Oct. 15, 2005

Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery

KANSAS CITY –

Oklahoma Postgame Quotes<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Oklahoma 19, Kansas 3

Head Coach Bob Stoops

On the game:

“We’re pleased to win coming up here away from home. Kansas is a much improved football team and they have an excellent defense. It felt good to hang in there in a hard fought game, especially in the second half. I was pleased because we did what was necessary to put ourselves in position to win. I thought that defensively we were very exceptional for the entire game. We didn’t tackle well early, but we started to as the game progressed. We also got good pressure and were able to force some turnovers. Offensively, we really struggled in the first half, but I was proud of the fact that we hung in there. Nobody was dejected in the lockerroom and we were able to put together some great drives in the second half. We executed like we feel we’re capable of doing. We’re not perfect by any means, but we’re getting there. I thought we made it tougher on ourselves with the kicking game. Penalties were an issue and we really hurt ourselves with a couple of them.”

On the second half:

“We just had better execution and I think that Donta Hickson and Kejuan Jones did a great job as a tandem running for 110 yards. It’s easier to mix things up when you’re executing with your passing game. We’ve had offensive rhythm this year but it hasn’t been near as consistent and we’ll grow. It says a lot to me that as poor as we played in the first half we were able to hang in there and play well in the second half away from home. We used the clock and had some strong drives and did what we needed to do to win.”

On D.J. Wolfe:

“D.J. is a good running back but he has done an excellent job at cornerback, and he is getting better and better. I had a good feeling that when he had it (the interception) that he had a good chance at taking it to the endzone.”

On the Kansas defense:

“They are an excellent defense. I’m not much on comparing them to other people, but I think they do a great job. Their schemes are very disciplined and they make you work to beat them and they play hard. Their front seven play very physical and very hard. I think Coach Bill Young and his guys are doing a very good job.”

Junior Linebacker Rufus Alexander

On the defense as a whole:

“We came together and got some turnovers. We’ve been pretty solid all year on defense. We just haven’t been putting whole games together.”

On his catch rules as an interception:

“I was shocked because I knew I picked it off. I was lobbying with the ref telling him that I had it because I came down with it. Good thing Coach Stoops called time out so they could check it.”

Defense’s responding to offensive struggles:

“We knew we had to dig in and we did great as a defense. We basically shut them out because the offense gave them good field position on the field goal.”

On the offense’s growing pains:

“We accept it as a defense that the offense is going to struggle at the beginning against people. They are going to keep on working and eventually get it done.”

Kansas Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Mark Mangino

On the game:

“This was probably the most disappointing offensive performance I’ve been around in a long time, in many ways. The responsibility is mine. The blame is on my doorstep, and rightfully so. I have got to get this offense going. I need to find a way to do it. Our defense played great. Any time you play Oklahoma this tough, you should come away with a win. But we weren’t able to do that. We had some basic stuff out there that we just couldn’t get executed. It’s frustrating for me. It’s frustrating for our staff. It’s frustrating for our fans. But one thing we know how to do around here when we run into some adversity or things aren’t going right is that we will keep sawing wood until we get it right. We’re not going to give up. We won’t let up until we fix this. We are going to keep sawing wood until we get things corrected.”

On Nick Reid:

“Nick Reid is a very good player. He is as good as many of the linebackers that I have been around in this conference. He is just a heck of a player. He’s tenacious. He’s tough. Not much gets him down. He can overcome a bad play. He can make one bad play and come back and make five good ones in a row. He is very mentally tough. Nick Reid is a special player. He has done so much for us since he’s been here. His leadership qualities are what you want as a coach.”

On the overturned play in the third quarter:

“That’s the way it goes. Things happen, and you can’t complain. I know it was a crucial situation, but we have to come back. We had chances to come back.”

On Kyle Tucker:

“Kyle Tucker has been a player that has made a big difference. He makes a big difference in the field position game. With our special teams playing well, and our defense playing great, we just need to make some plays on offense.”

Senior Safety Rodney Fowler

On the team:

“We are still motivated and we are still strong. We have been fighting for the whole year, and we are not going to let this one game get us down.”

On the defense:

“We played well today. We ran our schemes well, and we did what we wanted to do. We just didn’t get the victory.”

Senior Offensive Lineman Matt Thompson

On the offense:

“It’s frustrating. We need to do everything we can to improve this week because the season is running out very quickly. The offensive unit as a whole is not playing well.”

On Brian Luke:

“Brian is a tough (guy). I hang out with Brian more than anyone, and I don’t think something like this is going to get him down at all. Brian is a great guy, he’s a tough kid and he’s very smart.”

Senior Quarterback Brian Luke

On his performance:

“I’m definitely my biggest critic. I want to take full responsibility for our offensive performance, but it is a team game. Our offense is not taking this easy, but we are not discouraged. We are going to come back this week and go to work. That is all we can do. We are not quitters.”

On the offense’s recent struggles:

“I am not one to point fingers, but it really hurts, especially as the quarterback. It is just going to push us that much harder to do well next game and find our rhythm. We need to find out what it is going to take and go with it.”

On his confidence:

“I go in every game feeling prepared and as confident as I can. (Coach Mangino’s) confidence helps to take the edge off. It helps me to keep my head in the game, 100 percent, but that’s something that I try to do every game.”