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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 31, 2011

Fozzy Whittaker

Q. You seem like a guy that always loved Halloween. Did you have a favorite costume?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: Favorite costume? I don't really have a favorite. I can tell you I was Raiden one year off Mortal Kombat, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. So I guess I liked that costume.

Q. 400-some yards rushing by your running backs. I guess you're looking for 500 this weekend, huh?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I won't tell you the particular number that we're looking for. I just feel like just running the ball effectively, getting us in manageable down and distance to be able to convert on 3rd downs is our main goal and what we look forward to doing.

Q. I know you've kind of mentored Malcolm and DJ. How much pride for you was there after what they did last weekend?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I felt like a proud father, I guess, just seeing the way they ran the ball, the type of hardened determination they threw at each run and not just letting one player bring them down and extending the run as much as possible. It kind of felt great, just seeing that I was a part of that is always beneficial. I can't really take the credit for it just because those guys do what they do best, and that's just run the ball.

Q. You have a new running back there, too, Marquise?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: He did have a few runs. There was one of them where he slipped up where he should have scored, but I think he might have had a little jet lag or something of that nature. Marquise, those sweeper type guys, Jackson, DJ, those guys always are beneficial in the run game. It helps really keep the inside run game open just because if you have those guys on the perimeter the defense has to worry about, it kind of creates more opportunities for the defense to split and hit them right up the middle with one.

Q. Can you talk about the difference when you get in a wild formation and you're able to run the ball where it eliminates the ball exchange, and still, even if the defense kind of expects it, you've had a lot of success with it. What are you kind of looking for there?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: It's kind of weird to say just because it's not anything in particular that we're doing different. The only -- I guess the biggest difference that's in the wild is of course I'm getting a direct snap. But we have a little bit of misdirection with the sweeper coming across and sometimes I'll hand it to the sweeper and other times I'll keep it.
But as far as the play calling and the plays that we're running, it's the exact same thing as if I were in the eye, except I'm receiving it directly from the center. Same type of play, just a little bit of misdirection. It's kind of odd whenever people discuss it as if it's something totally different. But offensively in our minds it's the same plays we've been running.

Q. Talk about scoring early on that opening drive for the first time in a long time. Talk about how that sets the tone for the game.
FOZZY WHITTAKER: You know, our goals are always to go out there on the first drive and make a statement, and you know, start it off right. By doing that, it just shows that everybody is on the same page and we're ready and firing on all cylinders. Whenever you look, I know from a perspective of a defensive guy, whenever their offense -- if another team's offense goes down and scores, it kind of puts pressure on us, and so I feel like if we were able to put the pressure on them, we're a better football team in the end.

Q. How have you seen David change the last couple weeks, taking the majority of the snaps?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I feel like he's matured. Each game you can see he's getting better and better, especially at decision making. He's one of those guys, still young, freshman, you know, he's just one that has been coming along each week, showing the character and leadership that he has, and I feel like he's still growing and he has a lot of potential.

Q. Kansas wasn't a great team. How much confidence do y'all take from that win and how do you balance it?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: You know, we have the 24-hour rule, whether it's a win or lose after each game. We always -- that Sunday, which was yesterday, we always make sure we go over what we did good and what we did bad, correct the mistakes that we did, try to eliminate them, and then today is our day that we move on and focus on Texas Tech.

Q. Do you feel confident about what you did? How do you use that going into this weekend?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I mean, we feel very confident, but in the end we still had mistakes that we need to correct, a couple of busts, a couple of errors. We want to make sure that we're more efficient in the red zone, and a couple of times we got down there, had a turnover and we weren't able to convert on 4th and goal.
You know, we always appreciate a win as they're hard to come by. You don't ever want to overlook it. But at the same time we understand that we need to get better, and there are things that we can get better at.

Q. Is the Tech defense down this year?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I don't think they're down. I think they have a great defense. The Tech team that played Iowa State I feel like they're one that might have just been off, but we know that's not the team we're going to face this coming up weekend. We have to be ready for everything that they're going to provide and try to do to disrupt our offense.

Q. It looks like from talking about Mason Walters, guys say he's the meanest, nastiest guy on that line. Would you agree?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I do agree. Mase, he's just one hit mentality is what makes him the meanest. Every play, every snap in practice in the game, even when we're not even doing competition, you can just tell the type of demeanor and type of person he is. He's always trying to get after it no matter what it is. Having him up there being a leader on the offensive line affects other guys around him, and whenever you have that type of power it makes the whole offense better.

Q. Everybody talks about which Tech team they're going to see this week. Which Texas team are we going to see this week?
FOZZY WHITTAKER: I feel like we're going to be the team that we just have to be consistent. Coach Harsin always talks about being able to run the ball effectively, rushing for 200, and then the run game will in the end open up the pass game. I feel like we'll stay balanced and continue what we've been doing the last couple weeks. Taking care of the ball is the biggest issue for us, make sure we don't commit any turnovers and control the clock.

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