J.D. Runnels Online Journal: Week Eight

NORMAN, Okla. J.D. Runnels records the eighth installment of his online player journal to take Sooner fans behind the scenes. This edition covers the celebration of beating the Texas Longhorns for the fifth time in a row and what Kansas State can expect on Saturday.

There is also a link at the bottom of the page so you can submit questions for J.D. to reply to in his next entry.

J.D. Runnels

Journal Entry No. 8 (Oct. 12, 2004)

First, I would like to thank all the fans that made the trip to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and the fans who watched us on television. The State Fair of Texas is becoming a home away from home and all the players would like to thank the fans in the best half of the stadium.

The 99^th Red River Shootout was another great game. We didn't expect Texas to lie down and they didn't.

The locker room for OU-Texas is a little more intense than the normal home game. It's our rivalry game and one of the best games in the country. Everybody feels that. It gets everyone motivated and we work better together since it's easier to keep your mind on one goal winning. For the fifth consecutive time, we achieved that goal.

Texas played us really tough, but we made some mistakes ourselves. We got in the red zone a few times and kind of shot ourselves in the foot. We should be better on offense and we know that. They played well. Give them credit, they're a top five team in this country and they played like it. Their offense just could not get clued in on our defense.

Our defense played a great game, probably the best one all season. It's basically impossible to beat us if you can't get the ball in the end zone on our defense. Anytime our defense can do that it should be a guaranteed win.

When they can keep a goose egg on the scoreboard during the whole game, there's just a great feeling on the sidelines. You feel like you really don't have anything to worry about.

Offensively, we had much better field position in the second half. That was somewhat the luck of the draw. In the second half, their punts ended up as touchbacks, whereas in the first half, they only had the best of punting. We also made a few adjustments at halftime and then executed them really well in the second half.

Kejuan Jones and Adrian Peterson were also stellar once again. Kejuan's stats weren't spectacular, but in his first game back from injury, he ran really tough and punished the Texas defense. Adrian, well, he was just A.D. again. He ran all day.

Saturday we go to Manhattan, Kan., to play the Kansas State Wildcats. There's some payback in store, but it's not revenge. You can't use the word revenge. We still remember what happened last year but you can't go up there and play mad and expect to beat them. You have to keep focused and use that anger and put it into our practice. If we do that, I'm positive we will be successful.

Now, I'll answer some of my favorite questions from the past week.

Congrats on the win over Texas. I noticed that Bob Stoops wears a yellow ribbon on his visor for the troops overseas. I have a cousin in Iraq right now. Do you all support them as well?

Sarah from Hooker, Okla.

Definitely. We know that what we do is important to people, but we know who the real heroes are. I wear a yellow band for cancer patients and a lot of people have a special meaning to me and Coach Stoops, especially those who serve and protect our country.

I noticed that most of the coaches shake about every player's hand and say something to them while they are stretching before a game. What do they say to you?

Chris from Kansas City, Mo.

Just to have a good game, good luck and play your butt off.

I'm a 6-foot, 2-inch right tackle in high school. Talent aside, how much will size hurt me if I want to go to the next level? Just how much can a coach bulk you up? Did guys like Vince Carter and Wes Sims start out that big?

Andrew from Lewisville, Texas

Height and weight are not always an issue, especially here. What makes you a starter here is how you do on the field. If you are passionate and play with all your heart, you can never go wrong and there will be no one that you can't play for.

I sit in the south end zone and did not see what happened after your touchdown against Texas Tech. Why was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on you?

Daria from Goodwell, Okla.

I gave a fan a high-five, sort of. There was a fan who wanted a high-five really bad and he was falling over onto the field so I kind of just slapped him five and the officials called a penalty. I've got to be smarter next time.

Thank you for the great questions and all of your support. Until next week, Boomer Sooner!

- #38 J.D. Runnels

Jammal Brown
Ask J.D. a Question | Sooner Online Journals