The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
11.10.2014 | Football
Head coach Charlie Strong and players met with the media
Longhorns Gameweek | Texas-Oklahoma State Preview | Tickets
Head coach Charlie Strong and players met with the media Monday morning to review Saturday's win over West Virginia and preview this week's game at Oklahoma State. The Longhorns travel to Stillwater to take on the Cowboys Saturday at 6:30 p.m., with the game set to be televised on Fox Sports 1. Below are quotes from Strong, senior CB Quandre Diggs, junior OG/C Taylor Doyle, senior WR John Harris, senior DE Cedric Reed and sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes, junior CB Duke Thomas and senior S Mykkele Thompson.
Head coach Charlie Strong
Opening statement: Great team win on Saturday night, and it's just so good to see us come out offensively. We played an unbelievable first half. We had some stumbles there in the second half, but we were able to get us touchdown there late with [Johnathan] Gray making a big run.
And then defensively -- just watch our defense. I was watching Ced[ric] Reed come alive and make hits all over the place. You look at Mykkele Thompson had two big hits, and then the big hit by [Jordan] Hicks where he had the third and fourth down stops. But when you think about it, always put it on the defense. I said in order for us to go win the big games, we've got to go play great defense, and it's good to see our defense step up.
And special teams, we know this, we can get a lot better. We ended up missing a field goal, had some punts that kind of got away from us, but we know we can improve in those areas that can be improved.
Have a big one this Saturday night. It's senior night up in Stillwater, and we know this, we're going to get their best, and we have to be at our best. It's always about our focus and it's all about our preparation. Knowing that we're going into a hostile environment and that we have to play well as a team. It's going to [take] great team chemistry, it's going to [take] great focus. But we know the job we have to go get done, and we have to get it done.
On if Desmond Harrison is redshirting this season: Well, we haven't made a decision on Desmond.
On sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes' progression: Tyrone, we know, it's week by week with him. He's got to get better, and you look to improve, you watch the Oklahoma game, you watch the Iowa State, then you go to K-State and we kind of stumbled, then you get out here on Saturday night against West Virginia. Still, though, with Tyrone we know it's going to be week by week and he has to get better.
But it's so good. That's why I say it's so important that everybody else around him plays well just to lift him up. The way we're running the football right now is taking a lot of pressure off him. If we had to put it solely on his shoulders, I don't know where we would be, and that's why so it's important for everybody else on that offense to play well.
On his excitement following the win on Saturday: You know what happened on Saturday? I came in after a post-game interview and everyone was already in the locker room, coaches, players and everyone, so when I walked up to address the team as I always do after a game, they just all grabbed me and started throwing me around.
First they were throwing me around, then that's when they lifted me up. I told them afterward we only have a two-game winning streak; let's not get carried away. It's not like we won 10 in a row and you're lifting the coach up.
[I wasn't excited] for myself, but [it was exciting] just to see the players, the fun and excitement for them … We hadn't beaten a ranked team here since 2008, and then we haven't put together a back-to-back win this season, it was just more of a relief for them.
Also, to just see that for a few minutes, [it was like] the weight of the world had been lifted off their shoulders and they could just go have fun and joke around and bounce around. Just to have the excitement that we had in that locker room afterwards, it was a lot of fun.
On the offensive lines improved performance against West Virginia: Well, it's a combination [of things], and it's a lot [of things]. They did look pretty good, and it's what Coach Wickline is doing, but also the players. Like I say every week, we're squeezing every ounce we have out because you look at Taylor [Doyle], he played well, Sedrick Flowers played well, and you look at NCAA [Camrhon Hughes], he continues to get better. [Kent] Perk[ins] continues to get better, and then [Marcus] Hutch[ins] is doing a great job.
With that group of guys, it's almost like they're forming a bond … Now they're realizing just how focused and how tight they have to be for everyone to really trust and believe in them, and that's what happened with the running game. Now the running backs are trusting them and believing that they're going to get people out of the way just to give them a seam.
You look at the run that Malcolm [Brown] had, it just opened up, and he probably could have driven a car through there. Now they're trusting and believing in the offensive line. I think at the very beginning they didn't have that feel because you're looking at a group that never started before and you're looking at two running backs that played a lot of football. [The lineman] played behind some really good players, and so now you see it happening and now the trust factor is coming into play.
On the improvements of the running backs through the season: I think it's a lot better, and I think it's gotten a lot better. It's what I was just talking about with the offensive line. I think now they trust their offensive line. Even with [Johnathan] Gray, I think that he was looking at [Jordan] Hicks because Hicks was playing so well and both of them had the same injury. With Hicks playing as well as he's played, now all of a sudden, he felt like now I can put this foot in the ground and I can explode off of it and nothing is going to happen to me.
But then Malcolm has always been one of those downhill runners that runs behind his pads. Even when he took that lick out there on the field, we were out there joking around, but he wanted to get up. He said, I can't lay here, I've got to get up off the field. But it's just the toughness factor that they want to make sure that they have and they want everybody else to see it.
