WATCH! - Jared Wiley Talks with Media Ahead Of Matchup With Texas
TCU tight end Jared Wiley addresses the media ahead of Saturday's matchup with the Texas Longhorns
Transcript
00:00 >> Jerry, we asked coach earlier, does this game mean a little something more?
00:03 And I know the idea is to kind of treat them all the same, but for
00:07 a guy like you, does it mean a little something more?
00:10 >> I mean, I think it's all kind of objective right now.
00:16 Obviously, this game means a lot to us just as an organization in general.
00:21 We've kind of struggled this year.
00:24 So these next three games mean ball eligibility.
00:30 They mean getting to extend your season and
00:32 get to play just an extra game with these guys.
00:35 So yeah, I mean, I'd say really these next three games mean a lot to us.
00:40 >> Jerry, how different and difficult is that knowing that last year at this time
00:42 you guys were trying to get the college football playoff,
00:44 this year you're just trying to get ball eligible?
00:47 >> Yeah, we're a different team this year than we were last year.
00:51 It takes a lot of maturity to kind of sit back and look in the mirror a little bit
00:57 and assess kind of what we've done wrong, what we've done right.
01:01 It's just realizing that this is a different year, this is a new season,
01:07 this is a new team.
01:08 So you'd love to be in the position that we were last year, but
01:12 it's not last year.
01:13 >> Not to reflect on last year, but you guys were able to match and
01:16 even exceed the physicality of Texas last year.
01:19 And I think that was a big reason you guys came out on top.
01:21 How can you guys replicate, I guess,
01:23 that performance on Saturday on both sides of the ball?
01:25 >> In my opinion, we have to get back to playing
01:30 the type of football we played last year.
01:34 Just from a, like you said, a physicality standpoint,
01:37 I think that there's been certain drives that we haven't been hungry enough,
01:42 so to speak.
01:43 We haven't played as physical as we can.
01:45 We haven't, as a team, as an offense, defense, whatever it may be,
01:50 we haven't exerted ourselves to the full potential.
01:53 We haven't really emptied the tank yet.
01:55 And it's been really disappointing to see, but
01:59 as being a leader on the team and a captain and all that, it's just
02:04 kinda seeing that and kinda squishing that right whenever you see it.
02:08 And letting everybody know, hey, this is why we were good last year.
02:11 We were good because of the effort we played with, of the physicality we played
02:16 with, we just wanted to win more than everybody else that we played.
02:21 So I mean, it's using these next couple games to kinda get back to that mindset.
02:26 >> With the exception of one game, you guys have been a one score game,
02:29 and all those losses.
02:31 How frustrating is that knowing how close you guys really are, but
02:34 just haven't been able to get over that hump?
02:35 >> Yeah, that's kinda been the consensus for us all year.
02:39 We've come in a lot of Sundays, and even after a couple of our wins,
02:43 we've had to hear the coach say, guys were this close, we're this close.
02:48 At some point in time, you have to get tired of hearing that.
02:52 And as a player, you have to do everything you can to make sure that
02:57 that's not getting said on Sunday after a game.
03:00 >> We know it's Texas, and you guys wanna win as a team.
03:03 But does it give you any extra motivation doing well,
03:07 playing against your own team?
03:09 >> I mean, I try to play as good as I can every week.
03:12 I owe it to the guys in the locker room, the coaching staff here.
03:17 I owe it to TCU to give them my full effort every week.
03:21 So I mean, yeah, there's probably gonna be a little bit more hype around this game.
03:25 But at the end of the day, I'm not gonna play this game any different than I played
03:30 against Texas Tech or BYU or anybody else.
03:33 >> Is it hard for you to believe they're not gonna be in the Big 12 after this?
03:37 >> Not really.
03:39 Whenever the SEC talk was kind of started, I was still there.
03:44 So I mean, I've kind of gotten used to the fact that this is their last year there.
03:50 And they're trying to make a statement, and
03:52 they've done a really good job of it this year.
03:54 >> What do they present to you guys challenge wise on the defensive side
03:57 of the ball?
03:58 >> I mean, their D line is one of the best D lines in the country.
04:02 They fly around, they play with a lot of effort.
04:05 They're really physical.
04:06 They're really good on the back end.
04:08 And that's just something that we're gonna have to handle.
04:13 We're gonna have to be more excited to play than they are this week.
04:16 We're gonna have to be as physical as we've ever been this week.
04:20 And we're gonna have to play with a lot of tempo, and
04:22 we're gonna have to play really fast.
04:23 And we have to be really good at just doing our job, just doing your 111,
04:29 play in and play out.
04:31 And that's how you get to compete and have a chance to win.
04:35 >> Jared, I'm doing a story on Amani Bailey.
04:39 How would you describe him as a player?
04:41 And what were your first impressions of him when you saw him get a hand out for
04:44 the first time?
04:46 >> Amani is your, he's the running back that you wanna have,
04:51 in my opinion, on an offense.
