Watch Oklahoma Sooners safety Key Lawrence meet the press after practice on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023.
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00:00 The defense gives a big run, but you've got to get your arm in there and
00:02 knock the ball out.
00:03 I mean, what did you see on that play?
00:06 >> Honestly, that's something that we work every day at practice.
00:07 Literally on Tuesdays, we work at the steel form drill, and
00:10 I seen this man literally switch the ball in his hand.
00:12 So the first thing I thought was a tag.
00:13 This is most of his vulnerable point, and
00:15 then just try to get the ball out from there.
00:16 So that's how that happened.
00:17 >> What do you say about the defense for
00:18 a lot of guys to be around the ball to pretty much recover before you have to get it?
00:21 >> It's about the mindset, like Coach put an engraver in us,
00:25 that we need to hustle to the ball, strain every day.
00:28 Just have the audacity, if they burst something like that, we all need to be there.
00:32 Just get population to the ball is a good thing.
00:33 So that's all we try to do, have a good model and a good mindset for that.
00:37 >> Can you kind of explain why you're so good at knocking the ball out of there?
00:41 >> Just practice.
00:42 >> I mean, other guys are in practice as well, right?
00:44 >> Yeah. >> Everybody's practicing the same thing,
00:45 but you've got a gift for it.
00:47 >> Man, it's just practice, man.
00:48 I just try to master the peanut punch, man.
00:50 That's all I try to do.
00:51 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:55 >> What are the first couple of weeks of the season just been like for you?
00:58 You've been around for a while, but what stood out to you the most?
01:01 >> Just keep grinding, man.
01:03 The thing is that we just so hungry, we so eager cuz we know we can do.
01:06 And we know we capable of because at the end of the day, we got a lot to show for.
01:10 You know what I'm saying?
01:10 We got a lot of recovery to do, if you know what I mean.
01:12 So we just try to prove the world wrong, man.
01:15 We want the mindset cuz boss came in, he said they know, we know,
01:17 and the whole world know.
01:18 We just trying to engrave that into this defense, into this team.
01:21 >> How's the safety room being deeper, helping you personally?
01:26 >> This is getting everybody better, just iron sharpening iron,
01:29 getting the competitive depth and stamina.
01:31 For everybody, just pushing myself, pushing my teammates, and
01:33 it keeps everybody on their toes as well.
01:35 And just everybody, different mindsets that helps each other, and
01:39 then variety ways, and then we just try to keep each other, get each other better.
01:42 >> Heard it from Justin Harrington the other night,
01:45 just the benefit for him, he said, of year two in the system.
01:49 For yourself, where are you feeling that?
01:50 Whether it's in practice, in the film room, or on set?
01:52 >> Yeah, this is my first time ever, in high school, college,
01:55 having a coach two years in a row.
01:56 So I feel a lot more comfortable, I feel more confident, and
01:59 I can just fly around.
02:00 So I think that helped us a lot.
02:01 >> When you say coach, you're talking about head coach, position coach?
02:03 >> Yeah, head coach.
02:04 >> Really? >> Yeah, and position coach as well.
02:06 Cuz if this high school I had different coaches, and
02:08 then transferred to Tennessee my freshman year, so.
02:10 >> What did you see from a guy like Peyton Pollard through two weeks off?
02:16 >> That man is incredible.
02:17 He's got a lot of instincts.
02:20 And just for him being so young and being so mature as well, it's crazy to see that.
02:24 And I think he's gonna be a good player when he gets older and
02:26 mature a little bit more.
02:27 >> Is it pretty impressive to see a guy, I mean,
02:29 just two games through his college career?
02:31 >> For sure.
02:32 >> Making plays, he does.
02:33 Right, of course, and it's a good thing for us, knowing that we got a young guy like
02:38 this, so mature, and so ready to play, and capable of doing these,
02:41 making big plays like that, and not shying away from the moment.
02:43 So I think that's pretty good.
02:44 >> Okay, it looks like you guys are tackling a lot better than you did last year.
02:48 I know there's certain stats out there,
02:50 you guys probably have your own grading system.
02:51 Do you feel like you guys as a defense are just tackling?
02:54 >> Yeah, just a mindset of will.
02:55 We really want it.
02:56 We want it, we all hungry, and I believe it.
02:58 And I see it every day at practice.
02:59 It's just a different mindset, like I'm saying.
03:01 It's cliche to say, but it's a real thing.
03:04 And I think that all the guys are still there in their mindset,
03:06 they wanna do better and prove everybody wrong.
03:08 >> Is that something that you guys work on and practice for this year?
03:11 >> Yeah.
03:11 >> Yeah, cuz you just gotta get used to it.
03:13 It's not something that you just go out there and just happen.
03:16 It's got instincts, certain steps, certain techniques, knowing where your guys are.
03:20 Besides, you gotta have trust in one another, so yeah.
03:22 >> Back to back, good outings.
03:25 How do you stay even keel through this process?
03:28 >> Coach is trying to say, he just says be consistent.
03:30 We just try to be as much as consistent as we can for myself or the team.
03:33 We just try to do one step at a time.
