Oklahoma State Cowboys College Football Pregame Quote, 12/28/2021

Collin, it’s good to talk with you. This is exciting. Talk about what this season has been like for you, from the beginning, finding out that you were going to get a chance to contribute, and then getting in there and having the success that you did.

It’s been crazy, especially just now getting here and having all the success that our team has had. Being part of this team has been the more crazy part than what I’ve done, honestly. I’ve enjoyed every second of it. And it’s probably one of the funnest teams I’ve been on.

So going back to Edmond Santa Fe and your relationship with Stephanie Hanson, what did the conversations that you had away from football with her do for you in kind of setting yourself up for the football field and to be able to come to Oklahoma State and kind of jump right in like you have?

It meant a lot to me. She really talked to me outside of football about life and things I should expect coming here, and just maturing. Coming from a high school kid, getting into college, the academics and all that stuff outside of football. So I’m really appreciative of what she did for me and I’m glad she’s in my corner.

You talked about the success you had. Did you expect this? You always expect to be a good player, but did you kind of expect this season?

For myself, really, no; but for our team, I definitely did. I feel like the camaraderie we had was crazy, especially spring leading up to summer. I feel like we did a great job of combining our differences, and just becoming a team, really. I felt like we did a good job of talking to each other the whole way through workouts, and the hard days and the easy days, all that stuff. We just ‚Äì we grew as a team. So I really expected this as a team. But for myself, honestly, I’m confident in myself, but I didn’t expect this much, though.

I know it’s been such a whirlwind season; such a season where you’ve been able to have the success, but what do you think? Was there any certain moment this season that stands out to you most as maybe the most surreal or most where you realized: Hey, I think I can make a really big impact on the team this season?

Honestly, go to that Baylor game, my first start. I was real nervous that game. I was very nervous. But I didn’t expect to go out there and do that whole end-of-the-game sack thing. It was pretty surreal for me, but I’m glad we won that game too. I was pretty scared.

What was your viewpoint of that play? How were you able to get there?

Shoot, I was tired. That’s all I know. Coach gave a signal for a play call, and I just went out there and executed, did it to my best ability, and I ended up getting the benefit of the doubt.

How did your teammates react to that? How did they react to your success in general?

They supported me. I’m really appreciative of that. Going back to what I said about our chemistry, we support each other. So they rallied around me. And I’m really appreciative of that.

I’m going to go back to Santa Fe, too, with you, Collin. While you may not have expected this, your former defensive coordinator, Chris Rose, absolutely did. And, obviously, Chris dealt with Calvin Bundage. And that was one of the things he said. He goes: You watch Collin. He will top Calvin right from the get-go. So knowing that Chris knew that, did he ever express that to you, that you could do this right away?

Of course, yes, he gave me a lot of confidence. He talked to me in a way that most coaches don’t talk to their players, especially in high school ‚Äì in a good way, of course, telling me that I could do certain things with my talent. I just listened to him and kept my head down and started working. Realizing now what I did back then, I’m really appreciative that he gave me those words. And it’s real cool to have a coach like that in your corner, down to earth. And he loves me, and he loves Calvin, too. I love Coach Rose.

What is it that has created this pipeline between Santa Fe and Oklahoma State, not just defensively, but now you also have some wide receivers from your alma mater joining as well?

Yeah, I think it’s the closeness. Edmond is ‚Äì what? ‚Äì about an hour away from Stillwater. And when you have success like Oklahoma State has in the past, too, you get a lot of kids coming from your high school to here, and coaches as well.

Our head coach at Santa Fe, Kyle White, and of course our defensive coordinator, Chris Rose, they have a real good relationship with the coaches up here. That bond, it’s crazy. As, obviously, you’ve seen, we have a ton of talent from Santa Fe coming up here.

So it’s the coaches, the coaching staff being close with the high school coaching staff, as well as the talent that Oklahoma State has.

I’ve heard multiple explanations, but I think it’s best to come from you, that the sack celebration, what are the origins there?

It’s going to sound funny, but I got it from NBA2K. It was 2K20. I saw him in the game, and I thought it was cool. So I just took it. I hope they don’t copyright it (chuckles).

Collin, Brock Martin has been touting you all year. I know you guys are close. What is your relationship like, and what is it like being a roommate with him right now?

It’s cool. I love Brock. That’s my brother. He’s like my big brother that I never had, because I have two sisters and I never had a brother that close to me. And I feel Brock is that brother that I needed to support me and help me grow through college. I wouldn’t be anything if it wasn’t for Brock. He has taught me a whole lot. He will continue to teach me more. And I’m proud that he’s here.

Have you looked at all to the future, knowing that he’s (Brock Martin) back next year? You are back. Trace [Ford], if healthy, is back. And kind of just the damage you guys could all cause?

I have. Obviously, this week I’m focusing on Notre Dame a lot. I have obviously thought about it. It is going to be real crazy us three being back there. Maybe some more talent will come too, so it is going to be real crazy.

You guys at Oklahoma State have a lot of preparation to do, because Notre Dame has two, maybe three quarterbacks that will play in the Fiesta Bowl, in Jack Coan, Tyler Buchner, and Drew Pyne. So how are you guys preparing for three quarterbacks? And how excited are you to get after possibly three quarterbacks in one game?

I’m very excited. It’s a new challenge that I can’t wait to take on. we obviously have been preparing for the trio of quarterbacks that they have in a good way, in preparing certain calls for certain situations. So I think Joe Bob [Clements] has his stuff down.

Can you take me through the sack at the end of the Bedlam game and kind of what that meant for you being an Oklahoma kid?

Yes, it was crazy. Obviously, Bedlam is a heck of a game to be in. Albeit, at the end of the game, I was really tired. But just having that end-of-the-game sack, it was real crazy. You had a crowd cheering and all that stuff. But I was zoned out. I was too tired, but it was a cool moment.

Kind of looking back at it, of all of your plays that you ever made from high school on, that’s got to be one of the most ‚Äì that’s got to be talked about for a long time. I imagine you got a lot of messages from people you know.

I did after the game. My phone was blowing up. I wasn’t really paying attention. I was worried about the Big 12 championship the next week. We had bigger goals than that Bedlam game. Like I said, it was real cool, though.

Some of your teammates talked about the tight end for Notre Dame, how he’s good in both the pass and the run game. At your position, how much are you going to have to focus in on his dual threatability in that offense, especially as the top receiver on that team?

Definitely tons. Like our Coach Joe Bob [Clements] said, they are a big factor in our game plan. We feel we have the right calls for the right situations. Like I said, it’s definitely going to be a tough task; but I think we are up for the challenge.

Has he shown any similarities or differences from some of the elite tight ends that you have faced in the Big 12?

I want to draw a comparison to Charlie Kolar, honestly, the tight end for Iowa State. I don’t like to compare dudes. But honestly, if I could compare one, it would be him.