Big 12 Media Days Thread

[HornSports Staff]

Hey guys, @Aaron Carrarais at Big 12 Media Days today.  Updates/Streaming Thoughts from AT&T Stadium will be posted here.

DAVE ARANDA - BAYLOR
Aranda talked about the importance of mental health due to COVID and talked about the importance of relationships.  Says he's excited about the Bears being a "running team" and having a good competition at quarterback.

When asked about the Bears' quarterback battle, Aranda said he is excited for the competition. He says he is being transparent about where things are at with his guys.  Sounds like Aranda will use multiple QB's based on the plays they want to run and opponents they face.

On defense - Aranda says there is a lot of pride in the unit and they recognize what great play is.  Says it's personal to his defensive players.  He was asked about the Oklahoma game last year and Aranda said that OU is such a deep team that is very-well coached.  Aranda says if he can so the simple things better, the Bears' defensive unit will be really good.

When asked about the defense in this league, Aranda said he sees the Big 12 as a defensive conference.  References Gary Patterson's defenses, OU's defense and Iowa State's transformation to a defensive emphasis team.  Says the Big 12 has really become more of a Big 10-ish conference in terms of the look of defenses and formations.

On offenses, he references more 12-13 personnel looks and the need to run more instead of the spread-offense sets we have traditionally seen.



KANSAS - The KU team's plane is grounded and they are currently not at Media Days.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

MATT WELLS - TEXAS TECH 

Wells says as a program they continue to build.  Says the vibe and continuity amongst the players is at an all-time high in what is now his 3rd season at TTU.  Says goal for his program is to become bowl eligible and compete for a conference championship.

Wells was asked about the QB room and says it is very promising but says it will be a big fight up until game 1.

On Sonny Cumbie coming back as the OC, Wells says TTU means a lot to Sonny and he understands the need to 

Says the Red Raider defense has improved over the last two years. Also says the current strength of the defense will be the linebackers. The defensive unit will be relied on early in the season but reiterated the veteran leadership of the linebackers will be the pillar of the TTU D.

Wells says leadership and experience should carry them with games that they are close in this season.

When asked about the Big 12 and what he did or didn't know when he took the Tech job, Wells said he "knew that the championship runs through Norman."

On the transfer portal - Wells is very pleased with it and says the roster management will improve for coaches once the portal deadline shrinks to May 1st.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

 

MIKE GUNDY - OKLAHOMA STATE

Strength and conditioning has gone really well for the Cowboys in the off-season.  Says he has the best group of coaches he's had in his 17 years at OSU.  Says QB Spencer Sanders has developed immensely and discussed the COVID year last year and the late start really setting him back.

On the receiving corps, Gundy says they have a number of players that will develop as the season progresses.  Says they don't have a marquis player at the position like they typically have had.

With Ok. State having a new Athletic Director and new President, Gundy says he thinks the new leadership will work very well with him on the program.  Thinks the new university president is tough but a good listener and thinks they will se eye-to-eye on a lot of things.

Experience in the secondary in the Big 12 is a necessity (particularly at the safety position) du to the fantastic 

On cutting the mullet:  "I went in to Kathy (who has cut my hair for 20 years now) and said let's do something to where I don't have to cut my hair until the end of the season."  says he is pleased with it and looks forward to it growing back.

Gundy says even though the Pokes haven't played a game yet, they are already better by virtue of the depth chart.

On NIL's - says the good news for coaches is they aren't really involved with it.  Says he is learning more about it every day and says Ok. State has hired some really good staff to help with it.  

Gundy says for the first time in a really long while they have 4-5 guys that they are comfortable handing the ball to.  He wants to spread the carries amongst all those guys to help the wear and tear on backs.

The comfort level with Jim Knowles as DC and the defense as a whole is something Gundy is high on.  Speed will be a real key.

Gundy says he has worked on his ability to listen, talks about the changes the country has gone through.  References what he feels is the desire/need for players in his program to have structure.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

 

STEVE SARKISIAN - TEXAS

Sark says the biggest thing he has been impressed with in the 6 months since he's been there is the "buy in" from his players.

Says this team is more than just a team that is going to be competitive.

When asked about why UT hasn't experienced the success the last handful of years Sark said this:  When you think of UT you think of great resources, big stadiums, great education, great recruiting....  says the staff can't sit back and sprinkle some magic fairy dust and sit back and expect wins.  

Sark says he has coached in 4 national championship games in his career.  The best teams he has been a part of have played for one another and played as a team.  Says there are 32 new faces in the locker room (6 transfers).  Execution at the critical moments is critical.  The bigger the game shouldn't matter to Texas - that's what he is instilling in his players.

When asked what a successful season at Texas is, Sarkisian said success is really the ability of the team to play for one another and maintain consistency.

