• The KillerFrogs

Big 12 Media Days [Day 2]

Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
HOUSTON -Willie Fritz
  • Houston is the greatest location for Football
  • moving into one of the best football facilities in the Country
  • Focus on recruiting HS guys. Done an excellent job with the portal too.
  • Changes in the team for this year? We have more depth and competition this year.
  • Slade (offensive coordinator). His experience will help us. new concepts he presented in Spring Ball. We want to be a 50/50 team.
  • Conner (Aggie QB transfer) has been everything we'd hoped he would be. Coach says he will never have another prima donna QB.
  • All his coaches have coached with him or played for him.
  • their Slogan is "2025 Houston" when they break
  • its like a microwave rather than an oven. We have to establish these relationships quickly.
  • you know, the portal works both ways.
  • We want to be a High School program. We want to develop the plays. if you can't develop them, you can't retain them.
  • Biggest Take Away from last season: everybody is pretty good in the Big 12. I've been a part of 6 leagues.... I enjoyed the new stadiums. From top to bottom, how competitive the league is, is what makes it different.
  • 160,000 SF is the size of their new football building. 26,000 SF weight room. The players live and park less than 500 feet away. They will do everything in this building.
  • He always recruits locally.
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
OSU's Mike Gundy:

  • first question is about Matt Campbell's success at Iowa State. Gundy says he's been very good for our conference and they should treat him very well.
  • QB is different this year. We don't have a QB that's ever taken a snap at OSU.
  • About the Video Game...he says it's fun and he really likes how they did his hair... lol
  • new staff and coordinators this year
  • 65 new players, 35 just showed up in June and we've never seen them play. Aug practice will be very important.
  • I typically know who our QB and our 2-deep is going to be. I dont know who the starters will be in 8 of the 22 spots. This is unusual for me.
  • question about his new contract and successor - Coach may be a little annoyed... we've had 19 winning seasons. this year is a rebuilding phase bc we needed to upgrade and bc we lost a large number of veteran players.
  • How do you combat entitlement? It's a real challenge. Starting in June, all thinking of transferring or taking other jobs, the money aspect has to be set aside. It's the only way to handle the monetary side of football at this time.
  • Re: 5 + 11 double down: The Big 12 has the best commissioners in ALL sports. He's the best at getting the group together and devising a plan. Gundy thinks it makes sense. We get to play the game to get in. He understands the backlash of getting only one team in...."Then the other teams need to play better" to get in. 5+11 is the way it should be. You play well, then you get in. If you don't then you try again next year.
  • we are to 16 teams, which is exciting and draws viewers. Old rivalries and new rivalries. It's exciting.
  • It's hard to carry 3 quarterbacks these days with the transfer portal. We have to build our offense around the quarterback not the other way around
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
West Virginia's Coach Rich Rodriguez:
  • Transfer Portal: Coach came from Jacksonville State. Says college football is so transactional now. Gotta make sure you bring the right guys. You have to keep the culture and environment stable.
  • knows CU, Arizona school, and BYU. I loved my time in Arizona. Fate has us back home in West Virginia.
  • 7th 8th or 9th head coaching spot. Takes 9 months to get used to a new place. Took me less than 9 minutes to acclimate back to WVU. All the new improvements in football blew him away.
  • feels blessed to have come full circle
  • Re: Guard Rails in College Football. It's been a cluster the last several years. The recent changes (cap and rev share) have helped. We need more help from DC/Congress.
  • It's hard to screw up College Football, but we've done a pretty good job of trying.
  • Need to give the College ADs more input.
  • We are in a better place now than a month ago. Being a college coach is still a good gig.
  • Perspective over the last 20 years: Gotta keep getting smarter. I had to grow as a coach. Learn from everything you have a chance to win.
  • A lot of good QBs in the league. Hell this isn't pleasing to me, lol. I like our QB room. There are some unknowns but there's 4 or 5. It will be an interesting competition.
  • If you don't have a good quarterback, then you don't have a chance to win
  • I keep coming back, but it's a lot better than working in the coal mines. It sucks though bc you can do a lot of work and then the guy just gets bought. I love coaching. I love calling plays. I love the game. There is nothing like a winning locker room in football. It's a thrill that keeps me going.
  • Trends in Football: tempo and spread formations aren't unique anymore. I've become more simple
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
Kansas Coach Lance Leipold
  • Jalon Daniels is humble and hardworking. Not many are better when he's playing his best. He's positive and doesn't make excuses. The locker room respects that. His energy is contagious.
  • We had a tough start to the season before our November run. we were able to flip the switch.
  • Week Zero Game and a Friday Game starts off their season. Good exposure for our program and stadium.
  • Kansas has had the fewest players enter the portal, nationally
  • develop through HS ranks and supplement with the Transfer Portal
  • Conferences need to play the same number of conference games.
  • OC: top 10 team in rushing. We had some hiccups, but we were productive too. Jim (new OC) called the bowl game. He has a great mind and look forward to our offense this year.
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes

