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Here are quotes and videos from Texas A&M coaches and players from this week’s press conferences.
Head Coach Kevin Sumlin
- On getting better on 3rd Down:
— “On the road, that's the loudest down. Being able to communicate may have been an issue. We have to be more comfortable in that situation. We have a lot of guys out there that are new. It's more than just plays. It's players. The only way to get better is practice.”
- On Special Teams play:
— “Braden Mann has been kicking it out of the endzone. Shane Tripucka has been solid as a punter. Daniel LaCamera keeps getting better. When the defense is as good as it's been, you can manage the game better. The field goals were certainly a different look for us last week.”
- On the hit Christian Kirk took, and being ready for next Saturday:
— “I asked him how was on the bus and he said, ‘Man, they got me on a vine.’”
- On the running backs:
— “Trayveon Williams came in during the spring. He put the ball on the ground then. He's fast and takes great pride in what he does. He covered the ball up a few times trying to get a first down. We're going to need all these running backs. Keith Ford was good early. James White made some critical gains of four or five yards to move the pile. Trayveon isn't built like that. Those were big. They kept us moving. Trayveon has a lot of talent. He's got good speed and hands. We're going to need all five of our guys. The ability to keep them fresh is big.“
- On Trevor Knight:
— “It's easier to talk to a guy like Trevor Knight who is 23 and been at the highest of highs. Losing your job to another player is one thing, how you handle it is another. He looked in the mirror and said, "I can be better." ... We're trying to eliminate bad football. There's a conscious effort to do that in practice. He wants to be great. He's played the position in big games and understands what it looks like. Walking into Auburn wasn't a shock to him. “
- On whether or not Myles Garrett complains about not getting holding calls:
— “Myles Garrett doesn't talk about non-calls. He doesn't complain about anything. We've sent our concerns in to the proper authorities. I'll put it that way.”
Defensive Coordinator John Chavis
- Opening statement:
— “Howdy.... I'm really excited about how our kids played. These guys executed well and played physically. But, I'm not excited about the fourth quarter. We need to do a better job there. They were 5-15 on third down ... have to be better at getting off the field. We want to be better than 70% on third down. We're pleased we won the game, but we aren't satisfied. We have to continue to grow. If you're satisfied, you won't grow. I'm proud of the effort they gave and the plays they made. As coaches, we have to do a better job each week of coaching and preparation. With that said, we're getting ready to play another really fine football team. There aren't many weeks in the SEC where you don't. It'll be a big challenge and a big opportunity. We're going to go to Dallas and make sure we're ready to play.”
- On Justin Evans:
— “Justin Evans played well for us last year, but he's been better this year. Coach Joseph has done a great job of coaching the guys on the back end. One of our biggest keys was to make sure Auburn didn't throw the ball down the field. We had to be able to adjust, and the way our guys played made it hard for them to do that. Justin was a big part of that.”
- On Austin Allen (Arkansas QB)
— “I think Austin Allen runs the Arkansas offense extremely well. He runs it as well as his brother did and you're not going to do something to shock him. His dad coached. He's been around the game all his life and does a great job. “
- On the officiating:
— “The thing I have to stay away from is questioning the way the games are officiated. That gets you in some hot water. Our league does it as well as anybody else and, uh, we're not going to let the calls on the field affect the way we play.”
Offensive Coordinator Noel Mazzone
- Mazzone doesn’t consult with Sumlin about going for it. Sumlin says they’re going for it and Mazzone calls the play.
- On Trevor Knight:
— “I think Trevor is working on things every week. He's very athletic. ... I don't want an athlete playing quarterback. I want a quarterback that's athletic. There are times I want him to sit in the pocket, and that's what we're working on right now.”
- On Trayveon Williams:
— “Trayveon Williams was pretty impressive. I never really know who's in the game. Clarence McKinney handles that. He does a great job of it. I don't know how many sacks we've given up, but all the backs have done a great job helping with protection. Those are things you don't notice. I think Trayveon has gained my confidence there. When there's a good pass rush, he's been there to help. He's a dynamic guy with the ball in his hands. It's hard to believe he's a true freshman. The more he plays, the more he'll be a true running back”
- On Red Zone efficiency:
— “For us to go down there into the red zone and come away with one touchdown after that many trips is ridiculous. Part of that is on the coaches; the other part is on the execution. Between the twenties, anyone can call plays. You have to be effective in the red zone and on third down.. you have to make hard catches and tight throws. I think I gave up on our line a little bit too quickly in that area.... We fix a couple drops, and we aren't having this conversation. I think we need to do a better job as a group of showing our kids the coverages and fronts they will see down there.”
- On Arkansas:
— “Arkansas is another solid, SEC defense. They have a great defensive line. We've got a couple in this building that are pretty good on that defensive line, but in this conference, it's like that every week. I was happy with the offensive line. The third quarter felt like it lasted forever, but they kept grinding and we were able to run the ball. I liked the way we ran the football, and this is going to be another tough game.”