Oklahoma State Cowboys College Football Pregame Quote, 09/09/2019

Looking ahead to Tulsa, I’ve been impressed with their team, particularly on defense. They played excellent, in my opinion, at Michigan State and out west over the weekend. They put It together offensively the other night out against San Jose State. We’ve got to have a good week of practice and focus on some things that we need to improve on from the last game. I thought we played flat the first half and played better the second half. We need to get off to a good start this next game, should be a really good game. Obviously an in-state game, should be a full house. Trying to put together a game plan across all three phases today and get back to work tomorrow.

On the offense:

If they did dictate that we throw, then we have to throw. I like running the football, I believe in rushing the football. But I also know that it’s a numbers game and we have to try and take advantage of what the defense gives us. Offense determines tempo and defense determines what the plays are going to be.

On Tulsa’s defense:

I like 90 (Jaxon Player), I think he is a really good player. I like 15 (Trevis Gipson), I think he is a really good player too. In the secondary, they know where they are at. They are playing quite a bit of man for that structure of defense. They must feel good about their ability to do different things. I just like how they play, I think they are a good defense and they are playing well. Offensively, they put a little running game together and started throwing the ball better and played considerably better, in my opinion, in the second half against Michigan State. They’re doing good in my opinion, they are doing well.

On the progression of the Cowboy Backs:

They are in the flow. Based on the structures of the defenses we have faced, they don’t get the ball as much. They are involved in everything we are doing. We played a team that played corners and safeties down low, and that is basically their territory.

On Jelani Woods:

The ability that he brings to the table, if he continues to stay on and works, is a pretty good tool for the NFL. He is fortunate that Jason McEndoo is coaching him because he was an offensive lineman, so he leans heavy on teaching him how to block because that is where he is going to make his money. His receiving skills are good because of his hand-eye coordination from being a quarterback. His willingness and ability to block can help him play this game for a long time.

On the performance of the offensive line:

They have been pretty good up to this point. This week will be a little more of a challenge for them as they are facing an RPO system.

On how the offensive line looked:

The offensive line was average and Chuba [Hubbard] put the ball on the ground. If you put the ball on the ground, you’re out. He’s not going to get his carries if he fumbles, and the offensive line was average.

On Micah Cooper and Philip Redwine-Bryant playing:

We put him [Cooper] in there and let him score. He has become one of my favorites now, just because of his journey to get to where he is at right now. How he went through NEO A&M and to have success there, walk on here and say, ‘I still want to play football.’ The work ethic that I mentioned last week that he has put in and time and effort. Young people in society today need to be rewarded for that type of work ethic. That is the reward that we give him. As he continues to improve, I can see him getting more carries. He was slowed a little with a quad strain and didn’t practice a lot last week. He wanted to get in the game and play, but he should be better this week. He [Redwine-Bryant] falls in the same category. He has been a captain for us, he’s been on our committee and he’s involved politically on campus as a leader in the social environment with students. For him to be able to get in there and get an interception is pretty cool. I enjoy seeing those guys have success. That is a fun part of my job.

On bench players who made an impact:

[Kamryn] Farrar made a play or two and [Carson] Kropp made a couple of plays. [Isreal] Isuman-Hundley, the freshman defensive end ran well down the field on kickoff and showed some speed and activity. He got blocked at the end and didn’t really know what he was doing. Then, we had a number of young guys playing on both sides of the ball who got a lot of work in, so we were pleased that we could get those guys in the game and let them play.

On Amen Ogbongbemiga’s strength setting the tone early on defense:

He is learning and getting a little better. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, so each week he should and has improved with his feel for the game. As those guys play that position, where there is so much activity and your eyes can get violated based on the style of offense that we faced today, the more you play, the better you get. I see him improving a little each week, which will help clear his mind up so he can play faster.