Notes on Mike Gundy’s Iowa State Postgame Press Conference

Mike Gundy talked to the media in the aftermath of OSU’s thrilling 49-42 win in Ames on Saturday. He addressed the final play, OSU’s penalties and why the game should have been over after Trey Carter’s sack.

• “We need to put in for raising ticket prices to come watch us play. We definitely give everybody their money’s worth.”

• Had concerns about fatigue coming into the game because of last week’s slugfest. “We knew this was going to be a difficult game.”

• Noted three defensive stops in the end. “We couldn’t really slow them down a lot during the middle of the game.”

• “No turnovers, big deal.” Much better punting, much better kicking, much better punt coverage, much better kick coverage.

• Told four and eight ISU was going after them in the final huddle. Said they were going to post up their big WRs. Said the Trey Carter sack should have put it out of reach but “why not more excitement for us?”

• Said Iowa State is an interesting team. Not enough flash to excite people, but “they’re just good at what they do. They don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

• “We had too many penalties. Bundage got into some kind of an altercation with a guy. That upsets me. Seven got called for a clothesline. He needs to not do that. Those things concern me.”

• “We’ll try to work hard this week to minimize penalties and continue to improve as a team.”

• “I wouldn’t want to be out there covering those (receivers) with all that field space and they’re 5 inches taller. Takes a lot of guts to fight them off. Especially when you know they’re coming right at you. First thing I said to the team afterwards was that I was proud of those guys.”

• Said six weeks ago Rodarius and A.J. Green weren’t looking back at the ball. “Now they’re feeling that biological clock they have” which tells them to look for the ball. “They’re improving.”

• Saw a lethargic team at practice during the week. “That’s the first time I’ve seen that this year.” Said their attitude was still great.

• “Poor James. They put a guy on him. They put another guy over the top. They put another guy halfway. They just move all three of them around all the time so everybody has to catch passes or you have to run the ball. It worked for 523 yards for us. James gets to go out there and line up and hang out. When you’re the best receiver in the country, that’s what you’re going to get.”

• “Marcell has a gift. He has a special ability to go up and get the ball. He’s a basketball player. That part of what he brings to the table is huge for our team.”

• “Those two balls that Rudolph threw (to Ateman), those were great balls.”

• Didn’t think there was any way OSU was going to get a catch on the Ateman TD to tie it up. “Smart move on 2’s part. Heck of a play by 3.”

• “If there’s a better one (than Justice Hill) out there, I’d like to see it. I like him. I like what he does.”

• “We need to play (Tylan Wallace) more. Yurcich and Dunn must have lost a bet or something because I don’t know why he’s not in the game more … I do know why, because 28’s in the game. When he’s in the game and we’ve thrown it to him, he’s made plays. I’m excited about his future, what he brings to the table.”

• Hate that they’re going to lose Tre Flowers for the first half next week, “but his head’s fine.”

• Didn’t have much mental lag. They practiced well, just didn’t have the skip in their step. Didn’t tell his staff because it wasn’t a mental issue. “I watched it and swallowed that pill and was hoping we could overcome it.”

• Was worried about having that extra gear to kick into. “That’s who we are. That’s how we make our money.”

• On Mason: “He was good today.” Held the ball too long sometimes. “He has to get out of that.” Mentioned biological clock again. “He was really good today.”

• Challenge was how slow Iowa State plays. Staff had to make adjustments. “We can do that (play slow). It’s just not as fun.”

• On the Rudolph draw: “When he first said it, I thought he lost his mind. I thought he thought J.W. Walsh was playing. I looked over there and I said, ‘It’s six and a half yards.’ That’s an eternity for him.” Tied a little RPO to it. Had three options. “I thought it was a hell of a play call. I thought it was a hell of a run by him.”

• Doesn’t like Rudolph sliding on 4th down because of the spot. Hollered at Yurcich in the back of the room. Yurcich: “If he does it again, I’ll bench him.” Gundy said that would have not been fun if they’d gotten a bad spot.

• Was asked about running on 3rd and 15. “You saw how far back they were. It goes back to the geometry part of football. They’re going to play eight people at least 12 yards deep. They had the back five at like 18 yards deep. Lot of math going on in this answer. Played the percentages and kicked the field goal.

• Hasn’t talked about the Big 12 title to his team this year. “They have a responsibility to play their butt off every game. There’s so much information out there, they know everything. They understand all that and know how important each game is.”

• “We should petition for increased ticket sales and charge people more to come watch us play. We’re definitely exciting, and people get their money’s worth. And they don’t change the channel so they get all the commercial value. It’s every week for us. I said this seven weeks ago that it will be this way in the (Big 12). It’s every week in this league with the way things are built.”

• “I really enjoy the strategic part of the game.”

• The games don’t mess with him that much. Wants it to be a little smoother in the last five minutes.

• On the 4th and 2 late: “That was about as close as I could have ever gotten to going for it on 4th and 2, but we got a terrible spot. I wanted them to move the ball because we felt like it was 6-8 inches. We were debating on going for it. We’re still ahead by 7 so you win it or you tie it. I was going to go for it, roll with it.

“I was going to challenge, but my buddy over there on the sideline (the referee), I said, ‘Why did you spot the ball back there, the ball was way up here.’ He said, ‘Well that’s what I saw.’ I said, ‘OK, what do we do about challenging it?’ He said, ‘They’ve been looking at it for three minutes coach, you’re wasting your time.’ I said, ‘OK, sounds good.’ That was a little shocking to me … Two yards was a little too much.”

• On not showing excitement: “I’m excited for the players. It is what it is. I don’t want the players to ever think that emotions are taking over for me because I want them to have a clear mind and a clear head and think and play the game hard.

“People think that my attitude has changed the last two years and especially the last eight months, I’m just being who I am. I could jump up and down and fist pump but that would be fake. Same thing I go to my kids’ games. I’ve just never been that way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very excited for the team. I’m just not going to be a guy who’s going to stand up and cheer and scream.”