Drake Stoops Interview 10-2-23

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Oklahoma WR Drake Stoops speaks to the media following Sooners' practice on Oct. 2, 2023.
Transcript
00:00 What kind of momentum are you guys taking this week after the performance last week?
00:04 I think it definitely helps.
00:07 Having come off a good performance.
00:08 I think there's definitely things we can improve on both sides of the ball and we're well aware
00:11 of that.
00:12 And so we're going to try and clean those things up and like I said, just have a good
00:16 week of preparation and put our best foot forward this week.
00:19 Drake, you've played in a lot of these games, OU Texas games now.
00:22 I'm not saying you're an old man or anything, but anyway, your thoughts on this series and
00:28 what it means and what it is?
00:29 Yeah, I mean it's a very historic series.
00:31 One of the greatest rivalries in all of college football.
00:36 So it's definitely a historic series, but the past has nothing to do with the present.
00:41 And so we're just focusing on this week, focusing on Monday today.
00:44 Tomorrow will be Tuesday, we'll focus on Tuesday.
00:46 And when Saturday comes, we'll focus on 11am kick.
00:49 How much was the talk about this summer, just the way that game went a year ago in the 49-0?
00:54 Yeah, I mean, that left a bad taste in all of our mouths.
00:58 And at the end of the day, we want to go 1-0 each week and that's really the goal.
01:02 And so we want to go 1-0 this week.
01:04 And like I just said, the past plays nothing to do with the present.
01:07 And so here we are this year and like I keep saying, we're ready to put our best foot forward
01:11 and go to battle.
01:12 How does it feel to have your quarterback with you though this summer?
01:15 Feels great.
01:16 Feels very nice.
01:17 What can you relay to somebody like Andraud that hasn't played down there yet?
01:22 Just try to tell him that it's a dogfight and the closest thing for him to give him
01:25 some perspective that I can think of for him would be Michigan or Ohio State.
01:30 And still for me, I've never played in that obviously, so I don't want to downplay that.
01:33 But this is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football.
01:36 So just trying to reiterate that to him.
01:38 And yeah, I mean, it burns a little different.
01:40 Having Dylan in this game though as well as he's playing, what does this mean for you guys?
01:44 It's great.
01:45 Like you said, the momentum from last game, we know that plays no role this week.
01:49 But I mean, he's definitely been playing really good football and really efficient football
01:53 and leading our offense.
01:54 And so it feels great to have him, like I said, a leader on the offense and someone
01:59 who's definitely playing really well as of right now.
02:01 Let's turn the clock back to 2020.
02:03 How much does that play?
02:04 I imagine you know the one I'm talking about.
02:05 How much does that play live in your memory?
02:06 2020, the COVID year.
02:07 Yeah, yeah, that play was something.
02:08 I'll remember that for the rest of my life for sure.
02:09 Is part of that just the stage that this game is and provides every single year?
02:10 Yeah, definitely.
02:11 Like I said, just the pageantry of it.
02:12 I mean, everyone, even for the fan bases, for just everyone, I mean, I think it's a
02:13 great opportunity for us to be able to play a game that we're really excited about.
02:14 And I think it's a great opportunity for us to be able to play a game that we're really
02:15 excited about.
02:37 How nice was it to get Brennan going a little bit on Saturday, finally get him into the
02:41 mix?
02:42 Yeah, no, I was happy for him.
02:43 To see him healthy and running fast again and going and helping the offense make a big
02:47 play right there, a 40-50 yard gain just in one play getting us down in the red zone like
02:52 that.
02:53 It shows the capabilities he has and the talent that he has.
02:56 I'm excited for him.
02:57 Does he make the Sooners 4x100 relay team?
03:00 I think if you asked him, he would say for sure.
03:02 They all fight about who's the fastest in the locker room and he's definitely up there
03:05 arguing with them.
03:06 Can you imagine what this week must be like for him, obviously?
03:10 Flipping over, that's gotta, you know, can you even put into context what that must be
03:13 like for him?
03:14 Yeah, I'm sure.
03:15 I mean, you have to ask him to be certain, but I'm sure that, I'm sure it means a lot
03:19 to him to go play his old team and a team, I'm not sure exactly how he feels about them,
03:23 but he's a Sooner now and so he better be bleeding crimson and cream.
03:28 What does it mean to you to make a mark on such a historic game like you mentioned?
03:33 I mean, it's an honor, really.
03:36 A pleasure, an honor.
