Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy Previews Iowa State
October 18, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy discussed the Cowboys' 32-24 victory over No. 25 Texas and previewed the upcoming road test with Iowa State at his weekly luncheon with the media earlier today. Here is some of what Gundy said:
Opening Statement:
"The guys were in a great mood last night. Obviously, we had a light practice last night and the day off today. So we're heavy into Iowa State.
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On Iowa State:
"This will be a big challenge for us. Statistically, arguably, whatever comment you want to make, the best defense we have played or could potentially play based on what people say. They've been good for a number of years; they're starting to come around in my opinion. I'm just an outsider, obviously. I don't have information on what goes on in their camp. They're playing considerably better over the last three or four weeks, just from me being an outsider looking in. [Brock] Purdy's playing good, played good again Saturday. Tight ends [Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen] are obviously good. The running back [Breece Hall] is what we thought he was. We'll need a great week at practice. We'll need to be able to stay focused. We're expecting a fourth-quarter game. This is a good football team. We'll have to do a great job as coaches in getting all the information to the guys and get some quality work to head north and play a ball game."
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On the characteristics of a team that consistently wins close games:
"There's a lot of talk about, 'It's good to win games, win close games. It helps you later in the year.' I don't know if anybody's ever been able to scientifically prove that's right or wrong. I would say that being in a number of close games: it's about understanding you can find a way to win if somebody will make a play. The term that gets used a lot is 'Find a way to finish a game.' From that standpoint, I think it helps our team. Unfortunately, every game we've been in this situation. If we get in that situation, you'd like to think we wouldn't panic and we'd be able to make plays down the stretch."
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On defensive coordinator Jim Knowles:
"He's very calm and he's a fast thinker. He thinks really fast and he reacts to things. I've said this every week, I don't know how much longer that our guys can keep playing like they are and not have a letdown. But we can state the facts, it is what it is, the guy is highly intelligent. He has a demeanor in practice that's a little bit old school. The players like it. They don't look against it. They buy into it. On game day, he's very, very calm and he's a fantastic play caller."
Â
On quarterback Spencer Sanders' poise in big games:
"He's been great. He's been great in that area. He's matured. He's gotten over that; taking things personal. He handled himself really well in the game. He had a lot of 'friends' that were in the stands there talking to him throughout the game that were beating up on him pretty good. He stayed focused, didn't pay attention to the trash talk behind him and all that. That's not always the easiest thing to do, particularly if you're not playing as well as you think you should or statistically based on what was going on. I'll say it again, we didn't protect him well, so it made it difficult on him. He takes a lot of that, and he stayed focused and blocked everything out and continued on. As the game went on, he played better."
Â
On the depth of this year's team versus the 2011 team:
"We're playing more guys now than we have in a number of years. That team (2011 team), they were on the field a lot (the defense) because the offense wasn't on the field very much because they scored in four or five plays. Then they were back on the field, and they got themselves off the field through turnovers. This group is a little different, because we have more depth and are able to rotate some guys in, and we're not getting many plays. Now, we had 82 plays down here (in Austin) offensively, but that hadn't been where we're at this year. So, the number of plays has been reduced this year compared to that year."
Â
On having teams that have been different handling success:Â
"Oh yeah. You have different personalities based on who your marquee players are. When we started the season, I don't think any of us would've predicted at this point that Jaylen Warren would've been a marquee player. We are fortunate; Jaylen Warren is humble, unselfish, and tough. That's the mold we've directed ourselves to offensively with his leadership. You get the same thing on defense. You have Brock Martin, who plays in games he maybe shouldn't be playing in because of his health. You have Malcolm Rodriguez, who brings that tough, natural wrestling mentality and then you have all the maturity with Harper, Peel, McCalister, Bernard-Converse, Christian (Holmes), Evers and other guys I missed that give them a little lift because their humble guess that like being a part of the team. We never really have any issues to get ahead of ourselves handling success."
Â
On the last six drives of the game from the defense:
"Our ability to roll more players in is helping us, particularly up front. The college game has changed again. We went to fast-paced no huddles, then we ran RPO's and they went all over the country. RPO's have kind of weaved themselves out a little bit with more heavy-set formations the last two or three years that we're seeing that we haven't seen. Now the biggest adjustment in college football is the pass rushers are better than they ever have been like in the NFL. For years the NFL was controlled by the two guys on the edge rushing the quarterback. College football hasn't made that transition from an athleticism standpoint, now it has. Like No. 9 for Iowa State can control a game rushing the quarterback. That would be where the game has changed. Our defensive front, we can keep people fresh because we have a number of guys healthy. They are playing well enough at our level that when they're fresh, they can affect the offense, and I think that's what happened at the latter part of the last game."
Â
On similarities between Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall:
"Two different backs. Both of them are very good and will play in the NFL, very successful. That one (Bijan Robinson) is electric and flashy and can cut, make people miss, break tackles and run away from you. No. 28 (Breece Hall) is very patient and runs a lot like Thurman Thomas used to run. He'll wait and then hit a seem. He's a very patient runner and productive at what he gets accomplished."
