Oklahoma State University Athletics
Wednesday Football Practice Report
April 13, 2011 | Cowboy Football
April 13, 2011
STILLWATER, Okla. – Dressed in full pads, the Oklahoma State football team practiced Wednesday for the last time before Saturday's spring game. The practice was held in breezy conditions on the grass practice fields adjacent to Gallagher-Iba Arena, and among those checking out the action was Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman and former Cowboy standout Charlie Johnson. Johnson visited for a Q&A session as the Pokes practiced in front of him. The highlights:
Q: How much do you follow Oklahoma State now that you are in the NFL and out of state?
A: Quite a bit. I catch almost every game that's on TV. Being in Indianapolis, I'm up in Big Ten country so I hear a lot about Ohio State and all of them, but with the success that Oklahoma State has had, they have been on TV so much more and I watch every chance I get. I follow them and I stay in touch with the coaches. I'm always going to follow OSU.
Q: How much does college allegiance come up in NFL locker rooms?
A: A lot, especially if you get two guys and their teams are playing each other. There is a lot of talk and there are a lot of friendly bets where you may have to wear the other guy's colors and all that during the week. It gets competitive. The last couple of years, I've come up pretty good because OSU has won so much.
Q: Can you talk about your relationship with former Cowboy and current Colts teammate Jacob Lacey?
A: He was a freshman my last year, so we were here at OSU together then. We've now been together for two years up in Indy getting to kind of rehash that and I get to help him out and help him learn the ropes.
Q: Can you talk about Joe Wickline and what you learned from him that still applies now?
A: The biggest thing is the work ethic that he instills in his guys. I only had him for one year but I was fortunate for that because of the way he goes about his business. He wants things done efficiently and he doesn't want to waste a lot of time. He's not trying to wear his guys out, but he knows that when it's time to work, it's time to work. It's stuff like that that you take with you and that I'll always be grateful for.
Q: From what you've seen in games and what you see in practice now, what catches your eye about this OSU offensive line?
A: Going into last year, they were supposed to be the question mark, so to speak. Losing four guys to the NFL and having to replace four starters could have been a tricky situation, but watching them accept that challenge and showing people that they weren't going to be the question mark and that they were going to play at a high level helped the offense produce. I like the fact that they took on that challenge. The more they play together, they may leave as one of the best offensive lines in college football.
Q: In looking at this group of Cowboy players, how do they stack up physically against the players during your time in Stillwater?
A: We were just on the sidelines over here talking about that. There are so many athletes out here on the field. It's a vast difference even from when I played here. When I was here, we always had a good front line, but what was behind that was kind of questionable. Now – take the offensive line for example – they go two lines deep. The coaches are comfortable with their starting group and they're comfortable with the whole other five guys behind them. The depth of the skill positions and the offensive and defensive lines is pretty amazing.
Q: What's the biggest thing you miss about being at Oklahoma State?
A: The biggest thing I miss is the training table that these guys have. I was fortunate enough to have a year of it and I just remember it being really good. I've heard that it just keeps getting better and better every year. I'm a big guy and I like to eat, so I'd probably say that. Also, just the college experience. Being with guys you play with for four or five years and you build those friendships that carry on through the rest of your life. That camaraderie is something that I miss.
Q: Which OSU player in recent years have you enjoyed watching the most?
A: I really enjoyed watching Kendall Hunter play. I was a big fan of his. Just the way he ran. He's not your prototypical back, being undersized but being able to run between the tackles and get the tough yards. Most five-foot-eight, 200-pound backs wouldn't be able to do that. Most want to get to the outside and hit the corner, but the way he would run between the tackles and run over guys if he had to made me enjoy watching him.
