Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Defense Meets With Media
December 28, 2015 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State defense met with media Monday morning to preview the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer and five Cowboy players discussed OSU's upcoming matchup with Ole Miss. Their comments:
Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the physical practices leading to the bowl game:
"We were in a pattern. This is something we couldn't do the last three to four weeks of the season, but we got back to some full-speed contact things where a lot of people that factor into the game were participating in. The tempo picked up so we probably had a pattern where every other day we were hitting it pretty hard, and then a day where we had a lighter day or a day off. We have had a few physical ones. We may back off today. The intensity is there, but you monitor the full speed collisions. Guys have gotten nicked, but you'll find out if it is worth the reward. That doesn't guarantee you are going to win a game. On my side of the ball, we are feeling pretty good about it. That doesn't guarantee success, but I would say we practice the way we are supposed to practice."
On energy that comes with playing in the Sugar Bowl:
"We'll be amped. Ole Miss will be amped too so the energy that creates, everyone is going to share in that. It is important. That is why the home team has an advantage. They will probably have it more than us. I would say 70/30. I think both teams will feed off of that. I think it will go back to those practices that we talked about."
Defensive End Emmanuel Ogbah
On entering the NFL Draft:
"I am just worried about winning this game right now; that is my number one priority. It is all about the team and what we can do now, beating Ole Miss is my only priority."
On choosing Oklahoma State in the recruiting process:
"I chose Oklahoma State because of the family atmosphere. When I came on my visit I fell in love with the place. A guy that went to my high school went to Oklahoma State so he kind of gave me advice and talked to me about the school and I was convinced."
On the importance of this bowl game:
"This game is like the college Super Bowl to us ... it's the SEC versus the Big XII, we have to go out there are show them that we are not a conference people can just push around. We just have to go out there and be the best team we can be."
On the SEC versus the Big 12 matchup:
"People always say that the SEC is the more dominant conference so we just have to go out there and prove them wrong. The Big XII might not run the ball as much as the SEC but we have teams that can run hard and very physical."
Cornerback Kevin Peterson
On the matchup versus the Ole Miss receivers:
"They are all three Biletnikoff finalists, so you know they're great receivers. They're athletic, they're big, they're fast and they're strong. They can do anything you ask them to do, so it's going to be fun to play against somebody like that."
On conference pride as they face an SEC team:
"There is always conference pride. Anytime we're playing against an SEC team or another Big 12 school is playing against an SEC team, we try to battle them as much as we can. They say they pride themselves on running it down our throat and they say we're kind of more of a basketball type conference. You know, I heard that a lot this year. We got a lot to prove and it's going to be a lot of fun to play an SEC team."
Defensive Tackle Vincent Taylor
On being home in New Orleans:
"It's great to be here. It is always great to be home. I got to see my family and friends so Christmas was great. My grandmother has been very excited since I have been back. Since I am away at college I don't get to see her very much. When I come to New Orleans, I stay with my grandmother. So, I got to see her for Christmas and I will get to see her again after the bowl game."
On being displaced by Katrina:
"When Katrina came my family was displaced by the storm and we headed to San Antonio, Texas when the storm hit. My parents stayed there, but the rest of my family came home to New Orleans. I do have tales to tell."
On being able to come home and play in the Sugar Bowl:
"If Katrina would have never happened, I probably would have gone to St. Augustine or Carver High School in New Orleans. Life changed for the better. I am blessed to be where I am today. Because of Katrina, I am blessed to have made it to where I am and be able to come home and play in the Sugar Bowl."
On playing in another bowl:
"This is my third bowl game to play in. We played in Tucson last year. This is a New Year's Six Bowl. It definitely sets it apart on a different stage for me. This is one of the bigger bowls I have been to. To play on New Year's Day will be very special. Playing in the Superdome will just be a Kodak moment for me. The Sugar Bowl will be my first time actually playing on that field." Â
Cornerback Michael Hunter
On going up against a talented Ole Miss offense:
"It's going to be a huge challenge for us on the back end. Not only (junior WR Laquon) Treadwell, but 88 (senior WR Cody Core), three (redshirt sophomore WR Damore'ea Stringfellow) and the slot guy number eight (junior WR Quincy Adeboyejo), and the tight end (junior Evan Engram), he's a very good receiver as well. We're going to have a huge challenge coming up this week but we're competitors as well so we're looking forward to it. You want to play the best to see how good you are. We ended up playing all three players that were finalists for the Biletnikoff Award so we're definitely looking forward to it. I think the other guys we did pretty well against as far as the one-on- one match ups so we're looking forward to it."
