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University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Coaches & Players Quotes on Orange Bowl
December 22, 2004 | Football
NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables, offensive coordinator Chuck Long, quarterback Jason White, cornerback Marcus Walker, offensive guard Kelvin Chaisson and defensive end Larry Birdine met with the press corps at the weekly media luncheon in the Kerr-McGee Stadium Club in Norman on Tuesday afternoon.
Coach Stoops and the players discuss the upcoming FedEx Orange Bowl at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Fla., on Jan. 4. The No. 2 Sooners (12-0) battle Pac-10 Champions and No. 1-ranked Southern Cal for the national championship. The game is slated for a national broadcast on ABC.
Head Coach Bob Stoops
Opening statement:
“We're excited to be in this game. This weekend things finally settled down recruiting-wise. We finished up with our recruiting weekends and being out on the road the last few weeks and really zeroed in our preparation. Although we've been looking at it the past couple of weeks, we really got specific with it Sunday through tomorrow's workout on Wednesday. I really like the way we're progressing. Players have had some time off to rest after the Big 12 Championship and then with finals. They worked hard. We had a few practices on the weekends during finals when the recruits were here. Those were primarily working against each other in all kinds of situations. With all that behind them, the guys have now been able to study some tape and really concentrate on our game plan with players and coaches. I feel like we're progressing in a good way. I love the way we finished up the year in the Big 12 Championship and we really put it all together for an entire 60 minutes when we needed it most. All parts of the game played in a great way. I believe it gives us a lot of momentum coming into this game. We're just working on our preparation. We'll travel down and work out late afternoon on the 27th in Miami to resume our practices.”
On OU's secondary vs. USC's wide receivers:
“I believe that it's not only their receivers and our defensive backs and then our receivers against there defensive backs. To me it will be a big factor in who can make the bigger plays passing-wise and who on defense can come up with the big plays, whether it be interceptions or key third-down stops. It will be a big matchup.”
On USC's wide receivers:
“They're very good. I'll say that about every position on their team. Although they're young, they're very skilled and have great size and the ability to run. As you've watched Norm Chow and the way he directs his offense, they're very specific and detailed on what they like to do.”
On an advantage of recruiting their players:
“I don't think there's a big difference there. We knew they were awfully good; otherwise we probably wouldn't have been recruiting them. Fortunately, we got our share as well. We get to see so much film through their entire season that you get a sense, whether you recruited them or not, about their ability. And they have a lot of it.”
On the similarity between both teams:
“I think it's that way. You look at us and we're both very talented and we both have speed. With all that I've known of Pete Carroll, I've always appreciated and loved the way he coaches, it's always been about defense and he makes no bones about that. Here I don't brag on that much, but I think most people realize that about us. If you watch our defensive schemes, they're similar in a lot of ways. Our structure of the defense is very similar. I think we both count on the discipline of our defense and the fundamentals to win for us. There are not any grand schemes we count on. We count on our defensive base to carry us. Offensively, you have the running game and the throwing game when you look at quarterbacks and running backs for each and receivers as well. Both teams strive to be balanced and hurt you with both and force defenses to handle both. The differences come in a little bit with their passing game and what they choose and feature more than what we do. The general act of working hard to remain balanced and making defenses deal with both is a philosophy we both have.”
On losing momentum from the long break after the Big 12 Championship:
“Well they played the same day we did. That's just the way it is every year and you do your best to scrimmage here and there to keep pace and keep your sense of timing. We'll do that when we show up in Miami. We'll get out there and go at it hard. Certain days will be more physical than others to simulate game atmosphere.”
On having fresh legs:
“It helps to have some rest. I felt the week we had off before the Big 12 Championship helped us to rejuvenate and get our legs back and felt like we were very fast that night. There's a balance that you strike for the National Championship game to not over do it with practices and just hit the right number as well as your conditioning afterward that you're ready for it but refreshed as well.”
