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VALERO ALAMO BOWL: TEXAS v OREGON STATEDecember 27, 2012Brandin CooksDanny LangsdorfDan ConroyMarkus WheatonStorm WoodsSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Q. Can you talk about the week and how the preparation has gone? DANNY LANGSDORF: Yeah, we have had a very good week. We got here on Sunday, and we are able to get out of the rain a little bit up in Oregon, but we were hoping for a little bit warmer temperatures the last few days. But we've had great we've been out at University of the Incarnate Word, and they have got a nice facility. And we have had a lot of‑‑ you know, busy with the Bowl. But we have had I thought really spirited practices and we have been efficient, met in the morning, had some good work in the afternoon and then had some time for some Bowl he we have all felt this has been a really fun they have been‑‑ everybody associated with this deal has been more than hospital we have really all been appreciative of how we've been treated and taken care of. So I think speaking for everybody on, this but we have all felt that this is one of the best Bowls we've been at. I've really enjoyed our time up to this point and we are getting ready to win a game. Q. Danny, just talk about the decision to go with Cody, now that he's healthy and what you think he brings to the offense? DANNY LANGSDORF: He's had a great three weeks of we had a situation where we felt like all year, we got a few quarterbacks that can play and win the game for and really played the Nickel State Game, our last game of the year, pretty much evened up and we were going to basically trade quarters with the quarterbacks and kind of keep evaluating where we are. We felt Sean had a good game and Cody did, too, in that last game of the season, and then as we progressed through Bowl practices, we gave it a couple weeks where they were real evened up on the reps. We just felt Cody was playing bet we felt he was moving the ball and playing he, throwing the ball accurately. One of his strengths is getting rid of the he gets back and he plays at a fast pace and he's an accurate thrower and those things are important to us. So we decided to go with him. It's been a hard decision. It's been probably more difficult on the two kids. They have been kind of flip‑flopping back and forth. But I also think our team understands that there's two guys that can go out and win a game, and we just felt that this time of the year, how Cody has been playing, we felt he was the best guy to start this game. Q. When you first got the announcement you were going to start, how did you react to that and how has the week gone now that you're the No.1 snap? CODY VAS: I was really excited. Great venue like this, great opportunity for our team, playing against a great opponent in Texas. You know, I've just been trying to get better each day this week. Keep trying to improve, watch more film, and you know, they are a great defense. They got great athletes. So it will be a challenge for us, but if we go out there and execute, we'll be good. Q. Talk about protecting the ball, all quarterbacks say they can do it but you only have one pick all year. What do you attribute that to? CODY VAS: Just being as smart as possible really. Not trying to force anything. Taking check downs. There's nothing wrong with checking the ball down the back. That will be something that I'll have to do this Saturday. Q. When you look at game tape of Texas games, was there an opponent of Texas that kind of mirrors what you all like to do philosophically that you can use? DANNY LANGSDORF: You know, with this conference, there's a bunch of spread teams and we had to look long and hard to find some similar concepts, formations. There's some things Kansas State did that we felt were similar to us besides the emphasis of running the quarterback. But we thought that that was a pretty good game for us. There was a few things that Texas Tech did. We looked even all the way back to last year's Cal Bowl game, and you know, you get a whole season of film, you could almost overdo it on your breakdown. I believe we felt we have had enough time to prepare for this that we have been able to find some good concepts and formations that we can learn from and figure out how to attack. So it's been a challenge just from the way the teams are going to these spread formations and offenses, but usually we can find enough, spending enough time at it, you can find some good things. Q. Inaudible. DANNY LANGSDORF: Yeah, we are probably not going to do that in the game. If we have to get him out on the edge a few times, we'll go for it (laughing). Q. Cody, wonder if you can talk about how this season has been for you. You picked up and took the starting job after Sean got hurt, played very well and then you got the job, the starting job back. Talk about how this season has been, what you've had to live through as far as the whole discombobulation as far as knowing if you were starting or not. CODY VAS: It's been a great season for our team and a great ride. But you know, I just try to prepare each week like I'm going to be playing no matter who is the starter. That's something I've really tried to do this season. DANNY LANGSDORF: I might add one thing, too. He has a great attitude about this whole thing. Sean really went through the whole season last year as a starter and had that advantage going into fall camp. But this battle that we've been having, it's daily. Every rep that they take is important, and I think they know that. I think that the competition between the two has been good for our team. I believe you get their best every day. So you know, I think that we have all been appreciative of Cody's attitude, even when he has not been the starter, he's been very helpful. That thing was close as can be all through fall camp and we basically made a decision off of last year's experience.  