Brent Venables Press Conference

Allsooners
Allsooners
  • last year
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables meets the press at his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 31, to talk about last week's loss at Kansas and this week's game at Oklahoma State.
Transcript
00:00 Good morning, bedlam week, really exciting week for
00:05 everybody on both teams and got a great challenge in facing Oklahoma State.
00:11 They lead the conference in Big 12 play and in total offense and
00:18 scoring offense playing really, really well, very efficient.
00:21 I've made lots of improvement found their way,
00:24 got the back that leads the country in rushing and Bowman's.
00:30 Think five or six straight games, they're throwing them for over 200 yards.
00:33 They're doing a great job on defense playing really well here the last
00:38 several games as well.
00:39 Number four, number 30 on defense, really disruptive players.
00:46 Martin and Oliver, excellent players.
00:51 Coach Gundy obviously has had got a lot of respect for Mike and
00:56 what he's been able to accomplish the program he's built in a profession.
01:00 It's hard to have sustainability and longevity and
01:03 consistency he's represented all of those things.
01:06 And as the second best winning percentage in our conference the last 20 years.
01:12 So no surprise that several weeks ago people had written
01:18 Oklahoma State off after losing to South Alabama, a really good South Alabama team.
01:23 And they've just gotten better, they've responded.
01:25 So that's what you wanna be about when facing adversity or
01:30 you're building your team on the season.
01:32 That's what you want it to look like and they've really gutted out and
01:36 toughed out several really good wins.
01:40 Kansas State, Kansas, West Virginia,
01:44 really got after Cincinnati and they've done it by punishing people in the run game.
01:51 Again, Olly Gordon has just been fantastic.
01:55 He's got power, he's got speed, he's patient, he's got great quickness,
02:00 lateral quickness and man he's explosive.
02:03 He can run right through you and he can run right by you,
02:07 averaging I think eight yards a carry in conference play.
02:12 So great challenge for our guys.
02:14 I know our guys are really, really excited about this game this week.
02:19 And again, as I said, after our game,
02:25 we're tied in first in conference play and we've got zero margin for error.
02:33 So all hands on deck and we're hoping that we got a few guys banged up.
02:38 We'll see if whether or not we get them.
02:40 But I do feel really good about guys that will play if they don't.
02:47 So with that, I'll open it up.
02:50 >> I want to ask you about the offensive line.
02:54 How hard is it to find consistency with all the shuffling
03:00 that has happened up there?
03:03 We've seen it at guard all year and saw it at tackle a little bit on Saturday.
03:08 >> Yeah, I think we got some good quality players.
03:11 You can't just play five guys.
03:13 And so we're trying to continue to develop that position like every other position.
03:19 And again, average five yards carry.
03:23 It's not terrible, not great, something in between.
03:28 I thought we really had pretty good pass protection on most of the day.
03:32 And so they've been fairly consistent.
03:39 >> [INAUDIBLE]
03:42 >> Grant, hindsight is always 20/20.
03:44 When you look back at the KU game,
03:45 do you wish the offense may have taken more vertical shots to test the defense?
03:50 >> I think the opportunity was there.
03:51 And wishing is not gonna do anything, but
03:57 we do need to be maintaining an aggressive mentality.
04:02 There's always that balance when you're trying to be efficient and
04:05 protect the football.
04:08 And but at the same time, at the right time, take your shots.
04:14 For sure, we've got good players that can run past people and go up and
04:17 make competitive plays.
04:18 >> [INAUDIBLE]
04:19 >> Mm-hm.
04:20 >> Grant, you talked about Ali for a second, but you guys faced another good
04:24 back in Jonathan Brooks in the Texas game, I think he has 125 or something like that.
04:29 How is Ali different?
04:31 What challenges does he present maybe differently than what you saw out of Brooks?
04:34 >> Well, Brooks is very explosive as well, can break tackles.
04:38 And so there's some similarities obviously there.
04:41 Ali's just so powerful.
