Six Bears reflect on win over Texas Tech, clinching bowl eligibility

Charlie Brewer, Ira Lewis, Blake Blackmar, Denzel Mims, Chris Platt and John Lovett met with the media following Baylor’s 35-24 victory over Texas Tech.

Q. Charlie, you all became bowl eligible today. Has it sunk in yet, and how does it feel?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: Obviously, it feels really good. You know, I thought that we put not a complete game, obviously, but I think pretty close to it. I thought we ran the ball extremely well. I thought the offensive line played tremendous. I thought the defense really did really well. You know, yeah, we're happy to go bowling.

Q. Can you tell us the difference today as opposed to the same day last year when you guys lost that last one at TCU?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: You're saying last year? Yeah, obviously, we won this time. So, obviously, a better feeling. But, you know, I think it is just a totally different team, obviously, from last year. And the way that, you know, we're finishing this year, I think that it's definitely more positive.

Q. Charlie, your thoughts about how this team somehow turned around the week after what happened Saturday against TCU and what was it like this week to get prepared for today?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: Yeah, I think it was very positive. I think everyone was a little bit embarrassed, to be honest, of last week. So everyone knew it was do or die time. Win or go home. So I think everyone had a good mindset coming in, yep.

Q. Charlie, can you talk about the way y'all were able to stretch the field today? Y'all haven't thrown deep like that a lot. Was that part of the plan, or is that what was open?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: I think so. We knew we had our chances this week. You know, I think that that stuff really gets set up by the way we run the ball. I thought we ran the ball really well. Not a ton of big runs, but we were getting five and six and chunks almost every time. I think, whenever you do that, then you do a little play action and it makes it easier to get over the top.

Q. Charlie, what's the mood in the locker room knowing you guys are actually going to a bowl game?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: Obviously, very excited. Excited to have more time with the seniors. They've been through a lot. You know, I have the utmost respect for those guys who have stuck around here through tougher times than I could ever imagine. And they stuck through it. And to get a few more weeks with them, that's pretty special.

Q. Charlie, just the way that the offense operated, getting the running game going to open up the passing game, is that what you envisioned this offense looking like when you're really rolling?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: I think so. I think really for every offense, you know, teams that throw the ball really well, also run the ball really well. I think both complement each other in whichever order you want to do it. I think that that really helped us today, yeah.

Q. Charlie, you guys had struggled in the red zone the previous two weeks against Iowa State and TCU. Today, 4-4. What do you think was the difference, simple execution or anything more?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: You know, I think that we knew that that was a point of emphasis this week. You know, I don't think -- we still need to clean up on some penalties. If I recall correctly, I don't think we got a ton near the end zone, so I think that helped.

Q. Charlie, do you have a preferred bowl destination?

QB CHARLIE BREWER: Nah, I'm happy to go "bowling." I have no idea where we're projected to go. Y'all might know, but I have no idea.

Q. For Ira, I saw you almost tackle Coach Rhule after the game. How excited were you?

DT IRA LEWIS: I was probably a little bit too excited. I realize I could have took him out, but that's my coach. So I got to deal with him when we go to meetings on Monday. That would be bad.

Q. Blake, remember the emotions from you after the Texas game at Austin and this team and this class has been through so much. Can you try to explain what today means to the senior class?

OL BLAKE BLACKMAR: Well, it feels a lot better to come do this after this game than the Texas game, you know. Of all of the games I've been a part of, this is probably the
most special. You think of all of the things we've been through and everything that could have happened and would have happened, and you gotta shut all of that out. The most important thing is what we're going to do next to go out there and run the ball and pretty much play a complete game, offense, defense, both played very well and get a win over Texas Tech. It just feels great. Almost an indescribable feeling on the field being able to grab your brothers and celebrate.

Q. Blake, you talked about it for a second there. But the ability to run the ball today like y'all were able to. What was the difference?

OL BLAKE BLACKMAR: It definitely feels -- we came in after last week, and the offensive line was very upset. We did not play well. We had a hard, good week of practice. And it really felt like we made a difference this game. We may have passed the checkpoint as a unit. And we did a lot of good things.

It is always great to be able to run the ball. It makes you feel good at the end of the day, and it opens up the rest of the offense.

Q. This is for Blake. After last year's loss to TCU, last game of the year, Coach Rhule said he expected you all to go to a bowl game. What does it mean to y'all to have a coach with that kind of confidence that y'all could go from one win to six?

