Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Have First Day of Full Pads in Spring
March 28, 2022 | Cowboy Football
PHOTOS
STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State football team continued spring practice on Monday afternoon, going full pads for the first time this spring. Head coach Mike Gundy and select Cowboys met with the media before and after practice. Here is some of what they had to say:
Head coach Mike Gundy
Opening Statement:
"We had a good first week. We weren't in pads, but we'll be in pads from here on out. We're excited about watching our guys progress and playing a game that's a little more related to football than what we did last week. We've got a lot accomplished, more installation last week. Now we can line up, play and compete and try to get the guys ready to play in the first game next year. We're excited about where we're at and looking forward to practicing with pads on from here on out."
On Derek Mason:
"I like his enthusiasm, you can see it right now. I think he's very vocal, and the players like him and migrate toward him. I was hoping his experience as a head coach and as a long-time coordinator would work to our advantage and I think that's happening. Do I know for sure? No, it's been three days, but I like his encouraging coaching style."
On how the team's practicing:
"They're doing well, they practice hard. We've been very fortunate. We don't have issues. Our guys like to play and they practice well. Our team chemistry seems to be good at this point. We'll know more in August. It's too early, but they practice hard, but hopefully we can keep everybody healthy and get quality reps over the next four weeks."
Safety Jason Taylor II
On stepping into a leadership role:
"I think I just tried to learn from our leaders last year, like Malcolm Rodriguez, Kolby Harvell-Peel and Devin Harper. Just trying to do what they did and emulate what they did as a leader, while adding my style to it this year."
On having a feel for Derek Mason's defense:
"I think we are pretty far. I know we have a lot to work on, but things are just now getting to roll as fast as they should be. We have a lot to work on and we're headed in the right direction."
On the youth in the secondary:
"It's a brand new feel. We had played together for many years before last year, but this year we are already moving way farther than I thought we'd be."
Cowboy Back Braden Cassity
On the young Cowboy Backs:
"The young guys are coming a long great. Quinton Stewart has gotten a few snaps, not a whole bunch, but he is definitely moving in the right direction. He's picking up stuff a lot better than he did last year, just learning the game more every day. Having Tabry (Shettron) in the room now is a great thing. He's coming along well and learning the playbook a lot faster than I did. I'm excited for the room."
On being the veteran of the position group:
"It is weird being the old guy coming on season five. I feel like I just got here the other day starting out as a defensive end and here we are about to be five years deep. I feel like the leadership role has definitely started to pick up more. I'm not a super vocal guy unless I need to be, but I'm trying to become more of a vocal guy this year by encouraging guys, meeting with the younger guys and all that."
On Blaine Green:
"It's been awesome. Blaine is a different cat when it comes to route running and all that stuff. He loves to work. He's a workhorse. He's going to know the playbook up-and-down, back-and-forth, no question about it. He's an awesome dude and it's been so cool having him around and watching him go in and succeed last year."
Wide Receiver Brennan Presley
On how the spring practices have been for him so far:
"Spring has been really good. We have a bunch of older guys stepping up since the seniors left, and we have a bunch of new guys stepping in from the freshmen that have come early. It's been really cool to see the older guys giving to the younger guys and them learning what it means to be an OSU Cowboy."
On how he's developed as a leader of the team:
"Some would say the leadership role is in full effect right now with me being an older guy, which is kind of weird since a couple years ago I was the youngest guy and most inexperienced guy. I've just been trying to teach the younger guys what I know because at the end of the day we're all a team and you want everyone to succeed and everyone to get better. So, whatever I can do give down to help anybody, that's what I'm going to do."
On how Jaden Bray has developed since he came to OSU:
"It's almost like day and night. Just being able to come in here, especially at a Division 1 level, to come in here with two years of football. To most people, it would've been intimidating, but he's came in here rolling with full effect. He's stepped in, he's made plays, he's not scared of the moment at all, he embraces it and he works on his game all the time. I think with his maturity and his raw athletic ability, the sky is the limit for him."
Defensive Tackle Sione Asi
On the competition between the defensive line and the offensive line:
"I feel like everyday is a competition, that's just the mentality that they have us in. It's always the next man up, which has been my mentality everyday. The competition has been pretty good, and especially when we get a lot of the guys that are still hurt on the defensive line back."