On if he treats Tyrone Swoopes differently now that he has nine starts under his belt: No, what I tell him is, just trust your ability. You have the ability, just trust it and just execute the game plan and just make the throws. Just stand in there. Some of those throws the other night, there was no pressure coming, and he threw the ball like he had somebody in his face. Just stand there, and you're big enough to take a hit. There's nothing going to happen to you even if somebody does come for you.
But you look at the one interception he throws, the one thrown down here on the goal line. Shipley is behind the guy, if he just throws it up over his head, it's a touchdown, and then you look at the one that he overthrows, and just take the time and make the throw. You have the ability, just trust your ability and play within yourself.
On the possible bad weather in Stillwater this weekend and the need for a strong running game: What I tell them is that weather is on both sides of the ball, and we're going to have to move people out of the way and we're going to have to run the football. When we can balance it with run and pass, then we're pretty good on offense. And then when we started the drive out here Saturday, it was just throwing the ball well, running the football well, opening up the holes. But it has to work together, and the run game is very important because when you can run the football, then it's going to be a physical ball game, and that's the statement we want to make.
I tell them we're going to go play the game, so there's nothing much we can do. If it rains or whatever, I don't think it's going to, it may be cold, but they'll be okay. It's only three and a half hours out there, three and a half to four hours.
On preparing the team for Oklahoma State after two wins in a row: No, I've said it [before], we can't get complacent. The thing about it, you're going to hear a lot about this win, don't even worry about it, just brush it off. We've still got to stay the course. We still haven't finished our work. We still have work to get done. We need to continue to work, and I said that one of the worst things that can happen is all of a sudden we start thinking that we're better than what we are. Then you get complacent, you don't feel like we need to get better.
But, watching that tape yesterday was really good. We were able to show what we could have done a lot better and what we should have done. So I think they get the message. But when the leadership of the team takes over, then they'll really get the message.
On opponents chop-blocking junior defensive tackle Malcom Brown and Brown's season overall: Well, that's the only way they can stop him right now. They try to chop him, but even with their chop block, it wasn't effective. They went down low on him, he pushed the guy off and he still ran to the football. But he is having an unbelievable year. You feel him every game, and that's why I told Ced[ric Reed], you ought to credit Malcom with those sacks and make sure that happens.
On the safety, [Hassan] Ridgeway [took] the center and just knocks him back into the end zone, and then we ran a blitz up the edge. Then here comes Ced[ric Reed], just able to beat his guy. If Ridgeway doesn't hit the center like he does, [Reed] probably wouldn't have gone through there because Steve Edmond had to jump over to the backside gap.
But Malcom Brown is having a great year. He's fun to watch, but that's the way he practices. He takes it from practice to the game, and the same thing happens at practice. He's a student -- he's one of those guys that listens. Even during the game he'll come back and say, "Hey, listen, when that guy checks, this is what it is, this is the run play it is. Or when he checks this, this is a pass play." He's always talking and communicating on the sideline. He works, and that's the respect that the players give him because he works so hard
On if he thinks Brown is an All-American: I think he's at an All-American level. The way he's playing, it's amazing. It's fun to watch.
On if he is concerned with Tyrone Swoopes progression the last three games: I don't know if he's leveled off. Everyone around him is getting better, but the players that are playing better around him are players that have played before. You look at our running backs; they've played a lot of football. You think about our defensive front, we finally got Ced[ric Reed] to come on. Everybody was wondering what was wrong with Ced[ric] Reed, then boom, all of a sudden he pops that big one there. It just takes one game.
But you watch [Swoopes], and it's kind of like a roller coaster. You look at Oklahoma and you look at Iowa State, boom, boom. Then we go to Kansas State and the one out here this past week. But it's just the execution factor with him.
And like I said, he's just got to trust his ability and just get the ball in the playmakers' hands. Just make the throw. Don't worry about --it, it doesn't have to be perfect. Guys can go fight for the football, guys can come down with the ball, just make the throw.
On if seniors Dominic Espinosa and Desmond Jackson will participate in senior day or will they return next season: We haven't made that decision. We're just trying to get ready for Oklahoma State here right now, but no, we haven't made that decision.
On if he still asks the team which team we will see every week: I ask them every week. I need to know what we're going to get today. Before that game we had our walk-through on Friday, and then we get there, and I had to talk to them just about their focus. I just thought it was just too much, --not so much talking, but you can know when a team is not really ready. Then I bounced back Saturday morning and gave it to them again. I kind of felt like we'd be ready to go play that one.
On if the Oklahoma State game is a trap game: I just felt like I don't know if we're good enough to say we're a trap for anyone. I think one of the West Virginia coaches made a statement to us, "You know, this is one of those games, this might be a trap game," and I said, when has The University of Texas ever been a trap game for anybody?
I just want to make sure we've got to be ready to play, and it's going to be senior day for them. It's their last home game, and I told our team, they have to go on the road to Baylor and Oklahoma after this, so you're going to get their best effort. We have to be ready to play our best, and it's always about the defense, and we're going to have to go play great defense because if we don't give up the big play and we can just keep that crowd out of the game, then we have a chance.
