Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, November 15
Stillwater, OK
11 a.m. CT
Oklahoma State University
vs
Kansas State
Meacham, players meet with media ahead of matchup with Kansas State
November 10, 2025 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State interim head coach Doug Meacham and several players met with the media ahead of Saturday's matchup against Kansas State. Some of their comments:
Oklahoma State Interim Head Coach Doug Meacham
On how the bye week gave the team a chance to reset:
"It's an opportunity to reset for sure. You take this week that we just had off and it's an opportunity to reflect back on what's occurred and reenergize, and to remember what's important. What's important is these kids right now, we're adults, we're going to be fine, and there are a lot of good coaches in there that will be fine. We just have to reflect and think back on what the most important thing is right now, and it's those kids. Sometimes those kids don't necessarily do what you want them to do, but they're youngsters, and our job is to guide them and show them the way. So that's what we're trying to do."
On what the practice schedule looked like last week:
"We went Tuesday and Wednesday and gave them a bit of a four-day break there. I actually told some of the coaches to take a break, too, maybe take a 'stay-cation' type of thing. We went for a couple of practices that were very similar, for about an hour or an hour and 15, and kind of started to gameplan for Kansas State."
On how beneficial it is to have a bye week this late in the season:
"It's very valuable. Again, you can look back on all the games you played and reflect back both as a player and a coach, to find out what you really need to work on and how you can improve to be able to win. You need to look at self-scout and look at all the details on both sides of the ball to figure out where we're giving things away in certain formations and looks and how we can improve that."
On things they focused on offensively during the open week:
"They've got some nicks and bruises and stuff to heal up, we've got a couple guys in key positions that aren't 100% and I think those four or five days off might do wonders for those guys. Again, for both offense and defense, how can we self-scout and look inward instead of outward, and how can we improve, and find out what defenses are actually seeing in us, and maybe make some changes and do some things."
On Hauss Hejny's character as someone who travels on the road while injured:
"It says a lot, because in the day and age where some of these youngsters would want to go to the strip and hang out. Whereas he wanted to be with the team, and that says a lot about him as a person, and what this means to him. He's not going to waste any opportunity he can get to help someone; he was on the sidelines helping guys out. It's just the way it used to be. It kind of makes you feel good to know there are still guys out there like that who care about the school and have gratitude for where they are."
On Nuku Mafi:
"Well, we had an injury, so he was originally starting on the right side. But, it's just his movements and his punch; he's very athletic, he's got enough length to set the edge, and there aren't a lot of guys like that. There are a lot of guys with length, but they can't move. It's like a trick; they'll be six-foot-six, but his feet are bad. He's got movement skills, twitches, and really good punches. Playing those guys, even if they aren't totally ready, is only going to expedite the curve and make them better as they go. With him as a backup, he's not going to get good quickly enough, whereas with him playing, he's going to learn from mistakes. He's got great movement skills, he's a good football player, and it means a lot to him. He was on the right side to start, then flipped to the left; that's hard to do sometimes. You have to flip your feet and flip your weight, it's not easy."
On the team sticking with it:
"I'm impressed with it, but that was kind of one of the things I was assigned to do. You didn't want anything to happen that's catastrophic, and have a walkout, or something crazy which could occur. It's just a testament to the guys we brought in here. They are good kids, and they're all different. Nowadays, they come from all over the place. It used to just be that they're from either Texas or Oklahoma. Now they're from all over the globe. So, for them to kind of bake together as they have, in a short matter of time, it's good to know we picked some of the right guys."
On Kansas State:
"You watch them, and they've got some big physical guys. They've got two great inside linebackers; the quarterback scares you to death. They got a running back that's solid, good tight end play. It looks very similar to what they've always had, but they're just not getting the results. And off topic, Iowa State's kind of the same. Their numbers are good, they got good players, and it's just a play or two here and there. Every game boils down to about four or five plays. They've been close. I know they had some stuff occur early on the season. I think they were ranked really high, and they didn't come to fruition. They kind of struggled there for a while, but they are getting their second wind now. They got good players, and those guys do a good job. They do it old school, and they got big, tough guys, and they play super hard."
