Coach Speak: Neal Brown Previews OSU’s Defense, Supports Chuba for Heisman

Mike Gundy is the Big 12’s longest tenured head coach. This weekend he’ll face off against the third of three of the league’s first-year head coaches in Mountaineers head man Neal Brown for a chance to host Bedlam on a four-game winning streak. Gundy is 1-1 so far against Big 12 rookies.

Brown spoke with media members earlier this week to preview his Senior day matchup with Oklahoma State. He’s clean-cut, well-spoken and had a prepared statement that lasted nearly 12 minutes before he opened the floor to questions.

Gundy’s pressers normally start with an impromptu and informal film review (“what I said on Saturday”) followed by some form of “Whatcha got?” and closed with “We good?”.

You can’t argue with the results but the juxtaposition between the two head men is hilarious. Here’s some of the best of what Brown had to say about his teams’ matchup with OSU.

Brown expressed admiration and respect for what Gundy has built during his 15 years in Stillwater.

“Coach Gundy has really built a very consistent program,” said Brown. “I think (it’s) one of the top programs in the Big 12 over the last 10 years. Averaged nine-plus wins a year going back to 2010 so the consistency that he’s built in that program is what we’re working for every day here.”

Brown also noted Jim Knowles’ defense and the streak its been on this past month.

“Defensively, they’ve played very well during this three-games stretch, three-game winning streak they’re on.

” … They’ve had 13 sacks the last four games. They’re young on defense. Only start one senior. I think they’re playing anywhere from six to eight freshmen and sophomores on that side of the ball and some of those guys are really talented. Been successful with pressure, especially here of late.”

On OSU’s linebackers Amen Ogbongbemiga and Malcolm Rodriguez.

“Linebackers. No. 11, No. 20. Both of those guys run really well. That probably the reason they’re playing the run so well here in the last three games.”

On Trace Ford:

“They’ve got a defensive end who’s a freshman, No. 94. He starting to really come on. He’s really talented. I’m sure those guys are excited.”

Brown pointed to the Cowboys secondary as a catalyst in this recent turnaround, namely corners A.J. Green and Rodarius Williams and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel.

“Where their veterans are is at corner. Those corners have played a lot of football. They’re long, they’re physical. We’ll have to be ready for those guys.

“And they’ve got a safety that’s playing maybe as good as anybody in the country right now at that position. I mean look at his production over the last four games. He’s around the ball all the time. That’s Harvell-Peel.”

This was before any QB-related news has been released, but Brown knows that everything on offense starts and stops with Chuba Hubbard. And he lent his own support for Chuba’s Heisman campaign, just not this weekend.

“It all starts offensively with Chuba Hubbard. I saw where Coach Gundy talked about him, should be in the Heisman, getting an invite to New York. I see no reason why not. He leads the nation in rushing. He’s the complete package. He runs for power. He runs for speed. He’s been incredibly durable. He just wears you out.

“So I’m agreement with Coach Gundy that he’s definitely deserving of being the Heisman trophy race for sure and I wish him luck, just not luck on Saturday. And I hope he goes straight to the NFL. But he’s heck of a player.”