Stoops & Player Media Luncheon Quotes

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, quarterback Jason White and other selected players met with the press corps on Tuesday afternoon inside the Kerr-McGee Stadium Club at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

The media luncheon marked the first of the 2004 season as the Sooners prepare to host the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday at 11 a.m.

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Bob Stoops
Opening Statement:
"It's good to start out the 2004 season. We're looking forward to playing and I think everyone in college football is. I think everyone is tired of working against each other and want to see a different opponent.

BGSU Coach & Player Quotes | 2004 Sooner Gameday Central

We're excited about the opportunity of playing a very good Bowling Green team. Coach Brandon and his staff did a great job a year ago winning 11 games, winning their bowl game, beating Purdue at Purdue and taking Ohio State to the wire at their place. A very strong football team, well coached with very good athletes.

We recognize that this is a very big and strong challenge and we need to come out ready to play from the very start. I believe our team is ready to do that. We've had excellent work through spring, summer and two-a-days. We've got a good number of starters and experienced players back. This is our most experienced team if you look at our juniors and seniors in the first two units. Hopefully we can translate that into a very strong year and a year that we'll have a chance to compete for championships, but it all begins this week with a very good Bowling Green team."

On D.J. Wolfe:
"Our thought process is to play guys that we feel are in the position to play and contribute to us winning. D.J. has earned that through his work in the spring and summer and the way he has worked through two-a-days. He's put himself into a position to contribute and play a lot. He's now a part of the game plan. He's a very excellent athlete and he has earned that.

Adrian Peterson is coming back from a shoulder injury and is working his way back in there. We plan on playing Adrian as well. It depends on how those two play in each part of the game."

On Tight Ends:
"We really like how they perform, Bubba Moses, Willie Roberts and Joe Jon Finley. They have all come on and each of them can do a lot of good things. They are catching the ball well and running better routes. It'll definitely be a stronger part of our offense this year."

On Defensive Tackles:
"The guys right now, Lynn McGruder and Dusty Dvoracek, have done great. Also, Carl Pendleton has had a great camp coming into this week and has really put himself into a position to rotate with those other two guys. Steven Coleman and Remi Ayodele have both come on. Remi has made strong progress and is a great worker.

On Rotating Running Backs:
"It depends on the flow of the game and on the progression. If certain guys are better in certain situations that is how we'll start to use them. I do believe it allows a guy to stay fresh in the fourth quarter in that he hasn't been run down during the game. We'll see how it works with these guys."

On Backup Quarterbacks:
"Right now Paul Thompson is our No. 2 quarterback, but we're not going to use him if we are fortunate enough to get a big lead. We feel that he has progressed above that. We'll only play him in game time situations depending on Jason's status. Paul will always be ready to go. After that we still have Tommy Grady and we're still developing Rhett Bomar. Tommy has really progressed well. The more snaps he gets, the more improved he gets."

On Bowling Green:
"Offensively they are very wide open, a lot of four receiver sets and no back sets. They have a lot of similarities with Texas Tech's offense. They spread it out and go shotgun most of the time. They are very good at what they do. Defensively they are very standard and coached very well. The way they mix in their zone and sneak into man-to-man, they are very good at it. They are coached well."

QB Jason White
On Mark Clayton:
"Mark has come a long way since he's gotten here. He started out on the scout team and he came from there. I think he learned a lot on the scout team, how to run routes especially and that has helped him. There is a lot that people don't realize about him that he has to block downfield and block people twice his size. He is the type of guy that you love to have on your team. I think a lot of people, especially receivers see the amount of work he does and see how much he has accomplished. All the hard work that he has put in, being the last one leaving practice out there catching extra balls. The younger guys see that and see how much you have to put in to excel."

On Running Backs:
"The more the merrier. We have a lot of tailbacks that are capable of playing. They'll help out not only with our run game but also our passing game. The more the running works, the more the passing game opens up."

On D.J. Wolfe:
"D.J. works really hard. He came in early as a freshman and he wanted to work and learn. He has really picked up the game as far as pass protection goes and blitz protection. He really catches the ball well. He's got great hands for a running back. He knows where to go because he has great vision.

DT Dusty Dvoracek
On Being Named to Preseason Big 12 and All-America teams:
"It felt good. I thought I played well and I was rewarded for that. This season I'm shooting for bigger and better things. My ultimate goal is to be a 1st team All-American and also be a finalist for some of the big awards. Last year was good, but I definitely want to get better and definitely feel I can be better.

On the Start of a New Season:
"This is a totally new season and we can't dwell on what happened at the end of the season last year. Even if we'd won that game it would be the same situation this year. We couldn't have just patted ourselves on the back and relaxed. This is a new season, new attitude, and a new team. What happened last year is last year. It's a different team -- Teddy, Derrick, and Tommy aren't here but we have guys coming in. I don't know how to put it into words, but maybe we can show you on Saturday.

OL Vince Carter
On the New BCS Formula and Winning Big:
"We just want to come out and play as well as we can in this first game. If we score 30 or 40 points that's great, but most of all we just want to play smart and not let them hang around. We just have to pace ourselves and realize that we're playing four quarters and have a long game ahead of us.

On the Preseason Ranking:
"We like having our backs against the wall and I feel like we play our best when everybody is gunning for us. We're just ready to get on the field. Throughout the off-season our motto was 'finish'; it was written in the cafeteria, the locker room, and on our t-shirts. We feel like we know what we need to do and are ready to win the championship."

On the Lines:
"The defensive line will be good. Their making each other better. We've also developed our depth on the offensive line. If somebody goes down, there will be somebody else ready to step up. I feel great right now. I'm still rehabbing my knee everyday and I'm just anxious to get out there."

SS Donte Nicholson
On Leadership:
"I've never really seen myself as a big leader of this team, but I just go out there and play my game. There are a few guys on the team that when they speak everyone listens to them. Those guys are Lance Mitchell, Jason White, Dusty Dvoracek, and Dan Cody.

On Last Season:
"The last couple games of last year are going to drive us this season, but we can't look back on last season and play the way we ended. We just have to go out there and take it one game at a time. We're willing to play anybody and everybody. Whoever's up for the challenge."

On the Season Opener:
"We're going into the game with open arms and are ready to get out there and battle. This year we just have to finish what we start. It's amazing being out there with this defense. We have so many great players out there at one time we're able to do what we want to do. [Bowling Green] has a very explosive offense, but I am very confident in our defensive backs.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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