Brent Venables Press Conference

Allsooners
Allsooners
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Oklahoma Sooners head football coach Brent Venables meets the press during his weekly news conference on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023.
Transcript
00:00 Got a great challenge this week, a week of Thanksgiving, short week.
00:04 We both of us have a short week, quick turnaround.
00:08 Got back here at a really good time on Saturday evening.
00:12 So that our guys could get a good night of rest and turn right around and
00:18 had a good start to our week last week and as I, or last night.
00:22 And as I said last week, we had to modify our schedule this week to
00:28 get these guys refocused and make sure that we're
00:32 recovered and healthy and ready to play fast.
00:38 Cuz we got a fast athletic TCU team that's, again, played.
00:44 Last several games have played well, had a couple of tough losses,
00:49 both to Tech and to Texas,
00:51 where it comes down to the last drive of both of those games.
00:54 Happened, actually didn't happen.
00:56 That's not true.
00:57 Kansas, maybe.
00:58 This week, just the linebackers not being where they're supposed to be.
01:02 And so that's pretty obvious why the game was close.
01:07 Well, I look back at that third and medium, the fourth and
01:12 two on touchdown drives where we're in good calls.
01:16 We gotta execute.
01:17 We gotta do a better job coaching them, and we gotta do a better job.
01:20 We gotta execute.
01:21 You gotta play with your eyes.
01:22 You gotta adjust to the formation.
01:24 And if you do that, you get off the field, and
01:26 then they don't score touchdowns.
01:27 And we get the ball back at midfield cuz they went for it on fourth and two.
01:31 And we're gonna score right before half instead of letting them score right
01:34 before half.
01:34 And those are the things I look for, not the obvious things.
01:38 The obvious things are, we gotta work on those.
01:40 That goes without saying.
01:43 But I think that, making sure that we do a great job,
01:46 even through victory, of trying to always coach and get our guys better.
01:52 But everything matters, coaching matters, having good players matters,
01:56 being physical matters, being sure of yourself matters, the fundamentals,
01:59 the details, the precision, the anticipation, everything matters.
02:03 And so we're a little better than what we were.
02:07 We were terrible a week, a year ago.
02:10 I was terrible, everybody, it's all terrible, it's all bad.
02:15 And but there's a big difference between winning and losing.
02:18 And I know what losing feels like, and I know what winning feels like.
02:21 They don't feel anything remotely the same.
02:24 And so that's kinda what I think.
02:28 >> Yeah, another missed field goal on Saturday.
02:34 What happened with that?
02:35 And why do you think that unit's maybe been just inconsistent at times this year?
02:39 Is it one thing or is it multiple things that have gone wrong?
02:42 >> Yeah, we gotta get a little better with our confidence and
02:45 our fundamentals.
02:45 That kick in, we've been too inconsistent there.
02:50 And right now, again, we kick multiple guys in practice.
02:58 And Zach's been our most consistent.
03:02 So just like a quarterback,
03:06 if a quarterback's lacking accuracy, he's just gotta get better.
03:09 You gotta throw it on time.
03:12 Sometimes it's an instinctual thing for a quarterback.
03:15 Sometimes it's a mechanics thing, and we just gotta get better.
03:20 >> Has Gavin Marshall been a part of that at all?
03:24 >> He has, he's been hurt most of the year, unavailable.
03:27 >> We talked about consistency.
03:31 Billy's been really consistent for you guys in the back end.
03:33 What kind of growth have you seen from him from just game one this year to now,
03:36 to be that dude for you guys every week?
03:38 >> I'm kinda giggling, cuz I've seen a lot.
03:41 And Billy's one of the most quiet people we have in our locker room.
03:45 But he's one, there's nobody that's more highly invested than Billy.
03:49 Loves Oklahoma, he loves to play.
03:52 He's really hard on himself, puts a tremendous amount on himself.
03:57 I've seen him grow as a leader this year, and
04:02 was named a permanent captain, voted by his teammates yesterday.
04:07 And gotten up in front of the guys at practice, and man,
04:11 it was awesome to hear him, cuz I'm always trying to poke him and
04:15 get him to respond and have his teammates hear him,
04:20 because the players have tremendous respect for him.
04:22 But he's become a much better player, and he has so much more growth.
04:30 And he'd be the first one to tell you, he's so far from a polished product.
04:35 But he has a chance to be great because of his work ethic,
04:41 his attention to detail, his love for the game.
