Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“The guys that didn’t practice today were (Hollywood) Brown, Wanya Morris, Trey (Smith) and then Jawaan (Taylor). Everybody else went out and did their thing. (Trent) McDuffie was out there practicing. Looking forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers. A good football team; we know that. Again, we looked forward to playing right here at GEHA Field (at) Arrowhead Stadium. With that, times yours.”

Q: Will the offensive line that finished last game start this week?

Q: Did Trey Smith have a setback this week or just not ready?

REID:&nbsp;“Just not ready to go. He (Trey Smith) worked through and pushed himself, but I don’t think he’s quite there.”

Q: How has Esa Pole performed this week?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Esa Pole) going about his business the right way. This will be another test for him. Obviously they (Chargers) have a good defensive front. We will see how he progresses here. He did a nice job last week for sure.”

Q: Is Hollywood Brown’s injury personal again?

Q: Do you expect Hollywood Brown to be able to go this Sunday?

Q:&nbsp;Have you liked how the guys have performed throughout practice this week?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I like the way they have gone about their business. They worked hard this week, like they always do. They put forward an effort to get themselves better and that’s all you can expect from a head coach standpoint.”

Q: Would Kingsley Suamataia be your next guy up for swing tackle if another injury happened?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Kinglsey Suamataia) can work out there yeah, we have Chu (Chukwuebuka Godrick) that can do the same thing. So, yeah.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you done to keep your teammates positive?

SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“For me, I’ve been in worse situations. I feel like being here and being around this organization, they felt a lot of positive in the past year. I think for me, it’s more so just keeping the energy up (and) don’t lose our personality, that’s one thing that (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid talks about, don’t lose yourself. In times like this, teams tend to go all over the place but staying here, staying close together and it’s moments like this where you really get to know one another and I think that’s what it’s all about. The vets already know how it is and like I said, me being a positive guy in the room (and) just being able to keep that energy up.”

Q:&nbsp;Is it hard keeping the younger guys focused when they expect wins?

SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“No. Honestly, it’s not tough. It’s not tough. I think what it is, is that when you come to an organization like this where they have experienced win after win after win, the expectation is so high so everyone is so much harder on themselves to just be that standard, to be that bar, to be the guy that sets that bar very high and to be a part of that. You see guys coming to work every single day, putting in the work and for the young guys to see then and they then want to be a part of that. And I think for them, it’s more so of a they’re growing and learning and everyone just wants to be better, everyone wants to win, (and) everyone wants to do their job. I feel like as a team, a lot of us are growing in that aspect.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a lot of pressure playing in so many significant games?

SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“You look at our team, and we’ve been to the Super Bowl multiple times and everyone’s going to give their best against us. It’s ourself to feel like they’re going to give their best, we have to play our best. Not every game is going to be a game where the offense has 500 yards or the defense has four turnovers, it’s not always going to be pretty. In no sense I think for a lot of us, it’s more so that in these situations (and) in these times, you grow in those aspects.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you guys turn a page and realize that you still have a chance to make the playoffs?

COOK:&nbsp;“First, self-evaluation. I feel like not just as professional athletes but as humans it’s really hard to do. Understanding there was a week where we struggled at or we had issues right before and learning from it. At the end of the day, we know our hope and our confidence is the fact that we did it before, so it’s not like it’s something we do or something we haven’t done before. So, it’s more of sharping the tools (and) tightening the boats and moving forward.”

Q:&nbsp;How have you seen Jaden Hicks grow this year?

COOK:&nbsp;“I think maturity. We’re applying pressure to him (Jaden Hicks) a little bit more. We launched the game, we launched the ball towards the defensive aspect too and to just me more mature and fall into the brotherhood. A lot of guys come from different places and different walks of life. As a rookie, you’re just trying to figure everything out. I feel like now, he’s embodied into what we have built here from our rookie year. That’s the kind of thing we try to keep doing. Comradery – especially as a defensive back. It’s definitely big and because when balls are flying, a lot goes on the defensive side as far as making sure everybody has the right checks and the right position. But for him, I’m proud of him (and) happy he’s moving forward. He’s had some struggles but at the end of the day I feel like they’re a learning path for him and just seeing how he’s handled it, it gives me a lot of happiness for him.”

Q:&nbsp;How big of a loss was Chris Roland-Wallace due to injury?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 12, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“The guys that didn’t practice today were (Hollywood) Brown, Wanya Morris, Trey (Smith) and then Jawaan (Taylor). Everybody else went out and did their thing. (Trent) McDuffie was out there practicing. Looking forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers. A good football team; we know that. Again, we looked forward to playing right here at GEHA Field (at) Arrowhead Stadium. With that, times yours.”Q: Will the offensive line that finished last game start this week?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah.”Q: Did Trey Smith have a setback this week or just not ready?REID:&nbsp;“Just not ready to go. He (Trey Smith) worked through and pushed himself, but I don’t think he’s quite there.”Q: How has Esa Pole performed this week?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Esa Pole) going about his business the right way. This will be another test for him. Obviously they (Chargers) have a good defensive front. We will see how he progresses here. He did a nice job last week for sure.”Q: Is Hollywood Brown’s injury personal again?REID:&nbsp;“Yes.”Q: Do you expect Hollywood Brown to be able to go this Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“No.”Q:&nbsp;Have you liked how the guys have performed throughout practice this week?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I like the way they have gone about their business. They worked hard this week, like they always do. They put forward an effort to get themselves better and that’s all you can expect from a head coach standpoint.”Q: Would Kingsley Suamataia be your next guy up for swing tackle if another injury happened?REID:&nbsp;“He (Kinglsey Suamataia) can work out there yeah, we have Chu (Chukwuebuka Godrick) that can do the same thing. So, yeah.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 12, 2025WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTERQ:&nbsp;What have you done to keep your teammates positive?SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“For me, I’ve been in worse situations. I feel like being here and being around this organization, they felt a lot of positive in the past year. I think for me, it’s more so just keeping the energy up (and) don’t lose our personality, that’s one thing that (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid talks about, don’t lose yourself. In times like this, teams tend to go all over the place but staying here, staying close together and it’s moments like this where you really get to know one another and I think that’s what it’s all about. The vets already know how it is and like I said, me being a positive guy in the room (and) just being able to keep that energy up.”Q:&nbsp;Is it hard keeping the younger guys focused when they expect wins?SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“No. Honestly, it’s not tough. It’s not tough. I think what it is, is that when you come to an organization like this where they have experienced win after win after win, the expectation is so high so everyone is so much harder on themselves to just be that standard, to be that bar, to be the guy that sets that bar very high and to be a part of that. You see guys coming to work every single day, putting in the work and for the young guys to see then and they then want to be a part of that. And I think for them, it’s more so of a they’re growing and learning and everyone just wants to be better, everyone wants to win, (and) everyone wants to do their job. I feel like as a team, a lot of us are growing in that aspect.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a lot of pressure playing in so many significant games?SMITH-SCHUSTER:&nbsp;“You look at our team, and we’ve been to the Super Bowl multiple times and everyone’s going to give their best against us. It’s ourself to feel like they’re going to give their best, we have to play our best. Not every game is going to be a game where the offense has 500 yards or the defense has four turnovers, it’s not always going to be pretty. In no sense I think for a lot of us, it’s more so that in these situations (and) in these times, you grow in those aspects.”S BRYAN COOKQ:&nbsp;How do you guys turn a page and realize that you still have a chance to make the playoffs?COOK:&nbsp;“First, self-evaluation. I feel like not just as professional athletes but as humans it’s really hard to do. Understanding there was a week where we struggled at or we had issues right before and learning from it. At the end of the day, we know our hope and our confidence is the fact that we did it before, so it’s not like it’s something we do or something we haven’t done before. So, it’s more of sharping the tools (and) tightening the boats and moving forward.”Q:&nbsp;How have you seen Jaden Hicks grow this year?COOK:&nbsp;“I think maturity. We’re applying pressure to him (Jaden Hicks) a little bit more. We launched the game, we launched the ball towards the defensive aspect too and to just me more mature and fall into the brotherhood. A lot of guys come from different places and different walks of life. As a rookie, you’re just trying to figure everything out. I feel like now, he’s embodied into what we have built here from our rookie year. That’s the kind of thing we try to keep doing. Comradery – especially as a defensive back. It’s definitely big and because when balls are flying, a lot goes on the defensive side as far as making sure everybody has the right checks and the right position. But for him, I’m proud of him (and) happy he’s moving forward. He’s had some struggles but at the end of the day I feel like they’re a learning path for him and just seeing how he’s handled it, it gives me a lot of happiness for him.”Q:&nbsp;How big of a loss was Chris Roland-Wallace due to injury?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-12-25

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –&nbsp;Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the winner of the 16th&nbsp;Annual Pop Warner Little Scholars College Football Award, recognizing his exceptional achievements on and off the field.

Daniels was one of five finalists for the award, including Tanner Wall (BYU), Aaron Graves (Iowa), Adam Randall (Clemson) and Josh Kattus (Kentucky). Daniels becomes the first Jayhawk in program history to win the award.

“I’m truly blessed and honored to receive the Pop Warner College Football Award,” Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels said. “I want to thank Pop Warner Little Scholars for this tremendous recognition. I strive every day to be the best version of myself and to make a meaningful impact on the communities that shaped me. Growing up in youth football, the lessons and experiences I gained helped grow my love for the game, and I hope to continue positively influencing players for generations to come.”

“Jalon represents everything this award stands for,” said Pop Warner Little Scholars CEO Steve Strawbridge. “He’s a gifted athlete, an accomplished student and a compassionate leader in his community. Young athletes across the country can look to him as an example of how to pursue excellence with character, integrity and commitment. We’re proud to honor him with this year’s award.”Daniels is Kansas' first four-time team captain and was Kansas' first Big 12 Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024. Daniels was recently honored as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and is a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.