On the offensive issues in the third quarter of the West Virginia game: Well, you know what happened, it's the stops. Also you have to credit West Virginia because they came in here on third down and they had a high percentage where they were getting people off the field.
I always look at it like this: just as long as we don't turn that football over [we have a chance]. Even though we may not drive it, if we don't turn it over and put [the game] back on the defense to go out there and stop them [I like our chances]. When we have a big lead, even if the offense doesn't score another point, as long as defensively we just go play our best, then we'll be fine.
But what has happened is that you have a team and the guys don't complain. They don't say, let's go offense, or let's go defense or kicking game let's go. They just know their job … I just tell them don't worry about that side of the ball, we'll control that side of the ball, and all three phases play well.
On the lawsuit offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Wickline is facing from his former employer, Oklahoma State: No, it hasn't become an issue. I don't even know if the players know, number one. It's not going to be brought up and it's not a concern. Their concern is go play Oklahoma State because the lawsuit has nothing to do with how we're going to play and where our focus is going to be.
On the defensive performance against West Virginia: You know, just looking at the defensive side of the football, you can just look at some of the hits that we had. Mykkele Thompson had two big ones. Then, like I mentioned earlier, the third and fourth down stops by Hicks making his plays. Then, Ced[ric Reed] coming alive with the pressure. We were really good just giving them different looks by walking into it, just disguising so well, and with the combination coverages on 3rd down.
Then on offense, you look at the first half and how we were able just to balance the run and pass … because when you can run the ball, then you can control the line of scrimmage, and when that happens, then you show your toughness and you're playing a physical game.
On Jordan Hicks' season to this point: What's great for us on defense is you have Hicks, and Hicks is kind of the leader. He lines up everyone, gets everybody in position. I think back when we were playing --the last game, we're down there and they had the ball on the goal line. So, we were in what we call a blue deep coverage where it's a combination man coverage, and so Jordan looks back and we don't have anybody in the middle of the field. So, Dylan [Haines] had to come down, and he thought he was going to be post [route by the receiver] to the outside. Jordan says, "No, no, no, he almost called time-out, but he didn't call time-out." He kind of directed him back to where he needed to get to. So, there's a guy at linebacker telling the secondary where to go. We sat there and watched that play, and just his whole awareness of where he's at in the game [is amazing].
If you watch him, he's always talking and he's getting everyone aligned because he knows [where they should go]. He just knows that, "Now that I'm a senior, I've just got to take this leadership and just go --because the defense right now … has to come from the linebacker position." I said, the leader of the defense has to be at the linebacker position. Don't worry about those guys up front, just let them line up and go play. The linebackers got to get it done, and that's what he's doing now.
On Tyrone Swoopes' confidence level in himself: I think he has to own it himself. If you watch him early, if you watch the first half, he was making those throws. Then it's almost like when he starts the second half, if it doesn't go well, he can't make it. He can't act like it's all on his shoulders that we're not moving the ball on offense. [He can't think], "I've got to go out here and make a great play." No, you don't have to go make a great play, just play within yourself. I don't need a great play, I need a good play. Here on third down, go get a first down. I don't need a home run; I don't need you trying to go for it all. Go put the ball in the first guy's hands because they're there, they're open, just find him.
If the first read isn't there, take the second one. Go take it and don't act like you've got to go for the big one right away. But it's all about his focus and just making sure that, hey, listen, just be patient. It'll happen for you.
On if West Virginia began blitzing a lot in the second half because they did not respect Texas' passing game: No, West Virginia, they just continued to play their defense. That's their style. They play the odd front, so they bring a lot of pressure every snap. That's why we were able to get the big runs early, because they were trying to run their run stunts so we were able to get a hat on them and open up the holes. If you don't fit it right [the opponent can have big plays]. I think that what happened to them. Also, they weren't fitting it right so then they kind of backed off and made us make the mistakes. [They decided to] make us drive the ball instead.
When we play, that's our whole scheme. What we were going to do was make sure that the quarterback [had to beat us]. We were going to put the ball in his hands, and we were going to make sure the wide receivers are not going to beat us, and we're not going to allow them to go run the football up and down the field.
On Cedric Reed's breakout game: You know, every week, we sit in there and I say, "This is Ced Reed's day. It's going to be here." So the defensive staff always laughs. It's okay, it's going to happen. So now you have the big game, and during the game I said to him, "Finally, you came alive. I was wondering when this was going to happen." I told him, "You left two sacks on the field because early, we ran a stunt, and if he just comes on he's going to sack the quarterback, and he kind of hesitates and thinking the fullback is going to kick in." No, just go rush the guy. But it was just so fun to watch him finally explode.
But it was one of those games. He always says, Coach, what's wrong. I said, "Ced, just go play. You worry about too much and you see too much. Just trust your eyes and go play." Then he just finally opened it up, and that was just so fun. I was just so happy for him.
On the strategy in the secondary and Quandre Diggs' performance against West Virginia: What West Virginia did, they just went right and left with their wide receivers. So, what we did with Quandre is we put him on the left side because [Kevin] White always aligns to the right and [Mario] Alford always aligns to the offensive left. We put Duke [Thomas] on --Alford, so Quandre was on our left. Duke was on our right, so it was just -- Quandre is one of those guys that for his size he plays so big and he plays so smart, he can body a guy up. You look at the first play he gets an interference call, then he comes back later in the game and he intercepts that same route. Then he kind of gets another one called down there where I thought the ball was thrown up over him.
