Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Football Coach And Player Comments
November 13, 2000 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 13, 2000
Coach Bob Simmons
On whether to throw out the Texas Tech game film
"You have to teach, regardless of the circumstances, and watching the film,
looking at the first half of that ballgame, we've got the ball 52 times, 21
minutes, and we're down 28-0. The good thing about is that we did control,
but we didn't get it in the end zone because of penalties and other things.
But that's been constant. So you don't throw it all out, you point to the
parts where offensively you did have control. Defensively, here you go again
talking about missed opportunities because on their first drive, we had an
opportunity to intercept and change the game around. So these next two
weeks, we've got to constantly teach so hopefully, they'll understand."
Asked Texas Tech's blocked-FG return for a touchdown
"You go from 7-7 to 14-0, and I think it sort of typifies the mistakes that
you make throughout the season. Fourth-and-inches and we go for it, and we
score, but unfortunately, we have an illegal procedure call just as Reggie
crosses the goal line. So you've got to get points on the board, and we're
going to settle for what looked like an easy three, but it turned to be
seven points the other way. Can I figure it out? No, I can't."
On the missed opportunities in the first half
"I was shaking my head for a lot of things at halftime. At halftime, we
really talked about trying to come back out and get back in this ballgame.
And that first drive -- I think they went, total, 10-for-14 on third downs
-- we just couldn't get off the field. They were 10-for-14, and we were
4-for-14."
On the illegal procedure calls
"The feedback I got was that they were calling our signals. Whether it was
true or not, when you look on the line of scrimmage, it's just a matter of
concentration. I asked the official about it, and he didn't hear anything.
But when one guy jumps, and the other guy next to him doesn't jump, then why
did he move? Still, Aso is the guy that makes the call. We practice against
crowd noise all the time, so it's up to them to concentrate and listen to
our cadence."
On rallying the troops this week
"The thing we're going to do today is to meet and talk about what kind of
team we are. Right now, we're a team that makes a lot of mistakes, and
that's been costly throughout the season. The thing I'm going to do is to
appeal, not only to the seniors and juniors, to try to right the ship. The
only way you can do that is to buy in completely to what we're doing on
offense and what we're doing on defense and eliminate those kinds of
mistakes. Watching the film, we're in the ballgame, and then we're not able
to overcome our own mistakes. We have self-destructed in every ballgame.
There are a couple of ballgames where we've played well. But for the most
part, there has been a breakdown here and a breakdown there, and so
consequently, there is a confidence problem."
On whether the team quit against Texas Tech
"I never like to use the word 'quit,' because when I look at the film, I do
see the kind of effort. But at the same time, when it snowballs like that,
you do see guys out there hustling. Now do you see everybody out there? I
can't say honestly that everyone is hustling. But that's part of the problem
when you're down 55 or 48 points going into the fourth quarter. It really
gives you an idea what kind of kids you've got. Are the kids going to fight
until the end? Well, some of them do, and obviously there's maybe one or two
of them. I say that, but in their own heart, I think those kids feel like
they didn't."
On the mindset coming into the game
"I hope the fact that we're at home, that our seniors are in their last two
ballgames, there's great opportunity to gain momentum against the Baylor
team. They're going to be looking for their first win, so are we. My hope
and prayer this week is that we do put it together in the kind of fashion
that's going to give us momentum going into that last ballgame. And from
that standpoint, it's an important ballgame. Guys have to drop whatever
personal agendas that they have and rise to the occasion for the benefit of
their team going into next year."
On Baylor
"When you look at them, we're very similar in terms of our youth. They're a
team that has athletes on it, but they lost their quarterback early in the
season, and it's been somewhat of a struggle for them to score. Defensively,
because they've been on the field so long, it's a defense that has two great
corners, so they have excellent players, but they have not been consistent
on either side of the ball."
On being back at home
"That's a plus. I think we've played better these last two ballgames at
home. We just need to complete a ballgame to where everything is jelling,
and we don't have the kinds of fundamental and mental mistakes that we've
had for the last couple of ballgames."
On his injured knee
"What happened was, I had my eyes open watching the game, and I was very
intent on that play (laughter). But I wasn't intent on the guy that was
going to hit me. What happened was that I got flipped backwards, and my knee
got caught under ... I think it was Elbert Craig. I abruptly got up and got
back into the ballgame, but in the meantime, after the ballgame I found out
that my knee had swelled up. I won't know (if he needs surgery) that until
today at 5 o'clock when I get an MRI. Hopefully, it's not the kind of news I
don't want to hear -- hopefully, it's not an ACL. It popped, but I didn't
scream loud. (laughter) You're not supposed to scream, but somebody picked
me up. The next time a group headed my way, I hobbled my way off away from
them."
OSU Players
Khary Jackson
On recovering from the Texas Tech loss
"Well, basically that was a hard loss for us. We just have to get ready for
Baylor and not look back on that loss. We have to start working hard this
week because Baylor is coming in here to win. They see us lose like that and
they probably think they can come in here and beat us easily. We have to let
them know that they just cannot come in here and beat us at Lewis Field."
