Cowboys lack vocal leaders

STILLWATER — Mike Gundy’s dog, Kenzie, has been a mainstay at the Oklahoma State coach’s Monday news conferences this season, sniffing, sauntering and sandwich-hunting.

But never has she made a peep beyond that patter of her paws and the occasional yawn. So when she began barking as her owner went on about the Cowboys’ lack of vocal leaders, Kenzie seemed to be volunteering.

“We don’t have many guys that do a lot of that,” Gundy said. “We don’t have a lot of those guys that talk.”

Kenzie’s barking started as Gundy offered receiver Tyron Johnson and backup running back J.D. King as examples of players who have provided some verbal leadership. Star running back Justice Hill and quarterback Taylor Cornelius, though, are naturally quiet, though Gundy praised them for leading with their play rather than their words.

“You can’t make somebody different,” Gundy said. “Introvert, extrovert, whatever one you are, you can’t change.”

Kenzie seems out to prove otherwise.

Extra points

• There is a six-day selection window for the kickoff time of next week’s OSU-West Virginia game.

• Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay will call Saturday’s Bedlam game for ABC.

• Gundy said he made sure all of OSU’s football players registered to vote two months ago.

• Gundy jokingly referred to his brother, Oklahoma co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach Cale Gundy, as “the guy that they let coach running backs or wideouts or whatever he coaches,” and ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit as “the blonde-headed guy.”