Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman previews game with Oklahoma State

good when you want okay well hello guys we um decided to go to Still Water play Oklahoma State have a ton of respect for Coach Gundy and going into 20 years now at uh Oklahoma State University and just has done a phenomenal job I have a lot of respect for him and the way he handles his program uh 17 to 18 returning starters um played really well um Saturday um offensively have a ton of skill um really good at the skill spot you know starting with the quarterback Bowman and then Oly Gordon is certainly as good as any running back in the country uh wide receiver wise um you know it starts with brandan Presley they love to get the ball to him uh he's a fantastic returner as well and then I like the stribbling kid they got out of Washington state he's done a really good job at wide out and they already had Owens and and then they have their their entire offensive line coming back who's really playing well together so um you know they went to the Big 12 championship game last year and and uh and look to be U headed north on on that as well uh this year defensively they have some outstanding players over there as well starting with Colin Oliver and Nicholas Morton those two guys are are game changers you know I really like their dline Colin clay obviously he was here for for I think a year um putham city I believe young man but uh he's playing extremely well and then I like Cody Walter Shield just a big physical defensive end and they've got Kendall Daniels who's their Sam who's who I think he was second on their team in tackles last year behind Marton and then Trey ruer I just he's he's a tackling machine what we saw off of film is that they tackle extremely well they play hard they're sound um just a well well coach football team and then you go to Specialists and they have you know a left footed punter a right footed punter they can rugby uh their kicker uh Ward made a 52 Yer last week and U have two dynamic returners in Presley and Freeman I think Freeman transferred over from Oklahoma but uh just a really solid football team I know we're going to have to deal with uh a tight sideline and a a very loud crowd uh that's why all our kids uh came to play at Arkansas and in the SEC is for games like this and we're really excited about it Sam have you had anybody simulate olly Gordon and in a week like this in the season how much physical work can you do to to get ready to tackle this guy well our tackling is something uh that we we needed to get better just from uh our Thursday night game uh so uh certainly on Saturday we had a tackling circuit so that we we're trying to address that um you know if they get him two or three yards he's going to get six or seven that's or more um so uh but we're going to have to tackle him one-on-one but we're going to have to get a lot of guys around the all uh so we're we're definitely understand how good he is and uh the other thing too is they have some Dynamic skill that are difficult to get on the ground as well so our tackling is going to have to be better we're making a big emphasis on that this week coach Tyler Ramsey kicked the few ATS down there the other night is he probably gonna be your right now your F kicker and P going forward yes I mean there's still a battle there but uh he'll be the first one running out there and then three years ago when you won nine games you didn't score in the second half against uapb and they also didn't shut them out so how encouraging was it to score each time you had the ball especially in the second half there because like I said two three years ago you didn't score in the second half how encouraging was that the other night well I think this too I think there's some things there um it was a different timing too in other words I think the uapb game was right before a by week and so I think we had gotten up 45 to nothing if I'm correct and we just played the twos the entire game and and as you saw the results weren't the same you know three years ago or what yeah three years ago now than what it was the other night uh we certainly went to 10minute quarters um you know um and but it's the first game of the year so we were going to run our that was the plan if if we were fortunate enough to get ahead we were going to run our offense and let these kids see what Malachi could do if it got to KJ see what the threes could do and U so I know the score got a little out of hand but at the same time we we had to worry about our team more than we did anybody else and for us to go down and score that many times and shut them out with with our threes on defense as well I thought that was a really good sign for us I'm curious if you watch the U Oklahoma State South Dakota State game live or if you just you know watch the cut-ups later both yeah any benefit you don't get an all opportunities to watch games I guess you're in the season is there any benefit to watching a game as it unfolds versus already kind of knowing what happens yeah well it was more uh about getting the benefit of the atmosphere and the juice of their team and and how they play off their crowd and and uh the speed you know watching watching games live you can you know they came out and they went fastpac you know early you don't necessarily as you're watching cups get that feel and uh so we certainly have to be ready for their fast-paced offense they don't run it all the time but uh we have to be ready for that he opened the game with it uh coach Gundy did last last week so yeah I think there are benefits you know certainly you can hear calls and different things that you can't hear on on cutup but I think you just get a a live feel of it watching and like you say you don't get a lot of that now sometimes you do maybe on the plane coming back or or the bus coming back maybe if your your opponent's playing later than you did but not very often do you get to just sit down and just watch a game and and uh as I'm watching I I go man they got a really good team they like to throw