The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
10.06.2014 | Football
Head coach Charlie Strong and players met with the media to preview the Oklahoma game
Longhorns Gameweek | Texas-Oklahoma Preview | Tickets
Head coach Charlie Strong and players met with the media Monday morning to review the Baylor game and look forward to this weekend's contest vs. Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners are set to kick off the 109th edition of the AT&T Red River Showdown Saturday at 11 a.m. from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Below are quotes from Strong, senior RB Malcolm Brown, senior CB Quandre Diggs, senior WR John Harris, senior LB Jordan Hicks, sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes, junior CB Duke Thomas and senior S Mykkele Thompson.
Head Coach Charlie Strong
Opening statement: We had our chances on Saturday, and it's a frustrating loss. When you look at the first half, you get a field goal blocked and you lose points, and they gain seven. Then [we] had the ball down there on the goal line, and you fumbled a center quarterback exchange. Then, defensively came out the second half and gave up some scores. The last one there is partially our fault because we got caught in man coverage, and they saw us. They made the check. They saw we were in 11 personnel, changed the personnel there at the end and they threw the long pass.
But our kids fought, they played, and we know we have to get better. This is a big game for us. This is a big rivalry game. Just having a chance to sit down and talk to [defensive coordinator] Vance Bedford and [wide receiver coach] Les [Koenning] and [Marcus] Tubbs, as guys that have played in it, and you have [tight ends coach] Bruce Chambers who coached in it, they know how big this game is … I've been involved with Florida--Georgia, and Florida--Florida State. The Texas--Oklahoma rivalry is a special rivalry. We know how big it is. Don't have to say much to the players this week. Don't have to worry about them being down. They know what's at stake here. Last year going into this game everyone was kind of throwing dirt on them, and they were able to bounce back and go win it. We were able to get that done, and we know how hard we have to play and how well we have to play to go get the victory this year.
On if he has made a decision yet on the suspensions: I have not made a decision yet on the suspension. And Daje [Johnson] has a ham[string] issue right now. He had an MRI last night, so we'll know more about him today. [We have not made] a decision yet on Desmond [Harrison].
On if there are some positives with playing Baylor right before OU: Well, you look at the two offenses, and you look at the quarterback last week with [Bryce] Petty, and now you have Trevor [Knight] and [they are] kind of similar. They throw the football, score a lot of points and get you backed up. Defensively they're really good up front. [Jordan] Phillips in the middle is going to be a handful just like the nose guard last week was for us. The thing about it is the game plans, you can kind of stay similar. [However], --we're going to have to tweak some things because they're different in some ways, but they're similar in a lot of ways of how we can plan for them.
On what he isn't seeing from Jerrod Heard to be able to be in the equation: It's not so much he may not be in the equation as a player. You never rule that out. It's just he hasn't had an opportunity because you look at us offensively, you look at Swoopes and it's not so much all being thrown on the quarterback. You look at him, and it's his second year. So even last year he didn't play enough, so you still have a young quarterback that you're still developing. It is going to be a game-by-game development for Swoopes as we continue on.
But we've got to get other guys to make plays for us. Everybody talks about our offensive line. We did a really good job Saturday protecting the quarterback. We've just got to make the throws and you have to have wide receivers that can make some catches and just take some pressure off the quarterback. Even the running back running the ball.
On what is it that Heard can't do: I don't know if it's fair to throw him in there right now and just say what he can't do. We just haven't had a chance yet to even talk about even putting him out there in that picture yet.
On how he turns ownership into accountability into hard work then into leadership: Anytime they take ownership among themselves, they feel accountable and they're responsible for what's happening. And this team won't be a team that's going to finger point. There is no reason to ever finger point. But with the players, the leadership still has to come from the seniors. Even not so much from the seniors, but you have someone like Johnathan Gray that's played a lot, and [defensive tackle] Malcom [Brown]. Big Malcom has played a lot, so those are the guys that you lean on.
We've got it continue to work and get better, and it eventually will happen. It's just so hard right now. It's just so frustrating because you feel like, hey, we've got to put all three phases together, which we haven't done yet. Okay, we said we'd play well on defense, but we kind of struggled on offense, and special teams gave up some plays. You can't have one phase playing good and the other two phases lacking.
On how important it is to develop depth on the defensive line: Our second line, they play a lot, so we roll with our second line … [Linebackers Dalton] Santos and [Peter] Jinkens weren't playing a lot because of the personnel grouping with Baylor on Saturday. They didn't play with no tight ends, so we didn't need our outside linebacker, so they didn't play a lot there. The back end is where you're getting a lot of guys that are on the field a lot. With the secondary, we haven't been rolling as much. But with our front seven, we're rolling them and given it to them almost by series. They may go two, and then you're going to see the back-ups come in and get a series, and then we flip it back.
On what the strength of the team is and if they have a clear identity: The strength of our team without a doubt is our defense. It's always going to be our plan to win when we play great defense, because you look at us on offense, and you think back, and I always say this, you had to be good down the middle. So you lose your center. I think losing [Dominic] Espinosa has hurt us more than losing any player because there is a player there taking a long time and losing snaps. Then you lose your quarterback [David Ash].
I think back in the spring game no one ever thought that Swoopes would be in the position he's in right now. So you lose your quarterback, and then we lose our nose guard [Desmond Jackson]. But what's fortunate and good for us is that [Hassan] Ridgeway has come in and played well for us down the middle. So you lose guys down the middle and you start with a freshman in Jason Hall at the safety position. So defensively right now is the way we're playing.
