Oklahoma State University Athletics
Postgame Notes And Quotes
November 09, 2003 | General
OSU Football
vs. Texas
Nov. 8, 2003
Postgame Notes
• Luke Phillips 53-yard field goal in the first quarter was a career long, besting his previous high of 52 done four times in his career including one earlier in this game. Phillips is now six of nine from 50-yards or more in his career. It is the second time in his career he has kicked two 50-yard field goals in a game (first time vs. Oklahoma Nov. 24, 2001).
• Rashaun Woods went over the 4,000 career receiving yards mark with his 16-yard reception on the first play of the game. He caught two or more passes for the 41st straight game and also caught his 12th TD pass of the year and 39th score of his career.
• Junior defensive tackle Efe Mowarin and freshman linebacker Victor DeGrate both made their first career starts tonight.
• Josh Fields threw one touchdown pass on the night and now has 51 in his career, trailing Mike Gundy by three for the school's all-time TD pass list.
• The loss snapped OSU's home winning streak at 10. The Cowboys last home loss came against UCLA on Sept. 14, 2002.
Postgame Quotes
OSU Coach Les Miles
On the game
“We played well until a point. The defense came out and did good things to start. They got the early pick and it gave them seven points and we were in a heck of a game until the half. In the second half, our inability to protect our passer, and some guys that got injured and left the field kind of tells the tale for this game. It didn't allow us to compete and we are disappointed. We would have loved to have finished the game the way we started it. Texas is a tremendously talented team, they played awfully well and did the things that they needed to do. We are looking forward to next week.”
On getting the ball to Rashaun Woods
“They have some outstanding defensive line guys that were getting up the field on us and making it difficult for us to maintain the ball. Rashaun Woods is going to get open, and we are going to have some throws, but when the quarterback is under duress, it's something we couldn't get done.”
On losing Tatum Bell
“(Tatum Bell's injury) certainly changed a part of the game plan, for us and for them. Certain things we wanted to do with Tatum, we didn't feel comfortable doing with him not in the game. It's a reality of the game how it transpired. Not to take anything away from Texas, this could have been a tremendously competitive game late into the game and who knows how it would have turned out, but Texas played a strong football game and surely deserved to win.”
On Roy Williams
“Roy Williams' long touchdown catch gets them a quick score and allows them to stay in the game and it was a definite big play in this game. To me, Young is just so athletic and dangerous and can move and can duck and dodge, he was just as we had suspected. I thought Cedric Benson played extremely well against us. When they got up a couple of scores on us, their opportunity to drive the ball and maintain the ball was a hand-off to Cedric Benson.”
On coming from behind
“When you throw a pick for a touchdown, you start pressing to make plays instead of working the ball down the field in a gradual and methodical way. When you get behind a team that is as talented as they are and have corners that can make big plays, you are working some throws because the run is slowing down with two tailbacks out. It becomes a very tough position to be in.”
Paul Duren
On Texas
“We knew Texas was a talented team we just did not execute tonight. We did not do what we needed to do to win the game.”
On Texas' success
“It is frustrating and it makes you mad. You have been preparing for something all week and we did not execute to stop it.”
Gabe Lindsay
On the rest of the season
“You win some and you lose some. Right now we have two games left on the schedule and we are going to live to fight another day. We can still make this season better than last years.”
On injury situation
“Any time you have a 1,000 yard rusher that goes down you are going to hurt a little bit. Seymore came in and made some big runs and then he got hurt. Morency came in and ran hard. In the second half we did not establish a rhythm that our offense usually has.”
Luke Phillips
On the game
“It is very disappointing. I like to think I am the most competitive kicker in the NCAA. I would rather be out there on the field all the time. With the talent we have and the coaching staff we have and the game plan we get, I feel like we could have won all 5 games. This is my senior season and I do not want to be losing games and that is just like all the guys on this team. No one likes to lose.”
On big day
“It was exciting to me. I am one of those kickers that likes the distance kicks. Today I was feeling really good and loose. That is my job. Any way I can help my team stay in the game that is what i need to do.”
OSU Locker Room
Elbert Craig Jr.
On the game
“We played one half of ball. In the second half, Texas ran the ball all over the field. Next week, we need to bounce back. Kansas is a good team, we need to come out next week and practice hard.”
Khreem Smith
On the game
“It is pretty embarrassing. In the second half we were pretty flat and they (Texas) ran the ball down our throats.”
On preparing for Kansas
“We need to go back to the drawing board and work things out. We need to work hard so we can get a victory in the last home game.”
Texas Head Coach Mack Brown
On the second half
“The guys played as good a third quarter as I have ever seen. I think the thing that they understand is that this is a football team that can keep getting better. You have got to give OSU credit, Les has done a great job here, they had a 10 game home winning streak. The crowd was really into it in the first half. We had to come out and take over in the third quarter and I am really proud of our guys for doing it.”
On the secondary
“Nathan Vasher did as good of a job tonight as anybody can do on Rashaun Woods. On the plays that OSU made, the quarterback made super throws and had people in his face, and Rashaun is one of the great receivers to play this game. I thought the secondary overall played super. They tackled well, they covered well, they missed a couple of other interceptions that were close to them, but we are really pleased with our defense overall.”
On the performance in their last two games
“I think right now it just says we are getting better. We can't let up, we have got to make progress. We are heading in the right direction offensively with the balance. We haven't had that running balance consistently over the last year like we had tonight. The team feels really good about itself. We are really, really pleased at the way we pulled together in the second half.”
Texas Players
Cedric Benson
On Texas' offense ability
“I'm sure there are teams out there who can scheme against us. We have great athletes running it and a great offensive line blocking for it. It is hard to stop when we are firing on all cylinders.”
On the teams heart and ability to run the ball
“We have always been a tough team. We have always been a team to mash the other team. We have had a couple of down sets, but we have been able to rise to the top. We put up big numbers on the ground, and that says a lot.”
Nathan Vasher
On covering Rashaun Woods
“He is an NFL caliber receiver who can always put up big numbers. I just tried to follow him around and limit what he could do. As a corner, you never want to give up touchdowns, but it is hard to stop a player of his ability.
Vince Young
On hitting Roy Williams
“That was probably the best pass I have ever thrown to him. All I did was throw it in his direction and hit him in stride. With a receiver like that, it makes a quarterbacks job easy.”
On taking control of the team
“It is not necessarily my team, but I am one of the leaders on it. We have got a lot of good athletes on this team.
Roy Williams
On comparing himself to Rashaun Woods
“I didn't show anything tonight. I just went out there and played as hard as I could. I may have had the stats tonight, but it is the first game that I have done that in since Arkansas.”
