Oklahoma State Coach Mike Gundy Sees Steady Improvements From Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers

The Texas Longhorns are taking on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 title game.

On Saturday, the No. 7 Texas Longhorns will be in Arlington looking to win their first Big 12 title since 2009. 

Standing in their way is an Oklahoma State team that ranks as the No. 18 Oklahoma State Cowboys and their mulleted "I'm a man" screaming head coach Mike Gundy. In preparation for the game, Gundy has been doing his best to downplay the importance of the game itself, and has also done an impressive job of making it seem like he and his team don't care at all about the Texas Longhorns.

He already minimized the Texas offense, and essentially hinted that they don't do anything special besides ranking No. 15 in total offense. 

“They're (scoring) 35 per game. They don't play fast," said Gundy." If they played fast, they'd be (scoring) 50-ish per game, in my opinion, over the more numbers and snaps they would get. (Coach Sarkisian) wants to run the football, he's always wanted to run the football..."

He also touched on the Longhorn signal caller, Quinn Ewers who struggled last year against the Cowboys, but has taken major strides from year one to year two but hasn't blown Gundy away.

“He’s playing better with reps," explained Gundy. "He’s like most guys you watch as they progress in this conference. You watch them early in their career and then two years later you say the guy is pretty good.”

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy  / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Last season in Stillwater, the Cowboys had Ewers' number. Almost to the point that many were questioning whether Texas should have benched him in favor of Hudson Card. He completed just 19-of-49 passes (38.8%) while throwing two touchdowns to three picks. 

It started a three-game stretch for Ewers that didn't see him amass a 59% completion percentage and saw him throw four touchdowns to four interceptions in that same time. This season, Ewers has taken major strides in protecting the ball as he is completing 69% of his passes which ranks No. 8 in the country. He has also thrown 17 touchdowns to just five interceptions and is far more successful in throwing the deep ball. 

He will have a chance to have another big game as the Cowboys rank No. 111 in passing yards allowed, as they give up over 250 a game. A big game this weekend can help cement him in the Texas history books, and also get Texas into the College Football Playoff.