Red Raider Gridiron | Press Conference Roundup and Previewing Texas St.

MONDAY PRESSER | Here is the transcript to yesterday's weekly press conference (PDF) as well as the updated depth-chart (PDF). The depth chart seems about the same, although I think that IR Tyson Williams was not ahead of Jace Amaro last week and I do not believe that C Jared Kaster was the second-team center. There are probably other changes, but nothing that really jumped out at me.

As far as yesterday's transcript, I liked the thought that HC Tommy Tuberville said that the offense could be better and more explosive, which it could have and I think we all agree with that. Tuberville was happy with the defensive performance and had this to say:

A lot of people are thinking we've got a great defense. We don't have a great defense. We've got a chance to be very good on defense. We've got some depth, and we've got some guys that need to get better and will get better, but we didn't chase the ball good at times. We didn't get enough people around the ball to cause turnovers. There were times when we didn't play the right technique. I thought in our secondary at times we looked good in terms of technique, but at times we looked bad. So technique is what's going to make us a good defensive football team to a great one. So we've got to really concentrate on our technique all year long, especially with the older guys and younger guys. We can't take anything for granted. So a good positive deal. We held somebody under a hundred yards, which is hard to do. I don't care who you're playing. But we know that we've got a lot of room for improvement.

I think this is right and it is strange to hear Tuberville be so realistic. I think we know that it is not likely that Texas Tech will be a great defense, but a good defense. It is also good to hear Tuberville continue to talk about technique and how important that is.

It was good to hear from LB Will Smith and RB Eric Stephens. It was funny when Smith was asked if it was what he thought it was going to be and he said that the play wasn't as fast as he expected. That usually means that a player is seeing the field and DC Art Kaufman said that Smith assisted on 12 tackles. After wins, Tuberville likes to award players of the game as well as scout team players of the week.

Offensive Player of the Game: WR Marcus Kennard
Defensive Player of the Game: S Cody Davis
Special Teams Player of the Game: ATH Summitt Hogue
Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week: RB Josh Talbot
Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week: DE Kindred Evans

Hogue is a walk-on redshirt freshman from Frenship and Talbot is a junior from Frisco and has been on the scout team for three years. Anyone else amazed that Talbot keeps coming back to play for this team? That's some serious dedication.

QUICK HITS | Usually the LAJ has rounded up all of the notes from the day in a notebook, but as of right now that hasn't happened so you have a handful of small articles: OC Neal Brown says that the offense can be better, LB Terrance Bullitt is okay and will play this week, and that the staff hopes to redshirt RB DeAndre Washington, although they know he could play if needed this year.

NOT TAKING TEXAS ST. LIGHTLY | LAJ's Nick Kosmider writes that the team will not be taking the Texas St. Bobcats lightly. You can find all of these quotes in the transcript linked above where there is some more details. RB Eric Stephens talked about being surprised at how Texas St. upset Houston last week:

"I was kind of shocked," said Stephens, the senior running back who scored two touchdowns Saturday. "The guys are looking at the scoreboard seeing the scores. I didn’t see it. But some guys came to me and told me. ... When I saw that score, it gave me something to look forward to (this) week."