Pod done, back to writing. No R Mason, contrary to what we first thought.
Dillon Gabriel
Missing the deep balls?
Exactly, cleaning those up and taking what they gave me. And then also just being extremely efficient, moving the chains and finding ways to move the chains. Those are a bunch of things you always clean up, and there will always be something you want to have back from the game. Good ain't every good enough at the quarterback position. You've got to continue to clean it up.
Talking with Lebby during game?
Calm demeanor. He's the same guy, just being able to talk through things from a different perspective. We're able to translate very well and communicate very well. That's why it's easy to make adjustments, talk through things and find ways to be more efficient.
Brayden Willis?
That's someone who has worked their butt off and doing it all fall camp. It's all coming to light. I'm proud of him. Most importantly, it's uncommon effort and he's continuing to strain. Those guys get rewarded from playing their butt off.
Davis Beville
Why OU?
Honestly, I didn’t feel like it was a difficult decision. I came out here on my visit and I knew that this was the place I needed to be. It’s kind of the best spot for me to grow, not only as a football player but also as a great man. Coach Venables, obviously, being from Clemson I’d known him growing up. I’d played against both of his sons in high school so it was just kind of the whole family atmosphere of it kind of made the decision very easy.
How important was bowl game for you last year?
I’d say it was huge for me. The whole way I talk about it is just kind of like, ‘God works in mysterious ways.’ Obviously the game didn’t go how I wanted it to. I finished with the worst possible outcome. I never thought I’d end up here. If the game had gone different, maybe I hadn’t. So I’m just blessed to be here and that experience on the field was definitely big too just for being ready.
Playing the other day?
It was awesome. Definitely running through that tunnel for the first time, clearing through that smoke and just seeing 85,000-plus was awesome. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve had that many people cheering against me but definitely not for me.
Marcus Major (feature later)
The last 12 months?
It’s been a rollarcoaster actually. Last year, of course y’all know my situation, I didn’t get much reps. Last game was fun. It feels good to be back on the field competing, going to war with the fellas and everything. It’s all good.
Lebby's system?
It’s been amazing, actually. I didn’t know really what all to do last year, as far as staying wise. As soon as Coach Lebby came in, to me he’s been nothing but good news. He’s the guy that really likes to run the ball, loves to run the ball. I just feel like it was a good fit for me. The conversations that we’ve had, he said he’s going to run me. He depends on me. So me, I’m just trying to stay focus, do what I need to do, make sure I don’t let him down.
Pressure coming from OKC?
I wouldn’t say it’s challenging because a lot of people don’t make it out of Oklahoma City. I just try to use that negativity as motivation. Saying that not many City kids can do this, do that, especially come from my low class from my high school. It was challenging, at first, with everything being new. As I kept going on, everything got smooth, and it got comfortable for me.
Zach Schmit
Being a kicker?
“You just have to have confidence in yourself. That’s the biggest thing. If you don’t have confidence in yourself it’s never going to end well. So I just always know to tell myself I’m ready. I’ve done it 1,000 times. I come out here and kick in practice. Everything’s fine. I know what to do. Just let the fundamentals and technique take over.”
The specialists?
“Casey and Turk have been awesome for me. They’re sixth year guys. They're my mentors pretty much. They've helped me through this process. And they've done it 1000 times. They've been through the goods and bads of kicking and snapping. So they've just really helped me calm down as a kicker. They've been really good for me. They've helped me a ton.”
Comfort range?
“I feel good 60 and in. I feel really good. I've been hitting the ball really well through fall camp and through the season. So 60 and in I would say is my range. If we're gonna kick that, who knows, but I'm ready for when my name is called.”
Special teams not an afterthought?
“Coach Nunez has done a great job coming in. He came in from EMU and he's done a great job at just bonding with the team and really getting them bought in on special teams. Sometimes you can use special teams as just an extra task. But now guys are really seeing it as a great opportunity for them to enhance their game and just be better for themselves and their stock. So a huge emphasis on special teams, which I love.”
Key Lawrence
Safety?
It feels like home. Understanding that I’m a leader now and I’m just trying to hold hat accountability to myself. Just trying to keep everybody in front of me to the highest standard that I hold myself. Just keeping everything structured with how Coach Venables wants it to be and just want to hold myself to a higher standard as well.
Chemistry w/ Bowman?
I just build off his chemistry, man. Just like we have a brotherhood and everything is so close now, I feel like everything is intertwined with each other. I understand where he’s gonna be just by being at practice with him every day. We understand the offensive schemes better. So everything’s just intertwined with each other. It helps me that I have somebody just as good as Billy is next to me and I can just trust him and understand that he’s gonna be where he’s supposed to be.
Brandon Hall?
Like a father figure. Just trying to understand that there’s a lot of things coming at us at once so we just need to take our time, slow it down. Try to learn it, diagnose it, living in the moment. Stuff like that.
