Patterson discusses performance against Baylor, previews Iowa State matchup

Texas Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson addressed the media on Monday as the Red Raiders turn their focus to Iowa State.

Patterson talked about the loss in 2OT to Baylor this past Saturday and what he needs to see from his players when the Cyclones visit Lubbock for Homecoming.

Here are the takeaways from Patterson's availability.

Patterson, like head coach Matt Wells, addressed the teams struggles of coming out of the locker room after halftime and picking up where they left off.

Patterson emphasized how good his guys played against the Bears, especially without guys like Des Smith, Thomas Leggett and Riko Jeffers, who missed the first half after being ejected for a hit against Oklahoma State in the second half.

The Red Raiders held the Baylor offense to 64 first-half rushing yards and 53 passing yards in that first half. They even forced Charlie Brewer into some bad spots as he threw his first interception of three in that first half.

The second half is a different story.

Patterson said he believes it's a mental focus issue when the wheels fall off out of the locker room after halftime. He said in the Big 12 you have to be able to make adjustments after every series and not at the half.

Patterson said they were able to do exactly what they wanted against Arizona, Oklahoma State and Baylor when they first came out for the second half – that's get the opponent in third down situations. Each time though it's been a missed alignment issue or a mental error that gives up those first downs.

Going forward, they'll need to hit the reset button out of the half and not roll over for these opposing offenses that can take advantage of every slip up.

Going into the Baylor game, Patterson told his guys on the sideline during pregame warm-ups that it felt like a "Red Raider Dog Day."

"Just trying to get those guys to – You know to become a championship-level defense, that's what those type games, and I told one of our coaches the morning of the game, I said, 'Man, I just have a strong feeling this game's going to be very, very similar to the Wyoming game a year ago."

That game Patterson refers to ended with a Utah State victory but he aded that they had their backs against the wall and times and had to force turnovers – like the Red Raiders did against Baylor.

Patterson's intuition was just giving him flashbacks to that game.

Oh, there's also one other thing similar between that game and this one in Waco.

"I felt like, I don't know, it just had that kind of intuition when I woke up that morning – that's the kind of day it was and it came true. Little did I know, but about five minutes after I said that coach Wells tells me the Wyoming officiating crew, the same crew that officiated the Wyoming game is the doing the game. We'll leave that at that," Patterson said chuckling.

Injuries have plagued this defense as well. Patterson said it's something he rethinks about when he reviews a game.

For example, he had Damarcus Fields played more at nickel while Evan Rambo worked where Jeffers would have been that first half in the middle with Brooks. Adrian Frye was shuffled around at safety and corner as well. Patterson re-emphasized the moving pieces.

"When you got six defensive backs out you gotta do whatever you gotta do. That was one of the things that was kinda challenging in that particular game. Every time we had a new personnel group on the field we had three new people playing three new positions. That was a little bit of a challenge. Not using that as an excuse at all. We still gave ourselves a chance to win the football game. We just gotta do a good job finishing."

Patterson doesn't believe in gimmicks like some schools do when it comes to celebration trophies for turnovers. He gets that motivation done with something less flashy – a chain link that everyone has. His sits around his neck under his shirt.

"I'm just one link, coach Randolph's just one link, Jordyn Brooks is just a link. As long as we stay linked up I think you'll continue to see a defense that gets better and better every time they go out. I think that's been evident over the course of the season to this point."

Iowa State is up next and Patterson said he knows QB Brock Purdy will be another guy like Jalen Hurts and Charlie Brewer that can guide a team to victory.

A quick look at the Cyclones and Patterson said he sees a lot of West Coast principles in their offense. However, they'll emphasize shutting down the Iowa State.

"It starts with Purdy. They're very unique in what they do offensively. I mean, seems to me like a lot of West Coast principles. But I think like anything – against West Virginia – they come out and had a running back rush for 130 yards. You can't allow that to happen. You gotta shut down that run game and then be able to – you know, Purdy is just a winner. He's just got that moxie that coolness, that collectiveness in the pocket to be able to make plays and he doesn't panic. So again it's like you see in the Big 12 for the most part. You're going to see a great QB with a good surrounding cast and he distributes the ball all over the field."