HEAD COACH MIKE SHERMAN
Is it hard to believe that this is the first top-10 matchup at Kyle Field since 1975?
"Really? I was not aware of that. That's news to me. That seems like it's a little long of a wait obviously."
Does the start of conference play feel any different this year with it possibly being the last of the Big 12?
"No, that has no bearing I don't think. I know you get sick of hearing it, but we really do live day by day and don't think far ahead. The players have bought into that as well. I think they would echo that statement."
Did you stay up watching the Oklahoma State/Tulsa game?
"No. I thought it more important that I get my rest. I got up Sunday, went to 7 o'clock mass at St. Joseph's, got in here at 8 and we had tape ready to go, believe it or not."
How have you seen Ryan Tannehill develop in his time here?
"He's always been such a great competitor. You saw that when he was a receiver. He caught a big pass last year against these guys up there. He's always had a competitive edge to him, and always had high expectations of everything he's ever done and of those around him. To me the biggest difference now is I think he's enjoying himself more. He's enjoying the leadership role. He enjoys being the quarterback, the field general-not in any sense that it's because he has been empowered, but he enjoys being 'the guy' and the responsibility and work that goes with that. I've seen him enjoy himself in his role, which I think is important. You only get to do this at this age, on this field, one time in your life, and he's enjoying it. That's important."
What are the differences between your defense now and one year ago?
"Today, compared to this point last year, we're making less mental mistakes. I was very pleased with our defense (Saturday). I thought during the game we played well, but when I watched the tape I don't know, we just played with fanatical effort. We had lot of chasing to the ball. I thought Eddie Brown had an extraordinary game. Sean Porter had a heck of a game. There were a couple of freshmen that played well. I was really excited with the speed we played the game the other day. They chased the ball, ran around and never gave up on that mission. The reason we were able to play like that Saturday is that they have knowledge of what they're doing. When kids are thinking a lot out there, you don't play quite as fast. But I thought we were more reactive than cerebral the other day, and that's a good thing for a defensive player."
With both teams having such high-powered offense, do you think this game will come down to which defense can make a big stop?
"Whenever you say that, you always put a whammy on the game. It'll be a defensive struggle, you watch. The defense will take over whenever you say that. I would say both defenses will rise to the occasion."
As an offensive coach, do you look at what Oklahoma State is doing with a certain amount of respect?
"Yeah. They've done it for a while now, not just one year. It's hard to believe they are even more efficient this year than one year ago. Weeden is a heck of a quarterback. He shows tremendous maturity. He's the real deal. He's doing a great job leading that offense. I think they've taken another step from what they did a year ago. I have a lot of respect for what they do on both sides of the ball. They're just very efficient and very methodical about what they're doing. There is never any sense of panic. They just go about their business and move the ball down the field. If you put up 600 yards offensively, something good is happening, I don't care who you're playing."
Do you see any difference with a new offensive coordinator (Todd Monken)?
"I think every coordinator has his own subtleties. I'm sure he does as well. He's a heck of a coach. He has his own little wrinkles."
How dangerous is Huntsville's Justin Gilbert as a return man?
"Very dangerous. We recruited him, we thought he was a heck of a player. And he is. If you're not right on him he can take one back to the end zone at anytime. You have to get great hang time and have great coverage and be right on the money with him."
There's a lot of talk about Blackmon...as a coach do you have to guard against the team focusing too much on one player?
"Well, they have 15 people who have caught a ball in their offense, so they spread the ball around pretty good. Blackmon is certainly an exceptional offensive talent which will draw some concern and attention, but I think any defensive coordinator will tell you that if you play a talented team and they have talent at other positions...you have to play that entire football team, not just one of them. You really have to focus on stopping that offense, and he's part of that offense."
What do you like best of the way Cyrus Gray is playing this year?
"The thing I like best is he's assignment-correct and holds on to the football consistently. He did put one on the ground in the first ball game that we were fortunate to get back, but he's pretty ball-secure. That's the number one priority you're looking for out of a running back."