On similarities to the 2000 season:
“It's eerily similar when you go through the Big 12 schedule and the same teams we had home and away in 2000 we had home and away this year. You go through the year and see a come-from-behind victory on the road at Texas A&M. There's tight games at Oklahoma State away from home and winning the Nebraska game at home where we played well and won. Playing the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City and winning it and going to the Orange Bowl again. You can even go back to Jason White having a chance to win another Heisman and Josh Heupel was beaten out against a guy that we were playing against. It goes on and on and hopefully we can finish it like we did in 2000.”
On critics saying OU's secondary hasn't been tested:
“We played 12 games and if you look at our track record through all of those, we lead the league and are in the top 10 in the country in scoring defense, rush defense and total defense. In pass defense we're third or fourth in the league. In the end, I also look at Oregon and they averaged over 30 points a game and only scored on touchdown against us. Texas Tech averaged over 30 and only had one touchdown against us. It goes all the way down the list with everyone we played. We had a couple of games in the middle of the year that we gave up a couple of big passes and out of 12 games that happens. A couple of them were mental errors that have been corrected. In a time or two that we're a step behind and someone makes a great play and we missed a play that's going to happen over the course of 12 games. There are 10 other games that we played about as well as we can play. It's just choosing what your perspective is. My perspective is that over the long haul we've played awfully well and we're capable of doing that again and we'll need to. What magnified those big plays too is that we gave up two special teams scores in both those games as well.”
On the similarity of young cornerbacks as in 2000:
“Marcus Walker is a strong player and sure if you look at Derrick Strait and Michael Thompson were young in the 2000 game. These guys are very capable. Marcus is an excellent player. He's very discipline and smart in the way he plays and he's a talented guy. He was rated as a top cornerback in the country out of high school and he's proving why.”
On stopping Reggie Bush:
“He's a very talented player. If he's split out wide he's a wide receiver and treat him like one just like if he's in the backfield treat him as a running back. That's basically it. You're very aware of his ability, but it doesn't have to be all that complicated. The coverage should be in a position where they're aware of him and ready to try and cover. When he's in the backfield he's a very good running back and have yourself in position to defend the run and do your best and tackle well.”
On USC's receivers:
“I can't say what they're going to do with them, but they already split them out a fair amount of time already and I'm sure they will again. I believe they're still happy with their wide receivers. Their wideouts do a great job.”
On impact if Bo Pelini is named head coach at Pittsburgh:
“It won't change anything. Bo will continue to do exactly what he's doing now. He doesn't have to go other than be announced if he were to get it and we hope he does. There's no recruiting and no recruiting weekends and there's nothing you can really do right now until after the game so his duties will remain exactly what they are right now. The differences from a year ago is that Mike (Stoops) left immediately for Arizona and had to go recruiting and had no part in the game plan for two or three weeks leading up to the game. Bo has been in there with Brent (Venables) and they have their plan set. There's the difference. Mike was out recruiting and hiring his staff because he was able to at that time. At this date if Bo was named head coach there's nothing you can really do recruiting wise.
On the offensive line:
“They've had a really great attitude the entire year and have played in a physical and tough way. They have taken a lot of pride in playing that way and playing with an edge. They take pride in not only what Jason and Adrian have done, but in what everyone has done. When you look at what they've done protection wise along with being able to run the football they've done a great job. Jason and Adrian aren't doing anything without those guys up in front of them.”
On Adrian Peterson:
“Adrian has been a great boost to the team. His ability to come downhill, make big plays and being physical in short yardage situations has improved our short yardage situations. He's forced defenses to have to deal with them which gives Jason more opportunities. They have all fed off each other depending on how defenses have tried to stop us. It's probably fair to say that we're not here without all of them because they all complement each other.”
On Peterson's early success:
“It's a lot for him to handle with everything that has happened in one year. He's very level-headed about it and has handled it well. I believe he'll go into this game just like it's another game and ready to do his best. The people here have supported him well doing it.”
