my entire life was play quarterback in the NFL. When that came to an end, you know, I was thinking about trying to get my MBA or looking at other opportunities and the opportunity in Houston came about. I got around the kids and just loved the teaching aspect of it. Working with Case Keenum and just watching him develop throughout the year and the kind of success that he had, I was like, “This is as fulfilling as being a player.”
JC: Your hiring inspired the “our coach is hotter than your coach” Twitter hashtag.
KK: Yeah, I took a lot of razzing from friends over that. It was kind of a strange deal, but hey, I guess all pub is good pub.
JC: That’s one big difference from when you played, the way that social media creates an instant feedback loop.
KK: Social media has changed the entire game. I was never on Twitter before I became a head coach, but now it’s just something you really have to do to keep up with recruiting and let your fans know the pulse of your program. I’m still getting adjusted to the Twitter life.
JC: Do you write all your own tweets?
KK: I do.
JC: Maybe you can get some etiquette tips from Johnny Manziel.
KK: He can definitely give me some tips on something.
JC: Are the women of Lubbock looking to fix you up with their daughters and their nieces now?
KK: ( Laughs.) I don’t know. I try to stay out of the limelight in Lubbock. I’m pretty much at the office and my house, and that’s it.
JC: You and Sumlin and Manziel kind of changed the image of A&M. Are you looking to do the same for Tech?
KK: If we can win like A&M did last year, we’ll be excited. Each program’s different. I was excited to be a part of that run there at A&M and hopefully we can get things rolling over here too.
JC: But I mean, have you had older alumni read your Twitter and ask you, “Who’s Skrillex?” Or “Drizzy?”
KK: We’re more directing that toward our 18 to 22 demographic and the recruits we’re after.
JC: When did you know what you had in Manziel?
KK: We knew he was a great player in high school. Nobody could touch him. But we didn’t know how that would translate in Division I football, especially in the SEC. But once we got to that Florida game and they were trying to tackle him and he still was running around making plays, that was the game where we realized, “Okay, we’re gonna have to build around him because he is a phenomenal talent.”
JC: Was it easier for you to let him do his thing because you’re a younger coach?
KK: I think so. And I think you just have to understand the pulse of your players and what really makes them tick. Johnny is a guy who, you’ve got to give him enough rope that he can go out there and be himself. We trusted him and let him do his thing within our system.
JC: Your contract at Tech gives you input into uniform design. Why did you want that?
KK: I wanted to dictate how everything looks on the field. For today’s generation, that’s a big deal; we wanted to keep up with the styles and try and put a uniform out there that our fans appreciate and that grabs the attention of recruits.
JC: Are you literally making sketches?
KK: No, I don’t do that. I’ll point out things I like and tinker. But I don’t actually draw them up.
JC: Is this gonna be like Oregon or Maryland, where everyone on Twitter will be saying, “What the hell are they wearing?”
KK: No, no. We won’t be that extreme. There are some different themes that we’ll have this year. Staying true to Tech but a little more modern.
JC: Tell me about this painting that you had commissioned for your office, featuring the school’s Masked Rider. Was that your idea or did the artist come up with it?
Just got my "Suns up, Guns up" painting finished for my office!! Incredible work by my friend Dave Grizzle. pic.twitter.com/beUyq8P75f
— Kliff Kingsbury (@TTUKingsbury) June 17, 2013
KK: No, it was my idea. I had a wall space when we were redecorating my office, and I wanted to do some sort of portrait that’s all-encompassing of Texas Tech and so he—we emailed back and forth and I sent some pictures and he came up with this idea and it turned out incredible. It’s I think five-by-eight feet, so it takes up a lot of space. It’s a really, really nice deal.
JC: And are we giving Raider Red the short shrift here, or does he have a spot too?
KK: We’ll work into that. We’re building into Raider Red. He knows he’s got a special place in my heart already, so I don’t think he’ll take too much offense.
JC: You’ve said Leach changed the culture at Texas Tech. Is that something you have to do yourself, or is it more of a recharge?
KK: I think more just putting this staff’s spin on it. The six of us who played at Texas Tech and are on this staff, we know the direction that we want to take this place, and we know the potential that this place has. Having played here not too far in the past, there’s a relatability for these players. We’ve sat in the exact chair they’re sitting in, so when we speak, there’s some street cred there.
JC: Did you and Leach talk when you were hired?
KK: Yes. Obviously he coached all of us who are on the staff, the six of us. And so he couldn’t be more fired-up, and I’m sure he’ll be rooting for us the entire year.
JC: Gonna get Washington State on the schedule?
KK: (Laughs.)