Looking ahead to senior day.
Alex Grinch
I ask about lil previous errors resonating after a loss?
Oh, it absolutely does. You have a tendency to kind of hang onto some of the things after a win. In some ways, that’s a positive. You circle it, got the outcome, so you don’t worry about the feelings for the guys. You have individual plays and individual outcomes on drives – you focus on those things. But then on a loss, you really have to flip these things fast because you can go down a dark path as a player and as coaches. Things don’t catch up to you until it catches up to you. Something that has been glossed over, but from a coaching standpoint, it is not. But you feel, if you tackle poorly on individual downs, but you get the outcome, then you do more tackling drills on Tuesday and Wednesday and move on. What happens after a loss, you ask why can’t we teach tackling? Where the truth probably lies somewhere that we do know how to teach it, how to coach. Just have to do it better and execute. Try not to go to the extremes when you don’t get the outcome you want. It’s been 14 months since we’ve been in this situation. Those type of feelings after a loss come back to you real quick.
Stock up? Stock down? Can you fix the guys who just aren't bringing it?
I think there’s always time to fix it. I think so often it’s probably smaller gains that are needed as opposed to large gains. Obviously Turner-Yell was out for a stretch playing at a high level, out for a stretch, comes back and missed a couple opportunities but made some opportunities as well. (I’d?) highlight Justin Broiles over the course of the year. There’s individual plays where you get mad at every single one of them.
Certainly, some of the guys, from a consistency standpoint — that’s the thing that you would highlight the most is our disappointment from a consistency standpoint, to stack whether it’s a Tuesday practice into a Wednesday practice or one Saturday into the next Saturday, really across the board. And can it be fixed? Absolutely. It should’ve been fixed. My argument would be yes. But a lot of times it’s not the same play from the previous week.
It may not be the same specific technique on an individual down. Obviously it’s a different receiver that you’re going against. Maybe one particular issue you’re too aggressive, another time you’re too passive. Maybe another time they catch you in zone coverage, other times they may catch you in man. So it’s a little bit of everything that way.
The chief thing is through all those things is from an individual player standpoint. Obviously it goes back to coaching but from an individual player standpoint, a play needs to be made when the ball is in the air whether it includes me as one of five DBs on the back end or not. Eventually, I’m going to be that one and I’ve gotta make sure I do. Obviously, DT made a great play on a play last week.
Those plays have to go up. We’ve made some, we have not made enough. We’re going to be challenging them, specifically this Saturday, to make plays when the ball is in the air.
Are some guys a lil hesitant for contact?
There certainly is. If it’s wiggling hit it is one of the comments that we make. If the ball carrier is still moving get involved in some way. A great instance of that was Brian Asamoah sprinting after a receiver to dislodge a ball. Don’t be the guy caught standing around the pile. Specifically to the end of the game, I felt like there was 11 guys on the field and no one was making the tackle.
Missed strip attempts is the way we evaluate that. In other instances from a tackling standpoint, you throw a shoulder into a guy and he goes to the ground that doesn’t mean it’s a good tackle. The feedback you get as that individual falls to the ground shouldn’t be all of a sudden that’s how you tackle. When don’t do a drill like that in practice. Why would you do that on Saturday? Some of those instances from a discipline standpoint, I understand you’re trying to tackle another human being and how difficult that is. I also understand when someone is trying to do it, the impact you can have.
A guy is standing up with the ball in his hands and is under duress from multiple players, that’s a great opportunity for a takeaway. While we got some, there were more opportunities in the game.
***
Woodi Washington
Happy to be back?
I was pretty confident. I've been pretty confident mentally even before the injury and during the injury. I would say probably a few plays into the game, once I got the feel of the game and the feel of the speed, because just like you said, I haven't been playing the entire season, but once I got a feel for it, I think my confidence went through the roof.
Helping the team when out?
Just being in their ear when they get down, if they give up a play or anything like that, just picking their heads up because we gave up a few plays this season, but that's just the life of a DB. Can't make every play. Anything to lift the guys up while they were down. Staying in it mentally, going to all the meetings and things like that, just to stay locked in.
***
Kennedy Brooks
Where'd the running game go?
Nothing’s going on. We just have to all play together, all 11 for the whole game. Once we do that, we’ll be fine. It’s not really anything that has to change or anything. We just have to play together.