On Bush in USC's offense compared to Peterson in OU's offense:
“I don't believe it's the same. With Reggie they use a lot of different ways as a wide receiver and a lot of passes out of the backfield. Adrian's more of a downhill, physical runner. But he has that speed to bounce when he needs to as well. I think they use Reggie in a lot of other ways as well.”
On preparations this year versus a year ago:
“Things weren't as positive last year. In our practices, our routine doesn't vary a whole lot but there seems to be a stronger attitude and a better feel coming into the game for many reasons. As well as health wise, we're a lot better off than we were a year ago. Hopefully, that will give us an opportunity to play better and a better opportunity to win.”
On team's awareness of OU's history in the Orange Bowl:
“We see it quite often. You walk through our building and see it. We've been in 17 Orange Bowls, winning 12 of them more than any school in the country. They're very aware of it and take a lot of pride in it. Through the years and seasons we put a lot of history in front of them.”
On what coaches do for a month with the game plan:
“Sometimes you can allow it to drag and we don't want it to. What we've done this week is treated like a game week and we pushed ourselves as a staff and a team to take it through that period of time so that we would be ready to play by Friday or Saturday at the end of this week. It may not totally be there, of course, but at least we're close. We've got a strong feel of what we like and what we're prepared to do. It'll be modified some as we look at it and that's how we try and not let it drag. It can be tempting to try and change a lot of things. By doing it this week and doing it this way, we've added a few wrinkles here and there that will hopefully help us and are positive.”
On Mark Bradley's father playing in the Orange Bowl:
“We've seen many highlights of Danny Bradley throwing touchdowns along with a good number of other players. I know Mark will be sitting in a meeting room and the players get to hooping and hollering as well when they realize its Mark's dad. Mark takes a lot of pride in it as well. Our guys take pride that we've played awfully well and had great representation in the Orange Bowl.”
On Norm Chow's ability:
“He's that good. I think Norm is a tremendous and great coach. He has a great humility about him is all that I've ever seen and read and appreciate him the way he coaches. He's very smart and wise in the way that they attack you. I'm sure Norm will sit there and say that he's getting help from other staff members because none of us do it alone. He's in front of it all offensively and does a great job. They're very smart. They don't run plays just to run plays. They have a way of countering what you're doing and they have answers for them and what to go to if you continue to play that way. That's where it's a chess match with us to not be predictable with what we're in and continue to change up our looks and what we're doing as well.”
On the first thing to do on defense:
“To me, the biggest factor is being great against their running game. White and Bush run the ball very well for them and it will be a major key for us that we need to be great against the game.”
On game week at a Bowl game:
“I'm not much on too many rules or too much counseling. To me it's real specific. I want them to go down to Miami and enjoy the experience. I want them to have fun. It's a great environment that doesn't happen to everybody so I want them to go down there and soak it in and enjoy it. What's really important is that nothing that will happen in that experience of those eight days will even be close to comparison to what you do in that game. That's what will be talked about and that's what will be remembered 50 years from now. So let's make sure we're ready for it and the only way to be ready for it is to enjoy it when we have fun, but to be intense when we meet and practice. Let's come to practice with an attitude to improve and get ready to play because that's what will matter and that's the experience they will remember how they play.”
On reading about the high-profile coaches involved in the game:
“I don't have to read anything about someone else to get me excited about a National Championship game. We've got a chance to remain undefeated and become National Champions and that's motivation enough, regardless of who we're competing against and I think it's incredibly exciting when you look at the history and tradition of USC and us. It's two of the more storied programs in the country. That part excites me, but I never look at anything personal no matter who it is. To me it's our program and their program and it's two great ones with an incredible history.”
On the tradition of both programs:
“If you look at the history and since WWII with modern day football with the Heisman winners and championships and then you look at what we've done recently in the last five years and them in the last three or four years. I think people were anticipating this even last year. Then, to start off No. 1 and No. 2 at the beginning of the year and fight our way through and remain there is exciting as well. I think they've been looking forward to it and I know we have. It's a great matchup.”
