Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy Meets With Media To Preview Spring Ball
February 28, 2008 | Cowboy Football
Oklahoma State Football Coach Mike Gundy met with members of the media Thursday in Stillwater to preview the Cowboys' spring practice, which opens next Monday. Following are some of the highlights of what he had to say:
Regarding Spring Practice Opening Next Week:
“We're obviously excited about the start of spring ball. We've had a good off-season. Our players have worked hard in the weight room and done a good job in the conditioning part. I think we're in good shape and ready to go. It's always interesting in the spring when you're short 30 guys. We don't have our incoming freshmen in here, the guys who help you in practice. Our setup hasn't changed, what we've done the last few years. Obviously, we'll follow the rules where you start out without any pads and have a certain number of scrimmages. Not much has changed in that area. All of our new coaches are up and running and pretty comfortable with what we're doing on both sides of the ball. They've gotten acquainted with the players. We're finishing up everything today, then we'll work out tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., and then give the coaches the afternoon off tomorrow, then back on Monday. As of now, we're scheduled to be out on the grass. Somebody told me that the weather may be not as kind to us as we'd want it to be so we may have to make the adjustment, which is not that big a deal but for the most part, we'll be up and running on Monday.”
Regarding What Gundy Looks To Accomplish During The Spring:
“We want to get better at our base offense and base defense. We'll run the same plays on offense and will develop a backup quarterback. We have Brandon Weeden and Alex Cate. Those guys will get a lot of work this spring. Zac won't get a lot of work. Defensively, continue to work the system that Coach Beckman brought in a year ago. There's a lot of room for improvement in that area. Blocking, tackling, throwing, catching, backpedaling, breaking on the ball, ball security and force turnovers on the other side of the ball.”
Regarding The Backup Quarterbacks:
“(Alex Cate) will start as our number two because he's been here longer, but neither (Cate or Brandon Weeden) has so-called earned their stripes, so they'll get equal reps. Hopefully we'll come out of the spring with a guy who has stepped up and solidified that backup position. Zac will get his work, but I want to see what those other guys can do.”
Regarding Artrell Woods:
“He'll be out there for spring ball. We're expecting him to get work after spring break. He's not going to be full speed until after the break. With his experience and what he brings to the table, we prefer for him to be at full speed after the break.”
Regarding The Junior College Transfers Who Will Compete In The Spring:
“It will be interesting to see how those guys that showed up in January pick up on what we're doing and actually carry it into a live drill at a fast speed. That's what you always worry about with incoming players. I'm not talking about a high school players. I'm taking about junior college players because traditionally, unless they're a really special player, you get about a half of the season and then a full year after because they make the same adjustments that the high school players make.”
Regarding Junior College Success Stories At OSU:
“Ryan McBean is the best example. Ryan's first year here, he showed up very little and then the second year here, he was a really good player. Larry Brown was the same way. Larry just wasn't as talented. Both came in and it took Coach Glass six months to get them to where they could play hard.”
Regarding Defensive Lineman Tonga Tea, Jr.:
“Junior needs to be a guy that can get in the “A” gap and stop the run. He's got some limitations physically for ever being a great pass rusher, but he needs to push the pocket and he will. He's in much better shape now than he was last year because he's 20 pounds lighter and he understands the system and he's gotten over how hard supposedly everything is and just go out and do what you're supposed to do.”
Regarding Defensive End Richetti Jones:
“I'm not pretending to be an orthopedic surgeon, but I don't think he'll ever be 100 percent with the injury he had, but I think he'll show up some this spring. His mental makeup and his mental discipline will determine whether he can maintain having good practices six, seven and eight and go all the way through practice 15. Is he tough enough to do that at this level? The thing about scout team is that you can generally tell who's going to be a good player at this level if they show up on scout team, but they're also looking at cards and being told what to do, so the adjustment you make in doing it in a live situation and being able to maintain for 15 practices, if he can do that, he'll show up a lot earlier in the season, which we hope he does. It's yet to be seen. He still has to prove himself, but he does have some physical abilities.”
