OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL OU QUOTES HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS OKLAHOMA 52, IOWA STATE 16 NOV. 7, 2015

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1 OU QUOTES HEAD COACH BOB STOOPS Opening Statement: Just want to start out by [saying] that we re proud of our players and the overall execution and the way they came out and played. We thought all parts of the game were again very good and it was very pleasing to start off the way we did. Offensively we hit some big plays in the first quarter and big plays throughout the game. I thought Baker [Mayfield] was outstanding with being accurate on deep throws and short throws. His decisions on where he was going with the ball, handing it off on screens, all of it was really good. I thought our run game really picked up overall in the second half. Defensively, we were excellent throughout the game and we didn t give up a touchdown until the last drive, but we had a lot of backups in who are still figuring out how to play. Our kicking game was again solid. It was a really good game. Coach Paul Rhoads and Iowa State have a chance to end [the season] really well and they re a better team than their record indicates. Through a good part of the first half they showed that. It was a tough second quarter there when we were back and forth with them and fortunately came up with some really nice big plays during the second half. Our defense, of course, throughout that second half continued to play very well. I thought the big plays that we got that really separated the game was the opening play and the deep play to Sterling [Shepard]. In the second half, we just had really positive execution. On limiting Iowa State s running game: That was big. We said all week that that was a major key for us and that we could not let them run the football successfully or consistently. We knew that if we could take that away it would be difficult for them and it would help us. We were great on third downs overall, great on pressure, and covered really well. On Oklahoma s improvement: Well, we ve improved. I think everybody has been disciplined and tough-minded and pushing themselves to make improvements. In the way we practice and the way we ve gone through the week, we ve been really good competing against each other on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fortunately, with that we re getting some help with guys coming back health-wise and the other guys have been able to stay healthy. Otherwise, some of that time you spend trying to make improvement becomes tough to do when you re losing guys. So we just have to keep taking steps forward to improve. On health of the injured Oklahoma players: Devonte [Bond] was great, we just pulled him for safety reasons late. Jordan [Evans] was great after the game. Zach [Sanchez] looks good. He was out there running before the game in his shorts and he says [his ankle] is feeling better and better. He s expected to practice Monday. Johnathan [Alvarez] is expected to be back this week. On Oklahoma bouncing back after low-points during a game: Once you get knocked out of rhythm it can last longer than you need it to. Fortunately, we came out of the half [better]. Really the big third down to Dede [Westbrook] on a come-back route on third and extralong in the opening series in the second half was a huge play. We were able to catch our rhythm and score a field goal and got on task with moving the ball. Then we had a few series and had some big plays. On the offense s success against Iowa State: I think you have to compliment Coach [Lincoln] Riley and the offensive coaches for the design of the plays and then the players for the execution. In this offense we try to use everybody and make defenses have to defend everybody. We spread the field and give opportunities to everybody instead of trying to force it to one or two guys, whether it s run or passed. It s exciting to get that many guys involved in making plays. On having fewer penalties compared to previous games: I showed the team the [penalty count] from the first five games of the year. We were up there with 9 to 10 penalties. It was awful. Then here in the last three games we ve only had two, three and three. So we have been doing a better job with playing with proper technique and having more discipline so that we don t have to have unforced penalties. On developing Oklahoma s run game: It s recognizing what defenses are trying to do and communicating up front with the players identifying well. Coach [Bill] Bedenbaugh does a great job getting them to understand that. I think little-by-little we ve gotten more consistent with the execution of it. It s important every game to be able to run the football. It takes a lot of heat off of the quarterback, opens up play-action, and opens up slots. Running ball is always a big deal.