I know that the team is not focused on conference realignment, but do you notice the talk of that when you're outside the building?
"I really don't. When I come to work there's usually not many cars on the road, and when I go home there's not many cars on the road. Sometimes I go over across the street to the Shell station and get a candy bar once in a while on the way home. But I don't see a lot of it. We lead very cloistered lives. The players probably see it more than we do."
You don't worry about how all of it is shaking out?
"I really don't. I know y'all think it's coach speak, but I'm just worried about today's practice. It's that mundane and boring in my life, except for Saturdays, which are unbelievably exciting. That's the way we are and how we do it. We don't venture out of our caves."
There's no thought of this maybe being the last year of the Big 12 and that you could win the last Big 12 championship?
"I told the players before the game last week, we have 11 one-game seasons the rest of the way. That's the way I look at it. We have to be 1-0 at the end of this week, then we worry about the next one. We don't deal with things cumulatively until the end of the season. I truthfully look at it that way."
Have you stopped and thought about what this week could mean for the program?
"It's crossed my mind. We will have a lot of recruits here. It will be a great game. You want to win it. They were here at the Nebraska and Oklahoma games last year, and it helped us, and it certainly will be the same here."
Has the Oklahoma State series been frustrating for you with all the close calls?
"Yeah, they've done a great job. We've come up short. I don't think any of it carries over from one year to the next. Every year is independent of the previous one, and every game is independent of the previous one. We want to be 1-0 at the end of Saturday afternoon."
Can you share your thoughts on the loss of OSU coach Glenn Spencer's wife, Angela?
"Coach Spencer and his family are in our thoughts and prayers. There's all this competition and talk with the big game, and he loses his wife and his kids lose their mom. It puts things in perspective. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family. I can't imagine what he's going through and what the OSU family is going through in relation to the loss of a loved one like that. That's a tough situation."
Comment on the play of the offensive line, especially Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews, as you have not allowed a sack all season...
"At this point last year we were really struggling with protection. We're ahead of that but still not where we want to be. Ryan helps that a bit, he doesn't hold the ball long. We almost had (a sack) the other day. They are getting better. We're still pretty young, with two juniors and three sophomores. Every day is a challenge to get them right and to improve from one week to the next. We still have a long way to go with that group."
Comment on Drew Kaser's two punts on Saturday...
"I would rather we didn't have to punt in those situations, but I was glad we were able to give him a second chance. It would be hard for him to sit on that muff where he dropped the snap. It was good he had the opportunity to punt again and get himself out of that hole a bit. It's usually feast or famine when you put a freshman out there. He has a very good leg, but that last one was an NFL punt. That was a Shane Lechler punt."
Will he be the starting punter?
"We'll see how the week goes. It's good to have competition. Ryan (Epperson) has done a nice job. I think competition brings out the best. They have been working together and they seem to encourage each other. We'll continue to work that way. Obviously we had an issue last season that we tried to address in recruiting and in the offseason. If we come out feeling good about both punters it's a good thing."
Can you talk about the special teams as a whole on Saturday?
"I thought we did a good job on kickoff coverage units. There was one punt we should have fielded that we didn't. PAT and field goal was okay except for one time. It was probably my fault, I changed my mind on what I wanted to do at the last minute, and we kind of rushed out there and the kicker wasn't really ready to kick. That was really my fault, but overall I thought we did okay."
Can you talk about the ball coming off Randy Bullock's leg? It seems that it's going further than ever...
"Yeah. It's the best he's been kicking the ball. I think he has been competing with (Taylor) Bertolet and I've always said since I got here, you can't get better until you're competing every day. I would agree Randy is kicking the ball pretty good. He's been hitting the ball pretty solid in practice."
How pleased are you with the pass rush and how big a factor will it be Saturday?
