Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State at No. 1 Oklahoma -- Quotes
9/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2003
Recap?|? Final Stats
OKLAHOMA PLAYER QUOTES
Senior Running Back Renaldo Works
On the Sooners' running game
'We are coming together and getting better. If we continue to keep working hard and practicing hard, we are going to get even better.'
On his performance
?'I think I did all right but of course I should have made better plays. I think the running backs as a whole did a great job.'
Junior Wide Receiver Brandon Jones
On Jason White's performance
'Jason is doing a great job and we need him. He always makes plays. He is so confident. Nothing bothers him. He even started laughing at me when I didn't catch one of his passes in the end zone. He's just having a lot of fun out there.'
Senior Quarterback Jason White
On the game
'We came out on fire. Things were clicking. Our run game was working and opening up our passing game. It's something we need to continue to work on and to finish throughout the game. We need to come in out in third quarter and do the same as we do in the first.'
On what it's like when things are clicking
'It's great. That's when you are having a good time out there. A lot of the guys are having a good time when they are out there scoring. We worked hard on that this week - we need to score every time we get the ball. We just need to keep improving throughout the week and get better every week.'
Redshirt Freshman Defensive End Larry Birdine
On the team's first half performance
'We came up with some plays on defense and offense. With it being so early in the season, we felt like it was a great half for us.'
On Fresno State's offense
'We were prepared for whatever they threw at us. They really didn't run at us a lot. They passed a lot in the first half and played right into our hands. There were a lot of three and outs and the defense dominated. It was a good game in the first half for us.'
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OKLAHOMA?COACH QUOTES
Head Coach Bob Stoops
?On the offense
'I believe the first half was as well as we've played both sides of the ball. Everything came together for half a football game, maybe since we've been here. We put it all together. The execution was excellent.'
On the second half
'To have a lead 39-0 means you're playing awfully well. We would have liked to have played better in the second half, but I'm not going to sit here and make too much of it. Everywhere I've coached, every game, any time you've been up 39-0, the second half's always a major headache.
'We can be an awfully good football team and a great team. Still, it doesn't take a lot of lack of attention or focus to lose the ability to be a good football team. Or, if you start substituting and get too many twos and threes in the game, and it doesn't look real good.'
?On the running game
'I thought our offensive line, J.D. Runnels and the tight ends really created some holes. We really did run the ball well like we want to in tough situations. Hopefully, that part of the game will continue to improve. It has come along like we hoped it would and thought it could.'
On Jason White's performance
'Jason again is just exceptional throwing the football and running around making plays. It [his performance] really looked great again tonight.'
If anything in particular disrupted their offense
'They are pretty quick and they fly to the ball real well.? It seems like they were everywhere.'
On the penalties in the second half
'I didn't realize we were that poor and they [Fresno State] were that good, but that's how it happens sometimes.'
'Those [penalties] always seem to come at those times when you have those big leads.'
On punt protection and kick-off coverage
'Punt protection, it's atrocious. I'm trying to find a word that's negative enough to describe it.' (as he laughs) That's something we might take the entire practice on Monday and work on it.'
On Mitchell's injury
'Looks like this is severe, it's a knee. Until they do an MRI and know exactly for sure, it's not fair for me to say, but it does seem to be serious.'
On no turnovers
' No turnovers.Very good. Defense was a great part of the game until we substituted two's and three's in there that aren't as capable at stopping people.'
On both of the quarterbacks (White and Thompson)
'They were very solid. Great decisions. I'm really excited at how those guys are progressing.'
On Jason White
'He has the athletic ability that makes people miss them. He makes good decision on the option and he just gets better.'
On Will Peoples
'Good to see Will Peoples back in the game again. We need Will and he is a proven playmaker for us.'
On the receivers
'They have really stepped up.They have been a strong unit all year and doing what we hoped they would.'
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FRESNO STATE QUOTES
Fresno State Head Coach Pat Hill
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His thoughts about Oklahoma
"They are a very well-coached football team. They are disciplined and they came out of the chute on fire.? I thought we looked like deer in headlights. We seemed to be in the shadows of our goal post everytime we turned around. Everything they touched in the first half turned to gold. Their execution was awesome."
On the second half in which Fresno State outscored Oklahoma 28-24
"We may have abandoned the run too early. We weren't trying? to play close to the vest. We were just trying to play smart. Getting down 38-0 was never in our plans. There are some teams that would've ended up getting beat 68-0. Our second half was the best we've played offensively all season. I told the guys in the lockerroom that we wanted to win the second half. This team never quit. We played hard and I'm proud of them for that. We did get better in the second half at moving the ball."
On OU quarterback Jason White's 338 yards passing and 4 TDs
"Jason White was pretty darn good. He made some big plays for them. He didn't miss a play. We flushed him out of the pocket a few times, he stepped up and made the plays down field. The two receiver screens they turned were back breakers. We had a chance to make a play on them, but they broke a tackle. Those plays should've gone for four yards and end up going for 40. That's what great athletes do."
Fresno RB Dwayne Wright
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His thoughts on the game
"I think the better team won.? I thought the second half we came out and played Fresno football. We just couldn't seem to find ourselves in the first half."
On what was said at halftime
"We just tried to stay focused and keep executing; stick to our assignments and make certain to put a hat on their heads and keep people blocked."
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