2 OU QUOTES COORDINATORS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR LINCOLN RILEY On the ISU defense and the overall performance against it: They were an aggressive defense and that s what you have to do against aggressive teams. We didn t make as many of our normal routine plays, especially in the second quarter, but we had some big things there. We had a couple big plays in the passing game and got some big ones in the run game going late. We definitely had guys making plays. They were aggressive enough to throw some one-on-one opportunities in the throwing game and then also in the run game, but if you could get past the first level, you had a shot. On the offensive lull in the second quarter: I m not real happy about the second quarter, but that s been this team. We came in at halftime and laid it out for them. Both Baker (Mayfield) and I were too aggressive in the second quarter with trying to force too many big things to happen. We knew we had to do a better job to make routine plays and have a better mentality. We really challenged them at the half. Give our guys credit because they responded in a big way in the second half. On the first touchdown/offensive possession of the game: That was fun. You draw those up at times and you don t get up enough guts to call them on the first one. They don t always happen like that. Dimitri (Flowers) is a big part of our run game this year. He s a guy that does a lot of work and at times doesn t get noticed, so it was great to get him out there. He s a great athlete. That was exciting. You can t be scared to take chances. We ve got confidence in these guys. We started off with a big play the first play of the game. We emphasized all week that getting off to a good start was going to be huge part. If we don t have the guts to make a call like that then, it s kind of hard to sit there and tell the kids to be aggressive. We got the play right where we wanted it, the right hash and it was just good timing. On Mayfield s arm: He s got an arm that can make all the throws. He can pump them down the field, he can throw the touch balls, he can throw in small windows in the quick game. We weren t very good in the second quarter. We forced it a little bit too much, tried to make too many big things happen, but when we re protecting, he can get it done. The receivers made some good catches. The first, third and fourth quarter, we played pretty efficient. DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE STOOPS On slowing Iowa State s run game: Being able to control the run is where it all starts for us and any team. If you can do that, then you can take and make the tempo of the game a little better. That s where it all starts. We thought they ran the ball pretty well today. I don t know what they average per game. We had a couple, maybe one or two, bad series and gave them one drive at the end. When we were struggling, I liked the way our guys hung in there and didn t give up. In the second quarter, we let the game get closer. They started to creep back in. We lost momentum. On the injuries and the depth: They play the same position, so we would have to take Jordan (Evans) out to play Dom (Franks). Frank has done a great job. We re blessed to have two great players. They compete and we play the most consistent player. Same thing with Devonte (Bond). Our starters, traditionally we haven t lost a position due to injury. When you have quality players of that magnitude that are difference makers. That s just the way we ve done it. These guys have really been terrific players for the first four games for Devonte and Jordan, who missed the last two. It s just good to have depth. We were fortunate again to play a lot of guys tonight. On Dakota Austin: He s kind of reincarnated himself these last three weeks. These last three weeks, he s really played some steady football for us. He s been reliable and he s played well. I m just happy he s had an opportunity to play. That s what you like to see when your team guys step in and play well and not be a big drop off in the quality of play. I think it s just little things with Dakota. He s always had ability. Sometimes players are just different when they become a starter. For whatever reason, you just take your job more serious. He s done a great job at that position. On Baylor next week: Playing Baylor, there s going be a lot of stress across the board for everybody in the run game, the pass game, putting pressure on the quarterback. You have to be good in all layers of your defense because these guys we have to find a good plan. We ve struggled in this game the last couple years, but we re playing well right now and certainly so is our offense. We re playing well as a team and that s what it takes to win. It s not going to be any one-sided game playing these guys. You ve got to play well across the board: offense, defense, special teams. You don t win these games down the stretch. You have to play ball as a team.

3 OU QUOTES PLAYERS SENIOR CENTER TY DARLINGTON On the game tonight and going forward: We have to be more consistent in the second quarter. We had a bad second quarter after we started out fast. I saw a stat about how many possessions we had been without punting and then we punted on the next series. We were slowed a little in the middle of the game, but we were still able to make some big plays. We know that consistency is going to be the name of the game. We can t rely on three-play drives to beat teams. We did some good things and broke some big plays, but we have to be consistent, too. On how the offense is going to have to play next week against Baylor: We have a lot of confidence right now. Since the loss to Texas we have had gradual improvement. It has just been a focus and a mentality on both sides of the ball. You have seen what we have been able to do since then, so obviously we have some good momentum going into this last stretch. I know that we are pretty confident going into it. We are confident in our defense, though, that we aren t going to have to score 40 plus points to win. On the first play of the game tonight: I loved it. I absolutely loved it. He was thinking about calling something else and then he said the name of that play. I was pretty fired up for it and it was wide open, too. I was pretty excited. I saw it get released and was like yeah, that s it. It was great execution by Bake [Baker Mayfield] and Samaje [Perine]. JUNIOR DEFENSIVE MATT DIMON On performance of defense down the stretch against running teams: These games are just going to come down to a lot of will and who makes the plays when they need it. These offenses are really good at running the ball and passing the ball. I feel like with Baylor, they kind of run to set up the pass. And