Still confident in OL?
I got more than just faith. They’ve done it before, and they can do it again. We’re all not playing our best football but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna keep playing bad. We’re grinding. We’re gonna keep working things out and be good. I have faith in this whole team, have faith in everybody. I’m still confident this team can still do what we want to do at the end of the day, so I’m very confident.
***
Delarrin Turner-Yell
Missed tackles?
That’s something that we have to continue to work on. Obviously something that's unacceptable, not only for the defense, but also for myself. Because I take huge pride in that. Like coach Grinch said the other day while we have a meeting, like they call you safety for a reason. Once the ball gets to you, there’s nobody else behind you. So it's very important that I make those tackles. The defense as a whole is gonna continue to work on it each and every day and just continue to get better at it.
I ask about seniors' message since Saturday?
Right, like I said on Saturday, you know, just just being able to put that game to bed as quick as possible and being able to get focused on this one. So you know, Sunday afternoon, we dealt with it. Give a lot of credit to Baylor. They played a phenomenal game against us. But, just being able to put that game to bed and being able to focus on Iowa State, because nothing that we did last week can creep into this week and distract us from being able to prepare for Iowa State. So I just feel like I should be telling those guys, ‘Just stay focused on the moment and everything will work out for us.’
I ask about DTY at Senior Day?
Yea, I decided to go out there just because, you know, even if I do decide to leave and things like that, you never know. You know, you'll never get that experience back. So just being able to take it all in and, just really excited. Just really excited, man. I mean, everything from first time playing in this stadium to Saturday, if it is my last time playing in this stadium, it all went super fast. So right now, I'm just trying to take everything in, but most importantly just staying focused on the game.
***
Marquis Hayes
What’s going wrong in the run game? Fixable?
It’s definitely something we can get fixed. I feel like Baylor had a good scheme vs. us but it’s about us being more physical in the run. We’ve got to establish the run up front, so obviously for the running backs to hit the gaps that they need to, we’ve got to be more physical to open up the gaps. So basically, we establish this game to come in and be more physical and set the tone.
How are there still mental errors?
I wouldn’t say years past. Mentally, I feel like we’re in the right spots, but mentally we’re not holding our guys to the right spots. Coach B is always harping on that finishing is not always putting your man on the ground, finishing is making sure your man is away from the play and not making the play.
***
Brian Asamoah
Caleb Kelly thoughts?
And then the things that he's done for me, and you know, my career and my time here has been, he has helped me develop. I've learned a lot from him when it comes to football aspect, but also, just as a big brother in the game. I also have learned from him and you can't take football for granted. You get so many opportunities right there and you got to take advantage of every single one. And him going through a series of injuries, man, he's explained that was several times just as linebackers that the sport doesn't own or owe anybody anything. So you got to take advantage of every single moment that you get. And that's one thing that he's hounded on a lot and I've soaked it all in.
Capitalizing off your best game ever?
I guess statistically wise, I guess I did good. But, there's some things I could do better. I feel like I could have helped tremendously in that fourth quarter when we were down. There's some things that I've gotten done with whether it's footwork or just disrupting blockers, getting them off me, so I did alright. I mean, but I feel like I set myself to a higher ceiling. You guys really haven't seen anything yet. And the bar it set high and I'm going to continue to push and strive to be great at what I do, and I'm just excited for another opportunity to go out there and compete in display what I've been working on my entire career.
Abram Smith moving the pile?
I remember that play. You know, that's a play that we didn't get the job done. It was third down, like you said, third-and-12 specifically. They pushed the pile. I mean, we've just got to be more physical than the other opponent. Like that play, we weren't physical. Guys are trying to get the ball out and give it back to our offense, but that happens. It’s football. Another opportunity. We went down and first down again, it was another opportunity get the ball out and just play three down of football and try to get the ball back to our offense. Just because you cross the 50-yard line doesn't mean you automatically get seven points or three points. So if somebody gets a first down, that's just three more opportunities to get off the field. So that's how we approach it. And that's where I'm gonna continue to approach the game of football on defense and try to get off the field.
***
Pat Fields
Senior Day?
Yes sir, I am participating in senior day and this will be my last home game here.
Looking back at your career?
