Middle Tennessee on Playing Sooners

NORMAN, Okla. -- Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill and sophomore defensive tackle Trevor Jenkins met with the media in Murfreesboro on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming game at Oklahoma.

The Blue Raiders of the Sunbelt Conference are 2-1 on the season after shutting out Tennessee Tech, 44-0, last Saturday.

The Middle Tennessee defense produced its best effort of the I-A era, limiting Tennessee Tech to just 135 total yards from scrimmage, including only 10 yards rushing.

Middle Tennessee quarterbacks completed just 12 passes in the contest, with eight different receivers catching at least one pass.

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HEAD COACH RICK STOCKSTILL
Opening statement:
"We had a good win last week. We are looking forward to going to Oklahoma and I know our players are excited about going there."

How do you stop Adrian Peterson?
"I don't know if anyone has ever stopped him. He's a great back. I think he's the best back in the country. He has great speed, power, is a physical runner. He's dangerous in the kicking game. To stop him, control him, contain him, you have to get a lot of people around the ball. I don't see one guy bringing down. We have to get people to the ball."

Do you think you are playing Oklahoma at an awkward time after the manner in which they lost (to Oregon) last week?
"I think it is tough going there whenever. Everybody is making a big deal of that but it's Oklahoma. They are going to be excited to play football. Everybody is talking about what happened at (Oregon) but I know they will be ready to play and we will get a great effort. They have aspirations of a national championship. They can't afford another loss. They have to get back in the national championship hunt and we will get a great effort from them, as well as the remaining teams on their schedule."

What is the key to your defense controlling Oklahoma's offense?
"It starts with our offense. They can't score if they are on the sideline. It's imperative that we have drives and sustain drives with scores. We can't get down there and kick field goals. We have to score touchdowns when we have the opportunity. If we have a bunch of three-and-outs it is going to be a long day for the defense."

How do you prepare for the crowd noise there?
"We piped in some crowd noise during our practices and that helps. When we are on the practice field we are having our quarterback whisper in the huddle so you have to read lips as opposed to hearing and really pay attention. Defense is mostly signals anyway without a lot of huddle communication so I don't know that it affects them as much."

How much progress was made in the Tennessee Tech win?
"Against Tennessee Tech our defense was much better. We tackled better. I don't care who you are playing when you get a shutout in college football you have played good defensive football that day. We got turnovers, we created problems. Offensively, we didn't play real well in the first half, but the second half we played better. We didn't have as many missed assignments in the second half and the defense put us on a short field, too, so that helped."

Thoughts on instant replay?
"I like the replay system. I think it's good. I am for getting the right call made. I think they do a good job. As far as kinks, it's the first year we have had replay in the Sun Belt Conference so there will be things to improve but I think it's good for college football."

DT TREVOR JENKINS
How do you plan on stopping Adrian Peterson?
"Adrian Peterson is a great runner, a talented runner. He's a Heisman Trophy candidate and he should be, but he also has a great offensive line. If we can get past the offensive line then we get to him. That's the way I look at it."

On facing Oklahoma this weekend:
"It's a must win for them. They still want to win a national championship and they can, but they can't afford another loss. We know we are going to face a very, very good Oklahoma team. No matter what happened last week (against Oregon) they will put that behind them and move on because that's what you have to do. As far as us, it's another opportunity to play football. That's my approach. It's no different from any game we have played."

What has the crowd noise being piped into the stadium been like at practice?
"It's annoying but it's great preparation. It's a challenge, it's been a little difficult and that's what we need. It helps in that you have to focus more on getting the calls and communicating. Like coach Stock said, the defense is mainly signals but we still have to communicate and get the calls. It's been productive."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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