Oklahoma State Prepares For Texas

News9.com

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – The undefeated Oklahoma State Cowboys returned to the practice fields Sunday in preparation for Saturday's matchup against the Texas Longhorns.

Head coach Mike Gundy said the players have Monday off, but that the team will return to preparation as normal Tuesday.

At this week's press conference Gundy and a handful of Cowboys talked about what they're doing to prepare for their road game in Austin.

"The team had a good start yesterday for the game this week The players are staying focused in preparation," said Gundy. "This week is very important. We want to travel to Austin and let our guys have some fun on Saturday."

"They (Texas) are better than they were in our opinion. I do know that there is some youth in key positions. That can factor in situations when things do not go well."

"Of course it's going to be a big one because it is the Longhorns. We get to go down to Austin and play a team from my state, but we're going to treat it like it's any other game," said linebacker Caleb Lavey. "The intensity is probably going to be higher because it's Texas, but they're just the next team in the way of our goal to stay undefeated. We're treating it just like it's the next one. It's a big one though."

"The past is the past. They lost (last weekend), we won. We are focusing primarily on them. We don't care about their record and they don't care about ours," said linebacker James Thomas. "It's just playing UT; we're playing the Longhorns. We have to just bring it and give it everything we've got."

"It's going to be a hard, physical game. Their defense is really good. I've watched a little tape already. They have athletes. They're Texas and they have good athletes," said quarterback Brandon Weeden. "We have to go execute. We can't overlook them, that's for sure because they have plenty of weapons."

"We can't go in overlooking them just because they got beat by OU the way they did," said wide receiver Justin Blackmon. "It's going to be a good game, they're going to come out swinging and they're going to come out playing like Texas should. They have high standards and they're going to come out swinging."

When asked about how Texas is different than last year Gundy said "they have the Boise State approach, formations, motions, shifts, movement and a variety of ways to get to the base same plays that they want to run. Misdirection passing, keeping the quarterback on the perimeter and throwbacks seem to be the direction they want to go in their play calling."

"We will have to contain each (quarterback) because both of them have good arms and can run. Basically, we need to contain and keep our eyes open and do not let them do what they like to do," said cornerback Brodrick Brown.

"They have a great group of guys. They have a lot of good players at the skill positions along with two good quarterbacks who they rotate in," said Brown. "We have to prepare for them and be ready for whatever they throw at us."

"Stay physical--we have to stay focused because they show a lot of different looks," said offensive lineman Casey LaBrue. "They're really athletic, good players. They have a sound defense, so we have to really stay focused and not lose track of what our game plan is."

"We noticed that Texas's defensive linemen were really getting after OU's offensive line. They played very physical, by getting in the backfield and causing mayhem," said defensive end Jamie Blatnick. "With any team if you can cause that kind of uproar you can start taking momentum. We are going to have to attack and take the line of scrimmage. We cannot allow them time to run reverses and pitch-backs."

"We just have to prepare for what they give us," said Brown.

"We're looking forward to it," said Weeden. "Austin is a fun place to play and it's going to be exciting."

The Cowboys will kickoff against Texas Saturday Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.