On Matt Leinart:
“He's very smart and wise in the way plays and the way he's coached. He makes very few poor decisions, so he's a great decision maker. Great arm and very accurate and has the poise you look for in the pocket he's got everything you look for. He's a guy we recruited.”
On Mike Stoops being a resource:
“He was down here recruiting and he stopped in and we shared some thoughts. He met primarily with Brent and Bo with what he felt about them and if there's anything Arizona would have done differently with the way the played them. It's more just confirming what you believe and what the right way to defend and stop them is. We value what Mike's opinion is and how they felt they needed to approach the game.”
Offensive Coordinator Chuck Long
On the team's excitement:
“The excitement will start building as we get through Christmas. Once you get through Christmas with the family and the kids, then the excitement builds as you get ready to head to Miami. Then once we go down there it starts to build more and more.”
On magnitude of No. 1 vs. No. 2:
“I think this could be one of the better match ups in the last 15 or 20 years of college football to be quiet honest. Then you add to it the TV and it being the only game that day. You also have the West Coast market and that Oklahoma has been a national name the last four years. We have been on the cover of Sports Illustrated quite a bit, have had a lot of media attention, and a lot of TV games. And of course this is our third National Championship game in five years. You add all of that to it and you also have the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner versus the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner. They have good players and we have good players. You add all of that together and it adds up to be a big, big game.”
On embracing the game's magnitude:
“We have always tried to embrace these kinds of situations; we have never shied away from it. Were also the underdogs going into the game, and that's really what were playing on. We have something to prove. And also the way we finished last season's game, all of the guys are hungry for this game.”
On how team is responding to underdog situation:
“Anytime you can find some motivation or some angle to bring your team together, it is a good thing. Being the underdog and having that as a motivation will really help.”
On the big-game situation:
“I think were more used to the big games then we are to some of the non-TV games. Our guys are used to the big-game atmosphere and we have a veteran team. We have guys on this football team that have been here since the first National Championship game, when they were redshirt freshmen. They have had all the bowl games in between. Because of 2000, we are on TV a lot more and our guys have become more used to that atmosphere. And of course we play a game like Texas every year which has that big-game atmosphere and has a lot of media attention. Are guys have become accustomed to this situation.
On USC strengths and weaknesses:
They are very good defensively. They are very sound in their defensive schemes. They have excellent team speed and they run to the ball very well. More so than any other team we have played, and you can tell that their well coached in that area. When the ball is snapped all 11 guys get to the ball. Their front four is very good, that is probably the strength of their club although their backs are very good as well. They want to stop the run, and get you into a one dimensional game. Then they try and get you to throw the ball all of the time and once they do that then they pin their ears back and come after you.”
On OU's strengths:
“We like to keep balance. We did that against Colorado and it worked very well. The games we have played in we have had good balance. We like to establish the run game and work play action off of that. This is the best defense we have faced all year. You get to 12-0 by playing good defense, when you're in the National Championship you have been playing good defense.”
Oklahoma Co-Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables
On the USC offense:
“(Leinart) makes the right decisions under pressure and he has enough scrambling ability to make plays while he's moving. Everybody has a great awareness the tight ends staying in to block, release and go downfield and they make plays. You have to be aware of Reggie Bush and his running ability. He's very explosive. In all of their tight games they've played four of five very close games he's been the difference in those games. He's very fast as a receiver. As a back on the split screens, even if you get him bottled up, he can cut back against the grain or bounce out and beat your guys on the edge with his speed.”