"You can't let any quarterback, particularly one like this, get into a comfort zone. They can get into a rhythm, a flow. You can't let the guy feel comfortable with his feet. You want to disrupt his feet as much as possible. Their offensive line will be the best we've played against. If we can do that again this week it'll certainly be significant in this ball game."
How good was it to get the younger guys experience last week?
"We are very specific as to who's playing and who's not. I really do cherish the taking away of a young man's eligibility. I want to make sure it was warranted. We feel these guys can help us in special teams or as position players. The ability to play them will help us at some point during the season. It was good to see those guys get out there. I tell coaches that we are evaluated on how we develop our kids. In our system we have to be very diligent to get the freshmen better. They have to make their biggest jump as freshmen. We have to get them a lot of reps somehow, whether it be in practice or in a game. It's important we were able to do that."
How important was it to get your backup quarterback, Jameill Showers, into the game?
"Very important. He seemed very comfortable during the game. There was a good look in his eye and in his confidence level. You just don't know until you get in there. He didn't play last year and didn't play his senior year in high school, he was hurt early, so he has been out of a football environment on gameday for quite a while as far as being out on the field. It was nice to see him relaxed out there and play with confidence."
Will Kenric McNeal and Dustin Harris share punt return duties again?
"We were talking about that this morning. There are a couple of other guys in the mix, but yeah, those are the two leaders at this point."
Cyrus Gray talked about how a lopsided loss his freshman year against OSU has kind of stuck with him. Is that the same with you?
"Not really. That seems like 20 or 30 years ago with me. It doesn't stick with me. I don't think it has anything to do with this game."
ASST. HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TIM DeRUYTER
Are you pleased that you're leading the nation in sacks per game?
"Well, that's a little bit a function of who we were playing. It's a little function of the fact we had a lot of passes to defend. I guess I'm fairly pleased because we have executed some things. We still have to do a better job of our 4-man press. Most of our sacks are coming out of manufactured stuff, like bringing an extra guy. While that will be effective for us, we have to do a better job in 4-man."
Evaluate the play of the secondary on Saturday...
"We played much better last week. Guys communicated better. They were fitting things better. Obviously it steps up this week. We challenged our guys to have a dramatic improvement from Game 1 to Game 2, and I think we did that. We need just as big a quantum leap this week because the competition goes up dramatically."
How do you prepare for an offense like Oklahoma State?
"The best thing I think is we practice against our own offense. They go up-tempo, very similar to what Oklahoma State does. They've got Blackmon, we have Jeff Fuller. They have (RB Joseph) Randle, we have Cyrus and C-Mike. We have Ryan Tannehill, they have Weeden. So we've got some weapons to go against to kind of compare to what they have. Getting the chance to compete against our guys, if we can have success against our guys we have the confidence we can effectively compete against a team like them. But it comes down to executing on Saturday. You can do it in practice but come Saturday, when the lights turn on, that's when you have to do it. We anticipate a huge challenge this weekend."
What did you like about Saturday's defensive effort?
"I just liked the attitude of our guys. We challenge them that no matter the opponent, we are working to our standard. Our guys bought in and they were business-like this weekend. Our guys know if we slop around against anybody, they can embarrass us. They didn't (slop around), and I'm proud of them."
As a defensive coordinator, how would you prepare to face Ryan Tannehill?
"I'm glad they don't have scoreboards at practice. He can embarrass you in a hurry. He's extremely athletic. He can make all throws. The thing about him, and the same can be said about Weeden at Oklahoma State, they are both very poised players. They're very difficult to rattle. They go thru their reads and progressions and they don't let a bad play affect the next play. That's why I love Ryan. He goes out there, and we may hit him on the blitz one time, and he picks it up the next time and makes you pay for it. He's one of those special players in college football that's got all the athletic ability in the world, but also has that extra X-factor in the poise and demeanor you want in a quarterback."
Is Oklahoma State's offense different this year with a new coordinator?
