The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Oklahoma quotes
10.17.2009 | Football
Oct. 17, 2009
TEXAS COACHES
Head coach Mack Brown
Opening statement: It was a great game. I thought it was more like a fight. The two teams are very respectful of each other, people just knocking each other out for three and a half hours. The defenses dominated the first half for sure, and the offenses came and made some plays in the second half. Our coaches had great plans on both sides, didn't work as well in the first half. It was tough, it was ugly. Our guys continue to come from behind and win close games. I'm very proud of them.
On Colt McCoy's thumb: Colt (McCoy) got his thumb hurt early in the game and he's so tough, he stayed out there and kept fighting through it. It was his right thumb. He didn't want to come out so he kept playing.
On what Texas did well today: I thought the offense did a good job of adjusting at halftime. I liked the way we forced turnovers. I liked the way we punted the ball. Field position was huge after the first quarter.
On the win: I'm really, really proud of these guys. That was a hard fought win. I'm excited for them. Obviously, this is where we start, not where we finish.
On where Texas goes from here: We were sitting here in this same position last year and after we lost to Texas Tech we let it go back into a system and the system kept us out. Now next week's game becomes bigger than this one and it'll progress like that for the rest of the year.
On the team's execution: I think we haven't played near our best game yet. That's what I like about this team. They're 6-0, in the top three in the country and we're not even close to where we can be. We have a lot of young guys like Marquise (Goodwin) that just keep getting better. The defense keeps getting better and the kicking game keeps getting better. We've got a chance; we just need to keep playing.
On the running game: I'm proud that we could run the ball better today. I saw in the stats OU had minus-16 yards rushing and we had 142, and 100 of that came in the second half. You've got to be able to run the ball in the second half and in the fourth quarter, in my estimation, to win.
On Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford's injury: We're really sorry for Sam that he got hurt. What a great kid and a great player. You hope that he's fine and I'm sure he will be, but you don't want to see a young man get hurt. Our thoughts and prayers will be with him for a full recovery.
On if Texas prepared for Oklahoma QB Landry Jones: In some ways, we felt like we might see Landry (Jones) because we hadn't been out there long and Landry has played a lot more. We felt like that if Sam (Bradford) couldn't move around the pocket very much that it might take away some of the things they did. Like Colt, Landry came in and did a great job, and he'll be a great player for them in the future.
On WR Marquise Goodwin: He can catch. He's going to be a super player for us this year, not just in the future. He's a guy that makes a difference for us. He can take a short one and turn it into a long one. We're really proud of him. It's a tremendous amount of pressure for a freshman in this game and he played lights out.
On CB Aaron Williams: He's a shut down corner and he's also one of our best blitzers. He's coming off the edge very well right now because he's so fast and he has a good knack of when to go ahead and go to the quarterback or pull off if a guy's flaring. He's a very smart football player.
On the team's attitude at halftime: All of us were upset because we had not played very well but we all knew that we had a chance. We're a better second half team than we are a first half team. There's a lot of emotion in the first half of ball games. Our kids were not frustrated as much as they were disappointed. We had eight penalties in the first half. We'd have a chop block, a hold, a missed assignment. Colt said they gave us some different looks than we had had. We put in some different plays, too, offensively with some misdirection stuff that we hadn't used.
On being patient on offense: We felt like we had to settle them down and run because there were some creases up inside when (Oklahoma) was blitzing as much as they were, but we were going to have to be patient. The defense was playing great. When our defense is playing that good, we told the kicking game and the offense to get in a position where they could score some then we would win the ball game. I didn't think anybody in that dressing room felt we would lose the game. I told them we were two points further down than we were this point last year, so don't act like the world is coming to an end. This is a hard game. It's usually not a blowout, it's a game you try to win, not blow the other team out.
Offensive coordinator Greg Davis
On what changed in the second half: I felt like if we could just hang in there in the run game—sometimes it was not going to be pretty—and make them play some assignment football, then the passing game protection would get better. We also wanted to turn the tempo up in the second half, and for the most part that was a big plus. We were able to settle them down a bit.
On RB Fozzy Whittaker: Fozzy has shown signs throughout his time here of being a good back, who can run inside and outside and make people miss. We just have not been able to keep him healthy. Vondrell [McGee] was nicked up and Tre' [Newton] is coming off of a concussion, but I thought Fozzy stepped up and played really well.
