Oklahoma State University Athletics
Media Luncheon Quotes
November 17, 2003 | General
OSU Coach Les Miles
On the injuries
“We're getting healthier on defense. It doesn't appear that some of the nicks will stop guys from playing in the Baylor game. Most all will be ready for the bowl season.”
On the Kansas game
“It appeared to me that the defense played with good intensity and were sticky all day long, played well when we needed them. Special teams, when you go beyond a punter who's just knocking it deep every time and kicks it off out of the end zone, and the Big 12 special teams player of the week, Luke Phillips, it really gives us an advantage. Obviously, Vernand Morency, a tale of a guy who has waited his turn, and given the opportunity makes he best of it, the ninth-best day in Oklahoma State history as a tailback. If there was a time in the game where we separated ourselves from Kansas, it was the third quarter. Defense three and out, offense scoring, long drives and running the football. That was the difference in the game.”
On Vernand Morency
“He's a good back. He's physically strong, he's a mature guy. He pounds it up in there, has speed enough, he'll make you miss when he can.”
On special teams
“I'm going to say that, statistically, we're maybe the best special teams in the Big 12 Conference. We have the opportunity to have national honors in several spots. Obviously, that all fits within the scheme of the team and that's an important advantage for us, and one we intend to press.”
On finishing the season
“We want to finish strong to defeat Baylor. We want to finish strong to be the best football team we can be. I think it would be inappropriate to look at a finish for any reason other than to be our best football team.”
Junior safety Jon Holland
On Baylor
“They are a pretty good team. We can't go down there looking at their record and thinking that we can just beat them badly. We have to just go play them. Anything can happen in the Big 12.”
On Vernand Morency
“Morency is a great back, just like Tatum. I told him before the game that he was going to have a good game. He practices hard every day. I hate hitting him because he practices so hard.”
On getting interceptions
“We are all talking about wanting to get an interception in the game. We don't ever compete against each other though. We will brag about how we got the interception. We would all like to have at least four interceptions on the season. Ricky (Coxeff) was pretty happy to get his. He played the ball really well. He has come on as a freshman and played really well in the (Kansas) game.
Senior offensive tackle Matt Hardison
On blocking for good running backs
“We really didn't know (how many yards Morency had) until the end of the third quarter. Once you see he had 269 yards you start thinking about 300 yards or more. We were hoping he'd get back out there in the fourth quarter and get some more. It really boosts the linemen's morale and makes us think we can do more and more. It's going to make people respect our running game more which will help us in other ways.”
On Baylor
“We watched a little bit of tape last night. We really have to respect their defensive line. They are big, fast, strong guys and blitz really well. As an offensive line we are going to have to go out and dominate again. I imagine we might get a little more max protection against the blitz. We will have to look for keys as to when they are going to blitz and what downs they are going to do it, so that we can be ready for it.”
On changing centers
“Chris Akin played center all spring and has played it quite a bit this year. He is a great center as well. As an offensive line we have to know what's going on all across the line. We will be fine at that position.”
