Yeah, I doubt that’ll happen. Maybe in a bowl game.

JC: At your hiring press conference, you actually suggested Tech should schedule Cincinnati, the school that Tuberville left Lubbock for.

KK: If I wasn’t a Texas Tech alumnus, I probably wouldn’t have said it. But having played here and gone to school here, I take a lot of pride in this school. If somebody disrespects your school a little bit, you’re going to take notice.

JC: No reply from them?

KK: Yeah, we tried to get it done, and they weren’t up for it.

JC: Last year’s team actually did pretty well: 8-5. But one of the things I read a lot when you got hired was “the Tech fan base is going to be patient with him because he’s already got credibility.” Do you want to hear that, or do you want to win games right away?

KK: No. I mean, this staff isn’t patient at all. We expect results early and that’s why we’re here. Any expectation that the fan base could put on us we probably have just as high if not higher. Like you said, eight wins last year, lots of room for improvement.

JC: So how’s that SMU game plan for August 30 looking?

KK: We’re a long way away from really attacking that. We’re still in the stage of worrying about us. Once we get into August and get training camp going on, I’ll start getting on the SMU film. But it’s going to be a heck of a game. They do a great job there. 

JC: Mumme is the Mustangs’ offensive coordinator. Dana Holgorsen, another former Leach assistant who was your boss at Houston, is at West Virginia. When you look up and down the schedule, do you stop to realize how many branches are on that family tree?

KK: Yeah, it’s gonna be some surreal handshakes before the games, that’s for sure. When I was at the head coaches’ meeting—you know, you’re sitting around all guys I’ve either played against or played for, and it’s just humbling and an incredible feeling to be sitting with those guys and talking college football.

JC: Being a former Big 12 player yourself, what was it like to be part of A&M’s departure for the SEC last year? There’s still this weird scene where the schools in the Big 12 try to act like A&M isn’t even in the state anymore.

KK: I think the entire state of Texas is still getting adjusted to that. None of us playing Texas A&M anymore is unfortunate. But what they did has been great for them, and they’ve really run with the opportunity. I think eventually, once everything calms down, those games will come back, and Texas A&M will be playing the other schools around Texas.

JC: People keep calling you the GQ coach. Do you even read GQ?

KK: Yeah, I’ll pick it up when I’m flying. They’ve got some good articles. I’m more of an Esquire guy. I like the short stories in Esquire. But that whole deal’s gotten blown out of proportion. I was dressing like this before I took this job, but obviously being more in the spotlight now, people want to talk about it.

JC: Still, I gotta ask—and thanks for reading print magazines by the way—what’s the designer and price point of your favorite pair of jeans?

KK: My favorite pair of jeans right now is probably AG, but I don’t really want to get into price. If people are that interested, they can look it up themselves, I guess.

JC: Your facial hair has also been a topic of conversation. Do you shave and then let it grow back, or do you trim it down to stubble every day?

KK: That’s a top secret question. I can’t give away all my trade secrets.