04:45 Again and again, he's a zone of worst critic, really, really hard on himself.
04:50 But he wants to serve his team well, wants to serve his coaches well.
04:54 Super easy to coach, always locked in, he's always ready.
04:59 Been a lot of fun to see him, again, grow and mature.
05:02 But I say this, again, he's played really well this year.
05:07 All of his best football still in front of him.
05:08 >> Right, your defense had a tough day, but at the end of the third quarter,
05:16 the fourth quarter, they came through and got stopped.
05:18 What does that tell you about the growth of your defense?
05:21 >> Yeah, again, we made some slight adjustments.
05:24 A lot of it was just reaffirmed, hey, fellas, here's what they're doing.
05:28 And here's where we gotta be.
05:30 We got a little better in the second half.
05:31 We gave up a couple of explosive runs.
05:33 Takes one guy.
05:34 You ain't in the A gap, you ain't in the C gap, you're not in the B gap.
05:37 Everybody else can be where they're supposed to be,
05:39 playing with the discipline that they're supposed to play with.
05:42 If the three technique is supposed to take on a double team,
05:45 we can't ask him to swim the guy and go make the play in the C gap.
05:48 Even if you know it's going in the C, you gotta take on the double team.
05:51 Let me get this other guy scored away.
05:53 But really felt like putting all these fingers in all these different holes that
05:57 were leaking.
05:58 This one, I got this one thing, gotta get this one.
06:00 And it wasn't good.
06:03 But at halftime, just about second half, we played a little better.
06:06 I think they had maybe six drives in the second half.
06:10 I think we forced three punts.
06:11 We had two turnovers, gave up a touchdown drive.
06:14 That's a pretty good half to the turnovers where one was converted into
06:19 a touchdown, one we ran back for a touchdown.
06:21 Again, we had three, I think there were three three and outs, two three and outs,
06:25 maybe a five and out.
06:26 And then we gave up a touchdown drive.
06:29 And I go back and look at the fourth down play on the touchdown drive.
06:32 And there was a few things and new wrinkles that they had that are gonna
06:38 happen every single week, that wasn't one of them.
06:41 And we gotta be better there to prevent the touchdown.
06:45 But at times our tackling was really terrible.
06:48 And but I thought our guys played with good resolve and toughness.
06:52 Again, you don't overcome the things that we overcome if you don't have tough guys.
06:58 And what I love these guys, man, they laid on the line.
07:01 Super coachable, nobody pointing fingers, nobody blaming.
07:04 Guys taking responsibility, owning it.
07:07 So it takes that before you can get the result that you have.
07:09 In the first half, I thought we were on our heels.
07:13 Again, a little bit better.
07:14 A couple of those explosive runs are really disappointing.
07:17 We had a safety that is a wrong rotation one time and
07:20 they got us for 25, 28 yarder there in the second half.
07:25 Again, like I said, if you ain't there, that's where they're gonna run and
07:28 that's it's not gonna be good.
07:30 And but I think that's what it is.
07:34 Again, resolve, toughness, investment, belief, leadership, guys that care.
07:40 I think that showed up.
07:42 And again, you look around college football.
07:45 I think sometimes again, I know we cover just the Sooners, but
07:49 everybody here loves collegiate athletics and follows college football.
07:53 Several games against opponents that may be on paper or not quite as good.
08:02 If you wanna call them inferior, whatever you wanna call them.
08:04 But expectation is that you manhandle, if that's Michigan and Maryland,
08:09 whatever it is.
08:10 If it's, why is this team here?
08:13 If it's, I don't wanna go through and everybody gets all sensitive.
08:17 But that's the game, it's the game.
08:19 It's a long season and it's hard to always be at your best.
08:25 I still don't think we've been at our best yet.
08:29 And that's disappointing too, but that's not what you're asking.
08:34 And just fighting them, finding a way and again,
08:36 we've played several tough games this year.
08:40 Sometimes the end result looks a little easier than what it was.
08:43 But whether again that starts back to, if that's Cincinnati,
08:47 if that's SMU, if that's Texas, we're in some battles and
08:51 we came on the wrong side of it, but we had chances to win in both the Kansas,
08:55 the Oakland State game, the UCF game.
08:59 I mean, we've had a bunch of tough games and we've been a little better.
09:02 And so through all that it creates and supports belief and
09:07 find a way to get it done.
