On OU replacing injured running back Adrian PetersonSherrill: "You don't replace Adrian Peterson. There's no way. He's one of a kind. I watched him play and watched him practice a bunch of times. He's really a true great back — that's on the field and on the practice field. When you lose someone who has that kind of ability of leadership, it takes away from the rest of the team.
Not only did they lose their leader, they lost the guy who would make the big play at any time.
"The problem Oklahoma is going to have is the defensive teams are going to put eight or nine guys in the box. They're saying, ‘If you beat us, you're going to beat us with (Paul) Thompson.' They are going to force Thompson to beat them. He has done a great job, but he does have some technique flaws."
Jones: "It's probably a safe assumption that the tailback position will not end up with as many carries as Peterson had because they're not featured backs. They'll still run the ball. Paul Thompson is playing miraculously well, I think, for what they're asking him to do. He won't have the benefit of having the best tailback in the country for play-action and to take some of the pressure off him with the running game, but those receivers are playing good. The offensive line seems like it has been getting better.
"Defensively, that unit has got to step up and be as dominant as what people had thought they would be going into the season — force turnovers, get sacks. I don't know if they are equipped to try to outscore everybody every week, and I don't think that will be the case.
That's what Thompson has not been faced with at this point, getting into a shootout or having to come back from digging themselves a big hole."
On OSU's homecoming game against Texas A&MJones: "I think they have a very, very legitimate chance to beat A&M this weekend. A&M is coming off two emotional wins. Sometimes the perception is that they're playing with a bunch of great athletes, but they're not in the caliber of Texas' players. I will be surprised if Oklahoma State does not beat them. Texas Tech picked on A&M's secondary, and I think Oklahoma State will do that. And A&M's front people defensively don't get off blocks very good or rush the passer very good. The linebackers are pretty good players, though."
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