On the difference between 2003 and 2004:
“We progressively, as a team, have gotten better. We've been challenged a number of times and responded great way throughout the year. The experience of what happened at the end of last year led to the way this year played out. I really like the leadership that we have. We felt like a bunch of chumps after the 2003 Big 12 Championships hearing about the lack of confidence, then playing in the national championship and the question of whether or not we should be there. It just took a lot away from the team and the excitement that goes with being at a national championship. We weren't at our best leading up to that game with the preparation that goes into it.”
Oklahoma Quarterback Jason White
On the team:
“I think everyone's extremely excited. We're happy to be here practicing and we know we have work to do. We'll get a little time off for Christmas. I think everyone's just excited to play in the National Championship game for the second straight year and we know we have to prepare better than we did last year.”
On the time off:
“It's Christmas and we'll get to spend a little time with our families. It'll help a lot of guys on the team get their legs back and heal up bumps and bruises. It'll be good for us.”
On fewer distractions this year:
“I think so. There's not as much going on, especially for me. Last year at this time, there were interviews everyday with different people about the Heisman and that's not the case this year. There's definitely less attention for me which is good.”
On the offensive line:
“They're a great bunch. They worked hard last year, but you could see their attitudes change last winter. They knew we needed to be more physical up front and establish a run game to be a better team this year and they did it. They worked hard on that in the off season and you can't give them enough credit. They don't get any credit in the papers or anything, but that's where every play we run starts.”
On knowing what Heisman winner Matt Leinart is going through:
“I have a pretty good sense of what he's going through, but Matt's a smart kid and a great athlete. He'll keep the distractions away and he'll be ready to play.”
On being more comfortable playing in another national title game:
“Last year there were a lot of distractions off the field as far as media attention and fans and stuff. You have a little comfort zone now that a lot of guys on our team have been there. We're a little more comfortable going into the game.”
On USC's personnel:
“They're extremely fast and extremely talented. They're liable to play a lot of man with different blitzes. Their front four are great players which helps out their secondary being able to put pressure on the quarterback. I think the biggest strength is how well they're coached. They're always in the right position and they're great tacklers and it's going to be a matter of taking what they give us and not being impatient with us.”
On if OU's seen a lot of man coverage this year:
“We've seen our fair share of man. We've seen a lot more man this year than we did last year. I think a lot has to do with the run game. I'm sure we're going to see it again.”
On the offense's game plan:
“Once you push down on the pedal, you have to keep going. You can't let up and you can't get comfortable with the lead. They're a great team that's capable of scoring a lot of points and you just have to keep going and can't settle for 14 points.”
On how he concentrates for the game with the long break:
“It's not really anything different. First, you have to make it through finals and stuff like that. After that, during the day it's football and at night you have your other life to watch TV or do whatever you want to do. I'm treating this week just like I'm treating a game week. When I get down to Miami, I'll do the same thing there. I'll do the same thing twice, but it can't hurt anything. You get into a routine and if you don't do it you feel guilty that you don't do it.”
On USC's defense compared to anyone else:
“They remind me a lot of our defense. We run a lot of the same blitzes and coverages. They're a lot like our defense.”
On graduating:
“It was extremely important to me. I didn't think I was ever going to get it done. It took 5 years and that's one of the things I came to school for. It was a privilege for me to graduate. They asked me to speak at graduation and I laughed because I didn't even get to speak at my high school graduation so I had to take advantage of it.”
On having an advantage after not winning the Heisman:
“I don't think it's an advantage. It would be great to have a Heisman trophy winner on your team, but it's just how well you handle the attention you get and how you prepare yourself and what you do with your time. It's a lot of interviews and a lot of people demanding your time when you could be doing other things.”
On having former OU quarterbacks Josh Heupel and Nate Hybl around to help:
“They usually keep me in pretty good check. They both have some humor and there's things that have happened over the past that you won't forget and they always remind me of that and put me in my place. It's great to have them both around, especially Josh Heupel because if I have a question he's always there to answer it. He's always in his offense and when I'm watching film I walk down there and he's always going to help me out. Nate Hybl is still working hard to get back in a job and he still works hard to achieve his goals and dreams.”