that deep fade a lot gunny's always done that but they're hitting you with olly Gordon and then they they do that how often can you expect to see that and just what a challenge that is yeah if you press them they're gonna test you I mean that's just what's going to happen if they if you press them up you're you're going to get tested deep um and they have so many uh things they can do you know with the RPO with with handing it off to Gordon um and then their bubble their bubble game their screen game is is a big part of what they they didn't do it as much Saturday as what I think they you know they well what I know they've done in the past but um if you press them they're going to go deep on you if you don't they're you're going to have the bubble or hand the ball off you know because normally you're in a in a box that's number-wise is going to give them at ad Advantage handing the ball off to Gordon do you have any health updates on Andrew Armstrong and Patrick cudas uh Andrew I'll say is questionable uh cus is probably doubtful did he get that scan last week he did yeah um and then uh we didn't see Miguel Mitchell and I haven't seen him on the depth chart just what's his status he's just out for right now um in recent years Arkansas has on these Marquee matchups have gone on the road first and in 14 you guys went down to Texas Tech and won and your team went to BYU first and won is there something about maybe having more eyes on you or just something that plays into how why you've done well on the road in these Marquee games and I I I don't know I you know we uh a lot of times you get your team on the road you you you get them together it's just y'all versus everybody you know that feeling at times if you have a real close team can make you play a little bit better um you don't have the the uh distractions of as many tickets and all that kind of stuff so I don't really know um the answer to that um I think we'll be ready to play uh Oklahoma State I know they will us but I think I think it's going to be a really really good game but I really don't know the answer to your question can you assess what you thought of the Run blocking and then just the Run game in total and would vinion go up on the depth chart if he's fully healthy well he has the opportunity to you know I really like riding the hill uh as our as our two running back right now um our dub would certainly have an opportunity to continue to move up uh the chart when he gets healthy um and you had another part what was the first part assing the Run game yeah I thought we blocked the the one thing that I thought U we didn't have many mistakes assignment mistakes and once we can do that you know uh and I think it goes back to what I'm want to say about Oklahoma State you're going to have to beat them because they've got a lot of starters coming back they're not going to make mistakes they're they're not they're going to play sound football hard and uh physical and so you're going to have to you're to win you're going to have to physically uh go out and try to try to uh be more physical than they are because they're they're a well well um coach football team I thought we look that way uh as far as uh Thursday night I thought we look like a well coached football team and U we had limited mistakes and that's that therefore we can play pretty good up front if we do that how close do guys like Colin Oliver and Landon Jackson compared to each other uh two two totally different guys um all of is is uh a smaller quicker um now they both can Rush a passer um they do more with Oliver than than we do with Landon you know they drop him into coverage uh they move him around in their odd package he'll be inside outside they do some things there more than than uh what we do in Landon but I will say the the common thing they have is ability to get to the quarterback they play both play extremely hard and uh physical football players when you look at them a receiver I mean you've already mentioned they've got size that they've got speed how do you go about simulating that during the week and how do you feel like you match up with what they've got at receiver well during the week we always go good on good at receiver and other words uh our seven on seven uh they will get four days of of good on good um so back in the old days of 707 versus Scouts we don't do it anymore so um our look team our look team is our ones and twos uh so that simulation will be there um and we have some big receivers some you know like like there Presley was probably our satna you know and and then uh they've got the big receivers and we do too so I think we can simulate that pretty good at practice you know Sam even with with the co year and everything you don't see too many seventh year quarterbacks and he's on his college so he's kind of the poster boy I guess for the Portland nil and everything as far as Bowman what do you say I think he's I think I already he's had 30 starts he can their offense fits him perfectly in my opinion I mean he can um they don't run him quite as much he's sneaky you know they ran him in a draw the other day and he made good yardage on that but um you know he what they're asking him to do he can do it and do it well and uh gets the ball out extremely fast it's hard to get to him hard to sack him um a because they're good at protection but be because he gets rid of the ball um but with that bubble goes uh rpos he's really good at that he I think he probably knows their offense as good as anybody does but uh as good as the head coach does uh you know so he's a really good player and what they do with him is right down his um wheelhouse and really playing well takes care of the football know Ramsey was hurt and had that rough scrimmage um what did he do the last couple weeks I guess to to win the job Ramsey um well we set him for five days he was hurt and so we set him for five days and then u u really we just weren't kicking quite as well as we'd like to uh and when he came back he was he was pretty solid in there it was just a decide of who we're