Sooner Coaches & Players on K-State

NORMAN, Okla. -- OU coaches and players met with the media on Tuesday at the weekly football press conference at the Kerr-McGee Stadium Club inside Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

The Sooners open Big 12 Conference play by hosting the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 1.

The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. under the lights at Owen Field and will be televised by Fox Sports Net. Please consult Sooner Gameday Central for complete broadcast information.

OU HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS
On Oklahoma's by week:
“Wrapping up our week off last week, I don't know if it was much of a week off. As a team, we really worked hard at trying to improve ourselves. We practiced Monday through Saturday, which we've never done in the past. But players had a good attitude about it. We felt like we needed more snaps on the field to try to improve everything that we're doing. I felt like we did that and made some good improvements, and we had a lot of extra work on Kansas State.”

Sept. 27 Photo Gallery | Sooner Gameday Central | Game Notes

On Kansas State:
“Kansas State is a team, year in and year out, that's always very competitive and very physical. They're a tough football team. They're always really good at running the football, and they're doing that again this year. They're always very creative using wide receivers, changing up their blocking schemes, trying to outnumber you in different ways as well as using their quarterback. They're using Allen Webb to create a running attack as well. That's where it begins with them, and that's where we have to be really good defensively first and foremost.”

Get in the O-Zone

On what aspect of the offense needs the most work:
“It all goes together. It isn't like we can just run around and try to hold on to the ball with two hands and not do anything. It's just execution on offense. When you look at us in the first several games, even in the UCLA game when we had opportunities to take the lead or go ahead, we didn't. We had too many negative plays where we busted a blocking assignment and were hit in the backfield, and then we were second-and-12 and got behind. Or, we fumbled a snap, and it was second-and-12. You would rather have an illegal procedure and be first-and-15 than second-and-12. We have to eliminate where we're beating ourselves in some of those areas.”

On Paul Thompson moving to wide receiver:
“It's been exciting. Paul has really been impressive at receiver. He adapted to it quicker than I felt he would because he understands all of the routes. He understands our offense and what we're asking them to do.”

“Paul looks like he's kind of a tall, skinny guy, but he's strong. You look at his numbers, and he's 215 pounds, but he could put his elbow on someone and create some separation. He's got long arms and strong hands. So he's been impressive. We intend to get him out there. I believe he'll play a fair amount in this game coming up.”

On cornerbacks:
“They're all going to play. But in the end, D.J. Wolfe will play, then either Eric Bassey or Marcus Walker depending on how the rest of the week goes. We're trying to find consistency there that's needed. We have to find who's the most consistent at being in the right places and making the most plays.”

On who will be the toughest competition in the Big 12:
“It's a little early to truly know. I think everybody in non-conference schedules is a lot of times hard to evaluate. A lot will start to unfold this week as we all start playing each other. I've felt this way every year that's it's always very competitive. You've got to be ready to play. It isn't just coaching talk. How everyone's structured is very sound. They have very good coaching, and you have to make your plays to win.”

On punt returning:
“Jejuan Rankins is healthy and right now is set to go this week, so he'll be back there for us. If not, the guys who continue to make improvements, like Nic Harris and Reggie Smith, are becoming more and more consistent as they continue to practice.”

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SOPHOMORE DB MARCUS WALKER
On the defense's motivation:
“I think we look at it like we have to go out and play to the highest level we can play. As the defense, we have to go out and force turnovers and make good plays. That is our mindset going into each game.”

On the week off:
“We felt like we needed to improve. We felt like we aren't far off from where we need to be. We used our week off to get to where we need to be and we made a lot of progress during the week. Last week was one of our best weeks of practices. We got a lot of work done in our off week. This week at practice we made an extra effort to get over that hump and get to where we need to be so I think that is why the intensity level stepped up a notch.”

On winning the Big 12 Title:
“Yes, we think we can (win). We are going to go out each week and compete to win. We are not going into any game thinking we are going to lose. Any team we play, we are going to give them our best shot and hopefully they will give us their best shot and may the best man win. Everybody is 0-0 in the Big 12. This is the first week of Big 12 play so may the best man win.”

On the ongoing competition with Eric Bassey:
“That's what it is, competition. I knew it was going to be like that before I got here and it was like that last year and this year too with my injury. I just have to go to practice and earn my way in practice now.”

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FRESHMAN WR JUAQUIN IGLESIAS
On the off week:
“We really worked on the mental mistakes and taking care of the football. It was really just improving on what makes us not win in games and improving on little things.”

On the hardest part of practice:
“This weekend there was no game so we really didn't have any downtime so you just had to keep going and push through practice every day. I felt like we really got better this week and I felt like everyone took it seriously and everybody did a really good job at trying to get done the little things that needed to get done.”

On the comparisons to Mark Clayton:
“Yes people say that but Mark Clayton, that is pretty high. I don't know about that (the comparisons), but one day I hope to be up there at his level of play.”

On choosing number nine:
“I didn't know Mark (Clayton) before but I've had my number since high school and I just wanted to get it again in college. The first time I ever saw Mark was when he came to practice a couple of days ago but I never talked to him.”

On his style of play:
“I feel like I am really good after the catch and I feel like I can make cuts. I'm not really one of those receivers that goes down deep but I really feel like I can make moves after the play.”

On his confidence level:
“The more and more I get in, the more comfortable I get, and then it feels like I can settle down and start making more plays. At first when you don't really get a chance, it makes you kind of tense and there are 100 things running through your mind, but now with more playing time, it's like you settle down and get more comfortable.”

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SENIOR TE BUBBA MOSES
Week of practice:
“I don't think it was a tough week of practice, it was more of like a mental week at practice. It wasn't really an off week; we practiced Monday all the way through Saturday, which I think improved a lot on the offense and defense.”

On the attitude at practice:
“The attitude was wonderful. At first, it seemed like the players didn't understand the importance of practicing all the way through Saturday but everybody's attitude toward the end of the week was wonderful.”

On the Big 12 Play:
“It's Big 12 week now. Coming out of the UCLA game, I wish we'd won. We've improved since day one all the way to week three. I think everyone is confident coming off of the UCLA week.”

On catching the ball:
“I think my percentage on catching the ball and my role on the offense is going to improve a lot. It has something to do with Rhett (Bomar), but the offense is also evolving that way.”

Importance of the off week:
“It was very important. It gave all the guys a chance to rest and realize it's not really a rebuilding year, it's more of a step up and play year.”

On Paul Thompson switching to wide receiver:
“Like Coach Stoops said, Paul is a wonderful athlete. Coming from quarterback and transitioning to wide receiver, he has been tremendous and his attitude has been wonderful. He's out there making plays and that is what we need.”

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