Nov. 10, 2008
DT Roy Miller
On where he feels the pass defense stands: After a game you can look at the individual game and tell whether you felt like you did well that game or not. This is a new week and we've got a new team, so we're going to work equally as hard as we have in the past to try to get to the quarterback and disrupt plays and all of that. It's a thing that you look at after the game. I think we did a good job last game at the pass, I think we had 10 quarterback hits, 13 pressures and three sacks. That's real good. That's something to be proud of, but we can definitely improve.
On Kansas QB Todd Reesing: The quarterback from Kansas, he's a real good runner. He has a lot of weapons and he can throw the ball well. All those things we'll look at and we'll have to take that into account this week. It's a new challenge this week and we've got to play up to it.
OT Adam Ulatoski
On the team's BCS situation: People explain it to me but honestly all we can do is play our game and focus on what we have. There's really no reason to look at all that stuff right now.
On his status for this week: We'll have to see. We haven't started practice yet. We're pretty positive that I'll be able to do everything come Tuesday.
On what the team is focused on for the rest of the season: You're competing but you're not competing for other people, you're competing for yourself. All we can do is focus on what we can do, and that's play Kansas this week.
On keeping Colt McCoy protected: We just have to execute better. We've been doing a good job but every now and then we slip up and we can't do that. We have to focus on getting that corrected.
CB Ryan Palmer
On the defense's performance against Baylor: It's kind of crazy because we still haven't played a complete game yet on defense, stopping the run and the pass at the same time. The quarterback last week was a good quarterback, he ran the option well. I still think we played well overall. We started off fast and we finished strong. We still didn't always do things right, but we still played strong, fast and physical. We graded out pretty good.
On preparing for Kansas' offense: It's just another explosive offense that we have to face this weekend. We just have to get ready for a quarterback who can use his feet and throw at the same time. It's another challenge for us. They've got (WR Dezmon) Briscoe and other guys who are real good. We've just got to get ready to play, have another good week of practice and just get ready to go.
On the team's BCS situation: It is what it is. The main thing is winning and we didn't win against Tech so we're here now. We have to just do what we have to do. We can't go back and what if's and this and that, we just have to finish strong and win our last two conference games and see where we go after that.
On Kansas: They're going to be really ready to play. They need to get back on the winning side and we're going down there. The last time we went there they almost beat us so it's going to be hostile. Their fans are going to be loud and ready to go. We've just got to go down there and take care of our business.
On Kansas WR Dezmon Briscoe: He reminds of me of the bigger guys like a Dez (Bryant) or a (Michael) Crabtree. He catches the ball real well and he runs well, runs go routes. It's going to be a challenge for the secondary. It seems like we're going against NFL wide receivers every week. It's a good test for us to see where we're at and it's another challenge for us to see how good we are.
WR Quan Cosby
On his chemistry with Colt McCoy: We spend a lot of time together, I guess. We watch a lot of film too and during the week in practice we talk, even after things go right or wrong. It's more preparation; it has a lot to do with our coaching staff also that they're willing to listen to us as much as we listen to them.
On the development of the young wide receivers: It's been a lot of fun. Of course (Brandon) Collins getting his first touchdown last week, we give him a hard time every week about not seeing the end zone, and of course (Dan) Buckner, James (Kirkendoll) and Malcolm (Williams) reaching the end zone, it's awesome. That's what it's about, having those fun times and seeing those guys reach strides that they may not have believed they could do this early in their careers. It just adds so much to the game, to our room.
On the team's BCS standings: I know the main scenario is we better win the rest of our games, starting with this one this weekend. I've heard them, but I also realize that you have absolutely no clue what's going to happen in college ball, and that's the beauty of it. Anything can happen with any team. Everyone's good, everyone has really good players, so again you just have to worry about yours and win that one.