04:44 He's got a nice spin move and does a good job in pass protection.
04:49 He mows down a lot of people in pass pro as well.
04:53 But his patience for a big guy is something that's a little different.
05:00 He's not just power, he's got speed.
05:03 And again, in the hole, he can make you miss.
05:05 He makes a lot of people miss.
05:06 He breaks a lot of tackles, but he makes a lot of people miss.
05:10 Just excellent feet.
05:12 And then he can get full speed, zero to 60, really fast.
05:17 >> Mm-hm.
05:19 >> Gary?
05:20 >> Yeah, Brent.
05:20 I would call the Sooners an offense that's sort of quarterback-centric.
05:25 You put the ball in Dylan's hands a bunch.
05:28 That's the way it's been in college football for quite a while, quarterback.
05:32 But we've swung the other way.
05:33 It seems like in the Big 12 with four or five schools, including OSU,
05:38 back to the old school, tailback-centric.
05:40 Tech's that way, TCU, maybe Texas.
05:43 What's causing some of this momentum shift back to old-fashioned tailback football?
05:49 >> Well, I think looking at efficiency, everybody, you get a good back,
05:53 number one, and you wanna ride them.
05:56 And there's nothing like game control,
06:00 like being able to run the football and bloody somebody's nose.
06:04 And for the last several years, maybe that wasn't as sexy.
06:08 But for whatever reason, I can't say what the shift is,
06:12 other than they got a good player at that position.
06:15 Let's utilize them the right way.
06:18 And again, game control, efficiency,
06:20 I think all those are indicators of winning a lot of games.
06:24 And I don't think that you still have to have the ability
06:28 to throw the football to win at the highest level.
06:32 But having the right balance and
06:34 having good players there probably is what you're seeing.
06:39 >> Yeah, Brent, just how's Danny doing?
06:44 Do you anticipate him maybe being available this week?
06:46 And if not, how confident are you in a guy like Kip Lewis who seemed to-
06:50 >> Really confident in Kip.
06:52 As I've said before, he finds the football, plays really hard.
06:56 He's a two-time defensive player of the year in the state of Texas,
07:00 from a great program.
07:01 He knows how to play, knows how to compete.
07:03 He's really tough.
07:04 So when he's gotten his small window of opportunity, he's really delivered.
07:09 I feel good about Danny.
07:12 He feels pretty confident, but we'll see.
07:14 It may not be something that we don't know till close to game time.
07:20 >> Same with Tal, do you feel good about him?
07:22 >> Yeah.
07:22 >> Mm-hm.
07:23 >> Brian Chapman, Brent kind of building on that, not just how Kip played, but
07:27 Kobe as well.
07:29 Not their performance, but being able to set up the defense,
07:32 do those little things in line in front of them.
07:33 How do you feel that they did that on Saturday?
07:35 >> Yeah, they did well.
07:36 They did a good job.
07:37 >> Is that something that you can simulate, or
07:42 do you just have to kind of be in the moment?
07:43 >> We simulate it every day in practice.
07:45 They take close to the same percentage of reps in practice, really close.
07:51 And so you coach them hard through all of that.
07:55 And so that's how we simulate it.
07:58 And every single play at practice, every play.
08:02 And they're under the gun, if you will.
08:05 And but that goes with the position.
08:09 And they've done well.
08:11 >> Left side, James Hill.
08:14 Brent, Oklahoma State, the way they run Gordon is interesting.
08:18 It's real old fashioned, as Barry mentioned.
08:20 Talk about your matchup against them, trying to stop that.
08:23 But that's not all their offense.
08:25 Bowman can really sling when he gets a chance.
08:28 So how do you match up against the Oklahoma State offense?
08:30 >> Well, again, you've gotta play well, first of all, up front.
08:36 If you're getting whooped up front, and we got whooped way too much last week,
08:40 it's gonna be a problem.
08:42 So you gotta play well there, and then you gotta have all your gaps covered.
