"We Need To Do A Better Job Of Coaching": OSU Falls To 0-6 In The Big 12 After A 42-21 Homecoming Loss To Arizona State

The Oklahoma State Cowboys fell to 3-6 on the season, 0-6 in the Big 12, after Saturday's 42-21 homecoming loss to Arizona State at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys are the only team in the Big 12 without a conference win. This is also the 1st time Oklahoma State has lost 6 straight games under Mike Gundy.

After the game, head coach Mike Gundy met with the media to discuss what happened against the Sun Devils.

Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State head coach…

 Opening statement:

"On defense, we gave them opportunity after opportunity and couldn't get off the field. In the second half, we couldn't put anything together offensively and couldn't put anything together in the throwing game. We gave up four and a half yards a carry rushing, and we only averaged three, which that's always going to be a big factor, unless there's a considerable difference in turnovers. If the other teams are out rushing you by one yard, yard and a half per carry, it's going to be a tough day."

 … On potential areas of improvement for next week:

"We're playing one next Saturday, and I expect guys to come out and fight their butts off in practice. They practiced well last week. We need to a better job of coaching, in my opinion. I need to evaluate the video tonight. I'm not so sure that I've agreed with our schemes. I don't think it was awful, but there were some things I don't really agree with that I probably could have done better. We needed a better job of coaching, and we need to make a few plays. They made some plays. Their quarterback made some good plays. In the second half we got down two scores. They caught us in a lot of man coverage and got us picked and made big plays on us. We were in a little bit of desperation to try to get the ball back, based on the clock, and that didn't help us. So, I wish we could have played better and I wish we could have coached better, but you’ve got to move on to the next one."

… On his team’s effort level:

"If you want to play the games, you play with great effort. I think they did. I think they did ‘til the end. Offensively, they're still fighting. It didn't look good, but they were fighting. They didn't give up when (ASU) scored the last time. Special teams was playing their butt off right ‘til the end. So, I thought that was better."

… On having a would-be touchdown taken off the board in the second quarter due to a late injury timeout:

"I'm guessing that if they knew there was an injured player, they usually don't run over the ball. So, I don't know the all the details of it, and I don't know what that rule is, because I don't know that's an odd situation, but when the ball is snapped, the ball is snapped. Period, can't go back. We don't get do overs."

 … On whether he would consider switching to a 3-man front on defense:

"We've had some injuries in both spots. So, we don't really have enough linebackers to do three down (linemen), and we're a little more in position to do four-down from a defensive line depth standpoint, than we are at the backer. Then you’ve got to play four linebackers, for the most part... That's another good question, because that's gone across the table. But we're rotating three guys in at linebacker, so if somebody goes down now, you've got to take all that and trash it and go back to something else."