Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy, Cowboys Meet Media
March 27, 2013 | Cowboy Football
March 27, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy and members of the team met with the media in Boone Pickens Stadium Wednesday. Some of their comments:
Head Coach Mike Gundy
Opening Statement:
"The players and the coaches had a good break and worked out Monday. It was actually a better practice than we had traditionally after a Spring Break. We were in shorts and helmets and we are finally finished up with those and back in full pads. There's still a lot of excitement as our staff looks to see some players that really need to help us out next year begin to make a move in the next three of four practices as we finish this week and all of next week. Then the guys are back into the football thought process and you see some of the young players develop from that point in the last six or seven practices of spring."
On making sure the team plays physically:
"We work at it every day as long as we have pads on, and there are some limitations we have based on the NCAA and how they want practice set up in the spring and we certainly have no problem with that. We don't go to the ground in full scrimmages, we work hard in our team periods and in our other practices making sure we are in good position and we are physical up front."
On the cornerback position:
"We think that corners need to be a little taller. It's been back and forth over the last five or six years as you watch guys that play in the NFL because ultimately our goal is to bring players in here that are good enough to get into an NFL camp. If you get enough of those guys then you have a chance to win a number of games. The hype is going up at that position, so we are trying to find guys there. Ultimately at the end of the day, they have to be productive and have to be able to run and play in man coverage. The reason being is that we are seeing players that are much taller and it's harder to defend when the corner is 5'10" and the receiver is 6'2".
On Lyndell Johnson:
"He's doing well. It's so early and we've had four practices, three of them in shorts. So, it's difficult to get a good feel for how guys are making the transition to position changes or young guys that are making the changes into guys that factor into our team. We should know more here in the coming weeks within the next few practices."
On the depth at receiver:
"We have some quality players at that position, we have some experience and we have more youth that have greater potential than we've had in the years since I have been head coach. I think that is a product of our offense. If I was a receiver, quarterback or running back I would want to come to Oklahoma State. I think we are starting to see some of the results from the success that we have had on that side of the ball."
On the gap between veteran and rookie receivers:
"There's a considerable gap from experience. One thing I believe is that there is no substitute for experience in playing out there in games. One advantage we have in our offense is a philosophy that we have in our passing and running game concepts based on how the defense plays. Once they understand those four or five basic principles of the way a defense can attack you, then as a receiver you have to know where to be and you have to know where to be in this offense. If the young players are willing to put the time in to learn, then they can play in the first game and we've proven that. We've played young receivers."
On Tracy Moore's recovery:
"I think he's doing really well. We're getting better as a team and a medical staff at handling these types of injuries. We treat it well, we take good care of him. One advantage we had with Tracy, with him not redshirting, we get that year back. So, we were able to extend the time we were able to treat him and made sure he came back at full speed."
On receivers coach Jason Ray:
"We had interest in him because of his background at Missouri. Missouri's philosophy is similar to what ours is here, they don't run the ball much or didn't at that time. Our thought process at the wide receiver position is very similar. That was one of the areas that intrigued us with his background."
On Lyndell Johnson:
"We feel like he can get us some help back there and we can also drop him down because played linebacker. That position that he played gives us flexibility. Like an offensive player who can play two positions, he can play outside or inside. We think he can give us that and we will know more as spring progresses. He's long, tall, has range, runs well and has a good ability to find the football. It's hard to describe how that happens sometimes. His attitude is really good. You can kind of see it now with the basketball games that we are watching, when a team has a certain player on the floor, they play better. When he was on the field for us defensively, we had more success than when he wasn't."
On quarterback play:
"Our quarterbacks will run the ball based on who is in there. J.W. Walsh will do it because he's really good at it and Clint Chelf is better and more effective at it than you think. Clint runs and doesn't look good doing it, then you look up and he has 12 yards when you thought he had three. So, he's more effective at it. If Wes Lunt is in, we aren't going to do it a lot. It's not rocket science to figure out that's not what he does. He's more of a Brandon Weeden-type player. We have enough flexibility in our offense to do whatever we need based on who the quarterback is. If one guy is in there and he isn't going to run it then we are going to do different things throwing the ball. If other guys are in there that give us more flexibility running the ball but maybe have some limitations throwing the football. I think everyone is aware of what the three quarterbacks bring to the table. There are a couple plays that we will be experimenting with this spring that Mike Yurcich has brought with him that we would like to look at and how it fits in our system. There will not be a time where we risk the simplicity and speed that we play with for extra plays and I think as long as we keep a handle on that then we will be a good offense."
On Mike Yurcich:
"He did more than we ever did. They had more plays, more under the center and guys moving around in the backfield, so it'll be interesting once he finishes spring to see what he likes and things that he might want to add to what we do here to make us a better offense."
Offensive Lineman Parker Graham
On adjusting to the switch at position:
"With anything it takes a little bit of an adjustment period, Coach Wickline has a lot of faith in me and I've really enjoyed it. I only have a few places to go, it's not like tackle where I have different places to go. It's a lot of fun too because I'm so long and I can use that to my advantage."
On transition for the new line:
"With Jake Jenkins, he had a lot of experience at center when Evan Epstein came out. We all have to get adjusted to playing with each other because it's a completely different offensive line than we had last year. But we're still getting adjusted and coming together pretty well."
