Takeaways: Red Raiders set sights on Kansas State
The Red Raiders begin preparing for the Kansas State Wildcats this week after a loss to Texas on Senior Night. The Wildcats are having their own Senior Day. Here’s what head coach Kliff Kingsbury, junior offensive lineman Travis Bruffy and junior defensive lineman Broderick Washington had to say.
Travis Bruffy
- One of the biggest takeaways from last night for Bruffy, on the offensive side, was to be more disciplined. “We made a lot of costly errors, especially inside the red zone and you’re not going to win any football with three turnovers in the red zone. As an offensive line, they’re throwing curveballs and sliders in the first pitch of the count, so you’ve got to be ready for whatever they throw at you.”
- On the snapping, “The snaps are inexcusable we take that as a full offensive line as. The quarterback has a million things going through his mind at all times if he has to worry about the snap that’s just one of the things distracting him.”
- He then gave his thoughts on Duffey and what the offensive line tells him after he has made a bad play. “He’s trying to drown out a lot of noise. I think we had 60,000 quarterback coaches in the stands last night and you try to tell him to play his game and he’s here for a reason.”
- Bruffy described Duffey as one of the most athletic players he has seen. “He’s developed into an actual quarterback, not just an athlete where he can run away from people.”
- When asked about the fans leaving early, Bruffy said he would have left too. “Whoever stays, we just tell them to be as loud as possible. It was cold last night. We weren’t putting on a good show, so they had their reason but just don’t lose faith in this program.”
- On playing Kansas State, “I remember playing there my freshman year, it was rowdy, it’s going to be a fun environment. I know those fans are crazy. It’s going to be Senior Night, they’re going to play with an edge.”
Kliff Kingsbury
- Kingsbury started off saying the biggest change in the offense in the fourth quarter comeback was not turning the ball over.
- In regards to Duffy’s performance, Kingsbury said he played well in the game by making his reads and throwing the ball but that it was basic ball security that hurt him the most. “He knows that.”
- Previously, Kingsbury said the defense was trending upwards, and here’s what he had to say about the defense now, “It didn’t look that way last night but you’ve got to give them credit, they made some really competitive plays on us. We’ve got to improve moving forward but I still believe in what they can do.”
- Dakota Allen is day-to-day and still dealing with his knee. “He tries to approach it just like everyone else, it’s just stay in the present and enjoy your time here but we want to be smart about it and do right by him as well and so when he’s ready to go, he’ll go.”
- On Kansas State, “It’ll be a tough environment and we’ve been trying to prepare our guys today, just so they know what they’re walking into. Always a well-coached team, always a physical game.”
- Regarding rumors of Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder’s retirement, “I hope there’s no announcement made prior to the game and I hope he coaches five more years because he’s such a legend, he’s great for our conference but I think that’s what the rumor is but that rumor has been out there before.”
- Regarding the possibility of Antoine Wesley leaving early for the NFL Draft after this season, “I haven’t gone down that path but you’re watching the same thing I’m watching. He’s playing at a very high level and so we’re just trying to focus on Kansas State.”
Broderick Washington
- When asked what his biggest takeaway was from the game, he said, “We didn’t get the job done. A lot of dumb mistakes, penalties, that shouldn’t have happened.”
- When asked how to shake off the frustration, he had this to say, “Just go to work. That’s all you can do really.”
- For the locker room after the game, Washington said everyone felt bad they could not get the job done for the seniors. To make it up to them, Washington said they have to win these last two games, go to a bowl game and win that as well.