OU Coaches & Players on TCU Game

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma coaches and players met with the media on Tuesday at the weekly football press conference in Norman.

The Sooners kick off the 2005 season against the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The game is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be televised by ABC. Please consult the coverage map at Sooner Gameday Central for complete broadcast information.

Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops
“We're excited to be starting the 2005 season. Like everybody at this point in the year, we went through a longer summer camp, which I think has been better for the health of the players. It seems like it has been a long time since our media day about three weeks ago to now getting into game week. Everyone is excited and feel that we've really worked hard and I know that we have.

Aug. 30 Press Conference Photos | Sooner Gameday Central

"We're looking forward to the challenge of this game against TCU. Coach Patterson and his staff at TCU have done an excellent job with their program. If you watch them, they always have excellent, strong and athletic players. It begins with their staff, they are always well coached.

Coach Stoops TCU Game Press Conference (O-Zone)

"I look back at their records, I believe in the last three games, TCU is 2-1 against Oklahoma, beating us here in 1996. They are a team that is very capable. I know that last year they were 5-6, but the year before that I believe that they were 11-2. They are a strong, strong team in tradition, so we have to be ready. I know our players are anxious to play. We'll find out what kind of attitude and competitiveness that we have. I'm excited to get out there Saturday and see what happens.”

On freshman who will play: “Reggie Smith, Nic Harris, Curtis Lofton and Ryan Reynolds will see time on defense. Offensively, Malcolm Kelly, Manuel Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias will play. Matt Clapp will possibly see some time. In all likelihood, George Robinson and Branndon Braxton will see some time. Jon Cooper will more than likely see the field. What happens, we will see, but all those guys will come in and see time.”

On cornerbacks: “The competition there has been really close and really good. Between the seniors Chijioke Onyenegecha, Eric Bassey and Jowahn Poteat, all those guys have really improved through their experiences. D.J. Wolfe has made incredible strides since spring to now and has really been solid through camp and has made the most plays of everyone here. Between all those guys and Marcus Walker, who has experience from a year ago, we have a lot of confidence in whoever is out there. Who plays the best and makes the best plays will get the most time.”

On quarterbacks: “Like any battle, Paul Thompson understands that he needs to make the most of his opportunities and move the team. Rhett Bomar needs to do the same thing when he gets his opportunities. How it goes and how they handle the situation on the field will determine how many reps each get. We're not going to sit here and decide on that in front of everybody.”

On D.J. Wolfe switching to cornerback: “It's not difficult when you have a skilled athlete, whether it be a great receiver, look at Andre Woolfolk in 2001, when we moved him to corner in a week and he comes out and plays great. With those athletic guys like D.J., you get a lot of speed, hip movement and the ability to change direction.”

On the secondary: “I feel good about it. I feel that they've made great progress in the way we've come through the spring and summer. Those guys all have ability. I think Coach Wright has done a great job with them in being demanding in the way they perform. I think they have a shot to be a really great group”

On backup running backs: “Kejuan Jones looked great yesterday. The sprained foot could almost be a blessing in disguise, in that he rested his legs that entire time. Kejuan has played a lot of football here. I'm not saying that he doesn't need to practice, he does so he can get his timing down, but also he understands what we're doing. I believe that he'll remain a strong part in what we do. Donta Hickson has really had a strong camp and Jacob Guiterrez is a guy that gives us another style. He is a lot like Quentin Griffin, with what he does. There are some parts of our offense that he fits well and he can be a great change of pace guy.”

On TCU's defense: “They play a 4-4 front and in the secondary they'll either be in a quarters coverage or man coverage. They'll take their chances like everybody else and blitz you on occasion and in certain formations. As you watch Coach Patterson, he has been a defensive coordinator in the past and he likes to commit to stopping the run. They know what they are doing and they do a good job at doing it.”

On offensive line: “We lost three guys from last year, but we still have a lot of guys back. We still have an opportunity, with five seniors up there with a lot of experience, to be awfully good. We might not have the depth that we've had, but I believe that the seven or eight guys in there that will play the most will be pretty good.”

