Oklahoma DB Reggie Pearson Interview — SMU Week (9-4-23)
Oklahoma DB Reggie Pearson Interview — SMU Week (9-4-23)
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00:00 this first game here at OU.
00:01 >> It was good.
00:02 I mean, everybody got a taste of everything.
00:05 That was the best part.
00:06 You don't really see much of that.
00:08 But it was a fun win.
00:11 It was a complete win.
00:12 On defense, probably had three mess ups, but
00:14 they were very coachable and small mess ups.
00:17 So once we fix that, and
00:19 have a 100% game is gonna be real scary.
00:23 And we did that, but I'll go 100%.
00:25 And that was the fun part, for sure.
00:27 >> Anything surprising from Saturday,
00:29 just the whole experience?
00:31 >> Not at all, not really.
00:32 I kinda knew what I was getting myself into from the spring game.
00:36 50,000 people in the spring game, it was crazy.
00:38 It's not heard of.
00:39 So now having a packed palace is definitely,
00:42 it was running out of tunnel, extremely fun.
00:47 But no, it was pretty much exactly what we knew it was gonna be, so.
00:51 >> Does it say anything to Peyton to calm him down?
00:55 >> No, no, he was real poised.
00:58 It surprised me a little bit,
01:00 because he was having some freshman days before that.
01:03 Mentally struggling a little bit, but we're always there to make sure he was in
01:07 the right head space, and he came out and did his thing.
01:11 He had a really good game.
01:12 >> Ted talked a lot about, on the same way,
01:15 you have offensive line, everyone on the actual type, but
01:18 there has to be a lot of communication.
01:20 What did that look like on game day, and in situations like that,
01:24 what is the communication in moments like that?
01:27 >> Yeah, I mean, it's exactly what we do in practice,
01:29 just making sure when things change and move, that we know exactly what we gotta
01:33 do and what to talk about and who to talk to.
01:36 That's the biggest part, and making sure where everybody is.
01:39 It's not your spot, so.
01:43 >> You've played against OU for a few years.
01:46 You probably had an idea of kinda what their defense is like, or
01:50 what their reputation's been like.
01:52 Maybe what's changed about this defense in your mind?
01:57 >> Yeah, no, I've seen our media people just posted that we're fast,
02:03 complete, suffocating defense.
02:05 And that's exactly what I felt like changed from last year,
02:08 from what I've seen from OU defense to now.
02:12 Like just every single play, and rallying everything and
02:16 making sure we get guys down and honing in on our communication.
02:22 That's a big thing, too.
02:23 So I'll say we're super physical.
02:26 We're faster than what a lot of people thought we were.
02:28 And we pretty much knew what every play was and
02:31 when it was coming, and being in the right place at the right time.
02:35 >> What's gonna be the bigger challenge against SMU this week?
02:39 >> Pretty much the same thing.
02:40 It's a lot of teams, the moving, the motions, the shifts, the trades,
02:45 the trick plays, and the formations like end over and tackle over and
02:51 stuff like that.
02:52 So that's pretty much what a lot of teams try to do to us,
02:55 because we do have a very communicative defense.
02:59 And communicating is probably the key to our defense.
03:01 And anything that a team can do to make us communicate more,
03:05 they feel like they'll win.
03:07 But that's what this week's for, for preparation and
03:10 being prepared for every day in practice and in the game.
03:14 >> This is the third college football program you've played.
03:18 >> All right, I'm just comfortable.
03:19 >> This will be your only year at the top.
03:21 What do you think is most different, most special,
03:24 most unique about the defensive scheme that you've planted in the program?
03:27 >> Yeah, yeah, I mean, this is my first time I've planted a scheme like this.
03:31 But I would say it's extremely busy, and he has a ton of ideas.
03:38 His mind races all day, and it races in a great way to help us learn
03:44 a little bit more about the defense and different player assignments.
03:50 And as well as breaking down offenses pretty uniquely is something that I've
03:55 learned while I've been here, and spending that time with him has definitely
04:00 helped me understand the game even more, even though I am an older guy.
04:04 But just get me to that next level, and he does a great job doing it.
04:08 >> What can you realistically take away from the games,
04:11 like the one you guys played on Saturday, where everything's working?
04:14 Hank, 73 on the board offensively, and shut it down defensively.
04:16 Is it tougher to kinda gauge where the unit and
04:21 the team as a whole is at coming off a game like that?
04:26 >> No, the main thing to gauge is the finish.
04:27 I know that's been a big thing last year,
04:31 that OU defense was struggling with last year.
04:34 And now this year, completing the game and
04:36 finishing in four quarters in all four phases of that game.
04:42 That was the main thing to pay attention to,
04:45 the main thing to take away from the game is making sure that we did finish, and
04:49 finishing a high caliber team that we are.
04:53 >> What does it mean to talk a little bit about the test that they're doing?
04:59 >> Yeah, like I said earlier, it's just more of the moving,
05:02 forcing us to communicate.
05:05 I know they got a couple of speed guys, things like that.
05:09 But like I said earlier as well, we pretty fast in every position.
05:15 Linebacker ran 10-3.
05:17 So we can run, and any team that kinda like hands on our speed shouldn't.
05:24 So I feel like a lot of teams this year is gonna try to make us communicate more
05:29 like they did with OU last year.
05:31 But yeah, just keep preparing with our communication and doing what we need to do.
