Sooners Set for Bedlam Showdown

Senior OL Eric Mensik (Rosenberg, Texas)

Sooner Gameday Central: OU at Oklahoma State
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NORMAN, Okla. -- Head coach Bob Stoops and senior OL Eric Mensik met with the media Tuesday in advance of this week's game at Oklahoma State.

View video from the press conference by clicking the links to the right. Quotes are available below.

The Sooners (9-2, 5-2) and Cowboys (10-1, 6-1) square off in Stillwater Saturday night with the Big 12 South title on the line. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on ABC.

For complete coverage throughout the week, details on attending the game and broadcast options for following the Sooners from around the world, visit Sooner Gameday Central.

Head Coach Bob Stoops

Opening comments:
"Getting back into last week's game with Baylor of course overall I'm pleased with the overall play of the team. I just thought in all areas we were very solid, very good and you have three penalties on the day and two of them were in the kicking game, which is pretty special for us. We were very disciplined in how we played.

"Offensively, I was excited to see the overall balance. The run, play-action, passing, third-down pick-ups, execution was good and we made some big plays. Eric Mensik up front was one of our players of the game along with DeMarco Murray who had around 190 all-purpose yards again. A bunch of other guys played good, James Hanna, Stephen Good up front. Of course Ryan Broyles is always special and Kenny Stills had another good day.

"Defensively, to hold them (Baylor) and to keep them down like we did, I think it was 53-10 going into the fourth quarter I think you're doing a lot right against a team that was at the top of the league in every offensive category, first, second or third. So they had been moving the ball all year and I thought we really did an excellent job on third down. Getting some pressure, having some sacks, the defensive score and the coverage was really good. Some guys that played well, Jeremy Beal was again our player of the game, Demontre Hurst and then the usual guys after that, everybody was really solid.

"Special teams were good again. Jimmy Stevens and Tress Way were a couple of our players of the game along with Marcus Trice who had some huge plays in the kick coverage and getting the safety on the kickoff, but those guys hit the ball well.

"So it gets us into this week with Oklahoma State, an exciting week for everybody. It's great to be in this position when you're going into the last week of the year still pursuing a championship, the Big 12 Championship. It's exciting, it's where you want to be, it's what you want and we've been here a lot.

"I was told after last week's game that this is nine years out of 11 that we've been in this position in the last week of the season with the chance to still pursue the Big 12 Championship. So our players are excited about it, we had an excellent day of practice yesterday and we're looking forward to the challenge and competition of it. Coach Gundy and Oklahoma State have done an excellent job and they've had a really good year. So it's a big challenge, an exciting one and I know our players are excited about it."

On if OSU's offense is similar to former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach's offense:
"Well even this year when we played Tech, they still have a lot of the same offense that they had with Mike. There is a lot of it and there's a good bit of it here when you look at the passing game. In particular it is still really similar, I think they are more persistent and creative in running the football more and they've got an excellent back in Kendall Hunter and a bunch of other guys that run the ball well. So that's probably the biggest difference in their willingness and persistence to run the football. But a lot of the other stuff there has some strong similarities."

On the efficiency of the offense vs. Baylor:
"We were very consistent really the last couple of weeks that we've played really well. The execution has been there, the blocking and protection. Landry (Jones) has been very sharp, the receivers are making big plays, so it's been positive."

On the lack of penalties this season:
"In particular a year ago we were horrible. Penalties stopped, I can't tell you how many drives, and put us in the hole. Especially when you're short-handed injury-wise and you're young and inexperienced. Then you add 15 yards extra, or holding minus 10, or a procedure minus five and you start adding all the extra yardage, you're not able to overcome it. I think this year the reason has been experience and the players taking pride and paying attention to it. I think they are playing in a disciplined way, technique-wise, and so I think they have been more conscientious about it and I think we are more experienced than we were a year ago also."

On DeMarco Murray:
"DeMarco's biggest attribute is his ability, he's so skillful at so many things. He's excellent at running routes, he's got great hands, he's got speed out there when he does get the corner on somebody. He can run the football and he's a great pass protector when he's picking up blitzes because he's so strong. He is just versatile, he can do everything and in an offense like ours we take advantage of that. We like to be able to do multiple things with him, so he's perfect for it."

On how the three-back set is tough to stop defensively:
"It's just all the different keys. You've got three guys going in different directions or the same direction and gaining leverage on you and picking up the proper keys. So you just have to settle in and figure out how you're going to handle the different gaps that are created. With three different guys you can create gaps a lot of different ways."

On the challenge of stopping OSU's offense:
"They've got a great receiver and a lot of receivers. Of course Blackmon is a special guy. They have a good quarterback and excellent running game and they use them all. Again, I'm sure when people face us it's similar. Our quarterback has played great, Ryan Broyles isn't easy to cover and DeMarco has been sensational. There is a lot of that give-and-take on who you are trying to be good against."

On the opportunity at hand for the OU defense:
"When you look what we have been doing, we don't get caught up in that shootout stuff. I remember hearing all that going into the National Championship game a couple years ago and here it's 14-14 going into the fourth quarter. Who knows how it will go. In the end I do feel good about how we've played defense over the last couple of weeks against teams that have been spread-out, teams that have been highly productive and we have played with more discipline and have tackled better. We have been structurally sound and good at what we've done. That will need to happen Saturday."

On defensive tackles Jamarkus McFarland and Casey Walker:
"He (McFarland) is doing well. He's really doing a nice job and really starting to come on. He has played really well the last couple of games and that is exciting. He works hard at it and he's coming on.

"Casey did well. He held up fine and practiced all week. He hasn't missed anything so that is a positive. Other guys up there, Ronnell (Lewis), really played well and seems to really be getting the feel for everything, which is a big plus too."

Senior OL Eric Mensik

On the Bedlam hype:
"We just see it as approaching another game. Of course there's that in-state rivalry against Oklahoma State, but we're going into it as another game, another chapter in our season. We're looking forward to it. They're a really solid team and it's going to be a lot of fun."

On the team since losing to A&M:
"I think we've come together a lot more. We've changed things at practice as individuals and worked on certain skills and things like that. It's really helped us to start doing what we need to do. Going on the road to Baylor and beating Baylor there helped. It's always hard to go to someone else's house and beat them there. So we changed things up and worked on a lot of things and I think it's really helped a lot."

On the importance of practice leading up to the game:
"It plays a huge role. If you don't have a good week of practice and you don't focus or work hard, it shows up in the game and it shows up in your play. But the coaches have really worked with us on how to get things done and work as a team and as individuals. Put that together and we're able to do well in the game."

On OSU's defense:
"They're very good. They're very big guys, very solid guys. Their defense has held together really well this season which is one of the reasons they've done so good."

On the potential of playing for the Big 12 Championship:
"It's really exciting to know that we have a really strong chance of playing in the Big 12. That's the underlying thing, but we're still focused on beating Oklahoma State. If we do beat them, we'll focus on playing in the Big 12, but right now we're focus on playing Oklahoma State. But like I said, that's the underlying agenda right there and we're really excited."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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