We know this, we've got to get better on offense, and continue to work. It will happen eventually. But, the guys have got to make plays and do a better job of blocking and protecting the quarterback, because you're dealing with a young quarterback right now.
On what his take on how this game specifically will impact recruiting: Well, you look at it and Oklahoma does a great job coming into state and taking really good players. Recruits look at that game … You get to establish yourself in the recruiting war because now you can always look at guys thinking about going, and say look at at what we did to them in this game. You're always going to talk about it. You're going to bring it up especially when a player is really interested.
On what he expects with atmosphere at the Cotton Bowl: Well, it's an unbelievable atmosphere, which we know. But, what's really good is it is not so much for me, but that the players have been in that atmosphere. I told our players, a lot of you guys sitting here sitting in this room played in that game last year, and you went up and got the job done.
So there's no reason for us not to go back and get it done again. So it's a momentum swing. Anytime [there are] rival games, you know there is going to be a shift in momentum during the game. It will be one -sided and then somebody will make a play, and then it changes to the other side. In those games, it's always the first five minutes of a football game that really gets everybody going, everybody's juiced up. Then when it settles down, and you just go play the game. It's going to be a lot of yelling. The great thing about it is it's never quiet because there is always yelling for someone. When [the stadium is] split down the middle, then everyone's going to be yelling for someone.
On if his week-to-week personnel decisions are based more on building for the future or the game at hand: We have what we have. It's not like we're looking to change much. These starting lineups have been set like this. And the only thing is where we're rotating guys is like Darius James started last week on the offensive line. But look at us on defense, then wide receivers, running backs. But that's where we stay rotating and moving guys around … You've got to put the best players in to give you a chance to win. If there is a young guy sitting there and we feel he can help us, we're going to play him.
On if the offensive line can continue to improve in the running game: Well, it has to be a combination. You have to be balanced with the throwing game and the run game. See, right now ,why you're loaded up [in the box] is that teams don't feel like you can throw the football. So if you can't throw it, they're going to load the box and force you to run the ball. So with them loading the box, you're not going to get the run established.
But I think we can. Even Saturday, if you look at it, we had throws, some were short and behind the receivers. If [the quarterback] gets the ball up … The first play of the game we had [Geoff] Swaim wide open down the pipe. The safety ran to the outside, and we ran a read play and [Swoopes] didn't pull it. If he pulls it and he just throws it to Swaim, it's a touchdown and we're off and running.
But it's like I said, it's a young quarterback that you're dealing with. He's got to have all the checks. Sometimes things have to be almost perfect for him. But it isn't going to be perfect. Like Petty talked about what we did to him on giving different looks. You have to give different looks. You can't allow a guy to just sit down and have a read on you. You've got to keep moving it. And that's where he just hasn't been in that position long enough. He's not groomed yet as a starter where he's been starting.
That's why losing Ash really hurt you, but it's water under the bridge now. You had a guy who has seen it all. [Swoopes] really hasn't seen it all. So every week is something new for him.
On needing a big-play to generate momentum: You look at it, we chucked the ball down the field like four times [Saturday]. Once we got a pass interference, the next time one bounces off of our shoulder, and I think another one we threw down the sideline. You've got to get a chunk of yardage play to kind of get everything going, which we haven't gotten yet. But, we're going to continue to do it. We're going to continue to release the ball down the field.
I look at the TCU and Oklahoma game. The first play of the game they throw the ball to [Sterling] Shepard and he goes 50 yards. Next time they throw the ball to him, he goes 80 yards. Next time they throw it down the sideline, he goes 60 yards. Those plays are out there and they're making them, so we just have to.
We talk about [making big plays]. On defense we need to get turnovers, that's what we need to do on defense, and we didn't do it Saturday. We said we played good, but we've got to get turnovers where we change the field position for our offense and shorten the field for them. The [offense] can't come out there every time and … take the ball and drive it 99 yards. That's not going to happen.
We need to get some turnovers where we knock the ball out and a guy picks it up and goes and scoops and scores. Last game [against Kansas] we got it, this game we didn't. Anytime you get into a big game, turnovers are critical. You've got to get turnovers. You have to get them just to change the field position and to change the swing of the game.
On what he thinks the best approach to the rivalry game is: I like to embrace the emotions. You're not going to change it because you know how big it is, so you can try to down play it all you want, but because of the build up and everyone's talking and that's all they ever hear. So you have to play on it. Like I started it yesterday. Last year this is what we did and we did it. So don't think it can't be done again.
You've got to be a step faster in this game. You've got to hit a little harder in this game. Everything changes in this game because all games are big games, but this is just one of those special games that has so much significance to it that we have to get out and go play well.
On the special teams miscues against Baylor: Well, what happened on the blocked field goal, I mean, it's not so much [placekicker] Nick [Rose]. He never got it off because the guys just jumped up and blocked it. But you look at our kicking game, and we can do much better in the kicking game. The thing is we're going to have to protect too. We've got to give ourselves a chance there. We hit that field goal every day at practice, and that's what I said to him yesterday. It shouldn't be any different from you in a game to practice. Just act like you're at practice. You don't get nervous at practice.
I said look around … People are going to be looking, so don't get nervous about it. You should want them to see you go make this field goal. We've just got to continue. We have to get better. We have to protect him, and we're not doing a good job. That is the second one blocked. We got the one blocked the previous game.