On if he likes cold weather games: No, not at all. As a receiver you don't like cold weather games because your hands get numb. I remember in Nebraska when it was snowing and everything, to say it was miserable would be an understatement. It's a part of football. As cold as it is on us, it's just as cold on that other team. You have to overcome it, prepare for those things and continue to produce and play well.
OG Cedric Dockery
On the improved running game: We try to build on that every week. I was really excited for our progress last week and I feel like there is a bunch of space for us to grow. We can be great in the run game.
On Fozzy Whittaker: I love Fozzy to death. Fozzy runs hard, he hits the holes, and he can become so small at times, you can't really see him. When he sneaks out of that backfield and hits the crack, he can go the distance.
On relying on other outcomes to determine the destiny: All we can do is focus on Kansas this week. If Tech is good enough to win out, then they'll win out. Whatever happens in our season is because we earned it. So if we play well enough to go to the national championship game, then I think that'll happen for us. If not, then we'll take the best bowl available.
CB Deon Beasley
On Kansas's offense: Todd Reesing and Kansas have a really explosive offense, a lot like Missouri and Tech. They're going to try to score quick. They have a lot of good athletes as far as their running backs and receivers, the quarterback who is now playing receiver. They have a lot of great guys, and the main thing we've got to do is get on the film room, see what they do best and try to take that away.
On Ryan Palmer's interception return for a touchdown: Ryan did a great job of not only catching the ball and securing it, but also scoring. We're going to need a couple of those this upcoming game. We'll have a lot of opportunities because they throw the ball quite a bit. The main thing is staying calm, staying focused and doing the best we can.
An interception is one thing, but when you have an interception run back for a touchdown, that's another. It creates momentum for the defense and the team period.
On the secondary's improvement: For the most part, we're doing a lot of communication as far as the young safeties. They're doing a great job, Earl [Thomas] and Blake [Gideon], of getting all the calls. We're playing more confidently than we played earlier in the season. It's starting to show in the film room. The main thing we're doing is buying into the little things.
There is room for a lot of improvement. Like Coach [Duane] Akina always says, we're still just scratching the surface. Our best game is still out there.
On relying on other outcomes to determine their destiny: The main thing we have to do is just win. We don't really have much control over what the BCS does or any other ranking. Our best chance is to win out.
RB Chris Ogbonnaya
On whether he watches other games around the nation that might affect Texas: Not really, I'm just more focused on what we can do for ourselves, and that's just to continue to work hard and win.
On his ankle injury: I feel fine. It's just a work in progress, something that's kind of hindered me a little bit. But I've played through it and I'm going to continue to rehab and work hard, and hope that I can be more effective for our team this weekend.
On the frustration of getting hurt when he was playing so well: I would say somewhat. As a senior, you want to have the opportunity to do as much as you can and play hard and play well. At times, it would be easy for anybody to be bothered by it. But I think that I can live with the fact that we have a great room, we have a great stable of backs in our room and I get along well with the guys. So as long as we continue to win, we'll be happy in the long run.
On the keys to beating Kansas: Score points, score a lot of them, I just think that if we remain focused, work hard and prepare the same way that we have every game, we'll have the opportunity.
On Fozzy Whittaker: I think Fozzy has a lot of energy, a lot of passion for the game first and foremost. In terms of a player, he's got really good speed, good vision and I think that he's a lot stronger than people give him credit for because he's a smaller guy. He has good power, as does Vondrell. I think that those guys are doing a great job of running the football, catching, picking up blitzes and doing everything really.
WR Jordan Shipley
On the BCS and trying to get style points: We really concern ourselves on trying to win. That is first and foremost, always. Hopefully, we can go to Lawrence this weekend and be really focused and prepared because we know how big this game is for us. It is exciting time in season.
On whether he likes early games or night games: I love the early ones. They are my favorite because we are in the hotel and you get to wake up and go. You don't have to sit in the hotel and think about it. I think most of us enjoy the early games. Night games are fun too, it's just the early ones you get to wake up and go play.