Daniels has excelled on and off the field as Kansas football’s first Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024, five-time Academic All-Big 12 member and a 2022 CSC Academic All-American. Daniels graduated in the spring of 2025 with a 3.58 GPA in Sport Management.

Daniels has also been very involved in community, launching the "Mom2JD6" Foundation committed to supporting single mothers raising athletic children by providing financial aid, mentorship, sports training, and community resources. Daniels also contributed to Kansas football's offseason community service program, which dedicated a program record 517 hours of community service during the summer of 2025.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –&nbsp;Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the winner of the 16th&nbsp;Annual Pop Warner Little Scholars College Football Award, recognizing his exceptional achievements on and off the field.Daniels was one of five finalists for the award, including Tanner Wall (BYU), Aaron Graves (Iowa), Adam Randall (Clemson) and Josh Kattus (Kentucky). Daniels becomes the first Jayhawk in program history to win the award.“I’m truly blessed and honored to receive the Pop Warner College Football Award,” Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels said. “I want to thank Pop Warner Little Scholars for this tremendous recognition. I strive every day to be the best version of myself and to make a meaningful impact on the communities that shaped me. Growing up in youth football, the lessons and experiences I gained helped grow my love for the game, and I hope to continue positively influencing players for generations to come.”“Jalon represents everything this award stands for,” said Pop Warner Little Scholars CEO Steve Strawbridge. “He’s a gifted athlete, an accomplished student and a compassionate leader in his community. Young athletes across the country can look to him as an example of how to pursue excellence with character, integrity and commitment. We’re proud to honor him with this year’s award.”Daniels is Kansas' first four-time team captain and was Kansas' first Big 12 Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024. Daniels was recently honored as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and is a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.Daniels has excelled on and off the field as Kansas football’s first Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024, five-time Academic All-Big 12 member and a 2022 CSC Academic All-American. Daniels graduated in the spring of 2025 with a 3.58 GPA in Sport Management.Daniels has also been very involved in community, launching the "Mom2JD6" Foundation committed to supporting single mothers raising athletic children by providing financial aid, mentorship, sports training, and community resources. Daniels also contributed to Kansas football's offseason community service program, which dedicated a program record 517 hours of community service during the summer of 2025.

Kansas’ Jalon Daniels Selected as 2025 Pop Warner College Football Award Winner

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Trey Scott, who worked 11 years in player personnel with NFL clubs and the last three years as a coaches and executives agent, has been hired as the football program’s General Manager, head coach&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;announced Thursday.

Scott brings a unique, well-rounded prospective to Kansas State in the new era of college athletics as he has traveled throughout Division I football as a scout for two NFL clubs before handling contract negotiations over the last several years.

“I have had a long career in football, but this is different – this is Family, and this is home,” Scott said. “I am excited to work with quality people and be aggressive in this era of opportunity. Thank you to Coach Klein for trusting me to help advance our program. I can’t wait for my wife and kids to become a part of this special community.”

In his role in Manhattan, Scott will manage the composition of the football roster and, in consultation with Klein and assistant coaches, determine strategies to retain current student-athletes and attract prospective student-athletes.

“Trey is a huge part of where we are going to take K-State in the future,” said Klein. “With his NFL experience and roster management background – along with how he builds relationships – he is the perfect fit.”

After concluding his playing days as a K-State quarterback in 2010, Scott began in professional football as a pro personnel assistant with the Washington Redskins in 2011. He received an opportunity to work for the Oakland Raiders in 2012 and moved to Las Vegas when the franchise was relocated in 2020. Starting as a Midwest scout of the Raiders, Scott earned multiple promotions, culminating with the title of assistant director of player personnel where he oversaw all aspects of the personnel department.

Scott left the Raiders in 2022 to lead the coaching and executives division of Rep 1 Sports before the company was acquired by Excel Sports Management in 2023. For Excel Sports, Scott represented some of the top college football and NFL coaches in addition to front office members with his primary focus of handling their contract negotiations. He also worked as a consultant for athletic departments around the country, helping schools navigate the new era of college athletics in revenue sharing, NIL and spending of revenue sharing dollars.

A native of Shawnee, Kansas, who played at Mill Valley High School, Scott earned dual bachelor’s degrees in business management and supply chain management – in addition to a minor in economics – from Kansas State in December 2010. His family includes his wife, Lauren, daughter, Allie, and son, Jack.

College:&nbsp;Kansas State – Bachelor’s degrees in business management and supply chain management; Minor in economics (2010)

Family:&nbsp;Wife: Lauren; Children: Allie, Jack

Playing Career:&nbsp;Kansas State (quarterback), 2007-10

TREY SCOTT’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER

2011, Washington Redskins (Pro Personnel Assistant)

2012-22, Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (College Scout/Pro Personnel Executive)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765488679350.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Trey Scott, who worked 11 years in player personnel with NFL clubs and the last three years as a coaches and executives agent, has been hired as the football program’s General Manager, head coach&nbsp;Collin Klein&nbsp;announced Thursday.Scott brings a unique, well-rounded prospective to Kansas State in the new era of college athletics as he has traveled throughout Division I football as a scout for two NFL clubs before handling contract negotiations over the last several years.“I have had a long career in football, but this is different – this is Family, and this is home,” Scott said. “I am excited to work with quality people and be aggressive in this era of opportunity. Thank you to Coach Klein for trusting me to help advance our program. I can’t wait for my wife and kids to become a part of this special community.”In his role in Manhattan, Scott will manage the composition of the football roster and, in consultation with Klein and assistant coaches, determine strategies to retain current student-athletes and attract prospective student-athletes.“Trey is a huge part of where we are going to take K-State in the future,” said Klein. “With his NFL experience and roster management background – along with how he builds relationships – he is the perfect fit.”After concluding his playing days as a K-State quarterback in 2010, Scott began in professional football as a pro personnel assistant with the Washington Redskins in 2011. He received an opportunity to work for the Oakland Raiders in 2012 and moved to Las Vegas when the franchise was relocated in 2020. Starting as a Midwest scout of the Raiders, Scott earned multiple promotions, culminating with the title of assistant director of player personnel where he oversaw all aspects of the personnel department.Scott left the Raiders in 2022 to lead the coaching and executives division of Rep 1 Sports before the company was acquired by Excel Sports Management in 2023. For Excel Sports, Scott represented some of the top college football and NFL coaches in addition to front office members with his primary focus of handling their contract negotiations. He also worked as a consultant for athletic departments around the country, helping schools navigate the new era of college athletics in revenue sharing, NIL and spending of revenue sharing dollars.A native of Shawnee, Kansas, who played at Mill Valley High School, Scott earned dual bachelor’s degrees in business management and supply chain management – in addition to a minor in economics – from Kansas State in December 2010. His family includes his wife, Lauren, daughter, Allie, and son, Jack.THE TREY SCOTT FILEHometown:&nbsp;Shawnee, KansasHigh School:&nbsp;Mill ValleyCollege:&nbsp;Kansas State – Bachelor’s degrees in business management and supply chain management; Minor in economics (2010)Family:&nbsp;Wife: Lauren; Children: Allie, JackPlaying Career:&nbsp;Kansas State (quarterback), 2007-10TREY SCOTT’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER2011, Washington Redskins (Pro Personnel Assistant)2012-22, Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (College Scout/Pro Personnel Executive)2022, Rep 1 Sports (Agent)2023-25, Excel Sports Management (Agent)

K-State Hires Trey Scott as General Manager

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH / SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q:&nbsp;How has Nohl Williams been on special teams?

TOUB:&nbsp;“Nohl’s (William) playing great. A rookie, very productive, hard to block (and) draws penalties. He drew a penalty on the kickoff, too, as well. We get the tackle at the 25 and then now we’re on the 10. All that stuff helps. Just the effort is outstanding. He’s a good player.”

Q:&nbsp;On returns without Nikko Remigio.

TOUB:&nbsp;“The kick returns were good. The punt return, we had a lot of chances – our defense played great. They made them (Texans) punt eight times in that game. (Texans P) Tommy (Townsend) had a good game too himself, hung the ball pretty well, but there were a couple of times there where we might have been able to get something. We had a punt returner (Xavier Worthy) in there that (was his) first time in an NFL game and he got us through the game with the fair catches. Probably would need more work to get more confidence to be able to time it up and see that the coverage was good (and) blocking was good so he could get it fielded, but Nikko’s (Remigio) coming back. Nikko is going to go right back in there again.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you keep it light as a team moving forward?

TOUB:&nbsp;“I have a saying it says, ‘make plays,’ and now I have a saying that says, ‘have fun making plays.’ That’s our moto going down the stretch. We’re going to make plays. We know we’re going to make them (so) have fun.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Good to see everybody. I don’t have a lot to say, we’re a little disappointed in what happened last week. But the one thing about this league, you wake up on Wednesday and the guys come in and you go back to work. It’s an NFL Wednesday, and I thought the guys worked really good yesterday and I anticipate that happening today as well. With that, I’ll open it up.”

Q: On Chris Jones’ recent success.

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I think he’s (Chris Jones) kind of (motions upwards) it feels like he’s been on that trajectory Sam (McDowell) for a little bit the past few weeks. I think I’ve said this to you guys before, I love the way he’s practicing. He’s in tune. He’s just different. Something happened, maybe he had some of those oranges back three or four weeks ago, but I think it’s showing up in his play on Sundays.”

Q: On what the defense has learned about the Chargers offense.

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Great point. We thought - really I remember going into that game thinking they’ll try and control the football with the run game and boom they came out and I think that first drive, they might’ve ran it twice. There was a couple in the red zone. We’ll see. They (Chargers) do both (running and passing) really effectively. They got the running back (Chargers RB Omarion Hampton) back who was hurt. They believe in running the football, so I don’t think we can ever discount that they’re not going to just line up and do what they do running the football but certainly the quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) is an issue, both with his arm and with his feet. I think he’s (Justin Herbert) playing outstanding. He refuses to get – he got sacked I know a couple times in this last game, but he refuses to go down in certain situations, and he just fights tooth and nail and finds a way to will this team to wins. That’s what he’s been doing, pretty impressive.”