09:08 And again, we've been a gritty, a tough group with, again,
09:11 these guys love each other, tremendously invested.
09:14 And so they're not gonna just surrender and give in when things ain't going right.
09:18 Especially when it's exactly opposite of what you prepared,
09:21 even though I'm always, you're gonna get their best, they play great at home.
09:26 If we don't do X, Y, and Z the right way all the time, be the model of consistency,
09:32 they're gonna, this game's gonna punish you.
09:34 So really, again, they respond to good and our guys are in a great place.
09:40 I mean, this late in the season, I love watching these guys.
09:43 They come to the facility every day, put in time on their own.
09:47 They like it and they like each other.
09:49 They have good, strong relationships with their coaches.
09:52 It's a great environment for them to come into every, I'm not promoting and
09:55 toting that, I just watch it.
09:56 And if it's not there, I'm not gonna say it.
09:58 But it's a healthy, connected place where that's a lot of fun.
10:03 These guys like to practice.
10:05 They got great juice and energy.
10:06 They make each other better.
10:07 There ain't no dead batteries in that locker room.
10:09 And that's what I like.
10:10 These are guys that they buy into the iron sharpens iron.
10:14 It's, and they're enjoying their time together.
10:19 And they know it's winding down.
10:20 >> Brent, in terms of some of the gap sound and all that from Saturday,
10:26 what did you see when you got to watch it over and with a six day turnaround?
10:30 >> I watched it on the plane.
10:32 It's exactly what I watched out on the field.
10:34 So not surprised.
10:35 We, again, every once in a while we kind of found our way into the right spot.
10:41 We'd stop them and then you're not there.
10:43 Next thing you know, it's eight, ten, 12 yard game, whatever it was.
10:48 I think we had four runs.
10:52 I think it's four, maybe it was five, 20 yards plus.
10:56 So not good defense.
10:58 >> Is that something, I say alarm bells, not-
11:00 >> No, it's one guy.
11:02 It's one guy.
11:03 And it's not alarm, I don't, I was actually,
11:07 you wanna know what I really felt, true serum is, I felt more relief.
11:11 Okay, it was a fit.
11:13 It wasn't somebody getting their butt whooped.
11:15 You can get your butt whooped, you don't like it.
11:17 That's, your pride's always hurt a little bit when you're invested and
11:22 you're a coach.
11:22 But yeah, that's my guys.
11:24 It matters.
11:25 They're all my guys, but a position group that you're
11:32 involved in, deeply invested in every single day.
11:35 But it wasn't, and again, that's just wasn't some guy getting
11:41 ran through as much, and we missed tackles, don't get me wrong.
11:47 But just not being in the right fits, most of it.
11:52 So no alarm, again, let's go back and let's rep it again.
11:58 And throw a guy here and they swap a guy there, and here comes the gaps.
12:03 And you gotta know who's with you, that's a big part of it.
12:05 You got a few young guys that maybe aren't quite as sure sometimes,
12:12 at least this last week, who's got exactly with them.
12:16 When you know who's with you, okay, they're motioning, and this guy's with me.
12:19 So now I can fall back to this guy, and we weren't very good at it Saturday.
12:25 >> Six day turnaround, you feel like you can get this?
12:27 >> Yeah, I mean, cuz I got a body, it worked.
12:29 If we've had the problem all year, that would be another thing.
12:32 We couldn't find the ball.
12:33 Sometimes again, we just, again, but
12:41 if we couldn't find the ball all year, behind the ball,
12:43 where we lacked instincts and those kind of things, that would be an issue.
12:47 That's a hard thing to fix, but we got the right guys without question.
12:51 >> Yeah, Brent, Woody's been there the entire season, but
12:56 the depth at the other spot, not necessarily the quality of play, but
12:59 just guys staying healthy, being available.
13:02 How much of a struggle has that been, and
13:04 how are Gentry and Kanhi looking going into this week?
13:07 >> Yeah, and Kanhi was, he was good last week, but Gentry's back,
13:11 practiced yesterday, so that hasn't been ideal.
13:14 Again, going into the year, I talked about that position group,
13:19 not having much experience, and then we've been snake bit there with just some
13:24 no real long-term injuries other than Jaden Rowe.
13:28 And, but man, that group has been, other than Woody, and Woody's been fantastic.
13:36 Man, he's been great in every way you would want an older guy to be.
