Gundy, Cowboys Preview High-Stakes Bedlam

After disappointing starts to the season from both teams, Bedlam is for the Big 12 championship. On Monday, Oklahoma State’s man-with-a-mullet previewed this weekend’s battle for Sooner state supremacy.

Head Coach Mike Gundy

On the benefits of having an off week last week:

"It's always good (to have an off week). It gave us a chance to have a couple of workouts, but really rehabilitate the players mentally and physically. It's a fun group to be around, so we enjoy it. We turned them loose this Wednesday morning and brought them back Saturday night. I think it was a good break for all involved.

On the importance of Bedlam to the state:

"I think what's encouraging for the state of Oklahoma is that for a considerable number of times over the last six years, these two schools have gotten together to decide a conference championship, and I don't think we can ask for anything else. Tulsa's having a great year too, so you have three schools that are having fantastic seasons, have very exciting players and give the state a lot to think about. We have four million people and we don't have professional football in the state; although, of course everybody loves Dallas right now. That gives us something to do outside of what we do, but it's a big game. As you watch over the last week and a half when they put up the College Football Playoff standings and you have Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in that top 10, that's a tremendous financial and marketing advantage for those universities and the state of Oklahoma."

On having Mason Rudolph in this year's Bedlam game compared to his limited play last year:

"It's obviously an advantage for our team. J.W. (Walsh) was tremendous for us last year and really played pretty well, but they overwhelmed us rushing the football and made a lot of plays on offense. We didn't play very well defensively in that game. We're a healthier football team now. I feel like our mental approach with our team and their mental approach is different this year than what it was last year. We were a little bit beat up at this time last season."

On running back Chris Carson's performance since coming back from injury:

"A lot of times, young men that play the game, when they have something taken away from them they realize how much they really love it, and Carson falls in that category. He was playing well this season before he injured his hand, but I think the three or four weeks off really took effect with him mentally with how much he really liked the game. I couldn't be any more pleased for him. I said this after the TCU game that I thought a few weeks before that he would have an opportunity now to get into a camp and play at the next level. I'm somewhat convinced that's going to happen now, and I know that's always been a dream for him. It just proves that if you have a dream and continue to work at it and have the right support system, (you can do it). Marcus Arroyo has done a tremendous job with him, bringing him along mentally. It's going to give him an opportunity to have a great game. He's excited about football. We're putting him back on special teams and he's given us great effort. He wants to be on special teams. That's a good indicator of the commitment that a player has to our team."

On what winning the conference championship would mean to the OSU program:

"Our goal each year is to get our team prepared so that when we step on the field the fans can be proud of what's on the field. We're going to play hard. We're going to do it respectfully. We've been in that situation every game this year. That's always been our goal. It's extremely difficult to predict wins and losses, to say how the game is going to go. Our goal is to win a conference championship. We've always felt like if we won a conference championship, that would give us an opportunity to get to the playoff. A couple of years ago, we took the computer out and went to the human element because we didn't want the computer to make decisions. We want humans to make decisions. I will address my opinion on the playoff system next week because it doesn't matter until we play this game. Years ago, you would play the game and that all would come out the very next game. Now there's a little more lag time in between so there's a little more time to think about it, for people to put their heads together. The only thing that we can control is how we play Saturday. What I told them is that I wanted them to play how they've played the last two months because as a coach it's enjoyable to watch them. They play for each other. There aren't any selfish players on the field, and I would fully expect them to play that way Saturday. Then we can worry about the playoff system next Monday.

Defensive Coordinator Glenn Spencer

On if he's comfortable with the knowledge of what OU will do and how the OSU will defend it:

"I'm never really comfortable. I'm always on edge, and I think you have to be. Well, I have to be, and I have to think about all the 'what if's' because I know they're all good coaches. I know Coach Riley does a tremendous job. If you take something away, he's going to figure out pretty quickly something else to come up with. I've got a lot of respect for him as a play caller."

