Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy, Cowboys Preview UTSA
September 08, 2014 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy and selected members of the football team visited with the media on Monday in Boone Pickens Stadium to preview the Cowboys' matchup with UTSA. Their comments:
Head Coach Mike Gundy
Opening statement:
"After watching the tape, the last game looked pretty much like what he had said in the post-game conference. We were really flat. I thought Missouri State did a great job. They played really hard and had a good plan. The quarterback made some plays, and I wasn't really too fired up about our team and how they played. It was kind of the first sign of an immature team. We had warned them throughout the week, but they didn't prepare well. It wasn't a great effort from our standpoint, so the preparation was my fault. I'm also in charge of getting the team ready, but we need to have a better plan and a better operation each week in order to compete throughout the rest of the season. We're playing a very good football team next week. I mentioned in the post-game that this team is very capable of competing in games in this league. They're a very mature team, essentially. They've got pretty much everybody back other than the quarterback, but the quarterback this year has played pretty well. They're a very well-coached team. They've got speed. They're located in a great part of the country for recruiting, and it shows. They've done a nice job, and they have good players. We'll have our work cut out for us on Saturday night."
On his relationship with UTSA head coach Larry Coker:
"Well, he's always been a very special part of our family. He obviously coached myself and Cale. He's got a great personality and good people skills. He's got great people skills, and he's smart. I don't know all the details of whatever happened down in Miami, but I know that he was one game away and arguably a call that could have gone either way from winning two national championships in a row. I don't know what his long-term goals are. In my opinion, he'll either come out at some point and say, 'This is where I want to go and retire,' or at some point, there's going to be another job. I would think that some athletic director would eventually go to his board of regents and say that he wants to hire him, in my opinion, especially with the job he has done in such a short period of time."
On Daxx Garman's performance against Missouri State:
"He played fairly well. There were times when he made mistakes, and there were a few throws he'd like to have back, I'm sure. For the most part, it's never like what people think it is until you step out there and play. There have been a few players at our level, and I use Johnny Manziel as an example, that showed up on the scene, played well from the start and continued to play well throughout his entire career. With most players, it takes time to get used to and adjust to the speed of the game."
On preparing the run game:
"Well, we have to continue to work on it. We're an average running team right now. We cover guys up pretty well, but we're not getting much movement. We're trying to develop a center, guard and a tackle that haven't played the game. There are adjustments going on right now. As I mentioned to you guys in August, we'll know a lot more about our team in the middle of October, and that's really the truth. We'll find out where they're at and how they'll develop. We expect them to play better this Saturday than they did last Saturday, and they have to continue to improve. If they don't, then our system isn't working and our coaches aren't working. The practice plan and everything we're doing is somewhat malfunctioned if we're not getting better each week."
On the offensive line's performance against Missouri State:
"They played a lot of three-down and changed up some looks and things. As I mentioned earlier, I thought they had a good plan. When you look back at the game, they were a well-coached football team. There's communication that goes on all the time up front. The inexperience up front is largely in part to a lack of communication. The guys that are trying to communicate are trying to figure out what to do, and that's an issue. It's like a quarterback playing early in his career. He's trying to figure out what's going on, when he should be trying to decide where to throw the ball. There's some of that that goes on with our linemen."
Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich
On how having Daxx Garman at quarterback changes the offense:
"We, as an offense, want to maintain balance regardless of who's at quarterback. We want to complement ourselves and J.W. (Walsh), a lot like Daxx, can make a lot of throws down the field. When you talk about arm strength, J.W. Walsh has a very strong arm and Daxx has a very strong arm. They both have their strengths. Obviously, Walsh is a little bit better of a runner. The ability to play-action, throw your quick game, throw your drop-backs, and then being able to change your pace with tempo and be able to complement yourself is the key, regardless of what quarterback is in."
On Daxx Garman's 87-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Sheperd:
"That was a heck of a throw. He has the ability to spin the football very well, and that's just hip rotation, core body strength and timing from the lower body to the upper body. Whether it's a golf swing or throwing a football, that type of motion is really important to have, and the timing of that really separates really powerful throwers and really powerful golfers."