Â
Opening Statement:
"The guys were in a great mood last night. Obviously, we had a light practice last night and the day off today. So we're heavy into Iowa State.
Â
On Iowa State:
"This will be a big challenge for us. Statistically, arguably, whatever comment you want to make, the best defense we have played or could potentially play based on what people say. They've been good for a number of years; they're starting to come around in my opinion. I'm just an outsider, obviously. I don't have information on what goes on in their camp. They're playing considerably better over the last three or four weeks, just from me being an outsider looking in. [Brock] Purdy's playing good, played good again Saturday. Tight ends [Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen] are obviously good. The running back [Breece Hall] is what we thought he was. We'll need a great week at practice. We'll need to be able to stay focused. We're expecting a fourth-quarter game. This is a good football team. We'll have to do a great job as coaches in getting all the information to the guys and get some quality work to head north and play a ball game."
Â
On the characteristics of a team that consistently wins close games:
"There's a lot of talk about, 'It's good to win games, win close games. It helps you later in the year.' I don't know if anybody's ever been able to scientifically prove that's right or wrong. I would say that being in a number of close games: it's about understanding you can find a way to win if somebody will make a play. The term that gets used a lot is 'Find a way to finish a game.' From that standpoint, I think it helps our team. Unfortunately, every game we've been in this situation. If we get in that situation, you'd like to think we wouldn't panic and we'd be able to make plays down the stretch."
Â
On defensive coordinator Jim Knowles:
"He's very calm and he's a fast thinker. He thinks really fast and he reacts to things. I've said this every week, I don't know how much longer that our guys can keep playing like they are and not have a letdown. But we can state the facts, it is what it is, the guy is highly intelligent. He has a demeanor in practice that's a little bit old school. The players like it. They don't look against it. They buy into it. On game day, he's very, very calm and he's a fantastic play caller."
Â
On quarterback Spencer Sanders' poise in big games:
"He's been great. He's been great in that area. He's matured. He's gotten over that; taking things personal. He handled himself really well in the game. He had a lot of 'friends' that were in the stands there talking to him throughout the game that were beating up on him pretty good. He stayed focused, didn't pay attention to the trash talk behind him and all that. That's not always the easiest thing to do, particularly if you're not playing as well as you think you should or statistically based on what was going on. I'll say it again, we didn't protect him well, so it made it difficult on him. He takes a lot of that, and he stayed focused and blocked everything out and continued on. As the game went on, he played better."
Â
On the depth of this year's team versus the 2011 team:
"We're playing more guys now than we have in a number of years. That team (2011 team), they were on the field a lot (the defense) because the offense wasn't on the field very much because they scored in four or five plays. Then they were back on the field, and they got themselves off the field through turnovers. This group is a little different, because we have more depth and are able to rotate some guys in, and we're not getting many plays. Now, we had 82 plays down here (in Austin) offensively, but that hadn't been where we're at this year. So, the number of plays has been reduced this year compared to that year."
Â
On having teams that have been different handling success:Â
"Oh yeah. You have different personalities based on who your marquee players are. When we started the season, I don't think any of us would've predicted at this point that Jaylen Warren would've been a marquee player. We are fortunate; Jaylen Warren is humble, unselfish, and tough. That's the mold we've directed ourselves to offensively with his leadership. You get the same thing on defense. You have Brock Martin, who plays in games he maybe shouldn't be playing in because of his health. You have Malcolm Rodriguez, who brings that tough, natural wrestling mentality and then you have all the maturity with Harper, Peel, McCalister, Bernard-Converse, Christian (Holmes), Evers and other guys I missed that give them a little lift because their humble guess that like being a part of the team. We never really have any issues to get ahead of ourselves handling success."
Â
On the last six drives of the game from the defense:
"Our ability to roll more players in is helping us, particularly up front. The college game has changed again. We went to fast-paced no huddles, then we ran RPO's and they went all over the country. RPO's have kind of weaved themselves out a little bit with more heavy-set formations the last two or three years that we're seeing that we haven't seen. Now the biggest adjustment in college football is the pass rushers are better than they ever have been like in the NFL. For years the NFL was controlled by the two guys on the edge rushing the quarterback. College football hasn't made that transition from an athleticism standpoint, now it has. Like No. 9 for Iowa State can control a game rushing the quarterback. That would be where the game has changed. Our defensive front, we can keep people fresh because we have a number of guys healthy. They are playing well enough at our level that when they're fresh, they can affect the offense, and I think that's what happened at the latter part of the last game."
Â
On similarities between Bijan Robinson and Breece Hall:
"Two different backs. Both of them are very good and will play in the NFL, very successful. That one (Bijan Robinson) is electric and flashy and can cut, make people miss, break tackles and run away from you. No. 28 (Breece Hall) is very patient and runs a lot like Thurman Thomas used to run. He'll wait and then hit a seem. He's a very patient runner and productive at what he gets accomplished."
Â
Players Mentioned
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