He was able to make the plays, and he's one of those guys, he doesn't back down. Guys can talk, he's going to talk right there with them. But he did an unbelievable job, though. [White] caught a lot of balls. But still though, I think it was 25 balls thrown to White. I think that's the number. I don't know how many he caught of the 25, but there was 25 thrown in that direction. He did just a great job of just [accepting] challenge. One thing about Diggs, if you challenge him, he's going to accept it, and he's not going to back down, and he will not run away from it at all. It was just great.
With the [Kansas] State game, we matched up Duke with [Tyler] Lockett because … we had Quandre at the nickel position. A lot of times with the nickel position they had a really good player sitting there, so we wanted to make sure that we had a match-up at the nickel position. But it's a game of match-ups, and if you can find the match-up and you can cover guys, then you have a good chance of going to win the game.
On if the punter competition is still open and if Jaxon Shipley calling for a lot of fair catches: Well, what I did is the first [punt], it got away from [William Russ] and I said, "Let's switch him [out for Michael Davidson]. He put two down on the 1- yard line. But that competition, I open it up each and every week.
[With Shipley], he is, but what's happening, we're not doing a good job with the coverage. Plus … it's about the field position, you have to change it. A lot of those balls [that he is fair catching] are inside the 10 yard line. Some are just hovering around that area, and I don't want to see the ball bounce and all of a sudden it ends up on the 1- or 2- yard line, because offensively I don't want to see us have to drive the ball 99 yards.
[Shipley does [call for a fair catch a lot], but the thing about him, he's so reliable. I told him, I said, "Look, Ship, even if you don't get a return, it would not bother me if you fair caught every one because I know we will get the ball. It won't be a block in the back and … the ball has to come back." I said, I'm just comfortable; just catch that football.
On having former Oklahoma State Cowboy coaches offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Wickline and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford on this Texas staff: Well, you look at Vance, Vance wasn't there very long … He's been to other stops after the Stillwater days. But Joe is the one who just previously came from that coaching staff, so he'll know a lot of those players. It'll be helpful, when we start talking personnel, that he knows the guys and he can help us with the personnel.
On Jaxon Shipley moving into third all-time in school history in catches: You know what it is with him? He's just so reliable. You look at it, he makes the catches, works hard, and never says nothing. That's why I really like him. He doesn't say anything. He goes about his day, he goes about his work, and you just feel him on the football field. Even in practice, you look around and say, hey, where's he at, and all of a sudden he'll make a catch or he'll do something exciting. He is one of those guys that's all about his work ethic. You can just tell that, probably because he follows [in his brother Jordan's footsteps]. A lot of times guys don't like to follow their brother, because there's so much of a comparison made, but I don't think it bothered him one bit, because I think that's what he really wanted to show everybody, hey, I can play, also.
On Tyrone Swoopes wearing a walking boot: It's an ankle tweak, but he'll be fine. He's walking around in a boot. A lot of those guys do it. I don't know why, sometimes it's just for looks. But no, he'll be okay.
On if he has ever seen the same five offensive linemen play nearly every snap before: No, I really haven't. and they have played every snap the last few games. We don't have much we can do about it, but that's why I said we're squeezing every ounce … I've cut down practice a lot, just because I don't want to get them worn down at practice, because I know what we have to do with them that game and I need them fresh for the game. So, I backed away from practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so we can get their legs back and get them some rest.
On Darius James' injury: Darius has a knee issue right now, and I'm not exactly for sure if it's going to be surgery or not, but we'll know here in the next couple of days.
On seniors such as Dominic Espinosa, Desmond Jackson, Jordan Hicks and John Harris possibly earning medical redshirts and earning another senior season: Well, what happens is those guys make that decision themselves about if they want to come back. I think we have to file the paperwork and so many decisions have to be made, but they make that decision if they want to come back. A lot of times when a guy feels like he had a really good year, he wants to go ahead and move on.
On Veteran's Day and how grateful he is for the men and women who fight for our country: Well, it's always a special day, especially for the men and women who fight for this country and what they do. I always tell them, every time I see one in the airport, I walk up and shake his hand and tell him how much we appreciate how much they defend this country and what they do for us.
On if he and Mykkele Thompson's mother are on good terms after he told Thompson to wear contacts for games: I saw Mykkele's mother after the game, and she's like, "Why are you talking about my son's eyes?" And I'm like, "He needs contacts, doesn't he? I'm not really talking about his eyes." I said, that's why he made those two big hits. He was able to see the guy, drove his helmet right through where he should have.
But it's been fun just watching him. It's becoming a joke really on the team also, because the guys are really laughing about it. So how can you not wear contacts if you can't see? But he's getting it right now.
