Texas A&M's Franchione on Playing Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. -- Texas A&M head coach Dennis Franchione met with the media on Tuesday at his weekly football press conference in College Station.

Read quotes from Coach Franchione as A&M prepares to play Oklahoma.

The Aggies travel to Norman to play the Sooners on Saturday at 11 a.m. ABC will have the regional TV broadcast.

Please visit Sooner Gameday Central for complete broadcast options, information for fans attending the game and team comparisons.

TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH DENNIS FRANCHIONE
On Oklahoma's bye week:
"This is the third team that's had an open week before we've played them. It's kind of unusual to have that. There's nothing we can do about that. We've just got to stay focused on what we have control over and that's not one of them right there."

On Reggie McNeal's legacy:
"I haven't looked at all the statistics but I know he's going to have a bunch of records that will be his, and I think he'll be eventually remembered as one of the handful of best quarterbacks in A&M's history."

On staying positive about the season:
"Well, our guys still want to get that sixth win. They've got two more chances to do that. The teams we're playing are good football teams, but anytime you can beat one of those two you've done something special. It's hard to beat both those teams. They are always good teams and certainly will be good."

On playing Texas:
"I haven't given a lot of thought to that one yet, but anytime in college football you get a chance to see how you stack up against the No. 1 or No. 2-ranked team in the country, you've got to look forward to that I think. Somebody's going to eventually beat them so, you want to get in line and take your shot."

On Oklahoma's 77-0 win in 2003:
"We're worried about this game. I don't think there's anything we draw from past games."

On defending the run:
"For the most part our run defense has been solid. We've had a day or two where we probably gave up a few more rushing yards than we'd like but I think we're like fifth or sixth in the conference in rushing defense. So I think the front's done okay there-the down guys."

On the defensive front being better or worse than expected:
"Oh, I can't say it's been either one yet really. Everything is interwoven on that side of the ball. It's not just one element of it. I think sometimes, in respect to our front, people have maybe rolled away from them or kept more people in or things like that--in respect to the pressure I think they could get sometimes. That has an impact. When they do that they've got less receivers out and you've got to do a good job in the secondary, so no matter how you look at it, they're still weaved together."

On defense making adjustments:
"We've had to make a lot of adjustments to handle sprints and rolls and things we've gotten more of, which means sometimes you're going to have to bring linebackers out of coverage or you're going to have to run some edge twists or things like that to get somebody up the field to contain. We've had to work at that more, I think, in the last year and a half than ever before."

On the front four being the strength of the defense:
"I think that's a safe way to say that."

On halftime adjustments:
"Well, I don't know if there's anything you can pinpoint it on. I looked at our offense...we've had 24 possessions in the last two games. Twenty-one of those 24 possessions we've taken inside our 26-yard line. Sixteen of them have been at the 20 or inside. We've had five drives for scores of 80, 72, 64, 80, and 83. So we're having to go a long way. And we're not able to recreate field position well enough right now to not have to drive so far all the time. Statistically the odds are difficult to go 80 yards all day long. That's kind of been a little bit of the problem there, probably, is that we're always in that situation--but, you know, there's other components I think to it, too. I mean, I'm not saying that's the only thing that we try to analyze and look at."

Do you look at special teams or defense?
"It's all interwoven together. You don't pinpoint one area. Obviously if we put together a drive, we have a chance to reestablish some field position or get points. If we don't, we punt and give it to them in decent field position. If we don't get a stop, then we get it backed up or after a score, we've had a lot of kickoffs out of the end zone, so you're starting on the 20 again, too. Our turnover came on the 4-yard line. Theirs came on the 37. It's not any one area. It's just a component of your team that's reflecting on each other in that regard."

On Defensive Coordinator Carl Torbush coming under fire:
"Anytime things are said like that it bothers you. The first responsibility is me...and he's second. I just know what kind of coach and what kind of person Carl is better than anybody else, and how he is to work with.
So that's never an enjoyable thing to hear."