13:40 But the rest of the group is, when they've been available, been pretty good.
13:46 And, but continuity and getting the chemistry and
13:51 getting into a good rhythm, and then getting better because you're available.
13:56 And so you're practicing all those things,
13:58 the things that it takes to get better has been obviously lacking top to bottom.
14:03 >> Hey Brent, you've talked about that linebacker group a little bit.
14:08 I wanted to ask you about Kobe McKenzie.
14:09 You guys have gotten some snaps the last couple of weeks.
14:12 But maybe where have you seen him grow in that linebacker room as a whole?
14:15 How have you maybe seen it grow and change throughout the season?
14:18 >> Again, Danny's kind of led the way for the group.
14:22 And you have several, either first term, first year players really.
14:26 Again, Kanek played a little bit the year before.
14:29 But really, again, remember, he's been an offensive player his whole life.
14:33 And so he's learned, and then he switched linebacker positions
14:39 to maybe better suit his skill set.
14:41 And so you got one veteran there in Danny, and
14:45 he's been fantastic of everything about Danny.
14:49 Stutzman, can't brag on him enough and what he has meant to the defense and
14:54 the group, his leadership.
14:57 And he's always been an emotional guy that likes to play and
15:02 a little edgy, which you kind of like.
15:05 But I mean, he has matured his perception, or perspective rather,
15:12 and his investment in the guys around him.
15:16 And to me, that's what I always look, his selflessness, his commitment, and
15:20 his investment, bringing guys with him along the way.
15:25 He's constantly challenging players.
15:28 There's plenty of great leaders, but again, leadership is not a position.
15:32 It's not a title, it's action.
15:35 And man, he's been all about it.
15:37 I can't say enough about what he has been for that group.
15:41 As you asked me about the group overall.
15:43 The rest of the guys I love, again, their willingness to be coached,
15:47 their willingness to be led, their willingness to invest,
15:50 their willingness to strain.
15:52 So whether it's the son, it's Kobe, or Kendall Dolby,
15:59 Kip Lewis and his emergence, Jerry Kanick,
16:04 Shane Witter, Lewis Carter.
16:08 We lost Phil Pichotti to start the year to an ACL.
16:12 But and so now I think we've had, because of injuries,
16:16 we've had to put some other guys over there.
16:18 I wish Peyton was 100% healthy,
16:22 cuz he's between safety and was playing some cheetah.
16:25 But it's hard and you're not available and you're not practicing as much.
16:29 And so he's kind of been nagged a little bit, but real proud of the group.
16:33 And we got a lot of growth, a lot to improve and get better at.
16:36 We're not anywhere close to, until we get three first team,
16:42 all league and three first team, all Americans, I'm never gonna be happy.
16:47 But I also got the right perspective and I'm thankful.
16:50 This is a group of dudes that they like it.
16:53 And so I'm thankful for that and proud of them.
16:57 And this is a group, I mean,
16:59 they understand they gotta be the backbone of a locker room.
17:03 And we've got other great leaders, but
17:07 that's always been my vision, is the linebackers.
17:13 They've gotta take that kind of responsibility, have those kinds of
17:16 shoulders, and the team needs to follow their lead.
17:19 And so I have a very emotional investment in that group,
17:24 as well as just a longtime position coach there, along with Ted.
17:28 So I think it's a group that, just like all young players,
17:33 there's gonna be some great moments and some tough moments and learning opportunity.
17:37 But Kobe's done a great job.
17:40 Again, he went through some struggle as a freshman, tore his groin in camp,
17:46 came in as a midyear, and that was probably a struggle.
17:50 And so you miss several weeks.
17:51 It's hard to have any opportunity to show what you can do.
17:54 And it's hard once the season starts, the reps are limited.
17:57 You don't get the same reps.
17:59 You gotta, and then sometimes you just gotta be ready when you get an opportunity.
18:05 But I've been real proud of him.
18:07 His mental part of the game is actually really good, and he takes full responsibility.
18:13 A lot of young guys, they don't wanna look at the man in the mirror,
18:17 and they allow themselves to beat themselves every day or occasionally.
18:24 And, or they let external factors affect them.
18:27 And, but Kobe's got tremendous maturity when it comes to those things.
18:32 And he's one of the smartest linebackers we have.
18:35 And he's improved tremendously fundamentally.
18:38 He'd fall down a lot ten months ago.
