Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Cowboy Football Holds First Practice of 2018 Season
August 02, 2018 | Cowboy Football
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STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State football team held its first practice of the 2018 season Thursday afternoon, wrapping up a two-hour practice session in shorts and helmets at the Sherman E. Smith Training Center. Several Cowboy players met with media after practice to talk about the first day. Some of their comments:
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius
On the first day of practice:
"Everyone is excited to get back out here and stuff. I enjoyed it. There was a lot of energy and fire, and it was a good day for both sides of the ball."
On if this year feels different than it did in years past:
"Not really. We have the same goal and the same mindset. We have to go out and win ballgames and make a bowl game. That's the biggest thing."
On what he worked most on this offseason:
"I think just trying to step up and be a leader for these young guys. There's only a few of us fifth-year seniors here and a lot of them didn't redshirt. I was one that did and we graduated a lot of those other leaders."
On having a chance to start at quarterback this year:
"It's unbelievable. That's what you come here for and to be able to play, even just a few downs the last couple of years, has been an unbelievable dream for me."
Offensive Lineman Marcus Keyes
On recovering from offseason surgery and practicing with the team again:
"It feels like I haven't missed a step, honestly. They got me fixed up and I feel completely fine. I have full range of motion like I used to. They really took good care of me and I'm better now."
On returning veterans helping the offensive line take another step forward:
"I feel like, as a whole, we're a big family that has gotten a lot stronger, and since we have more experienced guys on the team, and on the offensive line now, we feel like we're more connected to each other and we can trust in each other a little more as far as who is going to get who and all that."
On Josh Henson's effect on the offensive line:
"He has been great. He has been really focused on our technique and has been coaching us well. He has been tooth and nail with us and is always coaching us the hardest."
On the offensive line's relationship with Taylor Cornelius:
"We love Corn. He's a real stand-up guy and he's nice. He gets us straight. He's real funny and he gets everything straight, almost like a second Mason (Rudolph). He knows his call. He knows what to do. He's fast and he can make the throws. We're really happy with him right now."
Defensive End Jordan Brailford
On the first day of practice:
"Defense had a good day. We had a lot of energy coming off. I think it'll be a good camp this year."
On quarterback Taylor Cornelius:
"He looked real clean. … I think he's going to be really good this year as long as he can keep pushing and keep building on what he has done already. He's been behind him since Mason (Rudolph) got here. I think he's prepared. He knows all the plays. He knows how to run. He has run everything. He has made plays in games, so I think he's going to have a good season. Taylor isn't as vocal as Mason, but I feel like he's more of a lead-by-example type. He can rile the guys up on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, we try to downplay that as much as we can in practice, but he's growing into his role."
On Coach Knowles:
"He's intense. We had a couple of mistakes, but we had some good enthusiasm. We just have to keep working and keep everybody up through camp. We're going to have our down days. We just have to keep everybody excited, just like we would today. There was a lot of excitement today."
Wide Receiver Tyron Johnson
On the first day:
"There weren't that many mistakes. The young guys had a good attitude, and the older guys dragged them along. It was a great first day. It was competitive. We had some touchdowns. They had some big plays. We had some big plays. It was competitive."
On Taylor Cornelius:
"He looked great. He looked like we expected him to look … a guy who's a leader. Look forward to him making big plays this year. He's more quiet than Mason. He's going to lead by example and make the plays. … He's very quiet, but he's a great leader. I think he's comfortable. He's not going to let the cameras and bright lights derail him. I think he's going to be a great quarterback for us."
On the young receivers:
"All the young receivers, you've got Jonathan Shepherd, C.J. (Moore)… they came in with the mindset ready to play."
On his comfortability coming into camp:
"It's still kind of overwhelming. I've got to come in, and I have to be a leader to these young guys … make sure they're in the right place at the right time and coach them while holding myself accountable as well."
Safety Thabo Mwaniki
On if Coach Knowles was happy with practice:
"We started going over the new defense in the spring when we came in. We had some trouble at first, but everyone started picking it up, getting along. We were a little rusty from the summer."
On the first practice:
"First practice, I think, was good for defense. We had a lot of plays broken up, balls on the ground. That's the point of defense."
On adjustments made in the offseason:
"I wasn't used to all the covering, but every practice I make strides, change something to make it better. The next practice, really, for me is getting more hands on and playing a little tighter."
On applying practices to games:
"All those reps we gets, naturally comes muscle memory. The more reps we get, the more people getting reps, the better we will be on defense."
Wide Receiver Tylan Wallace
On the first practice:
"It feels good to get back. We had a long summer, lifting and stuff but not really too much football. It's just nice to get back on the field and actually get some work in."
On being one of the experienced guys:
"That's a big role to step up into, now that James (Washington) left. I got to try and take up that role. He was a great guy."
On what he has picked up from James Washington:
"Almost everything, he taught me a lot. Almost everything I can pick up from playing at the Z role. Every time I did something wrong, he would come over and correct me. Almost just like another coach to help me."
On the quarterbacks:
"They can throw it, they can let it go. They are getting the hang of it, doing pretty good. I think we are going to be pretty good 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.
