Video & Quotes: Sooners on A&M Game

NORMAN | Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, senior quarterback Paul Thompson, junior tight end Joe Jon Finley, sophomore cornerback Lendy Holmes and sophomore wide receiver Quentin Chaney met with the media at the weekly football press conference on Tuesday.

The Sooners travel to College Station for a Big 12 south division showdown with Texas A&M on Saturday. ABC will broadcast Oklahoma's 52nd consecutive TV game beginning at 7 p.m.

HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS
Opening Comments:
It was pleasing to go on the road and play so well. We played smart. We went the entire second half with no penalties and no turnovers. We really executed in a good way.

It all started defensively, playing so well. Even though the first drive we gave up one pass, we settled down and got them stopped to force a field goal. From then on, I thought the coverage, back or secondary, everyone was just excellent.

Tuesday Press Conference Video

Junior Tight End Joe Jon Finley (Arlington, Texas)

Sophomore Wide Receiver Quentin Chaney (Tulsa, Okla.)

Sophomore Cornerback Lendy Holmes (Dallas, Texas)

Eye on Texas A&M | Sooner Gameday Central | Season Stats

Even on scrambles when he had extra time, we forced them to run. Our guys closed on them really well. I thought the pressure, whether we were blitzing or not blitzing, it was excellent. We forced them to run, scramblerarely was he able to set his feet and just make throws. We made a lot of plays that way.

Jason Carter makes a big play with the blocked punt. Offensively, I was incredibly pleased with the overall ability to play physical. Our blocking, line, tight ends, fullbacks, it was just really solid when you can just rush the ball for well over 200 yards away from home. You're increasing your opportunity to win big time.

We ran it really well. Allen Patrick was outstanding, physical, running hard and taking care of the football. Paul Thompson was very good taking advantage of play-action passes and getting some nice play-action throws for some big chunks, as well as some nice third down pick-ups. He was very solid.

We had some good fortune in some penalties on their part and a dropped pass. Every now and again you get a break or two that help in those situations.

The areas I was incredibly pleased with: offensively when you can be that physical and run the ball like that, you're increasing your opportunity to win big time. And play defense like that. To hold them to 10 points is a really solid defensive effort.

We'll build on it. There are still some areas we feel we can improve (after) watching it on tape. We can be better and that's what we're going to push for this week. Make improvements this week to put ourselves in better position to go to A&M, another big challenge that we're excited about. (We're) fired up to have the opportunity to go down there and compete. We are just focusing on making the improvement we feel we can make this week.”

On the improvements in defensive performance:
It was playing good early in the year, we just weren't as consistent. I said that all along. A great example is Oregon. Opening play of the game, they get a play that goes to the four-yard line, they score.

I looked back through that game. What are areas we need to look at? I don't know, 14, 13 minutes to go in the fourth quarter; we're winning 20-13. That's a long period -- that's three quarters of football that we were holding them to two field goals. And they've scored a lot of points on a lot of teams.

I said early that no one wanted to listen to, a lot of parts of what we were doing was still really good. We gave up some plays. We haven't been giving up those kinds of plays. We've been more consistent but we were still playing pretty decent then. I think people have seen that Washington has scored and moved the ball on a lot of teams.

To think they're going to come in here and we're going to shut them out, I don't know if that was fair. Everyone wanted to say that back then. We still played good defense in that game. Lately, we've been making improvement. We haven't given up the one or two plays like in those games that led to some points. Even in those games, we weren't far off.

On offensive blocking:
The tight ends are blocking really well. You can't run the football without them. Those three guys are really good football players- Joe John Finley, Brody Eldridge and Jermaine Gresham, give you great versatility in formations, they can all run and catch the football and they're really good players. They're giving us a lot of flexibility and doing a really good job, and our wide receivers are blocking really well.

On the Challenge of playing at College Station:
“It is the same as a lot of places. They create a lot of energy and noise. But that isn't unlike any other place that holds, whatever it is, 80,000 people. But we are in that environment a lot. It is not easy to go to Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Missouri. We had a tough time in Missouri two or three years ago. It's not the easiest thing when you go on the road.

All of those places you can make them what you want. And I think it is fair to say that's not easy to come here for other teams. It's not easy to go anywhere. When you have good stands and their packed, it's tough. And again I know our record here is pretty decent, it can't be real easy to come in here. We look at them all the same.

On his expectations of Paul Thompson:
He has not exceeded our expectations. I think people are seeing what we felt all long his potential was. I think it is fair to say that Kevin Wilson and our entire offensive staff have really worked with him to really play to his strengths and to really give us a good mix and blend and what were asking him to do.

But all along Paul has been a very capable quarterback. I don't blow smoke when I don't believe something. I have said all along Paul is a talented guy. He has ability. He can throw the football better then anyone has ever given him credit for, and he can throw the football better then he can run the football, regardless of what anybody want to think.

He is a bright guy, he is a competitive guy, and he's a worker. He had all the intangibles to do what he is doing.