Senior CB Quandre Diggs
On Cedric Reed's success Saturday: It was tremendous. I just saw him out there playing the game and being himself. It started off at the beginning of the game, he was making great plays. I really think he's getting comfortable getting back into what he does best, and that's get after the quarterback, go out and make big plays for this team. He had a tremendous, tremendous game. Big 12 Player of the Week and all the awards, he deserves it. He put pressure on the QB all day, made tons of big plays all day. I'm proud of him, and it's time to get back to work this week.
On Reed's frustration not putting up numbers: I think it's been frustrating, but at the same time I think he's played well. He still causes havoc, still guys double-teaming him, trying to keep him from making those plays, so it's opened up a lot of opportunities for other guys. He's getting back into his own, he's getting back into his groove - better late than never. I think he's just taking it one day at a time, and he continues to have his mind on the things here and now and what he has to do now.
On difficulties adjusting to multiple defensive coaching changes: It's been tough. You know, it's not even the learning part, it's just being close with your coach and knowing his tendencies. It's hard when you have guys that just come in for a bit and you don't really know much about them, don't know what they plan on doing. But at the same time, you've just got to go out and play. We were put in these spots. We've just got to go out and do what we do and just go out and have fun. I really wouldn't change anything because if you change, maybe we wouldn't have these guys right now. I'm just blessed for the opportunity to be able to come back and play for these guys.
On fundamental tackles leading to big hits: Those guys stress fundamentals each and every day. On Tuesdays, we always go over what we have to do during the week, but at the same time it comes back to great tackling and defensive pursuit to the ball. We practice those things each and every day. We do a lot more contact this year than I've done since I've been here. It's definitely paid off, and we've just got to continue to keep it up and go out and tackle well and pursue the ball.
On his efficiency on the money downs against West Virginia: I think we were like 3 for 17, or something like that, on 3rd down. Any time you can hold the offense to something like that, you should win that game. That's something that we preach on. I kind of actually had to talk to the defense about that two weeks ago. It was good that we got to talk about that. I always pull up stuff from the NFL. The NFL guys preach the same things that the coaches are preaching now, but it's good for us to hear now because I think that's everybody's goal is to get to the NFL. If you can preach on those things now and build it into you, it'll always be instilled in you when you get to the next level.
On the senior defensive ends being the hardest working guys on the team: I would think so, but that's expected of us. Those other three guys, they outworked me I'm sure. They do a lot of the dirty work that gets unnoticed. I go out, and I'm just the little guy that continues to stay clean. I'm probably doing the most dancing out of those guys because I'm the least banged up. I appreciate those guys. They definitely push me, and when you can see guys like that, like Cedric [Reed], Malcom [Brown] and Jordan [Hicks] working their tail off each and every day, it just makes me want to grind and continue to push my DBs. I'm the leader of that group and they expect me to go out and grind, just have a great day each and every day at practice and have a great makeup. It's kind of instilled in us now, and it's always been instilled in us that we only have one way to go at DB. We've just got to go out there and lay it on the line and just continue to practice well and show the guys how important it is to us.
On being surprised by the quick bond between the team and the coaches:
No, because the type of guys they are, your personalities can mesh. They let you be yourself. They respect each and every guy by the type of person he is. I think they can relate to everybody just by the way they act. It's important to have that relationship with your coach. We don't take that for granted. I can tell you, I'm about to go sit in those guys' office right now and look at some film. There's things I wasn't able to do my first three years here, and it's something we don't take for granted now. Coach Strong, Coach Moore, Coach Bedford, the whole staff, they're always joking around, and you can just go out and have fun. Even on game day, Coach Bedford is in the huddle joking around. Coach Strong kind of gets a little - he kind of tightens up a little bit when the games come around, but Coach Bedford is going to always be himself - that's being funny and just looking for us to go out and make plays and saying something just to keep us loose in the huddle.
On the bond within the team because of living together during training camp: I think that helped a lot. I think it helped, but I didn't like it. At the same time, it was something that Coach Strong felt was right. As a defense, I think we're extremely close this year. We have guys that have been friends with each other since their freshman year. We had no choice but to be close, and we go out there and we grind together. The dorm stuff, the way we sit in our meeting rooms, the way we can just joke around and be ourselves, and each guy takes criticism from their brother. We lash out in the defensive room. We can be ourselves. We definitely talk trash to each other, and if we feel like something is not right, then we can say that to each other. I think that's what brings us so close. I think a prime example of that showed on Saturday, the way we went out and played, and it showed that we depend on each other. Those guys up front, they eat. The guys in the middle, they do a little bit of everything. Those linebackers, those guys have run responsibilities, then they have pass responsibilities, and at the back end it's just our job just to lock up. We all have those responsibilities that we take accountability for. We don't want to let each other down, I can promise you that. It sucks letting those guys down, and it's not a great feeling letting your brother down at all.
On importance of becoming bowl eligible: I think it's important. I think it's really important for us to get that bowl game, not just for those practices, but it's another opportunity for us just to be around each other for a couple more weeks. You know, it would suck to be done on Thanksgiving. I've busted my tail with these guys for a long time, and I don't want it to end on Thanksgiving. That's what really is pushing me to get to a bowl game because I want the opportunity to spend more time with these guys. As much hard work as we do, we go out and we have fun together and we enjoy these times. Each and every week we look at it and we know the time is counting down, that this team will never be the same because guys are going to leave, guys are going to transfer and things like that. At the same time, we just can't take things for granted. We've just got to know that it's a great opportunity, we're blessed, and we should be thankful for these opportunities.
