• Roster
• |
• Schedule/Results
• |
• Stats
• |
• News
• |
• Archives

Nov. 23, 2009

WR Jordan Shipley
On playing against familiar faces on Texas A&M: I think obviously anytime you play against guys you played against in high school it makes it fun because you're friends with them and you've been around them forever, but at the same time you want to win. It's a fun experience and Stephen [McGee] and I had fun in that rivalry and I think he's doing pretty well right now and enjoying being in Dallas.

On the impact of this game: I think for us we need to win this game and everyone understands that. Every game we play is bigger than the last one we played so we feel like it is definitely a huge game and we're going to have to be prepared.

On the short week: I think it's going to be good to get the early game and hopefully get to spend Thanksgiving with the family on Friday. It's a little different because you have to get your rest and with 6 a.m. practices every day, you have to get in bed at night. I think we'll adjust well and we're looking forward to it.

On playing at Texas A&M after a loss in the last visit: I think part of playing at a place like this is you have got to let go of the past and focus on the opportunity at hand. We feel like we've got a great opportunity ahead of us and we're looking forward to playing on Thursday.

On the atmosphere at Texas A&M: It's a fun place to play. Their fans get really into the game. I played there a couple times in high school during the playoffs. It's going to be a fun trip.

On staying focused with Texas A&M's crowd: Sometimes it is fun just to be in an atmosphere where the fans are yelling at you and it makes it sometimes even more fun. The main thing for us is whenever we play football we understand that it doesn't matter where you're at or the environment, but the only thing that matters is the football game. It's the same thing every week and you just have to block out all of the distractions and just play football.

On having everybody prepared for Texas A&M's atmosphere: I think a lot of it has to do with the senior leadership and preparing the younger guys that haven't been on the road a lot for what it's like and not to be overwhelmed with thousands of people yelling at you. You just have to be totally prepared to play football and make that your only focus and forget about the rest of us.

On the uniforms the team will be wearing: The seniors have seen the new uniforms and we're excited for it. It's going to be a fun deal and the uniforms are pretty awesome, so we're definitely excited about wearing them.

On playing on Thanksgiving: To play on a day where most people are together with their families and people are going to watch the game is great. That's one thing I remember from growing up was being together on Thanksgiving and watching football. It's fun to be a part of one of those games now. It's an exciting experience.

QB Colt McCoy
On whether the team has a playoff mentality: This game, the A&M game, will be the last game in our four-game stretch that we have. We try to divide the season into four-game stretches and this is the last one, so it's all about finish. I guess you could say it's a playoff mentality because we've got to finish. We've got a lot of goals ahead of us and we haven't taken care of business like we wanted to in the past in this game. So for us, it's really going to be a mental preparation week to be able to go back to work with only a five-day turnaround and really focus mentally. Today's a Wednesday normally. At this point on a Wednesday, you're ready to go, you've seen a lot of film, you've been through two practices. For us, it's a challenge and we've really got to be prepared this week

On playing in College Station: It's tough. It's really loud and their fans are great. I expect them to be loud and swaying and doing all the things that they do. That's another thing that we're going to have to handle. The last couple of weeks we haven't played at a place that was really loud. Stillwater was really loud and I expect it to be about the same.

On keeping the younger players focused in a game like Texas-Texas A&M: You've just got to tell the younger players to hang in there and really focus. In a game like this, it's really easy to get distracted. Especially in a week like this with the five-day turnaround, it would really be easy not to be fully prepared going in there. We can't have that, especially in a game like this. It's going to be a fight. It's a rivalry game.

On the Texas A&M defense: Defensively what I've seen, they're tough, they show a lot of different looks. As a quarterback I'm going to have to be prepared for a lot of different things. Every formation, they have different looks, different blitzes they can bring and they're pretty tough. For us, it's a challenging week.

On whether the losses to A&M in 2006 and 2007 have an impact on this year's team: For us right now it's all about finish. We don't really talk about '06 and '07. We don't like to think about that. We talk about being the best we can be and finishing what we started. That's enough motivation for us. We've got a lot at stake.

On Jordan Shipley and the receivers: He's doing great. Week in, week out you can count on him to find a spot to be open and catch a lot of balls. I thought he played great again on Saturday. It was a nice hook up for a touchdown in our last home game together so I feel like he's just getting better every week. One of the things is that when you have guys like Malcolm (Williams) and James (Kirkendoll) who step up and make sure that he doesn't have to make a play every down, that really helps and that really challenges the defense because they can't just stop Jordan, they've got to cover everybody else. I think overall our offense has really hit a stride and we've just got to keep it rolling.

