DarthBear Reports from the Big 12 Media Days!

Let me start off by saying that, in all seriousness, I was incredibly honored, humbled, and excited to represent the Two Minute Drill (that's my college football podcast, go check it out***!!!) at the 2015 Big 12 Media Days. Let me also start off by saying, I really have no earthly idea how in the heck I got credentials. I applied out of the blue using ODB and the Two Minute Drill podcast as my resume. I also sent the Big 12 what some could consider a lengthy college essay for a resume. They decided to give me (and my co-podcast host John) a chance to prove ourselves, and I think we did a splendid job if I do say so myself. I was lucky enough to enjoy the first half of the day with THE Amy Pagitt, and we had a great time watching videos of Art Briles rapping.

I have interviews for your reading pleasure. Luckily enough, I grabbed every single BU representative for a 1 on 1 conversation (Andrew Billings, Shawn Oakman, Spencer Drango, and Corey Coleman), but I was unable to get to Briles. I'm only going to share the transcripts of the interviews I got with the BU players. I got to talk to people like Bill Snyder, BOB Stoops, Paul Rhoads (THE nicest man you could possibly talk to), Dante Barnett, Duke Thomas, Kliff Kingsbury, Wendell Smallwood, and that's just to name a few. If you'd like audio of those, you'll have to wait for the next Two Minute Drill to drop, which should be available for download between Wednesday and Friday.

I'll post a link of the podcast here in the post once it's out.

DT Andrew Billings

C: Obviously the fans can make a pretty good judgement, but what do YOU think makes this defensive line the best in the country?

A: Just the factors. You got me, Oak, Beau, KJ and Palmer. That's the factors that makes a huge difference. None of us are the biggest or strongest so it really all works together.

C: So I know you get asked about a lot, especially today, but I have to ask about that play you made against Kansas where you ran that receiver down for a solid 30-40 yards. What was going through your head when you made that play?

A: I was just running hard, thinking, Don't let him get to the end zone. Just like anybody else. I didn't know if I'd catch him or not, I just ran as fast as I could.

C: One thing I asked your teammates is about the bowl disappointments the last two seasons. Are games like that necessary for the structure of a national championship run, which you guys are pushing for this year?

A: I don't think we HAD to lose those games, I just think we did.

C: Well, is it helpful? Good experience?

A: In some ways, from what I know, because we did go through it, yeah. It's very helpful. We know how it is to be there, and we know how it is to lose it. We know how it is to give it up in the fourth.

C: I overheard someone ask Spencer this. Is it undefeated or bust for you guys this year?

A: It's undefeated. We have got to be undefeated.

C: If you were any color Skittle, what color Skittle would you be and why?

A: Green!

C: Favorite memory of McLane so far?

A: Going to the locker room, that was awesome.

C: Favorite tradition at Baylor?

A: We used to have a "BU" in the middle of the locker room [at Floyd Casey] and if you stepped on it you had to do push ups. That was a great tradition, right there. *chuckles*

OT Spencer Drango

*continuing question from previous interviewer about uniforms*

C: How do you feel about the Sailor Bear helmet floating around Twitter?

S: *nods, smiles*

C: Those are awesome! They need to make those.

S: They are! I so wish that that could happen.

C: You got one year in. What's your favorite memory so far of McLane Stadium?

S: Hoisting the Big 12 championship [trophy]. Getting up on the stage with some of our seniors and being able to lift that over our team's head as a whole was definitely something special that I won't ever forget.

C: What's your favorite part of gameday at McLane?

S: Running through the tunnel. Well, winning, obviously. That's always the goal and one of my favorite parts, but, uh, the tunnel. You know, we have a tradition with the Baylor Line. You get to run through those guys and they go crazy and there's a ton of people there, and the tunnel and the smoke and everything is awesome.

C: One thing Baylor received some heat for in years past is success on the road. You guys have obviously improved that. Is there a road game that you remember the most?

S: No, I think winning in a place we haven't ever won is always big. That's a goal for this year.

C: Do you think you guys have to experience games like the Cotton Bowl to happen in order to succeed?

S: I think you do. It just kind of... you know what you have to do for the next year. What you did last year wasn't good enough. So you know how you have to improve and how you have to get better.

C: There's guys like Emmanuel Ogbah (OSU DE) here. Is there a defensive lineman in the Big 12 you're good friends with that you anticipate going up against this season?

S: Actually, you know, I talk to them a little bit at the game, but haven't really known any of them growing up, you know. Besides Shawn. We talk every day at practice about how we can do better.

