Sept. 9, 2008
WR Quan Cosby
On his game against UTEP: I think it was a pretty positive game. We won big and anytime we win, and I do a little bit to help, that's when I'm happy for the team.
On what he is telling the young receivers like Dan Buckner this week: I just tell them to keep working. They are doing some really good things for us and helping us a lot. I just tell them to keep their heads up and to keep working. We really get on each other like we would our own brothers, so again, we just tell them to keep working. Dan [Buckner] had a great day of practice today, and we are still going to put him out there and let him make some plays for us.
On if potential bad weather this Saturday affects the players mentally: It doesn't really bother us. We have to practice as if we're going to play on Saturday, and we hope we do more than anything. Hopefully everything goes as plans. You have to prepare like you're going to play on Saturday because we can't control the weather, and we can't worry about things we can't control.
On how excited he is about playing Arkansas: Just knowing the rivalry and the past of it, just adds that much more. Again, we're really excited and we know they are going to come in fired up, and we are going to be fired up. Of course, we're playing at home again, so we're ready to go.
On being labeled the consistent guy: No, that's a great complement in my opinion. Being a two-sport guy, anytime you are consistent, that's something that's a great complement. You just go out there, and sometimes your moves don't work, so you just try to make plays. Fortunately, it was a good weekend and it worked.
RB Fozzy Whittaker
On if there are any after-effects with his knee: Oh no, I'm pretty healthy and everything is looking good. I'm just coming out and practicing well and everything is looking good.
On how comfortable he was against UTEP: It was good. I had gotten good experience from practice and from just getting in reps. We're all working together as a running back committee and we are getting reps in when we get the chance to go in. It was an exciting feeling just to help the team win.
On how he earned his high school success: It was just listening to coaches and what they had to offer me. I was just taking in what they could teach me and I was just learning about taking correct lines and blocking and everything like that. I was just doing what I could.
On how the running backs are getting along: We all get along very well. We hang out at each other's houses, chill around, watch movies and things like that. We play video games together and we all have a good sense of friendship with each other.
TE Blaine Irby
On the possibility of playing in the rain: I think that would be fun. I played in a rain game during high school one time and it was a lot of fun. There will be probably be more run blocking than passing for me.
On if he likes lining up with the wide receivers: I like that a lot, I do. Actually, any formation is fine with me as long as I'm out there.
On if heard much about the Texas-Arkansas rivalry growing up in California: I did. It was in the old-school Southwest Conference rivalry. I knew a couple of people out there in that area and that's where I heard about the big rivalry back in the day.
On how he is feeling about playing Arkansas: I'm really excited. It's an old-school rivalry and Coach Applewhite was actually talking about the games when he played against Arkansas. I'm just excited for every Saturday game coming up.
On what Coach Applewhite has told them about Arkansas: The main point was that they are going to be young and that they have really good athletes on their defense and offense, so, we'll be prepared.
On what practices have been like leading up to this Saturday: There's just been a lot of competition during practice. Going against our defense today went really well and practice went really well. We were outside, and it was pretty hot today, so that just helps us get ready for the game on Saturday.
LB Roddrick Muckelroy
On Arkansas: I think they're going to be a pretty good challenge for us. I've watched film on them. They've got some great players down there. The quarterback is a good passer. They've got some running backs that are pretty fast. The tight end seems like he's pretty fast and he catches the ball, I think that's one of his go-to receivers. So it's going to be a good challenge for us this weekend.
On today's practice: Practice was good. We came out today, started fast and ended fast. We're just trying to practice on game day speed. It was pretty good today.
On the Texas-Arkansas rivalry: It's a big rivalry. It's an old conference game. I think the last time they came out here, they put it on us, so we're just getting ready for this game, and we're going to be ready Saturday. We're just trying to practice hard right now.
On the game against UTEP: It was a good performance, but it's time to put last week's game behind us and start focusing on this week. Last week, we played good defense. Now we're just trying to move on to next week's game.
On the focus of today's practice: We were focusing more on detailed things, making sure we got the little things right. We were just covering the basics and seeing what Arkansas has, looking at our different keys and trying to focus on that.
On the most potent facet of Arkansas' offense: I want to say their passing game. They're pretty good. They have a good center, the Rimington award winner last year. We're going to have to play pass and stop the run.
On finishing the first half stronger in the future: We've been focusing on that. [Coach Will Muschamp] talked to us Sunday about those two games where they drove down on us. We put that in our minds and we're working on it, we're focusing on it this week. We'll try to make changes and get ready for this weekend.
On Arkansas' QB Casey Dick: He's a tall quarterback and he has a great arm. He's got some good go-to receivers. They're going to test us out, so we have to be ready come Saturday.
WR Malcolm Williams
On his performance this season so far: I'm just trying to compete and get better. We have a really good group of receivers, so I'm just trying to do what the coaches ask and see how everything goes.
On if the game has slowed down for him yet: Yes. Coming in as a freshman, we had seniors like [Limas] Sweed, and they helped me out my first year. Being out here now, it's slowed down a little bit. They really helped out a lot.
On what the offense wants to improve on after last week: We try to focus on something new every week and try to get better as a team. We're trying to be a team and bind together every week.
On Quan Cosby: Quan is a great resource. He's helped me out. He's helped me out with just about everything a receiver could learn, anything from running routes to just focusing.
On the Texas-Arkansas rivalry: It's an old rivalry. I watched Texas growing up, so to just be in that atmosphere and to be able to play against a good team, it's an honor.
On Colt McCoy: He's been a great resource. He's like another coach to us young receivers because we had never played in a game situation. So to have him out there, it really helps us calm down and let the game come to us.
LB Jared Norton
On watching film of Arkansas' offense: They like to pull the guards, run a lot of counters and different power plays. Basically, we just have to emphasize and know our run fits, keep going over those and make sure we don't give up any big runs.
On Arkansas struggling in their first couple of games: Any time we play a team, they don't play like they have against everybody else, so I'm pretty sure we're going to get their best shot.
On the Texas-Arkansas rivalry: Actually, my sister [Jasmine] is committed to Arkansas for volleyball. She's going to go there next year. She'll be at the game. My dad loves Texas, so he was kind of mad that he had to buy Arkansas stuff because she's going there. She said she's going to be rooting against me. I don't know if she was being funny or what.
On Roddrick Muckelroy: It's great playing and knowing that if you don't make the tackle, he will. We're roommates in the hotel on road trips and we always go over film together. It's always good to know that someone has your back. We learn from each other. I'll put in the DVD and we'll just go over the plays. Even if we're watching an NFL team, they run the same stuff a lot of people run, so we'll be watching the game and calling out the plays that we have.
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