On the younger receivers and their progress from the first of year to now: It is been really encouraging to see how they have grown and developed. I think we have several young guys that are all stepping up at this point and they have all made some plays now. I think they are getting more comfortable in their roles. The more plays that they can make, the better our team is going to be because it helps our offense to have several different guys that can get the job done. It has been really encouraging to see what they have done in the last few weeks.
On how different the game goes when Cosby is out there versus when he is in: I have been saying all year that you can't give Quan enough credit for what he has been able to do. I think he is a really special football player. I don't know that you can point out one thing that he does because he does everything really well. He always seems to make the play and I think it really helps us when he is out there.
On the team: We play hard every week. There have been times we haven't executed as well. I feel like we can prepare and play hard every week. That is one thing that we can control is our effort. I think this team is really fun to be apart of because everybody plays hard every week.
DE Brian Orakpo
On if he thinks he will ready for this week's game: I don't know. We will see. It is still Monday. I have still rehabbing. I have plenty of time till Saturday.
On how much it bothered him to be injured: It bothered me a lot. Nobody likes to get hurt especially on the rise like we are. When you get hurt early in the second half when you know that I can do the best I can do help the team. That is my thing, is pass rushing, and that's what (Texas Tech) does is pass. It hurt a lot to see my team fighting and coming back and to not be out there.
On if he has done anything this last week and this week differently to prepare: I go through the same routines, going through meeting, studying my opponents even though I wasn't playing. Doing the same routine instead of practicing, rehabbing with the training staff and doing all different types of stuff, with the pool and everything you do with a knee injury. Everything seems good to me. Hopefully, everything will be clear and I will see how the progression is when I go full speed.
On what he did on the sideline during the Baylor game: I was trying to tell Sergio to rush on the edge, because the guy wanted you to bull at him and come into him. I was telling him things like stay on the edge and use your hands more. With Acho I told him to make sure you stayed contained because Robert Griffin is a running guy. Just little things that I could help with throughout the game and help guys read stuff better and help their game while they are out there.
On if the defense is going to take the same approach against Reesing as some of the other Big 12 quarterbacks: Reesing is great quarterback. We all know about him. We know what he did last year. We know what he is doing this year. To our advantage, we've just got to continue to get after him and put pressure on him. Since he is a shorter quarterback than most guys, we have to put our hands up in his throwing view and bat balls down. We have to continue to put pressure on him all day long.
On facing adversity: Despite everything we are still in a good situation right now. It is very unfortunate that we didn't make the plays at the end of the Tech game, but you handle adversity and rebound and I feel like we did against Baylor. Baylor has a great quarterback and we did the best we could to contain him. We rebounded great and guys are getting healthy. Quan was out there after he got hurt in the [Texas Tech] game and had eight catches for over 100 hundred-plus yards. He is back almost full speed. We are just getting stronger. Guys are stepping up and filling in shoes. Once we get everybody back, we will be stronger.
QB Colt McCoy
On the BCS system and earning "style" points: We know that every week we are just going to go out there and play. Whether or not we go out there and score 60 or go out there and score 20, we are just going to do whatever it takes to win. We feel like if we win, and that is our only goal, then we are doing the best we can. We have two games ahead of us. We are going to focused we are going to be ready.
On Texas tying Notre Dame in all-time wins: It is awesome. Growing up in Texas and watching college football I've always wanted the opportunity to come here. I think you can ask guys on the team and they will tell you the same thing. There is so much tradition here and we want to be a part of that and do the best we can.
On what he thinks they need to do against Kansas: We have to put the whole game together. I feel like we were up and down in the first half (against Baylor). We had some things go wrong. We didn't execute like we should have. I felt like we played really well the second half, across the board, offensively and defensively. We are going to come out strong and play both halves like we did the second half last Saturday.
On how important Quan Cosby is to the offense: Having Quan out there is big for us. He makes the defense respect him. He opens up some lanes for the running game. He throws great blocks when we break runs down field. Quan is a big part of this offense and when he is out there he makes a difference.
