Gerald 'The Real' McCoy
Published: 8/21/2008 5:21 PM
Last Modified: 8/21/2008 5:21 PM
If you want to get a finger on the pulse of the Oklahoma defense, talk to tackle Gerald McCoy.
McCoy is as humble and respectful a young man as I've come across in more than 25 years covering sports. But he also somehow finds a way to speak his mind. And what comes out of his mouth is usually the spot-on truth and not just some flamboyant opinion. An athlete speaking his or her mind doesn't mean they have to act like Terrell Owens or Usain Bolt.
An excerpt from a sit-down interview with McCoy following Thursday's practice:
Q: Your defensive line has gotten lots of accolades this preseason; does that group need to set the tone for the rest of the defense?
A: "Yeah, we have to. Defense wins championships, and it's won up front. If we're dominating up front, it's easy on the guys behind us. If we're getting the ball out quick, we're rushing the passer, he has to make a quick decision, he makes the wrong decision and our defense will be there waiting fort the pick, knock the ball down, three and out, whatever. Get off the field and let our offense do the work for us. We go out there and do our part up front, then it's easier for the guys behind us and we can work as a whole 11 on defense, and the offense comes out and does their thing.
"But (in practice) today we didn't show that. We didn't work as a whole 11. The front wasn't good enough, and then when the front was working, the 'backers weren't working, then when the front and the 'backers were working, the secondary wasn't working. So we never came together as a whole defense. I'm not feeling good about it. Nobody is, really, so we have to improve on that to get better.
"People have us ranked the top 1, 2 or 3 defensive lines in the country, and we can be that if we work to be that every day. We can't come out some days and be like, 'Oh, I'm tired, we practiced last night, I don't feel like doing it this morning, I'm going to take a few plays off.' No. We have to go hard, 100 percent, every play and get better."
– John E. Hoover
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
