Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU-Texas Post-Game Quotes
November 15, 2014 | Cowboy Football
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy
On the offensive struggles tonight
"We had fight. It's simple, though. Their front is really good right now, and it's not a good matchup for us. When you get whipped, you can't run the ball and you struggle in pass protection, it's really hard to kind of identify things. We tried to move the ball around with some different formations, but they were able to contain us. When that happens, it's kind of hard to explain, but you go from one extreme to the other, and we need some maturity. We need some strength, and we need some guys to grow up up front. When we get a little help there, it'll make us a better football team."
On how the team's weaknesses will limit the team going forward
"We have a pretty good idea (of where we need to improve) because we see those areas in practice all the time. We like where we're at there, but this was not a secret. We knew this coming into the season. The guys are giving effort, but there are a couple of spots where we're not as strong and experienced. When you run into guys that have as good of a defensive front as they've got, it makes it difficult."
On switching up things on the offensive line
"We tried to get some protection on the edge at times, and we were wanting to get a little more maturity than what we've had. We've been playing a sophomore there so we felt like we'd move him out, get us a little bit of help there and move the sophomore to the inside."
On the state of the team moving forward
"I have a lot of confidence in where we're at. It's my responsibility to see who we are, see where we're at, get the guys to play hard and keep everybody together. So I have a pretty good feel for most things that are going on. People would want you to panic, get upset and show frustration and anger, but I just don't believe in that."
On the source of his confidence in the team
"When you play with young players that lack experience, they're going to make mistakes, and they're not going to look as good as you want them to. They'll continue to get a little better, though, and they'll make some plays. I like where our young guys are progressing. I'm certainly never satisfied with losing. Ultimately, we try to win each week, and there's a lot of hard work that goes in with the players. So when you don't win, it's difficult for them. It's kind of the way life is, though. They have a responsibility, and we have a responsibility as coaches to come back and fight. That's the only way that we've ever seen it."
Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich
On the disadvantages up front
"That's something we can't dwell on; we just have to get better in practice. We have to work to get better every day and we know where our shortcomings are, but we still have to improve in the offensive line area. It comes from overall, everybody, including me, improving on the offense."
On what he can take away from loss
"Our guys gave great effort. I didn't see any quit in them. We had good body language and we had positive attitudes, and that's what I expect from them."
On the offensive numbers
"It's hard to think about the statistics when you come away with such numbers when your guys put in all that effort and practice. We spent a lot of time working on this game plan so it's disappointing on many levels, but especially for our players because they're working hard and it's just a matter of time. It's a tough time right now, but we've got to get through it and get ready for the next one."
On Texas' defense
"I'd have to take a look at the film before I talk about fundamental failures. Obviously we didn't play as well as we should have, but you have to give Texas a lot of credit. They did a nice job, they're very well coached and they have a lot of talented athletes on that side of the ball. So as far as the fundamentals and mistakes that we may have made, I'd like to watch the film before I comment any further on that."
Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the defense being on the field for 38 minutes
"They weren't thinking about it like [it was tough]. In the fourth quarter they went out there with their hair on fire so they don't think of it like that. I hear them say 'Hey, here's another opportunity,' so I was proud of how they were fighting and just battling. Getting field goal blocks in the fourth quarter, getting some tackles for losses, they were upset. They were so upset on the sideline because they want success so bad. It just rips your gut out because they're fighting."
On the moral victories
"We continue to start slow. I know that it is the young guys, the youth, and that's the reason it takes so long to get adjusted to the speed of the game and the looks and everything. They have just got to realize to just go play. We can't continue to start slow because once we get settled down, we go toe-to-toe with them. But we can't start off in a hole like tonight; it's unfair to everybody."
On the mindset of the team
"We keep it to a week-by-week thing. In their mind, we lost tonight. We didn't do what we needed to do on our side of the ball to win the game. We didn't score on defense, we didn't get short fields so that's it. Just like I don't look at it like that when we're winning five games. I don't sit here and say, 'We've won five in a row, we're pretty good.' No, it's only about what you did in this game and jumping back as quick as you can saying, 'What do you have to do to win this next one?' It's our job to convince them to continue to play with great effort, and we might get a break."
Oklahoma State defensive tackle James Castleman
On the loss
“They outplayed us today. We came out and hit them, but as you can tell by the score they outplayed us. They had better schemes, they ran the ball really well and we had a tough time tackling. On both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, we had a tough time getting started, and they came out ready to play. That's something that we need to fix.”
On what can be done to prevent slow starts
“We can just try to prepare as best we can during the week and during practice. We need to just keep going at it, get a good scheme and a good game plan. We need to try to develop that game plan from the start.”
On what it meant to him to play on Senior Day after a successful collegiate career
“It means a lot to me. I love the fans, and I love the family. The fans are out there, but inside the locker room is my true family. I have my little family back home, but in the locker room is my family as well. That's probably what's going to hurt me the most – not being able to play with these guys anymore and not being able to see these guys' faces every day. I know I'm going to miss that.”
On being a senior and trying to keep the team's heads up going into the last two weeks
“Whether I was a senior or not, I would try to establish that early. That's the problem. Everybody tells me that I need to be a leader so that's something I need to do as a leader, not just as a senior. The rest of the leaders on this team and I are going to try to be an example and be vocal about it.”
