Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy, Oklahoma State Coaches Meet The Media
July 25, 2013 | Cowboy Football
July 25, 2013
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State hosted its annual media golf play day at Karsten Creek Golf Course Thursday. Following the action, head football coach Mike Gundy and members of his staff visited with the members of the media.
Head Coach Mike Gundy
On Mike Yurcich's transition from Division II to Division 1:
"I think it's a big jump. When you compare the resources that we have compared to what he was accustomed too. Then you look at the media coverage and television coast to coast there's a big jump. In the end, he's here to coach football and to teach and develop young men, and he's done that for a couple of years. I've been very fortunate to be at this level for a long time. I've recruited high schools and been in some NFL camps and practices and watched, and I think coaching and teaching is the same. There are similarities in that facet, but there are some changes. It is a big jump. You don't see a number of guys go from that level to our level. He's done very well. He's been very humble and he listens well. He's a diligent worker and this is important to him."
On why more coaches don't make the transition between Divisions:
"It's not as easy of a hire for coaches and athletic directors to get a guy, who in someone's opinion, is unproven. It's easier to hire somebody that everybody says is a great hire, but if it doesn't work then people will say he was the best guy out there, and they don't know why it didn't work."
On what attracted him to hire Yurcich:
"We just had certain things that we were looking for. When you have a pool of coordinators to choose from and you see how many of them run the offense that we run and not their own system, then that pool decreased dramatically. We wanted a play-caller with quarterback experience who played and coached the position. We also needed him to coach receivers and be in a fast-paced offense. It was really a good fit for us, and I really liked his personality when I met with him. A lot of times those guys at the lower positions are coaching their butts off doing everything. They have to clean uniforms and mow the field and teach classes. It's like high school coaches. I still say the best coaches out there to a certain extent are high school coaches. They just choose to stay at the high school level. They coach safeties and quarterbacks and they call plays. Then they check the uniforms in and out and then teach three history classes. Those guys are good football coaches. "
On the players coming back:
"It's always fun to see them next week. I haven't seen them at all because I'm gone. In June I see them, but next week is the first time I've seen most of them rather than just having a structure and academic meeting with them every so often. It's always exciting to see the guys."
Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the adjustments being made going into the season:
"Preparation-wise, we just have to stay one step ahead of the game with planning, making sure the staff is organized and looking for issues around the corner that might pop up. Just put your own wrinkle on things. Not changing things dramatically, but at the same time being afforded to go back and look at the things from last year--the things you didn't like and the things you're going to get better at. That's on you to find the answers. The process started pretty much in the spring, and it has carried on out throughout the summer."
On the defensive leadership:
"There's some maturity there. It just comes from experience. So we've got a lot of guys that have won some big games and a lot of guys that have had some emotional highs. We have some guys that have had devastating losses and disappointments. Once you put it together, you have a lot of guys in the front end, back end and linebacker spots that have that experience. I feel like there's just an air of confidence. They're hungry to do something different, something they've never done before. They're very hungry to prove people wrong. I think they have a little chip on their shoulder. There's just a quiet confidence right now, and they'll come into camp ready to work."
On his style of defense being labeled as aggressive:
"That word `aggressive' kind of has a life of its own. People keep hitting me with that and kind of running with it. I put my own stamp on things for sure. When you look at the issues from last year, you're going to make changes to make yourself more effective. People have the misconception that all of a sudden we're going to blitz all the time. That's crazy. I think you have to mix things up, and I think sometimes you have to do a little bit of disguising. My philosophy is not so much to just be more aggressive. Will you see changes? Hopefully you'll see changes where we'll be more effective at times. A lot of it had to do with their motivation for playing for each other, why they're there each day and what they're trying to get out of it. All the other things are irrelevant to me. I want them to come out of that first day of camp getting the job done and being effective in certain situations."
On Kevin Peterson:
"Kevin is going to play a lot. He played a lot last year. He was a freshman that had freshman errors and freshman mistakes. Those are behind him now. His offseason training and getting stronger have made him more explosive. That will show on the field. And with his experience, you can't coach it. It's just a fact that he played in a lot of games. He'll be an even better player coming out next year. I have high expectations for Kevin to be effective and help us out."
On the changes with the defensive staff:
"It's been a comfortable change. We got Joe Bob Clements, Tim Duffie and Van Malone in our defensive room. We all have high expectations. We all want our unit to be very successful. Someone earlier asked me if I felt any pressure and sure I do. It's just pressure that I put on myself because I don't want to let those guys down. That's what keeps you up at night - just trying to the best for these guys."
Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich
On the transition:
"It's going great. I can't wait to get started and I'm looking forward to training camp, big time."
On time spent watching tape:
"I've been in there a significant amount. I didn't tally up the hours, but a lot."
On quarterbacks Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh:
"I like them a lot. They're two good young men, and I can't wait for them to get back on campus and start training camp, get in the meeting room and start practicing on the field."
On the public's doubt of him being able to run the offense:
"I think motivation comes from within, and I'm motivated to win regardless of where I'm at and what job it is. You want to win it and that's the bottom line. That's where the motivation comes from."