08:46 That's a prerequisite to try to get in Ollie's way.
08:52 And then we gotta play good in the secondary.
08:56 I mean, teams are doing the RPO, which they do.
09:01 And then again, they've got good players outside.
09:05 They had a really good game attacking the perimeter last week.
09:08 And really like Presley, he's really explosive.
09:14 They had a play against West Virginia.
09:17 Game might have been tied up 27 all, and they got a low RPO.
09:22 He comes in the backfield and runs a little swing screen outside, and
09:25 quarterback counting numbers.
09:27 And he throws it out there, makes a couple guys miss, and
09:30 house calls it for 30 yards for a touchdown.
09:34 And really broke the back, and that's really kind of the play of the game.
09:37 But that's just reminiscent of what Presley can do.
09:42 And again, tremendous speed and explosiveness.
09:44 They're doing a good job with their tight ends as well.
09:49 They've had some receivers coming in and out because of some injuries and whatnot.
09:53 But I thought for all the guys they lost, they've done a really nice job at
09:57 replacing them and putting those guys in position to make some good one-on-one
10:01 plays.
10:01 And they're getting a lot of one-on-one coverage because of
10:05 the necessity to try to stop.
10:08 Gordon and everybody's had the whole team down there and
10:12 hadn't had a whole lot of luck.
10:14 And again, hence leading the country in rushing.
10:18 So they've played against people that are putting all the bodies there to stop them.
10:25 So great challenge.
10:27 I don't necessarily quote unquote have the answers.
10:30 You gotta play well.
10:31 That's kind of the basic premise.
10:34 And then you gotta play physical, play with really good technique.
10:38 Tackling's gonna be at a premium.
10:40 We put on a clinic on how not to tackle,
10:42 particularly in the first half last week.
10:44 I say that, that's a reflection of me.
10:48 My name's all over that.
10:49 That's not on the players.
10:52 They do have a responsibility, but it starts with me.
10:54 And I'm really disappointed in how we tackled last week.
10:58 And if we don't tackle better than we did last week,
11:03 Gordon's gonna pull away from the pack when it comes to college football and rushing.
11:08 >> Brent, you outlined in August how you plan to be involved differently or
11:13 more with the defense this year.
11:15 In terms of week to week, is it offensive game planning with your defensive
11:19 expertise?
11:20 How involved are you in that in terms of game management or
11:23 attacking opposing defense?
11:25 >> Yeah, we always are on the same page on how we wanna manage the game,
11:30 talk through scenarios and things of that nature.
11:32 And sometimes you gotta make a hard left hand turn midstream.
11:38 And a lot of times it's how well you're playing on either side of the ball
11:42 that dictates some of that within the game.
11:43 If all of a sudden we can't stop somebody,
11:47 the offense doesn't need to be going at warp speed and so forth.
11:51 That's just simple, basic common sense when it comes to football,
11:58 to try to help each other out and compliment each other.
12:00 But it's like you would expect, hey man,
12:05 there's certain people you wanna try to get the ball in their hands.
12:11 And when you have those kind of players, and then again,
12:18 the matchups week to week playing different types of opponents and
12:22 what their strengths and weaknesses are, that all plays a part into all of it,
12:26 the big picture.
12:27 >> Yeah, Brian, we've known for the last couple years that this week was coming.
12:33 But now that it's here, does it just feel weird?
12:36 Does it still happen?
12:37 >> Not really, it's cuz it's the next game, it's Oklahoma State.
12:41 It doesn't feel weird cuz you're not into the future.
12:47 I don't know if that makes any sense, but it doesn't feel weird.
12:50 It just feels like it's Oklahoma State, and it's a big game.
12:53 And we need to find a way to win.
12:55 And so you're more concerned about things that took place last week,
13:00 that you gotta get better, and who's gonna be available, and
13:03 what kind of schemes you need to have to have a chance to win the game on,
13:08 in all three phases.
13:09 So we got too many other concerns to really think about the future,
13:15 to be very honest with you.