On how the coaching change has affected him:
"The change has been good. It's good that we didn't go out and find a new guy because Coach Richmond has been with us for the last four years, so to have him as our primary defensive line coach has been like nothing changed. Coach Mason has brought some good energy and he's put a little twist into the defense we've been running, so it's been good for us"
STILLWATER - The Oklahoma State football team continued spring practice on Monday afternoon, going full pads for the first time this spring. Head coach Mike Gundy and select Cowboys met with the media before and after practice. Here is some of what they had to say:
Head coach Mike Gundy
Opening Statement:
"We had a good first week. We weren't in pads, but we'll be in pads from here on out. We're excited about watching our guys progress and playing a game that's a little more related to football than what we did last week. We've got a lot accomplished, more installation last week. Now we can line up, play and compete and try to get the guys ready to play in the first game next year. We're excited about where we're at and looking forward to practicing with pads on from here on out."
On Derek Mason:
"I like his enthusiasm, you can see it right now. I think he's very vocal, and the players like him and migrate toward him. I was hoping his experience as a head coach and as a long-time coordinator would work to our advantage and I think that's happening. Do I know for sure? No, it's been three days, but I like his encouraging coaching style."
On how the team's practicing:
"They're doing well, they practice hard. We've been very fortunate. We don't have issues. Our guys like to play and they practice well. Our team chemistry seems to be good at this point. We'll know more in August. It's too early, but they practice hard, but hopefully we can keep everybody healthy and get quality reps over the next four weeks."
Safety Jason Taylor II
On stepping into a leadership role:
"I think I just tried to learn from our leaders last year, like Malcolm Rodriguez, Kolby Harvell-Peel and Devin Harper. Just trying to do what they did and emulate what they did as a leader, while adding my style to it this year."
On having a feel for Derek Mason's defense:
"I think we are pretty far. I know we have a lot to work on, but things are just now getting to roll as fast as they should be. We have a lot to work on and we're headed in the right direction."
On the youth in the secondary:
"It's a brand new feel. We had played together for many years before last year, but this year we are already moving way farther than I thought we'd be."
Cowboy Back Braden Cassity
On the young Cowboy Backs:
"The young guys are coming a long great. Quinton Stewart has gotten a few snaps, not a whole bunch, but he is definitely moving in the right direction. He's picking up stuff a lot better than he did last year, just learning the game more every day. Having Tabry (Shettron) in the room now is a great thing. He's coming along well and learning the playbook a lot faster than I did. I'm excited for the room."
On being the veteran of the position group:
"It is weird being the old guy coming on season five. I feel like I just got here the other day starting out as a defensive end and here we are about to be five years deep. I feel like the leadership role has definitely started to pick up more. I'm not a super vocal guy unless I need to be, but I'm trying to become more of a vocal guy this year by encouraging guys, meeting with the younger guys and all that."
On Blaine Green:
"It's been awesome. Blaine is a different cat when it comes to route running and all that stuff. He loves to work. He's a workhorse. He's going to know the playbook up-and-down, back-and-forth, no question about it. He's an awesome dude and it's been so cool having him around and watching him go in and succeed last year."
Wide Receiver Brennan Presley
On how the spring practices have been for him so far:
"Spring has been really good. We have a bunch of older guys stepping up since the seniors left, and we have a bunch of new guys stepping in from the freshmen that have come early. It's been really cool to see the older guys giving to the younger guys and them learning what it means to be an OSU Cowboy."
On how he's developed as a leader of the team:
"Some would say the leadership role is in full effect right now with me being an older guy, which is kind of weird since a couple years ago I was the youngest guy and most inexperienced guy. I've just been trying to teach the younger guys what I know because at the end of the day we're all a team and you want everyone to succeed and everyone to get better. So, whatever I can do give down to help anybody, that's what I'm going to do."
On how Jaden Bray has developed since he came to OSU:
"It's almost like day and night. Just being able to come in here, especially at a Division 1 level, to come in here with two years of football. To most people, it would've been intimidating, but he's came in here rolling with full effect. He's stepped in, he's made plays, he's not scared of the moment at all, he embraces it and he works on his game all the time. I think with his maturity and his raw athletic ability, the sky is the limit for him."
Defensive Tackle Sione Asi
On the competition between the defensive line and the offensive line:
"I feel like everyday is a competition, that's just the mentality that they have us in. It's always the next man up, which has been my mentality everyday. The competition has been pretty good, and especially when we get a lot of the guys that are still hurt on the defensive line back."
On how the coaching change has affected him:
"The change has been good. It's good that we didn't go out and find a new guy because Coach Richmond has been with us for the last four years, so to have him as our primary defensive line coach has been like nothing changed. Coach Mason has brought some good energy and he's put a little twist into the defense we've been running, so it's been good for us"
Players Mentioned
DT
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WR
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CW
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CW
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LB
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S
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WR
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LB
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CW
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S
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