Oklahoma State football notebook: Cowboys coach Mike Gundy was 'having fun' calling plays

“He misses it, I think,” Randle said. “He was having fun. I could tell.”

Gundy said he was getting input from multiple offensive coaches on the headset, and credited the players, primarily quarterback Clint Chelf, for getting the team into the right calls after the team lined up.

“The players make decisions on which plays we run,” Gundy said. “We give them a variety of plays. Over 50 percent of them based on run-pass can be checked at the line.

“It worked out really well for us. We tried to stay balanced, being able to rush for over 200 (yards) and throw for 300.”

Gundy hadn't been the primary play-caller for the offense since the 2008 season, with Dana Holgorsen and recently departed Todd Monken, now the Southern Miss head coach, handling the calls since then.

RANDLE'S NFL FUTURE STILL ON HOLD

On Monday, Randle told the media to ask him after the game if he'd return for his senior season.

“I meant, like, later later,” Randle said with a laugh. “I've still got a long process to go through and stuff like that. I'll figure that out later.”

Randle, rated by ESPN's Mel Kiper as the No. 4 junior running back eligible for the NFL Draft in April, has two weeks to announce his decision.

JOSH THE RETURN MAN

The last two years, Josh Cooper solidified the punt returner role, but it had been a carousel position this season.

However, it might be another Josh who takes over the role. Josh Stewart saw his first action at punt returner, taking his first opportunity back 64 yards to set up OSU's first touchdown of the day.

It was OSU's longest since Cooper returned one 66 yards for a touchdown against Troy in 2010.

The longest punt return of the season was a 27-yarder by Charlie Moore, who accounted for 20 of OSU's 34 returns coming into the game. David Glidden, Caleb Muncrief and Ashton Lampkin also returned punts this season.

Why hadn't Stewart been used in that role before?

“We were resting him,” said Gundy in an apparently serious answer that still drew laughs from the crowd. “I don't know for sure, but he's had over 90 catches, close to 100... In practice he gets a lot of work. So we felt like we needed to save him and not put him in those situations.”

Stewart had worked at the position in spring and struggled to catch the ball. But Gundy said Stewart asked the coaches for the opportunity in the bowl game and was solid in practice.

Only a sophomore, it could be a role Stewart flourishes in for the next two years. As a receiver, Stewart has 1,501 yards for his career, 10th on OSU's all-time list.

SEATON REWARDED WITH TD

Jeremy Seaton has played a part in several OSU touchdowns this season, but Tuesday was a little different. A reliable blocker at fullback/tight end, Seaton scored his first career touchdown on a 16-yard pass from J.W. Walsh on fourth-and-one in the second quarter.