On if he is sticking with Nick Rose as the place-kicker: Yes, we'll stay with Nick.
On what he has learned about his team and about his job from August until now: Well, you look at the team, and I just know that [we would] like to be better than what we are. This is a team right now that's lacking confidence. It's lacking confidence where you go and finish the game. It's confidence to believe. As I said on Saturday, we've got to learn how to win.
When you learn how to win the games and you walk into a game you're going to feel different about it. Like, hey, we can go win this football game, so it's a continual building process. When you have success early and you're dealing with a young team, then you've just got to continue to build on it because defensively you should play good on defense because the number of starters that you have coming back. And that's what's happening right now.
It's all a process, and we know that week by week. I just tell them, it's a one- game season. Let's get through this game and we'll worry about the next one. Don't look ahead. Let's just finish this game, and then boom. Season's over, now we start the next game.
On if there is anything he has learned about the job after five games: It's a big time job, and you expect big time things to happen. So much is expected of you, and the expectations are high, and they should be. That is the way you should want it. You want the expectations to be high.
On offensive line coach Joe Wickline not staying for The Eyes of Texas after the game: No, it's nothing medically or anything wrong. I just think sometimes coaches get so frustrated in the results and they may walk away or whatever. But we understand The Eyes of Texas, and never would we ever jeopardize the reputation of this great university to replace our own personal feelings. That won't happen.
On his relationship with Bob Stoops: Bob and I are friends. When I was at Florida, I was leaving Florida and he was coming in. Then he stayed there with Spurrier and I had just left that staff. But we've become friends for a number of years. Even at the Big 12 meetings, we sat and talked to each other all the time and just joked around. But we're really good friends. I respect him and the job he's done there in Oklahoma. Think about it. He goes in there the second year and wins a National Championship. We played him the one year I was at Florida in the '08 National Championship, we played him. The really good team they had there always respected the job he's done. He's an unbelievable coach, and not only that, just a really good person.
On OU Jr. WR Sterling Shepard: The thing that Shepard does is he can stretch the defense, and once he gets into the open area, we've got to run him down because he's one of those guys with big plays. Knight does a good job hanging the ball out there to him and he runs in there to get it. I think in the game on Saturday he had over 200something yards receiving. Then he's right down the street. Just a physical, not just a breakaway guy, but a guy that runs behind his pads and runs over people. When you look at that running back, really built well, and built to the ground so he can run you over. The quarterback is having an unbelievable season. So it's another matchup for us. We just worked through one in Petty and now we face another one. Week by week we get a really good quarterback.
On what his expectations for the offense is: Everybody's expectations are to score, so you like to score points. But you've got to develop a rhythm. Offense is all about rhythm. We had to develop a rhythm. Like I said, when you're good on offense, it's going to come from your quarterback position. When he has it going, then your offense is going to get going. When you look at the start of the second half, we've got to play well as a total team, not only our offense, but our defense and all three phases need to play well.
On if he looks at the schedule and thinks they may not win another game this season like he did at Louisville one year, before finishing 5-1 over the last six games: No, I haven't. I said to the team I'm not even going to look at it. It's a one game season from here out. I'm not going to look down the road; there is no need. I can't change anything right now. It is what it is, but it's just a one game. Take it game by game. That is the only way you can do it just game by game. Get our guys prepared to just go play and go play to the best of our ability, and that's what we're not getting right now.
On the emotions of the rivalry: The emotions, anytime you're in a rival game set the emotions are going to swing and be high because you split right down the middle. So it's not like it's going to lean one way or the other. So when you send it out on the field, there is always noise in the stadium. I think about the Florida-Georgia game, it's big time. It's a big rivalry game. The great thing about that though, Georgia has to come to Jacksonville to play the game just like they have to come to Dallas, so it's not a very far trip for us. But the record is just set on hold because it doesn't matter who has the best record, because guys are going to play a lot faster. It's going to be a step faster. Even that, you look at the Florida-Florida State game, they're big. They're rival games that are big. You just can't play the game today. You've got to get the players to settle down. Like I said, in those games, the first five minutes it's a blast because you know everybody's coming with what they have, whether it be a trick play or whatever, because somebody's trying to get the momentum early so they'll try to get a quick score, whatever they need to get to get you back on your heels. So we have to be aware, but we have to be smart in how we play and prepare for this game.
On where he needs to start to teach this team how to win: What I do is I just go back to the game and I just show them game tape and show them plays. It's nothing that Baylor did, It's what we did to ourselves. It's not what someone else is doing to you. It's what we're doing to ourselves. You look at the center-quarterback exchange right there; you're on the one foot line. Baylor had nothing to do with that. You look at the blocked field goal. We blocked, Baylor has nothing to do with that. We give up plays on defense. Either we're out of position or somebody didn't get the right check. But it's all about the little things that we do. It's just some minor details, and that's why you can't ever lose your focus in a game. It's play-by-play. If you think about just winning every play, you have to win every play. That's what your whole mindset has to be. You know what happens? If you ever have a let-down, that may be the play that really gets us and you never think about it. They run a fake punt, and that should have never. That could have changed the whole swing of the game, and they run a fake punt because guys who are supposed to go and make sure the ball is punted, they stood on the line of scrimmage and allowed their blockers to come and block us and just wall us off. Punter runs and goes to get the first down, but it's all about the little things. It's all about what we do. It's not what someone else does to us.