Q: How do you match the Chargers relentlessness and toughness as an offensive group?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we got to play the way we did in that stretch like we did in the last game. I felt our guys did that same thing in the Colts game. It’s been one of those years where we played really really well, and then there’s a couple of things here or there or a play off and it makes all the difference in the game from the defensive perspective. They’re on a roll right now, the Chargers, so we certainly got to match that. The energy in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) will help us, and I think our guys are professionals and they will go out there and give everything they got.”

Q:&nbsp;Where is the offense right now?

NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s stating the obvious, not what we’ve wanted the last couple of weeks. I think you get into these moments, and you go back to the middle of the season (when) we were hitting on all cylinders, guys felt really good but for whatever reason the last couple of weeks there’s been the same thing that’s been going on. Whether it’s the execution, the play call, it’s everybody all together and I think that’s where when you come into this, we got to make sure that – these moments aren’t easy it’s something where when you go through these times, it talks about adversity reveals character and I think that’s very important to understand as we go through this. It can show where people are, and how are you going to battle through this? Are you going to start with yourself? And we do that. In the end, we have to win the game. In the end, we have to play better on offense. In the end, we have to coach better. So, all of us know that, and we understand that. We also have a guaranteed four more games, and I think the mindset for us is as we came into this thing at the beginning of the week is let’s look back at what we didn’t do well and let’s make sure that we understand we all have a job to start with ourselves (and) get better with that. Then you got to do it. We’ve been saying it, but it hasn’t been getting done. The leaders that we have in the room (and) the players that we have, we believe in all of them and it’s our job against another really good – for us offensively a great defense. It’s a big challenge, but it’s time to do it. These guys care, you saw that after the game. These guys – it has nothing to do with the lack of effort it has nothing to do with not caring, these guys want it. This is new territory for us, so it’s how do we handle this new territory.”

Q:&nbsp;On players like Esa Pole getting chances to step up.

NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s a good point. Shoot think of some of the – you think of when an injury happens, and you think of Tom Brady and just how that happened at that point in time – that’s a much different example but your point is valid that sometimes guys get an opportunity that maybe they wouldn’t have gotten for whatever reason. When a guy like Esa (Pole) steps up and does what he did in that moment after the very first play, (I) cannot begin to say how proud I am of him of now what he did. That’s great for him (and) that’s great for us, that’s important. You’re not always going to be spot on with your evaluations until sometimes guys get real chances. He got a real chance and now for him, what’s he going to do with it? He does have a game on tape now and that’s one example.”

Q:&nbsp;On playing to players’ strengths.

NAGY:&nbsp;“You need to go around your players’ strengths. And I think with Esa (Pole) as a tackle, just being able to see him go up against those two really good defensive ends (Texans Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter) is a challenge. The other part of your question with the type of positional value or how a guys strength is with a running back, wide receiver (or) tight end, you have to be able to take your offense and use their strengths for what that is. We have a lot of different guys that are very talented on this team (and) on this offense. It’s being able to make sure that we’re putting them in the right spots so they can excel with their strengths, and then whatever their weaknesses are, we got to stay away from that stuff and help them develop in the offseason. But without a doubt, you need to do that, and that’s important and that’s something our job (is) as coaches.”

Q:&nbsp;What flipped the switch for you these last few weeks?

JONES:&nbsp;“I don’t think it was more so flipping the switch, it’s just being able to watch film over the bye week, correct some errors, probably footwork and hand placement for me. I watched that, corrected it and just continue on throughout the rest of the season.”

Q:&nbsp;How much have the Chargers changed from Week 1 to now?

JONES:&nbsp;“They’re still a resilient team. (They) got a few injuries. I have much respect for the quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert), he’s tough. He’s a tough one. I think he’s playing with a broken hand, a broken left hand right now and still doing it. So, I have much respect for those guys, and the head coach (Jim Harbaugh), their head coach. That team goes off their head coach. He’s (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh) old school. I have so much respect for him and how he goes about it.”

Q:&nbsp;How important is finishing tackles in this matchup?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesDecember 11, 2025ASSISTANT HEAD COACH / SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ:&nbsp;How has Nohl Williams been on special teams?TOUB:&nbsp;“Nohl’s (William) playing great. A rookie, very productive, hard to block (and) draws penalties. He drew a penalty on the kickoff, too, as well. We get the tackle at the 25 and then now we’re on the 10. All that stuff helps. Just the effort is outstanding. He’s a good player.”Q:&nbsp;On returns without Nikko Remigio.TOUB:&nbsp;“The kick returns were good. The punt return, we had a lot of chances – our defense played great. They made them (Texans) punt eight times in that game. (Texans P) Tommy (Townsend) had a good game too himself, hung the ball pretty well, but there were a couple of times there where we might have been able to get something. We had a punt returner (Xavier Worthy) in there that (was his) first time in an NFL game and he got us through the game with the fair catches. Probably would need more work to get more confidence to be able to time it up and see that the coverage was good (and) blocking was good so he could get it fielded, but Nikko’s (Remigio) coming back. Nikko is going to go right back in there again.”Q:&nbsp;How do you keep it light as a team moving forward?TOUB:&nbsp;“I have a saying it says, ‘make plays,’ and now I have a saying that says, ‘have fun making plays.’ That’s our moto going down the stretch. We’re going to make plays. We know we’re going to make them (so) have fun.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Good to see everybody. I don’t have a lot to say, we’re a little disappointed in what happened last week. But the one thing about this league, you wake up on Wednesday and the guys come in and you go back to work. It’s an NFL Wednesday, and I thought the guys worked really good yesterday and I anticipate that happening today as well. With that, I’ll open it up.”Q: On Chris Jones’ recent success.SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“I think he’s (Chris Jones) kind of (motions upwards) it feels like he’s been on that trajectory Sam (McDowell) for a little bit the past few weeks. I think I’ve said this to you guys before, I love the way he’s practicing. He’s in tune. He’s just different. Something happened, maybe he had some of those oranges back three or four weeks ago, but I think it’s showing up in his play on Sundays.”Q: On what the defense has learned about the Chargers offense.SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Great point. We thought - really I remember going into that game thinking they’ll try and control the football with the run game and boom they came out and I think that first drive, they might’ve ran it twice. There was a couple in the red zone. We’ll see. They (Chargers) do both (running and passing) really effectively. They got the running back (Chargers RB Omarion Hampton) back who was hurt. They believe in running the football, so I don’t think we can ever discount that they’re not going to just line up and do what they do running the football but certainly the quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) is an issue, both with his arm and with his feet. I think he’s (Justin Herbert) playing outstanding. He refuses to get – he got sacked I know a couple times in this last game, but he refuses to go down in certain situations, and he just fights tooth and nail and finds a way to will this team to wins. That’s what he’s been doing, pretty impressive.”Q: How do you match the Chargers relentlessness and toughness as an offensive group?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Well, we got to play the way we did in that stretch like we did in the last game. I felt our guys did that same thing in the Colts game. It’s been one of those years where we played really really well, and then there’s a couple of things here or there or a play off and it makes all the difference in the game from the defensive perspective. They’re on a roll right now, the Chargers, so we certainly got to match that. The energy in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) will help us, and I think our guys are professionals and they will go out there and give everything they got.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ:&nbsp;Where is the offense right now?NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s stating the obvious, not what we’ve wanted the last couple of weeks. I think you get into these moments, and you go back to the middle of the season (when) we were hitting on all cylinders, guys felt really good but for whatever reason the last couple of weeks there’s been the same thing that’s been going on. Whether it’s the execution, the play call, it’s everybody all together and I think that’s where when you come into this, we got to make sure that – these moments aren’t easy it’s something where when you go through these times, it talks about adversity reveals character and I think that’s very important to understand as we go through this. It can show where people are, and how are you going to battle through this? Are you going to start with yourself? And we do that. In the end, we have to win the game. In the end, we have to play better on offense. In the end, we have to coach better. So, all of us know that, and we understand that. We also have a guaranteed four more games, and I think the mindset for us is as we came into this thing at the beginning of the week is let’s look back at what we didn’t do well and let’s make sure that we understand we all have a job to start with ourselves (and) get better with that. Then you got to do it. We’ve been saying it, but it hasn’t been getting done. The leaders that we have in the room (and) the players that we have, we believe in all of them and it’s our job against another really good – for us offensively a great defense. It’s a big challenge, but it’s time to do it. These guys care, you saw that after the game. These guys – it has nothing to do with the lack of effort it has nothing to do with not caring, these guys want it. This is new territory for us, so it’s how do we handle this new territory.”Q:&nbsp;On players like Esa Pole getting chances to step up.NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s a good point. Shoot think of some of the – you think of when an injury happens, and you think of Tom Brady and just how that happened at that point in time – that’s a much different example but your point is valid that sometimes guys get an opportunity that maybe they wouldn’t have gotten for whatever reason. When a guy like Esa (Pole) steps up and does what he did in that moment after the very first play, (I) cannot begin to say how proud I am of him of now what he did. That’s great for him (and) that’s great for us, that’s important. You’re not always going to be spot on with your evaluations until sometimes guys get real chances. He got a real chance and now for him, what’s he going to do with it? He does have a game on tape now and that’s one example.”Q:&nbsp;On playing to players’ strengths.NAGY:&nbsp;“You need to go around your players’ strengths. And I think with Esa (Pole) as a tackle, just being able to see him go up against those two really good defensive ends (Texans Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter) is a challenge. The other part of your question with the type of positional value or how a guys strength is with a running back, wide receiver (or) tight end, you have to be able to take your offense and use their strengths for what that is. We have a lot of different guys that are very talented on this team (and) on this offense. It’s being able to make sure that we’re putting them in the right spots so they can excel with their strengths, and then whatever their weaknesses are, we got to stay away from that stuff and help them develop in the offseason. But without a doubt, you need to do that, and that’s important and that’s something our job (is) as coaches.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 11, 2025DT CHRIS JONESQ:&nbsp;What flipped the switch for you these last few weeks?JONES:&nbsp;“I don’t think it was more so flipping the switch, it’s just being able to watch film over the bye week, correct some errors, probably footwork and hand placement for me. I watched that, corrected it and just continue on throughout the rest of the season.”Q:&nbsp;How much have the Chargers changed from Week 1 to now?JONES:&nbsp;“They’re still a resilient team. (They) got a few injuries. I have much respect for the quarterback (Chargers QB Justin Herbert), he’s tough. He’s a tough one. I think he’s playing with a broken hand, a broken left hand right now and still doing it. So, I have much respect for those guys, and the head coach (Jim Harbaugh), their head coach. That team goes off their head coach. He’s (Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh) old school. I have so much respect for him and how he goes about it.”Q:&nbsp;How important is finishing tackles in this matchup?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-11-25

YORK, Neb. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00b1ad5a-ae23-441e-b391-35c1a47e25c4?elinkdata=34224">Caiden Punt</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b2c01f8c-6251-40db-969f-15e4df5a0c45?elinkdata=34224">Evens Appolon</a> played relatively well in Kansas Wesleyan's first 10 games.

