The Top 5 Quotes from Mike Gundy’s Pre-BYU News Conference

STILLWATER — After a much-needed week off, the Cowboys head to Utah this weekend for a game against the unbeaten BYU Cougars.

Mike Gundy’s media luncheon was a little different than usual Monday (we’ll get to why shortly), but here are five of his best quotes from his Monday media session. We’ve done standalone articles on Gundy discussing his philosophy on staff changes and what he said about Oklahoma State’s quarterback situation entering this game against BYU.

1. Gundy on the Mends after Cow Encounter

How could OSU’s 2024 season get any crazier? How about a cow headbutting the Cowboys’ head coach?

Gundy’s weekly media luncheon was held via zoom on Monday. It was a late change in the schedule that Gundy would go on to explain.

“Well, I had a little run-in with my cattle over the weekend,” Gundy said. “I guess they’ve been watching us play. I got headbutted, so I’ve got a bad eye that I didn’t think would be particularly enjoyable for people when they were looking at my pretty face in a live interview. But more importantly, it’s full of blood, and I get dizzy. So it’s not easy to be upright and be in a normal function. But other than that, I’m doing great.

“I’m good. It’s just a combination of standing up there and talking to y’all for, you know, 30 minutes, and I’m a little nauseated and dizzy. I’m sure if you guys have ever had a bloodshot eye, that’s full blood, it can make you a little bit dizzy and nauseated. So I just didn’t think it would be good to stand up there in front of you guys. But no, I’m fine, and it should get better every day. Hopefully it’ll get a little better. But I’m fine. I’m working the same hours. I mean, it’s no big deal. I just didn’t think it was very appealing.”

No word on the cow’s health coming out of the encounter.

2. The Three Sides of Dealing with Disgruntled Fans

Gundy said there are three hats he can wear when speaking to frustrated fans: the head coach/ambassador of Oklahoma State, a person and just the head coach.

One wouldn’t have to look far to find an OSU fan upset with how this season has played out. After OSU’s most recent loss to West Virginia, Gundy didn’t knock the fans in attendance for booing but said it was his job to pay attention to the game and not to the crowd. He got a little deeper into fan discussions on Monday. Strap in, it’s a long quote.

“So you’re going to get a generic answer as the head coach and the ambassador to the university — very similar,” Gundy said. “Somebody asked me that question the other day. The truth is that anybody that pays and comes to support our team has a right to say or do anything they want, right? And I’m OK with that. That’s one way.

“As a head coach, I would say that if you really want to help our team and you’re coming and being supportive of the team, no matter what, you’re also giving a vision to the recruits that are in the stands that are there listening and watching. So, you know, what’s your ultimate goal? You really love Oklahoma State, you really love Oklahoma State football, you want to help us — be aware of the situation that’s at hand with recruits that are there and watching.

“And then the third way is as a parent. It’s like I tell my kids, ‘Every time something goes wrong in society, people who are weak want to complain and bitch.’ That’s what they do. So I tell my kids, ‘When something goes wrong, man up.’ Now, I don’t have girls, but nowadays, women, man up and be strong. Don’t always complain and bitch and try to find an easy way out. Same thing I share with the team.

“As we travel through life, there’s gonna be situations that don’t always go your way. So are you just going to cry and complain and bitch and moan? Or are you going to figure out a way to help and make it better? So there’s really three ways to handle that.”

3. Justin Wright Practicing

Gundy has long held injury statuses close to the vest, and that was mostly what he did Monday.

Gundy was asked specifically about how Brennan Presley and Ollie Gordon are doing.

“No injury updates,” Gundy said.

But Gundy was more insightful on linebacker Justin Wright. Wright has missed this entire season and most of last season because of injury. He transferred to the program from Tulsa ahead of last season after a five-year career with the Golden Hurricane that saw Wright total 254 tackles, 29 tackles for loss and four interceptions.

Wright could be a big boon for the Cowboys if he is able to return soon because OSU lost star linebacker Nick Martin to injury against Kansas State.

“Justin’s been practicing and is getting some work,” Gundy said. “How far he’ll come along in the six-to-eight practices that he’s had, it’s hard to tell. But he is back out there practicing with us.”

4. Optimizing the Bye Week

A well-timed bye week last year helped turn the Cowboys’ season around. Perhaps this season’s open week can do the same.

OSU entered its 2023 bye week at 2-2 before taking the week off and proceeding to rip off five straight wins and eventually earn a spot in the Big 12 title game. The Cowboys were 3-3 going into this open week. Gundy said this open week was similar to that of last season’s.

“We had really good practices last week, and then we had a good workout last night,” Gundy said. “Not really a practice, but we got them back together and had a workout last night, and we just stressed the things that we feel like that we need to get accomplished. Need to be a better run-fit defense, minimize a few of the big plays that we’ve gotten and then continue to work offensively in rushing the football and being good at our basic play-action passes, which we’ve worked on from day one.

“So there wasn’t any big mystery or any big secret to what we tried to get accomplished, just good quality work.”

5. Playing at Altitude

Not only do the struggling Cowboys have to go on the road this weekend, but they have to do so to play an unbeaten BYU team that just so happens to play 4,551 feet above sea level. For reference, Stillwater is about 948 feet above sea level.

It won’t be the highest elevation the Cowboys will play at this season, as Boulder, Colorado is 5,430 feet above sea level. Regardless, Gundy said he isn’t too concerned with the altitude.

“I’m sure there could be issues with altitude,” Gundy said. “These guys now have nutritionists. And we have vitamins and such and things we give them to try to keep their oxygen levels at a high. BYU does not play in a tempo offense, which I think could be a bigger factor. That’s not been their history, so I don’t really feel like that’ll be an issue. I’ve never played there. I’ve been there, been to Provo a couple times, but I’ve never played there. I don’t feel like it’ll be an issue, in my opinion, with the altitude.”