On how he has seen his mentors handle games that defined their legacy: Well, it's like you talk about it and the emotion swings of it. But you've got to get your team prepared. In a game like this, just coaching in the games I've coached in, I can remember one year we go play Georgia and they scored on us the opening drive and their whole team celebrated in the end zone. But that changed the whole game because it pissed us off, but our team didn't do anything and nobody responded. The next year we go play them and the first play [Brandon] Spikes knocked [Knowshon] Moreno back and he set the tone. But it's going to be a tone setter. Something's going to happen. The thing is you don't get caught up in the emotion of the game, because you've got to settle down and play the game. A lot of times, if you watch players, they get so caught up in games like this and they get a touchdown and be throwing up over their head. They're sitting there jawing. Don't need to be jawing. Just play the game because it is a special game. Look, at the end of the day, you still have to settle down and play good fundamentals and good technique and let the game take care of itself. If you're a playmaker, you're going to make the plays and the guys need to step up and go make those plays. The real guys need to step up and go make them.
On the process he is going through to instill his values in the team: Somebody asked me a question one time, how do you deal with the modern-day athlete? I said there is nothing modern-day about it. Society changes, but we as people have to be—it was something engrained in us, and something we brought up. We should never change who we are. It's always a foundation. Once you have that foundation it's really what you believe in, then that's the way you should always carry yourself or expect others around you to carry themselves. I always feel like young people are looking for discipline, and they want to see things done the right way. The issues that we've had, our whole football team never once have any of them come to me and said, Coach, we need that person or we don't need that person. Some of them are happy the way it is. I'll say this, not to take away anything that Coach Brown has done here for 16 years. Even what he's done, he's tried to instill the same type of values, and same type of principles, and it hasn't changed. Players sometimes feel like, hey, they want it their way, but it can't be their way. You look at the total thing and watch how it affected everyone. Everybody's a special part of it.
On if he liked what he saw from his offensive line on Saturday: I did and you think about it, I think we may have given up one sack. The one defensive end he broke clean or maybe one or two, not exactly for sure. But we did a really good job of protecting the quarterback. We just wound up releasing the ball. Even with the run game, we know we can get better with the run game. But we've got to open up. Either one phase has to open up the pass game to run that game to get the other one set up. That is what we've got to do. We have to get one phase set up. If we start running the ball well, then our throwing game will open up. If you throw the ball well, then the run game will open.
On if he has seen the right things after the Baylor loss: Yeah, I think some of the players are going the right way. You always put it on the seniors because they've been around here. I look at [Jordan]Hicks, and Hicks is trying to be a leader. Little Malcolm [Brown] at running back is doing a good job. [Steve] Edmond in the middle, [Quandre] Diggs, so you have those guys who are stepping up when they see it happen, and they're becoming more vocal and they're expressing in their mind what needs to be said.
On how important that is going into this game: It's really big. Because when you think about a rival game, it's all about, hey, guys, we've got to get ready to go play. So hearing it from them, because one thing about players is they're going to listen to one another because they're around each other all the time, so they're always talking. Just hearing them communicate to one another I think is really big.
On what it meant to have the Board of Regents vote to support his core values: I didn't know that happened, but you know it's nothing I'm doing -- it's nothing I'm doing that's special. It's just when you think about what's happening sometimes someone needs to make a statement about it. I'm never trying to make it about me. I never want to make it about me. It's about this program, this university and developing young men. We're never in this business to run young men off. We're never here -- only thing I want to see them do is be successful. I want to see them walk out with a degree and walk out winning games. If I get that done, I feel like we've been successful doing what we need to do.
On what his emotions are like going into the rivalry game: Well, just because the footsteps that you're going to be walking in, it's going to be so special because you think about so many head coaches that have made that walk with so many great teams. So the emotion is going to be there. The great thing about it is you're going to take a team in there. You hope you have your team prepared to go play, and you just go watch the game and let it go play out. Just make sure that we're coaching and we have our team prepared. I'm always concerned about that. Hey, did we do everything that needed to be done? Were they told everything? I always say, preparation ends when the kicker's foot hits the ball. So we can coach up to game time just making sure we get it done.
On what his midseason grades are for his team: Oh, God (laughing). Brian wanted that question. Midseason grades, wow. We're sitting here 2-3, midseason grade, oh, wow (laughing). Well, let me say this, I don't know if I can put a letter grade on it, but we'd like to play better. I don't want to put a letter grade on it, but I'd love to see us play better, and we're not playing up to our ability. I think that we can play a lot better than what we're playing, and I tell our guys that. It's nothing that I'm saying now that they haven't heard on Sundays when you walk in there after a game. I look back at that UCLA game, and there is an opportunity right there that we let get away from us. It just wasn't the touchdown pass. There was a punt return, and we had our chance when we had the ball to just do get a first down, get two first downs and the game is over. But we had our opportunities there. Then I look at this game here on Saturday we had our opportunities. We still have a lot of work to do. I don't want to say a letter grade, but I would say this, if it was my letter grade, it probably wouldn't be very good.
On the play of Steve Edmond: Well, the thing Steve does is finish with 17 tackles and a sack. He's getting better and better. You like for him to just be a little more vocal because the way he plays, he plays the game and players all respect him because of the way he plays. You'd like to see him be more vocal, but the game he had Saturday was unbelievable. You're right, between him and Hicks, each and every week we're getting the play out of our linebackers that we need.