On Allen Patrick's improvement between his first start and second start:
I think playing last year helped him. Those experiences still stay with him. I think in the second game he just had more endurance having gone through it the week before. He handled much better the other day. I think your first time out there carrying it that much, with the excitement of it all. This time he was a little more conditioned for it.

I think naturally the more you do it, he is seeing his holes well and hitting them well. I think naturally the more you do anything the more comfortable you become with it.

On how Patrick has impressed him:
He has been a stud. No question. But he is like that. You visit with him and he is a tough guy that loves it, loves the game. So I can't say that it is surprising to us at all. But we appreciate him no question.

And I think as we go Jacob (Gutierrez) has a chance to contribute more and Chris (Brown) as well. Jacob even the other day had 40 yards, for the limited carries he had. He is a spark as well when he is in there.

On the depth of the defensive line:
They are doing really well. A guy that should be recognized, someone I should have given the game ball to immediately after the game, sometimes you just don't realize until you watch film, but Alonzo Dotson made the first three plays on the goal line. The first run, the second pass he is forcing the throw away and the third run he gets down and cuts threw the pull blocker. So he makes three great, great plays.

Those guys are all playing well. DeMarcus Granger had another great game inside, he and Carl Pendleton, Steve Coleman. Outside all those defensive ends played in a solid and good way. I should mention the guys for us that were players of the game were Lendy Holmes and Marcus Walker were outstanding.

Lendy Holmes had four breakups, one on fourth down, an interception and a fumble recover. It was a pretty special day out there at corner. And Lewis Baker inside as well. And then Allen Patrick and Joe Jon Finley. Joe John had like 16 or 17 knockdowns outside of his touchdown catch.

On what he had been seen in Quentin Chaney to put him in at a key situation:
I just saw more and more consistency, catching the ball and working to get open and effort and all of that. He just needs to continue to improve and show the consistency needed to step up and make plays. We have always seen a lot of talent and potential. He needs to keep working it to show it and to be productive and consistent on the field.

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JUNIOR TIGHT END JOE JON FINLEY
On playing at Kyle Field in 2004:
I remember going down there (in 2004). I made a call to Jammal Brown and I couldn't even hear myself talking. I was thinking, This is pretty pointless.' It's awesomeit's a good thing. When we score a touchdown and all of them go silent, that's the best part to me. I had my first touchdown that game. It was a lot of fun.

A&M is the best place to play besides here at home for me. It's the most exciting. I grew up in Texas hearing about the 12th man and I've been to a couple of games down thereI love every second of it.

Every time I think of that game, I think of that last pass that Mark Bradley caught to go score. I remember he ran the wrong route but he ended up being wide opengoing down to score and win the game for us. We won by a touchdown and it saved our chance to go to the National Championship that year.

On the recent offensive performance:
I'm really happy with the way everything is going right now. With everything that happened at the beginning of the year, everyone kept doubting us and saying how the offense was going to have to be carried by the defense. Every time something happens -- Adrian breaks his collarbone -- we just keep on responding, we keep on coming. That really makes you feel good.

On turnovers helping the offensive spark:
No doubt about it -- when you get out there and the crowd gets into it, you keep that momentum going. You hop off the bench and everyone's running out there excited, ready to go score. When you get a turnover, you want to turn that into a touchdown. That's what we've been doing pretty well.

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SOPHOMORE RECEIVER QUENTIN CHANEY
On his first career touchdown pass:
It feels good. It has been long awaited for me. I have been waiting for it to come. Now that I got it, now it is time to move on. We have A&M this week and that is who we have to focus on.

On the key to getting back in there:
Just keep working hard. I talked to coach, asked him what are some things that I could work on. He said just keep working hard. So I just kept going hard at it, everyday at practice. I worked on running a better route, catching the ball more consistent, blocking, just every aspect and it paid off.

On when things started turning for him:
It has just been talking to Coach Sumlin every once and awhile. Noticing at the beginning of the season that I wasn't playing that kind of discouraged me a little bit. I kind of had my head down. But sometimes you have to wait, so I just kept asking what things I could work on and I just kept working hard.

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SOPHOMORE CORNERBACK LENDY HOLMES
On being ambidextrous:
I haven't always had it. I worked on it and then I started getting comfortable around fifth or sixth grade. It really doesn't make a different which hand I use to throw with- it's just natural. If I get in a rhythm and that comfortable mode I just start shooting. I lead a spiral with the right hand, for the left I just put it out there.

On changing positions this season:
My career here I've kind of had ups and downs just trying to get that feeling with how everything goes up here with the rotating and the atmosphere and everything like that. Where I came from I wasn't really in that kind of environment, I was just seeing the same people everyday. I had to make a big adjustment.

When I was started out my freshman year receiving I felt real comfortable and I had to wait my freshman year as a red-shirt just to get stronger and learn all the plays. When the time for me came, I had ups and downs. I had to get in there and play instead of watching so I had to adjust to that.