On the balanced attack:
“I've seen how much it can help in the long run, because I played in it last year and saw what can happen when you don't have a run game that's effective. With the run game, they aren't able to blitz as much.”
On USC and who jumps out at him:
“Their front four really jump out at me. They're really good and real athletic and it's going to be a great matchup for our offensive line.”
On Adrian Peterson:
“Adrian's a great guy and he's very loyal to his teammates. He adds another dimension to the team. He's not only a hard runner for short yards, but he has the threat to break loose and run for a lot of yards. That's helped us out a lot this year and continues to help us out. We're going to need him in the Orange Bowl and he's going to have to be successful.”
On Peterson adapting to college:
“I was surprised he was able to adapt to college football that fast. I know when I came in it took me a while to get adapted. We play different positions, but just for him to come and do the things he's done is amazing.”
Defensive Back Marcus Walker
On learning the Sooners' defense:
“I think I've learned quite a bit. I've practiced with this defense all season and played against teams that throw quite a bit like Texas A&M and Nebraska.”
On whether his freshman season is different than expected:
“Not really. It's different, but I stood on the sidelines all season and learned knowing that I could be in there at any moment.”
On the improvement of the secondary:
“We've got a pretty good team together right now. We compliment each other really well with Donte (Nicholson) and Brodney (Pool) deep and (Antonio Perkins) back and myself. All the linebackers and defensive lineman are excellent at pressuring the quarterback. These guys have played a lot of game together and whenever I seem to get uncomfortable they notice and whenever I have a question, I ask and they always know the answer.”
On fellow true freshman Adrian Peterson:
“(Peterson's) really mature. He knows what he's done and that what he's doing is special. He came in this summer and earned everybody's respect. He can run all day and never get tired. The way he approaches (the game) is different. When's he tired, that motivates him to go even harder on his next run. That's what makes him a better football player.”
On facing USC's offense:
“Well, it's our offense. Yes, that's in practice. We haven't played against an offense like this and it will be a challenge. But, right now, we're prepared for them. I think we'll do a pretty good job.”
On USC's receivers:
“They give you everything some of them are big, some of them are fast, some of them have real good hands, and they're real skilled in what they do.”
On the difference between high school and college football:
“It's more than I thought it would be. I didn't know game day would feel that good. My first game, Bowling Green, I walked down to the field and saw all those people. I didn't know the feeling inside would feel like that. I never imagined it would be like that.”
Defensive End Larry Birdine
On maturing within the program:
“Initially I worked against players on the offensive line, like Wes Sims and Jammal Brown, and that helped me tremendously during my redshirt freshman year. By the time I got to play it was tough because now I had to adjust to the speed of the game instead of just the speed of practice. I had to learn all of the calls once I got into game situations and it was tough for me. This off-season I tried to work my hardest to get bigger stronger, and faster, and learn all of my calls.”
On linebacker Rufus Alexander:
“Rufus and I are ex-roomates, so we both used to talk about trying to make an impact. We both decided that we were getting older and we did not want to let this opportunity pass us by, and we decided to set some goals and now were are out to achieve them. Rufus is a great athlete, he is very strong for his size and he has that linebacker instinct and when a play is called he is a guy who is going to step up and make a play. He is a guy that is going to go out there and attack. He is also a guy that you can count on to bring his A-game every Saturday.”
On his game:
“I just try to go out and be energetic and try to let everybody feed off of my enthusiasm. Whether I'm out there making the play or whether I'm just out there on the field, I just want to get everybody excited. I feel that if you set that tempo then everybody else will follow in behind you and have fun.”
On defensive ends:
“As a defensive unit we all go out there and talk each other up. Even when we are on the sideline we are pumping each other up and trying to make each guy go out and play their best. It is always fun playing together and when there is competition it always brings out the best in each player.
