Drake Stoops Interview 8-8-23

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Watch Oklahoma Sooners WR Drake Stoops meet the press after practice on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023.
Transcript
00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:06 >> First couple of days, first impressions?
00:09 >> Yeah, I mean, it's good to get back out here, get back out here with the guys and
00:12 start competing, especially getting back out here to rugby.
00:15 Dirty hard work in the dark, like Coach Reynolds likes to say, but
00:18 it's been a good solid start to camp and
00:20 it seems like we got good enthusiasm, good energy out here.
00:23 >> Can you tell how much farther along you guys are than when things kind of started
00:27 this time last year?
00:29 >> Yeah, I think just the whole team in general, being able to have a whole year
00:34 under some of the older guys, some of the older guys on the team having a whole year
00:38 under the system, defense and offense, both of them.
00:40 Last year was kind of fresh,
00:41 still only being there six months with spring ball and everything.
00:44 So now going into year two, I think everyone's playing a little faster,
00:47 has a better understanding of schemes and stuff like that,
00:48 which allows us to play more free and faster, like I said.
00:51 So I definitely feel like that definitely helps,
00:53 just getting some experience under your belt coming back here year two.
00:56 >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Yeah, I mean,
01:01 just like I said, being in year two, more routes in the winter after workouts,
01:06 more routes in the summer, all that, just being able to get experience with Dylan.
01:09 >> Have a full camp with him now, fall camp, and
01:13 what's that transition been like?
01:15 >> With Dylan?
01:16 >> With him and Coach Jones.
01:18 >> Yeah, I don't know.
01:20 Yeah, no, it's been great with Coach Jones, getting through the winter,
01:23 doing spring ball is great, getting a feel for the fundamentals and his drills and
01:27 the way he teaches and stuff like that.
01:29 And now going into summer, the fall camp, it's been great.
01:31 He's a real good coach.
01:33 He's a technician and he demands excellence and he pushes us hard,
01:37 which is good and we need that so we never get too comfortable.
01:39 But it's been great.
01:40 >> There's been a lot of talk about Gavin lately.
01:42 What have you seen from him this fall camp and
01:44 some of the things he's doing now, season after season?
01:47 >> Yeah, no, Gavin's just a baller.
01:49 I mean, he was balling last year as we all saw him explode on the scene in game one.
01:52 And then, yeah, just continuing to mature over the offseason,
01:54 getting bigger with Schmidty, continuing to push himself and conditioning,
01:57 make sure he's in great shape.
01:58 And he's just coming out here playing like he always does, playing his game,
02:02 speed up, making competitive catches, being a smart player.
02:05 And then I'm trying to teach him all I can as well.
02:07 And even I'm learning from him too, taking a piece of his game,
02:10 adding it to mine cuz you're never too old to keep playing.
02:12 So he's been great and I love watching him.
02:15 >> Are there any guys that maybe have surprised you so far?
02:18 Any guys that maybe you weren't talking to, that you're not playing on the scene?
02:22 >> I mean, I'm honestly just, I'm impressed with everybody, honestly.
02:25 I like watching, just in terms of wide outs, I like watching all the wide outs.
02:29 And learning from their game, taking pieces, like I said, like I take from Gavin.
02:33 I'll take stuff from outside receivers too, just trying to learn from everybody.
02:36 And I admire everyone's game in a way, because everyone has a unique skill set.
02:40 And so I wouldn't say anyone's standing out from everyone else that y'all
02:42 aren't talking about.
02:43 But I think everyone deserves to be watched,
02:46 cuz they're all very capable of making plays.
02:48 >> Seems to me a lot of it was about Pettaway.
02:50 What's maybe impressed you about him, especially coming in as a freshman?
02:53 >> Just being able to learn fast, being able to learn the scheme fast.
02:56 And just being coming in the summer only has like six months or so to learn.
03:00 So just being able to learn fast.
03:01 And then once he learns, being able to really use his speed and
03:04 his skill set to complement him and his route running.
03:07 And then yeah, just learning the plays.
03:09 He's been doing a great job.
03:11 >> Have you kind of embraced that role of being like one of the leaders on this team?
03:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]