sometimes it's ok to get after somebody as long as you're doing it in a positive way. Brock is not afraid to say things to people. We have some guys that I think are good leaders by example, but I don't know that being a leader by example is necessarily being a leader. I think being a leader is getting people to buy into the vision that we have, and Brock does that on a daily basis."
On if he has any nerves on being a defensive coordinator for the first time in a while...
"I don't think so. Honestly, I don't. I'm a Type A kind of a guy I guess. I like having the call to be mine. I like the responsibility to be mine. I learned a tremendous amount from Scottie Hazelton. I think he's phenomenal and one of the smartest guys I've ever been around. I still like taking the con a little bit, and I like the buck to stop with me as much as I can. So, no, I guess not really."
On if he prefers being in the booth or on the field on gamedays...
"It's been a long time since I've been on the field. I like being on the field, but I'm probably going to call the game from up top. It might just fit our staff situation a little bit better."
On the position change to defensive back for Ryan Henington...
"We knew he was a good athlete. That was apparent even last year when he was the scout-team quarterback, especially when we were preparing for Navy. The guy was changing direction. He was really fluid in his movements. We had had some success with guys at North Dakota State with some guys that had maybe been high school quarterbacks - or even guys that we brought in as quarterbacks - playing in the secondary. To do what we do, it takes a fair amount of brains, and quarterbacks typically have that. That's sort of a prerequisite for playing that position. So, his worth ethic has gotten him to where he is right now. He came in and he knew with Skylar (Thompson) and some of the situation there, he was like, 'You know, if I'm a quarterback, I'm happy to be that. I don't know if you guys will ever use me on special teams, if that's the deal, I wouldn't mind being somewhere where I can be used.' He came to myself and Coach Klieman, and it was more or less his idea to approach us with it than the other way around. It's paid off. I can't imagine a guy working harder in January, February and March to learn what he's doing. Knowledge-wise, it seems like he's been playing that position for over a year. Now, there's still some things on the field that just, picture-wise, he needs to continue to see so he can react to them quicker, but as far as knowing what to do, he's on point there."
On people not talking about linebacker Cody Fletcher and his motivation to bounce back this year...
"He doesn't (get talked about enough), and he should. He's a really good football player and a very good leader in his own right. He's a very consistent, solid guy day to day. You're right, he doesn't get talked about and I don't know why. Maybe it's because he's missed some of that time, but he will be a huge part of the lineup this year."
On how dynamic and smart K-State is at linebacker...
"We're really far along in the package with those older guys particularly. There's a lot to it, now, so there's some freshmen that have a ways to go, but we're excited about their future also. As far as depth, you could argue that we could go as deep as six when you throw Nick Allen in the mix and Levi Archer in the mix, Austin Moore in the mix. There's seven guys that you wouldn't feel bad about being in the game at any point in time."
On the progress of Khalid Duke and Felix Anudike during fall camp...
"I talked to the defense the other day, and, as an example, I said, 'Khalid Duke, along with Eli Huggins, are probably two of the most-improved players, probably the two more-improved football players, on the football team.' So, Khalid has not slowed down one bit. I'm excited for him to get out there and get going. Felix hasn't slowed down either. The issue with Felix is, as we've learned how good of a player he is, we've tried to continue to expand his role, putting him in different packages and putting him in different situations. So, mentally, we're hampering him a little bit. We'll start to scale that back a little bit now that we've gotten into full-fledged game prep mode. But, we're trying to push Felix along as much as we can. He's going to be part of the plan this year for sure."
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