13:16 >> Hey, Brent, I wanted to ask you about Gentry Williams.
13:21 I know you mentioned last night he practiced yesterday, but
13:24 maybe how is he progressing, and
13:25 how do you feel about the way that the depth behind him at quarterback has played?
13:29 >> We're solid there.
13:30 And again, as I said in fall camp, that's a young group.
13:34 Doesn't have a lot of experience.
13:36 Gentry's been in and out of the lineup, so that's not ideal.
13:39 And the more you play, the better you should get.
13:42 But when he's been in there, he's done a great job, and
13:46 all of his best football still in front of him.
13:51 >> Brent, you've mentioned discipline.
13:53 Since week one, most head coaches do right over the course of a season.
13:56 That's always gotta be there.
13:58 But I'm wondering, as it was such a central theme coming out of Kansas,
14:02 you referenced it in post game, whether it was penalties or
14:04 missed tackles, things like that.
14:05 How much more critical, now that you're into November, the make or break time of
14:11 year, how much more critical does it become to you, and
14:13 how much more concerned are you that you're still having to bring that up?
14:16 >> Yeah, again, well, I think first of all, it's not everybody.
14:20 And it's not the whole game.
14:24 But we did get nosy in the first half,
14:29 and with our defensive line in particular.
14:33 And but we were much better in the second half.
14:37 So we improved the discipline there.
14:39 And again, Kendall Dolby,
14:44 I don't think his 15 yarder is a lack of discipline,
14:49 other than he didn't maintain his leverage and coverage, gave up the conversion.
14:54 And I don't think he realized where he was.
14:58 As a guy, he's trying to wrestle the guy down.
15:01 He's got his back.
15:02 He's tackling the guy backwards.
15:04 So he doesn't realize the guy had put a foot out, and
15:08 he's just trying to get the guy to the ground.
15:10 So I don't think that was a lack of discipline on his part.
15:14 But it's always, I don't think you're ever gonna have a week where you don't
15:21 desire more discipline.
15:23 I don't wanna downplay it.
15:24 I'm the one that brought it up.
15:26 But, and it really was in particular, the discipline in the first half and
15:33 particularly defensively, do things right.
15:36 And over the discipline again,
15:38 offensively to do the things that we're coached to do systematically.
15:42 And don't try to make a play.
15:45 I think one of the reasons we've been really efficient through the first
15:50 part of the season going into last week was because we did have discipline to
15:55 do the little things right from a scheme standpoint and not try to make plays,
16:01 make the layups, don't force things.
16:03 And you play the quote unquote long ball when it comes to winning games.
16:08 And so don't try to win it the first drive of the game.
16:12 Again, take what's there, come get coached up and those types of things.
16:16 So I think that's a coach's job to always have great awareness there,
16:22 always correcting, always coaching, always teaching.
16:25 I don't think that it's ever gonna be perfect, but we certainly, again,
16:29 some of the things that, again, I go back to defense, guys trying to make plays.
16:37 And so sometimes you take away the autonomy to do some of those things
16:43 with your schemes too.
16:44 Some schemes you give a little bit more latitude,
16:47 which allows them to be really aggressive.
16:50 And then sometimes when they're not doing the things that you need to do there
16:54 the right way at the right time, you take away that latitude to do that.
16:59 And so we did some of that last week to improve the discipline.
17:04 So that's kind of probably vague a little bit.
17:08 My guys aren't listening to me right now, but if they heard me talk right now,
17:14 they'd know exactly what I'm talking about.
17:16 >> [INAUDIBLE]
17:21 >> Yeah, coach,
17:22 when you have the nation's leading rusher, that means somebody's blocking.
17:25 >> Mm-hm.
17:28 >> Coach Gundy early on was disappointed in how his line was blocking, but
17:32 they clearly got better and he's been very complimentary of them recently.
17:36 What do they present as an offensive line, as a blocking scheme?
17:39 >> Yeah, good cohesion, good chemistry, very confident, good fundamentals.