Is it ultimately something you're going to have to evaluate at the end of the season?
"You evaluate everything...yourself, your staff, everything you're doing. You always do that. You don't rush into rash decisions. You make them. You think about them and evaluate a lot of the areas, and certainly all those things will be looked at at the end of the year."

Was New Mexico the last time you made a change with someone not leaving on their own?
"That could be right...No, I think there was one at TCU."

On defenses limiting Reggie McNeal's run threat:
"I think in every game there's a multitude of ways that Reggie can get rushing yards. You know, a lot of times he gets it on scrambles, sometimes boots or nakeds (bootlegs), and sometimes he gets it on option plays. (There are) certain times we're not getting the quarterback keeping the ball as much as we have other games. When you run that type of a play, what you have to do is make them pay irregardless of who's carrying the football. We did that some the other night. (Running back) Jorvorskie's (Lane) run he fumbled on was one of those plays. That was a nice play, first down and things like that. I think there's a certain aspect that you take what's given to you, and that's what part of that is."

On Oklahoma's defense:
"Well, obviously they have the best run defense we've played I'd say. (They are) probably the most athletic front that we have played since Clemson. They're coming together pretty good as a unit right now. You can kind of tell early in the year they had new faces and had some growing pains they were going through. But you can tell now in the last month that they've started to get into a rhythm defensively, and they're pretty aggressive in their calls. I would say it's maybe as good a defense as we've gone against this year-I'm trying to think if anybody is comparable at this point in time. I don't think there is."

On importance of a bowl game:
"It's important in both regards. The extra practice is always very valuable and the intangible of recruiting is always valuable."

On not getting to a bowl:
"I think it hurts a little bit, but I think what you gain out of it is more time to spend in evaluation and recruiting. It's a little bit of a trade off that you gain I think sometimes."

On his sideline mannerisms:
"Well, I'm working...and there's a lot of things going on on that headset. For me to be too animated and out of control is not going to lend itself to manage the game I think as well as it needs to be managed. You always have to be your own personality. The players see intensity and fire down there. That doesn't mean y'all have to see everything."

Was there a time when you were a younger coach that you were more animated?
"Yeah, I've had my times. I used to have dark hair. (laughing)"

On students camping out for Texas game tickets:
"It just kind of reenergizes the thought of support that the 12th man student body means, and what makes this place special in that regard, and what makes that tradition special. Their excitement and energy towards looking forward to that game, much like they did the Cotton Bowl last year, that's college football for you, and that's one of the great parts of college football."

Any injury material that can be shared?
"Only thing I can say is (linebacker) Lee Foliaki might get to play this week."

Really?
"Uh-huh. He's made enough recovery that they can pad up his arm. He'll practice today so we'll judge how he goes through practice. But I think Lee's chomping at the bit to get back out there."

On having linebackers to stop the run:
"That's certainly at this point in time in the season a big plus for us. There's no doubt about that."

Could any of the guys that went off the field against Texas Tech be available?
"They don't have season-ending injuries."

On Lee's toughness:
"Sure. There's probably a lot of guys on this team that could do it but it does take a pretty mentally tough person. We still have to see how he'll handle the week of practice with that. Lee's a tough young man, and he has a good attitude about wanting to get out there. He's missed it badly, and we're just grateful that we do have him and that he wants to be out there as bad as he does."

On A&M's Big 12 schedule down the stretch:
"Yeah (Athletics Director) Bill (Byrne) and I had a conversation like that with the Big 12 and somehow they rationalized that it was our turn to get that. I don't know exactly how that happens. But again, as I've said before, when you play in the Big 12 south, it's not going to be an easy November. How we got the luck of the draw to get Neb in there next November...it just sounds kind of interesting doesn't it? Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, back-to-back-to-back. It's certainly interesting."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Texas A&M's Franchione on Playing Oklahoma

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