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University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Fiesta Bowl Offensive Quotes
December 28, 2006 | Football
PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Oklahoma coaches Kevin Sumlin and Kevin Wilson along with selected offensive players spent Thursday morning in a press conference at the official media headquarters for the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Defensive coaches Brent Venables and Bobby Jack Wright, along with DE C.J. Ah You, LB Rufus Alexander, LB Zach Latimer and S Reggie Smith will attend the Friday morning press conference.
The Sooners play Boise State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day. The game is a national telecast by FOX sports. See Sooner Gameday Central for complete broadcast options.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEVIN WILSON
On running backs Allen Patrick and Chris Brown:
“I just think in preseason, we had an uneasiness or an unawareness of what the other two players could bring to the table. And as talented as Adrian Peterson is, those other two guys actually did some things maybe as good or better. Maybe all three get in, maybe not. I would hope. I anticipate and I think all three will play. I see that happening.”
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On whether OU might add more to their offense for the bowl game:
“That's the problem with bowl games. Sometimes you have so much time you do too much. We went through a practice yesterday of about 60 plays and we didn't do any third downs yesterday. Each game, we have a core. We are what we are. There are things we can do, things we can't do. Each week there are subtle tweaks of formations.
On what stands out from Boise State:
“Their team speed, as group, is real good. They took a converted corner and made him their low safety/outside backer, so they basically play with three corners in the secondary. When they go to nickel, a fourth corner comes in. So, it's a lot of speed. Our team is a speed defensive team and with that, the size, we're not the biggest team that walks on the field. But there's a lot of activity and that's the way they play. They put a lot of stress on their two corners. Those guys get locked up in man. Their used to playing lock-down defense.
“There's a reason you've won 12, you've won them all. A team that wins every game is pretty good, because you're not going to play well every week. You're not going to get every call; you're not going to get every break. There's going to be some glitches. You've got to be a good enough team to get them all. We've been a part of that. That's hard. I look forward to competing against them.”
On the return of Adrian Peterson:
“He's practicing great, doing everything. In some ways, he's doing more in practice than we would normally do. Receivers and running backs run a lot. They run so much that, sometimes, in practices you taper their work back. He's been out so long that we're actually giving him a little bit more than normal to make sure he's up to speed.
“I think we have confidence in our other backs, though, and they've proven that they're very capable. I would think that all are going to play. I don't have any doubt, watching the way he's been practicing, that he'll be ready. He looks like he's ready to play at a high level. My only goal that I've given to him personally is that we're going to do things that give us a chance to win this game.”
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CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEVIN SUMLIN
On OU senior offensive lineman Chris Messner's leadership and ability:
“We've gone through games where we lost Branndon Braxton, who's a sophomore. We're moving guys around, Jon Cooper, who's starting at center and broke a leg last year. Duke Robinson, all those guys are sophomores and freshmen.
"We started one game when Cooper was out with a true freshman center. It's important because when you're young, you haven't seen all that stuff and I'm talking about venues and everything else that we go to play in which are not easy. (Chris is) kind of got an easy-going demeanor like Paul. I think that does a lot to stabilize a young group of guys. You know, everyone wants the fired up' guy doing all that all the time, but it's been a great chemistry with those guys.
“His change from quarterback to being there has been a process, but he's been around the Jammal Browns and Davin Josephs and the Chris Chesters and guys who, you know, are starting in the NFL and some are All-Pro. And he's dealt with the Tommie Harrises and the Dan Codys and all that stuff. So he's seen it.
“What he's done has been outstanding. More than anything else, his stability, how he plays. Those guys don't get enough credit. Those tackles, anytime anybody notices them is a sack. The way we've been able to run and pass with him in there and the way he's done things day to day to day with those young guys has been phenomenal.
“I know he understands down and distance. He understands when it's third-and-8 that, OK, my guy needs a little time. A lot of linemen don't have that. I've heard him talk in there. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, those guys listen.”
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SOPHOMORE RECEIVER MALCOLM KELLY
On how injuries effected Oklahoma's morale during the season:
“Everybody just kept on rolling. When one person goes down, then someone should be able to come in and step up. They might not be able to step up as good, but they can get the job done. That's what we've done all year. Like with Adrian, when he went down, the backup running back came in and did good. Then he went down and the third-string running back came in, he did just as good. That's just the mark of a great team, great coaches that can come up with a game plan that we can execute.”
On how a receiver is a big part of the running game:
“As a receiver, sometimes I have to point the finger at myself for not doing my job. You have to make your blocks out there on the outside. On film, you can see where, a lot of the time, when a run goes for 15 or 20 yards, it could be 60 if your wideout makes his block. We have to sure we do that this upcoming Monday if we're going to be successful.”
On what playing in the Boise State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl means:
“It's the last game on the schedule. You want to win the last game on your schedule. It will be a real good springboard for us going into next year knowing we're bringing back a whole lot of guys.”
On what having an excellent sophomore season will mean for the future:
“It means that I'll have bigger goals next year, knowing what I have accomplished.”
On what having running back Adrian Peterson back means to the team:
“Adrian just brings so much to the game, so much to the offense, his love and passion for the game. When you have him in the backfield, you always have a chance. I'm just anxious to see him come out Monday after being out so long.”
