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Sept. 21, 2010

Running backs coach Major Applewhite
On playing UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel after the 2001 Holiday Bowl against Washington: He was very classy. He congratulated us. It was a shootout. He’s a great football coach who played the quarterback position. So, I think he has an appreciation for quarterbacks. He was very classy and came over and said congratulations.

On the Texas running game: I think Fozzy [Whittaker] is a guy who we’ve always felt as a coaching staff has an ability to do things in the run game as well as the passing game. He’s an explosive player. When we went back and did our postseason studies, D.J. [Monroe] and Fozzy, per touch, were the most explosive plays created. You look at one guy and it’s one in every six touches, one guy is one in every eight touches, the other guys are one in every twelve, one in every thirteen. Our job as coaches is to look at that statistic and say these guys every six touches are creating explosive plays. Let’s find a way to play them. If you’re a little guy like D.J. we have to figure out tougher ways to get the ball to him than a guy like Fozzy. From his standpoint we’ve been happy that he’s been able to stay healthy and fight through injuries. I was proud of him the way he fought through his stinger Saturday night. He showed a lot about his toughness. He just needs to keep coming.

 

LB Keenan Robinson
On playing UCLA’s offense: They’re playing downhill ball. We need to react quicker. We need to read. Whatever we do, there’s not much room for error.

On UCLA’s pistol offense: I think what they do, they do it very well. I’ve never really seen it. We saw a couple snaps of it last year. You don’t really get to see it in the Big 12. It’s something new. It’s something we’re going to work hard this week to prepare for.

On the challenges that UCLA’s offense brings: It’s a difference. The first three teams we’ve played we’ve only seen a spread - people throwing it out. People use the bubble pass as their running game. Here, UCLA - they’re running the ball left, right. They’re not throwing the ball much. They’re running for 200 yards [a game]. That shows you something.

 

CB Curtis Brown
On facing a running team in UCLA: It’s a big challenge for me personally being a cover corner. Now I can go out there and show my physical side and stop the run.

On the challenges that UCLA’s offense brings: Their offensive line is humongous. They have really big tailbacks. They have good receivers too, so they’ll be able to take shots down the field.

On if he’s played against the pistol offense before: I haven’t. They do a lot of motion to open up holes for the running game. Coach Muschamp and the coaches have a good game plan. If we go out and execute we’ll be all right.

On how the defense will prepare for UCLA: You just have to know their personality and their personnel, and how they like to motion. Their quarterback is mobile, too. So they’ll try to run with the quarterback also. Their tailbacks are pretty fast. They like to get vertical. They have a good running game.

 

RB Fozzy Whittaker
On the improvement in the run game: I feel like we are able to get more push off the line and that is what is allowing us to get those downhill yards. That is what is working for us.

On whether he feels as though the offense is progressing each week: Actually we are. Every time we break down film, we watch it as a whole offensive unit, so we are able to see what everyone does well, and at the same time we are able to see where everyone can get better. In watching film, we are able to see visually that we are progressing.

On what this progress does for the team: It gives you confidence that they are willing to work to get better to make out team better. That creates a positive vibe that everyone can feed off of.

On only getting 93 rushing yards against Texas Tech: We just do what we can to get the win, and that is what we came out with. If it takes 93 yards to win every game, that is what we will do. 

On what it is going to take to finish drives: We have to eliminate some of our mental mistakes and penalties. That has been a large key of our drive killers this season. So as soon as we eliminate those mental, personal mistakes that we have made, then I feel like we will be able to better finish drives. 

On UCLA’s defense: They are very athletic. There are guys flying around everywhere. They have big stop guys down in the middle. They have good, tall, bigger, athletic guys on the edge that can rush the passer and create disruptions in the run game. The linebackers are solid, and then they have a great secondary that may be able to give us some problems that we are looking to overcome. 

 

DL Jackson Jeffcoat
On facing UCLA’s offensive line: We have been coming out hard, practicing hard, and just playing hard. So we are just going to continue to do that. It is definitely going to be a challenge, but we are going to come out, practice hard, and be ready to play. 

On whether they are excited to face a power running team: We definitely welcome the challenge. We are excited for a new challenge. 

On whether he is surprised at UCLA’s 1-2 record: I am very surprised. UCLA is a very good team, and they look very good on film. They have great size, great running backs—they are a really good team. 

On whether he feels comfortable with everything he is being asked to do as a freshman: I am starting to get more and more comfortable. The seniors are great with me, and all of the older guys help me out whenever I make a mistake. They are always there to help me out and correct me, and Coach Giles and Coach Muschamp are there, too.