Weis Teleconference Recap

Kansas coach Charlie Weis talked with the media during his weekly Big 12 Media Teleconference.

Weis on putting in new plays every week …

Every week we do something different. There are some things I talked about with the team yesterday. I think when the team gets into the rut where they get used to losing that you have to have fresh ideas every week so the team doesn't get stale.

Weis on the mood on the sideline during Texas Tech game …

I think the one thing as the season has gone along, and lets take this past week the most positive thing that came out of the game was it wasn't a woe is me feeling on the sideline at any time. Normally when a team gets in the habit of losing, when one thing goes bad in the game it's like okay here we go again. This is the first time in a while where I felt like no one felt that way. We have had that experience one other time in the Texas game where they scored with 12 seconds left in the game. In this game the team is past waiting for something bad to happen and instead is trying to make something good to happen. I think that's a good thing.

Weis on team's attitude …

Considering you just lost a game in double overtime, there is obviously major disappointment. I think that yesterday's practice was as spirited of a Sunday practice that we have had in quite some time because they could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Weis on positives of running the ball so much this year …

I think it's something like a learning curve. The offensive staff is meeting right now. I said everything we have done earlier in the year will make us better going forward. We have come up with more and more innovative ways to try and run the ball when everyone knows we are going to run the ball. You go into an offseason where you develop your passing game which has been very inefficient. You make it a compliment to the run game which has been progressing all year long. That investment in the running game will make it all the better when the passing game becomes more proficient.

Weis on Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein …

Collin Klein besides being a better than adequate thrower is a dynamic runner and totally different than any other running quarterback in the league. This isn't about running the read option. He is actually like the power back. He is very patient and lets his backs and line take care of the action. When you have a quarterback who can run with power and have such a nice feel for the running game you have a plus one mindset on offense because the quarterback isn't just handing the ball off to someone else. I think he's very astute at that. Everyone has to spend so much time not only preparing for the running backs running the ball but him running the ball it opens up a lot in the passing game.

Weis on team's confidence ..

The way I look at it is we had an opportunity to win the game in regulation. We get the ball down there inside the 20 yard line at the end of the game with an opportunity to put the game away and we settle for a field goal. We end up losing in double overtime. When you get those opportunities you have to finish them off. For a team to be 1-9, I don't think a team could be much more confident that they are going to turn the corner than they are.

Weis on the players getting exciting for trick plays …

They think you are nuts too when you tell them that we are putting this in and expect us to call it. We have had where it doesn't work out, and it isn't so much the players but everyone in the free world says, "What a stupid idea that was." There is two sides to that. When you put them in the players get fired up and when they work it gets everybody fired up. On the flip side when they don't, it's totally a different can of worms.

It has to part of your personality. You go into a game trying to find more ways to make a big play. It doesn't make a difference where you are.

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads

Rhoads on Kansas being a dangerous team to play …

I think it's because they are a member of the Big 12 and every member of our conference is a dangerous football team. I think that at this point in the season that the Big 12 is the deepest, strongest conference in college football. Kansas has been in a number of games especially recently where they have had great opportunities to win. They are hungry and they haven't lost any fight. They ran the ball extremely well against a good Texas Tech defense. We will have plenty of focus when we get ready for this game in Lawrence.