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SENIOR OFFENSIVE TACKLE CHRIS MESSNER
On facing Boise State:
“They have been their conference champs for many years, including this year. You can't discount anybody in college football. You do that, you get beat, and we don't want to get beat.”
On the team meeting its goals:
“Our main goal was to get better every week. We believed we did that. We didn't overlook anybody and it paid off. It got us to the Big 12 Championship and we played well there and we're here now.”
On blocking for Adrian Peterson:
“He's a great player and the thing about him is that he's so fast. I love blocking for him because, just from my perspective, you might not think there's an opening and then he squeezes through for 80 yards. It's just amazing to watch him play, watch him run, because he goes hard every play. At practice and games, he's a beast.
“He's a great player and we enjoy playing with him. Just having him, I don't want to say it's a relief, but it's just good to see someone who's coming back from an injury. Getting to play my last game with Adrian Peterson is something I've been hoping for just because I've seen the hard work he's put into game preparation and being at OU.”
On whether or not blocking changes depending on the running back:
“Not really. We know we have to block hard for anybody who's back there. Paul or Jacob Gutierrez or Allen Patrick or whoever's in there. We know we got to do our part. We're blocking for whoever's back there. Really, it doesn't matter.”
On Paul Thompson and his change from receiver to quarterback in August:
“Paul's a very unselfish guy. He'll do whatever he can possible to win. That's the spirit that Coach Stoops was trying to get going on our offense with leadership and all. He's walked the walk since he agreed to be the quarterback.
“No, that's pretty much unheard of, you would think. He's adjusted well. It's not like he had not played quarterback before, but just changing positions so quickly is pretty impressive to me.”
On how playing quarterback in high school taught him as a lineman:
“It taught me that the play is not over until the whistle blows. In high school, I was a blocking quarterback to. I would hand the ball off and go around and block somebody. You really just can't take a play off.”
On why OU's rushing offense became more productive after Peterson's injury:
“It could be a number of reasons. Maybe the offensive line was clicking, maybe the whole offense was clicking and doing their part. I think with him being out, maybe we got a little bit closer. Who knows what the reasons could be? We just had to do what we needed to do to get into a position to get in this bowl game.”
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JUNIOR RUNNING BACK ADRIAN PETERSON
On the effect of injuries to the team:
“A lot of guys had to fill in some spots. A lot of guys had to step up and, you know, play a big role. They did that and the team's been rolling ever since.”
On the most difficult part of being injured:
“Just not being out there on the field. It was very difficult, especially on Saturdays. Watching the game on Saturdays, it really hits you when you're on the sidelines watching the game.
“As far as the injury, it kept me in a sling for the first two weeks, so all I did was cardio work. Once I got cleared with my shoulder, I started hitting and getting back to doing regular exercises curls or whatever. I would say the strength is back 100 percent and the bone is back, it's stronger.
“I'm very excited. My legs are feeling fresh, so I'm just ready to go run. (The shoulder) feels good.”
On what a bowl win will mean to him:
“It means a lot. You think about the since we had -- the controversy, the injuries and all that. To see where the team came from to finish up in a BCS bowl and establish, hopefully, a top-five ranking for next year.”
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SENIOR QUARTERBACK PAUL THOMPSON
On practice:
“It's going really well. We got out there, the first couple days, and just continued to do what we did before we left for the Christmas break getting back in rhythm, getting back into a week-type of progression. We're moving into the middle of the week now, getting ready for the game.”
On if preparation for a bowl game is different than regular-season games:
“It's the same way we've prepared week in and week out this year. We're going into it with a balanced mindset as far as passing and running the ball and being real physical. We're going at it like we've gone at it for all the games this year. That's what's worked for us.”
On running back Adrian Peterson's return:
“That's big. He's jumped right back in like he's been here throughout the year. As far as timing on the handoffs, mesh points, it's been real natural with him back in there. He's just a natural athlete so he's in there, he's ready to go.
“(He's) one of the better backs, if not the best back, in the country. He's been chomping at the bit to get out there with us.
On his familiarity with Boise State compared to other opponents:
“A lot more familiar. We've had a lot more time than many other teams to prepare for them. We're definitely aware of their athleticism, their ability to get their hands on balls, and rally around the ball. Definitely a well-coached team and they have great athletes on their team. We're going to try to go in at them and see if we can't take advantage of them.
On what he expects to see from Boise State:
“They'll man us up in a two-man type of look, even some man-to-man coverage. They are kind of similar to some teams we've played, but as far as switching up defenses, they're kind of different. They're going to man us up with a lot of cover 4-type looks. They do a good job of switching it up depending on the personnel you have in there and trying to shut down our big-play guys.
“On film, the secondary is real athletic. They are always in good position to knock the ball down or get an interception, so it is going to be important for us to make sure our routes are crisp and our timing is right because they do a good job of getting their hands on the ball and knocking it down.”
On whether he reflected on the season during the break:
“I haven't really too much, personally, but you do get people coming up to you and telling you about it and that brings it back to light. I have thought about what we've done and what this team has done and it's been pretty tremendous considering the circumstances we were under. I definitely have been real grateful of how the team just came together this season and rallied and want to finish it off right this week.”
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