2001 Big 12 Football Media Day
Jul 27, 2001 | Football
July 27, 2001
The Big 12 Conference held its unofficial kickoff of the 2001 football season this week, as the annual Football Media Day wrapped up Friday at Dallas' Union Station.
Coaches and players from all 12 member institutions were on hand to field questions from the large contingent of print and broadcast journalists gathered to look ahead to the year, now less than a month away.
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK MARK FARRIS
(on having a year of experience under his belt) "Obviously, when you've played 13 games last year as a starter you feel more comfortable than the year before. I feel you always have got to improve. We're working towards that, and we hope to win more games this year."
(on any changes the offense needs to make) "Nothing really needs to change. We just have to be able to run and throw the ball. We did a good job of that last year at times, we just need to be more consistent and limit turnovers, and we'll be all right."
(on the possibility that looking at the holes to fill overshadows the team's offensive talent) "I think so. Anytime you lose two players of that caliber [Toombs and Ferguson] it will be big deal. I feel that we have lots of guys that can step in and play very well. There are some big shoes to fill but I think we have some guys that can do it."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK JAY BROOKS
(on his move to free safety) "I am very comfortable at free safety because of what I bring to the field. I can rush, cover and tackle real well. I can run sideline to sideline. I'm very comfortable and I feel I'll be able to play back there."
(on being considered the sleepers of the conference) "We like being the sleepers. Right now I think we're the sleepers in Big 12. Teams like Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska all have got the pressure on them. We're going to take it one game at a time, starting with McNeese State."
(on the loss of Michael Jameson) "Mike was a great and emotional leader. It will be hard and we'll miss him, but I've got to step up. I don't think we'll be set back. I believe I can do what he did or even better."
(on the season's goals) "This season, my goal is to be the best free safety I can be. I need to make the plays that I can make and do what I can do to help the team win. The team's goals are to win the Big 12, get to the [Bowl Championship Series] and go to the Rose Bowl. We just have to go out there and do what we can do."
SENIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN SETH McKINNEY
(on losing the last three games of the season) "That really hasn't been too much of an issue. We were disappointed and it has shown. We had a tremendous turnout in summer workouts. We've been killing ourselves out there."
(on any changes to the offense) "We have to develop a killer instinct and not let off. We have to finish off the game."
HEAD COACH R.C. SLOCUM
(on all the close games last year and what needs to be done better) "I thought there were several things last year. We had the worst run of injuries since I have been the head coach [Alan Reuber, Terry Nichols, Rocky Bernard, Michael Jameson, Sammy Davis, Jason Glenn, Robert Ferguson]. We have to be luckier in terms of injuries. We also have to be a better running and short yardage team. We could have won the Colorado and Oklahoma games with a better performance in goal line situations. Consistency is a part of that as well. The interception against Oklahoma came at very bad time. We gave them an easy touchdown. There was a bad one also in the bowl game that cost us the win. But, we were playing with a sophomore quarterback. However, we wouldn't have been where we were without the play of Mark Farris. Hopefully, some of that will be eliminated with him having experience under his belt."
(on the number of defensive backs on the roster) "There's no question the college game has changed. There are more passes thrown now than ever before. Because of that, it's necessary to play lots of packages with five and six defensive backs. We have got to have 12 players just to be two deep in the secondary. You need more defensive backs now than you ever have in the past."
(on the pressure to win this year) "I don't think there is any more than there's ever been. Myself and the players helped build part of the expectations at Texas A&M. The alumni's expectations never go down. Every year they keep going higher. We are at a place that takes a lot of pride in itself and I take a lot of pride in what I do. I was very disappointed in how the games came out last year. We very easily could have won 10 games, at least. I am looking forward to the challenge of the season. To me, every coach in the country feels pressure. I don't feel any different now than I ever have. I am going to coach as hard as I can coach. I am as excited and motivated as I ever have been going into this year. I feel great support from a bunch of very strong and loyal people that are close to the program. Most of them are able to see the big picture."
(on the instability of the coaching profession today) "Without a doubt there is [a lot of instability]. Society today wants everything right now. Lifestyles have changed. I think if you look historically at programs that have taken that course of action [new coaches every few years], they haven't had as much success."