On WR Marquise Goodwin: We felt like we probably did not get him in enough last week. He is a very unusual freshman. One, he has jumped all over the world. I asked him before the first ball game if the crowd was going to be a factor, and he said, 'Coach, I have long jumped and triple jumped in front of 60,000 or 70,000 people in Europe, I think I'll be okay.' He is also very bright. He has the ability that so many track guys do not have, and that is to come out of breaks and make catches. The catch he made on the sideline ball across the field was a great play, and then on the slant route for the touchdown, he stepped through a tackle and made the play. We felt like he brought a little more explosion to the game at that time, so we played him a little bit more.
On calling more quarterback draws in today's game: Through the first five weeks, we purposely have not run him much. We have not called many quarterback draws and stayed away from the zone read a little bit. We told him that in order to stay two dimensional in this ball game, we were going to have to use him. He said, 'Dial it up, coach.' We ran four or five quarterback draws in the game, zone read several times, and quarterback counter. He is such a competitor. He is such a winner. He did not care how we did it, just whatever we needed to do to move the football.
Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp
On the game: When you play a game like this, you know it's going to go 60 minutes. You know it's going to be a fourth-quarter game. We mentally prepared the players all week for that type of ballgame. It was a hard fought defensive battle. Both fronts were playing very well. They've got good players; we've got good players. That's generally what happens when two good teams get together. The defenses take over, and that's what happened today.
On Aaron Williams' interception after missing a tackle on OU's touchdown: You miss tackles against good people. Ryan Broyles is an outstanding player. Aaron's an outstanding player. He's a guy who I'd put out in the fire 100 times. He's going to make plays. He's an outstanding football player. He made a huge play on the interception. Earl [Thomas] came back and made a huge interception. I'm really proud of the effort. Our kids continue to play with heart and desire and effort. That's what we're about. We didn't blink today and we didn't blink last year.
On the defense responding: That's expected. We're expected to play at a high level all the time. Our players respond to that. I was very disappointed on the first third down on the screen. We actually botched it. We had two guys that should've been on top of the back. We expected the screen game. They hit two of them, one of them was late and that was kind of on me. We responded in the red area. We played great red zone defense. We've got to play great third down defense. In those three phases of the game, we were exceptional today.
On Earl Thomas' interception: They don't get the ball back. They don't get another opportunity. It's a huge play. We're in a man under situation there and he does a great job of getting his eyes around. I thought it was a good throw by the quarterback. He tried to squeeze the ball in. Earl just made a phenomenal play, but he's been doing that all year. He expects to make plays.
On the defense and offense helping each other: I think that's what good teams do. I said this during the week. I've had plenty of long days at the ballpark. We were fortunate last year to come up with a win and make some defensive stops, but we won the game because of our offense and Colt McCoy and Greg Davis calling a phenomenal game. You have to give Oklahoma credit. They're really good on defense. We knew that coming in. They have an outstanding front. They do a great job scheming. They have really good football coaches. I have a lot of respect for those guys. We expected this. I told the defense we needed to play better than their defense. We needed to play better up front than their front. We needed to make plays on the back end better than their back end guys did. That's what our guys did.
On Oklahoma's running backs: They're outstanding players. I've got great respect for both of those guys especially after Sam [Bradford] got hurt, which was a terrible thing. I wish that did not happen. With their young quarterback and the two backs in there, we expected them to run the football. We challenged our players. We thought that was going to happen.
On Aaron Williams' sack: We haven't shown that all year. This doesn't go in our stat sheet, and I know our local guys all look at stats, but everybody turns their protection to No. 2. They locate where Sergio Kindle is. That was a boot where we had never shown pressure from the other side away from Sergio. When they turned the protection, and they want to boot and turn the protection that way , we bring pressure the other way. They don't count on that happening. Again, that doesn't go in Sergio's stats, but that goes in Sergio's stats in my book.
TEXAS PLAYERS
WR Marquise Goodwin
On his touchdown catch: I just ran a simple slant route and me and Colt [McCoy] connected. It was just a touchdown after that. It felt great to be able to share this with my teammates as a true freshman. I give all the glory to them.
DT Lamarr Houston
On the Oklahoma offense: Well we've been practicing heavy runs for the past two weeks with Colorado, who's a smash mouth football team. We knew OU created the power play. We were practicing that for a long time. We just knew that they liked to run the ball a lot. They've got two great backs in DeMarco Murry and Chris Brown, and those guys average at least five or six yards a carry.
On the Red River Rivalry: It's so loud and so crazy out there. It's just a fun game to be a part of.
LB Roddrick Muckelroy
On the margin of victory: A win is a win. I don't care how many points it's by. We could have won one to two, but a win is a win.
