Oklahoma State University Athletics
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Cowboys Preview Baylor Game
October 10, 2017 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State coordinators and selected players met with media after practice Tuesday inside the Sherman E. Smith Training Center to preview this weekend's Homecoming matchup against Baylor. Some of their comments:
Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich
On the importance of trust among personnel during critical moments of games:
"It matters a lot. I heard back a long time ago, a coach once told me that it's not necessarily as much about plays as it is about players. Getting the correct matchup and getting the ball to your best guys in crunch time - those guys that have done it before for us - is really important."
On Justice Hill's workload:
"Anytime you are talking about a tailback with reps or a receiver or anyone that is a high-energy position, you have to keep an eye on the number of repetitions they're getting. And not necessarily the number of repetitions, but how tired are they or how exhausted are they or are they full-speed, because the next guy is. You don't want to make any exceptions and have the team suffer because of that, so you have to monitor it, but at the same time if you have somebody who has got the hot hand, you have to go with them. Justice is a guy we trust and if he can go, we're going to go with him. If James (Washington) can go, we're going to go with him. Those are the types of guys that if they're ready to roll - our coaches on the sidelines do a great job with substitutions of personnel throughout the game, especially when you consider the tempo that we play with there's different things to factor in."
On how much Justice Hill has grown over the last year:
"A ton. He came to us well-coached out of Booker T. Washington and they coached him well, so I think for him the learning curve was a little bit different. He's a very mature young man, but he has obviously made strides, and I think the biggest stride he has made from year one to two is in the weight room with Coach (Rob) Glass. What they've done to his strength levels and his endurance has helped him be much healthier at this point than he was last year. All of those things combined, he has done a heck of a job being our running back and he's going to continue to improve. His mindset is to continue improving, just like it is for Mason Rudolph and just like it is for James Washington. He wants to improve every day and practices with a purpose. Everybody on our team and within our culture understands that and works toward that every day."
Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the Baylor offense:
"It looks like, to me at least, they've reverted back to the Baylor of old in the past couple of weeks. There's a lot of 21 and 22 personnel. They move the ball a lot, spread some people out. They've got a guy that can throw the ball well and a couple of receivers that can catch. I'm sure they're going to try to find ways to run the football, like everybody does, so I think they're going to want to be balanced for sure. They've shown that they can throw the ball on anyone right now though, so that's concerning."
On DeQuinton Osborne's growth:
"I think just getting used to the tempo of the Big 12 is big for a lot of these guys. You can't just line up and wait on the huddle. You don't have time to process a call. You have to process a lot of information in five or six seconds, get down and function, and then you have to run your tail the next snap. That's usually the biggest adjustment for guys, especially linemen. They realize there's not 20 seconds between every snap to get your wits about you. You have to be mentally tough and I think he has become more mentally tough."
On coaching technique among cornerbacks:
"It's a fine line. We definitely worked on it with them to show them where the timing of their hits needs to be with where the ball is at. It's very subjective. You watch tape, and there's guys battling hand-on-hand and the call's not made and other times it is, so we try to teach proper timing, getting your head around and searching for the ball. At the end of the day, there's going to be combat penalties, but it's those non-combat penalties that kill you. When they hit somebody after they're out of the end zone or twisting somebody's head around – those are non-combat, stupid penalties that'll kill you as a defense."
Quarterback Mason Rudolph
On coming off the open week:
"I think Coach Gundy's got a great plan as far as giving us some rest, giving us some time to recover and giving guys who were injured some time to heal. We had a few practices last week then started to plan and then obviously got back on Sunday and took another step. I think his plan is great. Coming off an off week, I think we've got enough leadership and guys who will be catalysts for this team and bring energy and enthusiasm. It'll seem like we haven't played a game in a while come Saturday, but that doesn't matter after you get out there and snap that first play and get things rolling."
On previous open week success:
"I think every team has a bye week. It's just about how you treat it. I think Coach Gundy is extremely knowledgeable regarding our bodies. He has come away from that old school mindset of 'practice, practice, practice' and kind of Remember the Titans 'water makes you weak' mentality. He does great with being up-to-date on cutting-edge nutrition, sleep and hydration; getting us rested and allowing our bodies to recover. Now that portion of the season is over, and it's time to play and time to practice. I think we had a great practice today and started off the week on a high note."
On losing his redshirt at Baylor:
"I think the last couple years I thought about it. I really hadn't thought about that until you just mentioned it. I think obviously what sticks out most to me is I haven't beaten those guys, and I want to beat them. This is kind of one I've had circled on the schedule for a while now. So I'm preparing hard, getting ready to go and lead my team and play my butt off. I think obviously it was the first one for me, and everyone has a first one so nothing special there."
Wide Receiver Chris Lacy
On what drew him to OSU:
"The air-raid offense and me being a receiver. It's a receiver's dream to play in an offense that throws the ball a lot. I wanted to come here and be able to catch balls and score touchdowns."