17:45 They're playing aggressive, but they're playing as a unit.
17:47 They're not, again,
17:52 I think the runs that they've been majoring in have helped them.
17:57 The tight ends are a part of that as well.
18:00 They're tough, physical.
18:02 They like to play, they like to get after you.
18:06 And that's a unit that's having a lot of fun, is what I see.
18:11 >> [INAUDIBLE]
18:15 >> Brent, so much emotion went into
18:18 the Texas game, came out of the Texas game.
18:20 We saw the videos and all that stuff, the big celebrations.
18:23 But then you guys had an open day, and then you had the UCF game out here,
18:28 obviously, and then Kansas.
18:30 I know you like to say that one win or one loss doesn't define you, but
18:33 what do you think has happened since that pinnacle point, that high point,
18:37 to kind of whatever the decline is?
18:39 >> I take every week as its own.
18:44 I don't know.
18:50 Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.
18:51 I don't look at it like that.
18:53 I just look at what we need to do better, what we did well,
18:56 what we need to do well this week.
18:59 That's how I look at it.
19:03 And when we win, we celebrate.
19:07 Maybe they don't get as many clicks or likes or
19:10 whatever as it does when you play Texas.
19:13 But we put a lot of work into a course of a week and
19:19 certainly going into the season.
19:21 And so when you have some success, you wanna celebrate it.
19:25 And then you wanna move on.
19:27 And that's what a good mature team can do.
19:30 Again, I really believe, again, you're a couple of conversions away,
19:37 one player away from stopping a sprint draw, and
19:42 you get a three or four score win against UCF.
19:45 It didn't happen, but that's my perspective.
19:49 It's not, well, we took them for granted.
19:51 Well, what happened to first four drives on defense with one of the best offenses
19:56 in college football?
19:57 Was there not a Texas hangover those first four drives?
20:01 I'm just asking, and I really, that's how I look at it.
20:04 And then, all right, what happened?
20:05 Well, it was one guy, all right?
20:07 And then they go down and we get them on the goal line and
20:09 we knocked their ass back for three straight plays.
20:12 Weren't we still celebrating Texas win those first three plays?
20:17 And then we stopped on the last one, but what happened?
20:20 We had a personal foul, a guy celebrating a little excessively.
20:23 So I don't know, I don't make it like that.
20:28 I don't look at it that way, at least not with this team.
20:33 That's not what I see.
20:34 And I see each game presents its own issues and problems, and
20:39 you try to correct them and learn from it and move on to the next one.
20:45 Maybe I'm completely wrong, I might be, but that's how I've always approached.
20:51 People say, well, you can't beat the same team twice in a season.
20:59 That's baloney, that's not.
21:02 What is that?
21:03 Now, maybe outside a locker room, that's the belief, but
21:06 that's not how people inside of a locker room thinks.
21:09 We don't think like that.
21:10 And so I'm just not gonna go with, if I believe it's true, I'll say it.
21:15 But you ask me, I don't agree with that.
21:20 Again, just because of the examples I gave you.
21:22 But when you lack attention to detail at times,
21:28 when you lack the discipline that it takes at times,
21:33 this game will punish you if the other team has a pulse.
21:35 And again, I got great respect for Kansas and what they've done.
21:43 I think their body of work has been really good.
21:47 And we jacked around and didn't do the things that you gotta do to win a game.
21:55 And still had opportunities to win the game all the way to the last play.
21:59 And we didn't, you learned a tough lesson.
22:03 But I don't look at it having anything to do with Texas.
22:09 I know that's a popular thing, I'm sure,
22:11 because of all the attention that that game had.
22:17 And, but we've moved on from that game.
22:21 >> Coach, talk a little bit about the importance of getting off to
22:27 a fast start Saturday and taking that crowd out of the game.
22:33 >> They got a great crowd, they got a great environment.
22:36 I've been over there several times and that'd be great.
22:41 To both sides of the ball to start off really well.