Regarding Spring Practice Opening Next Week:
“We're obviously excited about the start of spring ball. We've had a good off-season. Our players have worked hard in the weight room and done a good job in the conditioning part. I think we're in good shape and ready to go. It's always interesting in the spring when you're short 30 guys. We don't have our incoming freshmen in here, the guys who help you in practice. Our setup hasn't changed, what we've done the last few years. Obviously, we'll follow the rules where you start out without any pads and have a certain number of scrimmages. Not much has changed in that area. All of our new coaches are up and running and pretty comfortable with what we're doing on both sides of the ball. They've gotten acquainted with the players. We're finishing up everything today, then we'll work out tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., and then give the coaches the afternoon off tomorrow, then back on Monday. As of now, we're scheduled to be out on the grass. Somebody told me that the weather may be not as kind to us as we'd want it to be so we may have to make the adjustment, which is not that big a deal but for the most part, we'll be up and running on Monday.”
Regarding What Gundy Looks To Accomplish During The Spring:
“We want to get better at our base offense and base defense. We'll run the same plays on offense and will develop a backup quarterback. We have Brandon Weeden and Alex Cate. Those guys will get a lot of work this spring. Zac won't get a lot of work. Defensively, continue to work the system that Coach Beckman brought in a year ago. There's a lot of room for improvement in that area. Blocking, tackling, throwing, catching, backpedaling, breaking on the ball, ball security and force turnovers on the other side of the ball.”
Regarding The Backup Quarterbacks:
“(Alex Cate) will start as our number two because he's been here longer, but neither (Cate or Brandon Weeden) has so-called earned their stripes, so they'll get equal reps. Hopefully we'll come out of the spring with a guy who has stepped up and solidified that backup position. Zac will get his work, but I want to see what those other guys can do.”
Regarding Artrell Woods:
“He'll be out there for spring ball. We're expecting him to get work after spring break. He's not going to be full speed until after the break. With his experience and what he brings to the table, we prefer for him to be at full speed after the break.”
Regarding The Junior College Transfers Who Will Compete In The Spring:
“It will be interesting to see how those guys that showed up in January pick up on what we're doing and actually carry it into a live drill at a fast speed. That's what you always worry about with incoming players. I'm not talking about a high school players. I'm taking about junior college players because traditionally, unless they're a really special player, you get about a half of the season and then a full year after because they make the same adjustments that the high school players make.”
Regarding Junior College Success Stories At OSU:
“Ryan McBean is the best example. Ryan's first year here, he showed up very little and then the second year here, he was a really good player. Larry Brown was the same way. Larry just wasn't as talented. Both came in and it took Coach Glass six months to get them to where they could play hard.”
Regarding Defensive Lineman Tonga Tea, Jr.:
“Junior needs to be a guy that can get in the “A” gap and stop the run. He's got some limitations physically for ever being a great pass rusher, but he needs to push the pocket and he will. He's in much better shape now than he was last year because he's 20 pounds lighter and he understands the system and he's gotten over how hard supposedly everything is and just go out and do what you're supposed to do.”
Regarding Defensive End Richetti Jones:
“I'm not pretending to be an orthopedic surgeon, but I don't think he'll ever be 100 percent with the injury he had, but I think he'll show up some this spring. His mental makeup and his mental discipline will determine whether he can maintain having good practices six, seven and eight and go all the way through practice 15. Is he tough enough to do that at this level? The thing about scout team is that you can generally tell who's going to be a good player at this level if they show up on scout team, but they're also looking at cards and being told what to do, so the adjustment you make in doing it in a live situation and being able to maintain for 15 practices, if he can do that, he'll show up a lot earlier in the season, which we hope he does. It's yet to be seen. He still has to prove himself, but he does have some physical abilities.”
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