On if he has to coach a little different with different players on the defense: Yeah, because with the defense all the time they hear me a little more. It is a little different the way I coach them compared to the offense, because you look at it, and with your quarterback position, you always want him to have confidence, so you don't want to have to tear him down. It's always about building him up. Even with some of the other positions, like I can say whatever I want to Malcolm, the running back, and it doesn't bother him. I can say whatever I want to J. Gray, it doesn't bother him. But with players, you have to know who you can say certain things to so they don't get down on themselves and you're looking to pick them up. It's about knowing your football team and the personality of those guys. You have to be very careful about some of them you approach, some you don't. And hey, come here. It always happens because you're dealing with young people. Some I can yell across the field and yell at them and nothing is said. But some you have to be very careful about because if you yell across, they may yell back. So you better walk towards them and say come over here before you yell across, so you don't get embarrassed. You've got to watch how you tear kids down, because they are fragile. The thing about it is they all want to do it, and we're not getting it done. But they want to do it. It's not that they're trying not to do it. But it's all about being careful about how you approach them. Anytime I talk, I always talk in a whole team concept, so I don't ever like just call one person out. I just talk about the whole team and what we've got to go do better, and hoping that the message is being delivered through the team concept instead of just individually pointing them out.
On what he says to the defense to keep them encouraged: I tell them defensively it's a strength of our team right now. A lot of starters are back. But you know what? I can do this. I can go through a game with our defense and I can just point out things and I can just say this play here. If we hadn't done this, look where we'd be right now. But it's so easy. A lot of times when you watch a game everybody wants to say, hey, the defense is doing great, the offense is doing great or special teams. But at the end of the day, it's all about the team concept. I can go back Saturday, and I did it yesterday in the defensive meeting, I went back there Saturday and said okay, you guys are hearing this. You guys think you played pretty good on defense. Let's put the tape on. I pulled out about five or six plays where we didn't do so well or as well as we thought we did.
On the offense not scoring, how to keep them motivated: Well, I say to the defense, we've got to stop them from scoring. The first one we weren't responsible for, but the next three, we were. So let's go stop them. Because you look at it in the first half, we shut them out, so let's come back the second half and play the same way. We had our opportunities; okay, they fake a punt. So what? We still get the ball, inside move, back to the outside, and we get beat on the wheel route down the pipe, and we allow them to run the ball down the field. But we can get better. We can always find something where we can get better in all three.
Senior RB Malcolm Brown
On what makes this Red River Rivalry different than the last three he played in: It's the last one. Just have to get back here with a W off of these guys. I'm excited for it. I know these guys, teammates are excited for it and Coach is excited for it. It's a good atmosphere going into this week and we're just ready to get to practice and get it done.
On if this is the coolest game they play all year: Yeah, I would say for sure. Every rivalry, it's nothing like it to me.
On what emotions are like going into the game: I think just guys are kind of anxious. I mean, we all know it's an exciting game and we are just anxious to play. We just want to get back out on the field and show what we've got.
On if emotions are heightened or different for this game versus any other one on the schedule during the regular season: Yeah, it is a little bit, but I mean at the same time, it's still the same game. I mean, it's just another team. We've got to come out here, focus on these guys, not worry about anything else and go and it's still the game of football just got to go play.
On how he takes advantage or harnesses the fact that it's a different feeling going into this Saturday than any other Saturday: I mean, for me I've been through it so I know what it's like. I know we can get hyped up a whole lot. This is something that you've got to focus on, just have to take it out of your mind. You've just got to know it's still the game of football and just got to go in and just stay focused throughout the whole week.
On talking to Coach Bedford about his time at the Red River Rivalry: We haven't talked to them about it, but I know those guys, I know they know the feeling. I'm sure they're talking to the other coaches about how this week will go on the outside and on the inside. And I know that they're probably just as excited, if not more excited, as us as a team to just go out and play this game.
On what his frustration level is about not being able to get the running game going: I try not to get too frustrated at all. I am human, so I do get frustrated sometimes, but I definitely keep calm and I keep my mind right to not get frustrated. Just as an offense as a whole, we definitely haven't been playing our part a little bit. But it's something that we have to keep working on. You just have to keep at it. When something isn't going right you just can't give up. You just can't stay down. You just have to keep working.
On what needs to change to get the running game going: Just have to keep our mindset. You have to know it takes work. Not every single play is going to break for 20 yards and 15 yards. Sometimes you just have to grind out those four-yard gains, three-yard gains and keep going at seams.
On if he feels like Johnathan Gray is finally back to 100 percent: Johnathan, he's come along each and every week. And us both, we know that he knows he hasn't been playing as well as he's wanted to play. But it's just something that you have to go in each week and refocus and just keep your mind just on the game and how you playing it, how you're practicing. You just have to, like I said, refocus each and every week. Once one game is over you have to take that out of your mind and go into the next week with a different mindset and try to get better.
On what gives him hope going into this game: Just have to stay confident. I'm always confident in this team. I know the type of players that we have and just looking back on film, I mean, we're always just kind of one person away from making a big play or one thing away from making a big play, if we can get those little details corrected, we can have some big plays on the offensive side of the ball. So that's something that definitely does give me hope.
On Coach Strong and if he appreciates his discipline: Definitely, I mean for myself, for sure, as a player, you want your coach to come in and say this is how things are going to be done and that we'll accomplish this goal that we're trying to achieve. And I mean it's nothing better than having a coach that's straightforward with you. I appreciate it. I think this team has caught a grasp on what Coach Strong wants to do.
