Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy, Cowboys Meet With Media
August 19, 2018 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State football team practiced Sunday afternoon in its final workout before classes begin Monday morning. Coach Gundy and several Cowboy players met with media at the Sherman E. Smith Training Center following the two-hour practice: Some of their comments:
Mike Gundy
Opening statement:
"We had another good practice. We had a scrimmage yesterday, got a lot of work done, about 108, 110 plays or so. The players are kind of starting to grasp it. They are getting a little tired of banging on each other, hitting each other. Looking forward to school starting and getting into that routine next week. We had a great workout today and players are going to eat dinner and head up to the (Cowgirl) soccer game. Tonight we aren't going to have anything, we'd let them go up and support the girls and open up the new stadium. We are excited about that, it will be a nice break for the players to go watch the (Cowgirls) play tonight."
On the start of the school semester:
"It's a routine, they are all creatures of habit. They get into a pattern of breakfast, class, lifting, studying, meetings and practice. It's good to get into that routine. It's a little easier when you don't have a game the first week. It works out well this year. It worked out nice this year that we can get into that routine and then play the next week."
On things that need to be worked on:
"We were much better in misassignments and we had fewer penalties, which is good. We got a lot of work in special teams, which I liked. I think both sides of the ball are getting it but we still have work. We got a couple of positions where we have young players that are going to be competing at a high level for the first time, so they need some work, but we got ways to go; 10, 12 days to go."
On the growth of younger players:
"I know that we aren't going to play many freshmen. We don't really need to. So we haven't decided that for sure. There are not just many places where we have freshmen on the two-deep, so for that reason, you don't really see a lot at this point. You generally will have a safety or a corner that will play as a freshman, because they can also help on special teams like Malcolm (Rodriguez) did last year. I would say those guys are the leading candidates but we just haven't said for sure who that is going to be at this time."
On the quarterbacks:
"They are doing good. They are all playing good. They know the system. It still amazes me that Dru Brown and Spencer Sanders can absorb and be as productive as they can, having only been here for 15 days. Taylor Cornelius is doing fine, so they are doing well."
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius
On playing on a Thursday night:
"We've done it in years past. Coach Gundy does a great job of getting us prepared for any game."
On the first game being a night game:
"That's what you always dream of, playing under the lights."
On potentially starting a college game for the first time:
"It's never happened before for me, so we'll see how it is. I believe I'm ready for it."
On preparing for the game:
"The coaches do a great job of preparing us for any situation possible. Practices are always up-tempo and loud music is going. The defense is always firing on all cylinders too."
On the Cowboy Culture:
"It's something Coach Gundy has been preaching to us for a while now. The core values are focus, effort, toughness and leadership. They set the tone for how to play and how to work."
On his favorite school subject:
"Sports management. I want to give a shout out to Dr. Finch. I really enjoyed those classes."
Safety Kenneth Edison-McGruder
On what people should expect from the defense in the first game:
"It's going to be a shocker to a lot of people. They know Coach Knowles' concept, but they don't have any film of our defense running it. We'll be solid in the first game. I feel comfortable with the defense and I feel comfortable with everyone else right now."
On the secondary:
"We have some of the best corners in the league. I strongly trust in them. On the defense, they don't have to be on an island all the time. They flow with the defense. They help the defense be what it needs to be."
On changes in himself from last year to this year:
"I've grown a lot mentally. I'm trying to become a lot more mentally prepared and mentally understand the game more. I want to take advantage of being here and having this opportunity to play."
On the biggest piece of advice he uses:
"Be the leader you want to be led by."
On the quarterback battle and practicing against them:
"It's a great competition. It gives us a challenge and we give them a challenge. It's good to be out there working against those guys."
Defensive Tackle Enoch Smith, Jr.
On playing on a Thursday night:
"I enjoy it. You're able to experience the college life in a way. You get to enjoy the rest of the games in the week that you may not get to do on another week. You're spending time in the hotel and getting ready on a Saturday. Being able to play on a Thursday evening and having the whole school there, I feel like it's a plus. I think it's going to be exciting for everybody."
On classes starting again:
"I am very excited for classes to start. I graduate in December. I'm looking forward to that and then being able to start games and hitting someone other than my teammates."