On the versatility of his Tight Ends:
"Most of them are kind of hybrid guys. They're not glorified o-linemen, and they're not receivers. They're somewhere in the middle. Those guys in this day and age are not asked to really be dominant edge blockers and knock the edge down. They just have to draw ties and then mismatch safeties. Somebody can mismatch a safety that can win with size, but also kind of hold the point to some degree, that's kind of what you're looking for. There's not a lot of them out there. You're either going to get the light guy that thinks he's a wideout and won't block, or the glorified o-lineman that gets to release in the flat every once in a while. That's kind of common, to find that guy that can do both is hard to find."
Cornerback Raymond Gay II
On his teammates:
"The guys who are playing are guys who want to be here and want to be Oklahoma State Cowboys. We're loyal and true. I feel like having those guys next to me and just having a team full of guys like that makes the season, I guess you could say, fun, even with everything that's going on."
On what keeps him motivated:
"Just waking up every day and seeing the guys next to me being able to play for each other and still trying to lock in, even though we haven't gotten a win in the conference. Every week, we have the same [mindset] like, "OK, we're going to get a win this next game." So, just still being able to believe and have faith that we can play for one another and for the coaches, and the coaches for the players. Just all being together."
On Kansas State:
"I see a team that's been together; a good culture, brotherhood, things like that. I've played them a couple of times in the past – this is my fifth year, so I've been here a while. They have a good quarterback, and I would say they're pretty physical."
On this week's 11 a.m. kickoff:
"I'm a fan of the night games when it's dark outside, the lights in the stadium are on, all of the fans and the anticipation built up, but an early game isn't bad either because our fans are still going to come out there. I feel like we have some of the greatest fans in the country, so they're still going to come out there and show us a good time, and we're going to try to put on a show for them."
Defensive Lineman Wendell Gregory
On how it feels to get a sack and how he and his teammates celebrate:
"Sometimes I can't even think about it, I'm just hype that I got a sack, to have a turnover on downs… It's huge. Coach Osborn, I remember I got [tackle for loss] in the Texas Tech game, and he came over to the side and hit his head on my helmet; it was crazy. So, I like the energy from that, for sure."
On the season:
"Like I said, the season is not over with. Keeping the main thing the main thing. I'm in my playbooks with these guys every day. I'm not really worried about after the season. That'll come whenever it comes, but right now, I'm worried about the season. I'm worried about Kansas State, Saturday."
On the impact of Coach Bowen:
"It's a big turnaround. Obviously, a lot of plays are different, but he's doing a great job. The way I see it, he's doing a great job. You can tell he's really bought in to these guys, obviously, he hasn't been with us the whole season, but he's been with us for a good amount of time, so he's getting used to everybody, warming up to everybody, and we're going to keep going."
Wide Receiver Shamar Rigby
On how important it was to get his mind cleared:
"I would say it's everything. I would say your mentality is everything, especially in today's game, if your mentality's not right, you're never going to succeed… clearing my mind mentally, it was a good thing for sure."
On the vibes in the wide receiver room:
"We've been saying this in the receiver room. We got playmakers. Just get the ball in our hands and we're going to make plays."
Offensive Lineman Nuku Mafi
On the mentality in the O-line room:
"In the O-line room, we like to go by 'we're the ones', we have to be the one really strong foundation up front, and we have to be the ones to really set the tone for the game. That's something that we've been progressively working on, week by week. I know we continue to get better and that's something that we can be happy with."
On changing positions:
"When I first heard it, I thought he was joking. I thought there was no way, and then I heard that [Markell Samuel] went down. So, in my hotel room before the game, I just worked on going through little things, the basics, and it was stressful, but I trusted my technique. I trusted what I could do. I mean, that's been my position since high school."
On his journey to becoming a Cowboy:
"It's been one heck of a journey. I had been here two or three times, just unofficially. I really enjoyed the environment. When I finally did my official [visit], the fans never disappointed… This year, too, the fans just know how to do it, man. Especially with the season we're having, it's not as good as we want it to be, but the fans sure make up for it."
On Beni Tonga and the impact he had on him:
"He's basically another uncle to me. I've known him since he first contacted me, and I've never really lost connection with him. We just bonded after that, just built chemistry, and that's really what brought me here."
On how he has improved and how his teammates have helped:
"Being prepared and watching film, coming out of high school, I didn't really watch film. So, it's really just watching, just learning what they do, what weaknesses they have, what strengths they have. That's really something that helps me as a cheat paper… Learning from other teammates who had more experience, like Bob, especially Bob, he's been my big mentor. He's been teaching me, 'this is how you're supposed to do it, this is the footwork,' so I picked up on it and continued to build what I need for this opponent."