On playing Oklahoma: It's like a battle. You've got to go back and forth. You've got to slug it out for four quarters.
On how he thinks he played: I'm not worried about how I played. As a team, we won the game. I can't worry about how I play. We're going home with the Golden Hat (Trophy) and the "W" today.
On holding Oklahoma to a negative rushing yard total: It's big. I just heard about the negative yards when I was headed up here. It's what we work hard for. During the week, we work. We just try to put it on the field, and today we held them to minus-16 rushing yards. That's a great accomplishment, for any defense. We're going to take the "W" and we're going home with it.
QB Colt McCoy
On the turnover in the fourth quarter: We just did not execute like we should have. That is where the ball should have gone, we just should have executed better. That is just one of those things. You cannot turn the ball over, but give credit to our defense. They made it for us.
On Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford going down in the game: It is unfortunate. I got to see him after the game, and I just told him that I was praying for him and hoped he could get well. I thought that Landry [Jones] did a great job stepping in and leading their offense. He was very poised. Oklahoma played a very good football game today.
On how he injured his thumb: They ran a blitz, and as I tried to hit the tight end, I hit [Oklahoma DT Gerald] McCoy in the helmet. My fingernail is about gone. I just had to continue to play. That is the thing about this game that is so special. It is not going to be pretty every time. You do not know what is going to happen.
On the injury to his thumb and whether it is more than just a fingernail injury: It is on my right thumb, and I will probably get it checked out afterwards, but I just had to keep playing. I do not know what it is. It happened in the first quarter. In football, everybody gets beat up, and everybody gets knocked around, especially in a game like this. You just have to keep playing.
On what changed in the second half to give the running game a boost: We knew that they were bringing a lot of zone pressure, and when they are bringing a lot of zone pressure, it is hard to throw the ball. You have to be able to run the ball. We regrouped at halftime. The running backs just kept fighting and fighting. Fozzy [Whitaker] and Cody [Johnson] played tremendously. I think that being able to run the ball at quarterback helped a little bit. This was the first that we've had some quarterback draws and some counters called. We knew that the throwing game wasn't going to be there as much as we thought. We just had to find a way to win. That is what good teams do.
On getting emotional at the end of the game: I thank God that I have been able to play in this game for four years and stay healthy. Just to be able to play is such an awesome feeling. It is one of the greatest games in college football. To know that you are going to win, know that it wasn't that pretty, but know that you've fought hard and given it your best effort and trusted God with the results. I'm speechless.
DE Sergio Kindle
On Texas CB Aaron Williams: Aaron is the type of guy who wants to make plays every time, and every time he gets the opportunity, he will. He had a missed tackle on the touchdown, but he is the kind of guy that will not get down about anything. He will want to do better the next time around. I am not sure if it was man or zone, but if the ball is in the air and he is near it, he is going to come down with it. He is a great player.
RB Fozzy Whittaker
On if he ever expected the team to get more rushing than passing yards: No I actually wouldn't. That was quite a surprise to me that it happened that way. Whatever we can do to help the team win is what we'll do.
On starting his first game: I was very excited. I was just ready to help my team win any way I could.
OT Adam Ulatoski
On the win: It's a dream come true. Coming back, me and Chris (Hall) were talking about it. We were just real happy to get out of that with a win.
On the pass protection: They did a lot of good things. Give credit to them. They have a bunch of good players. Obviously we could've done things better. Colt's a real tough guy. We kept on fighting and we got it calmed down and did a little better.
On running the ball better today: I think it was just hard work. We went back to work this last week in practice and the coaches did a lot of things to help us out with the run, and I think it really helped us out.
S Earl Thomas
On his interception: Well I was in a man under, I faked like I was blitzing and I came back under and it just so happened he threw it and I was able to make the play for the team.
On what he was thinking on the interception: I was like, "I can't believe it's coming." It kind of floated a little bit and I was able to pull it in and I was able to make a play for our defense.
On making plays: I'm just happy to make a play for our defense. [I'm] just giving thanks to God for letting me make the plays.
On the game: It was a big game for us and we knew they didn't have anything to lose. They played a great game and they threw everything they had at us and I'm just glad it fell our way.
On showing emotion: I was just trying to pump up my teammates and keep myself involved in the game so I don't take any breaks and just stay in tune with the game. I'm just happy it came out our way.
On being happy the game was over: I didn't say it until after Colt [McCoy] got that late flag with about five seconds left in the game, so it was a 60-minute game and I'm glad it's over with.
On Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford getting injured: I really didn't know he was done until late, but I hope he gets better.
On this year's secondary: I think our secondary as a group causes a lot of turnovers not just on defense but also on special teams. Deon Beasley had a great turnover, Curtis Brown also and then A.J. [Williams] with the nice pick over there. I think we played solid all the way around, we had a good practice week and it played out for us.
CB Aaron Williams
On his interception: The interception was the biggest play only because I messed up and missed a tackle for a touchdown; once you make that mistake, you have to come back with a big play.
On bouncing back: I was really upset with myself, but in a big game, a big situation like that, you have to have a quick memory and let it go and play the next play. The coaches were mad at me and I'm mad at myself, but you have to go out there and try and make any play possible and make it up.
On the defense stepping up: It feels great, but our expectations are really high and we came out here pumped up and well prepared. It was a great game and Oklahoma's offense is good. DeMarco [Murray] is a great running back, the receivers are good and it was just a tough game.
On blitzing and getting a sack: I talk to coach [Will] Muschamp every day about how I can get to the quarterback an easy way and the easy way is to disguise and hide it. So I think with the help of coach Muschamp and coach [Duane] Aukina, it made that play happen.
LB Emmanuel Acho
On the atmosphere: It was a crazy game as it usually is down here in Dallas, but it was great just to come back my home town and be able to play in front of an amazing crowd and just come out victorious.
On the progression of the defense: The defense is just getting a lot more comfortable, we're in our second year under coach [Will] Muschamp, so we're getting a lot more comfortable with the scheme, a lot more comfortable with the plays which allows for us to have less mental errors. So in doing that, we're allowed to be a lot more strict in what we give up.
On shutting down the running game: Coach [Muschamp] just emphasized all week about stopping the run and trying to make them one dimensional. They have two great backs and they're a great running team, so it's just a testament to our defensive line and the style of play by the defense all around.
On where the team goes from here: Just keep working, we got another tough game this week, so we're just going to jeep working, keep battling.
RB Cody Johnson
On the running game: Everybody's been crushing on the running game so we wanted to come in and show we could run the ball. I worked for my opportunity and my opportunity came in the third quarter so I just paid my tributes to the seniors and everybody else and we came out with a victory.
On the atmosphere at the Cotton Bowl: If you're playing or not, it's going to keep you on your feet the whole time. It's just one side burnt orange and the other side red, that's enough and if you win, that makes it just that much better just to get a win inside the Cotton Bowl and beat OU.
On watching the defense help the offense: We're going to depend on the defense and the defense is going to depend on us. Their swagger is unbelievable right now and they are doing everything right, executing on defense. They are keeping the offense off the field and trying to keep us on the field, so we're going to get ourselves back on track and they're doing a pretty good job.
On the next few weeks: I mean, we are going to take it one week at a time. Next week we are going to focus on Missouri and after that, we'll focus on the other ones.
S Blake Gideon
On the game: In my second year I would say was very different approach. Last year, we're just concerned about getting lined up right as young as we were and everything and trying not to be overwhelmed in our situation. This year, I felt like we were able to relax a little bit more and hold our composure throughout the game and just be able to relax, make calls and play the game.
On the defense making plays: We feel like we've been playing pretty well lately and whenever we can flip the field for our offense, it gives them momentum and momentum is real regardless of what people say. We're out there to flip the field, give our offense a short field and hopefully they can do something with it.
On the continuity of the defense: I think it's huge. Last year, we were just concerned about getting lined up. This year, I felt like we were able to relax more and talk to each other and communicate. That's very important playing an offense like Oklahoma's, where they're going to switch tempo on you and try to catch you showing a blitz too early or whatever the case may be, catch you in a busted coverage. So that's huge to be able to relax and rely on our experience, which has come miles from this point last year.
K Hunter Lawrence
On having a big impact: Last year, we had three field goals and this year again we had three field goals. So coming in, I kind of knew it was going to be more of a low scoring game just watching the film and looking at the defense. So I had kind of already prepared myself, especially after first quarter watching the low score. You knew that a couple of kicks were going to come down to that.
On the atmosphere at the Cotton Bowl: The atmosphere out there is amazing, the fans half split and there are great fans on both sides. For me, this is a big win, my senior year, last time I'll be able to play against OU and it's huge. We're 3-1 in my senior class.
On playing OU for the last time: It feels good, I mainly just wanted to get the win for the guys and it came down to us making a couple of field goals and I just tried to my job for them.