"Well, they have 9 starters back. They are very similar scheme-wise to a year ago. If anything, they are playing with more confidence. We played them early in the year and they were maybe starting to sort things out in their system. As they went through the year they got stronger and stronger. Coming into this year, they haven't skipped a beat. They're playing extremely well. They are very well-coached and have really good athletes."
Is it fun to go against this type of offense?
"No, it's not fun at all (laughter). It's extremely challenging. But to be honest with you, I was out of coaching for a couple of years, and these are the kinds of games that were why I want get back into coaching, because of that extreme challenge. We are playing one of the top teams and top offenses in country, but we think we have some good players too. We get a chance to see if our guys can out-matchup their guys."
Have you thought about what the atmosphere will be like Saturday?
"Absolutely. I think back to last year's Nebraska game. That's my absolute anticipation for what's going to happen this week. Just the feel of our first two games, when we're playing two non-conference opponents that in years past people thought ho-hum, and we had unbelievable crowds. This being our first league game, I fully anticipate it's going to be one of those. I get goose bumps just thinking about it."
Have you thought at all about being able to maybe win the final Big 12 championship, with all the conference realignment talk?
"I'll be honest, we don't think of it in those terms. We really do live in a vacuum here. My wife laughs at me because I don't know what's going on in the world. Our world right now is Oklahoma State. Our seniors don't care what league we're going in to, because this is their last year. They want to win the Big 12 because it's their last year."
But your friends don't ask you about it?
"I don't call them very often during the season. People ask about it, but it really doesn't affect us. I don't hear our players talk about it. When you get a team like Oklahoma State, it's easy to stay focused on them."
On the importance of Saturday's game...
"It's a huge game for our program. Our players know that and our coaches know that. If we can knock off another top-10 team at Kyle...if we can get that done I think it'll catapult our team to continue to go in the right direction. I know the 12th Man will be jacked on Saturday."
Can you share your thoughts on the loss of OSU coach Glenn Spencer's wife, Angela?
"Our thoughts and prayers absolutely go out to Coach Spencer and his family. It's tough. Real tough. You get in the games and the games are fun to compete, but you realize it's not the most important thing in times like that. It's tough. A couple years ago when I was at Nevada I lost my brother during the season. Life goes on, you get in the vacuum and you think all that matters is football and games, but it's tough. We'll battle our hearts out on Saturday, but we absolutely wish the best for him and his family. He's got two high-school age sons and I can't imagine...it was a gut shot (when I heard). We just wish the very best for him and his family."
QB RYAN TANNEHILL (Sr., Big Spring, Texas)
Have you been waiting a long time for this game?
"We have taken it one week at a time so far, but we knew this would be a big game coming in to the season. We're taking it one week at a time so far. Right now, it's a really big game for us. We've gotten past the first two games and we are really excited for this weekend."
Is the buzz different within the team this week?
"Yeah, I think so. We've only had a couple of hours this morning to watch the game film so we haven't been around each other much. But at 6 o'clock this morning, the energy level was definitely high. We are looking forward to putting in a good week of work."
Did you stay up late to watch the Oklahoma State/Tulsa game?
"No, I was in bed and out by 11:30. That's a rough situation they had to go through, but they played well even though the situation was tough."
What are your recollections of last year's game?
"It definitely was tough for us offensively. I went back and watched the game this morning. We really didn't play well offensively. We had a lot of missed blocks and we didn't execute well. It was definitely frustrating offensively for us. We know they score a lot of points, that's just how their offense runs. We know we have to score a lot of points as well. It should be an exciting game to watch."
On the meaning of this game...
"We have high goals and high expectations for our season. We want to win the Big 12, and to do that we think we'll have to go undefeated. That's just how good our conference is. We feel we have to win every game and there's a lot riding on this one."
Can you evaluate your season so far personally and things you can improve...
"Well, obviously I turned ball over that one time. It was kind of a fluke thing, but anytime you turn it over, you don't want to do that. I threw a few more incompletions than I'd like to. There are always things you can get more consistent on, footwork, getting the ball out on time. There are constantly things you can improve on in this game and I just try to do that each week. But, our highest goal is to win. Everything else is secondary to that."