On if it helps getting ready for games: For sure, because it's that one set goal and he gives us little things we need to concentrate on, what we need to focus on during practice or trying to go in and watch more film, just little things here and there that will accomplish our main goal.
Senior CB Quandre Diggs
On how special the game is: Oh, it's really special, you know any opportunity to go out and play a rival, big game like this. Even with the way the season is going this year, a game that could just get us going throughout the rest of the year, kind of like it did last year, any opportunity to go out and just compete, go out and have fun with that crowd is going to be amazing. So I think it's a special week. I'm just going to, the team's just going to go out and grind and kind of help my teammates continue to grow.
On if the game last year brings them confidence going into this year: You really can't, you know, just lean on last year, because this is a totally different team, totally different staff. And you never know how things will go. But we always can kind of pull back some things from last year and know that those things work throughout the year and know that it's a chance that you can turn this all around and things can balance your way and you can get the right balance here and there and maybe things go right.
On what he tells younger players to prepare them for this game: I just tell them it's totally different than any other game you've been in. I had a conversation with [freshman safety] Jason Hall yesterday and I just told him it's totally different from everything you've experienced. And you just have to kind of just go out and just try to relax. But the adrenalin is going to be pumping so much that you have to kind of go out there, forget things, really, just go out and play and just feed off the crowd and get your teammates going, too.
On what positive they took from Baylor to help them move into this week: We know we can play a good brand of football. We've been doing that all year. So it's not just defensively, though. We've got to continue to just help those guys on offense and continue to be the big brother out there and just don't point any fingers, just go out and help those guys get better each and every week. I think that's one thing that we have to do as a defense, continue to just help those guys and continue to just be there for them when they need our help.
On if there has been frustration from the defense and how do you squash it: I think we're just frustrated that we're losing. It's not anything -- we don't point any fingers towards the offense because we still gave up 21 points on Saturday. We didn't have to give up those 21 points. So we can't point fingers at anybody. We still have some things we need to correct and get better at, and we just keep everything in the locker room; we just talk about it in there.
On what makes Oklahoma QB Trevor Knight so good: I think you all saw that performance he put on in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. He can make all the throws. He's very athletic. He's a smart quarterback. Knight and [Baylor QB Bryce] Petty are probably the two best quarterbacks in this conference. So it's going to be another great test for us to go out and show what we've got, and I know those guys will be ready to play. And Trevor is a cool dude. I met him up in Dallas at Media Day, and that's also a thing you can like about a quarterback like that.
On if adrenaline was a factor last year to get the upset: Just the better team wins. Whoever prepares the best wins. I guess we prepared better than they did last year. We've got to prepare a lot this year. I know those guys will come out, be ready to play. No doubt about it. Like I said, it's a great rivalry and I'm just proud to be able to play in this game.
Senior WR John Harris
On what the team needs to do to win this week: Just being able to sustain momentum. There's going to be a lot of momentum changes in this game, and just being able to sustain them and being able to play through them. I think that will be the biggest key in this game.
On what his biggest motivating factor is heading into the game Saturday: I'm going back home in front of my hometown. So I've always wanted to play in this game. This will be a fun one for me. So I think that's my biggest motivator, to just to go have fun in front of the people I grew up with. That's what it's all about.
On if other players from the Dallas area are also extra motivated for the OU game: I would say that. You get to go out and show up in front of your high school and in front of all your family and friends that you grew up with. Everybody pays attention to this game in the Dallas area. So, I think it is a big motivator for everybody in that area.
On if his final Red River Rivalry game almost feels like his first because this is the first year he will see extended playing time: Yeah, it does feel almost like my first one. But I'm going to take it, have fun with it and enjoy it and try to make some big plays in this game for our team. So, I mean I'm just going to have fun in this game. That's what this game's all about.
On which OU vs. Texas game he remembers watching the most as a kid: Probably the one back in 2008 whenever Jordan Shipley took that touchdown back down off kickoff. That was probably one of the best games I got to watch personally. It was a fun game to be part of, just watching No. 5 Texas and No. 1 Oklahoma just battle it out in the Cotton Bowl. It almost went down to the last second before you saw anybody lead. I think that was probably my all-time favorite game to watch in the Dallas area and the Cotton Bowl.
On if he thinks the offense can turn the corner this weekend: We're just right there. You can see just little things hurt ourselves on film. The penalties, the fumble at the goal line, and the other penalty I got in the game where we probably could have gone down and scored … So [we need to limit] penalties, and stuff we were self--inflicting on ourselves. We're just right there. We've got to capitalize on it and not make silly mistakes.
On if he thought he should have been flagged for a personal foul after his first-down catch against Baylor: Not really. I was actually kind of in shock when the ref said it was a 15- yard penalty. I pointed to first down. If that's what happened, I just won't do it the next time. I'll just learn from it.
On if he went to the fair a lot as a kid: I went to the fair. They give the kids in the Dallas area tickets whenever you're in elementary school all the way up to high school. The district gives [students] a day off to go to the state fair. It's a fun atmosphere to be around, and a pretty neat deal kids get to experience growing up as a kid in the Dallas area.
On his impressions during his first Red River Rivalry game: It was about everything I expected it to be. I was amazed. The crimson and burnt orange, it's probably one of the best atmospheres in college football.