Wednesday night against the York Panthers, though, the duo raised their efforts to jaw-dropping levels combining for 51 points and 23 rebounds in the Coyotes' 88-71 Kansas Conference victory inside the Freeman Center.

Punt scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Appolon had 19 points and 15 rebounds, 12 on the offensive end as KWU improved to 5-6 overall, 3-3 in the KCAC.

Punt was 12 of 19 shooting including 4 of 8 from 3-point range.

"He can really get going, he can really fill it up," coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7cf6c6fd-af1b-46c1-b04a-36890bafa79f?elinkdata=34224">Jordan Murdock</a> said on the postgame radio show. "This past week we've been talking to him about letting the game come to him and getting a lot more of those catch and shoot opportunities, and he did just that tonight.He showed it in every way and I'm extremely proud of him."

The 6-foot-9 Appolon continued his impressive play of late going 9 of 14 from the field and had 10 second chance points.

"He was special; he showed what he can be especially when he's under control," Murdock said. "I thought he missed a few bunnies in the first half and so when we got in there at halftime it was about challenging him to give us more and he did that. He's that type of player and we're lucky to have him."

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7ba0f195-e31c-4229-bb15-5a6fa572ab42?elinkdata=34224">Matthew Garber</a> scored 14 that included four 3-pointers. KWU shot 48 percent (35 of 73), was 9 of 28 from long range), won the rebounding battle handily 45-29 and had just nine turnovers.

Murdock also pointed to the defensive work of freshman guard Caleb Grill. He guarded York's Jadin Johnson in the second half after Johnson scored 18 in the first 20 minutes. He finished with 31 but had just three free throws in the final 10:45.

"It's been a process for him," Murdock said. "He's been trying to figure out the speed; he's been trying to figure out the physicality. He can guard pretty much everything out there, especially when it comes to guards. That's what I'm most proud of him about."

An 18-2 run early in the first half gave the Coyotes a 20-8 lead, and they twice led by 15 later in the period. York ended the half on a 14-4 surge that trimmed the lead to 39-34 at the break.

Clinging to a 68-64 lead with 8:22 left, the Coyotes effectively sealed the deal with a 16-3 run over the next six minutes that gave them an 84-67 advantage with 2:24 remaining.

York (4-8, 2-4 KCAC) shot 44 percent (26 of 59) and had 15 turnovers.

"For the most part our team did a really good job and I think it showed," Murdock said.

YORK, Neb. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00b1ad5a-ae23-441e-b391-35c1a47e25c4?elinkdata=34224">Caiden Punt</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b2c01f8c-6251-40db-969f-15e4df5a0c45?elinkdata=34224">Evens Appolon</a> played relatively well in Kansas Wesleyan's first 10 games.Wednesday night against the York Panthers, though, the duo raised their efforts to jaw-dropping levels combining for 51 points and 23 rebounds in the Coyotes' 88-71 Kansas Conference victory inside the Freeman Center.Punt scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Appolon had 19 points and 15 rebounds, 12 on the offensive end as KWU improved to 5-6 overall, 3-3 in the KCAC.Punt was 12 of 19 shooting including 4 of 8 from 3-point range."He can really get going, he can really fill it up," coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7cf6c6fd-af1b-46c1-b04a-36890bafa79f?elinkdata=34224">Jordan Murdock</a> said on the postgame radio show. "This past week we've been talking to him about letting the game come to him and getting a lot more of those catch and shoot opportunities, and he did just that tonight.He showed it in every way and I'm extremely proud of him."The 6-foot-9 Appolon continued his impressive play of late going 9 of 14 from the field and had 10 second chance points."He was special; he showed what he can be especially when he's under control," Murdock said. "I thought he missed a few bunnies in the first half and so when we got in there at halftime it was about challenging him to give us more and he did that. He's that type of player and we're lucky to have him."<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7ba0f195-e31c-4229-bb15-5a6fa572ab42?elinkdata=34224">Matthew Garber</a> scored 14 that included four 3-pointers. KWU shot 48 percent (35 of 73), was 9 of 28 from long range), won the rebounding battle handily 45-29 and had just nine turnovers.Murdock also pointed to the defensive work of freshman guard Caleb Grill. He guarded York's Jadin Johnson in the second half after Johnson scored 18 in the first 20 minutes. He finished with 31 but had just three free throws in the final 10:45."It's been a process for him," Murdock said. "He's been trying to figure out the speed; he's been trying to figure out the physicality. He can guard pretty much everything out there, especially when it comes to guards. That's what I'm most proud of him about."An 18-2 run early in the first half gave the Coyotes a 20-8 lead, and they twice led by 15 later in the period. York ended the half on a 14-4 surge that trimmed the lead to 39-34 at the break.Clinging to a 68-64 lead with 8:22 left, the Coyotes effectively sealed the deal with a 16-3 run over the next six minutes that gave them an 84-67 advantage with 2:24 remaining.York (4-8, 2-4 KCAC) shot 44 percent (26 of 59) and had 15 turnovers."For the most part our team did a really good job and I think it showed," Murdock said.

🏀 Punt and Appolon lead Coyotes to 88-70 win over York

YORK, Neb. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/88ca19ad-812f-4b41-bcd5-b4e7ae388d8e?elinkdata=34189">Emma Gertken</a> scored a career-high 18 points in helping the Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball team defeat the York University Panthers 73-60 on Wednesday night at the Freeman Center.

The victory also ends a two-game losing streak for the Coyotes and improves KWU's record to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the Kansas Conference.

It took a little bit for the Coyotes to get going, as KWU didn't score for over two minutes when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8f11284e-a10f-4fb2-8cb3-2237e31cdceb?elinkdata=34189">Adriana DiPrima</a> hit a 3-pointer to take a 3-2 lead. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d577fd0-00dc-4c3d-aa5d-908cbd1e7db0?elinkdata=34189">Jocelyn Hall</a> gave the Coyotes a 5-4 lead with 7:02 to go in the first before York tied it at 5-all.

A 3-pointer by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/60efbfc4-8f18-42dc-a3ae-c541fb91a3c0?elinkdata=34189">Madison Lambert</a> gave KWU the lead again at 8-5 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/097f5167-4169-4173-8913-b596191233e7?elinkdata=34189">Paige Chauncey's</a> score with 6:06 left made it 10-5. York got within a point at 10-9 with 4:24 left in the quarter, but the Coyotes scored five straight points to take a 15-9 lead and a later bucket by Gertken pushed the lead out to 21-12 with 1:18 to go.

The Coyotes turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter. York got within two points at 23-21 with 8:24 to go in the half. The Panthers would not score again for over seven minutes, not scoring until the 1:02 mark. Meanwhile, the Coyotes would go on a 12-0 run during the stretch, pushing the lead out to 14 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb8827d1-f43d-4c76-baef-4f1dd336cc88?elinkdata=34189">Kelsey Koza's</a> bucket with 1:12 left.

York cut the difference to nine before the half.

A 9-0 run to start the second half pushed KWU's lead out to 18 points capped by Lambert's bucket with 7:08 to go in the quarter. York would cut the KWU lead to six at 50-44 thanks to a 16-4 run, but the Coyotes would hold onto the lead 53-46 after three quarters.

York again got close, within four points at 55-51 with 9:06 left in the game, but the Coyotes would pull away pushing the lead out to 67-54 with 4:33 left on a pair of Gertken free throws.

Gertken's 18 points led all scorers in the game. Freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cf44a5f2-d702-4c2e-a4a6-a3bcdc878434?elinkdata=34189">Anna Jueneman</a> added 15 as KWU shot 27 of 63 from the field for 42.9 percent. KWU was excellent at the line hitting 15 of 16 free throws. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4118d3ba-1851-45cb-949e-6cbc6ac05b99?elinkdata=34189">Odessa Ozuna</a> led the Coyotes with 10 rebounds, helping KWU to a dominant performance on the boards outrebounding York 50-27.