05:35 >> Talk about finishing, to see the second and third unit come in and
05:39 not have any drop off or anything like that.
05:41 What did that mean for those guys to get that confidence early?
05:44 >> That's what we've been talking about in camp and rolling into the season.
05:48 Competitive depth, people didn't think it was real, it's serious.
05:53 We got some guys that can play as a two and a three.
05:56 So that's more of the finishing part for us,
06:01 that we know we can trust guys in a game and we know that they know what they're
06:04 doing and keep challenging every player and myself to finish.
06:11 >> Anybody from those younger guys stand out when you guys went back through
06:13 the film on Sunday?
06:15 >> Yeah, I mean, not even in film, in a game, watching Peyton.
06:18 He came to play, he did his thing, he tackled very well.
06:22 No mental errors and I'm proud of him.
06:27 So that's part of the main guy that I pay attention to.
06:31 Then offensively, of course, Jackson went 11 for 11, so that's special.
06:37 It's very special.
06:38 I've seen a lot of high caliber freshmen, QBs come in and
06:43 do that, so being able to see him do that at the highest level is very special.
06:50 >> Was there anything that was a pleasant surprise to you when you're in the game
06:53 playing or even on the sidelines after you finished playing?
06:57 >> Not really, I've been playing this for a long time.
06:59 I'm not saying I'm a 20 year vet or anything like that, but
07:04 the game and everything has been slowed down for me.
07:08 So it's not too much surprise for me,
07:11 just more of making sure I stay on my high horse and do my thing.
07:16 And then also, probably my teammates have to serve their best every play too.
07:22 >> How did it feel to be totally healthy, playing at the top of your game?
07:25 You're a great athlete, so if you're healthy, you're ready to go.
07:28 So how did you feel like you did?
07:29 Because from what we looked at, it looked like everything's ready.
07:33 >> Yeah, I felt okay.
07:34 >> Felt okay.
07:35 >> [LAUGH] >> But it was great.
07:38 It's always good to play healthy.
07:39 It's always good to play at whatever percentage that you leave out of
07:43 full camping.
07:44 But I always showed what I could do a little bit more,
07:50 playing two different positions.
07:52 And we got a handful of that today, so a little aghast.
07:56 But yeah, it was fantastic to be able to play with a bunch of new guys.
08:02 And I know I've been here since spring, but
08:06 being able to bring those practices to real battle and real war.
08:12 Definitely a lot of guys stood out to me, and
08:16 I'm proud of my team in general, from special teams to offense to us.
08:20 Everybody did their 111, did whatever they could to better our team and
08:24 better our chances of winning.
08:25 >> I know it was a penalty, but did it feel good getting that first hit in?
08:30 >> I was waiting for it.
08:31 Yeah, no, I've always been that guy that's set the tone.
08:37 And just put fear in people's heart.
08:41 I'm never afraid of anybody.
08:44 I don't care who you are.
08:45 And unfortunately, I was already standing out of bounds.
08:51 I expected him to run in front of me and to me, and I'm not finna move.
08:56 So it kinda like, slippery slope.
09:00 >> Does it seem like every hard hit in college football nowadays,
09:03 you're trying to catch them back?
09:05 It's almost impossible.
09:06 >> Yeah, yeah, I've got that.
09:09 I've been targeting, I got targeting calls, I got personal call calls.
09:13 I didn't have it all.
09:14 So it's kinda hard with our space.
09:17 Having guys with a good closing speed and things like that,
09:22 that are very physical players.
09:25 It's kinda hard to slow down in those last couple inches or
09:30 not react when you feel kinda threatened in a way.
09:34 So yeah, no, I feel like that's been the sucky part of the way that I played,
09:41 the way I grew up, kinda holding back a little bit.
09:46 Now, regardless, actually I had a play last year where I held back a little bit and
09:50 I thought the guy was out of bounds.
09:53 And he scored, so not taking that this year.
09:57 So that was kinda like the result of what happened yesterday.
10:02 >> Make it easier to come back to us in a conversation with an official or
10:05 anything about, sorry, you were out of bounds and he was in the-
10:08 >> No, no.
10:11 Somebody had posted on Twitter that the ref was smiling while he was throwing
10:14 a flag.
10:15 So I have no idea.
10:17 I kinda just do anything to make a play for my team.
10:20 >> How'd your teammates react to that?
10:22 >> That was hype.
10:23 That was hype.
10:24 And that's why I felt like I set the tone for our team and
10:27 came back the next play to let my team know that I got y'all.
10:32 I know what I did.
10:32 We lost a couple yards, whatever.
10:34 I'm gonna get it back.
10:35 So just kinda coming back that next few plays and going through and
10:40 out was definitely the big thing to set a tone for my team and my teammates.
10:46 And it was pretty hype, so.
10:47 >> So you're the enforcer?
10:50 >> All of us are.
10:51 And I think that's the scary thing about our team is that every guy in our defense,
10:58 from D-line, linebackers, corners, safeties, all headhunters.
11:03 We'll watch film and some plays that other teams don't make and
11:07 we see it like, God, we probably would've killed him right there.
11:11 So it's like we all got that same mentality and
11:14 that's the biggest thing that I enjoy when we do sit at meetings and watch film.
11:18 And we have our heart to heart and stuff like that,
11:21 just kinda getting that chemistry together and applying it to the field.