On what he will tell his teammate that have never been there before: Just that it's going to be a physical game. Those guys, they're not going to have any respect for you. I mean, you're not friends until after that whistle ends at the end of that game. So I just want to tell them just get ready to play, and the guy's going to come out hit you in the mouth, you better be ready for it.
On his emotions heading into the game this year: You know, your emotions are high. You're excited to just play the game. And this one can change a whole season for both those teams. You've seen it in the Big 12, whoever wins this game sometimes somehow finds a way to win the Big 12, no matter how they start off their season. So I think both teams are going to be on edge because they know how much this game means to the rest of their season.
On how he is going to harness his emotions during the game: You know, it's hard. When you get to the game and play through the first five minutes of it until your emotions calm down, just kind of get to the flow of the game and I think everything after that goes the way it needs to go.
On if the OU game is different than every other game on the schedule: This is totally different. This is like big brother against big brother. That game is like a tug of war match. If you don't come to play, you're going to get hit in your mouth. And nobody's going to have any sympathy for you. They're going to talk, run their mouth, both teams will run their mouth and the fans will run their mouth along with them. So it doesn't matter. So if you come to play, you come to play. If you don't, you don't.
On calming Tyrone Swoopes nerves during his first OU game: I don't really even sense it. All I can tell Tyrone is to go out and play, and just know if you can win this game you can win any other game. This is about as big as it gets in the state of Texas. Just don't worry about the nerves, just go out and play your game yourself. Once you get out there your nerves will calm down and just go through the emotions and just play.
On if the team is taking accountability for their mistakes after the loss to Baylor: I think so. I still to this day will take the blame for that. I don't think we did what we needed to do as an offense and as a group on that field to win that ballgame. If somebody has to take accountability for it, I will. I'm one of the leaders on that offense, and we have to step it up and we've got to pick up the pace because our defense is doing a great job and they gave us a chance. They gave us multiple chances in that game to have a chance to win. We're just going to have to play better, and eventually it's going to click. It needs to click this weekend and that's when it needs to happen.
Senior LB Jordan Hicks
On anxiousness to play OU: Yes, it's been two years since I played, so I'm excited. I'm excited to be out there. There's nothing like it.
On emotions this week: I think you just go into it with the mindset that you go into every game with. We've got to have a good week of preparation. We've got to make sure everybody's on the same page, and we've got to go out there and execute. It's what I've been saying every day. Every week I come in here, it's the same thing over and over again. It's the fundamentals of what we have to go out there and prepare and make sure we're ready to go.
On advice for younger players: It's hard. It's hard to put it in words. It's one of those things where you've got to experience it to really believe it and to actually feel the atmosphere. Just tell the young guys don't worry about it, it's just another game. You've got to go out there and just be ready. When your number's called, you have to be ready no matter what the situation is, who you're playing, it's always the same. Know what I'm saying? It's definitely a different feel.
On belief in the defense thanks to different looks given to Baylor's offense [regard to comments from Bryce Petty after Saturday]: We've always believed that. We believe in ourselves. We believe in who we are. We believe in our coaching staff. We don't necessarily have to have somebody else say that for us to believe that. Obviously, we didn't get the job done, and to us that's all that matters. We didn't get the W. And we could have done a lot more, a lot more on the defensive side, to hold them to less points and to get that win for our team.
On defensive effort to instill confidence in offense: They know we're behind them. You've got young guys in there - young offensive line, young quarterback. We've just got to continue to tell them how much we believe in them and just put that confidence in them. It's a matter of making sure that they know that we believe in them, and I think at this point they do.
On OU being hungry to win coming off TCU loss: We wouldn't want it any other way. We want everybody to bring their best against us, and that will help us prove who we truly are to America and to ourselves.
On Trevor Knight: Man, he's elusive. He can put the ball in the air. He can pinpoint it. So we've got to be able to get after him and make him uncomfortable back there. That's going to be key.
On being mad and frustrated going into OU: Absolutely. We're not in a position that we want to be in at all, and I think everybody on the team is frustrated.
Sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes
On taking steps back against Baylor: Yeah, it was frustrating, just because I know I can play a lot better than I did. And I think, like you said, with more experience in just game situations that I'll get a lot better.
On main frustration from Baylor: It's just a lot of little things, just my reactions to some things that were happening. I wish I would have reacted a little bit different, and I just think, like I said just a second ago, with more game situation, experience, I'll get better at doing those kinds of things.
On example of reaction he could handle better: Just when the pocket kind of collapses around me, just stepping up and maybe checking the ball down or throwing it to one of our receivers.
On emotions heading into OU game: I think I'll be pretty excited. Of course, nervous, being a big rivalry game. But I think everybody that's playing will feel the same way I'm feeling, so I just think it's about how we react when the game actually starts.
On his presence at OU last year helping with preparation this season: I honestly don't know. I wouldn't think so because I actually didn't get to play. I think it will help maybe a little bit just me being there last year, actually knowing what the atmosphere is kind of like, but I think it will be a lot different actually being on the field than staying on the sidelines just watching.
On playing nervous against Baylor: I was a little bit nervous. I got hit a little bit, and it made me a little bit nervous. We went back and watched it, and [Coach Watson] just basically told me that it's part of the job description. Sometimes you're going to get hit and you still have to stand there and make a throw and do what you have to do to make the team successful. So after watching it, I think I say the same thing I said the other day. I'll be fine.
