Bob Stoops limiting player availability to media after backup QB's 'basic' comments
Media and fans will feel the repercussions from quarterback Austin Kendall’s comments about Ohio State’s defense.
Kendall, Oklahoma’s freshman backup quarterback, said last week that Ohio State’s defense was “basic” and that he expected Baker Mayfield to “light them up.” As you know, Oklahoma was blown out by Ohio State on Saturday, dropping the Sooners to 1-2.
OU coach Bob Stoops said Monday that Kendall should never have made the comments he did, and as a result, media access to players will be restricted.
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“I don’t know what he could have been watching, to be quite honest with you,” Stoops said via SoonerScoop.com. “He must not have watched any tape if he had that to say. There’s no place for it and sadly, for you guys, there will be a bunch of guys not available anymore. Because we can’t trust them. That’s just how it will be.”
Ohio State’s defense certainly noted Kendall’s comments. Members of the team displayed this sign after the 45-24 win.
And we're done here. pic.twitter.com/q15EY1gAKk
— Eddie Radosevich (@Eddie_Rado) September 18, 2016
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Coaches love to use quotes from opposing players as motivation for their players; there’s no doubt that OSU’s coaches did that with Kendall’s comments. Though as we said before, you can’t fault a kid for having confidence in his team, even if he could have framed his thoughts a bit better.
It’s also very likely that if Oklahoma had won the game by 21 points that Stoops wouldn’t be taking the steps he is now. Though it’s worth noting that traditional media had nothing to do with Kendall’s comments. From Sooner Scoop:
The comments were made on Sooner Sports TV’s Sooner Spotlight, a pre-produced and edited show by the University of Oklahoma athletic department’s own in-house media organization – a fact Stoops called “ironic.”
It’s like poisoning your own chocolate, eating it, and then limiting Halloween to bland Smartie’s for everybody just because you got sick.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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