Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gundy, Players Meet with Media After Practice
April 15, 2025 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – Head coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State players David Kabongo, Da'Wain Lofton, Parker Robertson and Sesi Vailahi spoke to the media following Tuesday's spring practice at the Sherman E. Smith training center in Stillwater. Here are some of their comments:
Head Coach Mike Gundy
On the quarterbacks:
"They're doing good. I watched them really close today. It's not that nobody is stepping up, it's just that all of them are playing pretty good."
On the offensive line's progress:
"They're doing fine, but none of these guys have ever played. They're much better now than they were two weeks ago. We're a better team now than we were two weeks ago. I'm pleased with where we're at one both sides of the ball… We're further along as a team and we're further along even on the offensive line, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
On Saturday's event:
"We're going to split teams, we're going to split coaches and we're going to play a real game. This team needs to play a game, I need to see them play a game… I want to see everything right now with these guys. There's so many new players that have played and competed well in practice and I don't know anything about them, so I want to see them play in a game."
On the Boys from Oklahoma concerts:
"Well, the concerts were tremendous for the state of Oklahoma, for Stillwater and for Oklahoma State University. I don't have any idea what the total revenue is. I know that they said the entire operation, Kyle Waters did an unbelievable job running it. We're very lucky that we had him."
Safety David Kabongo
On what stood out about Oklahoma State:
"Just the winning culture. Before last season, Mike Gundy has had like 19 winning seasons, and I wanted to go somewhere where I knew I could play, and I know I'm going to win. So, that was my mindset in recruiting."
On when he started feeling comfortable during his freshman season:
"I would say probably the Arizona State game. I was getting ahold of the defense more. I was getting more reps, and I was depicting formations differently. I really started to understand the game more."
On how the experience at the end of last season has helped him:
"It's been very beneficial. Like I said earlier, just getting adjusted to the speed of the game, that's the big thing. Everything's slowing down in my head and [I'm] just thinking alignment, assignment and then just playing fast."
Wide Receiver Da'Wain Lofton
On how practice has been:
"It's been pretty smooth. I've been getting better each day, finding that rhythm with the quarterbacks and getting the new playbook down. I've been just making plays and trying to boost the morale of the offense and get our confidence up."
On competition in the wide receiver group:
"That competition is very good. It makes all of us better in that room, even the young guys. We've got Royal [Capell] in that room, a freshman that just came in from Texas. [He] made a couple of plays today actually. It just makes each and every one of us better."
Safety Parker Robertson
On standing out under a new coaching staff:
"That's my mentality. Either way, I'm going to give my best effort no matter what. Whether it's the old staff or the new staff. I can only show what I have out on the field with my mind, being a leader and using my voice. I play the same, whether it's for the new staff or the old staff. It's up to the new staff how they want to use me."
On being a walk-on and how it will help him in life:
"It's going to mean everything. It is a resilient thing to be a walk-on. You have to be resilient going through those first few years because you aren't going to get the special treatment of a scholarship player. Working over and over again and putting your head down is going to teach me lessons that nothing else could teach. If hardship occurs, I know that I can get over it."
Running Back Sesi Vailahi
On transitioning to running back when he got to OSU:
"I didn't know I was going to be a running back in college. I always thought I was a defensive player. I always loved to hit people and not get hit, so when I first came here I thought I was going to be a safety, but God has plans for me, so why not play running back."
On running backs coach Cory Patterson:
"I like coach CP. He's outgoing. He's funny. He's just outrageous. He's always joking, always laughing [and] always making us laugh. But, when it's time to practice, he locks in really tells us this is no time to joke around."
Head Coach Mike Gundy
On the quarterbacks:
"They're doing good. I watched them really close today. It's not that nobody is stepping up, it's just that all of them are playing pretty good."
On the offensive line's progress:
"They're doing fine, but none of these guys have ever played. They're much better now than they were two weeks ago. We're a better team now than we were two weeks ago. I'm pleased with where we're at one both sides of the ball… We're further along as a team and we're further along even on the offensive line, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us."
On Saturday's event:
"We're going to split teams, we're going to split coaches and we're going to play a real game. This team needs to play a game, I need to see them play a game… I want to see everything right now with these guys. There's so many new players that have played and competed well in practice and I don't know anything about them, so I want to see them play in a game."
On the Boys from Oklahoma concerts:
"Well, the concerts were tremendous for the state of Oklahoma, for Stillwater and for Oklahoma State University. I don't have any idea what the total revenue is. I know that they said the entire operation, Kyle Waters did an unbelievable job running it. We're very lucky that we had him."
Safety David Kabongo
On what stood out about Oklahoma State:
"Just the winning culture. Before last season, Mike Gundy has had like 19 winning seasons, and I wanted to go somewhere where I knew I could play, and I know I'm going to win. So, that was my mindset in recruiting."
On when he started feeling comfortable during his freshman season:
"I would say probably the Arizona State game. I was getting ahold of the defense more. I was getting more reps, and I was depicting formations differently. I really started to understand the game more."
On how the experience at the end of last season has helped him:
"It's been very beneficial. Like I said earlier, just getting adjusted to the speed of the game, that's the big thing. Everything's slowing down in my head and [I'm] just thinking alignment, assignment and then just playing fast."
Wide Receiver Da'Wain Lofton
On how practice has been:
"It's been pretty smooth. I've been getting better each day, finding that rhythm with the quarterbacks and getting the new playbook down. I've been just making plays and trying to boost the morale of the offense and get our confidence up."
On competition in the wide receiver group:
"That competition is very good. It makes all of us better in that room, even the young guys. We've got Royal [Capell] in that room, a freshman that just came in from Texas. [He] made a couple of plays today actually. It just makes each and every one of us better."
Safety Parker Robertson
On standing out under a new coaching staff:
"That's my mentality. Either way, I'm going to give my best effort no matter what. Whether it's the old staff or the new staff. I can only show what I have out on the field with my mind, being a leader and using my voice. I play the same, whether it's for the new staff or the old staff. It's up to the new staff how they want to use me."
On being a walk-on and how it will help him in life:
"It's going to mean everything. It is a resilient thing to be a walk-on. You have to be resilient going through those first few years because you aren't going to get the special treatment of a scholarship player. Working over and over again and putting your head down is going to teach me lessons that nothing else could teach. If hardship occurs, I know that I can get over it."
Running Back Sesi Vailahi
On transitioning to running back when he got to OSU:
"I didn't know I was going to be a running back in college. I always thought I was a defensive player. I always loved to hit people and not get hit, so when I first came here I thought I was going to be a safety, but God has plans for me, so why not play running back."
On running backs coach Cory Patterson:
"I like coach CP. He's outgoing. He's funny. He's just outrageous. He's always joking, always laughing [and] always making us laugh. But, when it's time to practice, he locks in really tells us this is no time to joke around."
Players Mentioned
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