Oklahoma State University Athletics
Quotes from the Weekly Press Luncheon
September 13, 2004 | Cowboy Football
Monday, September 13, 2004
Press Luncheon Quotes
Head Coach Les Miles
On the next game against SMU:
“We are looking forward to SMU's challenge. I think SMU is better than they have been. TCU (beat SMU 44-0 on Saturday) had a tremendous gameplan. They were very effective offensively against SMU. That is a very poignant rivalry in the Dallas Metroplex area. SMU has played two really good offensive football teams. I think they are much better than what they were a year ago.”
On how SMU has improved:
"One thing they have done is that they have maintained some consistency on defense. They have the flexibility to call and do whatever they want to do. They are playing better because they have stayed with a consistent theme. I expect them to be very similar to what they were a year ago.”
On throwing the football more:
“I think we will throw the ball more against SMU. There is not any question that that will fall into our gameplan.”
On Saturday's game against Tulsa:
“I think we were particularly sharp last week in a number of areas. There are certain guys that recognize that they will need to make adjustments to improve not only for this week, but for the remainder of the season. I think we were very sharp in some places, but consistency was not there for the entire game last week.”
On the improvements that need to be made:
“We need to make improvements in all three areas. There are some rough edges on special teams that we are working to shore up. We think we can return punts on anybody, and we cannot have the penalties that we had in our last game. Our offense has to be better on technique on the inside. We can rush for more yards, but Tulsa had a good gameplan. If we are going to control the ball more often, we have to get better in the passing game. On defense we have to learn how to finish games. There is a lot of improvement that needs to be made on a weekly basis.”
Sophomore Defensive Lineman Xavier Lawson-Kennedy
On playing on the d-line:
“A lot of people who watch football do not understand the defensive line. Playing on the line is a lot different than other positions on the football field. It is a lot more physical. A lot of people just looking at the game do not understand the role a defensive linemen plays. You have to fight off 300-pound guys who might get drafted in the first round and I was a freshman playing on a bad knee. I worked through it and I feel I am better now.”
On compiling statistics:
“You want to be able to make tackles. You should make tackles, but it comes at a price because you want to make sure that the linebacker is free. You want to make plays as a defensive lineman. Coach (Bailey) tells me every four plays that you make, you should make one for a loss. The technique we play is a read technique so it puts us in a position to make plays, we just have to make the plays.”
Freshman Quarterback Donovan Woods
On improving from game to game:
“I think we are improving. There are things we did in our last game that we did not do well in the first game. We are getting into more and more things in practice.”
On his expanding role on the offense:
“Any time that I can help the team, I am willing to do that.”
On watching Vernand Morency run:
“He is a great back. Not only Vernand (Morency), but we have a whole stable full of backs and fullbacks. We have some talented guys back there. Not only there but also on the offensive line and our receivers as well.
Junior Running Back Vernand Morency
On the coaching staff:
“We have been doing a great job so far. You just have to tip your hat off to the coaching staff. We do a great job and they do a great job. They do a great job of coaching us. They let us know the rules and coach us the right way.
On holding a lead:
“When you get ahead of a team, you want to close the door. You do not want to stop, you want to close the door. That is just the nature of the game. Any given Saturday a team can come back. You want to close the door and make sure that it is sealed
On preparing for SMU:
“They scout us just like we scout them. They put on pads just like we do. They are going to get my best and I know that I am going to get their best. As a team we are going to out fight. We are going to scratch and fight like we do week in and week out.”