that s why you see all the big numbers. As far as all that goes, like I said, we re just going to have to play with a lot of determination and will. It s win or go home, so we ll see how it goes. On the improvement of the defense from a month ago: Tons better. I think just the feel, the comfort level we have in the defense, as far of all of us knowing our assignments, playing off of each other, has improved a lot since the Texas game. We kind of had a coming to after the Texas game. We ve been able to play really well and I m really proud of the guys. On the significance of College Gameday covering the Baylor game: It s awesome. I think we re all pumped. How can you not be? It s going to be an awesome atmosphere and it s win or go home. So really this is it. This is like a playoff game and I think that the guys are all really ready. I think this week we have to prepare really well. To be able to play on College Gameday is something I ve never done so it will be a lot of fun. JUNIOR QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD On big plays and short drives: Honestly, it was great play calling by Coach [Lincoln] Riley and we were willing to take our shots and execution in front. When we got those big shots called we got good protection up front and no job is easy. On his TD pass on the opening play: I had no idea that he was going to call that the first play, but hats off to him (Riley). When you practice it you don t expect it to work that perfectly. On whether or not it s as good as he can feel going into the Baylor game: We are playing well right now. Our defense is playing lights out. The way we played in the second quarter, we can t play like that and we ll watch the film and get that ironed out, but we are playing well. Offensively we shouldn t be in a position where we have to kick field goals, so we are going to get that cleaned up. Right now we are confident and we re rolling good so I feel good about it. On being a leader and allowing the guys to be excited about this week: It s a game where there is going to be so much hype about it, knowing that the Big 12 has all its big games at the end of the year and this is Gameday, obviously. It s a game where you have to settle people down. It s kind of like our Tennessee in that we are pretty hyped up and just focus on the details and that s what we will be focusing on this week, so

4 I am sure intensity is not going be a problem. We are not going to have any problems with practice this week. SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER DURRON NEAL On if he is excited for the big games in the coming weeks: Yeah, I am. Me and Sterling (Shepard) were talking the other day about what better way to go out as a senior than these last three games. The guys in the past didn t have the opportunities like this senior class does. We have the chance to make history and make a run at this thing. We are very focused and just ready to go at it. On how the offense will have to play in the next few weeks: We are ready for the challenge. Our defense has our back and we have theirs. We are going to keep on relying to each other and keep doing what we have been doing since we lost to Texas. We are going to come out with the same mindset and go after it. On the confidence over the past few weeks: The confidence has always been there. It was just about the small details. Making the blocks or catching the ball and getting up field. It was just those small things. Those small things turn out to be the big things. SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER STERLING SHEPARD On quick scoring drives/fast starts: Coach Riley did a great job of dialing up plays like that first play of the game. He (Riley) said we were going to run it and it worked out. Guys just did a great job of executing. It all boils down to mentality. Coach Riley is the number one man in this offense. Guys have bought into his offense and the system that he brought in. As long as we keep practicing and playing like we have these past few weeks, we can be the fast team we want to be on Saturday. On how much work was put into the flea-flicker : About a week - we haven t had it in the playbook for too long. Coach Riley lets us know what we re going to do. It s on us to go out there and execute and we did a great job doing that. On the Baylor game: It s one I ve been waiting on and I know the team is excited. We got hyped up in the locker room and we re ready to get after it. We have to have the same mentality that we came out with tonight and the last few weeks. We know they re a tough team to beat. The way we have been playing we feel like we are a tough team to beat. It ought to be a great game. We have to come with it like we have the past few weeks. On ESPN College Gameday being in Waco: We don t really need anything extra to get us hyped up. We re going to be hyped up all week and come into the game hyped up. We have to do a good job of controlling that. On the Big 12 and national implications of the Baylor game: We want to work this team back up to being one of the top-tier programs in the nation. We have guys that have their heads in it. We feel like we can be as good as we want to be. SENIOR DEFENSIVE CHARLES TAPPER On building momentum going into these last three weeks: It s very important for us. Especially going into these last three straight big games. We have two undefeated opponents and one team that lost one game that was today. So it gives us a lot of momentum, a lot of energy. On his play the last few games: I m just flying off the ball. Just going out there. Mistakes are going to happen. The first couple of games I was worried about just being in my game, trying to stay in my game. Making sure that I was playing like a robot almost, just make sure the job gets done. And Coach Reynolds said you can t be a robot. You ve got to be a playmaker. You ve got to go out there and make things happen. You re a senior captain. And that s what I did. I was just trying to go out there and make plays happen. I ve just got to fly around and be an athlete trying to make a play. It s been working these last two games. On the team s maturity from week to week and if it will continue: I definitely think it s going to continue. I think it s going to turn up to another level. We re ready. We ve been waiting for this time. This is what you ve been waiting for. This is what you come to Oklahoma for. Big games like this and great atmospheres like Baylor. So I know for the young guys, this will be a lot of these young guys first time playing with College Gameday being at our game. The intensity is going to be so crazy that we just can t wait for it. Like this week of practice will probably be the best week of practice that we ve ever had.