On previously saying some teammates didn't have passion and whether they've responded: Well, I would hope so. I kind of got some backlash from some people on Twitter about saying that, but at the same time, it was something that motivated my guys. That's what I'm going to do. I'm just going to be myself all the time. If you don't like that, I really don't care because I'm going to speak my mind. I hope it pushed those guys, and I think we came out and we had a great two weeks. Hopefully, we can go out and we can make it a third week, and just go out and play our game.
On urgency to get the sixth win: You have urgency, but at the same time you want to win every game. I go into every Saturday thinking we're going to win every game. I just take it one week at a time. Both games are going to be tough tests for us. We've just got to take it one week at a time.
Junior C Taylor Doyle
On if the team is looking at this game any differently since offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Wickline used to coach at Oklahoma State: We're just looking at this like any other game, planning to get up on it in Stillwater, and we're doing our best to prepare and be ready to play on Saturday.
On if he believes Coach Wickline's knowledge of the Cowboys will help Texas this weekend: Coach Wickline has a lot of history at Oklahoma State, so I imagine he's very familiar with what they do. But I mean, Coach Wickline is familiar with the game. He always puts us in a great position to have success, and this week will be no different.
On the offensive line's progression: Our running backs definitely help us out. We're very fortunate to have the backs we do between Malcolm [Brown] and Johnathan [Gray] and all the other guys. This was our first year starting for all five of us, and so we've come a long way since the first game, and it's been encouraging, but we still know we have a long way to go. We can count on Wickline to get us in the right position, but we just need to continue to grow as a unit.
On if the West Virginia game was the best the line has looked on film: There are still mistakes that need to be corrected, and it doesn't matter how long you play the game, you can always improve. But we are starting to play cleaner football as a unit, and that's exciting. You know, for me individually, I've come a long way as far as identifying fronts and getting our guys in the right place. Going into the season we had Dom[inic] Espinosa who's played a lot of football here and had that down to a science. Having him help me out and really work on identifying fronts and getting our guys in the right place has been a lot of help.
On not being able to substitute very often on the offensive line: [Head coach for Strength & Conditioning] Coach [Pat] Moorer gets us in great position to have success on the field. That's why we put in all the long hours in the off-season to play entire games. You know, it hasn't been any extra pressure knowing that we may be in there the entire game, although we do have younger guys here coming along who can potentially offer us some playing time in the future.
On using momentum from the West Virginia game this weekend against Oklahoma State: You know, this past weekend was a great win, but it's all about preparing this week for our next opponent. We've already celebrated the win. It's all about focusing on Oklahoma State and getting in the right position to be successful.
Senior WR John Harris
On helping Tyrone Swoopes maintain confidence when he is struggling: He's just got to make plays on the ball. That's all you've got to do, just talk to him and communicate a little bit. We've just got to make plays for him when he's struggling like that, just try to get him going a little bit.
On if he saw Swoopes lose focus against West Virginia: Not really. We don't really notice it too much. He probably feels a little under-rested a little bit at times, so that's probably one of the things. Other than that, we don't really see anything different than I see every day.
On seniors speaking up and talking to Swoopes in the huddle: We don't necessarily do it in the huddle. If we feel like there's something that needs to be said, we'll say it on the sideline. More than anything, we all tell each other in the huddle, hey, it's time to get going, we need to get going and get some points on the board. That's the level that we play to, or I mean, that we think that we need when we communicate with each other.
On Joe Wickline's insider knowledge of Oklahoma State [regard to previously coaching at OSU]: I think he'll be a huge asset. He just came from there last year. He knows the guys that are on the defensive side pretty well. There's still guys that were there when he was there. I think we're going to rely on him a lot, take his input on what we need to do and how we need to go out and get this win.
On coming back next year: I don't know. I haven't even thought about that at this point in time. I couldn't tell you.
On motivation to beat OSU because of last season's loss: Nobody is worried about what they did last year. I mean, that's not our main focus. Our main focus is going out and getting a sixth win in Stillwater. It's a great atmosphere, a great place to play, so our main focus isn't about revenge. It's about just going to get a win and getting bowl eligible.
On being one game away from bowl eligibility: Of course you want it more so. We kind of already want to know where we're going to go. We want to get to a bowl game, and that's our goal. We're going to go out this week with focus and get to a bowl game.
On if it felt good to get back-to-back wins: Oh, yeah, of course, especially against a good team. We finally proved that we can beat a legitimate team. That was a good thing for us. We wanted to celebrate. We wanted to enjoy it. We don't really get a lot of wins like this. For us, we just wanted to enjoy it and get another one and just keep moving and finish up the season.
On Mykkele Thompson wearing glasses: I don't ever notice it, but Quandre and them probably give him a hard time. He's just Mykkele to us; we don't really ever notice a different.