04:53 He runs the ball really aggressive.
04:55 He's really angry every time he touches the ball.
04:57 The first time I saw him kinda rip one in practice,
05:03 you can kinda see the potential and you can kinda see that he's gonna be special.
05:07 And he's honestly, with the snaps that he's gotten this year,
05:12 he's done a really good job for us.
05:13 He's broken some long ones.
05:15 He's scored a couple good times.
05:17 He put us back in the game against Texas Tech.
05:20 We rode his energy with that first touchdown he scored.
05:25 We rode that energy for a very long time.
05:26 So he's been very special for us this year, and it's been really nice to see.
05:32 >> As one of the captains on this team this year,
05:34 what has your message been to the rest of the guys since you guys have gone through
05:37 these ups and downs?
05:39 >> Just stay loyal to your team, stay loyal to the university,
05:42 stay loyal to the coaches and what they've been preaching.
05:46 Just because it hasn't worked out every week for us or
05:52 certain plays haven't worked out for us or whatever the case may be.
05:56 Just because whatever the situation is hasn't been what you thought it would be.
06:00 That shouldn't sway you one way or the other.
06:03 You shouldn't be talking about, we don't let anybody in locker room say
06:08 anything about transferring or anything like that.
06:11 You pick the school, you wanna come here and have a chance to contribute,
06:16 then you're gonna do it, and you're gonna do it as good as you can to the best of
06:19 your ability.
06:21 Just because we've lost a couple games this year, and
06:23 whether you thought we were gonna lose them or not,
06:27 just because we lost a couple games this year, that shouldn't determine how
06:32 bonded you are to the program and your team and the coaching staff.
06:38 >> Jared, I'm gonna ask you about when we got to DJ Rodgers.
06:42 Probably the best game last week.
06:44 Give me some sense as to how you're seeing him grow up and ensure his role.
06:48 >> Yeah, he's been great for us, I think.
06:53 With Chase Curtis not being able to play last week,
06:55 he stepped up and took a big role.
06:57 And he scored that big touchdown to start the game off.
07:00 I personally, just being honest with you,
07:05 I didn't see him being as good of a tight end as what he has been.
07:10 He played a little bit of slot for us last year.
07:14 Last year, I kinda thought that that's where he excelled at, but
07:18 we moved him over for spring and camp.
07:21 And he did a really good job, and he's just continued to grow every day.
07:25 >> That just speaks to who he is as a player and his work ethic.
07:30 He shows up every day ready to absorb information, ready to learn,
07:34 willing to put his body on the line for the offense.
07:38 And you need guys like that to be a part of your team, but also just for him.
07:45 I mean, that's why he's excelled so much as what he has.
07:49 >> Anything else for Jared?
07:52 >> Is there any takeaways you got on film from the way Texas responded in
07:57 the overtime win against Kansas State?
07:59 >> Yeah, I think that over the years, it's kinda been a deal where,
08:05 just for me being there, I've heard it all about them.
08:10 But a couple years ago, you would have said that they're not really a team.
08:14 They're playing for themselves.
08:17 They're not a combined group and all that.
08:20 But I think that this year has been really different for them.
08:24 This is as close as a group as I've kinda, I'm outside looking in obviously.
08:30 But they look like a really tight knit group, and
08:32 that's how you win games like that.
08:35 That's how you come together and
08:37 overcome any type of adversity that you face as a team.
08:41 So I'm happy to see their success this year.
08:44 And like I said, they've been playing really well.
08:47 >> And with them having one of the best passing defenses,
08:51 how important will it be to get a monetary rolling as well?
08:55 >> Yeah, I mean, I'm a firm believer in any week that you play,
08:59 whether they have the number one passing defense in the conference or
09:04 whether they're dead last at passing defense.
09:06 I'm a firm believer that you have to run the football to open up the rest of
09:10 your offense.
09:10 So that doesn't change for us this week.
09:14 We're gonna have to find ways to get Monte, Trey, Trent,
09:17 all those guys that'll touch the ball.
09:20 We gotta find them ways to get positive games, positive yards every play and
09:24 just work first down and first down.
09:27 >> I've seen a couple weeks now of Josh Hoover.
09:30 How have you seen him grow over the last month or so?
09:33 >> I mean, he's young.
09:36 He's very mature for his age, for
09:40 the fact that he's only started in whatever it's been, three or four games.
09:44 It's been really nice to see just how he's kind of progressed.
09:47 Anytime we've gone three and out or any interception or
09:51 anything that's gone wrong with the offense, you see him run over the sideline.
09:57 And we're talking about it.
09:59 He's doing a really good job just communicating what he saw.
10:01 That way everybody's on the same page.
10:03 And I think that he's grown into a leader for us.
10:07 He's gotten to where he's talking to the offense as a whole group.
10:12 He's breaking down the huddle and
10:14 a whole bunch of other things that you really don't see younger guys do very much.
10:18 So he's definitely took that role and kind of owned it.
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