YORK, Neb. - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/88ca19ad-812f-4b41-bcd5-b4e7ae388d8e?elinkdata=34189">Emma Gertken</a> scored a career-high 18 points in helping the Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball team defeat the York University Panthers 73-60 on Wednesday night at the Freeman Center.The victory also ends a two-game losing streak for the Coyotes and improves KWU's record to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the Kansas Conference.It took a little bit for the Coyotes to get going, as KWU didn't score for over two minutes when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8f11284e-a10f-4fb2-8cb3-2237e31cdceb?elinkdata=34189">Adriana DiPrima</a> hit a 3-pointer to take a 3-2 lead. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d577fd0-00dc-4c3d-aa5d-908cbd1e7db0?elinkdata=34189">Jocelyn Hall</a> gave the Coyotes a 5-4 lead with 7:02 to go in the first before York tied it at 5-all.A 3-pointer by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/60efbfc4-8f18-42dc-a3ae-c541fb91a3c0?elinkdata=34189">Madison Lambert</a> gave KWU the lead again at 8-5 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/097f5167-4169-4173-8913-b596191233e7?elinkdata=34189">Paige Chauncey's</a> score with 6:06 left made it 10-5. York got within a point at 10-9 with 4:24 left in the quarter, but the Coyotes scored five straight points to take a 15-9 lead and a later bucket by Gertken pushed the lead out to 21-12 with 1:18 to go.The Coyotes turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter. York got within two points at 23-21 with 8:24 to go in the half. The Panthers would not score again for over seven minutes, not scoring until the 1:02 mark. Meanwhile, the Coyotes would go on a 12-0 run during the stretch, pushing the lead out to 14 on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eb8827d1-f43d-4c76-baef-4f1dd336cc88?elinkdata=34189">Kelsey Koza's</a> bucket with 1:12 left.York cut the difference to nine before the half.A 9-0 run to start the second half pushed KWU's lead out to 18 points capped by Lambert's bucket with 7:08 to go in the quarter. York would cut the KWU lead to six at 50-44 thanks to a 16-4 run, but the Coyotes would hold onto the lead 53-46 after three quarters.York again got close, within four points at 55-51 with 9:06 left in the game, but the Coyotes would pull away pushing the lead out to 67-54 with 4:33 left on a pair of Gertken free throws.Gertken's 18 points led all scorers in the game. Freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cf44a5f2-d702-4c2e-a4a6-a3bcdc878434?elinkdata=34189">Anna Jueneman</a> added 15 as KWU shot 27 of 63 from the field for 42.9 percent. KWU was excellent at the line hitting 15 of 16 free throws. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4118d3ba-1851-45cb-949e-6cbc6ac05b99?elinkdata=34189">Odessa Ozuna</a> led the Coyotes with 10 rebounds, helping KWU to a dominant performance on the boards outrebounding York 50-27.

🏀 Gertken scores career high 18 leading Coyotes past York 73-60

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, the guys that won’t practice today are Wanya (Morris) and Jawaan (Taylor). Wanya is going to take a little time here but Jawaan is making progress, so we’ll just see how he does this week as he works through this thing. Trey (Smith) – the rest of the guys are practicing today. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers a good football team (and) a great environment for a football game and our guys are going to have a good week of practice this week to get themselves ready to roll. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: Do you feel good about where Trey Smith is at?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see how he (Trey Smith) does today. He’ll be in there today though. Feeling better though.”

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll just see how today goes. He’s (Trent McDuffie) been sore, so we’ll see how he works through the week, but he’ll go today and see what he can do.”

Q: What have you seen from the guys and their attitudes?

REID:&nbsp;“They want to get to work. That’s how they’re wired. So, I think they’re eager to get back on the field and get going. Everybody knows, they know where we stand right now, they know what’s taken place (and are) very aware. But they also like to work, so we’ll get back to it.”

Q: What has the pass receiver rooms been like after drops?

REID:&nbsp;“These guys, they’ve got good hands and they’re proud guys that normally catch the football. Things happen in this business where you might drop a ball once in a while. So, you got to go back and catch a few more balls at practice and focus in on it and we go from there.”

Q: How do you adjust versus react to dropped passes during games?

REID:&nbsp;“I got trust in the guys. That’s not a common thing for the guys that have had some mishaps there. They’ll work through it, that’s what you do. They’re good players and we’re always looking at it from a coach’s standpoint to put them in better positions. We’re never going to stop doing that either, try to work to their strengths.”

Q:&nbsp;How have you seen Rashee Rice respond to some of the mistakes he’s made on the field?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Rashee Rice) a tough dude. A young guy with a lot on his plate and he’s powering through it to the best of his ability right now and that’s how he’s going about his business. He comes to work and works. And it’s unfortunate that he’s had a couple of these drops. It’s not for a lack of effort or focus that way but to say he doesn’t have a lot of things going he has a lot of things going.”

Q: Are the drops due to defenses seeing him as the number one receiver?

REID:&nbsp;“No I don’t think that. I think he (Rashee Rice) understands that, and he’s had some good games too. We get locked in here on the last couple here with the drops and that’s not normal for him.”

Q: What is your confidence in Esa Pole if he starts in the upcoming game?

REID:&nbsp;“Good to see him (Esa Pole) again. If he’s going to be in there – he’s showed some nice things, it’s always a challenge the second time when they have tape on you. So, if you’re getting in there you better keep practicing and detailing your work.”

REID:&nbsp;“We took him (Esa Pole) originally because we thought he would be a good player. You got to juggle the numbers which is always a challenge. So, he got poached there – taken and when he got un-poached we poached him (laughter). It was pretty simple we got him back here as quickly as we could.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see from the Chargers on Monday night?

REID:&nbsp;“Good football team all the way around offensively and defensively. They’ve been banged up a little bit up front but they worked through it. Tough quarterback, playing aggressive football and they’re well coached. Defensively, they’re one of the top defenses – I know I say this every week, but we’ve been playing some good defenses and they’re one of the top defenses in a few of those categories that are important so it’s a nice challenge.”

Q: Do you look at any of the media regarding playoff scenarios?

REID:&nbsp;“No. You need to win games is what you have to do so focus straight ahead on that. I’ve been here before and you bear down, and you go (and) try to keep all of that (hand gestures out). (General Manager) Brett Veach, he can deal with all of that; he likes all of that. I’m (gestures straight forward).”

Q: On Patrick Mahomes as a leader during tough times.

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Patrick Mahomes) great. He’s coming to work, and he keeps his head up at all times and understands he’s in a leadership position and he’s a good leader. Nothing you can do but try to get better. If you’re hanging your head, you’re not getting any better, surely not making anybody – including the whole team, you’re not making them better.”

Q: Where are you guys at offensively right now?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ve been up and down, so we need more consistency and that’s what we’re striving to get here now. We’ve had some great days, great plays but you have to do it for four quarters in this business, so we’ve got to be more consistent.”

Q: What would you like to see from Dameon Pierce this week in practice?

REID: “I think he’s (Dameon Pierce) still getting acclimated to everything here. I like the kid. I can tell he’s sharp and into it. We don’t have any injuries going on so the guys that know the stuff are playing right now. But I sure like the way he goes about his business. You see why he’s a good player.”

Q:&nbsp;On Dameon Pierce making the team next season.

REID:&nbsp;“Sure, potentially. It seems like he’s (Dameon Pierce) all in on things, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. He’s been welcomed here that way.”

Q: On if his pass-catchers are going to try and keep fighting.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just knowing the guys, the mindset that they have is they’re going to try and get better and try and go out there and win football games. At the end of the day, that’s what we got to do, it’s everybody. It’s throwing the ball in the right spots, catching the ball, it’s blocking, it’s defense playing like they did this last game and then just trying to find ways to win. That’s what this is all about. It doesn’t always have to be pretty, but you have to find ways to win football games, and that’s something we have to be better at.”

Q: On if he feels the team’s record when on the field.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We understand we got to win, that’s obvious. You got to win the football game. Whatever it takes. We say that every week, but obviously, you’re at that back-against-the-wall type spot where you’re playing a team that you’re chasing that has a big lead in front of you, so you have to find a way to win. You have to have that mindset when you step on the football field.”

Q: What stood out the most when looking at film from this last game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just little things here and there. Just trying to keep drives going, and there’s times to be aggressive (and) there’s times to just get the ball out of your hand and let guys make plays. I think that was something when I looked back at myself is there were certain times in certain spots of the game where I could’ve taken a completion instead of trying to go for the home run shot. That’s stuff that I have to continue to get better at.”

Q: On the Chargers defense from Week 1 to now.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“There’s differences and there’s the same. You get better as the season goes on. You learn about yourself, and they (Los Angeles Chargers) did a good job of the defensive line playing as a unit, getting to the quarterback, the linebackers fly around with speed and obviously (Chargers S) Derwin (James Jr.) can play the secondary or in the box as well. They do a great job of playing complementary football together as a defense and then they have a great defensive coordinator (Jesse Minter). It’s a heck of a challenge for us, and we’re excited for it.”

Q: What gives you the confidence to win four games in a row?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just kind of how I’m wired. I believe that this team can win any football game, but we have to come and show that. It should be a great challenge for us, and we understand that. We’ll have to have a great week of practice (and) try to prepare ourselves and just try to go win it on Sunday.”

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You just have to make sure you have a great day of practice. We had a great walkthrough (that) we just came from. Now it’s just going into practice and having a great day at practice, getting extra work in with the guys on the sideline like I always do and then when you’re in that practice you have conversations with guys and keep them in the right mindset. I haven’t had any looks at seeing guys down. Obviously, you want to win and guys hate losing, but at the end of the day, we know that we have to handle our business first. We have to win the football games and then let the rest handle itself.”

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I thought they did a great job. That’s a great defensive line with a lot of guys coming in – in the game as well and then stepping up. I thought they did a great job of fighting and battling and giving me time to make some of these throws down the field. They’ll have to continue that. This is another great challenge for them and hopefully we get some guys back as well. It’ll be a great challenge for us as an offense to go up against this defense.”

Q: On the solution to attacking man coverage.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We have to keep giving them different looks and different things to beat the man coverage as far as giving our guys opportunities to get themselves open and then what will be important is getting with our guys and know what’s their best routes against man coverage and getting them those routes in the right situation. That’s stuff that we’ve done and we go through waves of being able to beat it then teams obviously adjust and stuff like that so we have to make those adjustments as well again and showcase that we can beat the man coverage and then whenever they get in zone, showcase we can beat that as well.”