On the running game: It's just fun watching those guys finally get the breakout games that they've been wanting. Watching J-Gray out there, he made that move, and then reaching for the end zone. That's something that we saw last year. And Malcolm running and taking those big hits and just moving the pile down the field. It was just fun watching them move the ball up and down the field. I'm always looking for an extra block whenever one of those guys gets open. Those DBs love to peel back on us, so why not get you a lick back on them whenever you get a chance?
On lifting Coach Strong after the West Virginia win: I really wasn't part of the lifting team. I was more part of the watching team. I didn't really know what was going on at first, and then you just kind of see him getting lifted up, and more and more. I was actually trying to see if he was going to hit that Longhorn in there in our locker room. I thought that would have been pretty funny if he would have hit it. But it was fun to see. That's pretty cool. You don't really see too many coaches get lifted up by their players, so that just shows the level of respect we have for him and just how much of a player's coach he is.
On healthy competition with the running game: Yeah, it's a healthy competition. I get a little jealous at times watching. No, just kidding. It's always a healthy competition, but I think it's a good one, too, at the same time. When you can balance the run and the pass that means good things are working for your offense, and that means they have to figure out which one do they want to stop and they have to pick one for the day.
On what getting a win against OSU will come down to: I think it's going to come down to all of it - a sense of urgency, a catch, a big play. It could be a little detail here and there, a holding penalty. It could be anything. This is going to be two teams that are going to come out and fight, and it's going to be a physical match. We know they're trying to fight to get to a bowl game, and after us it'll be pretty difficult. Same thing for us; we have to face TCU after that. We know it's going to be a dogfight, and we're just going to come out and give it everything we've got.
On Saturday's winter weather forecast: I'm not worried about it too much. You can't really worry about it. You've just got to try to keep your hands warm as much as possible. You've got to do what you've got to do. At the next level, you've got to do it. What a great game to go out and show that you can catch the ball in the cold.
On the weather during last season's game against Baylor: I think we kind of got worried about the cold a little bit, and I think that kind of hurt us, too. You saw it all over the field. You could see it in the run game, you could see it in the pass game, but with Coach Strong, he doesn't really play too much with the cold. He could care less about it. Whatever gets us going - we're going to have to find something to get us going to stay warm, and we're going to have to find something to motivate us to get through this weather and win.
On wearing anything extra: I'll have gloves on, that's for sure. That ball is probably going to feel like a rock.
Senior DE Cedric Reed
On what he did to prepare for the game: I really didn't do anything differently. You know, I probably practiced harder that week, I don't know. But Coach Bedford, he drew up some great plays. We already knew what they were going to do offensively, offensive line-wise. Sometimes they just gave me a sack, honestly. I've got to be truthful. The ball fell right in my hands. But that's about it, man. It's just a great scheme we had going.
On overcoming the outcomes of the season so far: It's been hard. It's been frustrating because me personally, I think I can do a lot better. It's just been hard, just playing and hearing all the negativity after you had so much positive stuff from last year. But you know, you've just got to keep grinding sometimes. Sometimes you're going to have just slumps in any career you do, and you've just got to keep pushing through it. You're going to get through it.
On how it felt to finally show up: It was fun, man. First of all, it was fun to win a game against a ranked opponent since I don't know when. I think it's like 2008 or something I saw. But yeah, it was fun. I definitely felt like a monkey was off my back in that game. It was just a great feeling.
On getting to play with the talent on defense: It's fun. Man, honestly, it makes my job a lot easier, having guys like Hassan [Ridgeway] , Malcom [Brown], Steve [Edmond] and] Jordan [Hicks] on the back end. They're going to clean up anything we mess up on. It makes all of our jobs easier. It takes some of the double teams off, opens up wide gaps and confuses the offensive line. Any little thing like that, just from having great teammates around you, and it just all kind of fell into place against West Virginia.
On if he feels like the defense is some of the hardest workers on the team: Yeah, I work hard every practice, I go hard. That's one thing [Assistant Head Coach for Defense] Coach [Chris] Rumph, he taught us when he got here, don't ever let anybody call you not a hard worker or call you lazy or something like that. He hates that term, and that's one thing he incorporated when he first got here.
On how much Charlie Strong's positivity and encouragement has helped him: It helps me stay focused. You know, just knowing that your head coach still backs you even when you're kind of down in numbers and stuff like that, it's very--it's just very uplifting to know that he's still got your back and he's still knowing that you can do it. Like I said, it's a great feeling.
On what's at stake for both teams: There's a lot at stake. Both of us are 5-5, both kind of have like must-win games to get into bowl season. It's a must-win game for both teams. Both teams are going to come out and give their best shot and best effort. For us we've just got to contain those guys. They run that spread offense and they've got a great -- they've got some great guys that can burst it open. We've just got to contain everybody, man. It's going to be a fun game to play in, and it's going to be a fun game to watch.
Sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes
On wearing a boot on campus: Yeah, it's nothing serious, nothing that's going to hold me out or anything like that. I'll be fine.
On when he tweaked his ankle during the game: I think it was sometime in the third quarter. Somebody fell on it wrong - nothing serious.
