With the 2015 Valero Alamo Bowl just one day away, head coaches Bill Snyder and Jim Mora took to the podium one last time to discuss preparations for Friday’s contest, along with a number of other questions asked by media from around the country.
Below you can view the best quotes from Thursday’s press conference, including bits about how long Snyder will coach and his possible involvement with the AARP.
On bowl-week preparations…
Snyder: “I think our players, our practices themselves have gone reasonably well. As I said, I think our guys are just anxious to play, and I hope they get some rest and make sure that they get their minds right, and that’s our job as coaches, I guess.”
On having admiring Coach Snyder…
Mora: “We’ve had a couple of chances to interact (since the bowl announcement). We haven’t necessarily spoken about X’s and O’s or philosophy, but just in general, observing a legend gives me a chance to learn. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to be around some tremendous coaches and tremendous administrators, and I’m sitting next to one of the finest that college football has ever known.”
On how long Coach Snyder plans to continue to coach at K-State…
Snyder: “I have no idea.”
On what keeps Coach Snyder ‘young’ coaching, keeps him going…
Snyder: “Trust me, I’m not young. Jim said certain things that he didn’t have that I have; he’s got everything that I have with the exception of a hundred years [laughing]. He does everything extremely well, so he’s not lacking for anything there.”
On facing another dual-threat quarterback in UCLA’s Brett Hundley…
Snyder: “Well, there’s always talk about how well he throws the ball, how well he runs with the ball. But I think he manages the offense extremely well which is vital for a quality young quarterback. Those guys that can do it all and can bring it down and bring it out at any time, whether it’s on the perimeter or whether it’s inside, and that’s a threat that neutralized your defense a great deal. He’s good at it and makes good decisions with it, I think, so he’s got good eyes and plays the game with them quite well. He’s a very talented young guy.”
On Tyler Lockett and his potential in the NFL…
Mora: “I think he’s a tremendous player. I think he’s got a lot of the same qualities as a young man like Marvin Harrison has. A guy that’s a precise route runer that is good after the catch, that’s not afraid to go over the middle — that knows how to read coverage and get himself open. You add in his ‘returnability’ particularly as a punt returner and this is a dangerous young man. In my opinion, he’s the best receiver we’ve played all year, and I think his statistics would prove that. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
On if Coach Snyder has been contacted by AARP to be a spokesperson…
Snyder: “No, but I have a card [laughing].”
On Coach Snyder being on the Hall of Fame ballot…
Snyder: “Well, as any coach would be, you’re honored and pleased, but it makes you think back about all the people that have invested so much to allow something like that to take place. First and foremost really we talk so much about family and that means a lot of people. But my immediate family has gone through, as all coaches’ families do, they go through some trails and tribulations over ap period of time to give you an opportunity to do the things that you do, because it’s very demanding.”
