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

Tre, second straight game you guys are going to be down in Arlington (Texas). It’s become your home away from home. How much do you guys enjoy playing down there? What do you like about it, and what makes it such a unique experience to play in?

We enjoy it a lot with the Big 12 being down there every year. With us, I mean, have an opportunity to play in that game for consecutive years is something we just enjoy. The main thing is just the environment.

As one of the best stadiums in the NFL, being able to play in it as a college team is something that you love to experience and love to have the opportunity for. So just being able to go back there again to close out this season is something that’s exciting. And just being able to be back on that field and back in that environment is something exciting that we’re all looking forward to.

I want to ask about Tre Brown, opting out, taking his first steps in the NFL process. It’s going to be your first game without him. We always talked about the two Tre’s. You came in together. You actually broke in together in that Oklahoma State game. What’s that going to be like not having him on the other side there?

I’m definitely going to miss him. But for me, like I said, as you just mentioned, we came in together. Me and him are very close. Especially throughout these four years, we’ve grown closer. Just our bond together is great.

So all in all, I’m just very happy for him, very excited for him. That’s a lifelong dream as a college athlete, is to take that step to the next level. The opportunity has presented itself to him. Like I said, I’m just excited and happy for him.

Of course I’m going to miss him. Wish he was out there to finish out this last game. Most importantly, I’m excited and happy for him. He deserves it all. All the perseverance and everything that he’s had to go through these four years here, he deserves it all. Like I said, I’m happy for him, excited to see where the future takes him.

Tre, it seems like you’ve been in the right place at the right time a lot this year, as far as interceptions, things like that. How has that developed for you this season, and did any of that come from some of the things that you learned during your time away with injury?

I think it definitely does. This last year being able to become more of a student of the game, just not physically being able to be out there with my teammates but making sure that every meeting that I stayed out in.

Props to our coaches and my teammates as well. We just like I said, we pride ourselves playing for the bottom line and as our defense. And it’s just something that make sure I get lined up, get the call, and just trust my technique and trust my rules. I’ll always tell myself if I do my job within the defense, that the plays will come and opportunities will present themselves. And when opportunities present themselves, I just have to capitalize on them. That’s been the main thing I’ve been priding myself on, just doing my job within the defense and when the opportunities present themselves, just making the most out of them.

Tre, I remember last year seeing you out there just at practices, walking around, not back yet. To have to kind of watch that secondary go through what they went through a year ago, to having a similar opportunity this year against Florida, what would it kind of mean to the team to show that you lose Tre [Brown] but you’ve got some young guys in D.J. [Graham] and Woodi [Washington] that are playing good. What would it mean to show where the secondary has come this year?

It means a lot. We have grown the two years and most importantly, not just us individually on the backend but our defense as a whole, we’ve just grown so much.

Of course, we’re going to miss Tre a lot. But like I said, we have, as you just mentioned, Woodi and D.J. and those guys. It presents them with an opportunity, which I know they’re all ready for. It’s going to be fun and exciting when you’re playing against a great Florida team. We’re just going to make sure that we play to our standard, play to our bottom line. Just go out there and just let loose next Wednesday.

Tre, a little bit of a follow up on what Ryan asked a little bit ago about your development. To me, since you’ve been playing since 2017, you’re one of the more football savvy players in the secondary. It seems like your coverage is usually pretty tight.

For example, I’m not even sure what coverage you’re playing on the interception you had on that play that you found yourself in the right spot to make that big play in the Big 12 title game. Is that something you’ve always had, that football savviness, mentality, if you will? Or is it something you can be taught? Also, going against a Florida team, how fun is it to play against teams like that being a player in the secondary?

Answer the question about Florida first, it’s going to be very fun. I mean, as a DB, you have to love that a team that throws the ball, like you said, throws it a lot, that’s going to present ourselves with more opportunities on the back end to make those plays, the pass breakups. Most importantly, the ones that we love are the interceptions.

And just answer to your first question, it’s something that it comes from film study and just, like I said, trusting my job, doing my job. And then at the end of the day, just playing ball and being hungry to make plays. That’s something that I’ve prided myself on throughout my playing career.

I think playing offense in high school, that helps out a lot, too. Having a knack for the ball and just always wanting to be around the ball. But the main thing is just doing my job, trusting the call, trusting the technique. Like I said, when opportunity presents itself, I try to make the most out of each and every one that I get.

Tre, just with the way that you guys were able to play in the secondary in the Big 12 championship game, I asked Lincoln [Riley] and Alex [Grinch], whenever they say turnovers equal takeaways equal victories, it seems like something simple. Maybe not the mindset culture or this and that. It’s worked out for you the last five games, 11 takeaways. What has been the biggest cause of that. Is it the bottom line you talk about, or is there something else that goes into that?

I think you just hit it on the head. That’s the main thing that contributes to that, is the bottom line, which is striving to the ball, playing together, outphysicalling our opponent.