On Laquon Treadwell:
"He's a little different because not only is he a bit bigger, but he runs a lot better than the other two. I think he's a mix between both of those guys. He's very talented and has very big hands and catches everything thrown his way. We're going to have a very big challenge coming up but we're looking forward to the opportunity."
On fatigue being a factor at the end of the regular season:
"Of course, we were tired throughout that time. It had been a long run and it was the fourteenth and fifteenth weeks of the season. I don't think it was the reason for the way the season ended because those other teams had played eleven and twelve games as well. We just didn't end the way we wanted to end. We were kind of beat up at that time so these last couple of weeks have given us time to recover. We're coming out and we're excited to be here in the Sugar Bowl - it's a prestigious bowl. We're very happy to be here and we want to get [this season] turned around."
On why the regular season ended the way it did:
"In those last two games, [our opponents] outplayed us. Baylor and Oklahoma are very talented and they were on their A-game and we weren't. That's what it came down to."
On end of the year difficulties in the Big 12:
"It's very difficult. In all but four or five games we had over a hundred plays on defense. In the SEC, I think in one game they had about fifty-five plays on defense. That's double in one game. Fatigue does play a factor but our strength coach, Rob Glass, is one of the best I've been around. He has us ready and prepared for those moments, so you just have to push through."
Safety Jordan Sterns
On sideline energy:
"It's very important. The sideline is just as much a part of the game as the fans and crowd. Kirk Tucker does a good job on the sideline. He's the hype man. He and (redshirt freshman linebacker) Josh Mabin are always hyping the team up. I can even hear them on the sidelines. So they do a great job of keeping the sideline energized. That means a lot to us. On the sideline you have guys who aren't playing, and they could be selfish, but they are jumping around for us. They aren't mad at the world because they aren't playing as much."
On if the sideline has become more energetic over the course of the season:
"Even when we were losing to Baylor and Oklahoma, the guys still did a good job of trying to keep us hyped up and tell us we still had a chance to win. Like I said, it means a lot when we're down and they are still telling us to fight."
On Coach Gundy's policy on yelling:
"Yeah we definitely appreciate that. You're going to make mistakes, and the coaches understand that. Most of the time, we try to cover everything that could happen, but sometimes we don't. The coaches are good at letting us know what happened and not to do it again. I mean, we still have time left in the game, fix your mistake. If everyone is hustling to the ball, your mistake doesn't end up in a touchdown. You get the ball down and you live to fight another day."
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Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the physical practices leading to the bowl game:
"We were in a pattern. This is something we couldn't do the last three to four weeks of the season, but we got back to some full-speed contact things where a lot of people that factor into the game were participating in. The tempo picked up so we probably had a pattern where every other day we were hitting it pretty hard, and then a day where we had a lighter day or a day off. We have had a few physical ones. We may back off today. The intensity is there, but you monitor the full speed collisions. Guys have gotten nicked, but you'll find out if it is worth the reward. That doesn't guarantee you are going to win a game. On my side of the ball, we are feeling pretty good about it. That doesn't guarantee success, but I would say we practice the way we are supposed to practice."
On energy that comes with playing in the Sugar Bowl:
"We'll be amped. Ole Miss will be amped too so the energy that creates, everyone is going to share in that. It is important. That is why the home team has an advantage. They will probably have it more than us. I would say 70/30. I think both teams will feed off of that. I think it will go back to those practices that we talked about."
Defensive End Emmanuel Ogbah
On entering the NFL Draft:
"I am just worried about winning this game right now; that is my number one priority. It is all about the team and what we can do now, beating Ole Miss is my only priority."
On choosing Oklahoma State in the recruiting process:
"I chose Oklahoma State because of the family atmosphere. When I came on my visit I fell in love with the place. A guy that went to my high school went to Oklahoma State so he kind of gave me advice and talked to me about the school and I was convinced."
On the importance of this bowl game:
"This game is like the college Super Bowl to us ... it's the SEC versus the Big XII, we have to go out there are show them that we are not a conference people can just push around. We just have to go out there and be the best team we can be."
On the SEC versus the Big 12 matchup:
"People always say that the SEC is the more dominant conference so we just have to go out there and prove them wrong. The Big XII might not run the ball as much as the SEC but we have teams that can run hard and very physical."
Cornerback Kevin Peterson
On the matchup versus the Ole Miss receivers:
"They are all three Biletnikoff finalists, so you know they're great receivers. They're athletic, they're big, they're fast and they're strong. They can do anything you ask them to do, so it's going to be fun to play against somebody like that."
