RoaminSooner
1/5/2009, 12:52 AM
OU Defensive Quotes from Miami
Venables, McCoy, Beal, Harris, Homes and Franks meet with media.
MIAMI -- Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables joined DT Gerald McCoy, DE Jeremy Beal, SS Nic Harris, FS Lendy Holmes and CB Dominique Franks in a session with the press at the media hotel in Fort Lauderdale this morning. Below is a transcript of the press conference provided by the Orange Bowl.
COACH VENABLES: Well, as much as anything we're trying to adjust to difficult conditions down here in south Florida. The weather is really stressing us out (laughing).
No, actually it's been a while since we sweated like that at practice. Our guys are locked in, focused in, having a good time. As much as anything preparations are going really, really well. We've got a beautiful practice facility, and our guys are just obviously anxious, having practiced now and prepared for three weeks, we're obviously anxious to get to the game here and see how we match up against University of Florida. A great challenge sitting in front of us. Our guys recognize the ability, the skill level, the explosiveness of University of Florida's offense, led by a great, great player in Tim Tebow, and really, again, looking forward to the match up, kind of see where we stand.
Q. Tim Tebow has been described as a guy who has a frame of a linebacker and legs of a running back. Based on what you have seen on film of him, what challenges will he pose to your defense?
GERALD McCOY: Tim Tebow is a great player, big guy, strong guy, and he knows his offense. He knows what he's facing. He always does a great job going against any defense he faces. There's a lot of different things that their offense poses. You kind of never really know where the ball is going, and you've just got to read your keys and react. It's nothing we haven't seen before. I think we'll be ready for the challenge.
NIC HARRIS: With him I feel essentially that it's a supporting cast. He's a run first type of guy, but at the end of the day he can get the ball out to those speed guys on the outside. We've got to focus on making sure we tackle in space and continue to prepare the way we've been preparing for three weeks.
Q. If I could follow, Nic, he does that jump ball type thing sometimes, too, comes to the line and just jumps it over, tosses it. Is that something that you have seen before by other quarterbacks?
NIC HARRIS: Not necessarily. You know, he's a lot of run first fakes and he'll step back and pass the ball. We really haven't seen that playing Big 12 ball, guys playing in the shotgun and stuff like that. At the end of the day we have time for prepare for it, and we should be extremely well come January the 8th.
Q. Brent, you alluded to it's a little difficult getting used to the south Florida weather. Have any of you been to south Florida? Been to South Beach? Been around this atmosphere? What's it like this week, because I know there are a lot of outside things you guys could be doing?
NIC HARRIS: I guess I'll answer that question. It's great. You know, to come down here or whatever and to leave the weather that we were in. But at the end of the day, as long as you stay focused and know why you're here, you can't get sucked into the perils of south Florida. A lot of guys have been here or whatever, spring break, family trips and stuff like that, but at the end of the day we're here to win that championship game.
Q. Nick, they're going to have Percy Harvin back for this game. What do you have to do as a defensive back to watch where he is on the field? Do you do anything different because he's back in the game?
NIC HARRIS: Not necessarily. We've never tried to as a defense, an Oklahoma defense, we've never tried to focus on one primary player. They have a lot of great players on their team. We understand he's going to be back, but he also has to understand that Oklahoma is here to play ball, as well.
Q. Brent, with their switch in coordinators, are you anticipating anything different? Mullen is still going to call plays, but is that just something else you're thinking about at all?
COACH VENABLES: I don't think so. I think you'd be naïve to believe otherwise. They've got a great system and a staff of tremendous assistant coaches and obviously led by Coach Meyer. Coach Mullen is professional enough, as we all are, to understand, again, how you balance a variety of things, whether it's personal or professional, and like I said, when you have a player of Tim's caliber and how well he knows that system, he's like a coach out on the field. I know that they as a staff, starting with Coach Mullen, will approach this game no other way other than, again, in a very professional, workmanlike attitude and effort, and they'll be ready to play and put their best foot forward, just like we will.
Q. Obviously you get to practice against one of the best offenses in the country. I know it's not the same as Florida's, but is there anything you can take away that's going to help you with the speed and the quickness of this team?