Oklahoma State Interim Head Coach Doug Meacham
On how the bye week gave the team a chance to reset:
"It's an opportunity to reset for sure. You take this week that we just had off and it's an opportunity to reflect back on what's occurred and reenergize, and to remember what's important. What's important is these kids right now, we're adults, we're going to be fine, and there are a lot of good coaches in there that will be fine. We just have to reflect and think back on what the most important thing is right now, and it's those kids. Sometimes those kids don't necessarily do what you want them to do, but they're youngsters, and our job is to guide them and show them the way. So that's what we're trying to do."
On what the practice schedule looked like last week:
"We went Tuesday and Wednesday and gave them a bit of a four-day break there. I actually told some of the coaches to take a break, too, maybe take a 'stay-cation' type of thing. We went for a couple of practices that were very similar, for about an hour or an hour and 15, and kind of started to gameplan for Kansas State."
On how beneficial it is to have a bye week this late in the season:
"It's very valuable. Again, you can look back on all the games you played and reflect back both as a player and a coach, to find out what you really need to work on and how you can improve to be able to win. You need to look at self-scout and look at all the details on both sides of the ball to figure out where we're giving things away in certain formations and looks and how we can improve that."
On things they focused on offensively during the open week:
"They've got some nicks and bruises and stuff to heal up, we've got a couple guys in key positions that aren't 100% and I think those four or five days off might do wonders for those guys. Again, for both offense and defense, how can we self-scout and look inward instead of outward, and how can we improve, and find out what defenses are actually seeing in us, and maybe make some changes and do some things."
On Hauss Hejny's character as someone who travels on the road while injured:
"It says a lot, because in the day and age where some of these youngsters would want to go to the strip and hang out. Whereas he wanted to be with the team, and that says a lot about him as a person, and what this means to him. He's not going to waste any opportunity he can get to help someone; he was on the sidelines helping guys out. It's just the way it used to be. It kind of makes you feel good to know there are still guys out there like that who care about the school and have gratitude for where they are."
On Nuku Mafi:
"Well, we had an injury, so he was originally starting on the right side. But, it's just his movements and his punch; he's very athletic, he's got enough length to set the edge, and there aren't a lot of guys like that. There are a lot of guys with length, but they can't move. It's like a trick; they'll be six-foot-six, but his feet are bad. He's got movement skills, twitches, and really good punches. Playing those guys, even if they aren't totally ready, is only going to expedite the curve and make them better as they go. With him as a backup, he's not going to get good quickly enough, whereas with him playing, he's going to learn from mistakes. He's got great movement skills, he's a good football player, and it means a lot to him. He was on the right side to start, then flipped to the left; that's hard to do sometimes. You have to flip your feet and flip your weight, it's not easy."
On the team sticking with it:
"I'm impressed with it, but that was kind of one of the things I was assigned to do. You didn't want anything to happen that's catastrophic, and have a walkout, or something crazy which could occur. It's just a testament to the guys we brought in here. They are good kids, and they're all different. Nowadays, they come from all over the place. It used to just be that they're from either Texas or Oklahoma. Now they're from all over the globe. So, for them to kind of bake together as they have, in a short matter of time, it's good to know we picked some of the right guys."
On Kansas State:
"You watch them, and they've got some big physical guys. They've got two great inside linebackers; the quarterback scares you to death. They got a running back that's solid, good tight end play. It looks very similar to what they've always had, but they're just not getting the results. And off topic, Iowa State's kind of the same. Their numbers are good, they got good players, and it's just a play or two here and there. Every game boils down to about four or five plays. They've been close. I know they had some stuff occur early on the season. I think they were ranked really high, and they didn't come to fruition. They kind of struggled there for a while, but they are getting their second wind now. They got good players, and those guys do a good job. They do it old school, and they got big, tough guys, and they play super hard."
On the versatility of his Tight Ends:
"Most of them are kind of hybrid guys. They're not glorified o-linemen, and they're not receivers. They're somewhere in the middle. Those guys in this day and age are not asked to really be dominant edge blockers and knock the edge down. They just have to draw ties and then mismatch safeties. Somebody can mismatch a safety that can win with size, but also kind of hold the point to some degree, that's kind of what you're looking for. There's not a lot of them out there. You're either going to get the light guy that thinks he's a wideout and won't block, or the glorified o-lineman that gets to release in the flat every once in a while. That's kind of common, to find that guy that can do both is hard to find."
