Texas A&M Game Football Press Conference

Head Coach Bob Stoops

On Texas A&M
Last season, I believe we were 8-0 -- undefeated, No. 1 in the country. Virtually the same Texas A&M group of players came out a year a go and beat us there. Our guys are fully aware of that, we understand it. They have excellent talent, good players -- they have a new coaching system and all of those guys have a great track record and success -- Coach Franchione and his staff.

So, we understand that we have to be on top of our game and ready to play to continue to put ourselves in a position to win a championship. Again, that is what we focus on here at Oklahoma and that is what we will continue to focus on and continue to pursue. Again, we need to be on top of our game and to continue to put ourselves in a position to win a championship.

Press Conference Photos | Stoops Video (O-Zone)

On keeping the team focused with all the media attention and comments about being "invincible"
There is a better maturity to this team overall then maybe any team that we've had here. They have watched other teams with that said about them and lose. They can reflect back to a year ago and people were complimenting them too much and again we're 8-0 and go to Texas A&M and they beat us. They don't forget those things, they understand that they have to earn it every week. It is not all that difficult, they're bright guys and we get to be around them every day to talk to them about what we're after. They know it and I like the fact that they are hungry. They want it and they like to play well so I believe they will continue to push for it.

On Dan Cody stepping up this year
He has in a big way and that's through maturity, through experience, through gaining a little more strength and speed. Dan is a great worker and has really put himself in position where he is a great physical specimen -- the way he runs and the strength he has. What I love about him this year is how he has picked up his intensity and his leadership. He is really playing in a tenacious way --really all season. It isn't like he just did it this week. He has become a strong leader on our team.

On Renaldo Works being out for the Texas A&M game
Renaldo is a captain. He is one of my favorite players on this team because of his work ethic, his commitment to the team -- everything that he does. He is an important part of this team but we have had other guys that have played a lot and have been successful for us and those guys are gonna have to step it up and make big plays. I believe they are all capable of it. Hopefully, there will be no drop off in the running game. There will just be different guys doing it.

On the Texas A&M game plan
It involves some of what they did last year at Alabama. Some of it is tailored to (Reggie) McNeal and his running ability so you see some of the plays that we've seen from Missouri and Texas where the quarterback is able to run a little bit. You have to deal with those plays that are a little different from what they were doing at Alabama. Fortunately we have a good number of games to look at. That is something too that we have worked on defending this year (the quarterback scramble).

On where to focus on improving
Each game is different. There are different schemes defensively and offensively that you have to be prepared for every week and this week is no different. We can improve in a lot of areas, that's what we're constantly pushing for and that's what we're going to try and do this week. We were just off an inch or two of hitting maybe two, three other big passing plays a week ago that we would like to hit. Defensively, we gave up one run the entire day and would like to take that away. There is always something to look at. We had one kickoff that went to the 35-yard line, should of went to the 20 or 15.

On Kejuan Jones bouncing back from a two-carry game
He's done well. He's realized not to take anything for granted. Here, you earn your way all the time -- every week with the way you play. I think he is more focused and determined maybe then he was at that time. He can speak to that better then me, but I like the way he is working and the way he is playing. Kejuan has a lot of toughness and attitude. I'm sure he will rise up and realize the importance of his play this week -- he and Donta (Hickson) -- and be strong in taking care of the ball and making some plays for us.

On the offense finally becoming what he imagined since he first got the job at OU
Yes, but I realized coming in that everything doesn't happen overnight. It would take some time to build it. We didn't have maybe at that time the offensive line and the backs to beat people up and run the football -- to be physical and to create yards. At the time when we got the job -- I don't want to insult any of the guys that were here but we didn't have any established quarterback and I'm being kind. The way we started, I don't think anyone can argue that it was the best way to approach it. We felt we would win more games throwing it around and we could recruit quarterbacks and get receivers and start there and build to this.

On defending Reggie McNeal
It is similar to other challenges that we have had with other quarterbacks who have that ability to throw and run. We did not do a very good job a year ago. He made a lot of big plays that beat us -- throwing the football primarily -- but also did some running to keep some drives going. It will be a big challenge for us again this year to be in better position, to take away the deep passes and to contain him when he pulls the ball down.

On the team's personality and character
I sense they're more focused, very similar to the 2000 year. They're more focused and determined in their approach -- more rounded I believe. They have a great sense of humility and respect for one another which you like as a coach. They're not all shot in the rear-end about themselves -- they understand and are hungry that there's more out there. They have a good sense of that -- the way they practice and the way they come to meetings which is very positive. I also believe overall we're more talented then we've been. The last couple of years, everyone has wanted to put us up and you know we weren't quite good enough in the last couple of years. I believe we're better overall this year but you still have to prove it every week.

On the energy of the crowd
That's what you want. When you have 84-85,000 people here -- they need to impact the game. I appreciate that people got off their seats and jumped in and helped. It creates emotion and creates excitement -- players can't help but feel it and it can at times bother the opposition when they're trying to communicate, talk and signal. That is what you want at home.

DB Brandon Shelby

On the defensive line against OSU
Dan Cody set the tone early on in the game when he sacked Fields and caused that fumble. I think that is what good defense does, they set the tone and let the opposing team know that we're gonna play for sixty minutes and that we're gonna play to 180% of our ability.

On putting pressure on the quarterback
When you have guys like Dusty Dvoracek, Tommy Harris and Dan Cody -- the offense keys on those guys and lanes definitely open up and that allows me to do what I do. They're just doing a great job and you just have to tip your hats off to them.

On the difference between this years defense and last years
We know our defense has to be at our bests every week. Each person has there own separate responsibilities. Last year at times we had mental breakdowns, I mean you look at some of the games we would be playing great the whole game and two breakdowns and teams would have a 75-85 yard touchdown.