On his role in other DeSoto players coming to OSU:
"I just told them about the atmosphere here, how it's like family. Of course, when they came on their visits they saw the facilities, I told them it's a lot like where we came from. I guess that's what helped get them here."
On Coach Gundy getting DeSoto recruits:
"I might be a little biased, there's a lot of talent that comes out of DeSoto. I don't blame him for going to DeSoto for guys."
Linebacker Justin Phillips
On Baylor running the ball:
"We love that. That's one thing we really pride ourselves on, stopping the run first. If you can stop the run, you make it one-dimensional and the rest of the game just flows your way."
On watching tape during the open week:
"Of course when it's Big 12 play you always watch the opponents that you're about to go up against. So you know, I watched a bunch of the OU game and Iowa State and just watched their offense play to see how they move and see what they like to do."
On his pick-sixes:
"I had one in high school. That was it. That was early, like sophomore year of high school or something like that. I've got to get another one though. I feel some more coming along. I'm waiting on it. It was surreal. I was just happy, running to the ball and happy everybody did their jobs and everything they were supposed to do. The ball just ended up in my hands. Interceptions start with guys doing their jobs up front and making the quarterback get rid of the ball early. Then it gets tipped around and Coach Spencer always has us run to the ball. When it's tipped around a couple of times, if somebody doesn't come grab it, I'm going to come take it."
Running Back Justice Hill
On expectations of winning more conference games:
"We just take it one week at a time. We are getting ready for Baylor this week then on to the next. Whatever plays out this season, that's where we will be."
On the expectation of Baylor:
"They are definitely a good team… They had a lot of guys suspended the first couple of games, but coming back when they played OU they had a good game. Kansas State was a good game. They are a good team."
Offensive Lineman Zachary Crabtree
On the line coming together over the open week:
"I think it absolutely helped and getting the guys in with reps. Coach Henson did a great job with camp and up to this point and helping them prepare for this moment. Very rarely do you go through a season with 100 percent health and not have any worries. (Johnny) Wilson and (Teven) Jenkins have stepped in and are ready for this moment and have done a heck of a job for us."
On Baylor stopping the run game:
"All we know is what we see on film. We try to stay focused on that. We have seen some things on film and have an idea of what we are going to do and how we are going to go about things. We will be ready to go."
Linebacker Kenneth Edison-McGruder
On Baylor's running backs:
"It will be a challenge for us but a great way for us linebackers to shine this game."
On paying attention to football on the open week:
"A bye week is a chance for a lot of teams to put in new things and learn different teams. When a team gets an open week you have to be ready for anything and be on your toes. Saturdays are always a battle. No matter who you are playing, you have to come prepared and ready to play."
Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich
On the importance of trust among personnel during critical moments of games:
"It matters a lot. I heard back a long time ago, a coach once told me that it's not necessarily as much about plays as it is about players. Getting the correct matchup and getting the ball to your best guys in crunch time - those guys that have done it before for us - is really important."
On Justice Hill's workload:
"Anytime you are talking about a tailback with reps or a receiver or anyone that is a high-energy position, you have to keep an eye on the number of repetitions they're getting. And not necessarily the number of repetitions, but how tired are they or how exhausted are they or are they full-speed, because the next guy is. You don't want to make any exceptions and have the team suffer because of that, so you have to monitor it, but at the same time if you have somebody who has got the hot hand, you have to go with them. Justice is a guy we trust and if he can go, we're going to go with him. If James (Washington) can go, we're going to go with him. Those are the types of guys that if they're ready to roll - our coaches on the sidelines do a great job with substitutions of personnel throughout the game, especially when you consider the tempo that we play with there's different things to factor in."
On how much Justice Hill has grown over the last year:
"A ton. He came to us well-coached out of Booker T. Washington and they coached him well, so I think for him the learning curve was a little bit different. He's a very mature young man, but he has obviously made strides, and I think the biggest stride he has made from year one to two is in the weight room with Coach (Rob) Glass. What they've done to his strength levels and his endurance has helped him be much healthier at this point than he was last year. All of those things combined, he has done a heck of a job being our running back and he's going to continue to improve. His mindset is to continue improving, just like it is for Mason Rudolph and just like it is for James Washington. He wants to improve every day and practices with a purpose. Everybody on our team and within our culture understands that and works toward that every day."
Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer
On the Baylor offense:
"It looks like, to me at least, they've reverted back to the Baylor of old in the past couple of weeks. There's a lot of 21 and 22 personnel. They move the ball a lot, spread some people out. They've got a guy that can throw the ball well and a couple of receivers that can catch. I'm sure they're going to try to find ways to run the football, like everybody does, so I think they're going to want to be balanced for sure. They've shown that they can throw the ball on anyone right now though, so that's concerning."
On DeQuinton Osborne's growth:
"I think just getting used to the tempo of the Big 12 is big for a lot of these guys. You can't just line up and wait on the huddle. You don't have time to process a call. You have to process a lot of information in five or six seconds, get down and function, and then you have to run your tail the next snap. That's usually the biggest adjustment for guys, especially linemen. They realize there's not 20 seconds between every snap to get your wits about you. You have to be mentally tough and I think he has become more mentally tough."