going to go with type deal it wasn't really cut and dry and uh it's his job until U we figure something out differently hopefully I don't hopefully we he makes them all and we keep going but we have full trust in him and Shipley you said the other day that you talk about the deal with Stein which you know I know it's not he's not the quarterback or whatever but just wonder what what what happened with him well I don't I'm I'm I don't think he um let's see uh Depp chart came out and and he had lost half of his starting role one was Long Snapper and the other was short Snapper and and uh I don't I just don't feel like he probably wanted to uh uh just be one or the other and so um he decided to leave the team coach what about the environment at Boon picking Stadium you mentioned looking forward to it in tight Sidelines what's your familiarity level like with that uh we went in there and got beat when I was at oh you um very very loud uh very very close as in they can stand up and look right on top of you and we've talked to our coaching staff and our players about that well because we can't let their fans be a distraction to us when we're trying to learn on the sidelines trying to talk about the next series whatever it may be uh but it's it's extremely close I think it's the closest one in the country and uh Extremely Loud I think they have 55,000 but it's a loud Stadium uh so we've talked about that and crowd noise will be a huge part of this week's preparation and we started that on Saturday how do you feel about sailing green going to the game he obviously had a pretty impressive opener oh I I I think he's a really good player and I'm excited to see him play on a on what might be considered a bigger stage I think it's ABC and um sad to see him get out there along with his teammates and play I think he'll I think he'll be great hey coach you've talked a lot about their experience obviously their offensive Line's got 200 something starts throughout the two deep just what have you seen from them and what kind of challenge do they present well they have a really good coach too I mean I like their coach and U um they play well together and they're playing seven seven guys I mean they they got a couple tackles in the portal that that are giving them some depth and possibly start you know possibly might start for them um but they just again it's kind of what they do that they they do very very well and you just don't see mistakes uh but they are a very physical uh group uh movement doesn't seem to bother them you know which it would a inexperienced line or an exper inexperienced player next to an experienced guy but these guys have been playing together for a long time and I think they have a lot of confidence in them they should because they're really good players so um again I think this game more than surprising somebody or a schematics I think this is going to be a you're going to have to go whip somebody and and uh uh physically to win so I don't think there's going to be a whole lot of mistakes I just think there's going to be a slobber knocker a little bit and then you said all the technology stuff went smoothly on Thursday you feel good about that heading into 55,000 hosal environment yeah it really did and I think our coaches really enjoyed the the iPads the the watching the game I know Bobby and those guys back there you know we obviously we talked about it on Friday how much usage we got out of and I think uh both both the both the helmet communication and the iPad watching the video went uh super well for us Tech technically as well as us getting information to our kids through it I think the only time you and Gundy would have overlapped in the Big 12 together was when you were at Kansas but I don't think you guys played you ever cross paths with him um play any games against Oklahoma State when you were coaching or any anybody on their staff man I I don't think I don't think so um I always get a kick out of uh listening to coach gundy's press conferences you know because he's blunt and to the point and he is who he is so I have a lot of respect for for that and he catches a little heat for it no I don't think he much cares you know I think he just is who he is so I I've always had respect for him as a man but then you go and and you watch as teams play and they're always prepared and they play hard as hell you know and a lot of fun to watch youall never had any kind of conversation or anything uh nothing I can remember that had any you know I I know his brother Kell as well you know I know his brother Kell so anything uh from watching the the film um that jumped out to you that maybe you didn't see during the game that I know maybe a guy helped helped himself for playing time maybe a little bit more on special teams Alex Sanford play really well Dallas young made a great play uh on a special team uh yeah Larry worth excuse me uh um um dicks worth but Stephen dicks he played better than what I maybe even I thought he might you know I'm talking about in space u made some good tackles out there but um you know we played so many guys I I wasn't really disappointed in in any anybody we probably got about what I thought we would out of out of the guys my biggest thing was we C we skill-wise we really did a good job of catching the football you know I know we dropped one or two here or there but uh some fantastic catches as well guys didn't play extremely well at home last year but on the road you really tough out what what was it about taking it on the road and and how do you kind of keep that going I don't know uh I really don't um what the difference was you know sometimes going on a road depends on who you're playing and all that but I mean you talk about last year you know we went to LSU went to Alabama went to Old Miss and uh very strong environments and and uh and then we come home and uh we didn't we didn't play um seemed like sometimes with the same energy that we had on the road so I really don't know I hope we we we continue to play well on the road and then figur it out when we