22:45 Doesn't mean you can't win if you don't get off to a great start.
22:49 It's gonna make it a little harder.
22:51 And, but execution wins, precision and timing, physicality.
22:56 Those are the things that win.
22:57 Maybe offensively, you gotta do things differently when you go on a road at
23:03 a place like that, you have from an operation standpoint.
23:09 Defensively, it gets a little quieter when the defense is out there.
23:15 From a communication standpoint, but our guys gotta show some maturity.
23:18 Stay locked in.
23:19 They're gonna be on top of you and that's that environment.
23:24 And again, that is a challenge.
23:27 And so hopefully we'll start off really well, but
23:31 it's still a 60 minute ball game.
23:34 And so regardless of what happens, you gotta play for four quarters.
23:39 >> Way back, yeah.
23:43 >> Yeah, Brent, all your captains this week are kids from Oklahoma.
23:47 What played into that decision?
23:48 How was that made?
23:49 What does it mean for them this week?
23:50 >> What played into it is guys that are respected that are from the state of
23:56 Oklahoma.
23:57 And having grown up in the state of Oklahoma,
24:01 they have a different type of value maybe for Bedlam.
24:06 And so it's a big deal.
24:08 And represent their state and that's nothing more, nothing less.
24:13 >> Back to Barry.
24:17 >> Yeah, Jeff, you may know it, you may not.
24:21 He's had a rough two or three days with the fan base.
24:26 You have to counsel him and say, hey, if you didn't know,
24:30 this is what it's like and you just have to live with it.
24:34 I had that conversation with our team and our staff several times since I've been
24:39 here prior to playing our first game.
24:41 However long ago that was, that's Oklahoma, that's a place like Oklahoma.
24:48 So that comes with it and just stay inside out.
24:51 You're the one in the arena, you being all of us.
24:57 And again, I just, you have an appreciation for
25:02 the support, but there's craziness to all of it.
25:08 And I love the passion and the energy.
25:11 And when things don't go well, hey man, they have a right to be pissed.
25:16 But you have a right whether or not you listen to it and
25:20 let it affect you or not too.
25:21 And so I've told the players and
25:26 the coaches and the same stuff, man, just don't live in that world.
25:32 It ain't ever gonna be good.
25:33 And if you're just taking a peek,
25:39 certainly after you can win and take a peek and it ain't good.
25:45 And so just, I don't know, man, I just don't get your value through that,
25:49 through the applause, through having a respect for it,
25:55 an appreciation for it, have an understanding for it.
25:57 But again, don't value the opinion of people that you never seek advice from.
26:02 I believe in that.
26:04 And I understand that also, that goes with when you're at a place like
26:09 Oklahoma on this stage, there's scrutiny that comes with it,
26:14 with that title, with that job, and even the players.
26:18 I hate it, the players, their body work is always under a microscope,
26:24 but that's the way it is in all sports, every level.
26:28 And so I don't have to counsel him.
26:34 He's a grown man, but we're all close.
26:38 And I'm constantly trying to nurture mindset too,
26:41 cuz I'm fully aware of everything, both the good and the bad.
26:45 And when you're doing really well, successful,
26:47 I try to keep everybody focused on the right things.
26:49 That's my job as a leader too.
26:53 Let's focus on the controllables always, and focus on our players and
26:57 our locker room, and again, what we gotta do to get better.
26:59 >> A few more in second row, basically.
27:02 What's perhaps maybe your favorite bedlam memory,
27:06 just one that you coached in here at Oklahoma that really means something to you?
27:10 >> Probably, I don't know.
27:15 Man, we had a great goal line stand.
27:17 Was that Les Miles' year, right down here?
27:20 Curtis Lofton.
27:21 >> Yeah, it was.
27:24 >> That was a really good goal line stand.
27:26 They were really good that year.
27:27 That was a good day, I think 2003, after they beat us and won.
27:33 In 2002, we had really good teams.
27:35 They beat us, and then beat us straight up.
