Tuesday Football Press Conference

Head Coach Bob Stoops
On Bedlam
“We have a big game coming up with Oklahoma State. They are our in-state rival and team that has gone 7-1. The great thing about this game is the winner of it really puts themselves in a strong position for the Big 12 South race and an opportunity to win a Big 12 Championship. That's what we realize, being 8-0 and undefeated in the conference, we're pushing for that. We recognize that Oklahoma State is a strong challenge here at home. We like the fact of the importance of the game and what it means. Our players and coaches are excited about the opportunity to compete in our stadium with the whole country watching. ESPN College Gameday is going to be here. It's a big game and we recognize it that way.

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Sooner Gameday Central

On Oklahoma State
“They're a strong team. Their balance on offense is well talked about with Bell, Fields and Woods. They have good balance and do a good job checking plays and getting into one or the other. Defensively, they are very sound structurally. They are disciplined in how they play and pick their times when they want to come after you. Hopefully, this year we can coach a little bit better, give ourselves a better opportunity to win and I believe our players will play a little better as well. We're looking forward to it and it will be exciting here on Saturday.”

On Sooners' level of play
“I believe we are playing a stronger level now than we have in the last three years, defensively and offensively. We have to make sure that happens again this week. We've been strong against the run with everybody. We're structurally playing in a better way. We're taking away the run game and big plays through eight games. That will be a strong point in this game.”

How big is this game for the state of Oklahoma?
“I think it's great. You look at all the attention for this game across the country and with all it brings. It's great for the state. I don't know how it could be anything but that.”

On differences in the OU defense
“What's different is the way we have played through eight games. We've played at a better level and haven't given up big plays. I believe the structure of our defense is built a little bit different this year. The way we're playing, with deeper routes. The way we're playing indicates that.”

On playing game this weekend vs. Thanksgiving weekend
“You can't argue with our reasons. The attention is here. I don't know why that week is any better. We're getting ESPN College Gameday this week. It's great with the whole country watching. The last three years we have been looking at the Big 12 Championship, two years we already had it locked up. If that were the case and we already had the games finished up, you could practice three days and let the players go home to be with their families. It still allows them to come back and have a full week of practice before the Big 12 Championship game and have extra preparation for whomever you're going to play. How can that not be good? There are sound reasons and the attention is still there for this game.”

QB Jason White
On Bedlam
“I'm excited. It's the first bedlam game I get to play in. It's always a big challenge, and I'm excited for the competition.”

On Oklahoma State's Defense
“They're very good defensively. They do a lot of things that we've seen this year. They're very sound. One thing that sticks out about their defense is they make their assignments. When everyone is working on the same page, it makes a pretty good defense.”

On intensity at practice
“I think the intensity is up this week, just in the fact that it's a big game. Everyone on the team gets excited for big games. We can't wait until Saturday and we wish the game was tomorrow. I think everyone's intensity level is up because they're excited to play and know it's going to be a big game.”

On being from the state of Oklahoma
“It's an in-state rivalry, but it's also a stepping stone to our goal at the end of the season. I think that is what matters to everyone on the team, regardless of where you are from or where you grew up. It's the stepping stone to one of our goals and we have to step through it.”

On playing OSU on home field
“You're always happy for home games. The fans here are great and they always have been. Anytime you're at home, you're excited to play.”

On OSU showing lack of respect toward OU
“No, I don't believe they're showing a lack of respect. They have all the confidence in the world. They've beat us the last couple years and why wouldn't they have complete confidence. I think they respect us, just as much as we respect them.”

WR Mark Clayton
On the mindset going into the OSU game
It's just about playing the game like we've been playing games all season.

On his role in the offense
I feel the same as the beginning of the season. Me, Brandon Jones, Will Peoples -- the juniors and seniors in the receiving corps need to be examples for Jejuan (Rankins) and Travis (Wilson).

On Oklahoma's offense
Just being able to focus in and execute on offense. Knowing that we were a team that's been known for defense -- everyone thinks that Oklahoma was all about the defense. Offense - they're realizing it's dominant. We took the initiative -- winter, spring and summer to come out and work hard to be able to be successful on the offensive side of the ball.

On what needs to be done to beat OSU
Execute and don't leave plays on the field. We know that we're not perfect, and we know we're not gonna make every play in the game.

On the big 4th down play against Colorado
I just go in with what the play is called and do what I'm supposed to do and that's it. I mean, anybody in our receiving corps is capable of making that play.

On making yards after the carry
It is just like a reaction -- you catch the ball and turn around and look up field and see what you can see and try to maximize the catch.