Oh man, I wish I would've listened to older guys when they told me it goes by fast, because it seems like I just got here, even though that's so cliche to say, but it seems like I just got here. That's probably because I've just had so much fun here during my four years. I've grown so much. So many good times, good memories, so time goes by. Time flies when you're having fun. It's been an incredible experience, an incredible journey. I feel like I've grown a lot as a man. Of course, I came in with no hair, I have hair and some facial hair. I've just grown a lot as a man, kinda under the great leadership of this program, from Joe C. all the way down to our coaches. Emotions are high. I'm very glad that we get to do a true senior day this year with our families on the field and them just getting to share that moment with us and them being on the field at a gameday, they kinda see what their children get to experience. My mom will get to see what it's like being on the field in front of all the fans so just me being able to have that moment with my loved ones, my brother, my mom, my grandparents. It's special. I just can't say enough about it.
Mr. Chuck Kolar?
Yea, we played against each other I believe three out of my four years in high school, so we’ve been playing each other for I think seven years now. So yeah, he’s a heck of a player and I think I respect him more so for the man he is. He’s also up for the Campbell, he’s a finalist, mechanical engineer, nearly perfect GPA. He’s just a dude that’s a student-athlete, knowing how difficult that is just makes me respect him that much more.
I think he’s an incredibly intelligent individual. Just the way he conducts himself. Me and him have kind of spoken a couple times and definitely exchanged our respect and admiration for each other. I think it’s just big seeing guys like that come out of Oklahoma because I think it’s the right inspiration for our youth. Because you have a guy who’s doing everything right and really embodying what it means to be a student-athlete. I think he embodies both and he’s a great representative for Oklahoma.
I’m glad he’s getting the recognition he has for his on-the-field as well as off the field.
Life after football?
I definitely plan on doing more school. I don’t know what that looks like or when that will be or timeline on that, but I definitely want to attend one of the more prestigious academic institutions in the country, specifically Harvard or Stanford or UPenn. So that’s been on one of my to-do lists. And then I think career wise after football, I want to go into strat consultant. I think that’s a great trajectory to one, either be an entrepreneur or start my own company or run a Fortune 500.
So that’s kinda been what I’ve been thinking about anticipating so far, and that’s I think where my head is at this moment.
Alex Grinch
I ask about lil previous errors resonating after a loss?
Oh, it absolutely does. You have a tendency to kind of hang onto some of the things after a win. In some ways, that’s a positive. You circle it, got the outcome, so you don’t worry about the feelings for the guys. You have individual plays and individual outcomes on drives – you focus on those things. But then on a loss, you really have to flip these things fast because you can go down a dark path as a player and as coaches. Things don’t catch up to you until it catches up to you. Something that has been glossed over, but from a coaching standpoint, it is not. But you feel, if you tackle poorly on individual downs, but you get the outcome, then you do more tackling drills on Tuesday and Wednesday and move on. What happens after a loss, you ask why can’t we teach tackling? Where the truth probably lies somewhere that we do know how to teach it, how to coach. Just have to do it better and execute. Try not to go to the extremes when you don’t get the outcome you want. It’s been 14 months since we’ve been in this situation. Those type of feelings after a loss come back to you real quick.
Stock up? Stock down? Can you fix the guys who just aren't bringing it?
I think there’s always time to fix it. I think so often it’s probably smaller gains that are needed as opposed to large gains. Obviously Turner-Yell was out for a stretch playing at a high level, out for a stretch, comes back and missed a couple opportunities but made some opportunities as well. (I’d?) highlight Justin Broiles over the course of the year. There’s individual plays where you get mad at every single one of them.
Certainly, some of the guys, from a consistency standpoint — that’s the thing that you would highlight the most is our disappointment from a consistency standpoint, to stack whether it’s a Tuesday practice into a Wednesday practice or one Saturday into the next Saturday, really across the board. And can it be fixed? Absolutely. It should’ve been fixed. My argument would be yes. But a lot of times it’s not the same play from the previous week.
It may not be the same specific technique on an individual down. Obviously it’s a different receiver that you’re going against. Maybe one particular issue you’re too aggressive, another time you’re too passive. Maybe another time they catch you in zone coverage, other times they may catch you in man. So it’s a little bit of everything that way.
