“At the end of the day, we need to get better in a good way.”

The amount of ink and bytes spilt over college football media days is grossly disproportionate to the amount of actual news that they generate. Oklahoma’s appearance at the Big 12′s event on Monday didn’t break the mold.

Bob Stoops popped out plenty of his usual coach speak about “trying to get better at the end of the day.” Player representatives Landry Jones, Ben Habern and Demontre Hurst didn’t exactly set the world on fire either.

A couple observations from what little I paid attention to.

*Demontre Hurst’s commentary on the secondary’s attitude in the offseason should sound like music to Sooner fans’ ears.

Hurst mentioned feeling downright “embarrassed” by the secondary’s performance in losses to Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State. He also talked about the time that the defensive backs have put in during the summer together in the film room breaking down video of those games, along with tape of West Virginia and TCU, the Big 12′s newcomers this season.

If the secondary enters 2012 with a Mike Stoops-sized chip on its shoulder, take that as a good sign for the season.

*Although Jones has received plenty of criticism in the fallout from last season’s swoon, Stoops and I seem to be of like mind that in light of the play of his receivers, OU’s quarterback took way too much heat.

Jones hit on the issues created by receivers playing out of position, too, and he did so without coming off as though he was throwing anyone under the bus.

I really think it all speaks to the cold reality of college football that coaches understand and fans refuse to accept: With just 85 scholarships to fill out 22 starting positions and limited practice time, teams generally have to go “all-in” with a specific strategy. When you lose a key cog like ryan Broyles, it’s easy for the whole engine to fall apart.

*Jones really is such a tough cat to get a read on. He comes off incredibly easygoing in these kinds of settings, but his play on the field can suggest he’s more on the high-strung side.

*Obviously, the news about Dom Whaley being cleared for practice sounds good. I still have my doubts that he will be able to contribute much this season. That’s an awfully gruesome injury to just shake off like nothing happened.

Here’s hoping, though.

*Stoops dismissed the rumor circulating about Trey Franks’ return to the team as “not accurate whatsoever.” Makes you wonder where Nathan Hughes might have heard this, though.

Just got news that my boy Trey Franks is headed back to OU!! Ayyy!!

— Nathan Hughes (@Nate44Hughes) July 23, 2012

*Stoops’ eyebrows looked really weird, like he had shaved half of them off by accident or something. Maybe he was going for that Vanilla Ice stripes look.