COACH VENABLES: I think our offense is very dynamic just like Florida's. There's playmakers at the skill level, a very, very high level. Obviously we feel our offensive line is as good and brings as much of a physical presence as any offensive line in the country. Obviously when you have a quarterback with Sam's ability, his precision, his decision making, his presence, again, that's hard to beat. Florida will present a very similar type of challenge that stresses you both mentally and physically.
Again, it's a new system, though, too. We haven't seen that kind of a system in the Big 12. But like everything, every week is a little bit different. Again, you've got to cut the head off the snake. Each and every week we've seen a bunch of tremendous, tremendous quarterbacks with the ability to execute, and decision making is probably in the conference from top to bottom, the best collection of quarterbacks as anywhere in the country.
I think they've proven that not just this year, if you look at last year, as well. So that being said, obviously we see a great challenge every day, and again, we'll have our hands full here on Thursday night but something that we're really looking forward to.
Q. Could I have Gerald and Nic talk about how it's been staying focused during the holidays and the break that you guys have had since your last game?
GERALD McCOY: Well, being on a break like that, you have to stay focused. It's easy to get lost in sleep when you're not doing nothing. You've got to keep your head in it. You can't look at how far away the game is. That's why as soon as we found out who we were playing, we went to preparing immediately, because if you don't, you'll start realizing the game is so far away, so I don't need to get focused right now. Playing in a game like this you need to be focused the entire time, whether it's a month, two months, whatever. You're playing a great team, has a lot of great players, has a former Heisman Trophy winner. So we had to stay focused, we had to get focused immediately, and it's been that way as soon as we found out who we were playing.
NIC HARRIS: I think our coaches made sure that we don't become overconsumed with it, as well. Sometimes you can super saturated with things , and at the end of the day he's provided adequate breaks for us to go home, see our families, stuff like that.
Q. Florida talks a lot about the Ole Miss loss, how that kind of changed their season. They saw it as a blessing in disguise. Since the Texas game you guys have been pretty much rolling on all sides. Do you see that loss as a blessing, or is it still just execution, you just changed something after that game?
NIC HARRIS: Never a blessing, especially on the Oklahoma defensive side of the ball. We never want to lose a game, and that was one that ultimately got away from us. If we could go back and play that game again, I'm pretty sure that we would.
GERALD McCOY: Losing to Texas was big for us. I think it kind of opened our eyes to a lot of different things. But we've grown since then, and I think we've turned into a completely different team with winning the games that we've won. We've won some big games since then, and I think we'll go into this game prepared.
Q. Sort of following up on that, people have talked about the offense and how it's exploded since that game, but you guys defensively have kind of done that, too, in terms of getting turnovers, really explosive there, too. Can you talk about the importance of turnovers and what's clicked since that Texas game and getting those?
COACH VENABLES: I would probably we took a couple games of some growing pains, lost our middle linebacker and had three first year players at that position. If you had the experience of going through just coaching in general and those guys are kind of the quarterback on defense, at least for the front seven in particular, there's some growing pains there for a couple of games, just trying to get some good chemistry, trying to find the right guys. As a matter of fact Nic graciously volunteered to play middle linebacker the game after Texas, trying to get another freshman ready and didn't want to get him overwhelmed.
So anyway, a little bit inconsistent the next couple games, but really starting with the Nebraska game I think the first play of the game we intercepted and took it back for a touchdown. Guys are getting more and more comfortable, a guy like Dom Franks, a guy that's made a ton of plays for us as a first year starter. I think Dom has had a couple of touchdowns this year.
But the turnovers have been huge, and obviously all the credit is well deserved with our offense. When they get the ball, they know what to do with it. But our defense has scored or set up 154 points this year, 40 yards or less field position for our offense. Any offense is going to execute well and put points on the board. We take great pride in that. There's some areas that we'd like to be more consistent but we've really felt we've grown into our own, improved every week really since the beginning with the Nebraska game, and again, really a young, mature defense. It's only getting better and really understanding the totality of their responsibilities, trusting the guy next to him and playing on instinct and aggressiveness, the more sure they are of themselves.
GERALD McCOY: Personally I feel the coaches have done a great job recruiting, and I say that because they're also doing a great job of preparing the twos or even the threes. They make sure not only the ones are ready but the twos and threes are ready to go just in case something like that happens. I feel we have a great depth on this team. That's why I say the coaches have done a great job recruiting. And like I said, they do a great job preparing. So when one man goes down, we have another man who can step in and take over right then. You never know who can take over a game at any point on this defense, and that's why I feel we have a real good one.