On OSU's pass rush...
"They have a good pass rush, good athletic ends, and good length up front. They can do it two ways, play coverage and rely on the defensive line to get pressure, or bring backers and try to pressure you that way."
What's the offense's mindset going into a game that projects to be high-scoring?
"You just take it one play at a time. You can't force things and force the ball downfield. You can't press. You play with tempo, take care of the ball and take it one play at a time. If you start looking forward to the next play and try to get it all in one play, that's when bad things happen."
How important is a quick start Saturday that gets the fans going?
"I think that's a big part of it. Kyle Field is a special place to play. It's a huge advantage for us this week to have our great fan base behind us. If early we can get points on the board and defensively we can get some stops, the momentum can really shift our way and we can use that to our advantage."
How big is it to avoid turnovers?
"Turnovers are huge. They switch the momentum of the game, they kill drives, they put the defense in bad positions. You never want to have those. If you can limit turnovers, or hopefully keep them non-existent, you have a chance to win no matter who you are playing."
DL TONY JEROD-EDDIE (Sr., DeSoto, Texas)
Evaluate the overall defensive effort Saturday night...
"I think we played well. Like I said last week, I think the week off helped us a lot in getting stuff figured out. I think we played really well against the run. But there's always room for improvement. We lost the turnover margin, and we know coming up against the rest of our schedule, if we lose the turnover battle we won't win."
As a defense, how much did last year's loss at OSU motivate you over the summer?
"Personally, it didn't motivate me any. We haven't beaten them since I've been here, so maybe that's a little motivation. But really, whoever is up next on the schedule is who I'm really looking forward to playing."
How will you look to stop the offense?
"We haven't watched much film so far, about 15 minutes this morning. We know that it starts up front. We have to be physical with them up front. As we go, the defense goes."
Being a fellow DeSoto guy, how proud are you with what Cyrus Gray has done at A&M?
"I'm extremely happy. He's blessed to have the offensive line he has, and the threats outside, and a smart quarterback. He's blessed with that God-given talent. He's patient. He's a great running back. He's not a selfish guy. He deserves everything he's getting. I'm rooting for him as loud as anybody. Overall he's just a good guy."
Your goal is to win the Big 12, but is it more so if this happens to be the last year of the league?
"It's the same. We came in after last season being so close to winning it, a few ranking points away from getting there. We have been eager ever since then. That's our main goal, to be Big 12 Champs. All the conference stuff is out of our hands. We just have to go out and play good football."
Are the emotions different this week, with a top-10 game and Big 12 play on the horizon?
"You can tell. We know we have to be on our game. You can tell it's a whole different attitude and a whole different vibe. Everyone is ready to go."
How important is getting consistent pressure on Brandon Weeden?
"That's the first thing our coach said. We can't let him get comfortable, or he'll kill us. That's the first thing he told us this morning. A sack is great, but knocking him down and letting him know we are coming is just as important. We have the greatest secondary in the country and if we make him throw some balls he doesn't want to throw or throw early, I think our guys in the back will do well."
DB TRENT HUNTER (Sr., Katy, Texas)
On the matchup with Oklahoma State and recent series history...
"I'm excited. It's a team we have battled against since we got here. We've had some tough breaks and things that just have gone wrong for us, and things we didn't capitalize on. I feel our team is strong enough now that we can make those plays that we need to make. I think we're excited and ready to go. We will prepare for this game like any other. We'll go out and work hard this week, and we'll be ready for them."
Does this game have a different feel, with it being the Big 12 opener and two top-10 teams?
"I can sit here all day and say that it's not, but we all know this opens Big 12 play. The game has been talked about since the summer and everyone has been talking about it. The 12th Man will be out in full force. You want to sit up here and say it's not different, but it is. We're opening conference play with two top-10 teams right here at Kyle."
