Mike Gundy Previews South Dakota State Game

Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy met with media Thursday at Boone Pickens Stadium to preview the Cowboys season opening game against South Dakota State.

On scheduling South Dakota State as a nonconference game:

“Those games are scheduled way further than a couple of years back, and this team has really come on over the last four or five years — particularly the head coach; he has never lost a game — and they won a bunch of games in a row. The point being is that this is a really good game for us, as I said months ago. Essentially, we're playing a high-level nonconference schedule and this team can compete with the power four schools, which they've proven to do.”

On OSU’s defensive line experience:

“I just think they're just better overall. They’re experienced. I think they're in good condition. They practice hard. We've had very competitive practices up front on both sides of the ball, because they're working against each other. We've worked ones versus ones from the start, and it'll be interesting over the next month to see where we're at. It'll take three or four games to find out just how good we are, or where we're at, or what adjustments we need to make.”

On Kendal Daniels playing at linebacker and safety:

“We thought this would happen based on his body, and he still has a way to go. There’s times that we play him down there based on what concepts and schemes we're going against that week. He's come a long way, and again, it'll be really interesting. Then see how he develops the first month, the teams we’re playing, nonconference games, and then even in-conference teams that play with a lot of heavy personnel, which we'll use in that position. It'll be interesting to watch and see how far we've developed him when we get to the first of October.”

On linebacker Jeff Roberson:

“Jeff is a really good illustration of some of the guys that have been here for a long time, even back in my playing days, but specifically in 20 years with me as the head coach. (He was) really non-recruited, local guy, has a lot of pride in the state of Oklahoma, has a lot of pride in being from this area and playing for Oklahoma State and loves Oklahoma State. … I see him playing more reps in games this year, and we'll follow along to see how he picks up on that in live games, because it's much different, as you know, than practice. But he is much bigger; stronger. He is intelligent. He's developed some toughness and he does love Oklahoma State, so that gives him a real chance in fitting with our culture to compete here and finish his career here on the field.”

On the South Dakota State defense:

“They’re very sound, get lined up in the right spot, unless they've made changes, which I don't see that happening. I'm fairly certain their head coach is a defensive guy. I think he's been there since 2011 or 2012 in the defensive role, and they've been very, very good since he's been there, statistically and from a performance standpoint. So they don't have to change a lot in what they do and as I said earlier, it's the first game of the year. There's a lot of unknowns out there, but I just don't see them changing from what they do. They're playing four down and they split safeties most of the time and they're going to try to be in the right spot and keep things in front of them. They're going to play with contain. They're going to run to the ball and tackle.”