Venables, McCoy, Beal, Harris, Homes and Franks meet with media.
MIAMI -- Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables joined DT Gerald McCoy, DE Jeremy Beal, SS Nic Harris, FS Lendy Holmes and CB Dominique Franks in a session with the press at the media hotel in Fort Lauderdale this morning. Below is a transcript of the press conference provided by the Orange Bowl.
COACH VENABLES: Well, as much as anything we're trying to adjust to difficult conditions down here in south Florida. The weather is really stressing us out (laughing).
No, actually it's been a while since we sweated like that at practice. Our guys are locked in, focused in, having a good time. As much as anything preparations are going really, really well. We've got a beautiful practice facility, and our guys are just obviously anxious, having practiced now and prepared for three weeks, we're obviously anxious to get to the game here and see how we match up against University of Florida. A great challenge sitting in front of us. Our guys recognize the ability, the skill level, the explosiveness of University of Florida's offense, led by a great, great player in Tim Tebow, and really, again, looking forward to the match up, kind of see where we stand.
Q. Tim Tebow has been described as a guy who has a frame of a linebacker and legs of a running back. Based on what you have seen on film of him, what challenges will he pose to your defense?
GERALD McCOY: Tim Tebow is a great player, big guy, strong guy, and he knows his offense. He knows what he's facing. He always does a great job going against any defense he faces. There's a lot of different things that their offense poses. You kind of never really know where the ball is going, and you've just got to read your keys and react. It's nothing we haven't seen before. I think we'll be ready for the challenge.
NIC HARRIS: With him I feel essentially that it's a supporting cast. He's a run first type of guy, but at the end of the day he can get the ball out to those speed guys on the outside. We've got to focus on making sure we tackle in space and continue to prepare the way we've been preparing for three weeks.
Q. If I could follow, Nic, he does that jump ball type thing sometimes, too, comes to the line and just jumps it over, tosses it. Is that something that you have seen before by other quarterbacks?
NIC HARRIS: Not necessarily. You know, he's a lot of run first fakes and he'll step back and pass the ball. We really haven't seen that playing Big 12 ball, guys playing in the shotgun and stuff like that. At the end of the day we have time for prepare for it, and we should be extremely well come January the 8th.
Q. Brent, you alluded to it's a little difficult getting used to the south Florida weather. Have any of you been to south Florida? Been to South Beach? Been around this atmosphere? What's it like this week, because I know there are a lot of outside things you guys could be doing?
NIC HARRIS: I guess I'll answer that question. It's great. You know, to come down here or whatever and to leave the weather that we were in. But at the end of the day, as long as you stay focused and know why you're here, you can't get sucked into the perils of south Florida. A lot of guys have been here or whatever, spring break, family trips and stuff like that, but at the end of the day we're here to win that championship game.
Q. Nick, they're going to have Percy Harvin back for this game. What do you have to do as a defensive back to watch where he is on the field? Do you do anything different because he's back in the game?
NIC HARRIS: Not necessarily. We've never tried to as a defense, an Oklahoma defense, we've never tried to focus on one primary player. They have a lot of great players on their team. We understand he's going to be back, but he also has to understand that Oklahoma is here to play ball, as well.
Q. Brent, with their switch in coordinators, are you anticipating anything different? Mullen is still going to call plays, but is that just something else you're thinking about at all?
COACH VENABLES: I don't think so. I think you'd be naïve to believe otherwise. They've got a great system and a staff of tremendous assistant coaches and obviously led by Coach Meyer. Coach Mullen is professional enough, as we all are, to understand, again, how you balance a variety of things, whether it's personal or professional, and like I said, when you have a player of Tim's caliber and how well he knows that system, he's like a coach out on the field. I know that they as a staff, starting with Coach Mullen, will approach this game no other way other than, again, in a very professional, workmanlike attitude and effort, and they'll be ready to play and put their best foot forward, just like we will.
Q. Obviously you get to practice against one of the best offenses in the country. I know it's not the same as Florida's, but is there anything you can take away that's going to help you with the speed and the quickness of this team?
COACH VENABLES: I think our offense is very dynamic just like Florida's. There's playmakers at the skill level, a very, very high level. Obviously we feel our offensive line is as good and brings as much of a physical presence as any offensive line in the country. Obviously when you have a quarterback with Sam's ability, his precision, his decision making, his presence, again, that's hard to beat. Florida will present a very similar type of challenge that stresses you both mentally and physically.