03:39 Just grateful for the opportunity, grateful for all my teammates, my coaches, everyone
03:42 trusting me to be in the position I've been in in the past to make the plays in a game
03:45 like that.
03:46 I just trust in my training to feel prepared and capable and confident enough to go and
03:50 make plays like that.
03:51 But again, it has nothing to do with now and focus on putting my best foot forward come
03:55 Saturday and part of the Team 129, 2023 Sooners.
04:00 So Oklahoma's 5-0, Texas 5-0, what's the biggest difference between these teams?
04:05 If you look at the record, nothing.
04:08 But they wear burnt orange and we wear crimson.
04:13 I don't know.
04:14 At the end of the day, we're both just two good teams and we're ready to go fight it
04:18 out.
04:19 I'm not really sure what the biggest difference is.
04:20 I just focus on Oklahoma and then studying the DNA of our opponent and studying their
04:25 defense and getting ready to play Saturday.
04:26 When you look at the receiver room right now, beyond the starters, you, Jahlil, Andrell,
04:31 all guys that are making plays, but to see dudes like Nick and Jaden contributing week
04:36 in and week out and getting Brennan on lock like we talked about last week, what is the
04:42 general vibe right now just within the wide receiver room?
04:45 How much confidence are you guys carrying as a unit?
04:48 Yeah, it's good.
04:50 It helps to have more competitive depth this year and having guys that can really step
04:53 up.
04:54 We talked back in fall camp that we had young guys that were ready to take the stage, ready
04:57 to become household names.
04:59 Certainly Nick Anderson is showing that.
05:01 Jaden Gibson is showing that now.
05:03 Gavin Freeman as well.
05:04 It's exciting for those guys.
05:06 It definitely helps out the room.
05:07 It takes a little pressure off everyone because we all know we've got each other's back.
05:11 We've got competitive depth.
05:13 One goes down, the other's up.
05:14 It's like, which head of the snake do you want to cut off?
05:17 What do you think is the biggest difference in where Dylan's at right now than he was
05:21 at this time last year?
05:24 For one, he's healthy this week.
05:26 That's nice.
05:28 Just the efficiency aspect.
05:29 He's always been very efficient, but the efficiency aspect, playing great on third and fourth
05:34 down, really, really efficient there.
05:36 Really great in turnovers, taking care of the football.
05:39 Honestly, like I've always said over these months since the offseason, just building
05:43 his connection and rapport with the wide receivers.
05:45 Us all being on the same page and having a good connection, him knowing where we're going
05:48 to be, us being in the right place at the right time, and just making plays for each
05:51 other.
05:52 Drake, I think you know Brent, or you've known Brent longer than any teammate, fair
05:57 to say.
05:58 Yeah.
05:59 Coach Penhall.
06:00 When did you first get a hint of his intensity?
06:01 Do you remember?
06:02 Yeah, when I was a kid, when I'd go over to his house and hang out with his sons.
06:07 He's just always wired a little bit different, that passion, that intensity.
06:11 You could see it out at practice as a kid, but you didn't really understand it until
06:14 you get coached by him now.
06:16 I could definitely tell he's wired a little bit different, even when I was younger.
06:18 Did he play games with you all when you were at that level?
06:20 Or are you just talking about just-
06:21 No, just the intensity.
06:22 Whenever we'd go, whether it's to practice, whatever, just getting us right in the right
06:27 mind frame.
06:28 This is how you approach the game.
06:29 This is how you approach life.
06:31 This is, yeah, just about being a man.
06:33 Yeah.
06:34 Yeah, I mean, just, I don't know exactly a perfect example, but kind of exactly how he
06:38 is now is exactly how he was then.
06:40 You guys are going to get a lot of questions this week, just like they are, down in Austin
06:43 about pride, how big a deal that is in a game like this.
06:47 How big a deal do you think it'll be for coach Venable's, given his history in this rivalry
06:51 and what happened last year?
06:52 Yeah, I mean, I think it's, regardless of last year, I think it's just a big deal to
06:57 try and win this year, given the historic rivalry that it is.
07:02 I think at the end of the day, you can put pride aside and just honor the endeavor in
07:05 itself.
07:06 Yeah, I mean, pride is obviously a big deal, but at the end of the day, you want to honor
07:10 the endeavor in itself and just play to win and put your best foot forward and play for
07:14 the guy next to you.
07:15 Win or lose, I think if you do that, you can live with the result.
07:17 Thanks.