On Texas A&M's season: When you watch them on film, when you watch a game that they win, they're flying around. They're flying to the football. They're in the right places and making tackles. In the other games, it's tough to see. We know that when we step on the field we're going to get their best shot. They're going to be hot, so we've got to be able to handle it.

On what it's like to play on Thanksgiving: It's going to be a big game. It's on national TV. It's on Thanksgiving. We might be one of the only college teams playing on Thanksgiving. A lot of people see this game, especially in state so it means a lot both teams.

On Texas A&M's Von Miller: He's one of their best players on defense. He's really aggressive. He stands up all the time. He never gets in a three-point stance. You have to understand, is he playing linebacker or is he playing end? It's confusing at times but you also know that he has the ability to make big plays for them. We've definitely got to be prepared and know where he is at all times. He's quick off the edge and a lot of times he'll drop back in coverage. So, a lot of times the tackle doesn't know if he's coming or not. He's tricky and you definitely have to know where he is.

C Chris Hall
On who he knows on the Texas A&M team: One of the guys that I played high school football with is on that team.  He is a good buddy of mine.  I plan on talking with him and having a good time with him after the game.  But probably until then, we will be focused on football, as will he.  It’s definitely a friendship that we will have to renew after the game.

On what stuck out at him the last time they played at Texas A&M:  What stuck out to me was them playing really well and beating us.  That was the last time I got to play A&M.  It is still really fresh in my mind.  They are a good program and a good football team. We’re going to have to bring our A game and I look forward to playing them on Thursday.

On the atmosphere and the rivalry:  It’s really one of the best in college football, and the 12th Man is still as effective as it’s ever been.  They’ve got a great crowd, great atmosphere; all of the traditions and the yell leaders are a great example of great college football.  The atmosphere at A&M is tops. 

On the crowd making it tougher to call out assignments:  I can hear my voice pretty good.  It does make it tougher on our guards and tackles.  We’ve talked about communicating up and down the line and relaying all of the calls this week, so communication is key.

On being able to enjoy the week leading up to the Texas-Texas A&M game:  It’s obviously a special rivalry week.  A&M only comes around once a year and all of the stuff that goes with it is fun, but it is extra and Thursday night will be the most important part.  That is what we are looking forward to.

On enjoying 6 a.m. practices:  A lot of us actually really enjoy it.  You get up, you knock out your most physically taxing stuff early in the morning when you’re fresh leaving the rest of your day to take care of schoolwork.

On almost being done with the season:  I’ve thought about that.  It came pretty fast.  I was in the locker room after the game and it kind of hit me that there will come a time when I won’t be able to do this anymore.  You know, celebrating with the guys, wearing burnt orange and all that.  So we want to make the most and we want to seize the opportunity, as Paul writes in Ephesians, cause there isn’t a whole lot left.

WR James Kirkendoll
On motivation for the A&M game:  I like going into away games.  I think it’s going to be a good game for us, it’s rivalry week, and we’re going to come out and prepare like every week.

On Kyle field being different than anywhere they’ve played:  Yeah, I played there a few times in high school.  It was good then, so I can’t imagine what it’ll be like now.  It will be my first time going.

On what it was like playing there in high school:  It was pretty loud.  From what I’ve heard from other teammates it will probably be the loudest atmosphere that I will be at, especially since it is a rivalry game, you know that they’re going to give us their best shot.

On what he’s been told to expect:  I’ve been told to expect the unexpected.  To keep your head on a swivel and bring your “A” game because they are going to bring their best shot.  It’s the biggest game of the year.

On being confident because of their road record:  To be a great team you have to win on the road and this is going to be a key game for us.  We have been taking them like we have been taking every other team, and we have just been practicing really hard this hard.  We will be prepared and are looking for a showdown.

On Texas A&M being on a team that can blow out a team one week and then play a really tough game the next: If you look at the Big 12, not just the south, but the north is like that every week.  College football is changing every year and whoever is the best that day is going to win.  So you’ve just got to come out, don’t take anybody lightly, and play your game.
OG Charlie Tanner

On the Texas A&M rivalry: It’s a lot of fun to play them, because I grew up around the rivalry; my grandpa was a professor at A&M and my brother went there for a year. My grandparents still live in College Station, and as a kid I would go up there on Thanksgiving. My grandma would prepare Thanksgiving meal while we watched the Texas-A&M game. It was a lot of fun to watch, and then when it was time to eat we would be like, “No, not yet we want to keep watching.” It’s been a lot of fun and I’m really exciting about it.

