Oklahoma State University Athletics
Football Practice Report - August 14
August 14, 2012 | Cowboy Football
Aug. 14, 2012
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State football team practiced in cloudy and comfortable conditions Tuesday on the grass practice fields adjacent to Gallagher-Iba Arena. After the two hour session, coach Mike Gundy and safety Shamiel Gary were among the selected members of the team who visited with the media:
Mike Gundy
On walk-ons who were put on aid for the first time:
"Nick Rockwell and Tyler Johnson are two of the guys that walked on who we put on aid when school starts. It's a pretty big deal to not have any bills come in. Those guys have worked hard in our program. Tyler has been on the field for us more that Nick. Nick has been with us for several years and has been a great contributor in practice for us. Each guy that's a part of our team has an impact on our success. Some of them don't play as much on Saturday as others, but we can't do it without all of them. Nick is a guy that has worked really hard and has earned the right to be put on aid."
On the kind of player offensive lineman Parker Graham is:
"We're going to find out. He's been around for a while. He'll get a lot of experience here in the first three or four games and have a chance to prove himself. He has worked really hard and had a great attitude and should develop into being a good player."
On if grad assistant Ty Linder will coordinate special teams:
"Ty is doing a lot of our special teams. He's not necessarily the special teams coordinator, but he's working on several of our units."
On if this training camp reminds him of 2010 training camp:
"There's always similarities between certain teams when they have new quarterbacks. When your quarterback is new, I think everybody feels the same way. With Wes Lunt being out there and being inexperienced, parts of our football team are similar to that season."
On the uncertainty of a team during fall camp:
"I think that happens every year except for when you're preseason top 10 or top 20. Then, people kind of have certain expectations for what you should accomplish. Every other year is just about the same."
On if Wes Lunt can maintain the tempo at which Oklahoma State has operated in recent years:
"He's doing fine. He's progressing well. He's got a better feel for the offense now than he did in the spring. We've been out there now (during camp) and he's ahead of where I thought he would be. He's doing fine. He'll develop and have some growing pains, but he's doing fine."
Safety Shamiel Gary
On transitioning from play in the Mountain West to the Big 12 after transferring from Wyoming:
"I feel like I can play on any type of level. Every time we play against a big team like Texas or Boise State or TCU or anyone like that, I'd do my best to show that I was that type of caliber player."
On being a freshman All-American at Wyoming:
"I had a good season my freshman year and that accolade came with it."
On going from one team named the Cowboys to another:
"Just change the colors. It's good being another Cowboy. I'm happy to be here and play in front of family and with Coach Gundy and my coaches."
On the advantages of being closer to his Tulsa home:
"Just in case anything happens to my parents or my cousins or anything, I'm right down the street and can go home and take care of them and do what I need to do to take care of my family.
"A lot more of my family members can come see me play. Only a couple of them got to see me play (at Wyoming) when we played Texas or TCU."
On replacing Markelle Martin:
"I'm just trying to compete. Whatever's best for the team, I'm willing to do. Whatever plays I can make, I'm willing to do it too. It's whatever's best for the team."
