Aggies welcome Liberty Bowl's approach, talk WVU

A&M HC Kevin Sumlin

DC update: "It's important to get the right person and the right fit that can help us achieve what we want to achieve as a program. It's not about time, it's about the timing of the person and the process and getting the right guy. I know that's not a huge update but we are getting closer than we were a few days ago. As far as time-frame, I can't give you that. But the process has picked up speed recently and is going really, really well."

"But our focus, as we've gotten back off the road recruiting, has been the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and West Virginia. ... The press conference we had, I hadn't seen Dana in a little bit. We talk on the phone. Obviously Jake Spavital has worked for Dana and works here; Dana and I have close ties going back to the Big 12 and recruiting, and Houston. When I became the head coach at Houston, we had just lost at Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl to West Virginia. It was really the first tempo team I'd seen, Rich Rodriguez was the coach. We (he and Holgorsen) talked about offensive philosophy ... that was really the start of our relationship.

"He's done well for himself at West Virginia. ... I kind of got the feeling they're a hungry football team. They didn't go to a bowl last year and he kind of referenced that, and I could see there was a chip on his shoulder to get back to a bowl game and win. We look at bowl games the same way — a culmination of the year for our seniors, so they can go out in a winning way; and as the start of next season.

"We have a developmental practice period where young players can utilize this time to get better. As we get closer to game week, we start to home in on preparing for West Virginia. As a matter of fact, today is one of our last developmental practices where the focus is on young guys developing technique and knowing what to do in our schemes. Tomorrow and Saturday we'll begin work on the opponent."

On the search for a WR coach...

"It's going good, too. We've got no shortage of candidates there, either. Obviously the priority is really trying to do both things at once, but there's been more of an emphasis on the defensive coordinator situation than the wide receiver job. There's no shortage of candidates there, either. We've got to get the guy with the right fit that can bring some things to the table. Obviously David Beaty did a great job here for us, that's what got him to be a head coach in the Big 12. Are those big shoes to fill, yeah. But based on our track record of five head coaches in seven years, guys see that as a great opportunity to come in.

"The major concern I felt out there from people was recruiting. Based on yesterday's results ... you sign the top JUCO safety, the No. 3 linebacker, and I can't comment on the other one, but without a wide receivers coach — recruiting is still moving along at a good clip."

On what motivated him to hire Holgorsen at Houston...

"He's a guy that, very rarely do you use the term brilliant, I think he's — when it comes to things football-related — off the charts as a really smart guy. You combine that with his ability to motivate and communicate with kids, you see it. He's adapted schemes, gone from different styles, gone from our initial conversation to developing a run game to going up-tempo; there's a lot of things being done in football that hadn't been done before and he doesn't get a lot of credit for that.

"And knowing him in recruiting circles in Houston and being able to have that kind of relationship, I thought it was time. He needed to move out of some shadows and do his thing, just like it was time for me to move on as a head coach. If I wasn't going to call plays I wanted someone who was going to be innovative. He took the job and hasn't looked back since."

On once having Holgorsen, Kliff Kingsbury and Jake Spavital on one staff...

"Pretty good, huh? When Kliff first came there he wasn't sure he was going to coach, he still wanted to play in the NFL. He spent more time throwing the football and practicing with guys than he did as a coach. Thankfully, he got cut. I told him that. That began his career. And Dana is kind of the guy who brought him there. He said, 'I've got this guy and I don't know what he's going to do. He's trying to play in the NFL and I don't think that's going to work out. He doesn't know if he wants to coach.' That's how he became Kliff Kingsbury the coach instead of Kliff Kingsbury the journeyman NFL quarterback.

"We brought Jake there, I had known his dad when I was at Oklahoma as an assistant coach and being around Tulsa and all the things he'd done at the high school level. We ran a lot of plays at Houston but there were no shortage of plays drawn up on the board that never made it to the game with those three."

On when he looks at and tweaks his own offense...

"We do a lot in the offseason. This time of year is good, when you have time and you're not pressed for games. Game plans and things like that, that's different during the year. We go through things on a weekly basis and based on our personnel, who's healthy and what we try to do. We try to utilize our personnel the best we can.

"In the offseason we sit down and look at where we are, evaluate good things and bad things. The good things, you need to try to continue to stay ahead of the curve. And obviously the things that stick out to you the most are the things that hurt you or lose games. It's happening now and whether or not all those things will be changed for this game, I don't know that that's going to be the case. Unless you want me to just tell Dana what we're going to do.

"In the offseason too you look at the evaluation of all three phases. Offense, defense and special teams."

On the familiarity of the game being fun...

"They're fun during the week because you know each other but it's not fun during the game. I go back to the Cotton Bowl. During game week you laugh and it's fun, but then the game gets started and it's like, 'OK, someone's got to win and someone's got to lose.' Who knew eight years ago that I'd coach against Bob Stoops. I worked for him then; who knew seven years later I'd coach against Dana in a bowl game after we were in the same office. When you're in this business it's fun, but then the game starts. Everyone's got pride. The handshake at the end of the game, it's uncomfortable, win or lose.