On what it means to him and Oklahoma State to be playing for the Big 12 Championship:

"I think the benchmark is to win it. Maybe six, seven or eight years ago, to play was good, but the benchmark has changed. How you are evaluated has changed. The way this team is critiqued has changed. That just means we've gotten to this point. A lot of people have done great things to get to this point. The end result is can we play each play well enough to execute, and if we put enough of those together, we'll have a chance to win the game. Practicing the process of that first down and powering through those second downs is what's going to do it. In my 30 years of doing this, I've learned that's the most important thing. If we do that enough, hopefully things will turn out well. They don't all the time, but that's the goal."

On his game plan for facing Dede Westbrook and Joe Mixon:

"It's tough. They've got great play makers and make good calls. Between their quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends and wide receivers, they lead the Big 12 in the top scoring offenses in the nation, so we have to execute what we're doing. There's going to be times when it's one-on-one with those great play makers, and our players are going to have to make plays."

Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich

On facing Oklahoma:

"It's a big-time challenge. They're a good ball club and they're coached extremely well. They're very sound in their schemes. They understand their defense very well. They're able to disguise some of their looks, and they're able to give you multiple fronts. They're a big-time effort team and you can see that on tape and it's going to be a tremendous challenge for us."

On using the running attack against them:

"Our deal on offense is to stay balanced. Each game this year, we've tried to maintain that balance and we think that's another important aspect for us. This is the next game and we feel the same about this particular ballgame."

On going up against OU's defense:

"I think we're not really focused on predictions and what we think the result is going to be. We're not built that way. We're focused on our practices and today is a good day for our staff to finalize our plan and maybe make some last minute tweaks, then put it to bed. That's what we're focused on. Just making sure we have a quality practice come Tuesday, really work on having a great Tuesday, then the next day and come game day, let the fur fly."

On Chris Carson's career:

"There's been a sense of urgency about Chris since he's come back from his injury. He seems to understand that there is an end to a collegiate career and he's making the most out of his. There's just a lot more confidence with Chris and his abilities and I think it just stems from the offensive line. He's got a tremendous amount of confidence in those guys up front covering guys up and giving him a chance to get to the second level, get on safeties and make those guys miss. The perimeter blocking has been there as well, so he knows that. There have been times when our receivers have come in blocking safeties and he's got to make a corner miss and that's a smaller type body for him. He's used his body really well. He's punished some defenders with some of his runs and I think some of that stems from him having confidence in himself, the offensive line, the people around him, and understanding the urgency of the situation."

Quarterback Mason Rudolph

On his relationship with Baker Mayfield:

"We've got a good relationship. I actually was on a flight home and their backup quarterback, his name is Kendall and he's from Charlotte, so we were on a flight together and I spoke to him for a little while. They're all good guys and we've been on a couple of spring break trips in the past. They're good guys and it's all a lot of fun."

On the magnitude of this weekend's game and last year's game:

"It's what you look forward to all season long and last year I kind of let it slip through my grip. Injuries happen, but I was kind of angry that I wasn't able to play and be at 100 percent. I've got a completely different mindset this year and I'm ready to get out there and play in the game."

On the team's current mindset compared to last season:

"I think it's different now. I think there are so many facets of our game that are strengths this year, but that we struggled with last year. We're balanced offensively now, the running game is great and we've got the ability to just pound the ball. Our defense has been playing great too."

Linebacker Chad Whitener

On stopping Oklahoma's offense:

"We need to focus on stopping the run. That's something they lean on offensively and like a lot of other teams, when they get that going it opens up so much more for them as far as play action and being able to sell different things. We need to make sure that we're taking care of our assignments and play smart football over the top because they do like to throw deep balls and those 50/50 balls. We just have to stay focused and do what we've done all year long."

On the physicality of Bedlam:

"We've just got to go out there and be physical. They're big, strong guys too and so we've got to out there with the right mindset and we've got to bring it on every play."

On the similarities of the OSU and OU offenses:

"It's similar personnel-wise, but their scheme is different than ours."

Cowboy Back Blake Jarwin

On how he ended up at Oklahoma State:

"Being a walk-on, I emailed both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. OSU emailed me back so I jumped on that opportunity and came to Stillwater and it's the best thing that ever happened to me. I never heard back from OU, but that's OK. They're always loaded at the tight-end spot and on defense so I didn't take it personally. I found a way to get here to OSU and I've been blessed with so many opportunities by Coach Gundy and Coach Yurcich and I'm just happy to be where I'm at."