The chief thing is through all those things is from an individual player standpoint. Obviously it goes back to coaching but from an individual player standpoint, a play needs to be made when the ball is in the air whether it includes me as one of five DBs on the back end or not. Eventually, I’m going to be that one and I’ve gotta make sure I do. Obviously, DT made a great play on a play last week.
Those plays have to go up. We’ve made some, we have not made enough. We’re going to be challenging them, specifically this Saturday, to make plays when the ball is in the air.
Are some guys a lil hesitant for contact?
There certainly is. If it’s wiggling hit it is one of the comments that we make. If the ball carrier is still moving get involved in some way. A great instance of that was Brian Asamoah sprinting after a receiver to dislodge a ball. Don’t be the guy caught standing around the pile. Specifically to the end of the game, I felt like there was 11 guys on the field and no one was making the tackle.
Missed strip attempts is the way we evaluate that. In other instances from a tackling standpoint, you throw a shoulder into a guy and he goes to the ground that doesn’t mean it’s a good tackle. The feedback you get as that individual falls to the ground shouldn’t be all of a sudden that’s how you tackle. When don’t do a drill like that in practice. Why would you do that on Saturday? Some of those instances from a discipline standpoint, I understand you’re trying to tackle another human being and how difficult that is. I also understand when someone is trying to do it, the impact you can have.
A guy is standing up with the ball in his hands and is under duress from multiple players, that’s a great opportunity for a takeaway. While we got some, there were more opportunities in the game.
***
Woodi Washington
Happy to be back?
I was pretty confident. I've been pretty confident mentally even before the injury and during the injury. I would say probably a few plays into the game, once I got the feel of the game and the feel of the speed, because just like you said, I haven't been playing the entire season, but once I got a feel for it, I think my confidence went through the roof.
Helping the team when out?
Just being in their ear when they get down, if they give up a play or anything like that, just picking their heads up because we gave up a few plays this season, but that's just the life of a DB. Can't make every play. Anything to lift the guys up while they were down. Staying in it mentally, going to all the meetings and things like that, just to stay locked in.
***
Kennedy Brooks
Where'd the running game go?
Nothing’s going on. We just have to all play together, all 11 for the whole game. Once we do that, we’ll be fine. It’s not really anything that has to change or anything. We just have to play together.
Still confident in OL?
I got more than just faith. They’ve done it before, and they can do it again. We’re all not playing our best football but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna keep playing bad. We’re grinding. We’re gonna keep working things out and be good. I have faith in this whole team, have faith in everybody. I’m still confident this team can still do what we want to do at the end of the day, so I’m very confident.
***
Delarrin Turner-Yell
Missed tackles?
That’s something that we have to continue to work on. Obviously something that's unacceptable, not only for the defense, but also for myself. Because I take huge pride in that. Like coach Grinch said the other day while we have a meeting, like they call you safety for a reason. Once the ball gets to you, there’s nobody else behind you. So it's very important that I make those tackles. The defense as a whole is gonna continue to work on it each and every day and just continue to get better at it.
I ask about seniors' message since Saturday?
Right, like I said on Saturday, you know, just just being able to put that game to bed as quick as possible and being able to get focused on this one. So you know, Sunday afternoon, we dealt with it. Give a lot of credit to Baylor. They played a phenomenal game against us. But, just being able to put that game to bed and being able to focus on Iowa State, because nothing that we did last week can creep into this week and distract us from being able to prepare for Iowa State. So I just feel like I should be telling those guys, ‘Just stay focused on the moment and everything will work out for us.’
I ask about DTY at Senior Day?
Yea, I decided to go out there just because, you know, even if I do decide to leave and things like that, you never know. You know, you'll never get that experience back. So just being able to take it all in and, just really excited. Just really excited, man. I mean, everything from first time playing in this stadium to Saturday, if it is my last time playing in this stadium, it all went super fast. So right now, I'm just trying to take everything in, but most importantly just staying focused on the game.
***
Marquis Hayes
What’s going wrong in the run game? Fixable?
It’s definitely something we can get fixed. I feel like Baylor had a good scheme vs. us but it’s about us being more physical in the run. We’ve got to establish the run up front, so obviously for the running backs to hit the gaps that they need to, we’ve got to be more physical to open up the gaps. So basically, we establish this game to come in and be more physical and set the tone.
How are there still mental errors?