"But it's a little more comfortable if you win." (Laughter.)

On his favorite recollections of the west side of Kyle Field...

"I was over there the other day and it's completely changed. I was telling a story, kind of a somber story, but I can remember, people ask where I was during 9/11. And I can remember I was standing under that west side watching with a couple assistant coaches. There was a room with Astroturf in there laid down, we had chairs with fold-over desks, R.C. had a big desk up front, and we'd have our staff meeting. It was kind of like this with no tables. ... It was really sophisticated. (Laughter.) R.C. would close the door and you could hear him laughing or talking or yelling.

"That's just the way it was. The team meeting room was over there. I had the big room with receivers and quarterbacks. It's amazing that that won't be there. ... It's hard to believe that's all going to change. But it's all for the better, and our fans will be really, really excited when this phase gets done." (Are you going to watch the implosion?) "I don't know if I'll watch it or not, to be honest with you. I've got a lot going on right now." (Laughter; Sumlin laughs.)

On Malcome Kennedy winning the Aggie Heart Award...

"I think everybody has seen what a contributor Malcome Kennedy was to this program over the course of this year, particularly this year, and the importance he had. His last catch against Arkansas won the game, and his not playing the next couple weeks had a huge effect on our team. The more you're around him the more you see what he did in a group of guys that were really young, including a quarterback that was really young. I can't tell you what an inspiration he's been to guys off the field, even things he's said in games where he knew he wasn't going to play. It was important for him to be around.

"He's a leader by example and that's what the Aggie Heart Award is. He's a guy that, on and off the field, is somebody you can count on giving his best and being selfless and can't tell you how much I appreciate what he's done for our program. He's going to be successful, no matter what happens."

On whether Spavital/Holgorsen/Kingsbury led to frat-house shenanigans...

"Of course there were. Two of them were single, so..." (Laughter.) "At one time they all lived together. I don't think there was any furniture in there, just beds and the floor." (Pause.) "I'd better not say anything. I didn't go over there very much. I didn't go over there at all. They lived in Midtown in Houston and anybody who knows Midtown knows it's got a lot of nice restaurants that stay open late at night, I'll just put it that way.

"The good news was it was close, so they didn't have to fight traffic to worry about them getting to work late. I'm being polite."

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OC Jake Spavital

On any more Twitter battles between him and Dana Holgorsen...

"We may keep it interesting. Who knows what's going to happen with that. Knowing his demeanor and my demeanor, we'll probably have something occur before the game."

On his reaction to the matchup...

"I think it's going to be fun. I really do. There were so many bowl scenarios thrown out there and at the last minute I got word it was going to be vs. Dana and I called him and we started talking and laughing about the whole thing and traded some jabs with each other, but then we were like, 'Well, I guess we'll have to change up some signals.' He taught me everything about this offense and he knows how I signal the game and I know how he signals the game. It'll keep the game interesting and it'll keep us on our toes. I'm looking forward to it."

On where he finds tweaks in the offense...

"We do that quick-motion toss play; we got that from Bob Stitt at Colorado School of Mines. If it makes sense, we're willing to do it. We've gotten stuff from NFL teams; we've gotten stuff from local high schools as well. It's just whatever makes sense. We continue to evolve it, but we'll at least give credit where credit is due."

On whether he does much with the Diamond formation like Holgorsen...

"No, I don't." (Q: How different from Dana's direction has he gone?) "It's all about personnel. I'd like to do some of the Diamond stuff he does, but it requires a fullback. They have a fullback-tight end. He's recruited that. We're going that direction; at Oklahoma State it made sense to either hand it to one of those NFL running backs or throw it. Dana and I and Joe Wickline sat down and kind of created it. I'll get to that eventually, but right now I've got to make do with the personnel I've got."

On whether he's still sour about the no-offsides call...

"The way the game ended, you hate to see it go that way. But at the same time, I told the guys we could've avoided any of that situation if we came to play the first three quarters."

On whether A&M's players are motivated to help him beat Holgorsen...

"They understand. They watched the whole Twitter battle go down and they know Dana and I are very close, and they think it's pretty funny. But they want to go out there and do it for themselves too. Ending on a win, especially in a bowl game, can spring forward into your spring workouts and have momentum going into the offseason. These kids are going to approach it like a game we've got to go and get. They want to win it for (the seniors) as well. It's going to be important that we go out there and compete.

"We've been focusing on development and trying to get these kids better right now; we'll start on West Virginia tomorrow. Right now it's route-running, pass protection, throwing and timing. Then it'll be, 'let's get on to West Virginia.' It'll be pretty interesting from there."

On what he wants to see from Kyle Allen...

