Kansas linebackers Craig Young and Rich Miller answered questions from the media after the Jayhawks defeated the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames.
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00:00 >> [INAUDIBLE]
00:10 >> It feels great, I ain't gonna lie.
00:11 When we pulled up here, that's the only thing I was thinking about.
00:14 And we was in the back corner of the locker room, and everybody was like,
00:17 I remember being here, I remember what it felt like.
00:18 And I'm like, yeah, I remember leaving here actually after that game.
00:23 And I'm like, bro, I don't think I ever got beat like that.
00:25 So, I mean, it means a whole lot cuz we came a long way and all that work showing
00:30 off, you know what I'm saying, we come in playing against the same team,
00:33 doing the same things.
00:33 And we actually coming out on top now, the game going down to the wire and
00:37 we coming out on top, so we gotta be doing a little something right here.
00:41 >> For either of you guys,
00:41 just what do you think went into your improvement against the run today?
00:45 >> Can you say that again?
00:45 >> Yeah, just what do you think went into the defense's improvement against
00:48 the run today?
00:49 >> I would say just us just focusing what was the call is
00:55 that our coaches gave us just playing together.
00:58 We knew this week was gonna be a tough week for us.
01:02 We knew that they were gonna try to run the ball on us.
01:04 We showed on film that we were gonna stop the ball that well last week.
01:08 So we knew that they were gonna run the ball.
01:10 So we all just bite in as a team and just played together.
01:13 And we just knew that it was gonna come, so.
01:17 >> You guys are both involved in sacks today.
01:18 The first ones that Iowa State's given up at home this season.
01:21 How big was it to be able to get that much pressure?
01:24 And what was it you guys did that made it so successful?
01:26 >> It was really big.
01:28 I think we both got them in crucial times, I believe, if I remember correctly.
01:33 It was really big cuz a lot of times, Coach Simpson always,
01:36 he get on us cuz sometimes we don't list our full potential.
01:40 So we've been thinking about it lately and we've been practicing better lately
01:45 to get in the backfield and create those sacks.
01:47 So it was really important to get back there.
01:48 And it felt good too cuz it's like all the work we put in and
01:51 practice finally kind of paying off, so it was good.
01:55 >> So what was the defense's mind state after Iowa State's pull?
01:58 You only scored 15 offensive points and pulled within three in the fourth quarter.
02:02 What kind of justice was going through your guys' mind on the sideline?
02:04 >> Just staying together, sticking together.
02:06 That's what we focus on is playing together as a brotherhood,
02:11 sticking together.
02:12 So that was our mindset.
02:14 We didn't get too high, we didn't get too low on each other.
02:17 We just knew that we had to go out there and fight to the next place.
02:20 So sticking together, you know what I'm saying?
02:24 Just fighting for the brotherhood, really.
02:27 >> And honestly, I was out there talking about it.
02:29 We've been there before.
02:31 You think about that Arkansas game last year.
02:32 We were probably down last year, but we've been there.
02:35 You know what I'm saying?
02:36 We already know how to handle it.
02:37 We didn't flinch.
02:38 That's all we talk about is not flinching.
02:39 So we ain't flinch.
02:41 We did everything we needed to do.
02:42 We played the same ball we've been playing all day.
02:44 Just had to turn it up a little bit.
02:46 >> Lance said extra emphasis this week on getting to the ball,
02:49 running five, six, seven guys to the ball because of the grass,
02:52 not taking anything for granted.
02:53 What's different?
02:54 It looked like it worked.
02:55 I mean, you must have seen every time you ran to the ball,
02:58 somebody on your own team probably hit you.
03:00 >> Right, just a mindset, you just never know what can happen out there.
03:04 You just never know what can happen.
03:05 So you just run to the ball, be physical, just run to the ball.
03:08 You just never know what can happen.
03:09 You make plays out there.
03:11 And that was our big focus also coming into this game, run to the ball.
03:15 It might be slick out there, there's grass, people might miss tackles and
03:17 everything.
03:18 So we was really focused on one of them being,
03:20 that was one of our key factors coming into this game, just run to the ball.
03:24 And if you do mess up, at least you're going 100 miles per hour to the ball.
03:27 So that was one of our big goals there.
03:30 >> Y'all know I'm honest too.
03:31 So it was, what was that, Texas game?
03:34 Well, every game we lost, each game we lost.
03:36 You watch the film, we look ourselves in the mirror, and
03:39 we lost those games, we weren't running to the ball.
03:41 You know what I'm saying?
03:43 We weren't playing up to our potential.
03:44 So we take that personal.
03:46 And in practice, we always, all this comes from practice, man.
03:50 And we take that real personal.
03:51 So we do it in practice, we do it in the game.
03:53 It makes it so much easier in the game.
03:55 So that's what we've been doing too, man.
03:56 So, and we understand, like Craig said, you never know what happened.
03:58 You never know what's gonna happen.
03:59 So I was yelling out to everybody, just make effort plays today.
04:02 Effort plays, effort will get you a long way, you know what I'm saying?
04:05 So that's really what we've been focusing on, it's working.
04:08 >> First thoughts for both of you when you saw Mello catch another pick,
04:12 running for you.
04:13 I mean, what's your first thoughts?
04:15 I can see it in your face.
04:16 >> It was again?
04:17 >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
04:18 >> [LAUGH] >> That's all I was thinking,
04:20 back to back, come up.
04:21 Yeah, that guy made a big play for us.
04:25 Always corner defense and touchdown is always a big play.
04:28 >> Yeah. >> It's just,
04:29 defense don't score a touchdown.
04:30 So as soon as I saw him catch, I said, yeah, it's touchdown.
04:34 I just knew it.
04:35 Mello runs with a 20 mile an hour, yeah, he's catching himself.