27:39 We were all mad after the first year, like it was a fluke.
27:44 But they really beat us just straight up, just whooped us.
27:49 And did the same thing in 2002, and then 2003, played pretty good.
27:54 That might have been, anyway,
27:58 it doesn't do me any good to reminisce and focus on this week's game.
28:04 I'm gonna have problems, but.
28:07 >> Right here, Jesse.
28:08 >> Hey, Brent, just wanted to ask about Javante Barnes, who had missed a few weeks
28:12 and then got in the game on Saturday, maybe just how he progressed,
28:16 where was he at going into the game, and where do you see from where he's at now?
28:20 >> Yeah, well, obviously, we had some depth issues, and
28:24 we got him ready to play and prepared to play.
28:26 And he did some really good things while he was in there, did a good job and
28:32 passed pro, had a couple of nice runs in the game.
28:37 And again, as week to week, we're trying to continue to develop that group,
28:42 and some of it has been hamstrung through injuries.
28:45 But he feels good right now.
28:46 >> Last two would be James and George.
28:49 >> Yeah, Brent, it was a weird game throwing the ball.
28:53 You only threw the ball 19 times.
28:54 Normally, you throw it a lot.
28:56 I would assume you don't go to a game worrying about Dylan and
28:59 guys throwing the ball.
29:00 But I'm sure you'd like them to get back on track and
29:02 be their normal selves this game, right?
29:05 >> Again, I think having a balance to what you do is important.
29:09 And you attack people.
29:12 Explosives are a real thing.
29:13 Obviously, having some success throwing the ball can open up
29:18 opportunities to run the ball as well.
29:21 And so we got to do a good job every week to have the kind of balance that you want.
29:27 And always having an aggressive mindset,
29:29 you have to be able to throw the ball to win at the highest level, no doubt about it.
29:34 >> Brent and George, and I forgot to call Curtis, so George.
29:39 >> Brent, I know you guys always say every game is the same, but I'm guessing for
29:43 Trace Ford, this game might mean a little extra to him going back there.
29:48 I'm wondering, what do you remember about when he came available in the portal?
29:51 Did you guys have this conversation of the criticism that he might face,
29:56 transferring in state schools like this?
29:57 And what's it he'd been like maybe this week leading up to such a big game for him?
30:03 >> I don't know.
30:03 I haven't talked to Trace this week about any of that.
30:07 But, and again, I think these guys that get in the transfer portal,
30:12 they're gonna be celebrated and critiqued, whether it's in state, rival, or not.
30:19 And these are tough, difficult, life-changing kind of decisions.
30:25 So I'm sure a lot went into it.
30:27 I don't know all the intimate details of, but
30:31 you're gonna be scrutinized no matter what.
30:33 Like I just referenced back to coaches and the fan base.
30:40 I would say the same thing there.
30:42 You gotta do what's best for you.
30:43 And hopefully people that love you, always support you.
30:47 Don't necessarily have to always agree with your decisions, but
30:50 always got your back.
30:51 >> Last one, Curtis.
30:54 >> Brent, you lose to Andrell in the Texas game.
30:57 Since that game, how would you evaluate the receiving group and
31:00 the production there?
31:01 And what do you see out of them going into this?
31:04 >> Yeah, well, I think Nick, obviously Nick picked up the bulk of that work.
31:09 And he's done a nice job, obviously.
31:11 Didn't have many targets this last week, but he's done a really good job.
31:19 And overall as a group, again, we've run the ball,
31:23 a concerted effort to run the ball the last couple of weeks.
31:28 And but it's a good group, it's a reliable group.
31:33 When we give given them the opportunity to beat guys, to make plays,
31:38 as a group, the group has played well on the season.
31:42 And we're gonna need for
31:46 us to have a chance to win these last several games.
31:50 We're gonna have to have a good balance in what we're doing, and
31:53 they're gonna have to make plays, competitive plays.
31:56 >> Thank you, Coach.