Cole Wisniewski "Best football I've played", growth during the season
Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski had one of his best games of the season against BYU. Wisniewski also believes he is playing some of the best ball of his career, especially in this late stretch of the season. Wisniewski and the Red Raiders are ranked #6 in the College Football Playoff rankings looking to make a run at a national championship.
The slam
During the 2nd quarter of the game against BYU, Cougar quarterback Bear Bachmeier attempted to hurdle Wisniewski but the safety was not fooled by the quarterback’s common tactics.
“Yeah, we saw him hurdle a lot on film. I knew how I was playing, attacking, tackling him all week. So get an open field tackle. Knew it was going to be a good opportunity, and then he hurdled and got him on the ground.”
Evolution + D-Line affect
Texas Tech’s defense has been able to learn a lot and progress in their tactics throughout the season. The Red Raiders have won 9 out of 10 games, and they’ve won each of those 9 games by at least 20 points.
“Oh, I guess as the years gone on, the guys are continue to have more and more passion for each other, and I think it shows in the way we’re playing the game.”
“It shows you that practice, for sure, guys are continually giving you more and more effort. It feels like as the years gone on, the love that we have as a defense is contagious, for sure. I think even after our loss, we came back that Tuesday and got just excited to be out there together and play.”
The front-seven of the defense has allowed Wisniewski and the secondary to provide better coverage deep due to their high production.
“It’s not only time and coverage, but it’s also people running routes. Because of how elite our D line is, they have to bring extra guys in protection. A lot of times we’re seeing seven man pros, and they can only run three man routes, and a lot of times it’s even less.”
“So that’s how I think, especially just understanding the rhythm of playing a half or post in this defense is probably different than a lot of defenses, because, you know that ball’s got to get out somewhere around the three and a half second mark.”
As previously mentioned in the opener, Wisniewski believes he’s currently playing the best ball of his collegiate career.
“Three years ago I was a senior. Like, I mean, this is my third senior year, but I’m super appreciative of my entire college career. I think last game was my 57th college game. I mean, that’s a lot of college football, but it’s just been such a journey, such a growth opportunity. I still feel like I’m being better each week, like I think the last three weeks is probably the best football I’ve played.”
“The Flu Game”
Head coach Joey McGuire and defensive coordinator Shiel Wood during their press conferences said that Wisniewski had been dealing with a sickness prior to the game starting Thursday night.
“Woke up, I went to bed not feeling too great Thursday night. Woke up midway through the night and didn’t have any more food in my body. I guess that’s the best way to say it. So I woke up not having slept too great, had no no energy my body.”
“It’s really a credit to the coaching staff and our trainers and our doctors getting ready for the game and doing everything they can in their power to allow me to rest up, get refueled, get rehydrated and be ready to play the game. But yeah, I felt pretty dead all day Friday.”
“I wasn’t worried about not being able to play at all. I was going to play. Doesn’t matter who it is like, you know, I was going to play no matter what.”
“This mentality, to be able to be able to go out there and play no matter like how you’re feeling, so I wasn’t really too worried about it. I knew that no matter what how I felt, I was going to go and give it everything I had, just like I always do.”
What Texas Tech has meant to him
Wisniewski spent his collegiate career playing for North Dakota State, transferring to Texas Tech in the winter window. His presence is providing the Red Raiders a great player and starter at the safety position. Cole spoke very highly of the Red Raiders’ culture and the fans who gave a week to remember.
“I don’t think that this is probably reach saying this. I think the last week we experienced here at Tech, I don’t think anywhere in the country has ever experienced a week like that within the last decade.”
“We’ve had social media for a while. I’ve never seen anything like that. I don’t really know if it was even a field storm. I think it was just letting the fans on the field because they earned it. You know, the students in particular, like they had put in so much time, lot of sleepless nights, to just preparing to get into the game. So I think they deserved to be on the field and to be able to celebrate with us as a team, because they poured in. So I’m pretty excited for them to get the experience out with us.”
Brenden Jordan praise
Cornerback Brenden Jordan allowed some big plays against Arizona State, but since then he’s one of the most improved players on the team.
“We were roommates at the hotel, and he was like, “I gotta go make some plays.” I think he’s done a couple things really, really elite as the year has gone on. He’s continually done a better and better job of trusting his assignment in the scheme and playing to his strength within that assignment, so that and then tackling as well.”
“In the last in the last four weeks, especially, he’s been an absolutely elite tackler, closing ground, closing distance, wrapping, getting guys down. I’m really, really proud of him, and he’s already a special player. He’s going to continue to be, a really elite player on this defense.”
Coach McCasland’s speech
Prior to the start of the season, men’s basketball head coach Grant McCasland spoke to the football team about religion, and having each other as the season progressed with all the highs and lows it brings.
“Awesome coaches. I guess I hadn’t really known much about Coach before that, but he is just an amazing, amazing human speaker. And I think at that point in the year, we had spent all spring together, all winter together, and got to know each other pretty well.”
“But to be able to have the whole season, and to have the highs, the lows, guys who are hurting, you know, he had really pointed it to Christ, and what Christ had done for all of his followers, and in the same way, and a lot of the guys on this defense are believers.”
“And I think if you’re hurting. I’m sick, for example, like Christ walked into that city knowing he was gonna die when he got put up on the cross. And in the same way that we walk into games, that we know that our bodies aren’t feel great, let’s be able to go in there and put everything we have on the line. It’s been really fun to do that with this team this year.”
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