18:42 And so he's got quicker with his feet and with his balance and
18:46 his blitz timing and his ability to strike.
18:49 And he's got tremendous upside too.
18:52 He's got a high, high ceiling still in front of him as well.
18:55 But he's a guy that comes in on his own a lot and
18:59 again lets you coach him hard and takes responsibility.
19:02 So proud of him, as well as that entire group.
19:06 Really gonna be a tremendous group.
19:07 And they really like each other.
19:08 They got great chemistry.
19:09 They're a reflection of the growth and the maturity of our football team.
19:15 The selflessness, the commitment, the love and trust and respect for everybody.
19:20 Both sides of the ball, all three phases.
19:22 This is a team that knows each other.
19:24 And that's a group that, man, they got a great, great bond.
19:27 >> Far right, second row, Justin Martinez.
19:31 >> Hey, Bray, you threw out his name, but
19:33 Kendall Dobley seems to really continue to make the most of his opportunities.
19:36 Just when you see him and the strides that he's made since getting here,
19:39 just what really stands out about him?
19:41 >> Well, I just, I giggle.
19:42 He got a great, great spirit.
19:44 He loves to play and compete.
19:45 And again, he, because of some of the concerns that we had from a depth
19:51 standpoint at corner, that's kinda where we put him until things could work itself
19:54 out, and then we got some injuries inside.
19:57 And so we said, well, we need to, we knew he could be a player.
20:01 We didn't feel like we need him there as much as we needed him and
20:05 would be playing really meaningful reps out at corner.
20:07 But he's still just, he's figuring everything out.
20:11 And man, I've been really excited about him.
20:14 As you have seen, he's a bullet.
20:16 You know, when he knows what he's doing, man, he can,
20:20 if it's see ball, get ball in the open field or in his coverage technique.
20:24 You're gonna always have some tough moments.
20:27 So as soon as I say something good about something,
20:30 I mean, some people wanna probably say, well, what about that play?
20:34 We've corrected that.
20:35 But really been proud of him.
20:39 Players love him cuz he plays wide open, doesn't say a whole lot.
20:43 But he shows up every day, one of our best practice players.
20:47 He just loves to compete.
20:48 That's probably the best trait that he has.
20:51 And then his second best trait is his instincts.
20:54 Then he's a very skilled player and then he plays big.
20:58 He's not, I don't know what his, he's probably 5'10 and a half, 5'11.
21:04 And probably 178, 182 pounds.
21:07 But man, he plays like he's 205 and he thinks he's 6'5.
21:11 And so he's fearless, got a lot of courage, really tough guy.
21:15 >> Brent, we obviously saw Jackson Arnold on Saturday,
21:20 but what have you seen from him midweek, Monday through Friday,
21:26 as far as how he's gotten better both on the field or maturity wise?
21:32 >> Yeah, just I would say that the number one thing that stands out for
21:35 me as I watch him and his growth is just his consistency.
21:42 He's never too high, never too low.
21:44 He's just always the same guy every day.
21:46 And likes to compete, makes the most of his opportunity, values his opportunity.
21:52 Respects the game and what it takes to develop.
21:55 So he's got great work ethic.
21:57 And he understands as much as anybody, you're gonna get what you earn.
22:02 >> Sir, Mason.
22:06 >> Brent, how close was Tyler Guyton to being available?
22:09 And do you expect to have him back this week?
22:11 >> Yeah, I think he was back.
22:13 Jake just did a great job.
22:15 So there's something to that too.
22:18 Jake's done a really good job and made the most of his opportunity.
22:21 So I think it's more about Jake than it was about Tyler, but he's available.
22:26 >> Sir, Tom on the line.
22:28 >> Brent, obviously Danny had that sack in the fourth quarter to force
22:34 the turnover, but what have you made of the pass rush these last few weeks?
22:39 And does the lack of sacks kind of reflect how effective that's been?
22:43 >> I think it's easy.
22:46 Again, narrative, when you're not stopping a run, it's gonna be hard.
22:50 They're third medium a lot.
22:51 We didn't get them in third and long a whole lot.
22:55 And so there's that this last week.
22:58 And I look at, I think overall,
23:03 they were just a little over 30% sack rate.
23:07 So some of the 30% conversion rate, third downs, and
23:12 then we had some fourth and twos and threes.
23:14 So sometimes, again, you look at that, and they're running the ball.
