Big 12 Media Days - Day 2

[Aaron Carrara]

Big 12 Media Days Day 2 kicks off here at 8:30 am with Walt Anderson of the Big 12.  He will be discussing officiating issues, changes, etc.

A little nugget about coach Strong this morning....

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

 

[Mike]

Big 12 Media Days Day 2 kicks off here at 8:30 am with Walt Anderson of the Big 12.  He will be discussing officiating issues, changes, etc.

A little nugget about coach Strong this morning....

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

What?? No Charlie Weis pushing iron this AM?

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Supervisor of Big 12 officials Walt Anderson is discussing targeting.

Stats on last year's targeting calls:  In all FBS games last season there were a total of 92 targeting calls.  Of these calls, 32 were removed.

The Big 12 had 8 targeting calls and 4 of these calls were removed.

 

[Juan]

Longhorn Network will televise Day 2 from 10 am-1pm CT

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Anderson now going over low hits to the QB (at or below the knee).  Exceptions will be:

-If the QB leaves the pocket, forceful contact is legal.

-Knee wrapups

-Players that are blocked into the passer

Violations to this rule are considered roughing the passer and are enforced with a 15 yard penalty/first down.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Up next at Media Days is Bill Hancock who will discuss the new College Football Playoff.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff is giving an overview of the playoff format, structure, etc.

National Championship game will take place on January 12th at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011



— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Oklahoma's Bob Stoops will be the first coach to take the podium today.

Player representatives from the Sooners include:

QB Trevor Knight

LB Genio Grissom

DT Chuka Ndule
OL Daryl Williams
SAF Julian Wilson

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Coach Stoops asked about Dorial Green Beckham, mentioned an appeal was being processed on his behalf that would allow him to play but hasn't been ruled on yet.  Oklahoma coaching staff liked the potential DGB has as a person and a young man so they gave him a second chance.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Stoops was asked about Charlie Strong.  Mentioned the coaching time they spent together at Florida and said he can't wish him too much luck.  Said he thinks Charlie will do a great job at Texas because he's a great coach.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

On former OU QB Blake Bell and QB Baker Mayfield (Tech Transfer),

Stoops noted that Bell was recruited to play QB at OU but if you look at him after 3 years, he is the prototypical tight end.  "It's in his genes" says Stoops.

When asked if he thinks Baker Mayfield should be eligible to play immediately this year as a walk-on QB Stoops said "yes."

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Take note, Stoops is very confident about this team.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads on the stage now.

- Mentioned 6 new coaches on the football staff this season, including new Offensive Coordinator Mark Mangino.  Rhoads was asked how it came to be that Mangino joined the ISU staff and Rhoads said he reached out to him

- Mangino will direct an offense that is fast- paced and much more simple.

- Rhoads thinks his Tight End EJ Bibbs is the best tight end in the Big 12.

Rhoads commented on the Texas game last year and how it impacted the ISU team subsequently.  Said it was a devastating loss for his team.  The Cyclone rest of the season took a but of a slide after the Texas game.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen up next.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

West Virginia Head Coach Dana Holgorsen

-Noted the difficult West Virginia schedule; says it could be the toughest in the country.

-Talked about defensive depth and the need for it, especially due to the high # of snaps taken by offenses in the Big 12.

On QB Clint Trickett:

-He's been working all summer with the WR's to get in sync with them.  He's healthy, his arm strength is good and, per Holgorsen, the leadership aspect at the QB was missing.  Trickett has stepped up in this capacity.

 The key is for Trickett to stay healthy, says Holgorsen.

He made the comment "We have not been dominant in the Big 12."  Says he doesn't know many teams that have been.  Parity.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder

Was asked about his optimism for the upcoming season.  Mentioned that optimism for him is "negotiated daily."  Clarified that with he looks for daily improvement.  When he sees it (daily improvement), he is optimistic.  When he doesn't see it, he is not optimistic.  Got a small chuckle from the crowd.

-Snyder's major concern is that his players will take their talent level, preparation, practices, etc. for granted.  He focused on the maturity named his player representatives as great examples of the kind of kids that he wants at KSU.

-On Senior WR Tyler Lockett, Snyder said this: "He has all the marbles in the right place."

Interesting note:  In the time Coach Bill Snyder has been head coach at Kansas State, there have been 48 head coaches at other Big 12 schools.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Charlie Strong coming up.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Big media buzz when Strong walked in.

Notes:

-Mentioned the need to put the "T" back in Texas.  

-"I followed an icon at the University of Texas in Coach Brown." "The foundation has been laid."

-Strong stressed the academics at UT and how great they are. "They are second to none."  Says his players are going to leave UT with a degree in hand.

-Says Tyrone Swoopes need to develop more as a person.  Mention the need to be careful how he is used but said Swoopes and Heard will continue to compete with Ash.

-He was asked about the comment he made about Texas not going to play for a NC this year....  He clarified with the comment was made as of where his team was at that time (he called it Phase 2).  He followed up by saying the team is not as bad as they used to be we they have a lot of work to do."

-He praised OC Joe Wickline and referenced him as an asset.  Noted that when Big 12 play starts Wickline will be an even bigger asset because he knows the teams in the league.

-The Hook'em sign in the locker room is roped off and unavailable for players to touch except on game days.

-Joe Bergeron is "back in the mix" according to Coach Strong.