On his favorite subject:
"Math. I've always been a fan of math. I love math. I've been big on math since I was young. Math is my thing."
On the Cowboy Culture:
"The first thing that comes to mind when I think about the Cowboy Culture is family. When I came here last year, I didn't have anybody. It was just me. My family dropped me off from Chicago. Then it was me against the world. I was able to build relationships here that I feel like will last a lifetime. I'm extremely grateful for that. Anytime I think about the Cowboy Culture, I think of family and being respectful to the people near you - whether they're respectful to you or not."
Wide Receiver Jalen McCleskey
On facing Missouri State in less than two weeks:
"We are putting in the game plan over fall camp. We have been working on our base stuff so the new guys and the freshmen can get into the groove of things. Now that fall camp is over, we are going to start looking into Missouri State more. We already started putting in the game plan, so we will watch more film and the coaches will get together and put together what will get us the win."
On how the team has grown over fall camp:
"I feel like we have grown a lot. We are way better than we were August 1, the first day of fall camp. Each day everyone got better and better, the younger guys especially, but I feel like we have come a long way."
On McCleskey's mindset going into his senior season:
"Help out the younger guys. I know how I was when I was a freshman. Everything was so new to me, so helping them out when they have questions and, overall, enjoying every day with my team. This is the last time this team will be together this upcoming season, so just enjoying every day."
Wide Receiver Dillon Stoner
On living with Taylor Cornelius:
"I have gotten to know him very well over the last two years, even when I was not living with him. So I was always over there hanging with him, James (Washington) and Cole (Walterscheid). So nothing new, just around them a lot more."
On Cornelius away from football:
"It takes a while for him to open up to you, but once he does he's a great guy and will for do anything for you and is just fun to hang out with all the time."
On Cornelius potentially playing a bigger role:
"I'm really excited. He has been ready to go even behind Mason for four years. He has been throwing it real well all camp, so I am excited to see what he does this season."
-----
The Cowboys open the 2018 season Thursday, Aug. 30, when they host Missouri State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater with kickoff set for 7 p.m. on FS1.
Season tickets and single game tickets are available at www.okstate.com/tickets or by calling the OSU ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU.
Mike Gundy
Opening statement:
"We had another good practice. We had a scrimmage yesterday, got a lot of work done, about 108, 110 plays or so. The players are kind of starting to grasp it. They are getting a little tired of banging on each other, hitting each other. Looking forward to school starting and getting into that routine next week. We had a great workout today and players are going to eat dinner and head up to the (Cowgirl) soccer game. Tonight we aren't going to have anything, we'd let them go up and support the girls and open up the new stadium. We are excited about that, it will be a nice break for the players to go watch the (Cowgirls) play tonight."
On the start of the school semester:
"It's a routine, they are all creatures of habit. They get into a pattern of breakfast, class, lifting, studying, meetings and practice. It's good to get into that routine. It's a little easier when you don't have a game the first week. It works out well this year. It worked out nice this year that we can get into that routine and then play the next week."
On things that need to be worked on:
"We were much better in misassignments and we had fewer penalties, which is good. We got a lot of work in special teams, which I liked. I think both sides of the ball are getting it but we still have work. We got a couple of positions where we have young players that are going to be competing at a high level for the first time, so they need some work, but we got ways to go; 10, 12 days to go."
On the growth of younger players:
"I know that we aren't going to play many freshmen. We don't really need to. So we haven't decided that for sure. There are not just many places where we have freshmen on the two-deep, so for that reason, you don't really see a lot at this point. You generally will have a safety or a corner that will play as a freshman, because they can also help on special teams like Malcolm (Rodriguez) did last year. I would say those guys are the leading candidates but we just haven't said for sure who that is going to be at this time."
On the quarterbacks:
"They are doing good. They are all playing good. They know the system. It still amazes me that Dru Brown and Spencer Sanders can absorb and be as productive as they can, having only been here for 15 days. Taylor Cornelius is doing fine, so they are doing well."
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius
On playing on a Thursday night:
"We've done it in years past. Coach Gundy does a great job of getting us prepared for any game."
