Full transcript of Mike Gundy’s Bedlam postgame press conference

Here is the full transcript from Mike Gundy’s postgame press conference following Oklahoma State’s 44-10 win over Oklahoma to clinch the Cowboys’ first outright conference title and trip to a BCS bowl.

Opening statement: Defense

Obviously, that may have been the best game we’ve played as a group in a long time against a quality team. Before the game, at the hotel before we came over on The Walk, I had mentioned to our defense that this was an opportunity for them to shine. They’ll be on the big stage, on the spotlight. They had taken some heat throughout the year, and if they wanted to prove to people that just half of what I said during the season was right, that they needed to do it tonight. I thought our defense was better than what people thought or what people said. They had been out there for a number of plays. We had forced turnovers, but there wasn’t anything statistically to back it up. I mentioned to them that tonight was their night, and I don’t think there’s any question that they showed up in a big way. I don’t know that we’ve had as good a defensive effort around here in a long time in a big game. I thought the game plan was excellent. The coaches wanted to attack—they wanted to blitz and blitz a lot, and the players bought in. They played with great energy.

Opening statement: Offense

Offensively, our staff felt like that we had to be able to run the football. We had to use some tight ends and some heavy sets at times and run the football effectively in order to open up everything else that we thought gave us the best chance to win. We didn’t play as fast. We thought it would be best to use some of the clock to limit the number of plays that our defense was on the field.

Opening statement: Rebounding after Iowa State loss

It’s just a great win for our program. I’m very proud of our team, very proud of our coaching staff. Things happen for a reason. After we had lost at Iowa State, our players just bought in. They went through a couple days where they were struggling, but they were very resilient after a couple days. They continued to believe in themselves. They understood that, for whatever reason, it just wasn’t their night and they had an opportunity (to play another game). They were on the biggest stage in the history of this school (for) the football program. They knew they had a chance to be outright conference champions for the first time ever, and it was motivation enough. It says a lot about who they are and what they stand for, and so I’m just lucky enough to be the guy coaching them. I couldn’t be any more proud of a group of guys, coaches and players.

Opening statement: Thanking Boone Pickens

For a number of years, what would be three or four now, at night when I’ve laid in bed and thought about tough losses…those things never go away. But I’ve also laid in bed and thought about giving that Big 12 conference trophy to Boone Pickens. I’ve thought about seeing the smile on his face and trying to give him something back for what he started here, and then everybody else bought in. The entire OSU family, the fans, there’s been a sense of pride in this program for about four or five years now with our new facilities, and they players have bought in. Fortunately, I was able to achieve something personally for myself, which was to be able to hand that trophy to him and let him know that what he started has paid off.

Opening statement: Politicking (yes, politicking!) to be in the BCS title game

We’re very excited about the next opportunity. I don’t think there’s any question that Oklahoma State should play in the Big Game. People told me at the coffee shop, they were giving me a hard time about mentioning other schools last week…Oklahoma State hadn’t earned the right to talk about a game past a conference championship game, because we hadn’t won a conference championship. Our staff, including myself, had talked to our football team every day about winning a conference championship. But after what they accomplished tonight, and the way they did it against the No. 10 team in the country, I don’t think there’s a question they deserve an opportunity to play for it all. We have tons of respect for LSU. I’ve watched them a few times. I have a lot of respect for Coach (Les) Miles and what they do. But I think there comes a time that people across the country, if they want to see and stir up some interest in what would be one heck of a football game and an offense that is maybe different than what they’ve seen and a defense that’s going to play better than what some people may think they would play across the country, this is their opportunity to find out if we can play them.

(Yep, that was just the opening statement. Now onto questions.)

On comparing Alabama vs. OSU:

We lost in double-overtime on the road. We didn’t lose at home.

On bringing a conference title to his alma mater:

It’s really not about me. Either way, these players have bought in. They understand the big picture and they play for each other. They have accountability, toughness, discipline and heart. Honestly, I wanted it for them. I wanted it for the Oklahoma State people. I wanted it for those fans. I only saw part of (the celebration). When they started piling over, I got out of there as fast I as I could. I look forward to seeing it on the news. I wanted it for the families of the coaches more than anything, for the people that have put all the hard work and have come up just a little short the last few years, for them. I told my wife this during the week that I’m going to be OK, because I see what’s going on in this organization and I’m proud of what these guys are accomplishing. I wanted it for all of them. I want them to feel what it’s like, so they understand the hard work’s worth it. Those are good kids. Honestly, it doesn’t mean near as much to me as it does to me that they’ve had a chance to succeed and be the first team to ever be an outright conference champion.

On the big defensive plays:

I believe those things stem from a football team flying around and playing hard and diving and attacking and being relentless. And then I think the return is good things come our way.

On the bye week:

Our guys had a good game plan. The open week was huge. We were able to get some guys healthy. We were able to get two good practices in. Your first thought as a coach is to get four in. We made the decision as a staff to get two in and let them go home for three days and get away from here after a tough loss.