When Cody got his chance, he did nothing but play well. And so I think we are all very excited, whoever is behind the center; and we have always felt like we have got a lot of confidence that both can get the job done. Q. Storm, how has this last week been for you, being from the area and being prepared for a Bowl game with family members around and stuff? STORM WOODS: It's been great.  This is my first Bowl game.  I got to see my mother, my grandmother and a few siblings of mine. And while that's been fun, I've just been trying to stay focused on the University of Texas.  I'm just looking for a win here.  A win over these guys would mean a lot for this program. Q. Since you've obviously had a great year; who is the next great Texas running back that's going to go to Oregon State? STORM WOODS:  I think we have one committed, I can't think of his name right now, but I've watched film on him and he's pretty good.  So I'm going to say it's going to be him. Q. Is Oregon State a little bit overlooked nationally? You guys came so close to ten wins already, but is the program kind of overlooked because of its location in the northwest and all of the publicity that Oregon gets? STORM WOODS: I wouldn't say we are overlooked, but I definitely think some people, they don't get to watch as many games and they don't know how good we really are.  I think we are one of the top teams out there in college football. Q. Brandin, can you talk about what Markus does well, give us a scouting report on him and then Markus, vice versa for Brandin. BRANDIN COOKS: You know, Markus plays pretty well and one thing he does great is use his speed a lot.  He goes out there and run around fast and things like that.  He knows how to use his speed on the field and those little things and he's really strong and powerful and he'll run through you and run around you.  That's his game. MARKUS WHEATON: Brandin is a great receiver, a lot of speed as most people know. I think he uses it very well, uses his hands well.  He's thrown a lot in the past year.  Last year, he wasn't nearly as impressive as this year and you can see the growth in his numbers. So I think his best asset is wanting to get better.  He's always focused, always trying, and even in classroom, he's a great receiver and he wants to get better. Q. The Texas defense, they had three defensive backs, can you just talk about those guys, what they do best there and the problems they present? BRANDIN COOKS: Well, they have got a great defensive back core and those guys can run around and they have got a lot of speed on the field and that's the difference. And this game, compared to other games we've had this year is really fast. And for that safety, yeah, he prides on hitting and we are excited for this matchup and to test our ability to match our speed with their speed. MARKUS WHEATON: I would say that they are probably the fastest group we will go against, we have gone against this year.  They use their hands well.  Very physical.  And the speed, the speed is what stands out when I watch film. Q. Talk about having weapons like Brandin and Markus and how they are able to help each other out because of the different things they do well. DANNY LANGSDORF: Like you said, they help the quarterback out, and I've said numerous times throughout the year, you get the ball in their hands and they can make a play any time.  Even a guy like Storm, too, we have great athletes on our offense, so it definitely makes my job a whole lot easier. Q. Just talk about your level of enthusiasm for this game, going to another part of the country, the hoopla and facing a team like Texas, kind of a name team in college football; how do you view this opportunity? MARKUS WHEATON: Very excited.  We actually grew up watching Texas.  I was a big fan of Texas, actually, when I was younger.  I lived in Dallas for a little bit when I was young, and I'm very excited about getting the opportunity to play them. As far as being excited about the game, the Bowl, you know, last year ‑‑ and we didn't go to the Bowl game the year before that, so we are very excited about the opportunity and how this year went. BRANDIN COOKS: Like Markus said, growing up watching Texas, you always want to play against those guys and at the time, my favorite team was SC and when those guys beat USC in the Rose Bowl, I wanted to get my opportunity to get those guys back.  And to be down here playing those guys, that's pretty special and a big program on a national stage is going to be a fun time. And the excitement of being out here in a Bowl game, it's all fun and games and then we'll all lock down and we know when it's time to focus and that's what we've been doing.   