On coaching technique among cornerbacks:
"It's a fine line. We definitely worked on it with them to show them where the timing of their hits needs to be with where the ball is at. It's very subjective. You watch tape, and there's guys battling hand-on-hand and the call's not made and other times it is, so we try to teach proper timing, getting your head around and searching for the ball. At the end of the day, there's going to be combat penalties, but it's those non-combat penalties that kill you. When they hit somebody after they're out of the end zone or twisting somebody's head around – those are non-combat, stupid penalties that'll kill you as a defense."
Quarterback Mason Rudolph
On coming off the open week:
"I think Coach Gundy's got a great plan as far as giving us some rest, giving us some time to recover and giving guys who were injured some time to heal. We had a few practices last week then started to plan and then obviously got back on Sunday and took another step. I think his plan is great. Coming off an off week, I think we've got enough leadership and guys who will be catalysts for this team and bring energy and enthusiasm. It'll seem like we haven't played a game in a while come Saturday, but that doesn't matter after you get out there and snap that first play and get things rolling."
On previous open week success:
"I think every team has a bye week. It's just about how you treat it. I think Coach Gundy is extremely knowledgeable regarding our bodies. He has come away from that old school mindset of 'practice, practice, practice' and kind of Remember the Titans 'water makes you weak' mentality. He does great with being up-to-date on cutting-edge nutrition, sleep and hydration; getting us rested and allowing our bodies to recover. Now that portion of the season is over, and it's time to play and time to practice. I think we had a great practice today and started off the week on a high note."
On losing his redshirt at Baylor:
"I think the last couple years I thought about it. I really hadn't thought about that until you just mentioned it. I think obviously what sticks out most to me is I haven't beaten those guys, and I want to beat them. This is kind of one I've had circled on the schedule for a while now. So I'm preparing hard, getting ready to go and lead my team and play my butt off. I think obviously it was the first one for me, and everyone has a first one so nothing special there."
Wide Receiver Chris Lacy
On what drew him to OSU:
"The air-raid offense and me being a receiver. It's a receiver's dream to play in an offense that throws the ball a lot. I wanted to come here and be able to catch balls and score touchdowns."
On his role in other DeSoto players coming to OSU:
"I just told them about the atmosphere here, how it's like family. Of course, when they came on their visits they saw the facilities, I told them it's a lot like where we came from. I guess that's what helped get them here."
On Coach Gundy getting DeSoto recruits:
"I might be a little biased, there's a lot of talent that comes out of DeSoto. I don't blame him for going to DeSoto for guys."
Linebacker Justin Phillips
On Baylor running the ball:
"We love that. That's one thing we really pride ourselves on, stopping the run first. If you can stop the run, you make it one-dimensional and the rest of the game just flows your way."
On watching tape during the open week:
"Of course when it's Big 12 play you always watch the opponents that you're about to go up against. So you know, I watched a bunch of the OU game and Iowa State and just watched their offense play to see how they move and see what they like to do."
On his pick-sixes:
"I had one in high school. That was it. That was early, like sophomore year of high school or something like that. I've got to get another one though. I feel some more coming along. I'm waiting on it. It was surreal. I was just happy, running to the ball and happy everybody did their jobs and everything they were supposed to do. The ball just ended up in my hands. Interceptions start with guys doing their jobs up front and making the quarterback get rid of the ball early. Then it gets tipped around and Coach Spencer always has us run to the ball. When it's tipped around a couple of times, if somebody doesn't come grab it, I'm going to come take it."
Running Back Justice Hill
On expectations of winning more conference games:
"We just take it one week at a time. We are getting ready for Baylor this week then on to the next. Whatever plays out this season, that's where we will be."
On the expectation of Baylor:
"They are definitely a good team… They had a lot of guys suspended the first couple of games, but coming back when they played OU they had a good game. Kansas State was a good game. They are a good team."
Offensive Lineman Zachary Crabtree
On the line coming together over the open week:
"I think it absolutely helped and getting the guys in with reps. Coach Henson did a great job with camp and up to this point and helping them prepare for this moment. Very rarely do you go through a season with 100 percent health and not have any worries. (Johnny) Wilson and (Teven) Jenkins have stepped in and are ready for this moment and have done a heck of a job for us."
On Baylor stopping the run game:
"All we know is what we see on film. We try to stay focused on that. We have seen some things on film and have an idea of what we are going to do and how we are going to go about things. We will be ready to go."
Linebacker Kenneth Edison-McGruder
On Baylor's running backs:
"It will be a challenge for us but a great way for us linebackers to shine this game."
On paying attention to football on the open week:
"A bye week is a chance for a lot of teams to put in new things and learn different teams. When a team gets an open week you have to be ready for anything and be on your toes. Saturdays are always a battle. No matter who you are playing, you have to come prepared and ready to play."
Players Mentioned
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