November 03, 1998
What about Oklahoma?
"When you look at the tape, OU has got a bunch of athletes. You look at their defense; they've played well all year. I'd say next to Florida State that they're the most talented defense we've played if you just went man to man. And they're playing well. Offensively, they've got a running back that I think is one of the best around. That kid is really a good player. They've got an athletic offensive line and wide receivers who have made big plays. They made big plays last week. The only problem they've had is injuries and they've had uncertainty at the quarterback position. They've struggled there some and that's kept them from being consistent on offense. You see them at times with De'Mond running the football, they look really good but they haven't been consistent. From a coaching standpoint it worries you because you know they're going to play good defense -- they have every week -- and now they have some momentum going. Their quarterback made some throws last week and they've got a good running back, so you get into a game and anything could happen."
Is there anyone in particular on their defense who has impressed you?
"Both ends are excellent players -- Corey Callens and Cornelius Burton -- and the backup Rocky Bright, we tried to recruit him. He's about 6-6, 275 or 280 and a heck of a player. He can't start for them and he'd be a starting player for us. The linebackers are speed guys that can run. The secondary plays a whole bunch of man coverage. They're really athletic and just smother people."
Are you glad you're playing the Ryan brothers' 46 defenses back to back?
"Well I don't know. They present problems to you. It's one of those feast or famine type things. They've got you running up hill all the time. If you've got the athletes to play (the 46 defense), then it's hard to beat. I think OU appears to have a little more (than OSU) to their package in terms of coverages. It seems like they do more things like taking their linebackers out and helping the secondary. They give you the look of playing man coverage but they will have people helping underneath. They present problems and they've done it to everybody. No one has run up and down the field on them. They've given up some big plays but if you look at their numbers in a lot of categories they're ahead of us."
How are the Aggies doing injury-wise?
"We'll go on a day-to-day basis with each of them and see how much work we get done this week and how much preparation and how far along we can bring these guys. Then on Saturday we'll make a determination if they're far along enough to play or far enough to start. And I really don't know. The trainer has been seeing them since Sunday. I know Randy was in a sling (shoulder) on Sunday. Preparation has something to do with it, particularly at the quarterback position. It's really unrealistic to think that if you went out there and couldn't do anything all week that you could go play in the game on Saturday."
What does having Branndon Stewart on the sideline do for you in these types of situations?
"It's a great bonus and we've said that all year. The real positive is that we've got a guy that's played as much as Branndon's played. Even before Randy started playing at quarterback, I said we wanted to bring both of those guys along. Because you don't want to be in a situation where if one guy gets hurt that all your hopes and all your goals go awry because the next guys isn't capable of playing. When Branndon was starting, I said we were fortunate because we were capable of sending Randy out there and would have a chance to win. I can make the same statement now that we can send Branndon out there with a chance of winning the ballgame."
R.C., you have raved about Branndon's attitude over the past weeks, so you had to feel good for him to get back in the game and have success...
"We were all happy for him. You're always looking for examples with your team. The best lessons you can teach your team are those that you can make examples of things that have happened to your team during the course of the season. 'See, here is what I was talking about.' Branndon is a case in point about a guy staying positive, continuing to prepare and then when the opportunity comes, he was ready. When we put Randy in as starter, Branndon had a choice -- hang his head and wallow in self-pity or he could continue to work and help the team. He's done the latter and I'm so proud of him. And it sets a great example for the other players."
How comforting is it for you to have McCown, Dante Hall and Sirr Parker on the sideline with you and still be able to win the game?
"It makes you feel good about the team. I think this team has become a really mature team over the course of the season. When we started, I really didn't know what to expect. But as we have moved through the season, I have seen a growing maturity. The other night there wasn't a panic despite knowing that we were without our top two tailbacks. Everyone just kind of picked it up and hung in there. I don't think you saw a big difference in what we were doing, it was just different people doing it."
Talk about outside linebacker Roylin Bradley's development and progress.
"Roylin is a good solid player for a young guy. He's just a true sophomore. He's one of those guys that just does his job. You don't notice it a lot when he's out there, but he's making plays. He's a developing, young player for us. He should be really good for us. Is he the heir apparent to Warrick Holdman? "He will be, but I also thing Jason Glenn is going to be a good player and we've got Christian Rodriguez coming too. Who steps up and becomes the big-play guy is still to be determined. Roylin is coming back as a starter, but Jason Glenn is a guy that has a lot of football in him. I think he'll be a big-time player."
With the injuries at running back and the D'Andre Hardeman suspension, how important have the contributions of Ja'Mar Toombs been?
"You just can say enough about what that's meant to us, because it's taken some of the pressure off the running back position. We haven't had to do it all from the running back position. In the past, that was Tiki's (Hardeman) role. He's a good runner and so you had to worry about that fullback. He made some key runs for us in the past. Without him we would have been really limited in what we could do, particularly in light of losing Marc Broyles and Jason Bragg too. There aren't many people who could come in and do what Ja'Mar has done. You could have some guys that come in and play a little bit, but fullback is a physical position. It's demanding and tough. That guy is going to hit a bunch playing that position. To come in and work like he has...and then to handle the success like he has. Being able to play and handle the success without being resented by your teammates is impressive. He works hard and is just happy for us to win. He's done a great job."
Have you ever had a true freshman fullback come in and have the impact that Toombs has had?
"Not since George Woodard have we had a fullback that's done as much as Ja'Mar as a true freshman. That's a long time ago. I had dark hair when George Woodard was here."
Talk about the recruitment of Toombs.
"Early in the year, in the fall, we knew about him but we weren't in the picture much. Tam Hollingshead was recruiting him, and we kept calling him and staying with him. We got a little more interest and then a little more and then finally we got in the hunt. He liked Ohio State and Florida State. I know one week I went there, John Cooper went there and Bobby Bowden went there, like Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday of the last week. He came in the last weekend with his uncle and his mother. Most of our recruiting was done, so we really got to spend some quality time with him. It really got down to his feelings for his mother and being close to home. Being somewhere where she could keep in touch and watch him play. I think that was a factor. Thought he had a opportunity to play, but he knew Tiki was coming back so it wasn't altogether a deal of how much he would get to play. It was more of staying in Texas and close to Mom."
How will the recruitment of Toombs help you recruit against the out-of-state powers in the future?
"It remains to be seen but it gives you some ammunition when you're talking the pros and cons. You can't imagine all the calls we get almost on a weekly basis -- either direct calls or word-of-mouth -- about people wanting to transfer. It's an awkward thing because we can't talk to them or their family. We really can't say anything and they just want to know if we would have a place for them. We can't say any of that. All we can say is he has to go tell his coach he wants a release, and when he has a release then we can talk to him. I'd say we get calls on a weekly basis from guys who have gone out of state and want to come back. So having a guy here like Ja'Mar, I can just say go talk to him, don't take my word for it. Go talk to him and find out what it's meant to be here and have his family come in for the games every week. Not only here in College Station but his family can go to Austin when we play down there. I saw him and his family after the Baylor game. His mother is getting to participate in this. At some point you play football for the fun and enjoyment and what adds to that fun and enjoyment is your family."