C: Favorite tradition at Baylor?

S: Probably Dr. Pepper Hour. Don't get to go to it much. Free Dr. Pepper floats for everybody so that's fun to go to.

C: Best Brilesism.

S: Brilesism. *chucklkes* Oh man. He's got a bunch. My favorite is probably... He doesn't really notice he says it, or he catches himself saying it, but "Without question". So, he says that a lot, which is pretty funny, but that's just him. He's a great coach.

C: What's his nickname for you?

S: He kinda changes them, he just kind of... usually whoever I'm playing. Something to do with him.

C: Last question: if you were a Skittle, what color Skittle would you be?

S: What color Skittle would I be? Green. There are green Skittles right? Yeah. I'd be a green Skittle.

DE Shawn Oakman

*previous interviewer*: If you had a superhero name, what would it be?

S: I like Groot. People have been calling me Groot from GOTG. So I'll take Groot.

*PI*: If there are Groot signs at McLane this season will you take a picture with it?

S: Oh yeah I'm gonna embrace it, each and every one of them. If somebody wants to take a picture, cheese!

Carter: Okay, so I'm bringing a Groot sign to the game, and I'm expecting that picture.

S: I'm with it.

C: I think what you've been through, with Penn State to now, you know, you said this year is do or die. If you guys win a national championship this year, that'd be a perfect ending to a great movie. If someone were to play you in a movie, who would it be?

S: Gotta be me. Has to.

C: Would [acting] be a side profession for you if football doesn't work out?

S: *laughs* No, no. I don't like the camera THAT much, but only one person could feel and express the pain I've been through.

C: If you and Billings were a TV/movie duo, who would you be?

S: We'd probably have to do, like, Survivor or something. Put us out in the wild and make us survive.

C: If you were stuck on an island for the rest of your life, and you had to take three teammates with you, who would they be and why?

S: Ooh. *laughs* I gotta be stuck out there?

C: Yep. You're stuck out there, you're done.

S: Ooh. Probably Laquan. Laquan.... Seth... I need one more? Mmm. I think LaQuan for the sheer size, Seth for the smarts... man... I don't got no doctors on the team. I need somebody that can do some stuff. I don't know who - Patrick Levels.

C: Do you have a favorite memory from McLane? (Oak didn't understand the question and his answer is from 2013. Silly dude.) What is your favorite tradition at Baylor?

S: Probably when KJ knocked out the kid from Oklahoma. That was pretty memorable. And the tunnel. Like, you got the tunnel, and then you've got the whole Baylor line right basically down the whole field. That's crazy to me.

C: I was at the SMU game and it was HYPE. It was loud. Especially now that you know how much louder McLane is than Floyd Casey - I see you smiling, you know - do you guys have to focus on and feed off the crowd and the noise or do you block it all out?

S: You gotta control yourself. I usually get so hype before a game that I burn out before the game even starts. So you always want to try to stay calm but it's so hard when you've got so many screaming fans, and you have the same expectations for yourself, it's just crazy.

C: Lastly, if you were any color Skittle, what color Skittle would you be and why?

S: Red. Red, yeah, everyone likes red.

C: Red are the best ones, I keep telling people! One guy said blue and I think those are gross, like the tropical ones.

S: *laughs* Kinda gross, yeah.

C: Thanks Shawn, best of luck this season.

WR Corey Coleman

C: You guys return so much receiver talent this year. Does the starting group have things to do off the field to keep each other competitive?

CC: Definitely. We're always competing with each other and trying to make each other better, especially me being the older receiver, just trying to make sure the younger guys know the standard.

C: Do you have a best friend on the receiving core?

CC: Uh, no, all of them. I mean, me and Jay Lee. He's a senior so we're close. That's my right hand man. And then also KD, who's like my little brother. He's my roommate. So he's my left hand man!

C: Which of the Four Horsemen or new incoming receivers are you most excited to watch improve this year?

CC: Ish Zamora and Chris Platt. I mean, pretty much all of them. They're all good men. They have really high standards and shoes to fill so they work each and every day to be the standard.

C: Favorite uniform combo?

CC: *smiles* All black and the icy white.

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*** The TMD currently has a volume issue where recent episodes have been quieter than normal. I know some of you ODB peeps have brought it up to me. I'm trying to get the audio fixed but for the time being, make sure you listen to it in a quiet environment because GarageBand isn't being nice to me! ***