8:03
How many passing touchdowns? [screaming] Count with me, kids. Five passing touchdowns for Thomas Castellanos. And he's with us on Fanta in 60 now. What a win. 53 to 48 over West Virginia. What was going through your mind? Um the only thing that was going through my mind really was just like don't lose. Uh they gave the keys to me so and my teammates believed in me. So, I just wanted to, you know, just give it everything I had and just keep fighting. UCF, Boston College, Florida State, now Texas Tech. How does this stop in your career compared to the others? Uh, it's different. Um, it's another opportunity. Um, it's another chance to, you know, show that I can play at the
next level and, uh, that's what I'm trying to do. Why is it different? It's the place I'm at with the team. we got a chance to go do it. And look, you were not the guy early in the season. It was Will Hammond. When you're on the sidelines and you're watching this football team, how did you stay in the right frame of mind and what were you thinking? Uh I mean, I was just being a leader. Um whether you're playing or you're not playing, everybody on the team that has a part and you have something, you know, to do with the game whether you're playing or not. So just on the sideline my presence just you know encouraging the guys and know just trying to be a leader and encourage.
This football team is 8 and one after Saturday night's win. Is the country sleeping on Texas Tech football? Only thing I can say is just watch. because what are we going to see when we're watching? I mean, hopefully W's, but uh you know, we got this thing that we say uh we kind of ain't been really getting a lot of respect, you know, from everybody in the outside noise. So, we got this thing that we kind of been going by is trying to make people say our name. So, hopefully we make them say our name. Well, we're saying Texas Tech's name right now because as I said, you should be in tomorrow's college football playoff projections and I think you're you're ninth or 10th in those
projections. Now you've got Drew Memaker in Oklahoma State on a Saturday night in Stillwater. A lot of people are talking about Drew and what he could be. How much do you relish the spotlight and the big stage? Uh I think it's a great opportunity for me. Um you know I think you know he may be the number one quarterback off the board and first round pick maybe the number one pick. So, uh, I think, you know, it's a good challenge for me and a good opportunity for me to also prove that I, you know, I can play at that level and be one of those, you know, be one of those guys. Why can't you be one of those guys?
You got to watch 8:30 p.m. Well, we will be watching. I want to talk to you about Kenny Johnson and Terrence Carter. You found those guys a bunch of times on Saturday. What makes them a special duo? Uh, it's like that one-two punch, you know. Um, you know, Kenny's very, you know, quick and, you know, elusive. Mike is one of those guys that, you know, very strong and, you know, very tough and he's going to go up and get the ball. Um, you know, I'm glad to have both of those guys as targets. Um, they kind of make me right a lot and, uh, they've been a huge help to my success.
What makes coach McGuire and his staff special? Uh, it's just it's so tight. So tight-knit like a family. Um like soon as I came in like everybody just you know welcomed me with open arms and you know just let me be a part of this family. Um they didn't want me to be nobody but myself and you know they letting me be myself. So I don't know they got that player first mentality and you know I think they love their guys and love their players. Letting you be yourself Thomas. Let's take let's go a little bit deeper on that. I get when cuz you often hear people on the outside evaluate you the quarterback. If you're talking to people beyond just watching you like h how do you define when you're at your
best which you are right now what that looks like? Uh it's just like taking a dog to the park and just taking them off the leash. Taking a dog to the park and taking him off the leash. Yes, sir. You feel freedom in this offense? Yes. what's possible for this Texas Tech Red Raiders team. Uh we keep, you know, the goal is to keep training upward and keep going forward. Um you know, there's things that we can correct and we can, you know, get better at for sure. Um I think the last two games we definitely could
have scored more points and put more yards and stuff like that on tape, but uh you know, it's just now we're just trying to see how can we be consistent and keep doing what we're doing. How about the fan base on Saturday night? Where do you put that atmosphere? Uh definitely in the top three that I've ever played in for sure. Uh it was electric. Um it was exciting to see 8:30 p.m. how many people came out and how loud it was and just how involved they was in the game. Um even when we were up and then you know we went down and the fans were still there.
They're still into the game. And I think they had like six false starts. Uh the center snapped the ball twice when the quarterback didn't want them to. Like all that play a factor in the game and that's only because of the fans and the student section and stuff like that. So, we encourage them to keep coming and being loud and supporting us. Come on up here right now. COME ON. GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. SIGN OF THE DAY. What's your name again? JT. What do you want to say to Thomas? Hey, man. Just keep doing what you're doing. Appreciate you.
We appreciate you. I got you, man. Appreciate you. That's talking about here. Thomas Castalanos. He's playing like a Heisman candidate right there. JT Thomas. Thank you. Thank you, guys. He is the QB of your Texas Tech.
