2013 Bedlam Quote Board

No. 6 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Oklahoma face off on Saturday in Stillwater for a high-stakes edition of Bedlam. Here is what coaches and players for both schools have to say leading up to the contest:

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS QUOTES:

Mike Gundy – OSU head coach

On the concern there might be focus issues after a bye week and a big win:

"Coaching is like parenting; you worry every day. You give your 16-year-old a set of car keys and hope he follows the rules and doesn't text when he's driving and that he'll be safe. In dealing with these young men it's the same for us as coaching. We have really good team chemistry. We have good leadership. I think they understand what's really important in this game and you can see that in Tuesday's meetings and Tuesday's practice. We're not good enough to look beyond that. We haven't been that way this season. We have to be sound in all three phases and they have handled themselves very well up to this point, and that's why they're in the position to be successful. They've already been successful. They've had a tremendous year. They have a chance to finish based on the way that they've prepared over the last two months."

Mike Yurcich – OSU offensive coordinator

On coaching in his first Bedlam game:

"I want to make sure we're prepared and organized, and that our players understand the schemes entirely. We want to make sure we have a good practice on Tuesday, and make sure that we, as a staff, have communicated the game plan very well. I know it's a very intense rivalry. Any time you have a rivalry of this magnitude, it's important to everyone in the program, the community and the state, so we understand the importance."

Glenn Spencer – OSU defensive coordinator

On how Trevor Knight changes the OU offense:

"He has some things he does differently. They play out of the pistol more with him, and there's more of a veer option element to it, but they still use the power run game, too. Both quarterbacks run the schemes effectively and they can both be thrown in at any moment. We know that. We have to prepare like we will see both of them."

On staying grounded after the performance against Baylor:

"That's not a challenge at all. When you look at film, OU has won nine games for a reason. They move the ball on a lot of people, they take pride in running the football and they've done it effectively. When we watch the film, it's easy to have a lot of respect for what they do. They have a good offensive line, they have great skill players and they're explosive. They're a physical team."

Daytawion Lowe – OSU safety

On the Bedlam rivalry:

"It's a hard-fought game, a battle. Both teams are going to play as hard as they can play. I feel like both teams are going to give the effort. I think it gives you more of a reason to practice harder. There's always a little buzz on campus since it's Oklahoma. Everywhere you go, everyone knows OU and everyone knows OSU. It's a big rivalry game, and that brings a little more emotion to the game."

Kye Staley – OSU fullback

On the accomplishments of the senior class

"I feel as if we've helped take Oklahoma State to a new level. It wasn't really well-known back when I got here. Every year we've progressed as a team and progressed as a whole. I feel like we've put Oklahoma State on the map and they're going to accomplish more as the years go on."

On his attitude going into Bedlam:

"It's the last game, against OU. It's the last time to play in Boone Pickens Stadium for the rest of my life. I want to go out with the W. It's for a lot of big things. It's for a Big 12 Championship and a berth in a BCS Bowl. We're just going out with a lot of intensity, a lot of focus. We're getting ready to game plan and getting ready for OU."

Brandon Webb – OSU offensive lineman

On possibly finishing the regular season as Big 12 champions

"We've put ourselves in this position, and this is pretty much where we wanted to be at the end of the year. Obviously, we didn't want to lose that game [against West Virginia], but from then on this is what we've planned on doing."

OKLAHOMA SOONERS QUOTES:

Gabe Lynn

On if beating OSU would help alleviate some of the adversity they have faced this season:

"Beating O-State was definitely one of our goals going into this year so it definitely would help things a lot. As we're coming to the end of the season it gives those young guys a rock start next year."

Brennan Clay

On how they are preparing for the cold weather on Saturday:


"It's a little bit tough. It's football, though. Once you get your adrenaline going, you're body warmth going, you're fine out there on the field. It was cold two weeks ago against K-State and I think we handled that pretty well. I don't think it necessarily hinders us at all on the field. To keep our hands warm, we have hand warmers with a whole bunch of things that you crack up to keep the warmth going. But other than that, as a running back, I don't wear sleeves in the cold or when it's wet so I can be able to hold on to the ball a little bit better but catching the rock, like I said, with the hand warmer, keep your hands warm and you're good to go."

On where his game-winning touchdown against OSU last year ranks in his favorite plays:


"It's up there. I'd say it's probably one of my favorite career moments. I personally liked to be a part of my first 100-yard game last year against Iowa State. I just felt that was more of a confidence booster. With that being said, that finale was something special."

Gabe Ikard – OU offensive lineman

On what allows this team to play well on the road:


"We're comfortable going on the road, especially on offense. Speaking for us, we do the exact same thing on the road as we do at home so we're not uncomfortable at all. We have a certain level of comfort on the road. We like wearing white, it's a good look."

Mike Stoops – OU defensive coordinator

On Oklahoma State showing up in the Bedlam rivalry in recent years:


"I think just the consistency at what they play. I think it's really a difference. At Oklahoma we were always there, but now Oklahoma State is always showing up too, so they've become very significant in this conference. Their players play very consistently every time they step on the field, so that's what you get is a more consistent opponent and a better opponent."

On how the Oklahoma defense has evolved over the past year:


 "I think it's night and day what we're doing defensively compared to a year ago. I thought we played at times very well in that game and got in position going back and watching it the other day, I thought we did a lot of good things to get back in the game and give ourselves an opportunity to win down the stretch. Just our structure is much different in the way we line up is different. We're a drastically different team than we were a year ago. They're primarily the same as they were a year ago. It's a little different, but the way we line up is a little different than most people, but we can still get looks on how they blocked our fronts versus other people, so we have a pretty good understanding of how they're going to attack."

Bob Stoops – OU head coach

On if he has an appreciation for how far OSU has come as a program since 2001 and 2002:


"No, I don't appreciate it, I wish they hadn't (joking). No, I mean, sure, yeah. They have invested a lot in their program and you see this across the country in every league. Everybody is spending their money and investing in their programs and building their programs and there is more and more parity everywhere and they have shown it in this league."

On choosing OU's eight Big 12 championships or OSU possibly winning two of the last three:

"Over the last many years I would rather have the big picture, but this week I'd rather be where they're at. There's no denying that. Sure, we have done our deal, but today is today and all I can think about is what we want to do this week. If you want to ask me whenever I'm retired and there's a certain point or period of time you want to talk about, sure, but right now I'm in the moment."