On the first game being a night game:
"That's what you always dream of, playing under the lights."
On potentially starting a college game for the first time:
"It's never happened before for me, so we'll see how it is. I believe I'm ready for it."
On preparing for the game:
"The coaches do a great job of preparing us for any situation possible. Practices are always up-tempo and loud music is going. The defense is always firing on all cylinders too."
On the Cowboy Culture:
"It's something Coach Gundy has been preaching to us for a while now. The core values are focus, effort, toughness and leadership. They set the tone for how to play and how to work."
On his favorite school subject:
"Sports management. I want to give a shout out to Dr. Finch. I really enjoyed those classes."
Safety Kenneth Edison-McGruder
On what people should expect from the defense in the first game:
"It's going to be a shocker to a lot of people. They know Coach Knowles' concept, but they don't have any film of our defense running it. We'll be solid in the first game. I feel comfortable with the defense and I feel comfortable with everyone else right now."
On the secondary:
"We have some of the best corners in the league. I strongly trust in them. On the defense, they don't have to be on an island all the time. They flow with the defense. They help the defense be what it needs to be."
On changes in himself from last year to this year:
"I've grown a lot mentally. I'm trying to become a lot more mentally prepared and mentally understand the game more. I want to take advantage of being here and having this opportunity to play."
On the biggest piece of advice he uses:
"Be the leader you want to be led by."
On the quarterback battle and practicing against them:
"It's a great competition. It gives us a challenge and we give them a challenge. It's good to be out there working against those guys."
Defensive Tackle Enoch Smith, Jr.
On playing on a Thursday night:
"I enjoy it. You're able to experience the college life in a way. You get to enjoy the rest of the games in the week that you may not get to do on another week. You're spending time in the hotel and getting ready on a Saturday. Being able to play on a Thursday evening and having the whole school there, I feel like it's a plus. I think it's going to be exciting for everybody."
On classes starting again:
"I am very excited for classes to start. I graduate in December. I'm looking forward to that and then being able to start games and hitting someone other than my teammates."
On his favorite subject:
"Math. I've always been a fan of math. I love math. I've been big on math since I was young. Math is my thing."
On the Cowboy Culture:
"The first thing that comes to mind when I think about the Cowboy Culture is family. When I came here last year, I didn't have anybody. It was just me. My family dropped me off from Chicago. Then it was me against the world. I was able to build relationships here that I feel like will last a lifetime. I'm extremely grateful for that. Anytime I think about the Cowboy Culture, I think of family and being respectful to the people near you - whether they're respectful to you or not."
Wide Receiver Jalen McCleskey
On facing Missouri State in less than two weeks:
"We are putting in the game plan over fall camp. We have been working on our base stuff so the new guys and the freshmen can get into the groove of things. Now that fall camp is over, we are going to start looking into Missouri State more. We already started putting in the game plan, so we will watch more film and the coaches will get together and put together what will get us the win."
On how the team has grown over fall camp:
"I feel like we have grown a lot. We are way better than we were August 1, the first day of fall camp. Each day everyone got better and better, the younger guys especially, but I feel like we have come a long way."
On McCleskey's mindset going into his senior season:
"Help out the younger guys. I know how I was when I was a freshman. Everything was so new to me, so helping them out when they have questions and, overall, enjoying every day with my team. This is the last time this team will be together this upcoming season, so just enjoying every day."
Wide Receiver Dillon Stoner
On living with Taylor Cornelius:
"I have gotten to know him very well over the last two years, even when I was not living with him. So I was always over there hanging with him, James (Washington) and Cole (Walterscheid). So nothing new, just around them a lot more."
On Cornelius away from football:
"It takes a while for him to open up to you, but once he does he's a great guy and will for do anything for you and is just fun to hang out with all the time."
On Cornelius potentially playing a bigger role:
"I'm really excited. He has been ready to go even behind Mason for four years. He has been throwing it real well all camp, so I am excited to see what he does this season."
-----
The Cowboys open the 2018 season Thursday, Aug. 30, when they host Missouri State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater with kickoff set for 7 p.m. on FS1.
Season tickets and single game tickets are available at www.okstate.com/tickets or by calling the OSU ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU.
Players Mentioned
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