On the progress the offense has made prior to him:
"It's very exciting. I'm very honored. There have been a lot of great coordinators before me to coach this offense. We have good players and to be a part of that is just fun. Everything has to come with time and we have to make sure that it fits with our personnel and that sort of thing."
On what his "touch" on the offense will be:
"I don't know exactly what that will be, but this is our offense, and it's an offense with a lot of good coaches. Our players know the system and they're very good at what we do. It will come with time. We're going to run what we've been running here for a few years and what we're good at."
On the speed of this year's offense:
"You just want to make sure that you're disrupting the defense's communication and that you're wearing them out really well. We just have to make sure that we're going at a tempo where we are pushing ourselves."
On his first game as coordinator being away from home:
"I don't necessarily feel any pressure. I'm excited, and I think it's a good opportunity for our football program. I think our players are really looking forward to that opportunity. We're excited about it."
On the offense's depth:
"I think we have really good depth. Offensive line-wise, I think we have some guys that can move around and play a couple of different positions, and that's really good. Receiver-wise, I feel really good about our depth. We have some young guys and, obviously, some experienced guys. The experienced guys help bring those younger guys along, which is very important. They coach them up because they've been there and that's a good thing to have. Obviously, at quarterback we have good depth there, and at tailback, I feel really good about. I'm looking forward to seeing the young guys progress in training camp."
Cornerbacks Coach Van Malone
On Barry Sanders' 25th Heisman Anniversary:
"I vividly remember my rookie year with the Lions. It was the first unit on offense against the first unit on defense. Barry got the ball and the hole opened. I thought 'this is Barry Sanders--I'm gonna knock this guy.' I approached the line of scrimmage, and he was gone. From then on, I would just point at where I would have had him, and the play would be dead. Guys would always ask me before games how to tackle him. I would just tell them to dive at his feet, because if you do that, all people see on the highlight is a flash of your jersey. I'm excited for this anniversary, and for him, because he is a super guy."
On his relationship with safeties coach Tim Duffie:
"When Jason Jones was here, he and I were best friends. It was a great working relationship. After he left, I went to Coach Gundy and Coach Spencer and told them whoever we brought in had to fit with the staff and the kids. I had guys call from all over the country, but when I met Tim, I knew he was the guy. In the staff room, he expresses his opinion, but he doesn't flip the table if it doesn't go his way. With the players, he's fair and his personality is one of a gentle giant. But if they mess up, he holds them accountable. It's been great, and will continue to get better."
Running Backs Coach Jemal Singleton
On Desmond Roland's running style:
"Des is not your prototypical back. He's a taller, bigger back. His change of direction is deceptive, because you don't think he can move and cut like that for being that big of a guy. He's also gotten better at lowering his pads and using that height and weight to his advantage, so he is always falling forward. We've seen some glimpses. Last year against Kansas State, he made a guy miss on a kickoff return and scored. Nobody caught him when he broke. I'm excited to see what he does. It's time. He's not an underclassman any more. He has two years left to play college football. It's time to show up."
On the addition of an eighth official in Big 12 play:
"It's going to be a very interesting experiment, and I love that the Big 12 has taken the lead on it. I think it does help. If the ball is getting spotted faster, we're going to snap it faster. I'm not sure how the defensive coordinators feel about it, but you have an extra set of eyes now watching the interior. I think there are pros and cons, but I'm excited for it."
Receivers Coach Jason Ray
On the young receivers who gained experience last season:
"A lot of young guys got to play last season. Going into camp, we wanted to have our guys healthy, and we mostly accomplished that. All those younger guys have to be consistent. They're no longer rookies. They have a year under their belts and they have to make sure they get consistency in their games. New freshmen will come in, so they won't be the rookies. They have to step their game up.
On the opportunity to coach at Oklahoma State:
"I was working in donor relations before I got my shot to coach at Wyoming, but I had a great opportunity there to begin my coaching career. I was fortunate and blessed enough to have a full-time gig after finishing as a graduate assistant. I love the game, and I love working with these guys. It's awesome to be in the system Coach Gundy has implemented here. We really hang our hat on the way we play. It's a philosophy I really enjoy. And I'm home, back in my home state of Oklahoma. I'm ready to get this thing kicked off."
Defensive Line Coach Joe Bob Clements
On practicing against an up-tempo offense, and the advantages it brings:
"I think the advantage is exactly that--practicing against it. We see it and get accustomed to it. Once we get in a conference game and see it, it's nothing new. Last year when I was at Kansas State, that is not the type of offense they ran, so defensively we had to try to mimic the up-tempo offense. Regardless of what they did or tried, you could never get a great idea of what it would look like on Saturday. It would usually take a series or two to adjust, so that puts you behind from the start."
On what he looks for in the first week of practice from his players:
"I look for guys who are ready. I know they will all be eager and anxious, but I look for guys who are also ready. They came into camp in shape and they took care of business. For the guys who don't, there's a level of disappointment, but I think my guys will be ready. History shows if they do what Coach Glass tells them, and there's no gray area--you do or you don't--they will be ready."