C Vince Carter
On being successful against OSU
We need to give Jason time, let him step in there and make his shots in the passing game and give Renaldo (Works), Kejuan (Jones) and Donta (Hickson) and those guys those creases in the run game.

On the importance of the OSU game
It's a big game. Not only is it another hurdle that we have to get over towards our goals, but it's for a chance to play for the Big 12 Championship.

On OSU defeating OU the last two years
Shocked, I was real shocked. I mean just them coming in and being under .500, and not even ranked and they come in and pretty much kick our butt up and down the field -- it was a shock for me. Last year was pretty much the same scenario. We go to their house and they dominate us from the first kickoff till the end of the fourth quarter. It was pretty much a one-sided game. Going back and looking at the film -- it was ugly. I didn't even remember it being that bad, but it was that bad. Instead of taking that revenge approach to the game, we're just going at it as just another game towards our goals and winning the Big 12 South and winning the Big 12 Championship.

P Blake Ferguson
On never beating OSU
I haven't -- and I don't know if it's more of a drive to do that now just to beat them, but we're ready to go out there on Saturday. Our confidence is high and we're expecting to win the game -- not in an arrogant way but in a confident way and hope the best team wins on Saturday.

Is the team looking forward to OSU?
For me, you could almost say that after that buzzer went off in the fourth quarter last year. This year, ever since the season started, it's just one game at a time and so right after that buzzer went off in the fourth quarter in Colorado it was just Oklahoma State.

DT Tommy Harris
On Tatum Bell
It really doesn't matter what kind of running back comes in or what kind of quarterback comes in or anything like that. It is a team coming in on our turf and trying to take a win. I really don't care who we play -- just that our focus level is that anyone who comes in on our turf has to be defeated.

On never beating OSU
I haven't beat them in two years. I'm looking forward to playing them this Saturday. It's a little different than the last two years. We went against a team whose record did not stand out like they do this year and our mentality levels were not where they were supposed to be. They're a team that is highly respected -- they're 7-1 and we're 8-0 -- both teams coming in with awesome records and just looking forward to Saturday and being ready to play. That's what we're doing and gearing ourselves up for.

On being intimidating
We don't intimidate any team we play. I believe that every team comes in looking to play the No. 1 team in the nation. We don't intimidate any team we play. I believe that we're respected. Oklahoma State -- I have great respect for them and we will see how we play Saturday against them and hopefully after the game we will have their respect.

On Mark Clayton
I'm glad he is on my team. Mark Clayton is a heck of a player, tremendous speed, quickness, smarts. That's the main thing that anybody notices when you're watching Mark Clayton. He knows the field. He knows who is around him and he's just an awesome player. He's a guy that contributes so much to our offense and our team as a whole.

On which is a bigger game, OSU or Texas
Really, to me every game is a war because we need each win to get to where we need to be as a team. It doesn't matter, every team we play against I'm looking for a win. Oklahoma State is coming in and trying to take what we have and I believe we have to do everything in our power to withstand them.

LB Teddy Lehman
On not playing just for revenge
Coach Stoops always tells us you can't expect to win a game just by being mad. You still gotta prepare, you gotta be focused. We had a good Monday practice and everyone understands what is ahead of us and what it's going to take to win.

Comparing the defense from last year's OSU game
We have a lot of guys that have been in the program a year longer, just playing together longer and being more sure of ourselves and what we're doing as a team. We have our best playmakers on the field.

On how the defensive line play has helped the other positions
We can just drop everyone out and be real sound against the pass. It helps DB's, helps the linebackers.

On wanting to beat OSU
Well, I mean, we always want to beat Oklahoma State. It's a huge rivalry. Its not about revenge -- that alone can't win a game for you. You gotta focus, you gotta prepare. We have our mind set on what we need to do.

On respecting OSU
They're 7-1, they're as good as we have seen them in the last couple years. They have a lot of great players and they have a lot of threats.

On getting to the Big 12 Championship
We come into every game trying to prepare right and get focused right and do what we have to do to win. If we do that -- then we give ourselves a good chance to be there.

On the importance of the OSU game
This year I think it's the biggest game of the year by far. They're a Top 15 team along with us. It's huge for who is going to win the Big 12 South plus there's the in-state bragging rights. Everything involved makes this as big as I have seen it in a long time.

On defending Rashaun Woods
You don't change your defense around at all just for one guy. But you definitely are aware of where he is on the field, try to contain him, try to match one of your good players up with him. There are a lot of different things you can do. They do a great job of getting him the ball and checking passes at the line of scrimmage when they read coverages so it's gonna be a challenge for us.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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