OL BLAKE BLACKMAR: Well, you know, we're led by a great man. And we were all able to see the things we did last year and see how close we were to doing a lot of -- to winning some games and doing a lot of good things. And we just never quite sealed the deal. That's carried over into this season a little bit. But we have done -- it was a totally different team. We've made a ton of progress. And big strides. To be able to seal the deal and go to a bowl game now -- and, you know, it is really a turning point for the team and, hopefully, for our -- for how we're going to lead Baylor going forward.

We've done it now. Now we're going to go win this bowl game. And next year, all of these group of guys that are still here, they're going to know how to do it and they're going to push beyond this.

Q. Denzel, you all were able to run the ball -- and Charlie talked about it. How much does that help create more things in the passing game, the way y'all were able to stretch the ball and then, you know, stretch the field and the way that you -- two touchdowns. Talk about just the way that the running game maybe led to that.

WR DENZEL MIMS: It led a lot. Because, knowing that we knew that we had to run the ball to open up the pass -- because most teams have been dropping back, like, 8. We knew, if we run the ball, it would open it up a lot. So we tried to focus a lot on running the ball this week. And it opened up the passing game.

Q. Denzel, Matt Rhule had said a few moments ago that you made the suggestion about the post being wide open there on the touchdown pass to Tyquan [Thornton] and he talked about the selflessness of this team. Can you speak to what you saw there and obviously why that worked?

WR DENZEL MIMS: Yeah. I watched a lot of film this week. And I tried to study what was open. I take some -- yesterday it was like the post will be open all game. So he caught it. And I just -- he caught it. And I knew Tyquan was going to score. And he scored.

Q. Ira, can you talk about how well that defense played today and was able to keep Texas Tech out of the end zone for the most part, especially toward the end of that game?

DT IRA LEWIS: We had emphasis we had to play well. We felt we could build off TCU. We had to keep playing hard. Other guys bought in. So everybody just played hard and did their job.

Q. Blake, Coach Rhule said that JaMycal Hasty had to go back home because of something that happened within his family and his mom dropped him off at the stadium knowing he wasn't going to play but he was going to be here for you guys, to be here for the moment. Can you describe that feeling when you saw him and what it meant?

OL BLAKE BLACKMAR: Yeah. JaMycal is a very special person. He has been our running back ever since we were -- when we were freshmen now. And blocking. He was a true freshman running back. He's been with us for a long time. He's a guy that doesn't say a whole lot. But his actions speak volumes. He's a great leader, because he does everything right and he plays as hard as he can. So you really feel for a guy that does everything right and can't play. But the fact that he was able to go home, deal with something and then still had the want to come back and be with us today, for this special moment, it was just -- one of all of the different reasons you can get pumped up to play this game.

You know, you know that that's a guy that's bought in and that's a guy that's going to have your back. And I'm going to have his back for life.

Q. Chris [Platt], can you talk about just the way you stepped up today. Maybe Jalen wasn't at his best -- he was a little bit limited -- and the way you stepped up and the way that Charlie got you the ball.

WR CHRIS PLATT: When I was called, I knew I had to step up and make the play.

Q. When Tech narrowed it to 28-24, what was the mindset when you guys came out there for that possession? Because you, obviously, scored on it.

WR CHRIS PLATT: Like I just said, we were just thinking one play at a time. We knew some plays were going to happen. We knew things were going to be high and low. We were staying even keel, do what we can do.

Q. Chris, as a senior, what does this mean to you, going to a bowl game?

WR CHRIS PLATT: It means a lot. It was a win-or-go-home moment. Being able to get the win and being able to play an extra game is a blessing.

Q. John, y'all were able to run the ball pretty effectively today. You had a career high in yardage. What was the difference?

RB JOHN LOVETT: The offensive line. They did everything they needed to do. And I just ran right behind them. It was wide open every time.

Q. John, as a sophomore, what does this mean to go to a bowl? And as you progress for another couple more years, what does this mean for this program?

RB JOHN LOVETT: This win means a lot, because I've been through a lot with these same guys since last year. And we came a long way and we're here.

Q. John, the offensive line was criticized a lot after last week. A bunch of sacks, weren't able to run the ball. Could you tell a difference in them? Were they motivated? Were they kind of wanting to get the running game going this week?

RB JOHN LOVETT: It was a difference in Tuesday practice. They came ready to work the whole week. So I already knew it was going to be a great game, running behind them.