Highlights From Bob Stoops' Weekly News Conference

Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops spoke with the media on Monday to talk about the Sooners' win over Texas Tech on Saturday and preview the upcoming game against Kansas. Here are a few highlights: 

Related: Joe Mixon Named Co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week

On the offensive performance against Texas Tech…

“Really elated with the way the offense played. I thought Baker was just sensational, not only just his accuracy, his deep balls, his decisions at the line of scrimmage, changing plays here and there, just really operated in a great, great way to have the consistency that we did. I thought Joe Mixon was also equally as incredible in the way he played, running the football, great catch, strength, power speed when he broke open and then route running. The first touchdown to be able to get past the linebacker. Great hands out in space, had a special night along with the other big plays. Dede Westbrook, again over 200 yards, a ton of big plays. Interesting our offensive coaches wanted to give the player of the game to the offensive line. So, all those guys up front with Alex Dalton and all the starters were really the players of the game with protection, run blocking, all of that really played well, and needed to because obviously, the defense was not nearly good enough in the way we played.”

On the third down defense…

“Big story of the game I thought there was third downs. Interestingly we play well enough to put them in 25 third downs and two fourth downs, but we weren’t able to convert on those. They converted 20 of them, and to me that’s the story of the game, not being able to come up with the play on third down to get off the field. We’ve got to do a better job, be more aggressive to complete plays.”

On the upcoming matchup against Kansas…

“Being here at home with KU, a team that is much improved. Coach Beaty and his staff have done a great, great job. Doesn’t look like the same team from a year ago by any means, and every game for the most part this year, they’ve been in it late in the game with an opportunity to win. You see it, excellent execution offensively and defensively they’re really playing well both sides of the ball, and again a much-improved football team, much different than what their record indicates.”

On the positives from the defensive performances against Texas Tech…

“The positive parts are, how tight we are in a lot of those occasions. I know we’re capable of finishing the play, sticking behind the guy, step in front, knock the ball down, intercept it, whatever it may be. In a lot of cases we’re in a lot of good positions but we’ve got to complete the play and I believe we can.”

On if the coaches have confidence in the OU defense…

“In the end, we’ll stick to what we can do and improve on and keep confident in our players, it’s your only choice. And I’ve seen these guys make plays before.”

On if it’s easier or harder to talk with his defensive coordinator, Mike Stoops, because he’s his brother…

“It’s neither, it’s business. You go over it and you study it. And again, it’s all of us too it isn’t just my brother and I, it’s also coach Cooks, Coach Thibodeaux, Coach Kish. Everybody in there didn’t complete a sack, ball caught between the two linebackers, ball caught on the secondary guy, it’s all of us together.”

On if Mike Stoops is safe because he’s your brother…

“That’s not true. It’s the same coordinator who led the league in every single defensive category a year ago and made it to the Final Four. We’re not running a new defense he didn’t bring in something different, it’s the same defense. So, if its worked before it’ll work again and I’ve got confidence in it. And I’m also apart of what we’re doing there.”

On receiver Nick Basquine…

“Nick continues to come on. Route running, sure handed catching. He really understands spacing as well, where to be, reading defenses. You can tell Baker has a lot of trust in him, so yeah, excited for Nick, he’s doing a good job.”

On KU coach David Beaty…

“David’s a great coach, a positive guy, I haven’t been around him a ton other than our meetings and things like that but he does a great job, great communicator, always very easy to be around.”