Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy Looks Ahead to TCU
November 08, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy met with members of the media during his weekly luncheon to discuss the Cowboys' 24-3 victory over West Virginia and their next opponent, TCU. On Saturday, Barry Sanders will be inducted into the Oklahoma State Football Ring of Honor and a statue will be unveiled outside the West End Zone of Boone Pickens Stadium. Here is some of what Gundy had to say:
Opening Statement:
"We had a good workout last night and our guys are obviously enthusiastic; they're working hard. New week, as always; it's college football, that's the way it is. We're looking forward to a good week of practice. I visited with them about staying with what has got them to this point: being humble, being unselfish, focus, discipline and toughness. It's very simple. I feel that we've got enough maturity and leadership from our guys to stay focused and practice hard and continue the things that have got us to this point. It's really been that simple for us up to this point. We've been watching a lot of tape on TCU and we're moving forward."
On Barry Sanders being inducted into the Ring of Honor:
"He's the greatest running back to ever play college football. If he were to play eight more years in the NFL, then he would hold that rushing record too, he just checked it in. It's nice that we have Thurman's name up and now Barry's is going up and so is a statue and that's the way it should be. If you think back to the effect that he has had on this athletic department and this university, he deserves what is going to take place on Saturday."
On the connection between Spencer Sanders and Tay Martin:
"It's gotten better, just from a health standpoint. We've talked about this each week. [Sanders] has had his group of receivers, this will be going into the third week, where he's been able to practice with them consistently through the week and to have them not be out. Tay's been with us, gosh, must be four weeks now that he's been full speed. Obviously, it helps when they can practice full speed."
On Tay Martin compared to other wide receivers during his tenure:
"Spencer is throwing the ball well. Our history, I guess maybe my history I should say, with the wide receivers is some of them have the ability to make that catch. We've also had really, really good wide receivers that didn't have the natural gift to be able to catch that fade ball. [Martin] has a good feel for that: where his body is, how he leans, how he dives and jumps up to take it at the highest point. We've had guys like him and we've had some other players that aren't as good at it. But those two [Sanders and Martin] seem to time up pretty well on that play."
On TCU being a tough game in the past:
"TCU has always been an athletic team. They've been stingy on defense for a number of years, we all know that. They had a little different style of offense over the years. When you look back at those games we didn't satisfy a couple of areas that are important, which could be turnovers. We turned the ball over. Then last year we struggled so bad to function and move the football, when we won the turnover margin and we still couldn't win based on where we were at offensively. These are always interesting games. Watching the tape now they've found a quarterback that I'm guessing is there starter now they're going to use. He played really well and they played very inspired football in the last game, very inspired. That should help our players in preparation for them when they watch how well they played on tape last Saturday."
On TCU quarterback Chandler Morris:
"Well, he made a bunch of plays. He made athletic plays, he can run the ball, scramble around, find guys open and throw it down the field. I thought he played very athletic for his position, and he had a bunch of success."
On TCU's interim head coach Jerry Kill and their relationship:
"Well, he was my high school biology teacher in junior biology. He and I have been able to stay in touch over the years and he's done a lot in his career and been a lot of places. He's an old school, tough guy who I've always had a lot of respect for and what he's been able to accomplish. It's been fun to watch him bounce around and the things he's done, partly because of some health conditions that he's had to change careers for a little bit. But he's been around a lot and very well-respected in our profession and certainly by me. I'm glad that good things are still happening to him."
On Barry Sanders' influence on current OSU players
"Well, you know, I was talking about the time he walked into the locker room a few weeks ago and our guys were amazed. So, he won the Heisman Trophy 34 or 35 years ago. Something like that right? 33 years ago. The guys that he went in to talk to are 15 years from being born or 12 years from being born and they knew who he was. And it was a big deal to him. So, I think his presence of not even arguably being the greatest running back to every play college football, maybe the NFL, I don't even think it's up for debate, still had an effect on those guys. They had the access to everything because of [smartphones], so they watch all his old highlights and they're just amazed by his ability and what he was able to accomplish."
Opening Statement:
"We had a good workout last night and our guys are obviously enthusiastic; they're working hard. New week, as always; it's college football, that's the way it is. We're looking forward to a good week of practice. I visited with them about staying with what has got them to this point: being humble, being unselfish, focus, discipline and toughness. It's very simple. I feel that we've got enough maturity and leadership from our guys to stay focused and practice hard and continue the things that have got us to this point. It's really been that simple for us up to this point. We've been watching a lot of tape on TCU and we're moving forward."
On Barry Sanders being inducted into the Ring of Honor:
"He's the greatest running back to ever play college football. If he were to play eight more years in the NFL, then he would hold that rushing record too, he just checked it in. It's nice that we have Thurman's name up and now Barry's is going up and so is a statue and that's the way it should be. If you think back to the effect that he has had on this athletic department and this university, he deserves what is going to take place on Saturday."
On the connection between Spencer Sanders and Tay Martin:
"It's gotten better, just from a health standpoint. We've talked about this each week. [Sanders] has had his group of receivers, this will be going into the third week, where he's been able to practice with them consistently through the week and to have them not be out. Tay's been with us, gosh, must be four weeks now that he's been full speed. Obviously, it helps when they can practice full speed."
On Tay Martin compared to other wide receivers during his tenure:
"Spencer is throwing the ball well. Our history, I guess maybe my history I should say, with the wide receivers is some of them have the ability to make that catch. We've also had really, really good wide receivers that didn't have the natural gift to be able to catch that fade ball. [Martin] has a good feel for that: where his body is, how he leans, how he dives and jumps up to take it at the highest point. We've had guys like him and we've had some other players that aren't as good at it. But those two [Sanders and Martin] seem to time up pretty well on that play."
On TCU being a tough game in the past:
"TCU has always been an athletic team. They've been stingy on defense for a number of years, we all know that. They had a little different style of offense over the years. When you look back at those games we didn't satisfy a couple of areas that are important, which could be turnovers. We turned the ball over. Then last year we struggled so bad to function and move the football, when we won the turnover margin and we still couldn't win based on where we were at offensively. These are always interesting games. Watching the tape now they've found a quarterback that I'm guessing is there starter now they're going to use. He played really well and they played very inspired football in the last game, very inspired. That should help our players in preparation for them when they watch how well they played on tape last Saturday."
On TCU quarterback Chandler Morris:
"Well, he made a bunch of plays. He made athletic plays, he can run the ball, scramble around, find guys open and throw it down the field. I thought he played very athletic for his position, and he had a bunch of success."
On TCU's interim head coach Jerry Kill and their relationship:
"Well, he was my high school biology teacher in junior biology. He and I have been able to stay in touch over the years and he's done a lot in his career and been a lot of places. He's an old school, tough guy who I've always had a lot of respect for and what he's been able to accomplish. It's been fun to watch him bounce around and the things he's done, partly because of some health conditions that he's had to change careers for a little bit. But he's been around a lot and very well-respected in our profession and certainly by me. I'm glad that good things are still happening to him."
On Barry Sanders' influence on current OSU players
"Well, you know, I was talking about the time he walked into the locker room a few weeks ago and our guys were amazed. So, he won the Heisman Trophy 34 or 35 years ago. Something like that right? 33 years ago. The guys that he went in to talk to are 15 years from being born or 12 years from being born and they knew who he was. And it was a big deal to him. So, I think his presence of not even arguably being the greatest running back to every play college football, maybe the NFL, I don't even think it's up for debate, still had an effect on those guys. They had the access to everything because of [smartphones], so they watch all his old highlights and they're just amazed by his ability and what he was able to accomplish."
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