On Oklahoma State's receiving corps...
"They return a lot of starters from last year. They have a great group of guys that remind us a lot of our receivers. They have tall guys and possession-type receivers. We all know about (Justin) Blackmon, he's a great receiver. They have a lot of talent. They are one of the best groups we will see this year."
On the defensive differences between Week 1 and Week 2...
'Our consistency was better. We showed spurts of being a great defense against SMU, but I think we showed more consistent fanatical effort against Idaho."
Tony Jerod-Eddie">Tony Jerod-Eddie said y'all are the best secondary in the country. Do you agree with that and are you looking forward to the challenge OSU will provide this weekend?
"This will be a great test for us. Do I agree with that? I'll let the stats speak for us at the end of year. If we come out and play like that and our stats show it, I'm all for it. But this is a great test. They have a great quarterback and a great group of wide receivers-you see them every week on the highlights on ESPN. It's one of those games that you live for. You really get to test what you are made of. I can't wait."
On the importance of putting pressure on Weeden...
"I'll leave that to the boys up front. They do such great job of getting pressure. They've done a phenomenal job of making things easier on us. Everything starts up front. Right now those guys are doing a heck of a job and making it so much easier on us."
RB CYRUS GRAY (Sr., DeSoto, Texas)
How good of a job has Ryan Tannehill done taking over this offense?
"He's doing a great job. He knows the ins and outs of the offense. You can see him out there checking plays and blitzes on the field. He's managing the game and throwing the ball very well. He's done a great job so far."
What are some things you think you can do better?
"My pass blocking, I'm a little rusty in that area...also coming out of my stance and getting downhill quicker."
How important is getting off to a quick start in this game to get the crowd in it?
"It's going to be a major factor. We have to go out there and play. Oklahoma State has a great offense also, and they try to put points on the board. It'll be a great battle between both our offenses. We just have to get our focus and do what we do best."
How important was it for you to get your ninth-straight 100-yard game?
"It was important, but it's just one thing. Going into game you look forward to winning, and if it comes, it comes. I'm excited and I'm happy about it, but now I'm moving on to Oklahoma State. I don't think about the streak at all. The goal is to win all year. That's the main thing."
Does the challenge of OSU's defense emphasize ball protection even more?
"It's something that's ingrained in our offense and our mindset every day. That's the main thing, ball security. We'll have to carry it high and tight. Tannehill will make some great throws and we have to protect him."
How different is the vibe this week?
"It's going to be pretty interesting. The main thing is being able to focus this week. We will have to prepare even better because we are playing a great opponent."
Can you anticipate what the crowd will be like?
"After the Nebraska game I already know what type of atmosphere it's going to be. I'm willing and ready to play this game."
WR JEFF FULLER (Sr., McKinney, Texas)
How geared up do you get when you can go up against a guy like Blackmon?
"It's more going against Oklahoma State. It's an incredible matchup. I haven't had the opportunity to beat them yet and I'm looking forward to having them at home and coming out with a victory."
Is there a revenge factor?
"I wouldn't say so much revenge factor, but we definitely do want to win every single game we play. Oklahoma State is one of the better teams on the schedule. Like I said, I haven't had the opportunity to beat them yet so I'm really looking forward to that."
How nice is it to have so many weapons offensively?
"It's great. It's a lot of fun even in practice to work with guys like Swope, Tannehill, Cyrus and C-Mike. They're all so talented. It brings out your competitive edge when you come out to practice every day. Coach Sherman challenges us on how good could we really be. We continue to go to work and keep getting better."
What kind of ball does Ryan Tannehill throw?
"Ryan is incredibly accurate. He was a receiver himself. He ran quite a few routes and knows where you would want the ball in certain situations, and he can definitely get it there. He throws an accurate, tight spiral."
How excited are you for Saturday's top-10 showdown?
"We're definitely excited to go out there, play on national TV, represent the Aggies and hopefully come out with a victory."