When Hurst lit into teammates, his coach smiled
Published: 9/22/2011 1:39 PM
Last Modified: 9/22/2011 1:39 PM
This is how your worst play of a football game becomes your best omen:
Florida State tied the Oklahoma game with a 56-yard touchdown pass that could have been prevented. Maybe should have been prevented.
Wide receiver Rashard Greene caught Clint Trickett's pass because Jamell Fleming (in front of Greene) and Javon Harris (behind him) both missed chances to either knock it down or intercept it. Or knock down/intercept Greene.
So the Sooners reached the bench, and ABC cameras swooped in and caught the DBs under verbal fire. Not from Bob Stoops. Not from secondary coach Willie Martinez or defensive coordinator Brent Venables.
From one of the DBs. Cornerback Demontre Hurst.
"I pretty much just got fired up," Hurst said.
Pretty much? I swore they might sneak up behind him with a straitjacket.
"I kind of told the guys, 'We can't let this slip away from us,'" Hurst went on. "'Plays like that are unacceptable.' Just showing them my passion, letting them know we can't let things like that happen. I just wanted to put something in their ear. I hope it got to them."
It did.
The next time Florida State took the ball, Trickett couldn't find anybody open, held the ball a shade too long and was sacked by Ronnell Lewis. On the next play, Harris picked him off.
The next (and last) time the Seminoles had possession, Trickett threw three straight incompletions after Tony Jefferson's sack.
The game ended. The Sooners jogged into the locker room and started telling reporters things had changed this year. Now, in tough situations away from home, they'll do something about adversity, not let adversity do something to them.
In recent years, it was more likely for OU players to trudge to the bench, drop chins and surrender the moment to a homefield opponent emboldened by 80,000 delirious fans.
That did not happen in Tallahassee. And while the events on the field were more decisive than anything on the sideline, Hurst's outburst was worth noting.
Venables was asked about the scene Monday night after practice. Had he noticed?
"Yeah."
Didn't seem to bother him in the least. In fact, he grinned when he answered.
"He's invested," Venables said. "He's mad. That's what you want, guys policing themselves. No, that's OK. You're like, 'Thank you.'"
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