On how the A&M offense has changed from last year
Since they are the old coaching staff from Alabama they still do a lot of things that they did at Alabama. They do a lot of boots and try to get that quarterback out there since he has great wheels and the ability to scramble. He can move around and get the ball down the field. We just have to go out there and contain him -- stay in our rush lanes and not allow him to take the game to us but for us to take the game to them.

On having played a Dennis Franchione team (Alabama) last year
It definitely helps because we get to see what he likes to do and the plays he likes to call. Really, it just comes down to playing on Saturday afternoon and executing.

RB Kejuan Jones

On the two-carry game against OSU
It was one of those times that was a motivating test for me. I took it as a challenge and stepped up. That just goes to show you that we have a lot of talented running backs here. If you slack off you will be left behind and I didn't want to be left behind so I had to pick it up.

On Texas A&M
It's gonna be a big challenge for me and Donta (Hickson) to step up because Renaldo (Works) is a big part of our offense and its going to be hard to pick up where he left off.

On payback for last year
Oh yeah, we know this is a big game for us because going into this same game last year we were undefeated and everyone was telling us "you guys can't be beat, you guys can't be beat" but we know we can be beat because these guys did it last year. We're going down the same road so it is a little payback and we're gonna be working hard just like we did for O-State.

On ignoring the hype
Just the past couple of years we have been in the same situation preparing ourselves to win the Big 12 South and slipping up just one game or two. Our goals this year are to win the Big 12 South and the Big 12 Championship and we know we can't do that unless we win all our games.

LB Gayron Allen

On being ready to play week after week
We come out each week and try to keep the intensity and focus up. Individually, it's the same: just try to be prepared and focused.

On Texas A&M
They're a good team and we have to come out focused and play our game.

On Reggie McNeal
We're gonna have to tighten down a little bit. When we drop back in coverage we have to be able to come back so he doesn't get out in the open field and make big plays.

On not losing focus
We're gonna keep the same focus and we're gonna prepare the same just as we do for Texas and O-State or anybody. We're gonna prepare for Texas A&M.

On how to improve from the Oklahoma State game
We did have a couple of breakdowns, there were some areas they could of got us in but didn't take advantage of. We just want to be consistent as a defense. We want to be fundamentally sound, that is how we play defense here and that is how we want to play this week.

On the crowd
The crowd was fantastic. They were loud. I mean, they played a factor in the game. They were great.

DE Dan Cody

Comparing the 2000 team and this year's team
I think one of the biggest similarities is how good everyone gets along. Obviously, there is always going to be cliques on a team but you can ask anybody: everybody knows everybody on a real personal level. I think that helps when you're out there playing. Somebody that you look at in the locker room and is one of your close friends and you're out there playing together too. It's just like you're going into battle together and he doesn't want to let you down and you don't want to let him down. I think that is the biggest similarity because there was a lot of love on that team (in 2000). There is a difference in the fact that the last two seasons we have gone through all these games together and have had some bad tastes in our mouths the last couple years and we don't want it to slip through our fingers this year.

On getting payback on Texas A&M
The way we play ball around here is not about getting back at anybody. A&M is another obstacle in our way. We want to win the Big 12 South to put us in a position to play in the Big 12 Championship. This is just another one of those games, that is how we're looking at it and that's how we looked at the Oklahoma State game -- that is how we looked at every game this season. We definitely have established that now. The way we do business around here is to come in prepared to win a game because that is part of getting to where we want to get.

On the team being called "invincible"
I don't think there is anybody on this team that thinks we're invincible. A lot of people might say that but nobody comes out of the locker room talking about how good we are. We know we're a good team, we're ranked No. 1 and we're in a great position to do some of the things we want to do. Nobody sits around and says we are invincible because we know we're not. We have been exploited on defense a number of times this season. One of those times was against Texas with a running quarterback. Fortunately, we had a cushion there in terms of how we were playing from the get-go. Vince Young exploited our defense and Reggie McNeal is no different. We know we're not invincible and need to come out prepared to play if we want to contain this guy.

On how far he has come since he first came to OU
I have come a long way I believe, a long way in many aspects of my life -- not just football. One thing that I have come to learn is how special it is to be in the shoes we're in now, to be a part of this. I think a lot of the times guys -- and I'm no exception -- don't realize how special this is. I always tell myself to take advantage of it so in a few years down the road I won't have any regrets with what I did and how I performed.

On the OSU victory
That was a big hump for us and a big game for a number of reasons. To get over that hump it's good, but we still have many things to take care of. It is just a process to go through a season. You have to break it up into the smallest segments possible. Instead of taking a look at the big picture you deal with things as they come.

On Reggie McNeal
He is an exceptional athlete. He really knows how to feel his way around the field and knows how to exploit a defense, knows when to run it and knows when to pass it. They have a great coach down there -- that is why we have to be on our toes. Everybody has to be responsible for what that have to do on Saturday. It is definitely going to be a team effort, it's gonna have to be 11 individuals doing what they have to do to be successful.

On the offense taking pressure off the defense
It does. Of course it makes it easier if you have a high-scoring offense. But I don't think there's anyone on defense that thinks about that. To play well on defense -- you've got to take the offense out of the equation. You have to have the mindset that the offense isn't going to score any points. You're also not going to go out there and shut out everyone every time. But, I don't think there's ever been a time that the defense has been on the sideline and thought, "Man, the offense needs a scoring drive right here." We don't look at it like that. We want to go out there and shut somebody down every time. Don't get me wrong, with the way the offense is playing right now -- it's nice to know that these guys are gonna put some points on the board.

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