We're now only three days away from Texas Tech kicking off their season against Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, and local media had a chance to sit down with offensive players to preview the contest.

Junior outside receiver Dylan Cantrell discusses his offseason and just how ready he is to finally get to play again.

Q: Well, it's finally game week, and it's been a lot longer wait for you than many others after missing last season. What's it feel like for you knowing you're only a few days away from playing again?

"It's a feeling I haven't had in a long time, just knowing that I'm actually going to get into the game, that feeling of pregame excitement. I can only imagine what it's going to be like on game day, but it's been a long time coming, so I'm just ready to get out there and make some plays."

Q: Coming out of fall camp and into game week, where do you feel like you all are as receivers and an offense as a whole?

"The biggest thing this year is that we've got a lot of experience coming back, plus we've got some new guys that have added a ton of depth. There's more depth at the receiver position now since I've been here than ever before. So we're really excited about that. Pat, he's on an all time - he's just on a different level right now with throwing the ball, his knowledge of the offense, ability to make plays and just making those plays, him working all offseason just to become better with his pocket presence, so there's no telling what he's going to do this year. I'm really excited to get to watch that."

Q: When do you think it was when you noticed that he'd taken that next big step forward that everyone around the program has been talking about?

"Really I think it's just him being able to focus on football this offseason, stepping away from baseball, spending all his time just dedicated to football with us and getting closer with everybody, and then he's just a different guy. He's put on some muscle, gotten stronger, moving better than I've seen him move, throwing the ball like he does, and with his ability to extend plays, it's for sure gonna be a lot of fun to watch."

Q: Being one of the only guys on this team that's been there with him since you both played together in high school, what's it been like seeing him taking all these different steps forward over the last four or five years?

"It's crazy to think back to my senior year (at Whitehouse) that he was battling back and forth his junior season and think now to how far he's come. Just to see his confidence level, and he's always been talented, but just seeing him be able to grasp the quarterback position and take it over has been so fun to watch."

Q: For you, since you've seen his progress since the spring, do you think the biggest progress for Mahomes will really show up the most in the routine plays? You know, just becoming a more consistent player with the average play instead of relying on the spectacular play?

"For sure. I think he's doing that better than ever. Whether it be with a run-pass option and making the right read, or it be - while he's always been money with the deep ball - just being on the money with shorter routes, too."

Q: How about for yourself? What have been the things that you've really striven to get better at this offseason?

"This offseason I really just tried to increase my strength, and that's one thing I just bring to my game is that physical presence. We take that very seriously at our receiver position, and then I've tried to obviously get quicker and faster, which I've done this offseason with coach (Rusty) Whitt's staff. Coach (Scott) Salwasser, who is in charge of our speed and agility, has done a great job. I've worked with him, and he did a great job of getting me faster."

Q: We've talked a lot about Rusty Whitt throughout the offseason, but could you tell me a bit more about Scott Salwasser and his role? What has stuck out about him as a guy that helps you all try to get faster and more explosive?

"He is very knowledgeable, and he knows what he's talking about. We don't just go out there and run sprints. We go out there and do what we call Speed School. We go out there and work on different mechanics, and every time we run sprints, we spend 30 minutes beforehand just working on mechanics and proper form. So, it's made a big impact."

Q: For you personally, how much of an impact do you think he's had on you?

"For me, I feel like I'm faster than I've ever been. I'm fully healthy, got through fall camp healthy, so I'm feeling good right now."

Q: What's it been like getting to know Emmett Jones as your outside receivers coach over the last eight months or so now?

"It's been awesome. He's coached at some of the top high schools in the state, nationally ranked and all that. He had a ton of guys he coached and sent out. I don't even know how many guys he's sent to D-1 schools. He definitely knows what he's talking about, and it's just been fun getting in there. He brings energy every day, holds us to a high standard, and we try to match that each and every day."

Q: Every guy I've talked to has noted that the thing that really sticks out about Jones is his desire for attention to detail. He's details-oriented. Would you agree with that?

"Definitely. He has them film every drill we do, whether it's a three -step release or whatever. He has them film it, and then he picks it apart in film. Sometimes we don't even get to the practice team tape. We're just watching our individual drills, and he'll pick every single little individual thing out. That's one thing we struggled with in the past has been our releases in man coverages, and we're better at that than ever, so I think it's definitely paying off."

Q: When speaking to other guys on this team, many of them have noted that this team has the best chemistry and is the closest since any of them have been here. Do you think that?

"No doubt in my mind. I mean, it's crazy to think I'm going into my fourth year, but this team, and I don't know what it is, this offseason coach Whitt just really - with everything we did, it was team oriented. We all just bonded and got a lot closer, so this is definitely the closest team we've had since I've been here. That's what you want, you know? You want everyone to be playing for each other, and when you do that, you can accomplish anything."

Q: Going into this weekend, what are your expectations, and where do you feel like this offense is as you get ready for Stephen F. Austin?

"Going into this weekend, our goal as an offense is to get into the endzone, to score every time we get the ball. We want to be efficient, push the tempo, and be physical. That's one thing coach (Kliff) Kingsbury really stressed to us today. No matter who's in on every single play, no matter who rotates in, the level of play doesn't change. We're fast and physical every play."