Notes on Mike Gundy’s Tulsa Press Conference

We’re going to try something a bit different this year. Because we will have at least one writer at Mike Gundy’s weekly press conferences, I’m going to be at home (in the shed) taking notes and jotting down quotes. This will post shortly after each presser, and you can think of it as the Cliff’s Notes version of the presser in case you don’t have 30 minutes to watch each one.

I modeled this after what the NYT does sometimes with big events. Thought it would be fun. Let’s jump right in to presser No. 1 of the 2017 season.

• Opening statement was quite short. Gundy noted that since school started, practices have been cut back. No updates otherwise.

• He said it doesn’t matter to OSU that Tulsa has not named a starting QB because they don’t have film on any of them anyway.

• Gundy said Tulsa is “very good” at what they do and cautioned everyone that “there haven’t been many rollover years in (Philip Montgomery’s coaching) history.”

• Said Justice will get the majority of the work. If he needs a break, OSU will run a guy in.

• On the new players, Gundy compared it to the Xs and Os of game week. “On game day, you get to see if the plan worked. Same thing with a new player. How are they going to play in a live situation? That’s the fun part. How is Rodarious and A.J. going to do? What’s King going to do?”

• Thinks Tulsa is going to run the football, wants to run the football.

• On the QBs: “Fourteen would probably have an edge right now (in the backup QB spot), but in the last scrimmage 11 played really good.” Needs to have the discussion with the coaches about reps. Both have made big strides in the last 10 days. More so than in the first 20.

• Said athletes are still overtrained. OSU has cut back 40 percent even from five years ago in terms of work in the offseason. For Rob Glass to do that is hard. “He’s old school. One of the best in the country.” Also noted that OSU has had two out of every seven days off this fall which is unusual.

• Transfer tackle Aaron Cochran has “done everything we’ve asked him.” Cochran has adjusted to the culture. “I’m excited about watching him play.” Will be adjustments because Cal didn’t move as fast as Oklahoma State.

• He was asked to compare 2011 and 2017. He said he rides in the car a lot with teenagers, and his kids try to compare Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Gundy thinks it’s silly. There is no answer. They’re both great.

• The guys on the team are “committed to each other. You guys know I’m beyond coach’s talk now.”

• He also said OSU is not checking rooms every night. “If you don’t want to be in bed by 9:30, I don’t care. It’s your team. OSU football is going to be here forever, this is your team. They need to take care of themselves.”

• He went off on a tangent about how 3-4 coaches have always done bed check and that’s not smart “from a business standpoint.” Started opining on production and assembly lines. Said coaches don’t need to be out checking beds.

• Gundy said the team understands sleep and that OSU gets the information on their sleep in the morning. I don’t know how this is monitored, but Gundy said that theoretically you could have somebody sleep in your bed for you. Then he deadpanned, “I haven’t asked if two people would register.” Regardless, “I’m tired of checking beds. It’s like your own kid, I know which one I need to check.”

• “I think (Montgomery) is one of the best coaches in the country. (Tulsa is) lucky they have him as a coach.”

• Gundy put different people from the OSU organization in front of players to tell their story this fall. So everyone in the organization could get to know one another. It taught the players that “nobody is bulletproof. Everybody has issues.”

• Talked about the 2011 TU game which ended at 3 a.m. Said he was tired. “This is not going to look good if I’m dozing off.” Said he thinks NCAA changed the rule because of that game, I think. “We’re trendsetters on new rules.”

• “I never hear Justice talk.” He was very impressed last year with his durability. “I think he shows us he loves to be here at Oklahoma State.”

• Gundy said freshman J.D. King is a completely different athlete body-wise than Justice. “Intelligent-wise, very similar. Ability to catch the ball, very similar. J.D. is ahead of him in protection. Make people miss, Hill might have that advantage right now. Ability to run through tackles, maybe King.” Said King has done very well picking up culture and schemes. “Two very bright kids. They get it.”

• If they run it 25 times a game, he would like to split it:

• 18 — Hill
• 7 — “Other guy(s)”
• 3 — “Another one”

• Gave scholarships to Cowboy Back Britton Abbott and quarterback Taylor Cornelius this week.

• Said there are too many guys at WR to get 9 for 140 every game. It saves wear and tear which is “good for their future.” Said their fall reps were cut down 28 percent from last year. “NFL doesn’t care about stats.”

• Compared schools they’ve recruited from a lot to a guy who sells cars. If they don’t nickel and dime you (not sure if this was a football joke), you go back to the well. “We take care of them.” We provide them with opportunities. Coaches from those high schools have no problem with their players going to Oklahoma State.

• Gundy said the state of Oklahoma is lucky to have three schools play at the level they’ve played at — wants Tulsa and OU to win every game except for when they play Oklahoma State.

• Stoops would be perfect for the CFP committee. “Squared away and level-headed.” Would be helpful to give good input as a coach.

• Adrian Baker is not listed on the two-deep, but Gundy said “he will play a little more than that. In our packages. He’s going to get better in the next month. He didn’t play a year ago so his development is a little slower.”

• “I think we’re going to play (Chuba). He’s a good prospect. He has made tremendous strides in the last 10 practices.” Said he has a long way to go, might not play him, but sounds like he will.

“When he breaks through and gets in the open, it’s over. Gone.”

Gundy said he plays and acts like Joe Randle as a freshman (I’m weak!). “I didn’t think he’d get it, but he’s done really well. Haven’t heard him talk a lot either which is great.”