Mike Gundy quotes from Big 12 media days (Part II)

Photo Attribution: USATSI

Mike Gundy spoke to the media at Big 12 media days on Monday and had a few interesting things to say (though none as interesting as Charlie Weis!). If you missed Part I, here it is.

Let’s get back at it…

On playing and coaching at OSU:

I’ve been very fortunate to be at Oklahoma State. I’ve said that, and I mean it. They took me on as a young player when I don’t think most coaches would have. Now in 20 years, if I would have walked through the halls of the high school and looked at myself, I don’t know that I would have recruited me.

Haha, game respect game, coach. So I’m sure you would have.

On Josh Stewart: 

Josh is a great example of what we really strive for at Oklahoma State. He came in and had some class misses, and he always loved to play football, he’s very competitive. We felt like — we use the term — guys will ask about a Josh or a Joe Randle or other players that we’ve had, and our comment is they really love to play the game. They would play it for free, and Josh loves to play football. He’s very competitive.

I guess I was under the impression that they do play it for free. Seems like a good time to mention this was talked about as well:

OSU WR Josh Stewart said he doesn't need or want any more $ from EA Sports or NCAA. "I'm getting enough. I'm not in the NFL. I'm good."

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) July 22, 2013

On fast spread offenses:

Well, in my opinion, high tempo and spread offenses have been the single thing that’s created parity in college football. And over the last eight or ten years, when coaches have essentially started playing basketball on grass is really what we’re playing now by spreading the court and getting the ball to young men that years ago wouldn’t have an opportunity to play because they weren’t maybe as big or as strong or as fast, and maybe even a Josh Stewart, if you were in a traditional style of offense, where does he play?

Great point here about parity. Big used to hold the advantage over fast, now it’s more equal.

More on spread:

So I think it’s the very best thing that’s happened to college football. It’s the reason that we’ve gone away, in my opinion, from a top 15 teams in the country, when I was growing up — and some of you, some of you are a lot younger than me — but even in the late ’70s and ’80s, you had your top 15 tradition-rich teams in the country that were going to be that way in the first polls that came out at the year, and it would end that way. Well, that now has gone to the top 40 or 45 teams in the country for the most part that have a chance to win on any given Saturday. I think it’s tremendous for college football.

It’s more fun, too. It’s like even par winning a golf tournament instead of -20. Sure, even par is fun every once in a while (I love it in majors) but I would want to die if I had to watch that all the time. Thankfully: Oregon and OSU.

And this elicited a great big “hmmmmmmmmmm” from me[1. And probably JW Walsh’s dad.]

Mike Gundy riffing on possible next offensive wave in CFB: Wishbone at warp speed (no-huddle). Figure @Barry_Switzer approves.

— George Schroeder (@GeorgeSchroeder) July 22, 2013

On spread offenses causing injuries (as was insinuated by Bret Bielema):

It would be a huge mistake for somebody to be convinced that that would have in any form or fashion or reason to cause any injury. We’re spread out. We’re throwing it around and catching it. There’s not as many collisions compared to putting everybody together tight and ramming everybody up in there and being a pile. So I certainly don’t agree with that. I think it’s great for college football.

Interesting, and not totally sure I agree. How about we get some legitimate data on this first instead of just coaches throwing “I thinks” around all day. Seems relevant, I don’t know though, I’m typing this from my parents’ basement.[1. JK, I’m in my in-laws’ basement!]