UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA MEDIA CONFERENCE
November 15, 2014
OKLAHOMA – 42
TEXAS TECH – 30
Q. Cody, can you talk about just your approach to this game, the butterflies, any nervousness at all going in?
CODY THOMAS: I wasn't too nervous going into it. I stepped into a few games before, and I felt pretty confident going into it.
Of course, the first half didn't go like planned, but second half I leaned on my guys, and they did a great job responding. Just shows a lot about our team and our character. Our O‑line did a great job blocking for Samaje tonight, and he did a great job running the football.
Q. You made a commitment to run the ball the second half. Could you talk about that.
CODY THOMAS: I knew coming into the second half we were going to run the ball a little bit more. I told my O‑line, guys, we need to step it up here. We came out on fire in the second half. You could tell there was just a little bit more passion in it, and we weren't going to be stopped the second half.
Q. What did you see when you started making the zone reads and the bootlegs?
CODY THOMAS: That goes to our O‑line and the running backs. They're such a threat running the football, that they started flowing over the top and giving me some pull reads, which opened it up a lot more.
Q. How important was it not to get down after those interceptions and to keep your head up? And how much did your teammates help you?
CODY THOMAS: You're going to face adversity in every football game. Today we faced a lot in the first half. We turned the ball over a lot and just had to keep on pressing forward. Again, it goes back to our character and just persevere, and all those guys just having my back. They said, lean on us in the second half. We got you. They did a great job doing that.
Q. When you said you knew you were going to run the ball more in the second half, was that talked about in halftime?
CODY THOMAS: Yeah, we made a few adjustments at halftime.
Q. They were chanting your name in the locker room a couple minutes ago. What was that feeling like?
CODY THOMAS: That was great. That was before our prayer circle after the game. I couldn't be more blessed with the guys around me. They showed so much support to me, even when things weren't going well. I couldn't be more thankful for that?
Q. With a guy like Trevor too, how much did he help you in the game today?
CODY THOMAS: With a guy like Trevor, he's played a lot of football here already. I can't be more thankful for him. He's been so supportive this week. Just helping me get prepared, asking me what I need, anything, just trying to help me along. I'm just really blessed to have him in my life, and he's been a great friend to me.
Q. Was he pretty active today during the game with you?
CODY THOMAS: Yeah, definitely. After every drive, series, all that, he was coming up to me, talking to me about it, helping me through everything. Keeping my head level and helping me through everything.
Q. We hear so much talk about keeping quarterbacks healthy. How do you feel after running for over 100 yards like you did?
CODY THOMAS: I feel pretty good. Just a little bit of turf burns. That's just what comes with it, I guess. I'm feeling good. Just getting ready for next week.
Q. Did you think you would run as much as you did?
CODY THOMAS: Once we started pulling up some of the read game stuff, I knew I'd get a couple of opportunities to pull the ball just because our running backs are doing such a great job and we're such a threat on the run game.
Q. Were you surprised how much space you had when you went around the end?
CODY THOMAS: A little bit on some of them. You don't always expect it to work out like that, just so wide open. But I'm so glad it did.
Q. When some of your early throws were sailing high like that‑‑ I know you said you weren't nervous. Is that typically the case for a nervous quarterback?
CODY THOMAS: Typically. But every ball doesn't come out the way you want it to. I knew I had to make better decisions in the second half and trust the guys to do their job.
Q. 3 for 3 in the second half. When you're a first time quarterback, is that something you'd rather do, tap the brakes a little bit on passing so much?
CODY THOMAS: No, not at all. You just got to cut it loose out there and have fun. That's just the game. Again, my O‑line did a great job blocking for me.
Q. When you say how it felt‑‑ John asked you how it felt when they were chanting your name. How did that feel?
CODY THOMAS: That felt pretty good. Those guys are very close friends to me, and, again, they just show so much support. I couldn't be more thankful for that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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