Again, it's a new system, though, too. We haven't seen that kind of a system in the Big 12. But like everything, every week is a little bit different. Again, you've got to cut the head off the snake. Each and every week we've seen a bunch of tremendous, tremendous quarterbacks with the ability to execute, and decision making is probably in the conference from top to bottom, the best collection of quarterbacks as anywhere in the country.
I think they've proven that not just this year, if you look at last year, as well. So that being said, obviously we see a great challenge every day, and again, we'll have our hands full here on Thursday night but something that we're really looking forward to.
Q. Could I have Gerald and Nic talk about how it's been staying focused during the holidays and the break that you guys have had since your last game?
GERALD McCOY: Well, being on a break like that, you have to stay focused. It's easy to get lost in sleep when you're not doing nothing. You've got to keep your head in it. You can't look at how far away the game is. That's why as soon as we found out who we were playing, we went to preparing immediately, because if you don't, you'll start realizing the game is so far away, so I don't need to get focused right now. Playing in a game like this you need to be focused the entire time, whether it's a month, two months, whatever. You're playing a great team, has a lot of great players, has a former Heisman Trophy winner. So we had to stay focused, we had to get focused immediately, and it's been that way as soon as we found out who we were playing.
NIC HARRIS: I think our coaches made sure that we don't become overconsumed with it, as well. Sometimes you can super saturated with things , and at the end of the day he's provided adequate breaks for us to go home, see our families, stuff like that.
Q. Florida talks a lot about the Ole Miss loss, how that kind of changed their season. They saw it as a blessing in disguise. Since the Texas game you guys have been pretty much rolling on all sides. Do you see that loss as a blessing, or is it still just execution, you just changed something after that game?
NIC HARRIS: Never a blessing, especially on the Oklahoma defensive side of the ball. We never want to lose a game, and that was one that ultimately got away from us. If we could go back and play that game again, I'm pretty sure that we would.
GERALD McCOY: Losing to Texas was big for us. I think it kind of opened our eyes to a lot of different things. But we've grown since then, and I think we've turned into a completely different team with winning the games that we've won. We've won some big games since then, and I think we'll go into this game prepared.
Q. Sort of following up on that, people have talked about the offense and how it's exploded since that game, but you guys defensively have kind of done that, too, in terms of getting turnovers, really explosive there, too. Can you talk about the importance of turnovers and what's clicked since that Texas game and getting those?
COACH VENABLES: I would probably we took a couple games of some growing pains, lost our middle linebacker and had three first year players at that position. If you had the experience of going through just coaching in general and those guys are kind of the quarterback on defense, at least for the front seven in particular, there's some growing pains there for a couple of games, just trying to get some good chemistry, trying to find the right guys. As a matter of fact Nic graciously volunteered to play middle linebacker the game after Texas, trying to get another freshman ready and didn't want to get him overwhelmed.
So anyway, a little bit inconsistent the next couple games, but really starting with the Nebraska game I think the first play of the game we intercepted and took it back for a touchdown. Guys are getting more and more comfortable, a guy like Dom Franks, a guy that's made a ton of plays for us as a first year starter. I think Dom has had a couple of touchdowns this year.
But the turnovers have been huge, and obviously all the credit is well deserved with our offense. When they get the ball, they know what to do with it. But our defense has scored or set up 154 points this year, 40 yards or less field position for our offense. Any offense is going to execute well and put points on the board. We take great pride in that. There's some areas that we'd like to be more consistent but we've really felt we've grown into our own, improved every week really since the beginning with the Nebraska game, and again, really a young, mature defense. It's only getting better and really understanding the totality of their responsibilities, trusting the guy next to him and playing on instinct and aggressiveness, the more sure they are of themselves.
GERALD McCOY: Personally I feel the coaches have done a great job recruiting, and I say that because they're also doing a great job of preparing the twos or even the threes. They make sure not only the ones are ready but the twos and threes are ready to go just in case something like that happens. I feel we have a great depth on this team. That's why I say the coaches have done a great job recruiting. And like I said, they do a great job preparing. So when one man goes down, we have another man who can step in and take over right then. You never know who can take over a game at any point on this defense, and that's why I feel we have a real good one.