OSU Football: Week 9 Notebook

With a trip to Ames ahead of them, Mike Gundy and the Cowboys met with the media to rehash the victory against TCU. To the surprise of no-one, much of the conversation centered on the second-quarter quarterback change from J.W. Walsh to Clint Chelf.

• "Just kind of a gut feeling," Gundy said when asked why the decision was made to pull the starter Walsh. "We just kind of felt like we needed a change at that time."

• Gundy said he hoped to have a decision made by Thursday on which quarterback will start against Iowa State. "I think you have to just see how it goes. I don't know that we can predict how it will transpire from this time forward," Gundy said. "We're going to work both like we have. They get equal reps each week (in practice)."

• Rennie Childs invigorated the Cowboy backfield with 45 rushing yards on nine carries late in the game against TCU. Gundy expects to see the freshman earlier going forward and admitted he almost played against Kansas State.

• The head coach had no qualms calling out the offensive line today. "They got a little better as the game went on. They're still playing very average," Gundy said. "I'm looking forward to settling in on a group and then adjusting and working together. Continuity is very important to the offensive line and we haven't had that to this point. They'll improve and get better as we start to grasp the same five playing the same position in practice."

• The Cyclones are coming off a 71-7 loss to Baylor but figure to be a tough out based on pride alone. OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said that won't factor into the Cowboys' gameplan. "I think it's really important to not sit there and compare scores," Yurcich said. "When you factor in a particular score here and there and play that mental game, it can kind of work against you. What you have to do is work to get better each day, and focus on playing your best, regardless of who they've played and who you've played."

• Gundy said he doesn't expect the 2011 loss to Iowa State to play a role in his players' motivation to win, but defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer hopes it does. "On Sunday, I asked the guys to raise their hand if they made that trip two years ago," Spencer said. "A lot of seniors made that trip. As much as I tell them that doesn't play into it, I hope, deep down, they go up there feeling that something was taken from them last time. That's not how you prepare to win a game, but as coaches we're always looking to get an edge and motivate."

• But senior Tyler Johnson said revenge wasn't going to be a factor for him. "I don't really see it as much of a revenge factor, but we're going to go in there and play our game," the defensive end said. "We're going to prepare and make sure we have all of our assignments ready and everything like that because it's tough playing anybody in the Big 12 on the road."

• Josh Stewart earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the second time this season after his 95-yard punt return for a touchdown set Big 12 and Oklahoma State records. Fellow receiver Tracy Moore had high praise for his teammate. "Josh is a great player. He's a little undersized, but he probably has the biggest heart on the team and one of the best work ethics," the senior said. "He's a really good teammate to have. He's not selfish and he's not complaining about not getting the ball. But when he gets it, he does magic with it."

• Stewart, in turn, had praise for Childs saying he "expected" that kind of performance out of the first-year running back. "Rennie runs exactly how he did in the game in practice," Stewart said. "He runs straight and hard, not really side-to-side. He gets down the field. He sees a hole, and he's going to hit it. That's just how he runs. Nothing has changed from practice. I really think that he could be a big factor in our offense, and you saw that against TCU."

• Offensive lineman Brandon Webb chimed in on Childs' play too. "We kind of like it when our running backs get downhill, get in the hole and get the yards. I guess all of our running backs can kind of do that, but Rennie got in there and did it at the right time."

• Senior Shaun Lewis is glad the bye weeks are behind the Cowboys. "I feel better and better every week, and with the consecutive weeks we're playing, we get into a groove. I think that my best football and the team's best football is still yet to come."