STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State did not have a traditional spring game, but there was still plenty of action inside Boone Pickens Stadium for the Cowboys, who held an open practice in front of fans on Saturday afternoon. The team went through position drills before showcasing some skill in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 competitions.
After the practice, Oklahoma State head coach
Mike Gundy spoke with reporters to recap the progress made throughout the five-week spring camp, as well as his thoughts on Saturday's action. Here is everything Gundy said.
OPENING STATEMENT:
"We had a good day. We got a lot of plays in. Got some good work. A lot of the young players that needed quality time on that field in front of a crowd got some quality work. So, I felt like we had a great day. We’ve had a good spring as I said earlier. Today is normally a game which is not really much for us practice-wise, but we got to do a practice. So, it worked out good. We got really quality work, and I was excited about the guys and seeing them play today."
ON IF THERE IS A POSITION GROUP HE HAS LIKED THAT HAS GROWN A LOT IN THE SPRING:
"I think the corners have, I think the linebackers have and I think the offensive line has. We’ve just been down a bunch of numbers, and they’ve had lots and lots and lots of reps. I think they’ve improved. We’ve had a really good spring overall, but I would say those groups with the youth and them improving, yes."
ON HIS FEELING WITH THE SPRING:
"Well, I always want more practices. We have to make up some ground in August in the scenarios that we didn’t get this spring without having a second or third offensive line. We can account for that with our preparation in August. We’ll have 25 offensive linemen in August, so we’ll be able to practice three groups full speed. I keep track of all that, the analytic part of what we missed. So, we’ll make up for that in August. My right off hand thinking is we’re gonna have to get into more contact, 11-on-11, a week earlier than we did this spring because of what we lost based on not having enough guys this spring."
ON THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO HAVE GOTTEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPRING:
"They’ve got a lot of reps. I tell them, ‘You’re getting a lot of work. More work than you really need, but it’s gonna help you.’ Truth known, years ago that’s the way we practiced all the time. Those guys, it’s hard. They’re the 300-pounders. They’re the most nonathletic on the team. And they’ve been getting more reps than all these skill guys that weigh 190 and can run around all day and it not affect them. There’s some toughness that’s instilled in them during this process that will pay off for them as we move forward. I’m gonna bet if you ask them, they’re gonna want a smoke break, and they’re gonna be glad that spring ball is over."
ON PRESTON WILSON PLAYING CENTER:
"Well he’s doing good, but he is a non-contact guy for us. We could’ve put him in contact. Wasn’t really necessary. He’s been here long enough we kinda know what he’ll do in that situation, so we held him out. But, he’ll get a full run starting in June. He’ll get up and running, and then when we go to August and get contact, he’ll be up and running."
ON OLLIE GORDON BEING IN A SLING:
"Ollie had a little, what we call, just a mild little shoulder. If it was a game, we would’ve put him back in, but we’re not gonna do that in the spring. He’s had a good spring. He’s showing signs of progressing, but he’s a long ways off. He’s just a high school kid."
ON CJ TATE:
"He’s made some plays, yeah. He’s been around here a couple years and gets in and has had reps. He’s a good example of the quality reps that we were able to give the threes, or the young kids, the last two years, all the way through. You guys were at our bowl practice, and you saw, they’re getting a lot of reps. His reps have come from that time, and you’re seeing him now today when he got in with the twos some, he was able to make some plays."
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DEPTH AT RECEIVER:
"It’s important. Those guys are skill guys. We play fast. We would love to play eight a game and rotate them in and keep them all fresh. We’ll see if some of these young guys are ready to play when we get to the first game. But we certainly should have more depth than we had last year at that position."
ON IF THERE ARE ANY OFFENSIVE LINE INJURIES THAT WILL CARRY OVER TO THE FALL:
"I think they will be back by August. Do I know for sure? No. Do I feel like they will be back by August? Yes. If they’ve got an injury that they need to repair or something, we won’t put them out there in the summer."
ON DEREK MASON AND DEFENSIVE LEADERSHIP:
"He’s doing a good job. We limited them with what they could do today defensively based on where we’re at. So, they were somewhat vanilla. His relationship with the staff is good. His relationship with the players is good. The veteran guys, the Tyler Lacys of the world, (Kody) Walterscheids of the world, Korie (Black), Jabbar (Muhammad), JT (Jason Taylor), those guys that have been around and been out there, they’re the ones that have to help carry it. We don’t play as coaches. We put them in a position and they gotta grasp it and take off and run with it."
