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Nov. 12, 2011

Recap |  Box Score |  Notes |  Photo Gallery 

TEXAS
HEAD COACH Mack Brown
Opening Statement: Give Missouri credit. Obviously their defense played much better than our offense. I thought our offense didn't play well throughout the day, and I thought that was evident. They stopped our running game, and we had the inability to throw the ball down field. They started well offensively. They ran the ball right down the field, but after our defense stripped the ball I thought the defense played well enough to win. And they kept fighting and competing throughout the game. [They] blocked a punt, and let us stay in the ball game. But offensively we could never get the game started, and then the[ir] blocked punt hurt us and then it went to the one-yard line and the defense still stood up. Mistakes in our kicking game, inability to move the ball on offense is what cost us the game. When you lose the football game not everybody plays poorly. We had a lot of guys play well today, but not enough to win.

On playing without Fozzy Whittaker: It's tough. He's our leader. He's our guy on offense. When you have the other two out anyway, we were going to lean heavily on Fozzy and Jeremy Hills today. I'm not going to put an injured player out there. Fozzy's done so well and had such a great year, we hate to see him get hurt.

On moving forward: I think we have to get home and grade this video and see who played well and see why we didn't move the ball better on offense and go back and start over on Monday.

On not capitalizing on chances to come back: We had some shots. The wind was huge. We overthrew one to Marquise [Goodwin] in the first quarter. If you noticed, just about all the points were scored into the wind except for the blocked punt. So when we didn't score but three in the first and they got theirs right after that, and then [wheb] we didn't score in the third, we knew we were in trouble.

On having multiple injuries during the game: It's a game about injuries. It's a game about numbers. We just said injuries can't be an excuse, even though they piled up today at more than I think I've ever seen at one position. We still have to do our best to win the game.

On Missouri leaving the Big 12: Gary's a good coach, and they'll go a good job. I hate to see them leave because I thought regionally they're a team that fits our conference. They've been in the Big Eight. They've been the Big 12, so I thought they fit here."


LB Emmanuel Acho
On the game: We got to grow up quick. We know we got another team coming in to our house next week trying to take something away from us. Move on quickly, put it behind us, get ready for K-State. You know, learn from this one. A couple plays on defense kept us from winning it, just maybe two or three plays. We have to grow up quick and get ready for the next one.

On the personal foul penalty in the first half: You know, it's just a call. The refs make calls. The next play was my fault because they scored so I don't fault the ref.  I don't fault anybody. I fault myself because if not for me they wouldn't have scored. You win some, you lose some as far as calls. We lost that one, but that didn't give them the touchdown. We gave them the touchdown so it's on us as a defense."

On Fozzy Whittaker's injury: I told him I loved him, and I was sad for him. I wish the best for him, and I prayed for him as soon as I saw him go down. He's a fighter. He'll keep fighting and be alright.

S Kenny Vaccaro
On the personal foul penalty: I was just playing hard and physical and making an everyday tackle like I always do. It's hard on those refs to make those decisions so I don't blame them.

On the mindset of the defense today:  I mean, just like I've been saying all year, we're just here to set up the offense. Just keep backing them up. Like you saw on the blocked punt. We fought hard on the goal line to set the offense up for another opportunity to score.

On the defense: They only had two plays that determined the game. That long pass over the middle and that long run. You have to eliminate big plays to win games and that leads to touchdowns.

WR Marquise Goodwin
On the game: It was really tough today for us. We lost Fozzy Whittaker today during the game, during the first half. It was just tough for us to gain momentum after that. Missouri had a great defense, great scheme, great plan for us, and they came out ready to play.

On moving the ball without their three top running backs: It's definitely a challenge. And we have to work on that in practice. When somebody goes down, the next guy has to be ready to step up. That's where leadership comes in. That's where you have to grow up and man up. You just go out there, execute and play. No matter what. No matter who's in there.

On quarterbacks: The quarterbacks showed leadership as they always do. We just couldn't get the ball moving like we wanted to. We have to go back to the drawing board and get it going for Kansas State."

MISSOURI
HEAD COACH Gary Pinkel
Opening Statement: I was really proud of our football team, and it was definitely a gut-check. You know, we were 4-5 with three games left. It's a big win for us. This was the first time since my tenure that we beat Texas. It's probably the last time we're going to play them for a while. I'm just real proud of our football team. It's been a very frustrating and disappointing year for our players, and you can see it in their eyes and their faces. I just want to use this victory to get better and play real well against Texas Tech.

On the play of the defensive line: It starts there, and our perimeter defense did not give up any big plays. They got a couple early third down throws on that one drive and they got the field goal, but nothing other than that for the remainder of the day. But our defense did a really good job of leveraging the football.

On RB Kendial Lawrence stepping up after RB Henry Josey went down: Obviously you have to feel really badly for Henry. He's getting an MRI right now as we speak. I do know now that it is serious. Now you got to have Kendial Lawrence fill in and De'Vion Moore's got to do that. That's just the spot we're at right now and hopefully he'll heal up pretty quick.

On the play of both teams' special teams: They got two points and we got three. We won that one. The disappointing thing was we didn't scoop the ball up and score. We just got a little too nervous back there, and we had a chance. That takes care of everything at the one-yard line at the point of attack three times and we said, "Let's go for it maybe." But I thought three points would make a difference in a three-score game. But I don't remember the last time we had a punt block. You've gotta give them credit. But our defense continuously in that second half went out there and played really, really well. When that happens, that changes the way we play offense. We can play more conservative, it can be a field position game or a kicking game, and we'll make sure to try to utilize as much time as we can.

On focusing for the remainder of the season: It's so mental. You can talk about injuries, but the bottom line is the mental part of sport and competition is what it's all about. We played a great football team today and were fortunate enough to beat them. We're going to play well next week. There's so much out there now. This really shines light here, and it's my job as the head coach to make sure we take advantage of this.