Q. Storm, have you had a chance to text message or talk to Alex Okafor? Any trash talk you want to throw out right now, get him going? DANNY LANGSDORF: We don't need to get him going at all.  (Laughter). STORM WOODS: I agree with Coach. We've been texting him, but you know, Alex is a humble guy.  He doesn't talk trash at all.  He just told me, he wished me the best of luck. I ran him into yesterday at Sea World (ph) and he gave me a hug and told me how much he's proud of me and how much I've grown since he's seen me the last time. I just wished him good luck in the game and that's about it. Q. Markus, senior leadership, what does it mean leaving the program in better shape? MARKUS WHEATON: It means everything, this game means everything, after coming off the last two seasons, we were all extremely disappointed and we didn't want it to happen again obviously. So our senior group, we got everybody together and we made sure that it didn't happen again.  So like I said, we are very excited about being here and we are excited about playing in this game. Q. What was it like for you today walking off the field knowing that this is your final practice as a Beaver? MARKUS WHEATON: To be honest, I didn't think much about it.  I'm still focused on the game.  I'm pretty sure that it will hit me on the way home or something like that. Q. Do you feel you're totally ready for the game? MARKUS WHEATON: Oh, yeah.  We obviously haven't played in a couple weeks, we've been studying for these guys for a long time but we're ready to play. Q. Up to the Civil War, you and Jordan both talked about what a disappointing loss that was because you wanted to take another step forward with this program.  If you can beat Texas, how big of a step will this be for the program? MARKUS WHEATON: Huge.  I'm not sure where we would finish if we did win, but I think the main point is just leaving it in a better spot than when we came in.  You know, feeling like we contributed in a major way to the program and to the school. Q. Brandin, talk about Cody, what you've seen from him this season, what you think he brings to the offense. BRANDIN COOKS: What stands out to me is his poise in the pocket.  He never gets rattled.  No matter what happens on the field, he never gets rattled.  Sean, also, great quarterback.  We are confident in both of them. He obviously didn't play last year and came in this year and didn't get rattled at all in that first BYU game and that's what stood out to me. MARKUS WHEATON: Cody is a special quarterback. He's real calm during the game.  Sometimes I get scared how calm he is. But he's gets poised in that pocket and he'll deliver the ball on the money, and his confidence I feel like is what brings him up and for him to be able to play so well. I always knew Cody from back home and knew how special of a quarterback he was.  To see him get an opportunity, I was real happy with that and I was real confident with him playing in the game. Q. You are from the Pac 12, what is your opinion about the Big12 offense, where the Big12 conference, where the offense is powerful and what are the main defensive style of offenses played in the Pac 12 and Big12? DANNY LANGSDORF: I think it's getting to be similar.  I haven't studied a bunch of Big12 offenses, just, you know, watching them on TV and we'll get a few games here and there.  But there's been some prolific offenses for sure.  I know Oklahoma State has had big numbers and Oklahoma has had a good run and Texas is always up there, too. So, you know, we are looking at what we are doing and what we are trying to accomplish.  We are a little different style being more of a pro system and using more two backs and probably not as much shotgun that you'll see from this conference. But you know, we have quite a few spread teams in our league.  We are becoming a little bit different than everybody, which I think has helped us.  We are the team that's harder to defend and harder to prepare for because of our personnel groups and formations. So I think that's to our advantage.  You know, I think teams are playing at a high level and fast‑paced and I think those are one way to play.  But we also led our conference in time of possession where we were in the top two and we are doing that at maybe a little bit of a slower pace. I think we are getting the same thing accomplished.  We are running a lot of plays.  I think that just boils down to execution rather than how fast you go.  If you go fast and you're punting a lot, then it's not going to be good. So we are going to try to sustain some more drives.  We are going to still have some big plays.  We are going to try to score fast and as many times as we can and we have had some games this year that we have been over 50 and up in the 70 range, and not really changing our tempo as much and our style. So I think it boils down to throwing completions and catching the ball and being able to run the ball and all of the things that we try to do that create big plays.  You know, so our style is going to be a little bit different than maybe this conference. You know, I haven't studied‑‑ like I said, I haven't studied it very much, but I know there's been some big numbers put out from some teams in this league. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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