On being insulted by people thinking Baylor can win this game
"I do not really consider it an insult. That is their personal opinion. We
know we can beat Baylor, and we are not going to let them come in here and
just destroy us. They are going to come in here ready to play. They are
going to come in here with a big fight. They do not having anything to lose,
and their record is just as bad as ours. We are going to play like it is our
ballgame."
On helping the younger players cope with this season
"That is what this game is about. That is why we have to win this game, try
to go out with nothing but wins here on out. If they see us keep losing,
then they are going to feel like they are going to be failures in the
future. There are a lot of seniors leaving, and we hold this team together.
If they see us breaking down, then they are going to break down, so we have
to keep our head up."
On wishing for another year of eligibility
"I wish I had another year. I want to come back and play for these guys. I
feel like I have not been doing everything I can do for this team. But at
the same time, I try my hardest to do the best that I could at the position
they put me in, whether that is to block or catch. I feel I did everything
to the best of my ability. I really do wish I had another year of
eligibility."
On the injuries
"A lot of the key players got hurt. I think it was just the turf or the
traction in the turf. Once you planted you got stuck and somebody would roll
over your ankle and that was it. I got hurt like the second play of the
game. I tried to come back and play through it until the end of the third
quarter when they told me not to go anymore. They said I could mess
something up real bad."
On if he will play Saturday
"Even if it is not OK, I am going to play Saturday, we really have to win. I
feel the rest of the team needs me. I am just going to get through it, and
hopefully by Wednesday, I will be practicing again and getting ready to play
on Saturday."
On if Saturday was the low point in his football career
"That is the worst loss I have ever experienced in my life. The rest of the
team feels the same way. It was embarrassing. I felt like I let the team
down because I got hurt and could not come back. We cannot lose like that
ever again here. I do not think anybody ever will lose like that again."
On putting things in perspective other than wins and losses
"It makes you realize how special life is. My friend in high school did not
even get a chance to experience college football. At least I got a chance to
experience it and play with these guys. This has been a great experience for
me. Even though we are losing, at least I am still getting to play football.
I would feel the same if we were winning. Everybody does not get this
opportunity. I take it as a gift from God."
On coming back home
"When we are at Lewis Field, we have a lot of fire. I have never seen the
emotion in the locker room like when we played Texas A&M. It felt really
good in there. It felt like we could have beaten anybody that day. Even at
Tech we had a lot of emotion. Things just did not go our way."
On having talent
"We have more talent than most teams, but you have to execute plays. I told
Coach Simmons it is not the coaches that are making us lose. They cannot
block people or run the right routes. It is all about us making plays. We
have the talent to do it, so we just have to do it. That is the only way to
win."
On Coach Simmons leaving
"We want it bad for him, and we want it for ourselves. We want it for the
juniors, sophomores and freshmen. We want to go out and win for Coach
Simmons in his last two games. For the seniors, it is our last two games as
well. We need to go out with two wins for him and for us -- especially for
him because he has been a pretty good coach to me. People do not give him a
lot of respect, but he has helped me since I have been here."
Reggie White
On becoming a 1,000-yard rusher
"Actually, that is a big honor. It is a big honor for the whole offensive
team. Our line has been taking criticism throughout the years, and this just
shows you what kind of line we do have. I give credit to all of those guys
because without them, I would not be able to gain all those yards."
On playing on artificial turf
"I like grass a lot better. The first play I hurt my shoulder being driven
into the turf. It is hard to fall on. I will take grass or what we any day
over that turf."
On finding positives
"I mostly think about winning those games. We have been moving the ball all
season. It is just when we get in that red zone, we do not produce any
points. We shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties and turnovers. It is
not too hard to find positives because we are doing what we want to do. We
are just not winning those games."
On the season being almost over
"I cannot speak for everybody. Some people are probably glad, but I am not
because I still want to go out there and fight and win ballgames. I feel
most people are glad that are season is not over. They want to go out here
and beat Baylor so we can stop hearing about our seven game losing streak.
We are ready to play and we are going to go out and give 110 percent."
On playing another year
"I have comfort in having another year. Khary is a senior, this is his last
year, and I am sure he wanted to win and go to a bowl game. I have the
opportunity to come back and show that OSU can win. We are going to win, we
are going to keep fighting. There is a comfort level for me and the other
guys coming back."
On playing at home
"It is good to do the things it takes to win those games and that we are not
giving up. We are going to keep playing no matter what the circumstances. We
are out there winning in an OSU jersey, and there are a lot of people that
want to be in that position. We are going to keep fighting for ourselves and
the OSU fans."
On being insulted by Baylor thinking they can win
"I take it as an insult when anybody thinks they can come in here and beat
us. I know we can beat anybody if we put everything together and go out and
win. It does not matter that it is Baylor. If they say OU can come beat us I
will take that as an insult."