On controlling emotions before Bedlam:

"Coach Gundy reminds us not to get too hyped up too quickly. It's hard though, especially coming off a bye week and we've got a lot of energy built up. We've got to sit down and be patient though and control what we can control. We're going to get back to work tomorrow and have a few good days of practice to get ready to go."

On what it would mean to win the Big 12 Championship in Norman:

"It would be awesome. The chemistry we've built over the past five or six weeks is amazing. To be a senior and to go out with a Big 12 title with these guys would be amazing."

Safety Jordan Sterns

On winning in Norman two years ago:

"I just remember the punt return and how incredible that moment was for the whole team and then Ben Grogan's field goal. Those were two huge things that I remember and then I remember feeling that we had just won when OU missed the field goal on their first drive in overtime. I was kind of in shock when he missed that field goal. I saw him miss it and I knew that Ben was going to go out there and make it. There's a lot of things that I've taken away from that game."

On the win in Norman being Mason Rudolph's first career win:

"It really helped to open a door for him and now he's become a great quarterback and a great leader as well. It all stemmed from those two games at Baylor and OU and he's just progressed ever since then."

On his final Bedlam being for the Big 12 Championship:

"The game itself is huge. It's for the state of Oklahoma, but for me it's just a game. I prepare for OU the same way I prepare for everyone else. I don't like to look at them any different than any other team so I'm going to go out there and play hard for my teammates regardless. There's going to be a lot of people there and it's going to be loud. For us though, we've just got to go out there and keep doing what we've been doing all year and hopefully that will help lead us to a victory."

Cowboy Back Zac Veatch

On playing OU for the Big 12 title:

"It's exciting. We wouldn't want it any other way. We have prepared well. We are going to go down and play for the Big 12."

On the Cowboy backs getting credit:

"The credit is the win. What is it, seven in a row now that we have won? That's where we get our gratification from."

On the offensive line having more confidence this year rather than last year:

"You can tell the way they practice. Like they said, it's fun. When they talk about the run game being bad, you usually associate that with offensive line. But with the run game progressively getting better, you can tell those guys are in a better mood and happy to come in and get after it."

On what it is like playing in Norman compared to other road games:

"Well, we take a bus down there. We usually fly everywhere else. It's a road game. They are all hostile environments. You're down there with just 70 of your guys and your coaching staff. You just got to go down there and focus on your team and what you need to do."

Defensive Tackle Vincent Taylor

On tackling the OU running backs:

"It's very tough. We watched film after last year and noticed we missed a lot of tackles, but I think we are a better team this year now, and we have done a lot of tackling drills, and we are ready come Saturday."

On if the team feels like it is in a better spot mentally and physically than a year ago:

"Gundy switched up the practice schedule for us. He said we would be fresher than we've ever been come Saturday. I think it will help us out. We had a lot of injuries going into the game last year. A lot of guys were banged up, but this year we are treating our bodies right and our coaches will have us ready to play."

On if he takes pride in being nominated for the Piesman Trophy:

"I do. I take pride in everything I do. Like I said, when I'm on the field, I like to have fun. I'm happy to be nominated for that but I'm looking forward to this upcoming game."

Wide Receiver Chris Lacy

On playing for the Big 12 Championship:

"It feels good to know all our hard work is paying off and to go out there and execute and hopefully get this win and ultimately reach our goal."

On how Mike Yurcich coaches and what he brings to the offense:

"He brings some fire to our offense. He knows what he is doing. I like his schemes and he knows how to attack different defenses as well."

Running Back Chris Carson

On when he got injured:

"It was another adversity. It was another step I had to take forward. I try not to dwell too much on it but it was definitely something that brought me back."

On being an X-factor against OU:

"I just want to do whatever I can to help the team and support the team. Whatever they want me to, I'm just going to do to the best of my ability."

On the last month of football:

"It's just fun altogether. Seeing that I'm contributing and helping the team win, it's just been fun altogether."