Q: Did you gain confidence in the offensive line as the game went on?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, for sure. I think they (offensive line) did a great job in general. I have trust in those guys but until you’re out there on the football field, you never know and I thought they did a great job against a great defensive line. Just continue to build more and more trust with them (and) giving them more chances so I can give receivers better chances down the field.”

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s just really cool because obviously you can say you’re going to do things and you can put money into it, but you have to build the culture. You have to build the culture of what it’s about. You can see it when they play football is that they truly love each other. For them to be able to get into the playoffs, win the Big 12 Championship which I know was their first goal (and) having an opportunity to go compete for a national championship, I’m excited to watch them go through that process.”

Q: Have you enjoyed being a part of Texas Tech NIL?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They definitely have shown me love, always have. I’ve done some helping out with NIL stuff, but they’ll put my name on a room that I haven’t done anything to even put on the room (laughter). They definitely show me love (and) it kind of goes vice versa. I really like to see the people that are in charge there and how they’ve had success because of the right people. (Texas Tech Football Head) Coach (Joey) McGuire, (Texas Tech Director of Athletics) Kirby Hocutt (and) (Texas Tech Quarterback) Behren Morton playing quarterback. All these guys have gone through the process of building the program. It’s cool to see them have success along with the other guys and how they’ve all bought into the brand.”

Q: On the culture with the Chiefs.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You’re going to have to. We’re in an unprecedented territory. Someplace that we haven’t been since I’ve been here. I think you lean on the guys that have battled through adversity and came out better on the other side. That’s Chris (Jones), Trav (Kelce) (and) all of these guys that have won championships. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’ll really test us to see what type of character we are and I think we got the guys in the room to do it.”

Q: On Kevin Durant defending his recent criticism.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Any time you get any compliment from one of the greats of any profession, it’s special. I still have a long ways to go. I always say I have a lot left in my career, but we’ve built something special here in Kansas City and I don’t take that for granted. We’re going to go out there and execute it and do whatever we can to keep building as my career goes on.”

Q: Do you draw on different things for motivation?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I always want to win, so it’s not like I have to draw too far but when I look at it now, I don’t know what the percentages are but I know they’re not high and I think it’d be special if we get to the playoffs and can make a run so why not give ourselves a chance to do that and we have to start by winning a football game so that’s what we’ll start at.”

Q:&nbsp;On the inspired second half defense against the Texans. How do you bring it against the Chargers?

TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“We’re going to need it at noon on Sunday. We’re going to have to keep bringing it in all three phases. We have to at this point, or it will be over for us.”

Q:&nbsp;The Chiefs defense is still one of the better defenses in the league but there has been issues on third and long. How do you reconcile the success with issues in big moments?

TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ve had success. The way I chalk it up is we’ve got to be able to get off the field on third down in some of the scenarios and we’ve got to force some turnovers. I think both of those areas we can be better at as a defense and getting the ball back to Patrick (Mahomes). I think early in the year we were really good in the turnover margin and down this middle to last stretch we haven’t been as good in the turnover margin. That’s an offense, defense and special teams statistic. So, we certainly have to home in on that in these last four games and hopefully into the playoffs as well.”

TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“They have good personnel. Obviously, we know about the quarterback (Justin Herbert) and the toughness he has exhibited and how good of a player he is. He gets the ball to all these different guys. They’ve got the emerging rookie tight end (Oronde Gadsden), they’ve got all the receivers obviously, got the rookie running back back (Omarion Hampton). Coach (Chargers Defensive Coordinator Greg) Roman (and Chargers Head) Coach (Jim) Harbaugh they put a good plan together every week. They may challenge you in a lot of different areas and keep you on your toes.”

Q:&nbsp;What is the receiving room like after that last performance?

WORTHY:&nbsp;“We’re a tight group, so everybody’s sticking together. Obviously working on the things we need to work on and get better.”

Q:&nbsp;On his foundation that he started in Kansas City.

WORTHY:&nbsp;“Wherever I touch, I want to be able to leave a mark so coming to Kansas City changed my life, so I want to do something to be able to change the people’s lives in Kansas City. My foundation is helping single moms so being able to give them tools to make them a better parent or a better dad or make the kid have a memory that could change their life. Just being able to do that for them.”