I wouldn’t say years past. Mentally, I feel like we’re in the right spots, but mentally we’re not holding our guys to the right spots. Coach B is always harping on that finishing is not always putting your man on the ground, finishing is making sure your man is away from the play and not making the play.
***
Brian Asamoah
Caleb Kelly thoughts?
And then the things that he's done for me, and you know, my career and my time here has been, he has helped me develop. I've learned a lot from him when it comes to football aspect, but also, just as a big brother in the game. I also have learned from him and you can't take football for granted. You get so many opportunities right there and you got to take advantage of every single one. And him going through a series of injuries, man, he's explained that was several times just as linebackers that the sport doesn't own or owe anybody anything. So you got to take advantage of every single moment that you get. And that's one thing that he's hounded on a lot and I've soaked it all in.
Capitalizing off your best game ever?
I guess statistically wise, I guess I did good. But, there's some things I could do better. I feel like I could have helped tremendously in that fourth quarter when we were down. There's some things that I've gotten done with whether it's footwork or just disrupting blockers, getting them off me, so I did alright. I mean, but I feel like I set myself to a higher ceiling. You guys really haven't seen anything yet. And the bar it set high and I'm going to continue to push and strive to be great at what I do, and I'm just excited for another opportunity to go out there and compete in display what I've been working on my entire career.
Abram Smith moving the pile?
I remember that play. You know, that's a play that we didn't get the job done. It was third down, like you said, third-and-12 specifically. They pushed the pile. I mean, we've just got to be more physical than the other opponent. Like that play, we weren't physical. Guys are trying to get the ball out and give it back to our offense, but that happens. It’s football. Another opportunity. We went down and first down again, it was another opportunity get the ball out and just play three down of football and try to get the ball back to our offense. Just because you cross the 50-yard line doesn't mean you automatically get seven points or three points. So if somebody gets a first down, that's just three more opportunities to get off the field. So that's how we approach it. And that's where I'm gonna continue to approach the game of football on defense and try to get off the field.
***
Pat Fields
Senior Day?
Yes sir, I am participating in senior day and this will be my last home game here.
Looking back at your career?
Oh man, I wish I would've listened to older guys when they told me it goes by fast, because it seems like I just got here, even though that's so cliche to say, but it seems like I just got here. That's probably because I've just had so much fun here during my four years. I've grown so much. So many good times, good memories, so time goes by. Time flies when you're having fun. It's been an incredible experience, an incredible journey. I feel like I've grown a lot as a man. Of course, I came in with no hair, I have hair and some facial hair. I've just grown a lot as a man, kinda under the great leadership of this program, from Joe C. all the way down to our coaches. Emotions are high. I'm very glad that we get to do a true senior day this year with our families on the field and them just getting to share that moment with us and them being on the field at a gameday, they kinda see what their children get to experience. My mom will get to see what it's like being on the field in front of all the fans so just me being able to have that moment with my loved ones, my brother, my mom, my grandparents. It's special. I just can't say enough about it.
Mr. Chuck Kolar?
Yea, we played against each other I believe three out of my four years in high school, so we’ve been playing each other for I think seven years now. So yeah, he’s a heck of a player and I think I respect him more so for the man he is. He’s also up for the Campbell, he’s a finalist, mechanical engineer, nearly perfect GPA. He’s just a dude that’s a student-athlete, knowing how difficult that is just makes me respect him that much more.
I think he’s an incredibly intelligent individual. Just the way he conducts himself. Me and him have kind of spoken a couple times and definitely exchanged our respect and admiration for each other. I think it’s just big seeing guys like that come out of Oklahoma because I think it’s the right inspiration for our youth. Because you have a guy who’s doing everything right and really embodying what it means to be a student-athlete. I think he embodies both and he’s a great representative for Oklahoma.
I’m glad he’s getting the recognition he has for his on-the-field as well as off the field.
Life after football?
I definitely plan on doing more school. I don’t know what that looks like or when that will be or timeline on that, but I definitely want to attend one of the more prestigious academic institutions in the country, specifically Harvard or Stanford or UPenn. So that’s been on one of my to-do lists. And then I think career wise after football, I want to go into strat consultant. I think that’s a great trajectory to one, either be an entrepreneur or start my own company or run a Fortune 500.
So that’s kinda been what I’ve been thinking about anticipating so far, and that’s I think where my head is at this moment.
