Gundy And Stoops Teleconference Tidbits

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week Oklahoma trampled Ball State and OSU enjoyed a bye week, but all that's behind them and Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy are looking toward their conference matchups this week.

Saturday the Sooners will travel to Dallas to take on the Texas Longhorns while Oklahoma State hosts Kansas.

Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference Gundy and Stoops both addressed their upcoming opponents.

When asked about what's OU's biggest challenge against Texas Stoops replied:

"I guess just being disciplined to make adjustments the way they shift around and make adjustments. They do a good job moving around so you have to read it out, adjust with them and then get set to play," said Stoops.

For Coach Gundy and the Cowboys it's about playing hard every week.

"Each one are important, the great thing about college football is that they all count," said Gundy. "Everybody knows that you have to prepare and play well each week."

Stoops added that the schemes that Texas puts in place is one of their major strengths that OU has to prepare for.

"You see guys that are really executing those schemes well and playing hard. You see good talented speed in how they play so they're a good football team, and we see them that way every year," said Stoops.

Oklahoma State remembers how last year even though they came away with a 48-14 win over the Jayhawks, that wasn't because KU wasn't doing some things well.

In fact, the Cowboys were only up 20-14 at the half last year in Lawrence.

"They had a good plan and they were moving the ball effectively on offense," said Gundy. "They were using play pass and boot and the quarterback was getting on the perimeter and they were running the ball.

"Then offensively we didn't start at a good pace and because of that gave them an opportunity to jump up on us and that's kind of what we talk about as coaches is that you have to start fast and be prepared each week," added Gundy. "With the ability that teams have to throw the ball, you solidify that they can get a good start on you or I think if you look across the country that teams have the ability to come back on you at a quicker rate that what it used to be in the past."

Oklahoma will kick off in Dallas against Texas at 11 a.m. on Oct. 8 while Oklahoma State hosts Kansas at 2:30 p.m.

Below are a few more topics the two head coaches addressed during Monday's teleconference.

On the play of OU's Tom Wort and the comparison of him to fellow linebacker Travis Lewis:

"He's played really, really well," said Stoops. "You could not have asked for more. He is a tough, hard working guy and he's really invested in studying and learning all that he can about the teams he's playing. He's just been excellent and he's always been a fiery, inspirational guy, but now he's just comfortable in what we're asking him to do and he's doing it really well."

"They're kind of a little bit different type players," said Stoops. "Tom has excellent quickness and speed also. Everyone always remarks on how talented Travis is and what an athlete he is—and he is all those things, but Tom's pretty quick and fast too. They've got some similarities; they both work hard at studying the game and they're tough, physical guys so they've got a lot in common really."

On the play of Landry Jones since he took over at quarterback:

"Now that he's been getting all that preparation work last year and this year he has got the same qualities that all our great quarterbacks have had. He's talented, he's a big, strong guy with a big arm, he's bright, he works hard. He's got all that to go with that talent."

On if it's possible for a team to win the national championship with one loss:

"Absolutely it's possible anymore," said Stoops. "Heck LSU not so long ago, just a few years ago won it with two (losses). Anything's possible. Obviously if a team just two or three years ago can win it with two losses then obviously a team with one always has a chance."

On his relationship with Texas head coach Mack Brown:

"We get along just fine," said Stoops. "Mack and I don't have much opportunity to be around each other to be quite honest. When we're at coaches meetings we're always really cordial to one another and I think respectful of one another. And we've got a lot in common in what we have to do but outside of that there's not a lot of downtime we would spend together so it's just more business that anything."

On Coach Gundy's time spent at the ESPN Studios during the Cowboys bye week:

"I don't think we could have done anything to be able to get that much exposure," said Gundy. "To be fortunate to be in the studio with those guys and on and off the air for seven hours I couldn't put a number on what that would be worth from a dollar standpoint and marketing not only for the football program but for Oklahoma State University."

"I had to think twice just because it's hard for me to leave my family on an open week," said Gundy. "I have three young boys at home and I don't get to see them much this time of year and in being gone all day recruiting Friday and gone all day Saturday and not getting back until basically 3 a.m. I lost a day with them and that was really my only concern."

"I have a greater respect-- it's not easy to do what those guys do. I don't know that I have a lot of interest in that, but it was a great experience."

On how the Big 12 stacks up against other teams across the nation:

"I think we would agree that our conference has competed across the country for a number of years now. We've had national champions come out of our league and we've obviously done well in BCS bowl games and competed against other teams in the country that are ranked in the top 20 and had success so I think that it could be debated all the time," said Gundy.

"Obviously the SEC has won five in a row so right now they probably have the upper hand. When you look at the teams that are in our league, could they compete on any given Saturday with those teams, my answer would be yes," Gundy added.