On what he has accomplished during his time at OSU:
"That's my mom in me, she instilled in me that I get everything accomplished here that I could. I'm now in graduate school and I've been fortunate enough to do a lot while I've been here. With the internship I have now, I've made a lot of connections and had a lot of experience with people in the business world and working with a big Division I program like ours."
On the offensive line production:
"I've been on three so far and I see no drop-off this next year. Once we get our chemistry down, which will happen this spring, then we'll be back to the same line that we've been during all the time I've been here."
Running Back Jeremy Smith
On Joseph Randle's decision to go to the NFL:
"We had a few conversations about it. He called me so we could pray about it and everything like that. I guess you could say I knew pretty far in advance."
On the probability of more playing time:
"We're always competing for time. Even when Joe was here we competed for time. I'm happy with how everything worked out. Even if he had stayed, I would still be pretty happy with my situation. Everything happens for a reason."
On how his preparation has changed:
"I'm making sure I'm doing things like watching extra film and staying after practice. That's the role of a starter. You have to make sure you get the extra study time. It helps you teach everyone else, and helps you stay ahead of the game."
Receiver Tracy Moore
On carrying high expectations:
"I want to do whatever I can to help the team. Whether they want me to play inside, outside, in the backfield or on special teams, wherever I'm needed, our goal is to win a Big 12 Championship and a National Championship. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to that point."
On the quarterback situation:
"They've all improved just from the experience they gained in last year's games. Clint Chelf was the only one with experience entering last spring, so he's just even more comfortable now. Wes Lunt is getting more comfortable back there, and J.W. Walsh is continuing to develop as a running quarterback. They all have their strengths."
On the possibility the quarterbacks will run the ball more:
"I'm going to do my part. If I can do that, maybe I can make sure they don't have to run the ball as much. That's my focus."
Receiver Blake Jackson
On assessing his performance last season:
"I'm really tough on myself, so it wasn't fun for me at all when I wasn't doing well. When I had great moments, it helped me to know what kind of player I could be, so it was encouraging at times. I really want to show Oklahoma State what kind of player I can be, so it made me hungry to get better this offseason."
On how his preparation has changed:
"I've spent a lot of time with the jugs machine, tennis balls and quarterbacks. You can ask anyone around here. I've been on a mission since the season ended, and I will continue to do those things. It's an everyday thing. Seven days a week."
On his goals for the spring:
"I've had a pretty good spring so far, but I want to stay consistent. That will be my biggest improvement--to stay consistent and dominate as well as I can on every play."
Receiver Josh Stewart
On becoming a leader to the younger players:
"I don't feel that much older. As the other guys come in I have to be a leader for the young guys and help coach them when they need help. Then again you just have to step up when you get to your junior year and help the young guys get better."
On the transition to a new offensive coordinator:
"We're doing the same stuff so nothing's getting changed too much. It's a pretty good transition and we're all working hard and getting ready for the season, we're just trying to get better right now."
On the talented group of receivers:
"We've got a lot of receivers that are really good. It's looking good. We just have to learn what the coaches are teaching us and there's no reason we shouldn't be the best receiving corps in the nation. We don't have a reason not to be. We just have to put our minds to it and we can do anything. We've got the talent, the coaching staff and the team to do it."
On being a team player:
"I doesn't matter to me what I catch. I'm a team player and it's my goal every year to be a good team player and make a play when my name is called. Like I said, we have a good team and good players so whoever's name is called is going to make the plays."
On the quarterback situation:
"Not many teams have that situation where any quarterback can come in and make plays. To have that is a real good thing for us receivers. We have confidence going in and when you have confidence, it's hard to be stopped on offense. Having those quarterbacks is a good deal for us and they are only getting better. They're fighting for a starting spot because no one has it yet. Anything can happen. Look at last year, all three of them played. You never know what can happen. They're just working hard and waiting for their moments."
Linebacker Ryan Simmons
On changing positions:
"It's been going well. I made a change to outside linebacker. It's a challenge but I've warmed up to it and I'm just taking it day by day."
On what the change means for him:
"It's a good change because I get to be with the receivers more and I get to do more man concepts. Sometimes when you're a middle linebacker you're not really man-specific. Now I'm out there with some more space so it's a good change."
On the pressure of competition:
"There's always pressure when there's competition going on at practice. I believe I can come up with the starting job and I believe it's a good change for me. I just have to take it day by day. Everybody knows that nothing is guaranteed. You just have to go out there every day and show effort. You have to give everything you've got each and every practice."
Cornerback Justin Gilbert
On getting to play more aggressively:
"Last year, the cornerbacks played a little soft in coverage and that put stress on us sometimes. Now that we get to play a lot more aggressive, that's going to be a lot better for us this season."
On if he was hard on himself last season:
"Not at all. I tried to stay humble and keep myself in a groove and get ready for each game that was coming up each week. I expected more out of myself and I knew that I could do better at times."
On how the spring is going so far:
"So far, so good. It reminds me of my freshman year when I was battling for my spot. It's going well so far. "
On battling with Justin Blackmon in practice a few years ago:
"It got my confidence level going with him in practice every day. I've been going at it with Tracy Moore this spring and I've been winning most of the matchups. That's going to help me get my confidence back up."