23:17 How many times they run the ball in third down?
23:20 I think there's always a story behind it.
23:22 I think the easy ones, look, this final statute, there's no sacks,
23:25 they must suck.
23:26 Or you just watch the game and figure out, okay, I see.
23:30 Either we're not stopping running, and next thing you know,
23:33 it's a lot of third and shorts and a fourth and short.
23:35 So you're not gonna get a lot of seven step drop.
23:39 Or maybe it is a team that's committed to run three man routes and
23:42 seven man protections.
23:43 And so last I checked, seven against four is hard.
23:47 And because people do respect things that we do.
23:52 We're not getting a bunch of five on four at all,
23:56 not in true drop back protection.
24:01 And then again, you look at Oklahoma State.
24:03 Again, is that our last three games, BYU, West Virginia, Oklahoma State?
24:07 So I think it's like 80% of their throws were under 2.5 seconds.
24:17 So a sack rating in the NFL, anything under 2.5 seconds,
24:21 is gonna be about 10%.
24:23 Really, you're not gonna get there.
24:25 So that's all by design.
24:27 And so you have that.
24:30 Maybe if you look at the third down that we got,
24:34 Vicar's got a PI on, it was a three step drop off of an RPO.
24:39 So it's a called run.
24:40 So the D line's getting a reach block, not a pass set.
24:44 But it's third and seven, third and eight.
24:46 And so he's getting a reach block, a base block.
24:49 So he's gonna play run technique, cuz that's what he got.
24:52 So he's not gonna get a sack.
24:53 And then they take the ball and they throw it up.
24:56 So it's counted as a pass.
24:57 We didn't get a sack.
24:58 Where's the pressure?
24:58 You're not gonna get it.
25:00 So again, that's what I would say to all that.
25:05 And there's a lot, again, we got a lot to give,
25:09 and we gotta get better at everything.
25:12 Pass rush, technique, run defense, all of this stuff, we gotta get better at.
25:17 And I think it all matters.
25:19 And then some of it's the scheme that people are presenting.
25:23 And then some of it's your lack of success early downs.
25:26 That's what I think this last week.
25:27 And then we can never, sometimes you get a lead on some guys and
25:32 then you put people in a pinch when you get leads on people.
25:36 Now they gotta, when you get good game control,
25:39 you put pressure on the other side of the ball on an opposing offense.
25:43 And now they've gotta go back and chunk it a lot.
25:46 And so we haven't really been able to do that here recently either.
25:52 So everything matters, it all is part of it.
25:56 And we're better there, not good enough.
26:00 And nobody here's satisfied with any of it.
26:04 But proud of our guys and their work and their fight.
26:07 But I also have perspective on, again, a lot of people understand the game.
26:12 You understand the game, and you watch the game, not just look at the final stats.
26:17 Now I'm not pointing, I'm not saying you, but
26:18 you're just reporting an obvious stat.
26:23 But game control matters too.
26:25 And when you get good game control, you put people in a more of a position
26:31 where it's obvious you can pin your ears back a little bit.
26:37 But we're getting things like, again, seven man protection, screens,
26:42 quick shallows, RPOs, things like that too.
26:45 Sprint outs, things like that's hard to get sacks on.
26:49 They're moving, changing launch point.
26:50 That's why they do it, cuz they know we're aggressive and things like that.
26:54 >> Yeah, TCU's got a freshman QB, Josh Hoover,
26:58 over 300 yards in the last three games.
27:02 They've also got a new weapon, a 6'7" tight end, Jared Wiley.
27:07 Huge game last week, three pretty good games in a row.
27:09 >> Yeah, two 400 yard games.
27:11 >> How's the ball control for the pass, press defense?
27:13 >> Yeah, that's gonna test us in every way.
27:15 Quarterback's playing fantastic.
27:17 Again, two 400 plus yard games too.
27:20 I think he's thrown for nine touchdowns.
27:22 And just been fantastic, averaging 350 plus yards a game.
27:29 He's been fantastic.
27:30 So they've done a great job.
27:32 Receivers, they got really good receivers.
27:34 Their running game's been good, which gives them opportunity.
27:37 Tight end, 6'7".
27:39 Got a big 6'5" receiver as well.
27:42 And really like Bailey, now he's running downhill and he's very explosive.
27:48 He's a home run hitter as well.
27:50 They're blocking up front good and protecting the quarterback well.
