The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
10.08.2013 | Football
Several players met with the media Tuesday after practice
Following Tuesday afternoon's practice at Frank Denius Fields, wide receiver Jaxon Shipley, offensive guard Trey Hopkins and defensive tackle Chris Whaley met with the media. The Longhorns will practice twice more before heading to Dallas on Friday. Texas and Oklahoma kick off in the 108th AT&T Red River Rivalry Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Cotton Bowl.
Junior WR Jaxon Shipley
On if OU has any sort of edge since winning the last three years: The last couple years, I don't think that matters at all. That's last year and the year before that and this is a new year. Both are new teams, so we're just looking forward to this matchup.
On what announcing senior quarterback Case McCoy the starter so early does for the team: We're confident with any quarterback that we have out there. All of our quarterbacks are great. We're confident in [senior quarterback] Case [McCoy] this week. I think he's going to do a great job leading us into the game.
On what he feels the offense does best at this point: I think we're fairly balanced. That's one thing we do a good job of is running and passing the ball pretty equally. Obviously we've got to come out there and score fast and get a rhythm going. That's something that we need to start off doing this week. I feel like we've done a good job of mixing it up.
On what the key is to avoiding a lot of the three-and-outs that plagued them last time: We've got to have a good play on first and second down. That way we're left with a 3rd-and-short, and we're not having to go with a 3rd-and-medium or 3rd-and-long. Once you can get in that 3rd-and-short or 3rd-and-one or two or three yards, it's not as hard to get that first down.
On what the team thinks of the Red River Rivalry: Obviously it has great tradition and just being split down the middle, once you go past the 50-yard line it's either crimson or orange. It's just one of those games that we all kind of grew up watching from a young age, and all of us are really excited to play in it. It's been something that is one of the biggest rivalry games in the nation. Just when you step on that field it has a different feeling from a lot of the other games. The crowd is always really crazy and the fans get really into it. It's a really exciting game and a fun one to play.
On why this team is mentally ready: I feel like we have really good leaders on the team, and we've talked a lot about keeping a level head. I think it gives us confidence coming off a win. We only won by one point, but it doesn't matter. It's still a win. That gives us confidence and motivation going into this game. So we feel like if we can go in there and get a good start, things will work in our favor.
Senior OG Trey Hopkins
On his thoughts that this is his last shot at Oklahoma: It runs through my mind often actually. It's been three tough years. This is a big rivalry game for Texas and just this being my last shot puts that much more emphasis on it for me.
On is it hard to believe Texas hasn't beaten Oklahoma since he has been here: Yeah. It is definitely a big game that we always look to win and it's disappointing and that is why we have—or I have this last chance to make sure we do everything we can to get that changed.
On having extra time to prepare for Oklahoma after playing last Thursday: It goes all the way back to the bye week even. We had a lot of time to get our bodies back and really do a lot of mental work on getting back to the basics before Iowa State. Having that Thursday game let us rest a little bit longer than you normally would with a Saturday game. Now we have a couple more days where we can actually split the practices up more, make them a little bit shorter but also fine tune things more with that extra day of practice. It gives us a little bit more preparation time as far as splitting up an actual day.
On if there is anything intimidating about the Cotton Bowl environment against Oklahoma: The only way I could say you would be intimated in that environment is if you had never been there but that is something that we handle when we go up there and go to the stadium the day before the game. We walk around, do our walk-throughs and make sure everyone understands how it's going to be. Everyone has seen the game on TV but it's different in person. For the most part, this is a mature team and everybody has been here. I don't think we have that excuse of being distracted by the environment this year.
On how important it is for the senior class to get at least one win over Oklahoma: Your senior year is the year that you are going to remember the most. You can be remembered most by your senior year too and it would be a shame to go out here and not have that feeling of knowing what it means to get the Golden Hat and really know what it's like to win this game.
Senior DL Chris Whaley
On how defensive coordinator Greg Robinson said the defensive line has shown the most improvement since Robinson has been there and why he thinks that: We are just more confident of being a dominant defensive front. I mean everybody is hustling to the ball with Malcom (Brown), (Jackson Jeffcoat), Ced (Reed), and all the other guys. Everybody is hustling to the ball, everybody is buying in and playing hard, playing with full speed, and playing as one defensive unit.
On thoughts about DT Malcom Brown: He's just more confident in everything he's doing. He goes out and plays in full speed. Him being a sophomore, you really can't tell that he is that young. His game is really good and I love the way he plays. I am very appreciative having him right beside me and I wouldn't want anyone else.
On thoughts about what challenges they will face against Oklahoma QB Blake Bell: I think the challenge for us is to just go out there and get after it. We have to attack him all throughout the game. That's going to be the main thing we have to focus on is putting a lot of pressure on him.
On Oklahoma has a lot of success running on third downs, what progress has the defense made there this week: It has been just little things. Just getting our assignments fixed here and there, better at our rush lanes up front, and just things like that. We don't have to change up much. We still are the same thing but just better technique in what we do.
On thoughts about how Greg Robinson said there has been a lot better communication on the defense: In the defense, you have the linebackers calling the plays but now once the linebackers make the plays, we have all the safeties and all the D-line talk to each other to know that everyone is on the same page and so everyone can play as one defense.
On thoughts about linebackers Dalton Santos and Steve Edmond: They always play hard. They play downhill and hard and they bring a tremendous force at the linebacker position. That is what I like about those guys.