Q:&nbsp;On having a great game against the Chargers.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesDecember 10, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, the guys that won’t practice today are Wanya (Morris) and Jawaan (Taylor). Wanya is going to take a little time here but Jawaan is making progress, so we’ll just see how he does this week as he works through this thing. Trey (Smith) – the rest of the guys are practicing today. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers a good football team (and) a great environment for a football game and our guys are going to have a good week of practice this week to get themselves ready to roll. With that, time’s yours.”Q: Do you feel good about where Trey Smith is at?REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see how he (Trey Smith) does today. He’ll be in there today though. Feeling better though.”Q: On Trent McDuffie’s injury.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ll just see how today goes. He’s (Trent McDuffie) been sore, so we’ll see how he works through the week, but he’ll go today and see what he can do.”Q: What have you seen from the guys and their attitudes?REID:&nbsp;“They want to get to work. That’s how they’re wired. So, I think they’re eager to get back on the field and get going. Everybody knows, they know where we stand right now, they know what’s taken place (and are) very aware. But they also like to work, so we’ll get back to it.”Q: What has the pass receiver rooms been like after drops?REID:&nbsp;“These guys, they’ve got good hands and they’re proud guys that normally catch the football. Things happen in this business where you might drop a ball once in a while. So, you got to go back and catch a few more balls at practice and focus in on it and we go from there.”Q: How do you adjust versus react to dropped passes during games?REID:&nbsp;“I got trust in the guys. That’s not a common thing for the guys that have had some mishaps there. They’ll work through it, that’s what you do. They’re good players and we’re always looking at it from a coach’s standpoint to put them in better positions. We’re never going to stop doing that either, try to work to their strengths.”Q:&nbsp;How have you seen Rashee Rice respond to some of the mistakes he’s made on the field?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Rashee Rice) a tough dude. A young guy with a lot on his plate and he’s powering through it to the best of his ability right now and that’s how he’s going about his business. He comes to work and works. And it’s unfortunate that he’s had a couple of these drops. It’s not for a lack of effort or focus that way but to say he doesn’t have a lot of things going he has a lot of things going.”Q: Are the drops due to defenses seeing him as the number one receiver?REID:&nbsp;“No I don’t think that. I think he (Rashee Rice) understands that, and he’s had some good games too. We get locked in here on the last couple here with the drops and that’s not normal for him.”Q: What is your confidence in Esa Pole if he starts in the upcoming game?REID:&nbsp;“Good to see him (Esa Pole) again. If he’s going to be in there – he’s showed some nice things, it’s always a challenge the second time when they have tape on you. So, if you’re getting in there you better keep practicing and detailing your work.”Q: On getting Esa Pole back.REID:&nbsp;“We took him (Esa Pole) originally because we thought he would be a good player. You got to juggle the numbers which is always a challenge. So, he got poached there – taken and when he got un-poached we poached him (laughter). It was pretty simple we got him back here as quickly as we could.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see from the Chargers on Monday night?REID:&nbsp;“Good football team all the way around offensively and defensively. They’ve been banged up a little bit up front but they worked through it. Tough quarterback, playing aggressive football and they’re well coached. Defensively, they’re one of the top defenses – I know I say this every week, but we’ve been playing some good defenses and they’re one of the top defenses in a few of those categories that are important so it’s a nice challenge.”Q: Do you look at any of the media regarding playoff scenarios?REID:&nbsp;“No. You need to win games is what you have to do so focus straight ahead on that. I’ve been here before and you bear down, and you go (and) try to keep all of that (hand gestures out). (General Manager) Brett Veach, he can deal with all of that; he likes all of that. I’m (gestures straight forward).”Q: On Patrick Mahomes as a leader during tough times.REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Patrick Mahomes) great. He’s coming to work, and he keeps his head up at all times and understands he’s in a leadership position and he’s a good leader. Nothing you can do but try to get better. If you’re hanging your head, you’re not getting any better, surely not making anybody – including the whole team, you’re not making them better.”Q: Where are you guys at offensively right now?REID:&nbsp;“We’ve been up and down, so we need more consistency and that’s what we’re striving to get here now. We’ve had some great days, great plays but you have to do it for four quarters in this business, so we’ve got to be more consistent.”Q: What would you like to see from Dameon Pierce this week in practice?REID: “I think he’s (Dameon Pierce) still getting acclimated to everything here. I like the kid. I can tell he’s sharp and into it. We don’t have any injuries going on so the guys that know the stuff are playing right now. But I sure like the way he goes about his business. You see why he’s a good player.”Q:&nbsp;On Dameon Pierce making the team next season.REID:&nbsp;“Sure, potentially. It seems like he’s (Dameon Pierce) all in on things, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. He’s been welcomed here that way.”Chiefs Player QuotesDecember 10, 2025QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ: On if his pass-catchers are going to try and keep fighting.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just knowing the guys, the mindset that they have is they’re going to try and get better and try and go out there and win football games. At the end of the day, that’s what we got to do, it’s everybody. It’s throwing the ball in the right spots, catching the ball, it’s blocking, it’s defense playing like they did this last game and then just trying to find ways to win. That’s what this is all about. It doesn’t always have to be pretty, but you have to find ways to win football games, and that’s something we have to be better at.”Q: On if he feels the team’s record when on the field.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We understand we got to win, that’s obvious. You got to win the football game. Whatever it takes. We say that every week, but obviously, you’re at that back-against-the-wall type spot where you’re playing a team that you’re chasing that has a big lead in front of you, so you have to find a way to win. You have to have that mindset when you step on the football field.”Q: What stood out the most when looking at film from this last game?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just little things here and there. Just trying to keep drives going, and there’s times to be aggressive (and) there’s times to just get the ball out of your hand and let guys make plays. I think that was something when I looked back at myself is there were certain times in certain spots of the game where I could’ve taken a completion instead of trying to go for the home run shot. That’s stuff that I have to continue to get better at.”Q: On the Chargers defense from Week 1 to now.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“There’s differences and there’s the same. You get better as the season goes on. You learn about yourself, and they (Los Angeles Chargers) did a good job of the defensive line playing as a unit, getting to the quarterback, the linebackers fly around with speed and obviously (Chargers S) Derwin (James Jr.) can play the secondary or in the box as well. They do a great job of playing complementary football together as a defense and then they have a great defensive coordinator (Jesse Minter). It’s a heck of a challenge for us, and we’re excited for it.”Q: What gives you the confidence to win four games in a row?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Just kind of how I’m wired. I believe that this team can win any football game, but we have to come and show that. It should be a great challenge for us, and we understand that. We’ll have to have a great week of practice (and) try to prepare ourselves and just try to go win it on Sunday.”Q: On keeping everyone positive.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You just have to make sure you have a great day of practice. We had a great walkthrough (that) we just came from. Now it’s just going into practice and having a great day at practice, getting extra work in with the guys on the sideline like I always do and then when you’re in that practice you have conversations with guys and keep them in the right mindset. I haven’t had any looks at seeing guys down. Obviously, you want to win and guys hate losing, but at the end of the day, we know that we have to handle our business first. We have to win the football games and then let the rest handle itself.”Q: On the offensive line.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I thought they did a great job. That’s a great defensive line with a lot of guys coming in – in the game as well and then stepping up. I thought they did a great job of fighting and battling and giving me time to make some of these throws down the field. They’ll have to continue that. This is another great challenge for them and hopefully we get some guys back as well. It’ll be a great challenge for us as an offense to go up against this defense.”Q: On the solution to attacking man coverage.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We have to keep giving them different looks and different things to beat the man coverage as far as giving our guys opportunities to get themselves open and then what will be important is getting with our guys and know what’s their best routes against man coverage and getting them those routes in the right situation. That’s stuff that we’ve done and we go through waves of being able to beat it then teams obviously adjust and stuff like that so we have to make those adjustments as well again and showcase that we can beat the man coverage and then whenever they get in zone, showcase we can beat that as well.”Q: Did you gain confidence in the offensive line as the game went on?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, for sure. I think they (offensive line) did a great job in general. I have trust in those guys but until you’re out there on the football field, you never know and I thought they did a great job against a great defensive line. Just continue to build more and more trust with them (and) giving them more chances so I can give receivers better chances down the field.”Q: On Texas Tech Football.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It’s just really cool because obviously you can say you’re going to do things and you can put money into it, but you have to build the culture. You have to build the culture of what it’s about. You can see it when they play football is that they truly love each other. For them to be able to get into the playoffs, win the Big 12 Championship which I know was their first goal (and) having an opportunity to go compete for a national championship, I’m excited to watch them go through that process.”Q: Have you enjoyed being a part of Texas Tech NIL?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They definitely have shown me love, always have. I’ve done some helping out with NIL stuff, but they’ll put my name on a room that I haven’t done anything to even put on the room (laughter). They definitely show me love (and) it kind of goes vice versa. I really like to see the people that are in charge there and how they’ve had success because of the right people. (Texas Tech Football Head) Coach (Joey) McGuire, (Texas Tech Director of Athletics) Kirby Hocutt (and) (Texas Tech Quarterback) Behren Morton playing quarterback. All these guys have gone through the process of building the program. It’s cool to see them have success along with the other guys and how they’ve all bought into the brand.”Q: On the culture with the Chiefs.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You’re going to have to. We’re in an unprecedented territory. Someplace that we haven’t been since I’ve been here. I think you lean on the guys that have battled through adversity and came out better on the other side. That’s Chris (Jones), Trav (Kelce) (and) all of these guys that have won championships. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’ll really test us to see what type of character we are and I think we got the guys in the room to do it.”Q: On Kevin Durant defending his recent criticism.MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Any time you get any compliment from one of the greats of any profession, it’s special. I still have a long ways to go. I always say I have a lot left in my career, but we’ve built something special here in Kansas City and I don’t take that for granted. We’re going to go out there and execute it and do whatever we can to keep building as my career goes on.”Q: Do you draw on different things for motivation?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I always want to win, so it’s not like I have to draw too far but when I look at it now, I don’t know what the percentages are but I know they’re not high and I think it’d be special if we get to the playoffs and can make a run so why not give ourselves a chance to do that and we have to start by winning a football game so that’s what we’ll start at.”LB DRUE TRANQUILLQ:&nbsp;On the inspired second half defense against the Texans. How do you bring it against the Chargers?TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“We’re going to need it at noon on Sunday. We’re going to have to keep bringing it in all three phases. We have to at this point, or it will be over for us.”Q:&nbsp;The Chiefs defense is still one of the better defenses in the league but there has been issues on third and long. How do you reconcile the success with issues in big moments?TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“Yeah, we’ve had success. The way I chalk it up is we’ve got to be able to get off the field on third down in some of the scenarios and we’ve got to force some turnovers. I think both of those areas we can be better at as a defense and getting the ball back to Patrick (Mahomes). I think early in the year we were really good in the turnover margin and down this middle to last stretch we haven’t been as good in the turnover margin. That’s an offense, defense and special teams statistic. So, we certainly have to home in on that in these last four games and hopefully into the playoffs as well.”Q:&nbsp;On the Chargers offense.TRANQUILL:&nbsp;“They have good personnel. Obviously, we know about the quarterback (Justin Herbert) and the toughness he has exhibited and how good of a player he is. He gets the ball to all these different guys. They’ve got the emerging rookie tight end (Oronde Gadsden), they’ve got all the receivers obviously, got the rookie running back back (Omarion Hampton). Coach (Chargers Defensive Coordinator Greg) Roman (and Chargers Head) Coach (Jim) Harbaugh they put a good plan together every week. They may challenge you in a lot of different areas and keep you on your toes.”WR XAVIER WORTHYQ:&nbsp;What is the receiving room like after that last performance?WORTHY:&nbsp;“We’re a tight group, so everybody’s sticking together. Obviously working on the things we need to work on and get better.”Q:&nbsp;On his foundation that he started in Kansas City.WORTHY:&nbsp;“Wherever I touch, I want to be able to leave a mark so coming to Kansas City changed my life, so I want to do something to be able to change the people’s lives in Kansas City. My foundation is helping single moms so being able to give them tools to make them a better parent or a better dad or make the kid have a memory that could change their life. Just being able to do that for them.”Q:&nbsp;On having a great game against the Chargers.

Chiefs Quotes: 12-10-25

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State, hosting its second annual School Day game, went cold from the field in the second and third quarters as San Diego State captured a 64-53 win over the Wildcats on Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum to end the home portion of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule.

The loss snapped a 15-game winning streak for K-State in the month of December.

K-State (6-6) was led by junior guard Taryn Sides with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

San Diego State (6-3) was paced by the guard tandem of Nat Martinez and Naomi Panganiban. The duo tallied 22 and 20 points, respectively.

- The Aztecs used a 14-3 run to end the second quarter and hold a 29-26 lead at halftime. The Wildcats went scoreless for almost five minutes in the frame, as they were outscored in the second stanza, 18-8. K-State shot 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from the field in the second quarter.

- K-State’s offensive struggles continued in the third quarter, as the Wildcats shot 15.4 percent (2-of-13) from the field in the frame with their last field goal coming with 6:15 to play in the quarter. K-State was outscored by the Aztecs, 19-8, in the third and trailed by 14, 48-34 entering the fourth quarter.

- The Wildcats rallied to win the final quarter, 19-16, as K-State pared an 18-point lead by the Aztecs down to nine, 54-45, with 2:56 remaining in the quarter. Over the next minute and a half, San Diego State outscored K-State 6-2 to increase its lead to 13, 60-47, with 1:21 left.

- For the afternoon, K-State shot 33.3 percent (18-of-54) including 6-of-18 (.333) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats added to its offensive woes by shooting 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the foul line and were forced into 20 turnovers.

- K-State leads the series with San Diego State, 2-2. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 12-6 in his career against San Diego State. The Wildcats are 18-10 against current members of the Mountain West Conference.

- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 678-384 (.638), including a mark of 224-149 (.601).

- The Wildcats are 252-104 (.708) in games played in the month of December. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 51-19 (.729) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.

- K-State's starting five consisted of guards Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, Taryn Sides and forwards Jenessa Cotton and Nastja Claessens. This was the fifth time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 12th career start for Harrod. This was the 11th career start for Sides. This was the 10th career start for Garcia. Cotton made her eighth career start. Claessens made her eighth career start.

- K-State has 18 quarters this season with an effort of 50.0 percent or better including 50.0 percent performance in the first quarter on Wednesday.

- Sides reached double figures for the 26th&nbsp;time in her career and the eighth time this season including her fifth straight game.

- Sides buried three 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her ninth game this season and the 40th&nbsp;of her career with two or more connections from 3-point range.

- Sides dished out five assists on Wednesday. Sides improved her career total to 236 and ranks tied for 24th in program history. This was her 20th&nbsp;career game with five or more assists and her fifth this season.

- Sides hauled in seven rebounds on Wednesday. This was the eighth time this season and 24th&nbsp;time in her career with five or more rebounds in a game.

- Heal hauled in six rebounds on Wednesday. This was her 34th&nbsp;career game with five or more boards and her fifth this season.

- Brandie Harrod hauled in nine rebounds on Wednesday. This was her eighth career game with five or more rebounds. She has led K-State in rebounding a team-high four times this season.

