Gundy: Oklahoma State, Guided by its Culture Must Go ‘Back to Work’

Bedlam losses usually fade into Christmas shopping with a side of pumpkin spice food and beverage (adult, given most of these games). They are washed away with more important things because they normally come at the very end of the season. We look to hoops or to the bowl game or to the Thunder and move on.

No such luck this year because Oklahoma State still has three regular season games left, and Mike Gundy acknowledged that on Saturday. He said OSU’s culture needs to take over to finish out what can still be a 10-win regular season, and it needs to start next week against a feisty Iowa State team that just beat the team you just lost to.

“I told the team that one of you guys would ask (if he’s worried about this loss being deflating),” said Gundy. “I said that I would guarantee that they’ll practice well this week because they do it all the time. They will come back tomorrow. Are they going to be in the best mood? No, none of us will. Part of the culture we’ve created here is that you come to work with a smile on your face.

“Otherwise, if you’re angry, if you’re salty, if you’re pointing fingers, it only creates more issues. I think they understand that. I’m not concerned at all about that. They’re going to play up at Iowa State … somebody told me they’re in the top 20 now. So they need to come back and go to work because every week from here on out is going to be a challenge. So I’m not concerned about that. They’re too good of kids.”

Those good kids addressed that issue as well. The opportunity to potentially still make the Big 12 title game. A possible NY6 game still on the line. The ninth 10-win season in school history still at stake.

“I think leadership is going to be huge this week,” said senior center Brad Lundblade. “It takes more leadership after you lose than it does after you win, honestly. We have great leadership and all different types of leaders in all of the different positions groups, so I have no doubt that we’ll be ready to go next week.”

“This one obviously stings, but like Coach Gundy was telling us, we can’t let it fester because it will affect us in getting ready for Iowa State,” said senior linebacker Chad Whitener. “Ames isn’t an easy place to play, so we just need to go out there tomorrow and be ready to learn from our mistakes. We have to really take advantage of the time that we have and the time that we have to prepare and get ready for another week.”

“Any time you lose a big game, it obviously hurts, but I can guarantee you that No. 2 will be out there tomorrow leading those guys like I always do,” said senior quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Only one team is going to win the national championship every year. Only four are going to make the playoffs. The Big 12 title dream isn’t dead until it’s dead, and OSU seems mature (mah-toore) enough to understand that. If TCU loses to OU and Texas Tech, you’re right back in the saddle. As long as you take care of business.

“Come back tomorrow and go back to work,” said Gundy. “That’s what we do. Win or lose, that’s what we have to do and keep rolling.”