Oklahoma Sooners College Football Pregame Quote, 12/22/2020

Just being a Fort Lauderdale guy, what’s it going to be like playing against some guys that went to your high school and probably also some guys you played against in high school coming up in this bowl game?

It’s going to be very fun. A couple of us are already going back and forth on the game, talking trash to each other. It’s definitely going to be fun, seeing how much those guys have evolved since high school and just how well they’re doing. It’s going to be good to see, and it’s going to be a fun match up.

Along the same lines there, being a Florida kid, did you grow up a Gator fan? Do you have any memories with the Gators or anything like that?

Yeah, I always grew up a Gator fan. I always wanted to go there since I was a kid. It was me and my dad’s dream school. But that was really in the past, and I’m an OU football player now. I’m excited to be here, and I’m excited for the opportunity to go against these guys.

Wondering about your kind of emergence as an elite pass rusher this year, the work that went into it, the technique you’ve been involved in, different hand techniques and your repertoire of pass rush moves and how much not just your work went into it but also Jamar Cain, what it was like working for him this year?

It was really good. Coach [Jamar] Cain, since day one, you know, I’ve told you guys a million times, he’s come in and made a huge impact on our group. He’s taught us the fundamentals on certain things and trying to get us better at our craft. We’ve had different guys in our position room, like Perk (Ronnie Perkins) and Jon [Michael Terry] always trying to push me and get me better at my craft, along with themselves as well. It’s just been a collective effort from everybody.

Along the lines of some of the stuff you were talking about, about being from Florida, I wanted to ask you about another guy from your past, George Smith. How big of an impact did he have on you during your time there at high school and since?

Now, Coach [George] Smith is probably one of the greatest people you’ll ever meet. Personally, I had some battles in high school that I would go through, and I know he was always there for me, to talk to me. I knew I could talk to him about anything, go to him about anything. He’s probably just one of the greatest human beings you’ll ever meet.

Obviously, his time as a coach and AD, it was really good for him. But just as a person, he’s probably one of the best people you’ll ever meet.

You guys are headed back next week to play back in Arlington at Jerry World (AT&T Stadium). It’s become your home away from home. What do you guys like about playing down there? What’s your comfort level playing there? And how unique of a stadium is it?

It’s a very unique stadium. We always appreciate the opportunity to play there because we know it’s not a given. We all have to work every year to get to that stage. And we’re just all very appreciative when we do get there. We just try to make the most of those moments in there because it doesn’t come very often where you get to play in a stadium like that. So we just try to make the most of the opportunities that we get.

You were obviously vocal about some of the things with the All Big 12 team. And I’m curious, you were named First Team All American by “Pro Football Focus” yesterday. How satisfying has it been that you are starting to get some of that recognition? And has that given you a different confidence as a player on the football field?

I wouldn’t say confidence. I felt like definitely the Big 12 thing motivated me along with my teammates as well. But those things are just good to see because it’s just showing that the hard work that you went through in the summer during quarantine, all that paid off. So I’m just happy to see myself, along with a lot of other guys on my team, get rewarded for their hard work and what they’ve done on the field.

You being an out of state guy, I’m curious, with these days off that you guys are getting for the holidays, do you plan to go home? What was sort of your reaction when you heard that you guys were getting some time off?

Originally I didn’t want to go home because it was like only, like, three days, but my mom didn’t really give me much of a choice. So I’m definitely heading home now. But that was really it for that part of it.

We know how fierce a player Isaiah Thomas is on the field. What’s his demeanor like off the field? Is it in any way similar? And what can you say about him just being patient and waiting for the opportunity to play through his first two years after his first two years?

Yeah, as far as I.T. (Isaiah Thomas) off the field, nothing like how he is on the field. On the field, he’s really engaged. He puts his heart on his sleeves, plays with his all. You see a lot of raw emotion when he makes plays. Like I.T. off the field, he’s always cracking jokes, always got a smile on his face, trying to make everybody laugh. It’s totally opposite when he’s on and off the field.

As far as his story, it’s just really crazy. He obviously didn’t get that many snaps the previous years before. This year, just to see what he’s doing, one of the top guys in the country in sacks and TFLs. It truly is incredible what he’s doing. All of us here are proud of him and what he’s doing. We knew eventually his time would come. So we’re really proud of I.T.

I asked you a question earlier in the year about just your impact and if you can be a guy that goes out and wins a game at the end. Seems like you’ve proven that this year. What steps do you want to keep taking? Is it just in the areas of pass rush? Obviously, everybody has seen your speed this year. What areas do you want to see yourself continue to improve over these coming weeks before the bowl game, in the off season, whatever it may be?

