Baker Mayfield Post-Practice Quotes

Quarterback Baker Mayfield
April 6, 2015

On if he feels like he's playing like he did last year:
“Still going as hard as I can, that's what I was doing, giving it the best look last fall, so, I mean, I'm really doing the same stuff, just taking it day-by-day.”

On if going into a system similar to that at Texas Tech meant picking up where he left off:
“Kind of. I had to refresh my mind a little bit, but it wasn't too different for me.”

On if he was excited to have Lincoln Riley as offensive coordinator:
“I was. He's a good guy, a good coach, somebody you want to have in your program. It's good for everybody.”

On having an advantage with Riley as offensive coordinator:
“Just prior knowledge of the offense is the only advantage I have, but I mean we've been here all spring, they had time to learn it too, so, I mean, we started spring ball at the same point.”

On the similarity between Mayfield's experience at Texas Tech and Riley's offense:
“It's pretty much the same thing.”

On acting more toned down than how his teammates have described:
“You gotta contain it sometimes. It's the person you gotta be sometimes.”

On if he is in the position to start:
“We're all getting equal reps right now, so, I mean, I'm doing the best I can so we'll see as it plays along.”

On if he would like to know who is starting by the end of spring practice:
“I think we all would, all four of the guys, we'd all like to know, but, I mean, if doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. We're just going to keep competing through the summer, and then two-a-days.”

On the difficulty of going through the process with the NCAA last year:
“It was real tough, it was up and down. We had the appeal, I mean, people said that we were going to get it, lawyers said there was a good shot of it, and to have them deny it, it made me realize that, you know, I had to wait a little bit to play football again. I just had to find a positive to it all. I still got to go against a defense that's nationally ranked, so, I mean, I had to just take that positive and practice against them every day.”

On if he has had to adjust to different receivers after leaving scout team:
“I would say yes, but I had Dorial Green-Beckham, he's probably going first two rounds of the draft, so I mean, it's really speed-wise, nothing different. I mean those guys are obviously, it's a difference with everybody else, but we had scout team guys, I mean Mark was with me over there, there was Dallis Todd, Jeffery Mead—sometimes Mead, he was playing with the team, though—but other than that, speed's the same.”

On the quarterback's role in improving a team's core:
“It's something that we stressed. We looked at stats. We were bottom of the Big 12 in passing offense. We can run the ball, we know that, we got good backs everywhere. On the line, we just got to be able to put it all together and throw the ball around.”

On WR Sterling Sheppard:
“Sterling? I mean, he's a good dude, and he's a great receiver. We've got some guys that can play now. I mean, last year people thought our receivers were one of the weakest parts, now I'd say, I mean we're going to surprise some people now.”

On what aspect of his game has most improved since last year:
“Mental-wise, thinking where I need to go with the ball to give me a certain look. I've been able to kind of play a little backyard football and react, just instinct kicks in, but just basically putting all the stuff that I learned in the film room and making it happen in the field.”