Oklahoma State wide receiver David Glidden
On the loss
“Texas played a good game. They came prepared, and they were ready. I've got to go watch the film, get the mistakes corrected and we'll go from there.”
On adjustments heading into Baylor next week
“There are a lot of things that we need to work on and a lot of mistakes that we're going to find on film. We've got to go out there and play with an edge. In the second half, we came out with a little more fire than we did in the first half. The tape might show that, but the feeling on the sideline and the feeling in the locker room at halftime was that it might be one of those things. We need to find a way to get things going in the first half. It just seemed like we had a little more fire in the second half. If we can find a way to get things going in the first half that would probably help us.”
Oklahoma State linebacker Seth Jacobs
On the team keeping their heads up after the loss to Texas
“First and foremost, you've got to give credit to Texas. They came out and played a good game. We just have to take each game one game at a time and keep practicing hard. We have been all season. There are things that we're going to have to fix to overcome this.”
On what adjustments can be made going into the last two games of the season
“We need to stay sound. We'll get a better feel once we watch film tomorrow. We just need to be assignment-sound, play physical and aggressive.”
Oklahoma State safety Tre Flowers
On the difference in defensive intensity between the first and second halves
“Everybody just knows that they have to play their part. We've always felt like we have to spark the offense so that's what we tried to do.”
On what adjustments can be made going into the last two games of the season
“Everybody just needs to focus on their part more. Everybody needs to do their job. We're going to go back to practice and back to work on Tuesday.”
Oklahoma State tight end Blake Jarwin
On the loss
“We've just got to keep our heads up and look forward to next week. We've got to watch the film. I think we did a lot of good things and a lot of bad things. We've just got to keep our heads up and keep moving forward.”
On facing Baylor next week
“We've got to keep moving forward. We're getting better in certain areas each week so we just need to keep our heads up and have a good week of practice. We've got two tough opponents coming up, but we can still do good things around here.”
Texas head coach Charlie Strong
Opening statement
“It was a great team win. I challenged our players early in the week and said we have two games left. and we need to get to a bowl game. We owe it to ourselves and to our seniors for the leadership that they've provided the last few weeks. We've come a long ways and just to get bowl eligible speaks volumes of the hard work that they've put in.”
On picking up a win on the road in Stillwater
“To come on the road and go get the victory we got here today was really special. I told the guys in the locker room there was so much individual effort, but it was a team effort. To just watch how hard they played, and defensively they had a shutout going for a long time.”
On his team gaining momentum
“In the locker room, they're just so happy. I said to the seniors I'm just so happy for them to get to a bowl game because a few weeks ago nobody thought we would be here; everybody just wrote us off. And I tell them all the time don't let outside forces control this football team.”
On special teams
“The coverage has to be better. We knew that (Tyreek Hill) was going to be an issue for us, but we're just getting down the field making sure we get guys around the ball.”
Texas assistant coach Shawn Watson
On offensive rhythm
"We had good rhythm tonight. We had a good plan. Tyrone (Swoopes) played exceptional tonight. He did a lot of good things and handled a lot of things well at the line of scrimmage. He had good protection and made several good throws throughout the evening. Our receivers took the challenge of getting space and winning man coverage. The offensive line kept tight and relatively clean. Being able to run the ball always helps an offense because you can play both sides of the street. You can keep a balance in the offense."
On Daje Johnson in the first quarter
"We wanted to get him involved early in this game and get him going. So it was a part of the plan. His speed alone is a factor. You have to account for him. It opens up other things. We use him to open runs. Using him on sweeps opens up things for the running backs."
On having an effective offense
"It was a good start. There's no doubt about it. Starts are always big. We challenged our guys this week to do just this. We've got to start fast when we come into an opponent's home. We've got to be efficient in the way that we manage ourselves on the field because our defense has played lights out all year. We're growing to become like them. We wanted to leave no doubt what we were here to get done."
Texas cornerback Quandre Diggs
On being bowl eligible
"It means a lot. Getting through another month with my teammates is the most important thing and getting the opportunity to play with these guys again. It'll be fun. We did what we wanted to do tonight, and we played the way we wanted to. It feels good to be bowl eligible."
On how proud he is of his teammates
"No doubt. We've been resilient all year. We could have easily packed it in three games ago. These guys have continued to fight, and this is a great opportunity to continue to build on something that will get us going in the right direction next year."
On how far they've come since the game against Kansas State
"We've come a long way on both sides of the ball and on special teams. I think guys took it up to themselves to go out and play the game the right way. It hurts losing, but it feels good winning the game."
Texas defensive end Cedric Reed
On being bowl eligible
"It's exciting. It's definitely a proud moment for all of us. Going into the season we had a goal, and we've reached one of them."
On what is different during the three-game winning streak
"We just came together as a group. We fought through the wounds, and we made it. We're bowl eligible, and we still have another game on the schedule."
Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes
On the game
"We played well. Our backs played well, and our offensive line blocked well. Our receivers caught balls so it was a great team performance."
On Armanti Foreman
"It was great seeing young guys come in and step up. We've told them all season to stay ready because you just never know. So it was great seeing him come in and have a big part in the win."
On how he feels personally about the game
"It feels good. These past couple of weeks we didn't play well, and then we come in and play with confidence. This was a good confidence booster."
On qualifying for a bowl
"It was good to get qualified. We still have one more game so it doesn't mean we can't go out there and win that one, too."
