Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Gundy Previews Baylor Game
October 09, 2017 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Coach Mike Gundy met with media Monday at Boone Pickens Stadium to preview the Cowboys' Homecoming game against Baylor this Saturday. His comments:
Coach Mike Gundy
On what the team accomplished during the open week:
"I would say rest. We didn't really practice enough to have anything to talk about. We took some time off and worked on the last two games that Baylor has played. We got the team back last night and hopefully got them back in a normal routine."
On Baylor's offense after changing quarterbacks:
"We haven't looked at their first three games since they changed quarterbacks. I'm fairly certain that this is who they're going to be offensively and with the suspensions and such that they've had, you can pretty much throw the first three games away."
On parity in the Big 12:
"I told you guys a year ago that I would stop 'coach's talk.' I'm too old for 'coach's talk' and that may get me in trouble at times. The quarterback play in this league has created parity, more so than ever before. Whether it's using a running-style quarterback, which gives you a half-person advantage in the running game, or whether it's using a run-style quarterback on a run-pass option, it essentially is giving you a full-person advantage in the running game. In this league, we have teams that are running their quarterbacks, which can create an issue for defenses. When I sat back and looked at the league and the maturity of the players, I felt like there are more teams this year that can beat each other on any given Saturday based on lack of preparation physically and emotionally. That's what we focus on as coaches here - getting our players ready to play."
On OSU's margin for error going forward:
"We don't have a lot of margin for error right now. Other teams get beat up too, and that's just a part of college football. The things that sway games in this league would be turnovers, special teams play, injuries and quarterback play. That's based on where the teams are at within this conference right now. You have to try to manage your injuries and come up with a plan based on what gives the team the best chance for success. Maybe not what we could draw up on a board, but more of what we can actually execute on a Saturday."
On parity in the playoff:
"It's easier to get into the playoff if you're undefeated. We all know that. How the committee sees our league this year will be different, in my opinion, than it has in the last few years. If Kirby's worth his salt at all, he should get that accomplished in that committee. When you hit me with that question I hadn't thought about that like I have other things, just based on we have our hands full preparing for this game Saturday based on what we're trying to accomplish, and I hadn't got that far down the line. I usually don't until the middle of November anyway."
On the Big 12 beating itself up:
"They're going to in this league. This is going to continue on, so in my history and being in this game for 30 years, it's going to be about whether you can keep them focused and prepare during the week, then get the right ones healthy and get good special teams play and good quarterback play on Saturdays."
On Baylor coach Matt Rhule:
"I have watched him from a distance. He obviously has done very well for himself and had a history of winning. He's obviously a very capable coach, or the administration down there wouldn't have brought him in. I just don't know a lot about him. He was in a removed area from me in the world we live in, in recruiting."
On Justice Hill's number of carries:
"Justice is playing really well, and if we feel like he's not fatigued then we need him in the game because we think that he can change the game. Would I like to limit his carries? Sure. Do I have confidence in J.D.? Yes. Is J.D. the runner that Justice now? No. So the combination of all that has gotten him in a few more carries than what I would be comfortable with at this time. He is very mature for his age. He is very intelligent, so he's able to overcome the outside things and focus on playing the game. He's developed into a pretty good college running back. He has come further than what I would've thought in one calendar year."
On things beyond football:
"In doing what I do now, I understand the importance of developing young men. We want to win games, but the culture that we have in place now, we feel is going to breed and continue to put out successful young men in society. I have to back up what I do, meaning if I do it, they'll say, 'OK, coach says to do it, and he's doing it.'"
On recruiting DeQuinton Osborne:
"They put his information on my desk in May or so a year ago. We did our research and talked to the people back home and really liked him, not only as a player. When we did that research on him we felt like he was a quality young man and that he would be good for our culture. We decided to bring him in and since then he has been terrific. He has worked hard, and he has been a really good football player. We have a lot of NFL people that come around this year because of players on our team that could potentially be high round picks. So you get a number of NFL people in, and they all ask about him because of his ability to get under blocks. He's quick, he can make a play and he plays really hard."
