Notebook: D-Line Growth, Running and Stoner on Langston Anderson

STILLWATER — The countdown to the Cowboys’ game in Corvallis is in the single digits.

Oklahoma State will play Oregon State on Aug. 30, but in the meantime, Mike Gundy and select players met with the media Tuesday. Here are a few notes from that availability.

Gundy on D-Line Getting ‘Waxed’ but Playing Hard

Gundy used the term “waxed” twice Tuesday when referring to his young defensive line.

With how young the group is, Gundy said mistakes are going to come, but he is more interested as to how the young defensive linemen respond to those mishaps.

“They’re all improving; they’re all getting better; they’re all learning,” Gundy said. “They get waxed a few times. They gotta get up and make a play. I like their pad level, seem to be using their hands better. I think they’re gonna play hard. We have to be patient with them. Young guys that don’t have any experience, you have to be patient with them. They’re gonna make mistakes, you gotta correct them. They need to play hard is what they need to do, not worry about anything else, just play hard.”

Running Pokes

A lot has been said this offseason about Gundy’s goal of limiting the disciplinary issues that led the Pokes to give up 917 penalty yards in 2018.

One way Gundy and the staff are trying to correct the issue is good, old-fashioned running.

“Nobody wants to go 40 plays of team and scout and then somebody mess up, and we’re all on the line running,” Green said. “I feel like the running has limited some of those discipline issues.”

The Cowboys were -235 in penalty yards compared to their opponents last season. The 917 yards allowed was the most of any Big 12 team last season. It was 409 yards more than league-best TCU’s 508 penalty yards allowed.

“When you look back at it, I didn’t do a good job of making sure that we coached disciplined football in practice, and in turn, that’s the results we got in games,” Gundy said. “We try to do better. I feel like we’re a much more disciplined team than we were in the bowl game. We’ll see. We’ll find out where we’re at. It can only help us if we play disciplined football and don’t give up free yards.”

Langston Anderson Doesn’t Out-Ag James Washington

In March, Langston Anderson told PFB he planned to major in ag business when he got to OSU.

It’s what former OSU wide receiver James Washington majored in, and Anderson told PFB he got to talk with Washington on the phone about it. But one of Anderson’s new position mates and Washington’s former position mate, said Anderson doesn’t quite emit the same agricultural vibes Washington did, at least not yet anyway.

“I haven’t seen Langston show up in boots and jeans yet,” Dillon Stoner said. “When that happens, maybe. But James was definitely more ag.”

A former four-star prospect, Anderson still has some things to learn about the college game, but Stoner said his potential is visible.

“He’s a very talented kid,” Stoner said. “Super fast, strong kid. He’s young, he’s still gotta get some things handled, but there’s no doubt in my mind, he’s gonna be special when he’s ready.

“Lifting with him in the weight room and stuff, he’s well off where he is. I’m excited to see the time when he’s comfortable and just can kind of stop thinking and play. He’s gonna be special.”