5 IOWA STATE QUOTES HEAD COACH PAUL RHOADS Opening Statement: That s a really good football team. That s a really good football team that we played, and to beat a team like that, you can t make many mistakes. You ve got to tackle a lot better than we did. When you get down on the plus side of the 50, you ve got to end up with touchdowns instead of giving them the ball back and stalling out. The turnover margin was one to one. We needed to win that battle we didn t create enough there. We didn t run the ball tonight effectively and that was another big piece. The final piece would be not answering their tempo in the second half. On what OU did to stop running back Mike Warren and the rest of ISU: They re a good football team would be my first answer to that. I think they re holding opponents in the last three outings to under 100 yards rushing a game. They ve got great speed. They have the ability and do bring the pressure from a lot of different places, make you try to find that and get it picked up, and we didn t get it picked up. They had a lot of free hitters on our ball carriers. On what problems were caused by OU s tempo: The second half, one of our objectives to win the game was to play successfully fast against their tempo. We got into a trailing point after the two scores (in the second half) that made it We didn t play urgent and fast enough against that tempo. We didn t have that second and third guy showing up when you needed him to show up. We gave them too much open field space to play with. a team down here in 98 and we were a dropped interception away from winning that game. I don t think there s any stigma. These kids, they don t know what happened in 2006 or 96. They ve got good players and they re well coached. At halftime, we all felt we had an opportunity to go out there and compete to win a football game, finish up with the momentum. Even holding them to a field goal in that first drive, I thought that was a positive. We needed to go down and make it a game, and we just never did. We never gave ourselves any chance for momentum in the second half, any chance to play with confidence. On why it was a slow process getting the passing game going: They had people in the throwing lanes of some of the areas we wanted to throw to, so we didn t have clean throws. We had balls that were high, we had balls that were low, we had dropped balls. We didn t want to get into a pass game with these guys because they ve got great pass coverage. Part of that is their ability to get pressure on your quarterback. I thought the O-line did a decent job of handling that. Joel [Lanning] stepped up in situations when we finally had some stuff down field -- that helped out with it a little bit. That s the best defense that we ve played by far. On how deflating quick scoring drives are for the defense: That s deflating. That s a good way to put it. They come out with a trick play, a successful play and I d put that one away. If they re able to do that to start the game successfully with the razzle dazzle again, okay. Let s line up and play defense. They took advantage of the turnover in the short field. In the second half, when we lost our rhythm to match theirs, they hit us on the big plays. A little bit of that is not playing as urgently and hard as you need to at that point. On Oklahoma defeating ISU consistently through the years: Since 1961, that makes it for Iowa State That s as lopsided as it probably is across the country as far as two teams playing against each other. You look over that time, as you walk down the carpet, you walk over some national championship years. I was a part of

6 IOWA STATE QUOTES PLAYERS JUNIOR KICKER COLE NETTEN On getting back into form the last few games: Definitely a confidence booster for me and the team as well. Hopefully, we can just keep it going. On getting his confidence back: I lost confidence in myself. You don t lose talent; it s the confidence. It was really a big thing that I tried to remind myself. I have the talent to do it, I ve done it before, I ve been in these situations, and you just have to remind yourself that you can do it. There were a lot of people that were supporting me. I have a great family, great friends, and great teammates. They kept encouraging me. On kicking as a mental game: A lot [is mental]. Way more than people would think, almost 80 percent I would say. If you don t do the motions right, it doesn t matter how strong you are, it s not going in. SOPHOMORE WIDE RECEIVER ALLEN LAZARD On if Oklahoma s defense is the toughest they ve faced: I would say so. They were very sound in what they did. Their front seven was probably the best we played all year. On losing their winning momentum with this loss and getting it back: Any loss is frustrating. We go into every game wanting to win. Right now, we ve just got to learn from our mistakes this game and really focus on these last three games. We just learn from our mistakes. We go to the film room, we evaluate ourselves, and we go back to work Monday.