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.
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State football team held its first practice of the 2018 season Thursday afternoon, wrapping up a two-hour practice session in shorts and helmets at the Sherman E. Smith Training Center. Several Cowboy players met with media after practice to talk about the first day. Some of their comments:
Quarterback Taylor Cornelius
On the first day of practice:
"Everyone is excited to get back out here and stuff. I enjoyed it. There was a lot of energy and fire, and it was a good day for both sides of the ball."
On if this year feels different than it did in years past:
"Not really. We have the same goal and the same mindset. We have to go out and win ballgames and make a bowl game. That's the biggest thing."
On what he worked most on this offseason:
"I think just trying to step up and be a leader for these young guys. There's only a few of us fifth-year seniors here and a lot of them didn't redshirt. I was one that did and we graduated a lot of those other leaders."
On having a chance to start at quarterback this year:
"It's unbelievable. That's what you come here for and to be able to play, even just a few downs the last couple of years, has been an unbelievable dream for me."
Offensive Lineman Marcus Keyes
On recovering from offseason surgery and practicing with the team again:
"It feels like I haven't missed a step, honestly. They got me fixed up and I feel completely fine. I have full range of motion like I used to. They really took good care of me and I'm better now."
On returning veterans helping the offensive line take another step forward:
"I feel like, as a whole, we're a big family that has gotten a lot stronger, and since we have more experienced guys on the team, and on the offensive line now, we feel like we're more connected to each other and we can trust in each other a little more as far as who is going to get who and all that."
On Josh Henson's effect on the offensive line:
"He has been great. He has been really focused on our technique and has been coaching us well. He has been tooth and nail with us and is always coaching us the hardest."
On the offensive line's relationship with Taylor Cornelius:
"We love Corn. He's a real stand-up guy and he's nice. He gets us straight. He's real funny and he gets everything straight, almost like a second Mason (Rudolph). He knows his call. He knows what to do. He's fast and he can make the throws. We're really happy with him right now."
Defensive End Jordan Brailford
On the first day of practice:
"Defense had a good day. We had a lot of energy coming off. I think it'll be a good camp this year."
On quarterback Taylor Cornelius:
"He looked real clean. … I think he's going to be really good this year as long as he can keep pushing and keep building on what he has done already. He's been behind him since Mason (Rudolph) got here. I think he's prepared. He knows all the plays. He knows how to run. He has run everything. He has made plays in games, so I think he's going to have a good season. Taylor isn't as vocal as Mason, but I feel like he's more of a lead-by-example type. He can rile the guys up on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, we try to downplay that as much as we can in practice, but he's growing into his role."
On Coach Knowles:
"He's intense. We had a couple of mistakes, but we had some good enthusiasm. We just have to keep working and keep everybody up through camp. We're going to have our down days. We just have to keep everybody excited, just like we would today. There was a lot of excitement today."
Wide Receiver Tyron Johnson
On the first day:
"There weren't that many mistakes. The young guys had a good attitude, and the older guys dragged them along. It was a great first day. It was competitive. We had some touchdowns. They had some big plays. We had some big plays. It was competitive."
On Taylor Cornelius:
"He looked great. He looked like we expected him to look … a guy who's a leader. Look forward to him making big plays this year. He's more quiet than Mason. He's going to lead by example and make the plays. … He's very quiet, but he's a great leader. I think he's comfortable. He's not going to let the cameras and bright lights derail him. I think he's going to be a great quarterback for us."
On the young receivers:
"All the young receivers, you've got Jonathan Shepherd, C.J. (Moore)… they came in with the mindset ready to play."
On his comfortability coming into camp:
"It's still kind of overwhelming. I've got to come in, and I have to be a leader to these young guys … make sure they're in the right place at the right time and coach them while holding myself accountable as well."
Safety Thabo Mwaniki
On if Coach Knowles was happy with practice:
"We started going over the new defense in the spring when we came in. We had some trouble at first, but everyone started picking it up, getting along. We were a little rusty from the summer."
On the first practice:
"First practice, I think, was good for defense. We had a lot of plays broken up, balls on the ground. That's the point of defense."
On adjustments made in the offseason:
"I wasn't used to all the covering, but every practice I make strides, change something to make it better. The next practice, really, for me is getting more hands on and playing a little tighter."
On applying practices to games:
"All those reps we gets, naturally comes muscle memory. The more reps we get, the more people getting reps, the better we will be on defense."
Wide Receiver Tylan Wallace
On the first practice:
"It feels good to get back. We had a long summer, lifting and stuff but not really too much football. It's just nice to get back on the field and actually get some work in."
On being one of the experienced guys:
"That's a big role to step up into, now that James (Washington) left. I got to try and take up that role. He was a great guy."
On what he has picked up from James Washington:
"Almost everything, he taught me a lot. Almost everything I can pick up from playing at the Z role. Every time I did something wrong, he would come over and correct me. Almost just like another coach to help me."
On the quarterbacks:
"They can throw it, they can let it go. They are getting the hang of it, doing pretty good. I think we are going to be pretty good 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.
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.
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