Oklahoma State University Athletics
Catching Up With The Cowboys
February 27, 2014 | Cowboy Football
Feb. 27, 2014
STILLWATER - With the Oklahoma State football team working hard in the midst of its offseason speed, strength and conditioning program, head coach Mike Gundy updates fans on the latest in Cowboy football. His comments:
On what's important right now:
"We're having a great offseason and winter conditioning with Coach Glass. Each week we get speed development. We have stations and team-building concepts. We have stadiums Friday mornings, and Thursday afternoon we have a really grueling workout. It tests the character of our players, and we develop some leadership. The coaching staff is in their staff rooms getting ready for spring ball to make sure practice faces are completed, as well as all the things that we feel like we need to improve on in the spring. We're a really young football team now with 28 departing seniors. We want to make sure we are back in the flow of being good at the basic fundamentals of offense and defense. We have a new special teams coach with Robbie Discher here. Coach Linder's time as a graduate assistant expired, so he had to move on. There are a lot of areas that we need to improve on. 2015 and 2016 recruiting is up in full force right now. We've had some really good days and some terrific prospects on our campus for the last month. It never stops. It's a full cycle, but there's a lot of excitement here with Oklahoma State football."
On hiring Bob Connelly as offensive line coach:
"Well, he's got a wealth of experience. He's been around a long time. He understands the up-tempo offense and some of the things that we try to perfect on that side of the ball with run-pass mode. He's had experience recruiting for big-time Division I programs, so he understands those recruiting battles. We think he's going to be a really good hire for us. He has a lot of energy and has been coaching offensive line for more than 20 years."
On evaluating this upcoming team:
"I think the best way to describe where our football team is at right now is that they're trying to create their identity. I say that a lot in the fall, and our team understands that. They're looking for leaders with so many departing seniors. We're trying to find out which guys are going to step up and lead this team, and that starts in winter conditioning. That's really where they are at right now. We're just maybe 15 days away from spring ball, so once we get out there and get through half the practices, then hopefully we can identify who the leaders will be on our football team.
On the benefit of football players Tyreek Hill, Blake Webb, Tre Flowers and Jerel Morrow also competing in track and field:
"We've got a number of guys that are competing in the jumps and speed events in track. Two things are happening: One; for the first time ever, we really have sprint coaches here, and we have a track team that's going to compete in the indoor and score very well in the conference meet. Over the years, we've had a number of young men, skill players, who made a decision on where they were going to school. I think we lost out because we didn't really have a track program for them. Now, we have a track program in place for our sprinters and our jumpers. The athletes like that. We have four or five guys over there who are competing in the spring, and they are doing well. They want to compete in track, and once it's over, we'll get them back over for spring football."
On his message to the team right now:
"Work hard, and start to develop that identity. The team chemistry is very important. We have a number of players that won't be in spring ball who were competing for us last year, even in the bowl game. So, the younger players have to step up, and they are all going to get good quality reps. We want to lay that foundation for next season. Guys have to work hard, get better each day and just take one step at a time. I think they understand that and they realize the importance of trying to get better each day. Every day counts."
On the importance of having Coach Glass in the program at this time of year:
"Rob Glass could very well be the most important person in our program. Our strength and conditioning allows us to be hands-on with our players all year round. Coaches have limitations on how much we can be with our team. The discipline, structure and work ethic that he instills in our players starts the ball rolling and creates an identity for us in the offseason. As I'd mentioned earlier with our winter conditioning, right now, this team is just starting to figure out who they are, and it starts with Rob Glass and what he brings to the table.