03:35 We're not trying to get too anxious with anything, just try to keep a mellow head.
03:38 >> To combine those last couple of questions about Peyton and
03:41 about practice and tackling, when Kanhi got his fumble.
03:44 It was Peyton who made contact with the guy, held him up, allowed him to pull out.
03:51 How surprised were you that that's a freshman out there doing that kind of
03:54 head and play?
03:55 >> I wasn't really that surprised.
03:56 I've seen him do it before at practice.
03:58 I mean, it's another day at work.
04:00 Whoever steps in front of us, we just wanna try to do the best we can.
04:02 >> Can you quantify anything that you might have picked up or
04:06 learned from Reggie in his time here, experienced guy like that?
04:09 >> I'd probably say being more poised, being more calm, cool and collected.
04:14 He doesn't try to let anything like the external noise get to him.
04:19 Just being around an older guy like that is good for me.
04:21 And it keeps me on my toes because I do things he can't do,
04:23 he do things that I can't do.
04:25 So we just try to keep each other better and iron swapping iron.
04:27 >> You guys played, I think, five or six different safeties on Saturday.
04:32 How much more depth do you guys have there?
04:34 Does that help you guys, I guess, to stay fresh?
04:37 >> I mean, yeah, it does.
04:39 Of course, we just all see each other.
04:41 I don't even know how to explain it.
04:42 We just love rooting for each other.
04:44 It's a real brotherhood.
04:45 It's just like, whoever out there, we're just gonna cheer them on regardless,
04:47 cuz we all came up doing the same thing.
04:49 >> Have you noticed greater intensity out of the defensive line this year?
04:53 >> Yeah, it's just everybody's here.
04:55 They understand what they gotta do, what it takes.
04:58 And then just being in defense another year also give them confidence as well,
05:01 I believe.
05:01 So I think I've seen a better confidence in everybody up front.
05:06 >> Some experienced portal guys too.
05:07 >> Yeah, and that helps a lot.
05:09 Bigger guys, bigger bodies, yeah.
05:10 DT's doing a great job too.
05:11 He's a big guy.
05:13 >> You mentioned you weren't surprised by Peyton, but when you first saw him,
05:16 when you first were with him at camp, what surprised you then,
05:18 and what stood out to you then?
05:19 >> His instincts, like I said, he's somebody that's very instinctual.
05:22 He reads defenses pretty well for a young guy.
05:24 Just developing and seeing guys like me, Billy, Justin Harrington,
05:29 he just engraving his hand in the techniques that we use.
05:32 And he's applied to his own little twist, and he's an incredible man.
05:37 >> Did you wanna see Justin kinda run that in the center back a little bit?
05:40 >> No, of course.
05:41 That was the first thing I said, what are you doing?
05:43 But I can't get mad at him.
05:44 He sealed the deal for us, and then he did what he had to do.
05:47 But that's my guy, man.
05:47 I really wanted him to see what he can do,
05:49 cuz he said he got more wheeling than me, and I know he don't.
05:51 >> [LAUGH] >> How much has Billy's consistency
05:55 played a play kinda helped him get this group so far?
05:58 >> Just having a guy like that with a motor,
06:00 I haven't seen nobody with a motor like him.
06:01 So he drives everybody else.
06:03 When he go, we go.
06:04 So I think it's been a good thing for us and a big part of the defense as well.
06:08 >> Going back to that strip play,
06:10 is it kinda an underrated aspect of that that Woody was able to tip that?
06:13 >> No, I think that made the whole play.
06:15 It wouldn't have been a strip if he never saved the ball anyway.
06:17 So I think right after it, I told him it all happened because of him, and
06:21 I'm very happy for him and myself.
06:22 >> What are you looking forward to about getting on the road for
06:26 the first time this year?
06:28 >> Just going into somebody's place and making it quiet as I can.
06:30 That's the big thing.
06:32 When you have the preparation that you know we'll be capable of and
06:35 just shutting everything down, there's no better feeling.
06:38 >> How does it feel just this defense this year compared to last year?
06:42 >> It's just fun.
06:47 I don't know.
06:48 It's just like I said over and over, just having the confidence,
06:51 being in something twice, you know what you messed up on, you know how to fix it,
06:54 you know what's going on at all times.
06:56 So I think this helps a lot with the confidence wise.
06:59 >> What have you seen from Tulsa's offense?
07:01 I mean, they've got a new staff and everything like that.
07:04 >> I believe that they have a great offense.
07:06 They have a great offensive coordinator.
07:08 So it's gonna be, they know the loopholes through our coverages and
07:11 stuff like that.
07:11 So we're gonna have to do a better job disguising on our parts and
07:15 then just play with the quarterback as much as we can and just do what we have to do.
07:19 >> Will it be a good challenge for you guys?
07:20 >> Of course, every game is a challenge.
07:21 Winning is not easy.
07:23 If it was, everybody would be at 1-0 every week.
07:25 [BLANK_AUDIO]
07:28 I really appreciate you guys, man.
07:29 >> Thank you.
07:30 >> Always.
07:31 >> Nope.
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