"He keeps getting better each day. It's (West Virginia's defense) an aggressive scheme ... and Kyle's just got to know when to get the ball out of his hand and make the right decisions but still show the poise he's been showing lately. He needs to just go out there and play within the system."

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Interim DC Mark Hagen

On what's been different for him since becoming interim DC...

"Just not having your leader. Coach Snyder's been with us for a couple years now, so that's a huge change. But when it's this late in the season, everyone's so locked in to what they're doing. We hit the recruiting trail, players had final exams ... everybody has still been full-speed-ahead in terms of their roles and responsibilities. But the biggest thing is when the face of your group, the leader of your group is no longer there, that's a huge change.

"But we've come together as a group and we want to send the seniors out right. They've provided so much to Texas A&M University. And we see it as a jump-start to next year. We've gotten off to a good start."

On self-scouting...

"You certainly want to look back on the 12-game season and pick up on the things you've done well and the things you haven't done so well, see the things we're confident in doing from a pressure standpoint. We want a plan that has enough bullets and ammunition to attack West Virginia, but we don't want to handcuff our guys mentally.

"We hit the recruiting trail and our GAs and quality control guys immediately went in and looked at our players from coverages, blitz standpoints, all of that. We honed in on the things we want to care for and give our guys ammunition to go into the football game but not do too much."

On defending West Virginia...

"They do more from a run-game standpoint, give you more personnel groupings. Tempo-wise, they're going to go fast — and we certainly see it every day in practice, so it's going to boil down to communication like it always does. Getting lined up, getting calls in in time, the things we're used to doing."

On WVU's offense with Skylar Howard instead of Clint Trickett...

"Trickett, when he feels pressure he'll try to escape and find a receiver downfield. He'll occasionally run but he'll try to slide or get down. Howard, there's more quarterback run game involved. That jumped out on film, against Iowa State they ran some Diamond formation, some reads. ... That's part of what I talked about earlier, we want to have enough ammunition to counteract a quarterback run game but not try to do too much."

On Otaro Alaka and Josh Walker, and the plan to replace Walker...

"Health-wise, we're similar to where we were at the end of the season. Otaro is practicing but he's had some health issues. When a guy plays that much as a freshman he may not be ready for the physical grind of the SEC. ... Today will be practice five as I count it and we've gotten some good work in so far; we're as good (health-wise) as we can be at this point in the season. We'll have Otaro and the guys we had finishing up against Missouri and LSU. Josh, the odds are probably against him to be honest with you. That's just where we're at right now."

On the last time he called a game on defense and his feelings on it...

"I'm focused in on providing our players the best plan moving forward to win football games. Whatever comes out of it, we'll just let the chips fall there. This is an opportunity for our staff to come together, rally our players and go out and beat West Virginia.

"I've done a lot in my career — been a coordinator special teams-wise, but not called a game as a defensive coordinator. That'll be a challenge, but what we've done in practice, I look at it as an opportunity to get out, make calls, make checks with our defense, and I'll rely on Terry Joseph and Terry Price to go out, roll their sleeves up with me and get this thing done."

On what he wants to see from the young guys...

"I want to see us line up and play fast, play with confidence, and I think there's a process to that. Middle of the season when we went through some trials, we rolled up our sleeves as coaches and went back to basics and the players saw the correlation from how we practiced to how we played. Missouri and LSU, we didn't get it done as a team, but our players saw the correlation. We just want to see our guys line up and play fast; there's going to be a challenge in terms of tackling in space. They're explosive, particularly their receivers. They have 65 plays of 20-plus yards on the season and 33 from those two players (Kevin White and WR No. 5). Play fast, play physical, play with some emotion and we'll give ourselves a chance to win."

On where he'll watch the Kyle Field west side implosion...

(Laughs) "Probably look at it online at some point after it happens, to be honest with you. I'll be home with my five-year old and we'll probably watch it online."

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Liberty Bowl Executive Director Steve Ehrhart

"When we first met years ago you could tell this guy was going to be one of the stars of the profession, not just as a coach but a man and a family guy. ... Our hat's off to Kevin Sumlin. We said 10 years ago, one day, somehow, we're going to get you into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. We're very proud to have Texas A&M and Kevin Sumlin.

"This is one of the most iconic trophies in the country. It's an actual one-quarter duplicate of the Liberty Bell and we have it cast in Philly. Dan Mullen and Mississippi State tried to carry it last year and nearly dropped it. It's real.

"The AutoZone Liberty Bowl is the seventh oldest bowl game in the country, a lot of history and tradition, and it's so great to have Texas A&M because y'all have that military tradition and the bowl was founded on those ideals of liberty. The founder flew in World War II and none of his fellow pilots came back, so he vowed he'd start an institution that stood for liberty and patriotism.

"These are two proud universities that had two of the toughest schedules in the country. It's the first time Texas A&M has been in the Liberty Bowl since 1975 and y'all played Southern Cal in John McKay's last game. There've been 59 different universities play in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. We're very proud and excited to have A&M play in the game."