On wide receivers: “Those guys have ability and the experience. Travis Wilson led us in touchdown receptions last year and Jejuan Rankins started 11 or 12 games the year before, so those guys along with our tight ends have experience. Then you bring in the young guys, whether it be Lendy Holmes, Quentin Chaney, Malcolm Kelly or Juaquin Iglesias. Those guys all have to find their role and find their place. We might not rotate as much as we have in the past. We'll discuss that and spell guys to the point that we need to.”

On defensive ends: “C.J. Ah You and John Williams have both been really strong in the spring and summer. Coach Schmidt has bragged on more than one occasion on John Williams' work ethic and attitude this summer and how he's prepared for the season. That has shown in our scrimmage and practices. C.J. is also a physical guy and has played quite well. Calvin Thibodeaux has played a lot for us and will have to step up and play well. Then we have some of the young guys. Alan Davis and maybe one of the freshman will play.”

On TCU's offense: “Tye Gunn their quarterback is a guy who is 10-2 as a starting quarterback which is impressive. He didn't start all of last season due to an injury after going down in the Louisville game. They are pretty diverse in their offense. They run some option, the traditional power game and some play-action. They try to hurt you with play-action and option passes. How much they run the option and the drop back passing, we'll see. They do a nice job of trying to spread you out. They give you about everything.”

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Junior Quarterback Paul Thompson
”The coaches want me to go out there relaxed, play the game that I know how to play and then we'll go from there.”

“I just open up the offense, that's the main thing when you have guys like Kejuan and Adrian Peterson as well as the quarterback running. They (opponents) aren't going to be able to jump everybody on Adrian when they know I'll be able to keep coming in. I'm just trying to help this offense open up and score some points.”

“The number one goal on everyone's game plan is to try to stop us and shut down the run game. Hopefully, that will open up our passing, hitting the receivers when they are open and different types of the plays where the quarterback runs.”

“When the opportunity presents itself, I will be able to make some plays that throughout the scrimmages, we weren't able to showcase.”

On leadership: “The main thing is just getting the consistency, the leadership. When I came in, I saw Jason (White) go down and Nate (Hybl) stepped up. He was a great leader for this team and that was one of the main reasons why we won the Rose Bowl that year. When Jason stepped back in for the last two years, he was a great leader on and off the field. I take a lot of things from those two guys that will help me.

“We do have some young guys, but at the same time, teams around the country are getting new faces and refreshing as well. The freshmen that are here and have been here all summer are making great strides and in the scrimmages have made some big plays.”

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Freshman Quarterback Rhett Bomar
On opportunity to play: “It's exciting of course. I haven't played a game or been hit in over a year. I'm kind of a little tired of practice because we've been going against our own guys since the spring. I want to go against someone new and get in that game atmosphere where it will be more exciting.”

“I want what's best for this team and I want us to win but I also want to play. I'm looking forward to it and I'm ready to get out there and play.”

On the quarterback competition: "Paul and I have a really good relationship. We laugh and joke on the field and have a good time in the meetings. We're friends and we're in a competition and we both want the same thing.”

”I'm going to go in there and play my game. I have to look at it as an open competition because if you don't, you're not going to make anything happen.”

On Adrian Peterson: “I'm excited about having Adrian in the backfield. The defense is going to stack the box and make the quarterback beat them. There are going to be big opportunities to make big plays I guarantee that. A quarterback's best friend is a great running back.

On TCU: "TCU prides themselves on trying to stop the run and they've been pretty good at it in the past. They will put eight men in the box, so we'll just have to beat them deep.”

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Sophomore Defensive Back D.J. Wolfe
”I think the coaches are really anticipating the game because we've done what we can to prepare for this and they know what they expect out of us. We are all just ready for this. Scrimmages can prepare you for this but it's not a game. Once the game comes Saturday, we'll be able to see how players step up.”

On being successful: ”At a program with such a great legacy like this, we know that we have traditions to uphold and I think we go out everyday excited about practice and the anticipation to get better and to move toward our opponents.”

“Coach Stoops reminds us of the 2000 team a lot. He reminds us that we may not be happy with the position we are in now but we think it's a good suit for us. We'll have to go out and perform our best. What he says give us the confidence, the extra boost, because in 2000 they did do that (win a national title) and no one expected them too.”

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