04:38 >> 21, no.
04:39 I ain't gonna lie, my first thing was, dang, I can't meet him in the end zone.
04:43 Cuz we talked about it right before the game.
04:45 I was like, Mello, you gonna get another umbrella?
04:47 What you want? You gonna get another one?
04:48 He said, Rich, I'm gonna get another one.
04:49 I'm like, Ben, I'm gonna meet you in the end zone.
04:51 He was like, Ben, he caught it.
04:52 And I'm like, I ain't gonna make this one.
04:54 >> [LAUGH] >> So yeah, I was lit, I was lit.
04:58 >> Does he say, I mean,
04:59 Lypold just talked about his confidence being kind of a quiet confidence.
05:02 Maybe not quite like Kobe's, right?
05:03 But does he say anything after those moments?
05:06 I mean, what's he like after that pick?
05:08 >> I ain't gonna lie.
05:09 >> He's smiling.
05:11 >> He's smiling.
05:12 He's like, let's go, let's go.
05:13 Like, you can see it in his face.
05:15 Like, his face and his body, it's more than he'll ever say.
05:18 >> Sure, right.
05:18 >> You know what I'm saying?
05:19 So you can see it in his face how he really was feeling.
05:22 He was lit, bro, he was lit.
05:23 You know what I'm saying?
05:24 >> What was it like for you, I'm sorry.
05:26 What was it like for you guys?
05:27 You do have a touchdown and
05:28 then you have been hit LJ for 80 in a touchdown right after that.
05:31 You're back head by 10, but you gotta come right back out on the field and
05:34 go against the offense.
05:35 >> I don't know what that's called.
05:36 Complimentary football.
05:37 You know what I'm saying?
05:39 We gave up a little something, they came right back.
05:40 We knew we had to put it right back on the table.
05:42 We knew we had to go right back out there and get another stop.
05:44 That's complimentary football.
05:45 I mean, that's what we talked about right before we went out.
05:47 Literally, we brought the team up, players talking,
05:50 we gotta play complimentary football today, you know what I'm saying?
05:52 So that's what we did.
05:53 >> For sure, dude, really just holding each other accountable on both sides of
05:56 the ball.
05:57 We got some of the offense guys come over here to our defensive bench,
06:00 tell us let's go.
06:01 Our defensive guys go over here to their offensive bench, tell them let's go.
06:04 So us just playing together, holding each other accountable.
06:07 And before we went out there, we all said, let's go make a play.
06:14 Let's just go make a play.
06:15 So all of us.
06:16 >> So what does a win does like this for you guys,
06:19 considering this is the first win at Jack Trice Stadium since 2008.
06:23 And everyone was talking smack through the week,
06:25 talking about how you guys were gonna have a hangover from that big win
06:28 from Oklahoma last week, but you guys came out and won today.
06:31 What does that say to all the crick?
06:32 >> I'd say it's big time for us.
06:37 We don't really let that sweat us.
06:40 We just gonna come in after today, we let this win go.
06:46 After today, we come in, Monday, we get into the field, we go back to work.
06:50 Really, that's what our mindset is, right?
06:52 We just watch games away.
06:54 We don't go into the critters, we don't listen to the outsiders,
06:56 because all we need is all in that locker room right there with the coaches and
07:01 staff and everything.
07:02 So we just let them talk.
07:03 We just let them talk.
07:04 We know what they're saying though, but we ain't sweating it at all.
07:08 Cuz we stick them together through all of it, no matter what.
07:11 >> You guys have made some huge strides in terms of missed tackles, and
07:14 especially the last couple weeks, not really having nearly as many.
07:17 What's been different that's allowed you guys to kind of get to the ball and
07:20 get a guy down as opposed to having to take three or four guys to get them down?
07:24 >> Mentality, it's the mentality we practice on every week.
07:28 I've been telling y'all, we're kinda embarrassed when those losses,
07:32 things weren't going our way because of what we was doing,
07:34 not what the other team was doing.
07:35 So it's really just changing mentality.
07:37 We're gonna run to the ball, we're gonna get them down.
07:38 If we don't get them down, we're gonna stop his feet.
07:40 Everybody that's running to the ball is gonna make a pillow.
07:43 That's all it is.
07:44 >> Rich, you said when you guys were ranked that it wasn't high enough cuz you
07:47 weren't number one.
07:49 >> Yeah, I said that.
07:50 >> You told me, yeah.
07:52 >> I probably did.
07:53 >> Yeah, you did.
07:54 But you're a game out of first in the Big 12 now with three to go.
07:59 A lot of football left, but what is the opportunity ahead for
08:03 you guys right now?
08:04 I mean, do you feel that, sitting where you're sitting and what that means?
08:09 >> Honestly, it's like we still underdogs.
08:15 No matter what, probably the rest of the game we're still gonna be underdogs.
08:19 So we're kinda not focusing on that.
08:20 It's like keep on making underdogs, we're just gonna keep proving you wrong.
08:24 It feels like they still don't believe in us, so
08:27 they just making that chip on our shoulder way bigger.
08:30 So I appreciate everybody who don't believe in us.
08:32 I appreciate everybody who adding that fuel to our fire cuz we're gonna keep on
08:36 going.
08:37 >> Yeah, I feel like that helps us.
08:39 I feel like cuz, yeah, let them talk.
08:41 I feel like that helps us a lot.
08:43 We always wanna come in, we wanna be the underdogs.
08:46 We have nothing to lose.
08:47 Go out there and fight.
08:49 That's what we do.
08:50 We have nothing to lose.
08:50 We go out there and fight, punch them in the mouth first.
08:53 Let's see what they react.
08:54 So.
08:56 >> Thank you guys.
08:56 Appreciate it.