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Notes on Mike Gundy’s TCU Postgame Press Conference

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In case you missed Mike Gundy’s postgame press conference against TCU, here is a Cliff’s Notes version of what he said following Oklahoma State’s 44-31 loss to the Frogs.

• Opening statement: “Well that wasn’t near as fun as the last game we played.” No, it was not.

• Said OSU didn’t play smart or disciplined and got out-coached: “They had better plans, and their players executed their plans better.”

• Said “it’s pretty simple” when you lose the turnover battle.

• Said it was the first game OSU didn’t defend the run very well.

• Said OSU “didn’t protect as well” as they needed to “at times.”

• Said he thought Kenny Hill played with a lot of confidence and was “throwing the ball effectively.”

• Said “we’ll rally back tomorrow. Guys need to let it soak in tonight. We gotta let it go. Come back ready to play the next game. Expect our guys to get over this and come back tomorrow with a smile on their face.”

• Noted that OSU has to get more 3 and outs. Also said time of possession is a non-factor to Oklahoma State, but in this game it mattered because there weren’t any 3 and outs and TCU didn’t punt until the 4th quarter.

• Said TCU’s safeties played high and OSU wasn’t able to run the ball as effectively. Didn’t hit enough underneath stuff when they were in catch-up mode. Said they ran the ball “ave-ruj” when trying to catch up.

• Said 72 and 73 “have to make plays. When we lose guys, the next guy has to come in and make plays.”

• Said the game plan has been the same for all four games. Said OSU was one block away three or four times from really breaking off a big run. Pointed at TCU’s “fast guys that tackle well.”

• Said OSU needed to minimize mistakes and didn’t. Said again they got out-coached and that TCU’s guys were more aggressive from the beginning.

• Said he wishes they could have the McCleskey pass back “now that it didn’t work.” They were trying to score fast and catch TCU off guard. “Gary’s defenses always play good.”

• Said it will be difficult to come back re: College Football Playoffs but that you’re really never out of it. Said it’s hard to look beyond next week because of young players — “some areas where we’re fairly young.”

• Said guys were focused and practiced really well leading up to TCU. “Enthusiasm, focus and willingness to work was really good.”

• Said when you have 22 guys on the field and 6-8 of them are really young, nothing surprises him in college football. Too many variables. “We’re disappointed when we lose, but I’m not disappointed in our team.”

• Explained the out-coaching thing: You have to look back at the game plan … “their packages for what we do vs. our packages for what they do, I thought they were better. It’s happened before, and we’ve won a game. I’m not so naive to think we always have a better plan than everybody.”

• “We weren’t very disciplined.”

• Explained the holding on the punt, said it was a freshman and they were in fair catch mode. Coached them a certain way and they still did it.

• On the injuries: “We can’t do anything about it. We have to play the guys we have.” Said they just have to “keep rolling and go with it.”

• Confirmed that they lost Larry Williams for the year. “Other guys have to step up and play.”

• Didn’t consider an onside kick before TCU’s last drive but pointed at the TCU return that really put OSU in a bad spot.

• Said Rudolph “got out of his box” on the fumble. “Without watching the tape, I’m going to say he played OK.” Said OSU didn’t do a good job of protecting him as they have been.

• Said football “seems complicated from the outside, but it’s really not very complicated.” Said OSU ran the ball better last year, and TCU was playing catch-up then. This year was the opposite.

• Said when they force OSU into three TOs and OSU forces TCU into one, it’s proof that their schemes were better. Also didn’t want to discredit TCU’s players playing hard.

• Called their tackling in critical times “the difference in the games.”

• Said they ask their players to “commit to a purpose” — the players did everything they were supposed to do. “I’m not down on these guys at all. They give effort. Their attitude is good. They play their butt off. The ball didn’t bounce our way. They made a few more plays. It’s part of life. You figure it out. You grow up. You come back tomorrow.”

• Said he doesn’t want his players to come back “angry” on Sunday because “you just wasted a day.”

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