27:53 He's making really good decisions.
27:55 They're putting him in a position to be successful.
27:57 So, the tight end's great, three's great.
28:02 Again, that's a team that they've done a good job
28:08 with the group of guys they have and they turned over a lot of guys.
28:13 They're having tremendous, tremendous production.
28:17 I think three had 11 catches against Texas a couple weeks ago.
28:22 And so, they've got really, really good players.
28:24 >> Second row, left side, John.
28:28 >> Brent, if Jackson does have to be the guy on Saturday,
28:32 how important is he gets this week?
28:34 Where you guys can game plan for him and he gets the week as the guy,
28:38 how important is that for him?
28:39 >> I think Jeff does a good job of when Jackson gets, they're getting the first
28:45 and second team guy are getting virtually the same amount of reps.
28:48 And so, the things that we're asking him to do, he's good at.
28:54 We don't have to, okay, now Jackson's in, let's do this.
28:58 There's some things that maybe he might be good at, but
29:03 the game plan's gonna be the game plan based on the things that you're
29:09 gonna see from an opponent, and then the things that we do every single week.
29:13 So, that's important that he has those things down, so
29:17 we can go execute the offense and still take advantage of his best skill sets.
29:21 But I think him and Dylan are very, very similar in many ways.
29:25 I don't think, okay, well, this guy's a runner and this guy's a thrower.
29:28 This can't, he can't throw, this guy can throw.
29:32 We don't have that problem with those two guys.
29:35 >> Back to you in the way back, middle, John Hoover.
29:38 >> Yeah, Brent, you talked about Billy being a captain,
29:41 you talked about Danny and Woody.
29:43 I wanted to give you a chance to brag on your other four captains today,
29:46 permanent captains Ethan and Dylan and McCade and Drake, and
29:50 what qualities those guys have that allowed them to be voted to that.
29:53 >> Again, that's from their teammates.
29:55 They're just, again, model of consistency, highly invested guys.
29:58 And sometimes people say, well, how come about these other guys?
30:01 And that's not a reflection on anybody else.
30:03 These are just the guys that they got the most votes.
30:07 But consistency, buy-in, passion, love for the game, love for their university,
30:12 love for their teammates, they've been amazing.
30:16 Make everybody around them better.
30:18 They get the kind of toughness that you want your program to be all about.
30:22 They value their opportunity every single day.
30:25 They know that their time is limited and their roles are important and
30:29 their platform is important and their influence is important.
30:33 So again, all the selfless traits that you gotta have, the work ethic,
30:38 the toughness, the ability to persevere and endure is something I never take lightly.
30:44 It's easy to be a leader, a day here, a day there.
30:47 When you feel good, these are guys that show up no matter what the circumstances
30:51 are, that's a group of guys that'll move the coach out of the way and
30:57 say, I got this coach.
30:59 And you don't always have that, but we have it.
31:03 And so I got tremendous, again, like I said earlier,
31:09 thankfulness for that group of guys.
31:12 Again, their work ethic, their consistency, and
31:18 their ability just to be a light, sometimes in some dark moments too.
31:23 And they've not flinched, and
31:27 they've been the model of what you want from an ability to overcome.
31:31 And like I said, this team, and to me, I believe that
31:37 your real value comes from what you overcome,
31:42 not what you become, first team all league,
31:47 All-American, get drafted, those are things that you become.
31:52 I think it is what guys overcome that really separates or defines you or
31:57 develops you, and that's a group of guys.
31:58 They all have a story.
32:00 You see the glory of being permanent captain, but
32:03 there's a story behind all of them.
32:04 And I love that about them, and
32:07 that's what I love about being a part of a locker room.
32:09 >> Let's go to Holden.
32:13 >> Yeah, Brent, obviously, TCU just needs one win to become bowl eligible.
32:17 What are you expecting from them on Friday?
32:20 >> Same thing if they were already bowl eligible, a team that plays with pride,
32:24 a team that's well prepared and well coached, a team that's got good athletes,
32:28 a team that's gonna play with great effort, no different.
32:31 I don't think, okay, well, this is for bowl eligibility.
32:34 Game one's bowl eligibility, right?
32:37 The way it is today.
32:38 You don't, okay, now we're gonna do our best.
32:41 No, I don't think that.
32:42 They're gonna be a group that's highly motivated.
32:44 They come in with great passion and energy.