On what to take from the win: I mean we got this one out of the way, but the next game is just as big as this one was. If you lose that one, it doesn't really matter what you did in this one, so we just got to keep on doing what we're doing.
Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops
On the game: Congratulations to Texas. It was a well-played football game on both sides. In the end, they made more plays to win the football game.
On the way the season is going so far: It's a different year. We haven't had a lot of these. There's no doubt that we've had a lot to overcome, but it doesn't matter; we've got a season to play.
On the Texas defense: They did a nice job of mixing things up. They mixed up pressure and mixed up coverages. They did a good job.
On if Sam Bradford came back too soon: Sam had a great week of practice. I saw him throw the prettiest 60-yard pass to finish our warm up as I've seen him throw. We were going with good information from doctors. He understood the entire situation. Sam is a bright young guy. He knows what he wants, and unfortunately it just hasn't worked out very well.
On if Texas is a national championship caliber team: They've got a great opportunity. They do an excellent job of coaching, and also I think anytime you've got a caliber of guy like Colt McCoy and the guys around him, they're going to have a chance for sure.
OKLAHOMA PLAYERS
DT Gerald McCoy
On Oklahoma's defense: Personally, I feel we played well on defense. We went back and forth all day. Our defense made stops when we needed to, but at the end of the game we needed to get stops and we didn't do it. Overall, I feel like we played our hearts out and played hard the entire time.
On if he and the team are upset when QB Sam Bradford goes down: We make no excuses. Landry [Jones] played well. He came in and stepped in when Sam went down. He did a good job. Our team is not about making excuses. When someone goes down, that's when we have players step up. We played well but sometimes we just don't come out on top.
On Brian Jackson's interception: When he caught it, I didn't even see Colt. I was just trying to block the man closest to me. I was hoping he would take it back, but we got the turnover and that was all we were worried about.
On if Texas wore down the defense in the fourth quarter: We came in prepared to get a lot of snaps, ready for a lot of plays. Our strength and conditioning coach does a great job of getting us ready and in shape for games. I don't think they wore us down, I think they just made good plays. We just didn't get the stops when we needed to.
RB DeMarco Murray
On running the football: Running the ball was a little more physical. There were times the running backs missed a hole and wanted to pace themselves. Then there were times they got the best of us.
DB Dominique Franks
On Brian's interception: When I saw him catch it, I just took off running trying to get a block. Colt McCoy made a great play, but at the same time, we got a turnover.
On how he was so successful in taking Texas WR Jordan Shipley out of the game: We had a great plan coming in. We have to credit our defensive line and linebackers for giving great pressure and not letting Colt McCoy sit back and choose who he wanted to throw it to. We had great pressure.
DB Brian Jackson
On his interception and Colt McCoy's tackle: I was looking to the end zone and I kind of saw him out of my peripheral, but I saw a chance to score, so that was all I was looking forward to. [Colt McCoy] is an athlete, you saw how many times he ran the ball. Not many quarterbacks in the nation can run like he did.
On how he was so successful in taking Texas WR Jordan Shipley out of the game: Really all week we just prepared to take care of business by shutting all the receivers down, you never focus on one player. As a defense we came in and said 'nobody needs to get anything on us'. We feel like we can be the best. Jordan Shipley is a great athlete, as well as Colt McCoy, but we came on and did what we needed to do.
On Texas' offense: You can't take anything away from them, they're a great team. It's more just little things that we could have done better and the outcome might have been different.
QB Landry Jones
On his thoughts of his first Red River Rivalry: Obviously when Sam [Bradford] first went down I felt bad for him I could tell he was hurt again, but after that I put it in the back of my head, and I was ready to step in there and not lose any of our rhythm. I just wanted to come in like I was a starter and take our team to a victory today. We just didn't get it done.
On what the loss feels like: It feels like the BYU game where we came up short and lost. It's a pretty terrible feeling right now, but come Monday we have to forget about it and push on to next week.
On his first interception: It was one of those things where I was running out and threw it off my back foot. I wasn't even trying to complete it, I was trying to throw it out of bounds but it just fell a little short.
On his second interception: I just threw that one behind him.
QB Sam Bradford
On his injury: It was the same shoulder, and it hurt pretty much like it did at BYU. I really don't know the outlook from here. I'm going to talk to the doctors and find out exactly what is wrong with it.
On his frustration with his shoulder: It's extremely frustrating for me, to miss three games and start this one and then hurt my shoulder and not be able to finish. It's hard to put into words the frustration I feel right now.