Coach Mike Gundy
On what the team accomplished during the open week:
"I would say rest. We didn't really practice enough to have anything to talk about. We took some time off and worked on the last two games that Baylor has played. We got the team back last night and hopefully got them back in a normal routine."
On Baylor's offense after changing quarterbacks:
"We haven't looked at their first three games since they changed quarterbacks. I'm fairly certain that this is who they're going to be offensively and with the suspensions and such that they've had, you can pretty much throw the first three games away."
On parity in the Big 12:
"I told you guys a year ago that I would stop 'coach's talk.' I'm too old for 'coach's talk' and that may get me in trouble at times. The quarterback play in this league has created parity, more so than ever before. Whether it's using a running-style quarterback, which gives you a half-person advantage in the running game, or whether it's using a run-style quarterback on a run-pass option, it essentially is giving you a full-person advantage in the running game. In this league, we have teams that are running their quarterbacks, which can create an issue for defenses. When I sat back and looked at the league and the maturity of the players, I felt like there are more teams this year that can beat each other on any given Saturday based on lack of preparation physically and emotionally. That's what we focus on as coaches here - getting our players ready to play."
On OSU's margin for error going forward:
"We don't have a lot of margin for error right now. Other teams get beat up too, and that's just a part of college football. The things that sway games in this league would be turnovers, special teams play, injuries and quarterback play. That's based on where the teams are at within this conference right now. You have to try to manage your injuries and come up with a plan based on what gives the team the best chance for success. Maybe not what we could draw up on a board, but more of what we can actually execute on a Saturday."
On parity in the playoff:
"It's easier to get into the playoff if you're undefeated. We all know that. How the committee sees our league this year will be different, in my opinion, than it has in the last few years. If Kirby's worth his salt at all, he should get that accomplished in that committee. When you hit me with that question I hadn't thought about that like I have other things, just based on we have our hands full preparing for this game Saturday based on what we're trying to accomplish, and I hadn't got that far down the line. I usually don't until the middle of November anyway."
On the Big 12 beating itself up:
"They're going to in this league. This is going to continue on, so in my history and being in this game for 30 years, it's going to be about whether you can keep them focused and prepare during the week, then get the right ones healthy and get good special teams play and good quarterback play on Saturdays."
On Baylor coach Matt Rhule:
"I have watched him from a distance. He obviously has done very well for himself and had a history of winning. He's obviously a very capable coach, or the administration down there wouldn't have brought him in. I just don't know a lot about him. He was in a removed area from me in the world we live in, in recruiting."
On Justice Hill's number of carries:
"Justice is playing really well, and if we feel like he's not fatigued then we need him in the game because we think that he can change the game. Would I like to limit his carries? Sure. Do I have confidence in J.D.? Yes. Is J.D. the runner that Justice now? No. So the combination of all that has gotten him in a few more carries than what I would be comfortable with at this time. He is very mature for his age. He is very intelligent, so he's able to overcome the outside things and focus on playing the game. He's developed into a pretty good college running back. He has come further than what I would've thought in one calendar year."
On things beyond football:
"In doing what I do now, I understand the importance of developing young men. We want to win games, but the culture that we have in place now, we feel is going to breed and continue to put out successful young men in society. I have to back up what I do, meaning if I do it, they'll say, 'OK, coach says to do it, and he's doing it.'"
On recruiting DeQuinton Osborne:
"They put his information on my desk in May or so a year ago. We did our research and talked to the people back home and really liked him, not only as a player. When we did that research on him we felt like he was a quality young man and that he would be good for our culture. We decided to bring him in and since then he has been terrific. He has worked hard, and he has been a really good football player. We have a lot of NFL people that come around this year because of players on our team that could potentially be high round picks. So you get a number of NFL people in, and they all ask about him because of his ability to get under blocks. He's quick, he can make a play and he plays really hard."
Players Mentioned
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