I just want to be a more complete player. I feel like I still have a lot to do when it comes to pass rushing and being a factor in the run game and just really getting stronger and just having more knowledge on the football field, just being more aware of everybody’s job and how I can make an impact in certain plays. And just being more of a force, I feel like. I feel like that’s where I really have to improve at.

Not sure how much it maybe sticks with you personally now, but coming off of that LSU loss, I’m sure that had to not be something great to go through the off season with it on your chest. As you kind of get into the season, were there any lessons that you took away from that game that you maybe have applied as far as defense and maybe personally as far as, We don’t want to go back to that state where LSU, all time offense as it was? But what do you take away from that type of game and how has it maybe shaped your defense?

I feel like there’s still a notion that we don’t have a lot of respect as a defense when playing against those type of teams. So going against Florida, it’s a great opportunity. They have a great offense, great team in general. And we just see there’s a huge opportunity in front of us to prove ourselves as a defense and show we belong with one of the best in the nation. I feel like we’re ready to take on that challenge, and we’re ready to play a great team in Florida.

I can’t not follow up on you saying your mom forced you to come home. I know that this has been a really tough season for everyone. But just to have some family time, is that I mean, I have to think it’s been a pretty mental strain a pretty big mental strain on you guys. Do you think that this is a chance for you, for other guys, to kind of maybe take a little bit of a deep breath?

Oh, yeah. We’ve been going hard at it for a couple of months now straight. And Coach [Lincoln] Riley has blessed us with going back home and getting away and spending a couple of days with our family. It’s really appreciative, especially for me, a guy that’s coming from really far, just getting to spend a couple days with my family. I’m really appreciative of the opportunity, and I’m definitely going to take advantage of being home.

We hear all the time from quarterbacks and receivers and running backs about their biggest influence is watching NFL games. What about pass rushers? Who were some of yours as a kid growing up? Who did you emulate? And what kind of, I guess, talents or moves did you try to take and apply to your games?

A couple of guys I watch now, obviously one of the best in the game right now is Von Miller, just the way he can rush the passer. As far as I feel like the way I can implement my game in the NFL today, I watch a lot of Haason Reddick, just because of how versatile he is, whether it’s going in coverage, having to cover backs, having to rush the passer, stuff along those lines. I feel like I relate to his game a lot when it comes to that, and I just watch a lot of him.

Obviously, you come from a really storied high school program at St. Thomas Aquinas. Do you think just having experienced that winning culture in high school, did that help draw you to OU and seeing the similar culture? Is that kind of something that factored into your decision at all?

Oh, yeah. The championship pedigree here definitely played a huge part. In high school, I was used to winning in the state championships a lot. I was used to winning a lot. And what OU had to offer, it’s nothing like it. It really is a 1%er. Not many teams in the country get to win six in a row. So just having to be part of a winning tradition like that, I honestly could not pass up on it.

I wanted to follow up on something that you said about the your defense not getting enough respect. And I would assume that might be how a lot of Big 12 defenses feel. Why do you think that nationally the Big 12, as good of a defense as the conference has been playing over the past two years, why do you think that hasn’t maybe reached the national level quite yet?

I just feel like it hasn’t reached the national level because I feel like I’m trying to put it the way I don’t know. I guess we just have to prove it against these other teams, these other high powered offenses and on a national stage. And then hopefully people around the country, they’ll see that the Big 12 isn’t the same Big 12.

We have a lot of great defenses in this conference. And these last couple of years I feel like we’ve definitely stepped it up on the defensive side of the ball. So like I said, this will just be a great opportunity for the country to see that and a great opportunity to play a great team in Florida.

I would imagine it would be frustrating, though, right?

Yes, sir.

Is it too soon to ask about Florida? We’re not getting a whole lot of Florida offense questions. You know what I’m mean? They’re number one passing game in the country, a Heisman contender, all that kind of stuff. What can you tell us about the Gators?

They have a great quarterback. He’s really good at finding his receivers, making plays, all that type of stuff. Like you said, he’s a Heisman contender. And they have a lot of great players on the skill position. [Trevon] Grimes, I went to high school with him. I know what he can bring to the table. They have another couple guys at the skill position that can make plays, and they’re just really good all around on the offensive side of the ball. We have a huge challenge in front of us. We’ve just got to prepare and be ready on the 30th.