On if there’s a specific cause for the inconsistency of play…

“I think very immature when things don't go well individually, would be the area I’d go most. I think we have a tendency to get internal and it kind of snowballs. And then, we've had some similar games like this with Green Bay, where the ball's not going in, and so it's crazy. It's 18 missed layups, right? Well, what is that? Is that focus? Is it toughness? Is it careless? I don’t know.”

On if San Diego State changed defensively…

“It felt okay early, not great. Still felt like we were missing some plays in there. Even when we had the 18 - 11 lead, it felt like it was okay, but then felt like defensively, we were probably fortunate in that stretch, because they were missing some shots. And we had some players out there that weren't engaged defensively, and so then that caught up to us a little bit, right? They continue to instead of missing those shots, when they get the opportunities, they make us pay for it. And then I think it snowballed on us offensively with just a lot of missed shots, a lot of missed layups. And then, like inconsistent teams do, they react poorly to the result. Boy, this one, I mean, I said it right after the Ole Miss win. I said, if you want to validate the Ole Miss win, you got to come Wednesday and validate it and play well. So I tried to set the tone right away that we want to validate it, and boy, we sure didn't.”

“Great crowd. Great job by the Fan Experience team. Great job by the administration. Disappointed that we didn't play better in front of those kids, they deserved a better effort. They deserved a better performance. They're probably still happy they got out of school. So good for them.”

On being able to overcome mental blocks…

“I have to look at everything that we're doing during preparation before I look at everything that we're doing [in-game] because clearly I'm not pushing the right buttons right now and I've got to take a look at that. It's disappointing that we didn't defend our home court. It didn't matter enough to us. I didn't think our effort was good enough. I didn't think our fight was good enough until the very end, when you're in chaos. I've got to take a look at everything.

On there only being one more nonconference game before Big 12 play…

“I think everything’s important. I think it’s important that we practice well. We’re certainly capable of playing well. We'd love to string more together, but Creighton would be another opportunity to start that again. So, we’ll take a look at this. I’m probably more concerned about their mindset coming into today than some of the things. I don't know, I'd love to give you some X's and O's answers, but this feels more like other things, of preparation, of getting ready, of mentally coming prepared, mentally respecting the game that you're going to come out and play to a standard. Right now, I don't know that we're playing to a standard. I know we're not. We're not playing to a good standard. We're playing to the circumstances of the game. If things aren't good for me, I play to that. If I'm frustrated, I play to that. I'm playing to a result, as opposed to playing to a standard right now. And you're going to yo-yo all year long if this continues.”

“I think our mindset going into games fluctuates a lot. We just talked about going into Ole Miss. We were really locked in, and we were ready to upset them. I think we potentially didn't have that same intensity and that same focus coming into a game like today. So I think going forward, we really need to improve that mindset and make sure every game no matter who it is, conference or nonconference, we're locked in and ready to go.”

On what the team needs to improve on heading into Big 12 play…

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State, hosting its second annual School Day game, went cold from the field in the second and third quarters as San Diego State captured a 64-53 win over the Wildcats on Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum to end the home portion of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule.The loss snapped a 15-game winning streak for K-State in the month of December.K-State (6-6) was led by junior guard Taryn Sides with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.San Diego State (6-3) was paced by the guard tandem of Nat Martinez and Naomi Panganiban. The duo tallied 22 and 20 points, respectively.HOW IT HAPPENED- The Aztecs used a 14-3 run to end the second quarter and hold a 29-26 lead at halftime. The Wildcats went scoreless for almost five minutes in the frame, as they were outscored in the second stanza, 18-8. K-State shot 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from the field in the second quarter.- K-State’s offensive struggles continued in the third quarter, as the Wildcats shot 15.4 percent (2-of-13) from the field in the frame with their last field goal coming with 6:15 to play in the quarter. K-State was outscored by the Aztecs, 19-8, in the third and trailed by 14, 48-34 entering the fourth quarter.- The Wildcats rallied to win the final quarter, 19-16, as K-State pared an 18-point lead by the Aztecs down to nine, 54-45, with 2:56 remaining in the quarter. Over the next minute and a half, San Diego State outscored K-State 6-2 to increase its lead to 13, 60-47, with 1:21 left.- For the afternoon, K-State shot 33.3 percent (18-of-54) including 6-of-18 (.333) from beyond the arc. The Wildcats added to its offensive woes by shooting 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the foul line and were forced into 20 turnovers.QUICK FACTS- K-State leads the series with San Diego State, 2-2. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 12-6 in his career against San Diego State. The Wildcats are 18-10 against current members of the Mountain West Conference.- K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 678-384 (.638), including a mark of 224-149 (.601).- The Wildcats are 252-104 (.708) in games played in the month of December. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 51-19 (.729) in games during the 12th&nbsp;month.TEAM NOTES- K-State's starting five consisted of guards Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, Taryn Sides and forwards Jenessa Cotton and Nastja Claessens. This was the fifth time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 12th career start for Harrod. This was the 11th career start for Sides. This was the 10th career start for Garcia. Cotton made her eighth career start. Claessens made her eighth career start.- K-State has 18 quarters this season with an effort of 50.0 percent or better including 50.0 percent performance in the first quarter on Wednesday.PLAYER NOTES- Sides reached double figures for the 26th&nbsp;time in her career and the eighth time this season including her fifth straight game.- Sides buried three 3-pointers on Wednesday. This was her ninth game this season and the 40th&nbsp;of her career with two or more connections from 3-point range.- Sides dished out five assists on Wednesday. Sides improved her career total to 236 and ranks tied for 24th in program history. This was her 20th&nbsp;career game with five or more assists and her fifth this season.- Sides hauled in seven rebounds on Wednesday. This was the eighth time this season and 24th&nbsp;time in her career with five or more rebounds in a game.- Heal hauled in six rebounds on Wednesday. This was her 34th&nbsp;career game with five or more boards and her fifth this season.- Brandie Harrod hauled in nine rebounds on Wednesday. This was her eighth career game with five or more rebounds. She has led K-State in rebounding a team-high four times this season.FROM THE HEAD COACHK-State Head Coach Jeff MittieOn if there’s a specific cause for the inconsistency of play…“I think very immature when things don't go well individually, would be the area I’d go most. I think we have a tendency to get internal and it kind of snowballs. And then, we've had some similar games like this with Green Bay, where the ball's not going in, and so it's crazy. It's 18 missed layups, right? Well, what is that? Is that focus? Is it toughness? Is it careless? I don’t know.”On if San Diego State changed defensively…“It felt okay early, not great. Still felt like we were missing some plays in there. Even when we had the 18 - 11 lead, it felt like it was okay, but then felt like defensively, we were probably fortunate in that stretch, because they were missing some shots. And we had some players out there that weren't engaged defensively, and so then that caught up to us a little bit, right? They continue to instead of missing those shots, when they get the opportunities, they make us pay for it. And then I think it snowballed on us offensively with just a lot of missed shots, a lot of missed layups. And then, like inconsistent teams do, they react poorly to the result. Boy, this one, I mean, I said it right after the Ole Miss win. I said, if you want to validate the Ole Miss win, you got to come Wednesday and validate it and play well. So I tried to set the tone right away that we want to validate it, and boy, we sure didn't.”On Education Day crowd noise…“Great crowd. Great job by the Fan Experience team. Great job by the administration. Disappointed that we didn't play better in front of those kids, they deserved a better effort. They deserved a better performance. They're probably still happy they got out of school. So good for them.”On being able to overcome mental blocks…“I have to look at everything that we're doing during preparation before I look at everything that we're doing [in-game] because clearly I'm not pushing the right buttons right now and I've got to take a look at that. It's disappointing that we didn't defend our home court. It didn't matter enough to us. I didn't think our effort was good enough. I didn't think our fight was good enough until the very end, when you're in chaos. I've got to take a look at everything.On there only being one more nonconference game before Big 12 play…“I think everything’s important. I think it’s important that we practice well. We’re certainly capable of playing well. We'd love to string more together, but Creighton would be another opportunity to start that again. So, we’ll take a look at this. I’m probably more concerned about their mindset coming into today than some of the things. I don't know, I'd love to give you some X's and O's answers, but this feels more like other things, of preparation, of getting ready, of mentally coming prepared, mentally respecting the game that you're going to come out and play to a standard. Right now, I don't know that we're playing to a standard. I know we're not. We're not playing to a good standard. We're playing to the circumstances of the game. If things aren't good for me, I play to that. If I'm frustrated, I play to that. I'm playing to a result, as opposed to playing to a standard right now. And you're going to yo-yo all year long if this continues.”FROM THE FLOORK-State Senior Guard Tess HealOn the team's inconsistency…“I think our mindset going into games fluctuates a lot. We just talked about going into Ole Miss. We were really locked in, and we were ready to upset them. I think we potentially didn't have that same intensity and that same focus coming into a game like today. So I think going forward, we really need to improve that mindset and make sure every game no matter who it is, conference or nonconference, we're locked in and ready to go.”On what the team needs to improve on heading into Big 12 play…“I think it's just an improvement on that mindset. And like Taryn [Sides]&nbsp;said, that intentionality, Creighton's really good. They're a really good basketball team. They're in the Big East and they've had some success so far. Going forward, they're going to be really tough and we play at Creighton, so it's always hard to play on the road, and we need to go and play a lot better so we go into conference play feeling confident about ourselves and how the season might end.”K-State Junior Guard Taryn SidesOn why Kansas State performed better at the beginning and end of the game…“I think it was really just the intensity at the end of the game, when we are getting after it, that's the type of intensity we need to play from the get go and maintain that throughout the game. We can't get down by 15-20 points and then expect to be like, ‘Oh no, now we got to go.’ We need to have that focus and intentionality the whole game.”On all of the missed layups…“Just not being tough. I don't even think they were that physical with us compared to what we're about to face in the Big 12. I don't know, maybe a lack of focus and not being tough, I think is the main thing.”UP NEXTK-State ends its non-conference schedule on Sunday, as the Wildcats visit Creighton at 2:30 p.m.