The old saying goes that the press room is always better after a win than a loss. The player Media Availability from Tuesday Nov. 3rd only reiterated that concept. With a lot of successes to build on from the victorious result of the UCF game on Friday, they were the focus of a lot of questions being asked. DJ Lagway was among the players interviewed, so here are our some of the answers he gave as well as our editorial takes on them.
How do you Build off of The Win Against UCF?
DJ Lagway: “Yeah, we just gotta continue to stack days. Continue to, I always say play the game. Play the game on Monday so you can get on the field. On Saturday, you just already rehearsed it. So just being intentional throughout the week, I feel like that’s how we replicate it.”
Our Take: Stacking days, doing their 1/11th, going 1-0 one play at a time; all of these all boil back to a favorite phrase of mine. “Do one thing at a time, do it very well, and then move on,” meaning that you can’t do step No. 2 before accomplishing step No. 1. Games are won and lost during practice, and it all follows that same mindset, one success builds on itself to become a second success and so on and so forth.
Did You Play Free Against UCF?
DJ Lagway: “Yeah, yes, sir. You try to always, ultimate goal is come out there playing free, but my biggest thing is just trying to elevate the guys around me, being a great leader and a great motivator, and just doing my job, and relying on the other ten players around me to do their job and trusting that they will, and that’s the biggest thing.”
Our Take: Well said by DJ Lagway here. A leader, a motivator, and a star athlete; either Lagway has been able to hang around fellow Bear safety Mike Allen, or there’s something in the water in Waco. The personal accountability and humility shown by Lagway in his answers is a bright spot whenever he’s able to step in front of a microphone. The trust that this Baylor team has in each other and their abilities is truly a thing of beauty.
Is it Difficult Dealing With Rotations and Changes on the O-Line During the Game?
DJ Lagway: “No, sir, not at all. I trust all of my guys. I trust everybody that’s on that field with me. I know they’re gonna die for me out there, I’m gonna do the same thing for them. It’s just about, we just gotta play more consistently altogether as an offensive group. I feel like we had a lot of penalties at the end that shouldn’t be there, and we just gotta play better, clean football. We still got a lot more meat on the bone, and I’m just excited to continue to get better with these great group of guys.”
Our Take: As important as it is for a quarterback to maintain a good relationship with the coaches and offensive coordinators, it is more vital for a quarterback to have that relationship with his O-line. I appreciate Lagway’s commitment and willingness to play his heart out for them.
I also appreciate that he’s not afraid to address the penalty issue as well. The good comes with a bit of bad, but neither spoils the other. The Bears have had a penalty problem throughout most of the season, but at no point has a single player villainized the O-line for it. Either through a show of solidarity and unity from the team or maybe even just accepted as part of the game, it’s good to see Lagway address that there’s been a bit too much laundry on the field recently while at the same time praising the o-line responsible for most of them.
After More Designed Running Against UCF Than Anyone All Year, How are you Feeling?
DJ Lagway: “Yeah, I’m feeling good. Whatever coach has for us, whatever coach has designed for us, I’m gonna execute it to my fullest ability.”
Our Takes: Short, sweet, and to the point. If Lagway says that he’s feeling good about his body and ability, I’m inclined to believe him after his performance against the Knights. Lagway looked calm in the pocket, and ran with confidence when called upon to do so. Lagway ran the ball 11 times, and looked to be in no pain at all while doing it.
On Baylor’s OC Jake Spavital
DJ Lagway: “I feel like Coach Spav, he’s always the same guy every single day. Just his ability, just to adapt and to work to what the game plan is or isn’t, his ability to change on the run, that’s what I love about him. He doesn’t just stick to what we came in through the week. If it’s not working, he’s gonna change it up, try to find something, and that’s what I love about him. But Coach Spav, he’s the same guy every single day, and we all respect him in the building. We’re thankful for him to have him as a coach.”
Our Take: It probably goes without saying, but a quarterback having a good relationship with the OC is always a positive. And, even better when the phrase is “we” as Lagway used here instead of just “I.” The entire team being behind coach Spavital and respecting him couldn’t be a better outlook if they tried. Coach Klanderman mentioned during last week’s Media Availability that he was going to “let coach Spavital free to be as creative as possible” and that’s what we saw against UCF.
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