On conference pride as they face an SEC team:
"There is always conference pride. Anytime we're playing against an SEC team or another Big 12 school is playing against an SEC team, we try to battle them as much as we can. They say they pride themselves on running it down our throat and they say we're kind of more of a basketball type conference. You know, I heard that a lot this year. We got a lot to prove and it's going to be a lot of fun to play an SEC team."
Defensive Tackle Vincent Taylor
On being home in New Orleans:
"It's great to be here. It is always great to be home. I got to see my family and friends so Christmas was great. My grandmother has been very excited since I have been back. Since I am away at college I don't get to see her very much. When I come to New Orleans, I stay with my grandmother. So, I got to see her for Christmas and I will get to see her again after the bowl game."
On being displaced by Katrina:
"When Katrina came my family was displaced by the storm and we headed to San Antonio, Texas when the storm hit. My parents stayed there, but the rest of my family came home to New Orleans. I do have tales to tell."
On being able to come home and play in the Sugar Bowl:
"If Katrina would have never happened, I probably would have gone to St. Augustine or Carver High School in New Orleans. Life changed for the better. I am blessed to be where I am today. Because of Katrina, I am blessed to have made it to where I am and be able to come home and play in the Sugar Bowl."
On playing in another bowl:
"This is my third bowl game to play in. We played in Tucson last year. This is a New Year's Six Bowl. It definitely sets it apart on a different stage for me. This is one of the bigger bowls I have been to. To play on New Year's Day will be very special. Playing in the Superdome will just be a Kodak moment for me. The Sugar Bowl will be my first time actually playing on that field." Â
Cornerback Michael Hunter
On going up against a talented Ole Miss offense:
"It's going to be a huge challenge for us on the back end. Not only (junior WR Laquon) Treadwell, but 88 (senior WR Cody Core), three (redshirt sophomore WR Damore'ea Stringfellow) and the slot guy number eight (junior WR Quincy Adeboyejo), and the tight end (junior Evan Engram), he's a very good receiver as well. We're going to have a huge challenge coming up this week but we're competitors as well so we're looking forward to it. You want to play the best to see how good you are. We ended up playing all three players that were finalists for the Biletnikoff Award so we're definitely looking forward to it. I think the other guys we did pretty well against as far as the one-on- one match ups so we're looking forward to it."
On Laquon Treadwell:
"He's a little different because not only is he a bit bigger, but he runs a lot better than the other two. I think he's a mix between both of those guys. He's very talented and has very big hands and catches everything thrown his way. We're going to have a very big challenge coming up but we're looking forward to the opportunity."
On fatigue being a factor at the end of the regular season:
"Of course, we were tired throughout that time. It had been a long run and it was the fourteenth and fifteenth weeks of the season. I don't think it was the reason for the way the season ended because those other teams had played eleven and twelve games as well. We just didn't end the way we wanted to end. We were kind of beat up at that time so these last couple of weeks have given us time to recover. We're coming out and we're excited to be here in the Sugar Bowl - it's a prestigious bowl. We're very happy to be here and we want to get [this season] turned around."
On why the regular season ended the way it did:
"In those last two games, [our opponents] outplayed us. Baylor and Oklahoma are very talented and they were on their A-game and we weren't. That's what it came down to."
On end of the year difficulties in the Big 12:
"It's very difficult. In all but four or five games we had over a hundred plays on defense. In the SEC, I think in one game they had about fifty-five plays on defense. That's double in one game. Fatigue does play a factor but our strength coach, Rob Glass, is one of the best I've been around. He has us ready and prepared for those moments, so you just have to push through."
Safety Jordan Sterns
On sideline energy:
"It's very important. The sideline is just as much a part of the game as the fans and crowd. Kirk Tucker does a good job on the sideline. He's the hype man. He and (redshirt freshman linebacker) Josh Mabin are always hyping the team up. I can even hear them on the sidelines. So they do a great job of keeping the sideline energized. That means a lot to us. On the sideline you have guys who aren't playing, and they could be selfish, but they are jumping around for us. They aren't mad at the world because they aren't playing as much."
On if the sideline has become more energetic over the course of the season:
"Even when we were losing to Baylor and Oklahoma, the guys still did a good job of trying to keep us hyped up and tell us we still had a chance to win. Like I said, it means a lot when we're down and they are still telling us to fight."
On Coach Gundy's policy on yelling:
"Yeah we definitely appreciate that. You're going to make mistakes, and the coaches understand that. Most of the time, we try to cover everything that could happen, but sometimes we don't. The coaches are good at letting us know what happened and not to do it again. I mean, we still have time left in the game, fix your mistake. If everyone is hustling to the ball, your mistake doesn't end up in a touchdown. You get the ball down and you live to fight another day."
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Players Mentioned
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