get back home you know part of it is um we you know I think we went five in a row or five out of six on the road or something like that last year and and U you'd like to be that as when the season starts you'd like to be opposite of that you'd like to play in here A whole bunch like most other teams do but our schedu just hasn't permitted us to do that we need to go get a win on Saturday and come back in here I'm imagine our place would be rocking pretty good I was going to ask you about your safety play the other night uh how'd you like the way the rotation shook out and then how important are are the safeties in this game very important you know because they're going to have to make some tackles as well but they're going to have to play Fast defense you know so it's uh again their skill is is really really good they they cause you problems and lot of spots um I like TJ metf I think he's just continuing to get better uh Jaden Johnson I felt like he played well um the rotation there Slaughter Slaughter's a guy we can certainly count on a good player and then HUD HUD can play several spots there um but I was I was pleased with our our safeties um but I think if there's a guy sticking out right now it's m okay okay and then the quarterbacks you got I think you played at least five and did did anybody earn more playing time or were they all about like you thought I don't know that we're changing what where we were I think you know obviously um Stuart um is a in a battle there with cudy and and U but uh you know Snoop played um with the threes when when we got in there and he had a nice manto man coverage there on on a post route uh I don't know I think we feel better you know about corner with single ter or yeah single ter and and uh so we'll see but I I imagine we'll start the same guys as we did last week I do I do like our depth there though Sam aranson Oklahoma State play play used to play a lot hadn't played since 1980 looking at the series I'm guessing it's because Oklahoma State got tired of coming to Little Rock don't really know gota investigate that I guess but with you guys the campus is being so close do are you do you think this this is a good uh little home at home for you all yeah I think anytime that you play close I think you'll you'll you can potentially have a better game you know um kids know each other on the team A lot of times when you're when you're um playing closer I don't know if this is a rivalry because we haven't played them so but when you're playing closer compet comptition certainly if you've got have to grow on the road it's a lot better to go you know down to still water than it is to Oregon you know um but um there's there'll be some familiar guys on both Sid they'll the kids will know each other um and you know the closer you can stay with uh away games is always a little bit better just because of travel and the time you get home we know Travis was on the sidelines which was different than last year um what what led to that how' you think it worked well he asked if he could go down there you know and I with the with the new technology and he can see what's going on and I think he's more comfortable with you know he's got good energy you know so I think he wanted to bring that on the sidelines and and obviously it was just one game and all that but it all worked out well and I think he's going to do the same uh this weekend as well well and one more you know the offensive line very dominant last week I mean everybody was pretty dominant but now a bigger task against Oklahoma State what are you expecting from the offensive line and if they could have a really good game uh after you know the struggles of last year how how big would that be and boosting conf I just I mean there's there was four of the five that you know out there on the field that were playing last year or that play Thursday night that didn't play for us last year so I don't know that it's a it's not the same old line even the same Personnel to be honest with you um the game Thursday you really can't there's really not a lot you can put into the results of that because um um we're not g you know no disrespect We're not gonna play anybody like that you know the rest of the year but only thing you can do is you did we play hard did we play smart and uh did we play physical and uh did we want to score every time did we want to shut them out and so that's the result you got from it you know um did we the smart part of did we have a lot of mas we did not upfront we didn't have really pressure problems but they didn't pressure us either we're going to get pressured Saturday I mean there's no doubt in my mind they're going to see if we can protect um but for what the game was um I thought we played smart and we played physical and that's the expectation uh when we go into Still Water I like our line we haven't been tested we'll find out a lot more about them on Saturday that's one go were already up quite handily when it happened but just how do you think T looked in the two-minute especially in that final drive yeah I really wanted to get to that you know I was talking Bobby and I said hey it was second down I think they were but they had they had a timeout left so I didn't think it would hurt us to use a timeout so they ran the ball and say down I called timeout which made them decide whether they were going to continue to try to uh just run out the clock uh give us less time or uh try to get the third nine they did and it was incomplete and uh I wanted to get to that twom minute because I felt like Tor would be done at the you know end of the drive regardless whether we scored or not and I thought he really handled himself well especially after we got the penalty to come back and then we contined to go down and and score um but I wanted to get that in for me and for them and uh and for Bobby to try to get that communication and it worked out well I thought he handled it well and then I I was real pleased after we after we we overcame the penalty and and went down and scored appreciate all right guys