Dillon Gabriel
Missing the deep balls?
Exactly, cleaning those up and taking what they gave me. And then also just being extremely efficient, moving the chains and finding ways to move the chains. Those are a bunch of things you always clean up, and there will always be something you want to have back from the game. Good ain't every good enough at the quarterback position. You've got to continue to clean it up.
Talking with Lebby during game?
Calm demeanor. He's the same guy, just being able to talk through things from a different perspective. We're able to translate very well and communicate very well. That's why it's easy to make adjustments, talk through things and find ways to be more efficient.
Brayden Willis?
That's someone who has worked their butt off and doing it all fall camp. It's all coming to light. I'm proud of him. Most importantly, it's uncommon effort and he's continuing to strain. Those guys get rewarded from playing their butt off.
Davis Beville
Why OU?
Honestly, I didn’t feel like it was a difficult decision. I came out here on my visit and I knew that this was the place I needed to be. It’s kind of the best spot for me to grow, not only as a football player but also as a great man. Coach Venables, obviously, being from Clemson I’d known him growing up. I’d played against both of his sons in high school so it was just kind of the whole family atmosphere of it kind of made the decision very easy.
How important was bowl game for you last year?
I’d say it was huge for me. The whole way I talk about it is just kind of like, ‘God works in mysterious ways.’ Obviously the game didn’t go how I wanted it to. I finished with the worst possible outcome. I never thought I’d end up here. If the game had gone different, maybe I hadn’t. So I’m just blessed to be here and that experience on the field was definitely big too just for being ready.
Playing the other day?
It was awesome. Definitely running through that tunnel for the first time, clearing through that smoke and just seeing 85,000-plus was awesome. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve had that many people cheering against me but definitely not for me.
Marcus Major (feature later)
The last 12 months?
It’s been a rollarcoaster actually. Last year, of course y’all know my situation, I didn’t get much reps. Last game was fun. It feels good to be back on the field competing, going to war with the fellas and everything. It’s all good.
Lebby's system?
It’s been amazing, actually. I didn’t know really what all to do last year, as far as staying wise. As soon as Coach Lebby came in, to me he’s been nothing but good news. He’s the guy that really likes to run the ball, loves to run the ball. I just feel like it was a good fit for me. The conversations that we’ve had, he said he’s going to run me. He depends on me. So me, I’m just trying to stay focus, do what I need to do, make sure I don’t let him down.
Pressure coming from OKC?
I wouldn’t say it’s challenging because a lot of people don’t make it out of Oklahoma City. I just try to use that negativity as motivation. Saying that not many City kids can do this, do that, especially come from my low class from my high school. It was challenging, at first, with everything being new. As I kept going on, everything got smooth, and it got comfortable for me.
Zach Schmit
Being a kicker?
“You just have to have confidence in yourself. That’s the biggest thing. If you don’t have confidence in yourself it’s never going to end well. So I just always know to tell myself I’m ready. I’ve done it 1,000 times. I come out here and kick in practice. Everything’s fine. I know what to do. Just let the fundamentals and technique take over.”
The specialists?
“Casey and Turk have been awesome for me. They’re sixth year guys. They're my mentors pretty much. They've helped me through this process. And they've done it 1000 times. They've been through the goods and bads of kicking and snapping. So they've just really helped me calm down as a kicker. They've been really good for me. They've helped me a ton.”
Comfort range?
“I feel good 60 and in. I feel really good. I've been hitting the ball really well through fall camp and through the season. So 60 and in I would say is my range. If we're gonna kick that, who knows, but I'm ready for when my name is called.”
Special teams not an afterthought?
“Coach Nunez has done a great job coming in. He came in from EMU and he's done a great job at just bonding with the team and really getting them bought in on special teams. Sometimes you can use special teams as just an extra task. But now guys are really seeing it as a great opportunity for them to enhance their game and just be better for themselves and their stock. So a huge emphasis on special teams, which I love.”
Key Lawrence
Safety?
It feels like home. Understanding that I’m a leader now and I’m just trying to hold hat accountability to myself. Just trying to keep everybody in front of me to the highest standard that I hold myself. Just keeping everything structured with how Coach Venables wants it to be and just want to hold myself to a higher standard as well.
Chemistry w/ Bowman?
I just build off his chemistry, man. Just like we have a brotherhood and everything is so close now, I feel like everything is intertwined with each other. I understand where he’s gonna be just by being at practice with him every day. We understand the offensive schemes better. So everything’s just intertwined with each other. It helps me that I have somebody just as good as Billy is next to me and I can just trust him and understand that he’s gonna be where he’s supposed to be.
Brandon Hall?
Like a father figure. Just trying to understand that there’s a lot of things coming at us at once so we just need to take our time, slow it down. Try to learn it, diagnose it, living in the moment. Stuff like that.