On the talent in National Championship game:
“I am no historian of football but I have watched a couple National Championship games and USC is definitely a talented team. But playing here at Oklahoma, we definitely feel that we play in an elite conference. We have been able to watch Southern Cal play a few times and now watching them on film, we can definitely see that they are a great group of men. But we can definitely see that they are not unbeatable. We have the type of coaches and players here that we will prepare for an exciting game.”
On playing for championships:
“It is definitely a great experience knowing that you always have the opportunity to finish strong and play for championships. It's also a great feeling not only for yourself and your teammates but also for incoming classes. You always want to be at the top of recruiting lists and then end up in the top five recruiting classes. You also want to finish the year n the top 10 in the polls, because you want to continue the winning tradition. Oklahoma has been winning for a long time now and you don't want to be that class, or that team that stops the winning wheel. It is a lot of pressure to continue to play up to the level we play at year in and year out.
“It's a great feeling. In my high school career, I never played for a championship. I made the right decision to come to OU. I'm in my second national championship game. I don't feel spoiled because you work for it. You work for it. Last year, we worked so hard and it felt like it was taken from us. This year, we're going to take it away.”
On team's similarities:
“Statistically you may be able to say that were similar but were overall two different teams. We play in different conferences and we each have our own style. Their more of a hit-you-down-the-middle team and they have a great running game as we have also. You can compare and contrast all you want but no one will know for sure until January 4.”
On last season's final game:
“We definitely feel that last season we let a lot of people down in the way that we played, and this season we are keeping with our motto of finishing strong. Last season, people were behind us and this season we realize that were only counting on each other here at OU. We definitely not only want to win for our fans, but we want to win for our family here at Oklahoma. Last season we put a lot of pressure on ourselves because of what happened in the Big 12 Championship game and we felt a bigger sense of needing to win so people would not talk about us. This season we have a whole different attitude going into the game.”
Offensive Guard Kelvin Chaisson
On the team's preparations:
“We have been having good practices everyday since we came back from Kansas City, and now we are preparing to go home for Christmas and were excited to have a few days off. We will come back Sunday and prepare to head to Miami and get right to work.”
On last season's disappointment:
“This year's National Championship game is a big game but it is magnified by our showing in last season's Sugar Bowl. We want to come out and redeem ourselves after last year's showing. No one wants to have the same feeling as we did last season, so we are approaching this in a way to correct ourselves.”
On the offensive line:
“We have to be more physical every time we hit the field. We always have to be the most physical line on the field, because you can not have a great team without a great offensive line because that is where it all starts. You can not run or pass without a physical offensive line. We go out with the attitude of knocking people down and making sure that Jason doesn't get touched, and making sure A.D. (Adrian Peterson) and Kejuan have holes that they can run through, to get the yards they need. We never get frustrated with the backs getting all of the publicity because we know that they would not be getting that without us. We love it when Jason and Adrian get publicity because we know that we are doing our jobs very well.”
Wide Receiver Mark Bradley
On the game:
“I hope the outcome turns out to be the same as it was in 2000. I think it's one of the greatest matchups. USC has top players like Matt Leinart and LenDale White. We have top players like Jason White and Adrian Peterson. I don't know if it's the biggest game in college football, but it's the biggest game on the table right now. USC has lost what? One game in the last two years. It's going to come down to who wants it the most. The national championship is on stake. You can't explain how good they are. They're in the national championship. Obviously they have great talent in the secondary and linebackers. I think it's going to take us to be physical, as a wide receivers crew, blocking downfield for our running backs Adrian Peterson and Kejuan (Jones). It's going to take physical play to win the game.”
On expectations for the 2004 season:
“I think you have to take it one game at a time. We progressed through the season by winning playing to win each game starting with
On playing in big games:
“I've played in a national championship and I've played in
On his father, former OU quarterback Danny Bradley, playing in the Orange Bowl:
“With his experience playing in the Orange Bowl, it enlightened me about playing in one of the biggest games I will probably play in during my career at
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