Cornerback Raymond Gay II
On his teammates:
"The guys who are playing are guys who want to be here and want to be Oklahoma State Cowboys. We're loyal and true. I feel like having those guys next to me and just having a team full of guys like that makes the season, I guess you could say, fun, even with everything that's going on."
On what keeps him motivated:
"Just waking up every day and seeing the guys next to me being able to play for each other and still trying to lock in, even though we haven't gotten a win in the conference. Every week, we have the same [mindset] like, "OK, we're going to get a win this next game." So, just still being able to believe and have faith that we can play for one another and for the coaches, and the coaches for the players. Just all being together."
On Kansas State:
"I see a team that's been together; a good culture, brotherhood, things like that. I've played them a couple of times in the past – this is my fifth year, so I've been here a while. They have a good quarterback, and I would say they're pretty physical."
On this week's 11 a.m. kickoff:
"I'm a fan of the night games when it's dark outside, the lights in the stadium are on, all of the fans and the anticipation built up, but an early game isn't bad either because our fans are still going to come out there. I feel like we have some of the greatest fans in the country, so they're still going to come out there and show us a good time, and we're going to try to put on a show for them."
Defensive Lineman Wendell Gregory
On how it feels to get a sack and how he and his teammates celebrate:
"Sometimes I can't even think about it, I'm just hype that I got a sack, to have a turnover on downs… It's huge. Coach Osborn, I remember I got [tackle for loss] in the Texas Tech game, and he came over to the side and hit his head on my helmet; it was crazy. So, I like the energy from that, for sure."
On the season:
"Like I said, the season is not over with. Keeping the main thing the main thing. I'm in my playbooks with these guys every day. I'm not really worried about after the season. That'll come whenever it comes, but right now, I'm worried about the season. I'm worried about Kansas State, Saturday."
On the impact of Coach Bowen:
"It's a big turnaround. Obviously, a lot of plays are different, but he's doing a great job. The way I see it, he's doing a great job. You can tell he's really bought in to these guys, obviously, he hasn't been with us the whole season, but he's been with us for a good amount of time, so he's getting used to everybody, warming up to everybody, and we're going to keep going."
Wide Receiver Shamar Rigby
On how important it was to get his mind cleared:
"I would say it's everything. I would say your mentality is everything, especially in today's game, if your mentality's not right, you're never going to succeed… clearing my mind mentally, it was a good thing for sure."
On the vibes in the wide receiver room:
"We've been saying this in the receiver room. We got playmakers. Just get the ball in our hands and we're going to make plays."
Offensive Lineman Nuku Mafi
On the mentality in the O-line room:
"In the O-line room, we like to go by 'we're the ones', we have to be the one really strong foundation up front, and we have to be the ones to really set the tone for the game. That's something that we've been progressively working on, week by week. I know we continue to get better and that's something that we can be happy with."
On changing positions:
"When I first heard it, I thought he was joking. I thought there was no way, and then I heard that [Markell Samuel] went down. So, in my hotel room before the game, I just worked on going through little things, the basics, and it was stressful, but I trusted my technique. I trusted what I could do. I mean, that's been my position since high school."
On his journey to becoming a Cowboy:
"It's been one heck of a journey. I had been here two or three times, just unofficially. I really enjoyed the environment. When I finally did my official [visit], the fans never disappointed… This year, too, the fans just know how to do it, man. Especially with the season we're having, it's not as good as we want it to be, but the fans sure make up for it."
On Beni Tonga and the impact he had on him:
"He's basically another uncle to me. I've known him since he first contacted me, and I've never really lost connection with him. We just bonded after that, just built chemistry, and that's really what brought me here."
On how he has improved and how his teammates have helped:
"Being prepared and watching film, coming out of high school, I didn't really watch film. So, it's really just watching, just learning what they do, what weaknesses they have, what strengths they have. That's really something that helps me as a cheat paper… Learning from other teammates who had more experience, like Bob, especially Bob, he's been my big mentor. He's been teaching me, 'this is how you're supposed to do it, this is the footwork,' so I picked up on it and continued to build what I need for this opponent."
Players Mentioned
CB
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OLB
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QB
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WR
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OL
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