The last point is takeaways equals victories. To equal those takeaways, we have to get lined up, get the calls and fly to the ball. All 11 players on the defense have to be eager to make a play.

Everybody playing hard to the ball, that results in opportunities for the offense. I mean, creating mistakes, getting pressure on their D line, getting pressure on them, forcing the quarterback to make bad decisions, Mess up the timing within the quarterback and receiver.

I think it all ties in together but all comes back to the bottom line. Without turning to the ball and the rest of those bullet points on the bottom line, I feel like we wouldn’t make those plays that we’ve been making.

Tre, Oklahoma last year got a chance to show kind of how much the defense under Alex Grinch had grown against the best offense in the SEC. And, obviously, that didn’t go well for various circumstances. Delarrin [Turner Yell] was out. You were out all season.

But you guys get a chance to show that again this year, in a bowl game. Best offense in the SEC, Heisman contending quarterback. What would you say is different about this year’s game than what you faced last year, from your perspective? Not necessarily Florida or LSU but from your perspective.

I feel like from last year to this year, we’ve grown as a defense. I feel like we’ve all just bought in. From the first guy to the last guy on the defense, we’ve all just bought in to playing to our standard.

No matter who we go against and whatever circumstances is, whatever the situation is, we’re always going to make sure we play our game and to the bottom line. I feel like that’s the main thing.

You can tell all 11 guys that are on the field, whenever we’re playing the game, they’re all bought in to playing to the bottom line. I feel like that’s the biggest thing, is the mindset, mentality, and the want to each and every snap to go out there. Striving to the ball, play hard, make those plays, and make those plays present themselves.

Tre, I’m just curious with Tre Brown unavailable for this game, obviously you’ve had experience in the past playing corner. I know you have got Woodi [Washington] and D.J. [Graham] and J.D. (Jaden Davis) perfectly capable of playing with Tre being out. I’m curious if you have any thoughts or if Coach [Alex] Grinch or Coach [Roy ] Manning has talked to you about maybe playing a little bit at corner upcoming in this game?

It hasn’t been discussed yet. I mean, if they ask me, I’m always open to it. I’m always a “do what’s best for the team” kind of guy and for this defense. It hasn’t come up yet. They haven’t asked me. Haven’t heard anything about it. If that comes up, I’m always willing and open to do that and go out there and play hard and play to that standard, play to the bottom line for this team and for the defense.

Tre, I’m just curious what was your respect level for Xavier Hutchinson going out of that game? And how much did going against a receiver like that help you with some of the run after catch possibilities you’re going to face against Florida?

My respect for him and the Iowa State team as a whole, just going into that game, was high. I mean, but he came out. He had a really good game, you know what I mean? It was kind of quiet, but he had a really good game.

Iowa State, they always have some great receivers, great tight ends, as we all know. So my respect for each and every one of those players, especially the receiving core, the tight ends, it’s high. They came out and competed and played good.

So, Tre, we asked a couple of offensive guys about the national championship potential on this roster for next year. Just wanted to get what you thought about that as well, looking ahead to next year. Because you saw, obviously, what a national championship team looks like in the playoffs the last couple of years.

Right.

How close are you guys?

I feel like we’re very close. Our main focus is closing out this last game, I main finishing out strong versus Florida.

But I’m very excited because you can just see, as a player the growth that we’ve grown as a team, as a whole, all three units, offense, defense, and special teams from Game 1 to now has been tremendous. And I feel like we’re still climbing and going to continue to just elevate and climb and get better. So I feel like the ceiling is still very high, and I’m very excited to see.‚ÄÉ

Yeah, Tre, I asked Ronnie [Perkins] the same question. Whenever you’re watching the college football rankings show on Sunday, the weeks prior, some of these national guys are really touting your guys’ defense now, which has not been the case in the past. And I know it’s been frustrating to you guys. But do you sense that? Do you sense there’s a change in terms of how you guys are talked about as a whole? And how much pride do you have being a guy that’s been here through this whole thing, from 2017 to now to kind of see the transformation of how this thing has become?

I feel like there’s a change, and I feel like we’ve been working hard, especially these past few years to kind of gain, I mean, gain that respect. Especially as we all know on the defensive side of the ball. But then just as a team as a whole, like I was just saying, we’ve just grown so much from the beginning of the season to now.

I take a lot of pride in it. Like I said, from being here my freshman year to now, just seeing the growth, especially with me being on the defensive side of the ball. The growth from my freshman year to now has just been tremendous.

Like I said, it’s very exciting each and every year because I know, like I said, it’s only going to get better. Like I said, I’m excited to see what the future holds with this team and this defense. Like I said, as of right now, we want to finish out the season strong versus Florida. So I definitely take a lot of pride in that. And I’m happy, excited and eager to continue to climb and get better.