On his preference between mobile and non-mobile quarterbacks:
"I think you play to your personnel strengths. From a recruiting standpoint, you're looking for guys that can compete and guys that win. I think that's the most important thing. On top of that, it's what their attributes are. We want a quarterback that can throw the ball down the field, and then if he's mobile that's a bonus. We're looking to throw the ball down the field and get the ball to the guys that can make things happen after the catch and hand it off to our tailbacks when they play cover two."
Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer
On his takeaway from the Missouri State game:
"We had, I think, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks and two hurries, so that's the most negative yardage plays in one game that we've had since I've been here. That was a positive. Effort is tremendous. Guys are really playing hard. That's another great positive. We were really good on third down again. I think we were 71 percent. Negatives are a lot of issues that are going to get taken care of with experience and better coaching. We'll get both of those done. Experience is going to happen because it's time and it's inevitable. And the coaching, we'll get those guys coached up better."
On the special teams effort against Missouri State:
"Well on the blocked field goal and extra point, it was the same two guys that we showed film to as a unit after the Florida State game. We gave great effort on that last (block). It probably didn't mean anything, but they rushed it like it was the last play of their life. We told them on film 'Guys, you've got to keep playing like that and believing because you never know when you're going to get it.' They gave the same effort that they had on every one of those, so that wasn't a surprise. It's just good to see great effort get recognized, and those were just great effort plays."
On UTSA:
"They give anybody a lot of issues. Schematically, we've got a lot of respect for those coaches and what they get out of those kids. I think that's an advantage of having senior players that you've seen progress over the last three years, what they've done, what their scheme is; a lot of shifts and motions. A lot of times, that will mess up an offense just as much as their defense, but they're experienced and they've done it enough. They do a great job of getting on the perimeter, getting you out-leveraged and getting you on the ground. Their perimeter blockers are the best that we'll face this year. It's a well-designed, well-executed offense."
Offensive Lineman Zac Veatch
On the offensive line's play this season:
"There is always room for improvement, but we have come light-years from the spring, learning the new coach and new scheme."
On making adjustments on the offensive line:
"We've got an answer for everything they do. Coach (Bob) Connelly talks about our rules. No matter what they do, we have rules for everything."
On Zach Crabtree:
"The big thing about Crabtree is his work ethic. Nobody outworked him in the offseason. I was really impressed with his mental toughness and the way he played in the offseason."
Running Back Rennie Childs
On his growth at running back:
"I'm being more comfortable in the backfield, rather than being timid. I'm glad I got experience last year so this year I wouldn't be like, `Oh my goodness, I'm out here for the first time.'"
On playing without Desmond Roland:
"It felt good being out there on the field. Of course, I missed my boy Dez and everything, but, getting the carries I did, I pushed it to the limit and did everything I could to help the team win the game."
On preparing for UTSA:
"We're going to treat them like we treat any other team. During the week, we'll train, train, train and prepare for them."
Linebacker Ryan Simmons
On how the defense's performance against Missouri State:
"We went out and did everything we needed to do. The gap control was good and we prevented the big plays on the running game. Some things we messed up on were a few coverages. All around, we still have some things we need to clean up."
On facing UTSA last year:
"Last year, they had a scheme we weren't used too. Their offensive line is quick, so they do a lot of power and they just have a lot of speed on offense."
On facing some friends that play for UTSA:
"I worked out with a lot of them over the offseason and in the summer when I went home. Most of the guys on that team are really cool."
Defensive End Emmanuel Ogbah
On what Daxx Garman can bring to the offense:
"Daxx is a great player, so I think he will step up and help us out because he works hard at practice."
On Daxx Garman:
"The way we feel about J.W., we feel about Daxx too. We feel like he can step up and bring this team a win."
On the defense's performance against Missouri State:
"I was pleased, but there were still some errors we need to fix."
Safety Larry Stephens
On facing UTSA:
"Our preparation has to be a lot better than it was last week. We will clean that up."
On what to expect from UTSA:
"I think they have like 97 percent of their starters returning, so it's going to be the same guys, but just a little bit better. We just have to be disciplined and just play our game like we normally do."
On his performance so far this season:
"I messed up here and there, but I think overall I've done a good job. I could get better each week and I'm always looking for room to improve."
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