STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy and selected members of the Cowboy team visited with members of the media at Boone Pickens Stadium Monday to recap last week’s game at Texas A&M and to preview this week’s Homecoming game against Missouri. Here are some of the highlights of what they said:
“The A&M game was a good win for us. The defense made plays in crucial situations and the offense made plays at big times in third-and-long situations. There were players on both sides of the ball that made plays that nobody would have expected prior to the season. The same thing with special teams, I thought Perrish Cox was a huge lift for us in the return game. All three phases contributed to a good win.”
On getting on the field for the Homecoming game
“We’re looking forward to this week, it’s a great week for us with the largest Homecoming in the country. I’m guessing there will be 25 to 30,000 people here Friday night and Saturday. It’s an opportunity for the Oklahoma State people to get back together in a friendly environment.
On Missouri
“They’re a very good football team. This will be a great challenge for us in all phases. Missouri moves the ball offensively, their system hasn’t changed much. Their quarterback is making plays; obviously he’s much bigger size-wise than Chase Daniel was. They are using the same system. They’ve got two receivers and those guys are making plays for them. They spread the ball out. Defensively, they tackle very well. There are some new guys up front compared to what they had last year. Some of their younger players, in our opinion, have developed and are good football players up front. Obviously, Sean Weatherspoon is a really, really good football player. He’s one of the best we’ve seen in years. This will be a great challenge for us.”
On Beau Johnson and Keith Toston’s efforts last week
“Beau and Keith did a great job for us. I don’t mention those guys a lot because they are veteran players and we expect that from them. They really stepped up and got some tough yards for us. As we talked about after the game, the yards after contact were really good. They picked up the blitz very well. We were concerned going into that game with the blitz and the way Von Miller had put pressure on other teams and created opportunities for sacks. Those guys did a nice job of picking up the blitz.”
On the way defenses are adapting to the spread offense
“Five years ago, we talked about zone blitzes, running defenses and three years ago we talked about offenses spreading people out and getting into space and they had the advantage. I think now, defenses are back to catching up. We’re turning full circle again. I think defenses are playing smarter with some of the inside stunts and twists and disguising of coverage. In my opinion, defenses are now starting to play a little catch-up. I don’t necessarily relate that to Missouri or A&M, it’s just all across the country.”
On keeping players focused with late game time
“All we can do is back everything up one hour. That’s all you can do. That discussion comes up all the time. The easiest thing to do is carry on like we would every other week, but back everything up on hour on Saturday.”
On more receivers getting involved in the absence of Dez Bryant
“We’ve got a number of guys that can step up and make some plays. They’ve made some catches at crucial times. They are a long way from arriving. They’ve got a long way ahead of them and a lot of work to do. We’re very encouraged with their effort.”
On the team’s effort
“In all three phases we got good effort. Each Monday, as a staff, we talk about players that are on our team that we think are not giving us effort. It has nothing do with their physical ability. That number is very, very small. Anytime that number is down, it makes us feel like as coaches we are doing our job, because we are getting the most out of our players and we think it is good for team character.”
On third down catches against Texas A&M “I think we’re just glad that the coaches and the team had confidence in us that they can throw us the ball and give us that opportunity to make plays. We all knew we could do it, it was just them letting us have a chance to do it.”
On how the team will play if Dez Bryant doesn’t return “I think we’ll do well. We’re all good players and we’re all good athletes. Obviously, you’re losing a big part of our team, but it’s just like an injury. If he was hurt, that’s the way the cards are dealt and you’ve just got to go on and try your best.”
DL Swanson Miller On who has helped the team grow closer “I wouldn’t say just one person. I would say that all the seniors took it upon themselves to make sure that we play together and don’t let anything come between us. We’re just staying as one and playing as a unified defense and offense and as a team.”
On if the Cowboys can draw off last year’s win against Missouri “Last year is last year and this year is this year. I think we’ll approach this game as we approached this season as a new season. This will be a new game, so we’ll have to go out there, be prepared and don’t take anybody lightly and just come out ready to play.”
On Missouri’s skill players this year as opposed to last year “They have players that can play that were behind those guys last year. They’re all just as skilled and they’re just as able to do what they did last year.”
On the importance of Oklahoma State maintaining its pressure on the quarterback “I think carrying that over to this game will be of great impact. We emphasize turnovers and bringing pressure, mainly starting at the defensive line. We carried that over from practice into the A&M game. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what it’s going to be for the rest of the season. The main thing is being able to get pressure on the quarterback.”
OL Andrew Lewis On if the Cowboys can grind out yards on the ground against Missouri this week “If we’re put in that situation, I’d hope to say that we can do that again this week. It just depends on what the game situation is, but we’ll definitely look forward to putting that on our shoulders again in the near future.”
On the offense’s growing confidence “We definitely have more confidence. I think the Grambling State game got us on our feet and then in the A&M game, it just seems like we have a lot more confidence going into the next game.”
On the significance of playing Missouri his senior year since he is from Missouri “It doesn’t really matter to me. I knew I was going to play them eventually, so it doesn’t really play a factor.”
On Keith Toston running the ball more “I know Keith. He was good as a freshman and a sophomore, so I always had confidence that he’d run the ball effectively when he was in there. I don’t think there’s that big of a difference with Keith or Kendall Hunter. They both do a nice job for us.”
RB Keith Toston On the magnitude of the game being his senior year homecoming “Not necessarily just the homecoming thing, but to me, being a senior and it being my last one, I just want to go out there and play to the top of my ability because I know the rest of my teammates will.”
On carrying the bulk of the workload at running back this year “I just trained like I was going to be the starter. That’s pretty much for everyone that’s on this team. We all train hoping that one day we get the starting position or hoping that we get a chance. This year, it just ends up being me because Kendall went down. I try to not let my teammates down and make it so there is no drop-off when I step in the game.”
S Victor Johnson On waiting for a late kick off “I don’t know how I’m going to do it because we haven’t played at 8:15 yet. I guess I’m just going to listen to all my music. I’m going to have to download some more. I’ll be really ready though just because I’m going to be so anxious to play the game.”
On last year’s game against Missouri “Everybody just came out with a good attitude and a little bit of swagger about themselves and they were ready to make plays, so we’re looking forward to doing it this year.”