On getting him ready from a coaching aspect: I mean, Coach Strong, of course, he's helped me out. I talk to him every once in a while. He'll tell me to have confidence in myself because if I don't have confidence in myself then nobody will. And, of course, Coach Watson, he's just taught me things that I can take to the field, just to help me out during the games and things like that.
On defensive pressure for better offensive effort: I don't think they're pressing. I think those guys just go out there and play hard. That's what Coach Strong and all the defensive coaches have instilled in them - to go out and play hard, and they know we have a young offense and we're doing what we can to help them out. But I, of course, know and feel like we can do a lot more on the offense side. We've just got to execute and do the little things right and we'll be fine.
On what creates confidence going into OU game: Just with the coaching that we have - Coach Watson, Coach Wickline put together a game plan that will bring out our strengths and hopefully bring out the Oklahoma weaknesses. I think they'll get us comfortable and into a rhythm, and we'll go out and play not thinking about what's going on around us and things like that.
On growing as a QB: It's definitely been kind of growing pains. Not just being thrown in, but just going in earlier than I expected. Kind of had to grow a lot faster than I guess a normal starting quarterback would have to. I'm learning and trying to grow as quickly as possible to help the team out.
On reaction from the 99-yard drive resulting in a fumble [what can be taken into OU regard to that play]: When things like that happen, we have to look at the positives. I mean, we started at the opposite one [yard line] and drove it all the way down the field. And in that drive, we had a good balance between the run and the pass. We just have to look at the positives and the situation like that and learn from whatever happened at the end that impeded our progress.
Junior CB Duke Thomas
On if emotions are high heading into the Oklahoma game: Definitely. It's the OU game, a big rivalry game. Everybody is going to expect the best shot out of them and us.
On how he is planning on harnessing his energy on the field Saturday: I just try to continue to play fast and train hard, things of that sort. Knowing this game's going to be a big one, and knowing how tempers flare during this type of competition, [we have to know] that everything matters.
On if slowing down Baylor's powerful offense gives the defense confidence heading into this week: Prior to the [Baylor] game we always felt that way. [We are] always going to be a confident bunch. We understand we need to finish and still eliminate big plays. Those are plays we can still get better at.
On if he was nervous before his first Oklahoma game: Yes, really nervous, honestly. I was a freshman. I got my number called [when] Carrington [Byndom] got hurt. I came to guard Kenny Stills my two plays … I was nervous as a mug. Definitely a big game.
On the atmosphere riding into the stadium on gameday: It's definitely exciting. I love the atmosphere. Like I remember when we played at Ole Miss it was crazy. They're a crazy bunch too. Always fun going there.
On motivation to play hard despite the team's start: I have passion for the game. Love the game. So regardless of the score, I don't play for the scoreboard, I play for myself and my teammates. I'm always going to be out there pushing myself.
On how the team was able to win against OU last season despite being the underdog: Team camaraderie. Everybody pulling together understanding we can't let it happen again. And everybody going out there and playing sound football, getting their job done.
On improving special teams play: Coach is talking about guys just buying in and accepting a role on the team and everybody has to do their thing at 100 percent. Actually, that's where we're at right now. Everybody's going all out, every play, if you're on special teams or not.
On shutting down Oklahoma's explosive quarterback, Trevor Knight: I haven't had the opportunity to watch film yet. But I'm sure Coach will give us a nice game plan, scheme, and figure out what's going on.
On if he is seeing the team come together and gain confidence: I've definitely seen it. I saw it especially this summer … I still see it now. We just need everyone to get on the same page so we can be more successful and pull out wins this season.
Senior S Mykkele Thompson
On emotions: This game is one of the most traditional games rivalry-wise, so the emotions always run high from both teams. You know a lot of players from each team because we grew up with most of them. Whenever you're playing against somebody you know, you're always more pumped than usual.
On motivation from 2013 OU game: It just shows you that it can be done. We've had a couple of years that we haven't performed to what we're able to, and last year just shows us that if we do everything right and execute on the three phases of the game, then we're most likely going to win.
On preparing younger players: I know personally when I first came here, players used to like, used to try to tell me how it was. But you really don't get the feeling until you're actually there. There's only so much you can do about preparing somebody for that type of game. But that's all experience, really.
On harnessing emotions: Personally, you just try to go with the flow. If emotions run high in every game, you're just that type of competitor. You can't try to downplay it because that never really works, so you just have to go with the flow.
On motivation being the underdog: Yes, it does. Like you said, it's the same situation that we were in last year. So we just have to execute, and hopefully we'll have a nice little run like last year.
On last season's OU win: That game was all about execution. We pretty much have the same personnel but different coaches, but all we did was execute our game plan. We just have to carry that over to this year, and we'll be fine.
On adapting to Coach Strong's discipline: Honestly, what Coach Strong is doing is nothing new to most of us. Usually, when kids come to college they want to try to stray away from what they're raised or how they're raised. Coach Strong, all he's trying to do is keep those core values in line and keep us on the right track.
On the defensive performance against Baylor: I feel like the defense performed well, just talking about what numbers Baylor has been putting up. But at the end of the game, we didn't hold them to enough points other than what we scored.
On defensive confidence after Baylor: As a defensive player it shows you what kind of defense we actually have and what we're capable of when we're executing our game plan. Baylor, they're, what, top five in the country with their all-around offense. It just shows you that we're able to do much more than what we've been showing. So it just gives us hope and confidence that we'll be able to do the same thing against OU.