On having to work his way up:
It wasn't discouraging. When I went on defense I felt like I was back at my natural position -- I love defense. I can hit, I can cover and do it all. As far as having to work my way up, that was something I had to do. I had to get in there and learn all the techniques and plays. I had to work my way up and be patient with it.

I feel way more comfortable now than where I was at the first game of the season. I'm recognizing things. I'm in the film room watching my opponent and what the receivers do and who the quarterback likes to throw it to. In practice is where I start to get all of my motivation. It's my comfort zone because I'm seeing it and reacting to it. When game time comes I'm comfortable and just waiting for it to happen.

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SENIOR QUARTERBACK PAUL THOMPSON
On OU's offense at Missouri:
It was enjoyable. Throughout the week we put in a lot more stuff, and there was a lot more to think about as far as the passing game goes. But as far as me running the ball, I definitely enjoy those types of plays and enjoy me getting the opportunity to run the ball around and make some plays on my feet.

So I had fun out there, and again had some different things in that game that we hadn't had all year. It was good to see how we're expanding and I think we'll continue to do that throughout the rest of the Big 12.

On what he expects from Texas A&M's defense:
There are different things that defenses will let you take. Going in, the game plan against me, I'm not sure what they believe I do well or what this offense does well. I think we've shown we're pretty balanced. Allen Patrick has done a great job at running the ball; he's shown it last week and the week before. They're going to have to pick their poison, but we do feel like we can take some shots and make big plays this week.

On A&M's defensive formations:
They like to man up on the outside and they play with some outside leverage on that second receiver, so we're going to try to take advantage of that again. We've got different kinds of route schemes that we walked through at practice a little bit that we haven't done normally, so we're going to try and take advantage of their one-on-one matchups that they have, along with their leverage.

On adding more to the offense:
Our guys are older now, and we're not as young we were last year obviously. We can take on more. Giving defenses different looks is big and executing plays. So we definitely want to have a lot of diversity in our game plan and the plays that we're calling to keep the defenses off guard. So they're going to be putting on us as much as we can handle as well as taking off things that we can't handle. It's going to help us throughout the Big 12.

On playing in College Station:
I think one of the main things is they don't get quiet at all. You'll be up and you'll be down and they're always cheering like they're ahead by twenty. So that's a big thing. The way the stadium is built, the sound is coming right down on you so I think it'll be similar to Oregon. I think we've already had this experience so I think we'll be okay.

This year it will probably be like Oregon again, so we've already started to silent count and we're real comfortable with that. I think it'll be easier for the guys to block that out and focus on what we have to do this time around.

I can't do much about what they do. I can't let what they do affect me and I don't believe it will. Again, we've done silent count for a couple of weeks now, and have had practice with it in games as well. I feel comfortable with it as well. There are more distractions with this game than any other game in the Big 12 with their traditions. We can't let that get to us, so I think we'll be alright.

On Quentin Chaney's first career touchdown:
It was the first of his career against a quality opponent, and throughout the week he was practicing well. He's been practicing well since he's been here, and when you get the opportunity to shine you have to take advantage of them. That's what he did. He got in there and made a great play -- caught the play at the five and muscled his way into the end zone.

So it definitely does a lot for his confidence, and does a lot for the confidence of everyone else on the team in believing in him. It's just going to add to our depth even more and make us a better team.

On the improving defense giving confidence to the offense:
Defense has been going really well all year, I believe. I think the main thing is their turnovers are helping us a lot. They're flying to the ball, hitting guys, picking balls off, and that gets us in great field position with the ball and we can go in and score from the 25- or 30-yard line and get points on the board.

That takes momentum out of the team we're playing as well as gives our team a whole lot of confidence about where we're going. Again, they've done a tremendous job; the whole defense got the game ball this last week and I think they'll continue to do that throughout the rest of the Big 12 because they've come together real well, as well as the offense has.

On building momentum from previous games:
We definitely want to ride momentum of previous games. We do know how we finished out last year and were real successful. We're looking to continue that this year. We definitely feel comfortable about where we're at. Speaking for the offense, we feel good about where we're at offensively as far as turnovers and mental mistakes. I think we were at our lowest in that category last week. We definitely feel comfortable and we're riding momentum from our previous game into the next.

On Allen Patrick being a physical player:
That's just his nature. Two weeks ago on the kickoff he just went and crushed someone. He doesn't care about his body, that's the main thing. He's got less regard for his body than anyone else on the team.

So he's a real physical player and that's just how he runs. He's got great speed, he's got great vision. I think he showed that and a lot of people might not have realized that up until last game, but he had one run where he was kind of sweeping to the right, paused a little bit and then cut it up for 10 extra yards. He's definitely developed as a good running back for us and his physical presence is probably tops in the Big 12.

If he's hurt I don't know it. It seems like every run he should be hurt to me the way he goes. He's flying at defenders that punch him down, and then he pops up and is more excited than anyone else. He's just a great athlete.

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