On Casey Thompson, Sark says he gave everyone a clean slate in the program.  Mentioned the two viable guys in Casey Thompson and Hudson Card and didn't feel like 15 practices was enough to name a guy as the starter.  On Thompson - he's very driven, very focused, high football IQ.  On Card he says great arm, great vision....  Sark says he tells them they need to make his decision to name a starter as hard as they can on him.

When asked about being the 3rd coach in 8 seasons at Texas, Sarkisian says he hasn't been focused on what happened before him (at Texas).  Says at the end of the day teams win championships.  Stadiums don't, recruiting doesn't, Bright lights don't.  Being the most mentally and physically tough team does - and doing it on a weekly basis does.

"We have to chase greatness every day." -- Steve Sarkisian

 

[tejasrulz]

Sark also said "Winning is hard". So Herman wasn't wrong?

 

[java]

Winning isn’t hard:  the training and preparation to win is hard. That is compatible with:  Anything worth doing is worth doing right. 

Quite a few people on this board coach. Some of you are probably good coaches, and some of you are probably great coaches. 

Many coaches can analyze and correct movement, technique, if you will.  Many coaches can provide a really good game plan, a winning game plan. 

However, it is the rare coach that can manage the above two components, hire and keep the best assistants and allow each to effectively do their job in collaboration with the whole staff, all while instilling the self-discipline, leadership, and desire to win in 85 18-24 year old student athletes with different upbringings and personalities. 

The next time you feel like ranting during a game, think about it.  Could you really do a better job?

That, my friends, is why successful coaches make the big bucks!

Hook ‘em, Sark!

 

[tejasrulz]

Winning isn’t hard:  the training and preparation to win is hard. That is compatible with:  Anything worth doing is worth doing right. 

Quite a few people on this board coach. Some of you are probably good coaches, and some of you are probably great coaches. 

Many coaches can analyze and correct movement, technique, if you will.  Many coaches can provide a really good game plan, a winning game plan. 

However, it is the rare coach that can manage the above two components, hire and keep the best assistants and allow each to effectively do their job in collaboration with the whole staff, all while instilling the self-discipline, leadership, and desire to win in 85 18-24 year old student athletes with different upbringings and personalities. 

The next time you feel like ranting during a game, think about it.  Could you really do a better job?

That, my friends, is why successful coaches make the big bucks!

Hook ‘em, Sark!

Java, your first sentence disagrees with the exact words he stated. He (Sark) said those exact words "Winning is hard". I was watching it as he said it. I just remember most people on this board giving Herman hell when he said it. 

"The next time you feel like ranting during a game, think about it.  Could you really do a better job?"

Could I? Odds are 99% I couldn't however you just described 99.9% of fans. Most fans gripe after loses because they have the luxury of hindsight and non accountability. They also want to vent, thus the reason this board and others like it exist. 

I noticed Aaron didn't include it in his summary so I posted the above to see if people would give Sark grief for saying the exact thing Herman did. "Crickets" No one did. 

 

[Baron]

Java, your first sentence disagrees with the exact words he stated. He (Sark) said those exact words "Winning is hard". I was watching it as he said it. I just remember most people on this board giving Herman hell when he said it. 

"The next time you feel like ranting during a game, think about it.  Could you really do a better job?"

Could I? Odds are 99% I couldn't however you just described 99.9% of fans. Most fans gripe after loses because they have the luxury of hindsight and non accountability. They also want to vent, thus the reason this board and others like it exist. 

I noticed Aaron didn't include it in his summary so I posted the above to see if people would give Sark grief for saying the exact thing Herman did. "Crickets" No one did. 

You forgot the "really, really" part that Herman loved to interject in every other sentence. ?

 

[83Dee]

I noticed Aaron didn't include it in his summary so I posted the above to see if people would give Sark grief for saying the exact thing Herman did. "Crickets" No one did. 

Herman’s problem was that he came across as arrogant and talking down to people.  Sark doesn’t.  Whether or not CTH is really arrogant - who knows, but the appearance was there.  People will put up with arrogance - if that arrogant sounding coach is winning championships.  Herman didn’t - so fans looked for anything to bash him about.  I really don’t think people disagree with “winning is hard” as much as who said it.  

 

[tejasrulz]

Herman’s problem was that he came across as arrogant and talking down to people.  Sark doesn’t.  Whether or not CTH is really arrogant - who knows, but the appearance was there.  People will put up with arrogance - is if that arrogant sounding coach is winning championships.  Herman didn’t - so fans looked for anything to bash him about.  I really don’t think people disagree with “winning is hard” as much as who said it.  

Thank you for proving my case counselor.  ?

 

[83Dee]

Thank you for proving my case counselor.  ?

I rest....

 

[java]

Thanks, guys, for explaining it better than I. When Herman said “Winning is really, really hard.”, it was almost a whine.  He was having difficulty getting the masses to understand how difficult his task was. 

Sark doesn’t come across as a whiner. He’s more of a put in the work & let’s get ‘er done type of guy. 

imo, of course. ?

Hook ‘em!