On not trying to do too much and play within himself: It's just kind of hard because everybody wants to make big plays. I've just got to manage the offense and not try to do too much because we've got a great defense. Coach Strong always puts the pressure on them and they always perform. I feel like that's something I've got to work on.
On help from the running backs: It helps a lot because most of the game, I can just hand it off to them and let them do all the work. It takes a lot of pressure off of me and the offensive line and the receivers when they run the way they did this weekend.
On becoming a verbal leader: It's just something that I feel like you've got to do when you come into a leadership role. It's something that I've been slowly working on, trying to get better at.
On what he needs to work on moving forward: You just watch [film], and it's little things. It's nothing really major, just little things that I have control over that I just need to work on and get better at.
On frustration from Saturday's good: It's frustrating because you want to play well all the time, but really at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much or how good or bad I played, as long as we won. It really doesn't matter to me. I've just got to learn from it and get better.
On preparing differently for potential snow in Oklahoma: I have not ever played in the snow, and I think I've just got to focus a little bit more and not worry about the cold. Both teams are going to be out there playing in it, so we're both going to have to deal with it. We've just got to focus more.
On being on the sidelines during last season's game against Baylor [regard to the weather]: It didn't really affect anything. It was just cold. We've got equipment, hand warmers and things like that, that'll help us. I feel like we'll be fine on Saturday.
On if he's more of a game manager of a playmaker at this point in his career: I feel like at this point I'm just more of a manager, just managing things, not really trying to worry about the big plays. I'm just managing things and doing what we've got to do to produce and take pressure off our defense.
Junior CB Duke Thomas
On the defensive effort against West Virginia: I just feel we executed better on third down. Ever since Coach [Strong] has been telling us about money down, all week we've been talking getting up the field. Even the NFL, they talk about money down and stuff like that. We definitely tried to come out this week and made sure that third down was our down to make a play and not let them convert.
On what Cedric Reed did to build up to the best game he's had this season: Honestly, I don't know. He went out there and just balled. He came out after the game having 100 production points or something like that, something crazy. But definitely playing like that, we all need to make that contagious because he played amazing.
On Saturday's winter weather forecast: Personally, weather doesn't affect me. I'll still be out there sleeveless, so regardless of what temperature it is, I'll be ready to play.
On the team preparing differently for winter weather: I feel like it's all just a mentality. Regardless of what the temperature is, like I said, I'm going to be out there ready to play. I'm going to make sure all my guys are out there the same way.
On what Saturday's game will come down to: Preparation, for sure, and execution, just like any other game. Everybody is going to come out there fired up, and they're trying to get their sixth win just like us. We're going to go out there ready to play.
On what he sees in OSU: Oklahoma State has always been explosive, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to see the same thing coming into this game. Playing up there at Oklahoma - I remember playing my freshman year, a very hostile environment and guys are going to get after you. Their fans are very into the game, and we can't let that affect us. We've got to take the crowd out of the game.
Senior S Mykkele Thompson
On the defense: The whole defense, we're just playing with a lot of confidence. That's what you need - just flying around. We missed a couple of tackles, but still, there was somebody to make the tackle after that, so that's all you want. The defense will be flying around, and like you said, knowing their fundamentals and doing their assignments.
On Cedric Reed: He finally showed up. I don't know what [Assistant Head Coach for Defense/Defensive Line Coach Chris] Coach Rumph said to him, I don't know what he ate for breakfast or something like that, but whatever it is, he has to keep on doing it.
On Reed having a breakout game: I'm proud of him. Seeing how the whole season has been going for him so far, I know he's feeling pretty good about it. He's having a sigh of relief to actually have a game that he can be proud of.
On seeing a change in Reed's personality: I didn't see a change personally, but I'm pretty sure other people could say otherwise, but I didn't see a change.
On having two big hits against West Virginia: I'm pretty sure y'all didn't think I had it in me, and I didn't know I had it in me, either. It's a good feeling to finally get a couple good licks in.
On playing with a talented defense: I love playing next to the guys that I do. We have some great guys. Even on offense, but mainly defense, just being around them. I don't want to sound cliché, but it's like a brotherhood, it really is. We all care about each other, and when you know somebody actually cares about you on the field, it makes you want to play even harder.
On when the defense's relationship developed: I feel like we've always been close. Certain things have brought us closer.
On examples of what things brought the defense closer together: I don't want to give Coach Strong any credit, but I guess moving us into dorms for the little duration that he had us in there, just having us around each other more. I don't want to give him too much credit. He'll blow it up.
On if Oklahoma State's offense will be hard to go through: I wouldn't know. We haven't watched them yet. But I know -- I've seen a couple stats on them and their offense is based on the big plays and chunk yardages. That's all I know.
On the multiple goal line stands against West Virginia: That just shows what we're capable of when the defense actually comes out and plays. Like you said, it's all about pride, and we're very prideful. You can tell by the last play of the game by Quandre [Diggs] and Jason Hall not letting the receiver into the end zone on the last second. Most teams would just let them score even though the game is over, but it just shows you we have a lot of pride, and we take that seriously.