On preparation for the loud Texas A&M crowd:  Every player on the offensive line has to relay different calls from tackle to tackle and when it gets really loud that can be difficult. One thing we’re working on this week is echoing every single call so everyone’s on the same page every single play. As long as we practice that this week, we’ll be fine.

On pressures associated with the Texas A&M game: After this past game we said okay, let’s enjoy this for 10 minutes or two hours, but then we have to buckle down and get ready for A&M. We’re sitting at 11-0 right now and we need to be 12-0 next week; the only way to do that is to prepare just like we have every single other week, because you don’t get to this point in the season without a lot of hard work. We all realize that, and we’re going to go back to work this week.

On Texas A&M’s defense:  I’ve looked at some film, but I have a lot more to look at. They have some great defensive linemen. Von Miller, they’re defensive end has 16 sacks I believe right now, and man, he’s a beast. They also have some really good tackles, so it’s going to be a good challenge for us.

DE/LB Sergio Kindle
On if defense is having fun this year:  The whole team is having fun this year.  We are just taking it from the practice field to the game field, actually.  When you get a chance to make a great play on defense, everybody gets excited, and they try to do whatever they can for you to get in the end zone.

On practicing defense against Colt McCoy:  Well Colt, he is an athlete, but we get him sometimes, although he might not want to tell you that.  We go back and forth.  I think that is what makes us good for Saturday.

On creating turnovers: Our special teams and defense is a big part of the game.  It’s a game changer.  We just try to create turnovers and get our offense back on the field as soon as possible.

On getting excited when teammates make big plays: You’re going crazy for your teammates because those guys are your brothers. You’ve been through two-a-days with them, you wake up at 6 a.m. for team meetings with them, so you’re just excited to see them make a play and excited to get some points for the horns.

On where he has improved:  The maturity level. I’ve become a student of the game. We have changed tremendously.  We’ve made big strides from last year.  Our boys are just relaxing and making plays.

On how he feels he has improved since last year:  I always try to look at things I can improve on.  When we watch films on Sundays, I’ll be real critical on stuff I could have done better.  Overall, I think we had a good game, and we are looking forward for this week now.

On what he feels he could improve:  Just techniques, my arms are wide a little bit, just play a little faster, and help the defense out a little more.

On the defense’s strengths:  I just think we play with a lot of hard, aggressiveness. We fly to the ball, and I think that helps us a lot.  We do it in plays, and I think we do a good job of it during the game.

DE Sam Acho
On the tribute uniforms they’ll where: I actually have not seen them, but I have heard a lot about them. A lot of people have seen them and I think you can go online and see them I just never got a chance to look at it, it is going to be a surprise.

On getting excited for the game: It is a rivalry game you look at A&M they have got one of the top offenses. Honestly their team has been up and down, but they have a great offense and they will come to play every year. You look at it whether they are undefeated or they are 0-11, they are going to give their full effort. They treat it like a championship game and we have to do the same, otherwise we won’t like the results so that’s what really gets me excited for the game.

On the Texas A&M offense: Their quarterback really jumped out at me, and their running backs, they have two great running backs in the backfield. (QB) Jerrod Johnson is like an unbelievable athlete. He has a great arm, he can run and move in the pocket. The offensive line is good as well. You just look at it overall, when they are hitting on all cylinders it is a hard offense to stop. That is why we are going to try and go in there and try and slow them down before they get started.

On the atmosphere: It’s crazy. I played there my freshman year two years ago. They really do have that 12th man that they always talk about. That is one of the loudest stadiums I have ever played in and the fans really got into it. They are right there breathing down your neck. It is a crazy atmosphere for sure.

On playing on Thanksgiving: I remember earlier I was kind of complaining about it a little bit. I was like I don’t get to be with my family and really get to enjoy Thanksgiving, but if you really think about it, how may people get this opportunity to play on Thanksgiving? And there is going to be no other game on at that time and everyone is going to be watching. So it really is a great opportunity. No one really gets this opportunity besides us, A&M and the Cowboys obviously.

On spending Thanksgiving with his brother: It’s very nice. I remember two years ago when we went to go play there I was up at the dorms by myself. All the other students had already left. Only the players were there. A lot of the freshmen weren’t really traveling so it was me and maybe three or four other freshmen. I remember me, Blaine Irby, I think James Kirkendoll, were there, like four freshmen in the dorms. It seemed like we were the only four people on campus. It was kind of sad but this year is going to be a lot of fun because my brother is going to be there, family and friends are going to be at the game, I know a lot of my cousins are going to be at the game, and then I will be able to go home after. It will be good it will be a lot of fun.