Notes On Mike Gundy’s Baylor Press Conference

Coach was sporting the Bronc Rider shirt as he previewed Baylor. He also talked about the running game, our deep threats, some incredibly awkward moments on the Walterscheid family, the Gullet and awesome remarks on his feelings on patriotism.

Opening Remarks

• “The Pitt game was kind of what we thought. So we’re looking forward to a good week of practice, and getting ready to travel down to Waco play good Baylor football team. “

Dealing with Baylor

• “They’ll be a real challenge for us. They’re the exact same in all three phases scheme-wise as what they have been over the last few years.”

• Are there any different with Briles not there? “You wouldn’t know. When you watch them on tape they look the exact same as they did the last few years.” Great…

• How important is it to get off to a fast start on the road? “Anytime you’re on the road you want to try and start quick, minimize the crowd. You want to be able to run the football well. Just like any game, you want to start fast and you don’t want to play flat.”

• “I think they’ve increased the excitement down there with their stadium sitting on the river, I would guess.”

• It doesn’t seem like Baylor’s been tested. “This is where they’ve been from a schedule standpoint. We haven’t played them this early in a while…and it’s (their soft schedule) been talked about. Unfortunately, for a lot of us in this league, it wasn’t a factor. Very similar to what they have been in the last few years.”

• How do you handle Seth Russell? “Well, just what they’ve done the last few years. They’re going to try and pound you running the football, they’re really good at it. And, as soon as you get down in there and watch him, they’re going to try and throw it over your head. The guys that have played there in that system have been very accurate on throwing the deep balls.”

•  What is it that’s so explosive about Baylor’s offense? “Well, it’s eight-man football, right? You take two guys or three guys and put them as far as you can on the sideline and then you’ve got to match up, so it’s your eight vs. our eight. It’s a pretty simple process; it’s just not easy to defend.”

• What’s the downside to doing that? “Not sure right now. Hasn’t been much over the last three years. It’s (Baylor’s offense) is gaining ground. If you look at it from the football standpoint, it’s really the veer offense essentially, with eight people involved with a little bit of throwing game depending on what the safeties do. It’s a rushing offense. They’ll throw it over your head a few times, but it’s a rushing offense.”

• What do you make of Baylor’s slow starts this season? “Last year when they played SMU they had the same results in the first quarter. They have schemes on offense that they can hang out for a while and then, you know, I change the channel, and you look back and it was 12-6 and now it’s 34-6. That’s the style of play they give you with their offense.”

On Mason and the Running Game

• “Oklahoma State traditionally kind of goes as their quarterback goes. He plays good, we usually do pretty well. He’s matured and he understands. I thought he missed three, maybe four throws last week. But overall his reads and where he was with the football was a pretty high percentage.”

• You’ve said you’re ‘one guy away’ from making big strides in the running game. Do you still think that? “Not ‘big strides.’ I’ve always been hesitant. I’ve said ‘we’re making strides.’ We had four plays where six guys were blocking the right guy and one guy was blocking the wrong guy.”

• “Our missed assignments with the blockers has been fewer this year than it has been over the last two years, per average, per game. And that’s covering guys up, that’s taking a step in the right direction. Then the skill guys have to make plays.”

• Mason continually said in the postgame, “We rushed for four touchdowns.” What about that? “Any improvement that we make in the running game is big to us right now as an offense. I think our players understand that, even the quarterback. He understands the importance of us being able to run the football because that allows him to be successful throwing.”

• How would you summarize Rennie’s career? “He’s had a lot of highs and lows. I told him Saturday, when he had that really nice run…he made the corner miss and he took off and outran him for 70 yards. That’s what we brought him here to do and it hasn’t happened as much as it did really in his true freshman year. Hopefully that will kick-start him a little bit and help us. We have to reevaluate Carson tomorrow. Fortunately Rennie ran hard against a pretty good defense and that was a good sign for us.”

• What’s the impact in having Seales on the outside along with the President? “He (Seales) not only had a good game receiving but he played very well downfield blocking, played hard. It might have been the best complete game that he’s ever played. When you have a player that has the caliber of what Washington has, like we had here in the past – now I’m not making comparisons to 1st-round picks – but when we had Dez and Blackmon and even Rashaun Woods, if you don’t have anybody on the other side of the field then you’re going to get an under coverage and a guy over the top. So it helps that you have those other guys.”

On the science of the Cole Walterscheid family…and the Gullet

• “He was 6’6” 205 when he got here. If he turned sideways you couldn’t see him. He’s got a big Dad – tall Dad. Mom’s pretty good size for a female. So we were hoping he would grow into this. But he’s got tremendous work habits, a great attitude, he loves to play football. He was the player of the game for us, and we just can’t find enough guys like that. There’s just not enough guys out there like that, that just love the game of football that would play for free.”

• Could’ve just stopped right there. But, no… “If his dad would have been my size, we probably wouldn’t have taken him, because you would think he’s not going to be very big. Most of these guys, you know, the male, in most cases, is going to take after the mom’s side anyway. The mom, I mean, she’s a, she’s a taller lady for a female. So, we felt like he would be a good risk.”

• Is that science you’re citing there? “Just like your, in most cases your receding hairline will be based on your mother’s dad. My mom’s dad had a full head of hair! He just didn’t have a mullet. He worked for General Motors for 40 years and they wouldn’t let you have a mullet.”

• Is that why you’re growing yours, to protest? “I don’t even know why I’m doing it anymore now. GM’s having a hard time. I hate to protest right now – especially up in Michigan.”

• Back to the defense, in particular, the front line: “I think they have a chance to be a really good college defensive front if they stay healthy and keep working hard. We have some depth. That gives them the best shot.”

Closing comments

• What did you think about striping the stadium? “I thought it was awesome. I would recommend doing it every game, or having the pom-poms. I thought that was what college football is supposed to look like. It looked to me like the fans wanted to participate and be involved with it.”