  • Coach starts off by thanking the Media and the coaches, especially Gundy and Fritz, Whittingham, etc... (he's so nice (except on the sideline with the officials).
  • finally players are being paid. I hope everyone operates within the rules. I'd like to see it all cleaned up, " says it again - hopes team operates within the rules.
  • we did not run the football last year. We were a turnover team. We have to be able to run the football on offense. We have some good RB. Jeremy Payne, Nate Plamer, Trent Battles (I know I am butchering these names, there was one more but I'm not even going to try)
  • Hoover is back and finished the season strong. Andy Avolos back for year 2 is good. We have depth at corner ( 6-7 guys).
  • Kendall Briles is in year 3 as OC. I expect us to make a big jump. Success is reaching our potential. He doesn't know what the looks like right now. Says we should be in the Big 12 Title Game.
  • we brought 6 really great guys - unselfish. We don't have a lot of Me Me Me guys in our program right now. They love TCU and Fort Worth. It's fun team to coach. It's a fun special group of guys we can all be proud of.
  • Hoover set records last season. Can he leave a legacy like Dalton and Duggan (except he pronounced Duggan like doogan - irritating). Sonny feels he is going to have a great year. Hoover believes in a supporting cast and knows we will be better on defense. Should be able to chuck the ball down on Saturdays.
  • Elijah Jackson from Washington is pretty beat up. He will be a vital part of our team. Had a significant surgery. Report is that he is fully cleared.
  • Bud Clark (my fav player) was NFL ready last year. He's gotta nack for being around the football. More physical than you think his. He believes he can be even better, so he returned. He can get paid now and stay to get stronger, bigger which will help him be more durable and stay healthy. Playing safety is difficult to play these days. He can do it.
  • College Football is partnered with Deloitte. What's the cost of violating the rules. Boosters and fans are going to want to break rules. It's been happening forever. We are developing a system that will help provide guidance. They have teeth, so I hope College Football allows them to help. College Football needs Parody. Revenue sharing and controlling NIL money is essential. People who need to be punished should be punished. I want adults to be adults and operate within the framework of the rules. (Man, someone has pissed him off about breaking the rules...anyone know who?)
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
Utah's Kyle Whittingham

  • Last year did not go well
  • Tremendous offense line this year. some projected 1st rounders at the tackle position. we will be very good up front
  • QB Devon Dampier is a transfer from New Mexico along with his NM Coach, Jason Beck (Utah's new OC), Dual Threat. Carbon Copy of NM offense last year.
  • Good on defense - we have been for decades.
  • 3 new offensive coaches. seemless transition. productive spring ball.
  • Devon Dampier was voted onto the leadership council. He has the IT factor. There's no doubt who's the leader of the offense. We have to work on his Interception: TD ratio.
  • Wide receiver position is the biggest ? on the team right now. 4-5 transfers at the position but it continues to be a competition.
  • we can do a better job of taking the football away. which historically we've done well, except last year.
  • talks about Mountain west rivalries
  • They have a head coach (Morgan) in waiting. It's in the contract. When it's time for me to his the road, he will be the next guy.
  • Offensive Line: We should be the best O-line since I've been at Utah - and that's been a long time.
 
Ryann Zeller

Ryann Zeller

OWNER
Arizona Coach Brent Brennan

  • Brought 6 players today. He's having a lot of fun
  • Last fall was unacceptable
  • made some tough decisions on the coaching staff, and he loves their new direction
  • feels this conference is deep and fun to watch. Everyone has a chance to win.
  • biggest change is coaching changes. DC especially. Kicking game changes.
  • he's optimistic about this season.
  • QB, Noah Fifita's stepback was "my" fault not his. Everybody in the conference will be talking about him in September.
  • excited about Tie Buchanan's. 75% of the room is new. Quincy Craig...(omg, so many names, I can't keep up. They are all really good, blah blah blah....Genesis high energy. Stayed true to Arizona.
  • everyone in college football should be doing the same thing.
  • Year One summary. we learned a lot. Transition is hard. I have a better understanding going into this season. We want guys who want to be at Arizona and are tough. People have to be totally commited and connected.
 

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