32:47 Again, we get everybody's best.
32:49 This is Oklahoma, it's great.
32:50 It's gonna be an amazing environment.
32:52 They'll be juiced and fired up like everybody that comes to Owen Field.
32:58 And our job is to focus on us, prepare as best that we can prepare,
33:03 have a great week of practice, get better.
33:05 Just focus on today.
33:09 This is Tuesday.
33:11 I know for y'all, this is Monday, this is Tuesday.
33:13 And so have a great Tuesday practice.
33:15 And again, do what we can while we can so that we can't,
33:20 we won't wish that we would have when we could have.
33:22 And so get our guys to really understand and buy into,
33:28 you're never gonna regret giving everything you got.
33:30 And so that means your preparation should matter every single day.
33:34 So that's kind of where our focus is, but
33:35 we expect, again, a great TC football team to come in here.
33:40 Just what you've seen from them in the last few weeks, man,
33:42 it's gone down to the wire, gone down in the last couple of drives.
33:45 It's a team that has rallied behind their freshman quarterback.
33:49 He's playing as good as anybody in our conference and
33:52 probably around the country right now.
33:54 And so we're gonna have to have a great week and a great game plan.
33:57 >> Chris Williams, Harlem.
34:00 >> Coach, tail end of a long season, as you mentioned.
34:03 How's the energy level?
34:04 How's the morale?
34:05 How is the focus, just with all the highs and lows, personally and
34:08 as a team, that they've gone through this season?
34:10 >> I think it's great.
34:11 Like I said, our guys, they show up here with a great attitude.
34:14 They like to come to the facility, like to hang out.
34:18 They stay late, they come in early.
34:20 Practice is fun.
34:22 It's tough, it's demanding, but guys got a great spirit and energy to them.
34:26 I know that kind of sounds cliche-ish and all that, but this is a group,
34:32 they like it.
34:33 And they value each other, got really good, strong relationships with both their
34:38 teammates and their coaches, and they're excited about what's in front of them.
34:43 A lot's at stake.
34:43 This is, for several guys, this is it for them here.
34:48 I got a chance to be undefeated at home.
34:50 I got a chance to enhance and improve our opportunity for postseason play.
34:56 This is a group of players on this team that are, again, highly invested.
35:02 They've put in a tremendous amount of work.
35:04 So the finish matters.
35:08 And we're all defined by how we finish, right?
35:12 It's not how you start, it's how you finish.
35:14 And so finishing strong, something we take a lot of pride in,
35:17 and through their training, and mentally, physically, spiritually.
35:20 And so I think that they value that opportunity as well.
35:26 And then we got a lot of young players trying to continue to create value for
35:30 themselves and opportunity for themselves too.
35:33 So we got a great blend of those kind of guys.
35:35 So they recognize you don't get to play this game forever.
35:38 You never know when the last day is, so you value every opportunity.
35:41 You only get to play 12 guaranteed games a year.
35:43 So this is a mature team that sees the value in that.
35:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]
35:49 >> Got time for one more.
35:51 James, yeah.
35:52 >> Coach, you talked about kind of the height difference that some of the TCU
35:57 players have over, how do you come back, something like that,
35:59 on the defensive side, and what you thought of that going after that?
36:02 >> Good technique, good positioning, good awareness,
36:06 good fundamentals through the strain.
36:08 And the back end of the play, I always say you gotta win early to win late.
36:13 So within the play, whatever the play is, four to six seconds,
36:19 you gotta win early to win late.
36:21 And so I think all of those things are important.
36:24 And it's a game of leverage, it's a game of physicality.
36:28 And even when a DB and a receiver, a tight end and a backer,
36:33 safety, or things of that nature.
36:36 Or there's a physicality that's not just the run game.
36:40 It's straining at the top of a route, in and out of breaks.
36:44 Having functional strength and playing with leverage,
36:49 playing with good pad level, all those things, everything matters.
36:51 Again, you're going against good players, you can't have bad technique and
36:55 expect to win.
36:56 So I think it starts with that, and understanding,
36:58 alignment, all those kind of things.
37:00 And then just do your one of 11.
37:03 There's 10 other guys, you're not out there on an island by yourself.
37:06 But this is a game of matchups, and you gotta win your matchups.
37:09 You expect to win the game, you gotta win your matchup.
37:12 And so when your fair share of those is important,
37:16 and technically, mentally, physically.