Nov. 10, 1999

Opening remarks on Oklahoma and upcoming Texas A&M

?After looking at everything, the demise was short-yardage goal line. We were in seven short-yardage situations and we made one. I thought that as the game went on, each time we didn?t make one, the morale of our offense went down and down. At the end, it looked like a football team that didn?t believe they could move the ball, score or even get a third-and-inches. We felt that the defense played exceptionally well in the first half. I thought they kept us right in the game and gave us a chance to win. We have seven defensive starters on the punt team because we aren?t a real deep punt team. Basically we wore them out. There was nothing wrong with the punter. (Jared Gilpin?s) kicks were quite good. The distance is the best we?ve had all year. I thought the snaps were good. It basically came down to one thing ? coverage.?

?We are just trying to pick up the pieces and get ourselves ready to play a great game this week and beat Texas A&M.?

On practice this week

?There?s no question we have to work our butts off on offense, but you have to keep your defense fresh. I don?t want to take them out and beat the heck out of them, wear them down, just because the offense needs that kind of practice. This week?s practices are going to be two entirely different practices (for the offense and the defense). We had a very good practice with the offense (Monday) night.?

On whether or not coaches are punishing the offense this week in practice

?We?re not trying to punish them. Coaching football is not about punishing. Coaching is about taking what you got beat by the week before and making it better so you don?t get beat by it the next week. It?s not a matter of punishment. Football you work on your weaknesses. The only way you can work on short-yardage situations is to line up in full pads and go hard in practice.?

On Texas A&M Quarterbacks Coach Ray Dorr

?I know him very well. He is a tremendous person and a great coach, one of the best teachers I have ever been around. He is a great recruiter. I can?t say enough about the guy. We all think we have problems but he is a man that is fighting for his life. He comes in every day, is positive. He just loves coaching football. He never asks for anything. He just goes out and does his job everyday and does it with a tremendous flair. I think he is an example for all of us in coaching.?

On the reason for using quarterback Justin Gage in the Oklahoma game

?We had to open up channels of not having to worry about just playing one quarterback. When you play just one, you are guarded in what you are going to have him do. If you have two available to play, I think it gives you more options. Gage is an excellent athlete. We need to get as many good athletes as we can find on the football field. One of our problems on offense is that we don?t have enough big-play players. We either have to develop them or other guys have to step up and become big-play players. So far the guys that have jumped out are (tight end Dwayne) Blakley and (wide receiver Travis) Garvin. We need to find more people like that. The consistency is not there. You have to find more of them on the field.?

On changing the offensive game plan to fit a new quarterback

?They are (more diverse). But we aren?t going to change our offense for one or the other. When Gage comes in the game, he will have a lot more limited package. He can handle the runs, but we will limit the pass game when he is in.?

On the effect that the new quarterback will have on the offensive line

?In the beginning of the season, we had the two-quarterback system working and the ability of running some option. We were able to take the heat off the offensive line in short-yardage situations. What?s happened since we?ve had to go to one quarterback is that the burden is reversed. Now the burden of our offense has fallen on two groups: the quarterback and the offensive line because people are keying up and giving you everything they?ve got.?

On Defensive Guard Cedric Harden

?(Harden) has made plays. The kid has done a heck of a job for a redshirt freshman. He is having an outstanding year. He was thrust in to playing a lot and has just responded. He?s still just starting to scratch the surface. He is a lineman that has acceleration. He gets down the field to make tackles because he can run. He?s got pretty good football sense. He?s done everything you?d want a lineman to do.?