Oklahoma State University Athletics
Post-Game Quotes
November 15, 2009 | Cowboy Football
Nov. 15, 2009
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OSU Head Coach Mike Gundy Quotes
On the game
“Obviously, it was an exciting game. It was quite a finish for a game that was kind of a tale of two halves. I'm really proud of our defense. I mentioned to them in the locker that I haven't been around a group of guys that can rally around each other like they have.”
On the defense responding to adversity
“I'm sure you guys know that we lost Victor Johnson on Wednesday for the season. When you go into a game that you're playing a team that is going to attempt 58 passes and you lose a defensive back when you're playing a lot of nickel and dime coverage on a Wednesday, it can be a little difficult to swallow as a team. Our defensive coaches are able to push it aside and continue to game plan at times when it is a little scary knowing you're going into a game with just two safeties against a team that throws so much.”
On special teams and offense playing better in the second half
“On special teams, we weren't very good in the first half and we were better in the second half. Offensively, we were poor in the first half and then we were able to rush the ball. We talked at halftime about being able to run the football in the second half in order to set up the opportunity to throw the ball downfield. I'm not sure, but we probably rushed for quite a few yards in the second half.”
On his team's performance and the series against Texas Tech
“I'm very proud of our football team. Obviously, we've had great games with Texas Tech over the years. I hope that both players that were involved in that violent collision at the end of the game will be OK.”
On Zac Robinson's injury
“I just kind of looked at all the doctors and they just nodded their heads to say he'll be OK and that made me feel good. They went through the precautions. One thing that comforted me was that they got him up and walked him off. It makes me a lot better. Our medical staff is top notch and if there are any concerns they cart you or board you. So that made me feel good.”
Offensive Coordinator Gunter Brewer
On tonight's performance and Robinson's injury:
“We are going to do what we do. We went out there and executed tonight, and we need to go out and execute against Colorado. With our offense, we just keep plugging guys in and running the system. Hopefully, he (Zac Robinson) will be able to play, because he is a huge part of it. If he is not able to play, we have confidence in the two guys behind him.”
On the Robinson injury play:
“We are going to run it back a few times and let him get a headache over it. That is the way you learn. You learn by playing the game. You have to enjoy his demeanor of wanting to go win the football game. I think his teammates will respect what he did tonight. It will teach him to know the time on the clock and what the situation is, but you have to like the way he went in there and how tough he was.”
Running back Keith Toston
On running game:
“It felt good to finally get a healthy Kendall (Hunter) back. It helped out a lot. It helped a lot for Zac to run the ball as effectively as he did as well.”
On Zac Robinson's running:
“Any time you have a quarterback who can make something happen with his legs, that is big. It helps his offense as well.”
On Kendall's return:
“He has just kept a positive head. He is a guy who is going to compete – if he is 100 percent or 50 percent. As another running back next to him, it felt good to get a guy back there who can tire down a defense and help me out a lot. It felt good to have him back.”
Corner back Perrish Cox
On defense coming back in at the end of the game:
“He (Robinson) put it in our hands at the perfect time for us to step up and make the big play.”
On thoughts before the game:
“We talked about it all week. They do not do anything special. Texas Tech runs routes and puts everything in a certain spot. We stopped that and made them run around a little bit and put the ball in the air, so we could go up and get the ball.”
On continually being tested:
“It was not 'What are you guys doing?' It was more like 'Thank you!' It felt good to have two picks tonight. I should have had three, but I can live with two.”
Linebacker Patrick Lavine
On interception:
“I was just in the right place at the right time.”
On Colorado:
“They are a good team. We are not going to underestimate anyone. Looking at the first game, anyone can beat anyone. It is a quick turnaround, and we have to stay focused. That is going to be the biggest thing this week.”
On Cox's two interceptions:
“Two in one game is pretty good. I have not seen anyone do that in a while. He is just one of the best corners out there. We have been in a competition since Day One over interceptions. He hates to say that a linebacker has more interceptions than him.”
On defensive performance tonight:
“I am happy. We made a statement tonight out there on the field. We stopped them when we needed to early on in the game. The ball was on our side of the field. Being able to go in at halftime – we were losing – but, at the same time, I felt pretty good about how our defense was playing.”
Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach
On the difference defensively in the first and second halves
“I think they converted third downs. I think Oklahoma State gets some credit for that. Then defensively if we did what we did the first half, probably they don't convert the third downs.”
On Taylor Potts and the Texas Tech offense
“I thought he was OK, but it just wasn't real dynamic and we turned the ball over and were close to others. Hit a few of our opponents with a couple too many footballs, so I figured we'd put Sheffield in and see how that went and he kind of sparked things. That basically went pretty well other than a turnover when we put them on the two or something. They're both inconsistent and at some point we've got to just be consistent; and be consistent at other positions. We dropped too many balls. We missed some holes at running back. Up front I thought we had great protection at times and then there'd be key times when we weren't so great.”
On the frustrations of a delay of game penalty to start the game
“Well yeah, I didn't care for it, but we converted it. We did move it. The whole thing, we've got good effort, we've got good excitement, got to execute it better. We're in spurts on offense and defensively if we could have duplicated the first half and the special teams, we had opportunities there too. We're on the threshold of big plays. You've got to give Oklahoma State credit. They're a good team and played real well. Here at their place they're a handful and they were today.”
On if the defense was tired after Oklahoma State's drives to open the second half
“They shouldn't have been. Offensively we had the ball for 45 plays the first half. You want to get off the field, stop them. That's a simple solution. I don't buy any of this business. I don't care what defense where and I don't care what level. 'Oh, we're so tired, we're drained.' Oh OK, well you've got a choice – stop them or let them score. Those guys are all on scholarship too. I was proud of our effort on defense. I was proud of our excitement on defense, but if you want to get off the field stop them.”
On Zac Robinson
“I thought he had a good second half. To me, I thought we did a good job keeping him bottled up the first half and not as good the second half.”
On if Robinson is the best quarterback he's seen
“I think he's a good one. I wouldn't go that far, I think he's a good one. We've seen some pretty good ones. The fella from Houston; Texas and so it goes. I've liked him from early on. I liked him just back when they had that little deal when they were splitting time between the two of them. I thought he was pretty good then.”
Texas Tech Player Quotes
Senior Defensive Tackle Richard Jones
On the loss
“It's real frustrating to me because first of all I'm a senior and we've never beat them in this place. That's one thing I wanted to do before I left. We had a chance to go BCS and I don't know if they knocked that out, but I know if we would've won that we would have been one step closer to that.”
On who made the most impact in the game
“I think their quarterback Zac Robinson, whenever he tucked it and ran. It makes it real difficult. If we're getting the pass rush up field and a seam opens and it's there and the linebackers are in zone coverage, there's nothing but space out there and that's what he did. He just took advantage of it.”
Senior Defensive End Daniel Howard
On the loss
“It's frustrating. We went into a fight and we knew it was a fight and it just didn't go our way. There's nothing you can do you just have to play the next play. We have a game next week that we have to play.”
On Tech's defense
“We didn't do a couple things right on defense a couple of times. There were a couple plays that I could've made and should have made that I didn't make.”
On OSU's long drive to open the second half
“We weren't tired. We don't get tired.”
